Page 33 of Avoiding Temptation
“Focus on your future, Mr. Kingsman. That’s the reason you’re here.”
“What if she is my future?”
My stomach damn near falls from my body at his admission.
“Sorry…I uh…” I stutter, scrambling to get out of the chair and away from him. There’s no doubt in my mind that he was deadly serious, and it scares me more than I want to admit.
This can’t happen. He can’t happen.
I finish up the lesson for the evening, give the students their homework assignment for the following week and bid them farewell.
Joe’s eyes never leave me as he slowly starts to pack away. It’s clear he wants to hang back to talk to me, but I already know being alone with him is a very bad idea.
As students start to leave, I push my chair under my desk and follow them out. Just before I round the corner, I look back over my shoulder to find him staring at me with disappointment written all over his face.
As the majority of the students turn left so they can leave the building, I bolt right towards the toilets, but I don’t get very far as I crash into a body.
Looking up, I find Eddie staring down at me with an amused smirk.
“I knew you wanted me,” he says with a wink. My stomach twists as I pull myself from his grip.
“I’m so sorry, I just…”
I rush away from him, my heart hammering in my chest.
“I’m not that bad, am I?” he chuckles behind me, but I don't stop to say anything.
Lowering the toilet seat, I fall down on to it and drop my face into my hands. My life was meant to get simpler once I was away from my old life, but I fear I’ve only made it a hell of a lot more complicated and things are only going to get worse. Every day that passes I expect to receive a phone call, but as of yet, there’s been nothing. I know these things take time, but for the sake of those I left behind, something needs to happen to stop lives being ruined more than they already have been.
I wait in the toilets long enough that I hope Joe will have given up and left.
I can feel the pounding of my heart all the way to my toes as I make the silent journey back towards my classroom to collect my stuff.
Poking my head into the room, I breathe a sigh of relief when it appears to be empty. I walk inside and head straight to my desk to collect my stuff when a dark figure in the corner, perched against the desk opposite mine, makes me scream.
“Fuck.” My breath heaves as my body shakes. My fear is debilatating and renders me powerless for the couple of seconds it takes me to realise who is staring back at me with a deep frown lining his forehead.
It’s Joe.
You’re safe.
Breathe.
“Shit, Quinn. I didn’t mean…are you okay?”
Tears burn my eyes and my bottom lip trembles. I really thought it washimwaiting for me.
“I’m…I’m f-fine.” My voice breaks on every word. “You need to leave.”
Pushing from the desk, he stalks towards me. “You need to stop pushing me away, Quinn. Don’t think I don’t know that that’s what you’re doing.”
“It’s for your own good,” I mutter, not willing to divulge any information as to why. Looking down at the floor, I try to avoid the connection that forms when we stare at each other. He’ll see too much.
“You might think that, but I very much disagree. You’re a nervous wreck. What’s going on? Let me help.” His hot fingers grip my chin lightly, and I’m forced to look back at him. My breath catches when I see the concern in his eyes.
“It’s nothing.”
“Bullshit,” he snaps, making me jump.
