Page 33 of Montana SEAL Protector
The principal stepped out of his office into the hallway. “No running in the school,” he said. “Slow it down.”
Scotty slowed down, but Travis could read the impatience in his son.
Once outside, all that contained energy burst out. “Daddy, she’s small and nice, not a big meanie. I like her.”
“I like her too,” Travis said.
A lot more than I can admit to anyone,he thought as he climbed into his truck and then made sure Scotty put his seatbelt on right.
She clearly wants to keep things on a professional level, and I can’t be dating my son’s kindergarten teacher. But if she wasn’t…
That feeling when they’d touched was like nothing he’d ever felt before.
The chemistry between us. Damn.
He’d sworn off any kind of steady full-time relationship with a woman.
It’s too damn bad. Because if we have that kind of chemistry just touching…
It blew every kind of relationship he’d had before out of the water, on a physical level. Which meant the two of them together would either be very good or very bad.
Bad luck has been my fortune with women. I’d better stick to weapons, where my good luck remains.
“Ice cream, daddy! Let’s go,” his son said.
He turned his attention entirely to his son and celebrating the big day. They were, after all, making memories.
* * *
As Ellen tidiedthings up in her classroom, and prepared to go home, her thoughts returned to all the children and parents she’d met that day. About two thirds of the class had come to meet their teacher tonight and the rest would meet her on Monday.
Usually, she’d run the names and faces of each child through her mind, which helped her solidify their names in her memory. Tonight, however, her mind kept going back to Scotty. The adorable little boy had an incredibly fit and handsome father who she’d already met at the center, and she’d wanted to know more about him, but she’d never guessed he might have a son.
He’d helped her learn to shoot, but then she hadn’t seen him anymore.
Tonight, when he touched her, it was as if every cell, every system in her body came alive. His touch ignited something, and his eyes and the way he looked at her made her want him to look at her longer and to touch her even more.
But she couldn’t be having the kind of thoughts she was now having about one of her student’s fathers. No, she was the little boy’s kindergarten teacher, for crying out loud. She shouldn’t be thinking about what Travis’s arms might feel like around her, or how she liked the sound of his voice, or how he smelled so nice.
Was Travis wearing cologne tonight?
No, no, no. It’s Mr. Bannerman, Mr. Bannerman, Mr. Bannerman.
She ran his name through her head several times, as if doing that would help her to remain in the professional mindset, she needed to stay in to teach the class.
As she gathered her things to carry to her car, she thought, I think I’m the one who needs ice cream. I’d better get out the double chocolate with sprinkles tonight.
It figured that just when she’d met the perfect guy, one she really wanted to go out with, she was in a situation where she shouldn’t and couldn’t. She shouldn’t be dating one of her students’ parents and he wasn’t allowed to fraternize with her.
Back at her place she was halfway through her ice-cream when it came to her.
Oh wait.We weren’t allowed to fraternize while he was instructing me at the center. But I graduated from that program. So that rule no longer applies.
She took another spoonful of ice cream and then sat back.
Oh, that is good. Life is getting better and better every day. I thought I’d never see him again.
But now she was his son’s kindergarten teacher and would see each other. They just couldn’t date.
