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“So you’re saying we have to go through this maze alone? Together? Maybe that was my plan all along.”
Okay, no. I can’t do this alone. I can’t fight flirty Tyler all by myself. He has to take some responsibility for his illegal actions. Then again, maybe he doesn’t know his actions are illegal.
“You know it’s against the rules to flirt with a teacher.”
“Who says?”
I give him a pointed look. “Diane Carter. And the entire board of trustees at American Education Academy.”
“Eh, Diane’s harmless.”
“Not to me. There are rules, you know. Teachers aren’t allowed to date parents. It’s in our contract.”
He smiles, letting his amusement show. “I wasn’t aware that we were dating.”
Oh my gosh.
Why do I say the stupidest things?
“We’re not.” I laugh, leaning into my humiliation coping mechanism. “I was just stating the school rules.”
“Are there any other school rules I need to know about? Like no running in the halls, or only grabbing one carton of milk at lunch?”
I bite back my smile. “No, I think the rest are pretty self-explanatory.”
We walk a few paces in silence before Tyler speaks again. “Let's say I were to ask you to dinner sometime…hypothetically.” He shrugs innocently. “What would you say?”
“Hypothetically?”
“Yes.”
“I would say no. I like my dates to last longer than ten minutes.”
“I can assure you that ours would.”
“You can’t assure me of anything. You might decide when you get there that we’re not compatible.”
“Except I already know that we are.” His smile tilts.
For someone who probably hasn’t been in the dating scene very long, Tyler has entirely too much confidence. In a good way. In a way that makes me want to say yes to every hypothetical situation he throws at me.
“It doesn’t matter if we’re compatible or not. I would say no, because you’re the dad of one of my students.”
“Dads go out on dates, too.” He shoves his hands in his pockets. “Or do you think that once you become a dad, you’re no longer attracted to women?”
“Of course you’re still attracted to women.”
“Not all women.” His smile widens. “Maybe just second grade teachers.”
Dang it.
That was cute.
And did the sun just move a few inches closer to the earth? I suddenly feel the need to tug at my shirt a few times and let some air in.
“That’s not what I meant.” I’m flustered again. Tyler Dixon has that effect on me. “I meant that teachers aren’t allowed to date parents. It’s a school rule.” I shrug with finality. “Like I said, it’s in my contract.”
He leans in, putting his face a few inches from mine. His voice lowers. “Good thing we’re not dating then.”
