Page 2 of Mr. Right Now
She moved aside. “I’m going to find out sooner or later.”
“There’s nothing to find out.” He shook his head and left her standing in the doorway as he headed to the conference room at the end of the hallway. “Good morning,” he said to the six people seated around the table as he claimed the chair at the end. “Sorry about being a little late. I lost track of time.” Erika took the empty seat next to his and, still glaring at him, set a huge mug on the table. She lived on coffee and needed two or three cups to get her going. “Okay, let’s get started. School will be out for the summer in four weeks and that means we’ll be going back to our full day hours of eight to five-thirty.”
“Oh joy,” one of the teachers said, eliciting a round of laughter. “Are we doing the camping trip again with Bryson and his crew?”
“We are, and it’ll be the first weekend in June, as usual, but I may not—” Dante paused when the receptionist stuck her head in the door.
“Sorry to interrupt, but the new counselor is here.” She stepped back.
It can’t be.Yet, there she stood, as if she’d walked out of his dreams. Dante forgot to breathe. He didn’t even realize he was on his feet until he heard Ryan clear his throat. Shaking himself, he crossed the room and extended his hand. “Welcome to Impressions 2. I’m Dante Powell.” Her smile hit him squarely in the chest, the same way it had the day they met.
“I’m Jayana Cole. It’s nice to meet you.” She gave his hand a little squeeze before releasing it.
Erika and Ryan stared with raised eyebrows, but Dante ignored them and gestured Jayana to an empty chair and made the introduction.Jayana. He liked the name. And her. “We can meet one-on-one after this meeting and I’ll catch you up.”
She nodded and sent another knowing smile his way.
He tried to recall what he’d been talking about before Jayana came in, but for the life of him had no clue. “What were we discussing?”
“We were talking about the camping trip,” his sister said with a smirk.
“Oh, right. I may not be able to go since I’m heading up the Juneteenth festival this year.”
Ryan chuckled. “One of your Mr. Black Los Angeles duties.”
Dante shot his friend a look. While he loved giving back and working with the kids, he preferred keeping a low profile, something he found difficult in his new role. He would hold the position for four years before someone new was selected. “Moving on.” Again, one glance at Jayana and he promptly lost his train of thought. “Um…I’ll touch base with Bryson sometime this week to get the details and let you all know at the next staff meeting. Any questions?” When no one spoke up, he moved on to the preschool and the new teacher assistants.
“How many students do you typically have during the summer?” Jayana asked.
“Anywhere from forty to sixty-five.” Once again, Dante couldn’t stop staring at her. He whipped his head around and smothered a groan when Erika kicked him under the table.
“Someone else is asking you a question.”
His eyebrows knitted together and he scanned the faces, wondering who’d asked.I am losing it.“I’m sorry.”
“I wanted to know if the camping supplies we ordered had come in.”
“Not yet, but I think the tracking says they should arrive by the end of the week.” He went over the remaining items and ended the meeting. Less than two minutes after he got back to his office, Ryan and Erika barged in and closed the door.
“Man, what the hell is wrong with you?” Ryan asked. “And did I miss something with you and Jayana?”
Erika dropped down in one of the chairs across from his desk and crossed a leg over the other. “I was going to ask the same thing. You could barely get through the meeting.”
Dante waved her off and stared out the window, which overlooked the center’s playground. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he lied. From the moment Jayana strutted into the room, the heated memories of their brief time together played like a loop in his mind, messing with his self-control. He rarely got caught off guard, but today his sister was on point. Of course, he had no intentions of telling her that, though. She didn’t need another reason to be in his personal business.
“Oh, please. You stumbled through that meeting like a drunk on his fifth shot of whiskey.”
Ryan burst out laughing. “She’s got a point. So, you might as well tell us the real deal, especially now that she’s an employee.”
The fact that Jayana was now employed by the center and by default, him, should have been enough to make sure things remained professional.I won’t ever let myself be vulnerable to another woman againhe kept repeating to himself. However, the sexy grin she shot his way, along with the attraction still simmering between them let Dante know it might not be so easy. He braced his hands on the window sill and closed his eyes. From her thick curly mass of brown hair streaked with golden highlights and sparkling dark eyes set in an exquisite cocoa face, to her full breasts that fit perfectly in his hands and the way her feminine muscles clenched around his—.
“Dante!”
Erika’s voice cut into his sensual thoughts. “What?” Glancing over his shoulder, he met both Erika’s and Ryan’s curious gazes. Sighing, he said, “I know her. I mean, I met her a few weeks ago on the flight to Dallas.”
A slow grin curved Erika’s lips. “Well, now. Iknewit.She’swho has you so distracted.”
A knock sounded on his door and Ryan got up to open it. “Come on in, Jayana.”
