Page 10 of Wintertime Heat (Holiday 1)

The fight was fierce, but I refused to give in.

“Off with her head!” He cries out and swipes at me, making me jump backwards and landing against a very solid person, who grips me by my arms to steady.

“Oh, crap! Sorry, I – “

I turn around to face the person, and my jaw clinch.

It was the stranger from last week, staring at me with open amusement.

Chapter 4

“You?” That is all that leaves my mouth before Aaron pipes up.

“Dad!”

Dad? I mouthed silently, with growing horror.

The man releases me and lets Aaron run up to him, lifting him up.

One hand on his son’s shoulder, he studies me, “Well, hello.”

Instincts tell me to hiss at him, like a cat, but the brain cells that had not been fried by this sudden encounter, tell me to act like a professional.

So, I bare my teeth in a smile, and grit out, “Fancy meeting you here.”

His eyes widen at what must have been a maniac look on my face, and the corner of his lips twitch, “Are you Aaron’s class teacher?”

I shake my head, and at Aaron’s panicked look. I say, slowly, not wanting to lie, “I’m a senior teacher here. Since Aaron stays back late, I asked him to help me out with some of the artwork in my class

.”

Then, with an afterthought, I add, “I hope that’s not a problem.”

“No, problem,” Those eyes that had haunted me this entire weekend, now move over my frame with deliberate slowness, “Miss -?”

“Abby Johnson.”

“You look much too young to be a senior teacher, Abby.”

Was he for real?

I could sense that he was trying to rile me up, but for the life of me, I couldn’t understand why.

However, now that I had had a moment or two to collect myself, I feel more in control. So, I just give him the coldest look I can muster, “Would you like to see my credentials?”

He raises his hands defensively, a small smile playing on his lips now, “There’s no need to get so angry, Abby.”

I hate that he had decided to call me by my first name, as if that was his God-given right. I also hated the tingling sensation in my lower abdomen when my name was on his lips.

When he extends a hand toward me, I stare at it, as if expecting it to bite. That amused him even more, and he introduces himself, his tone like velvet strokes along my skin, with rough undercurrents, “I’m Steven Tanner.”

When I hesitantly take his hand, I feel his firm grip and the callouses on his palm. My heart stutters in its ribcage, making me scowl.

His smile broadens when I force the words out of my mouth, careful of Aaron staring at the both of us, “It’s nice to meet you Mr. Tanner.”

There was a strange light in his eyes when I pull my hand away. A flicker of curiosity, but it vanished as soon as it appeared.

Then he chuckles, his eyes going to the top of my head, “That’s a very nice hat.”

---