Page 11 of Wintertime Heat (Holiday 1)

Blushing fiercely, I grab the paper-hat I had made on whim and hid it behind my back, “Y-Yes, well. Aaron and I were- “

My eyes guiltily went to the sword that Aaron was still holding in his hand, “We got done with our work early.”

“I’m sure you did,” Steven murmurs, his eyes fixed on mine.

I want to throw a cloth on his face to cover it. There is a predatory gleam in his eyes as they watch me.

There is a glimmer of the man that I had seen on Friday, but now I see another side of him that puts my back up.

He is wearing the same overcoat I had seen him in before, and a sharp suit underneath that did not have a single wrinkle on it.

“Well,” I cough, tearing my eyes away from him and looking down at Aaron. “I’m going to need that sword back, Aaron.”

He stares at the sword and then at me, and then reluctantly hands it to me.

“Don’t look so glum,” I tell him, still grinning. “If we get done early tomorrow, we can play again.”

“Really?” His eyes widen so much that, for a heartbeat, I worry they would fall out.

“Of course. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay! Bye, Miss Abby!” With that, he abandons his father and rushes outside, as if the sooner he leaves, the quicker he could return.

Steven watches him leave and turns around to look at me.

Uh oh.

He puts his hands in the pockets, and I can’t help but be drawn to the trim muscular build of his body that the act pronounced, “I’ll see you around, Miss Abby.”

He smirks at me and then walks out, following his son’s footsteps.

I don’t know why I was scowling as I watch him leave, but I really wanted to throw the eraser at his head.

As I watch the car roll away from the window of my classroom, I collapse into my chair, deflated.

“Who was that?”

I jump at Scarlett’s voice and look up to see my roommate standing at the door, a heavy faux fur coat hanging from her curvy frame. “What are you doing here?” I ask.

“I was in the neighbourhood and asked Sharon to give me a ride here.” Scarlett settles her hip at the edge of my desk, “So, spill! Who was he, and where can I get one of those?”

I tuck my tongue in my cheek, “You remember that guy from Friday?”

Scarlett blinks, “The one who insulted your car?”

“Gertha. Her name is Gertha.” I snap.

“Yes, yes. Move on. Was he the same guy?”

Still smarting from the insult to my baby, I mutter, “Yeah. He’s the father of one of the students here. Steven T-something.”

Scarlett stares at me and then reaches out to hit me, making me wince, “What the hell was that for?”

“Steven Tanner?! The Steven Tanner?”

Rubbing my head, I watch her whip out a magazine from her purse and shove it in my face.

“Ugh, what the hell is your problem, Scar- “

---