Page 3 of Burn for You (Flirting with Forever 3)

Yes I know, I haven’t even met him. Haven’t looked into his eyes. Yet, somehow, I know that if it ever happens, it could be amazing. I pick my phone up off the table, desperately trying to avoid giving in and checking my messages.

I want to know if it’s him lighting up my phone, but I don’t dare look or everyone will want to know exactly who it is I’m chatting with. And they’ll know something is up because when I message him, I tend to grin like a lunatic. I can’t help myself.

With an exaggerated sigh, I steer us back to our conversation about the barre class and acquiesce. “Okay, I’ll go to that barre class. Who else is in?”

Quinn raises a hand. “I already said I’d do it. It’ll be fun.”

“Anyone else in?” Madison sits up, clapping her hands, excited to have us join her.

Sophia laughs. “Hard pass. I just don’t have time with wedding planning. You all have fun with it, though.”

“Zoey? Hadleigh?”

Zoey wrinkles her nose. “Ugh. you guys know me. I’m always at school until at least six. I don’t want to promise I’ll be there and then be a no-show.”

Hadleigh gives us her best yikes face. “You know, I wish I could, but time alone with Sawyer is kind of precious right now.”

Madison looks at me, then at Quinn. “Okay, then, ladies. I guess it’s the three of us. Be at the gym at four on Tuesday. We’ll see what it’s all about.”

I nod absentmindedly as I flip my phone over and glance down at Prof.M.’s latest message, already distracted. Again.

Chapter 2

Damon

When I hear the bang of the door behind me, I know she’s caught me red-handed. I shrug it off, knowing I probably should feel terrible that I’m about to do this to her, but the department chair position is at stake. I want it badly—need it, really—and I’m not going to let my know-it-all coworker Piper just have the position because she thinks she’s entitled to it. Yes, she’s worked here longer, but we are equally qualified for the job.

Piper pulls her chair out from under her desk, which is inconveniently located right next to mine, and drops into it. I can see out of the corner of my eye that she’s attempting to figure

out what I’m doing without being completely obvious about it.

She rolls her chair a little closer, and her lips part in surprise. “What are you doing, Damon?”

I shuffle the documents I’d been reviewing back together into a neat stack. “Just looking over the curriculum for any tweaks we’d like to make, like Jake asked us to.”

With a loud huff, she pokes my arm. “Jake said we should do that together. You know, as a team? Are you not a team player, Damon?”

“Eh, I work better alone. I’ll share my thoughts when I’m done. Someone has to take the lead.” I smirk at her. “Apparently, that someone is me.”

Uh-oh. I glance away from her shocked expression and smile to myself. Seems like I’ve pissed off the Piper beast.

Her brows raise, and she narrows her eyes at me. “What? Like you’re just going to make plans and hope I’ll go along with it?” She grumbles loudly, leaning closer to get a glimpse of my notes. “Lemme see what you’re doing.”

I chuckle at her fussing. “I guess I’ll just have to convince you that my ideas are the best ones. Worried Jake will figure out I have better suggestions than you? Don’t want to let him know that what we present to him are my recommendations and not yours?”

“No, because I’ll share my proposal with him as well. I think you just enjoy being a thorn in my side. You know what?” Her exhale is forced through her nose as she shakes her head. “Never mind. Forget it.”

“No, what? What were you going to say?” I want her to tell me why she’s so damn bent out of shape. I’d told her I’d fill her in when I’m done. I’m no slouch. I think I've developed great ideas to improve how we’ve been structuring our classes. I definitely don’t want us to get into a rut. Students these days lose interest quickly unless teachers can come up with innovative ways to hold their attention. That’s what I’m after—revamping how we do things to get better results.

“I don’t think you get it. This was all but guaranteed to be my position until you showed up. I don’t appreciate you going over my head on stuff like this or purposely not including me.”

I cock my head to the side, studying her. She’s all fired up, her face quickly turning beet red, breath coming fast. “So, you’d prefer the position was handed to you? I can’t believe that. Don’t tell me you’re afraid of a little competition, Piper.”

She crosses her arms and flounces back in her chair. “No. I’d just prefer not to have to compete with you.”

I hold my hands out, palms up, my eyes boring into hers. “Why not? What’s the matter, princess? Think I might be better suited to lead the department?” I fucking love to push her buttons. She’s so easily irritated.

She mumbles to herself as she rolls her chair back over to her desk. “What an egomaniac. So self-centered.”

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