Page 19 of Sugarloaf Ridge Lies

I can’t help but reciprocate his grin.Damn you, wine.“Yeah. Fancy that.”

His tongue darts out to wet his lower lip. “You look different.”

I lift my chin. “How so?”

“You know, not so teachery.”

Laughter bubbles up my throat. What I wear to work is my uniform, so to speak. Children take in everything, and there’s a certain expectation amongst the faculty.

“I’m notjusta teacher, Jerry. I’m a woman as well.” Outside the school grounds, I wear what makes me feel good, even though I’m a little self-conscious about the tightness of this dress. Particularly under his heated gaze.

His Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows. “Yes, you are.” He looks to the bodies moving on the dancefloor and shifts his focus back to me. “You’re not dancin’.”

I tilt my head. “No. Very observant of you.”Where is this cheek coming from?

Jerry leans in, his mouth close to my ear. It sends goosebumps charging over my skin. “Gonna dance with me, teach?”

I shrug one shoulder, trying to play down how his whispered words have my heart racing. “Maybe.”

He raises one dark brow. “What’ve I gotta do to convince you?”

A tortured sigh leaves my lips. Is there truth to what Paula said? Am I likely to be another conquest? “I’m not about to jump into bed with you,” I blurt out. It might be the wine giving me the bravery to speak up, but I need to be upfront.

He frowns. “I wasn’t thinkin’ that you were.”

It’s been years since I’ve been in a serious relationship, and I’m not about to share my life, it’s highs and the lowest of lows unless I have trust.

“I barely know anything about you.” What about his past, his family ... hopes for the future?

“I know next to nothin’ about you, so you should probably know I’m not about to jump in the sack with you.”

My jaw drops. A rush of air leaves my mouth.

“Yup. I’m not a piece of meat, you know.” He rocks on his heels.

My hands shift to my hips. “I’ve never treated you like you were.”

He winks. “Oh yeah?” He snickers.Is he trying to get a rise out of me?“You sure about that? I saw you watchin’ me while I was workin’, or was there somethin’ else in the trees that held your attention?”

Heat blooms in my cheeks. “I enjoy the outdoors.” It’s not a convincing reply. He held my interest on more than one occasion. I didn’t realise I’d been caught in the act.

“Makes it hard for a man to work, you know. With a woman gazin’ at you like that.”

Oh, now he’s having fun with this.I bite down on my lower lip. “Gazing at you like what, exactly?”

“Starved. Like you wanted to eat me alive.”

I scoff.

“I’m not offended. If you’re hungry, I’m not one to stand in the way of what a woman wants.”

This is not the Jerry from this afternoon. This is Jerry with triple the testosterone. Sex appeal radiating off him in waves. While my traitorous body is responding to the vibes he’s giving out, a red flag is waving in my mind.

“What about you and Paula? She was talking about you today.”

He narrows his eyes. “Paula?”

“Teacher? Slim, blonde?”Sour mouth.

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