Page 25 of Reckless Desire

I grab my purse and walk out, running into Lara who teaches the second-grade class next door to my room. “We better hurry.”

“What’s going on? I thought there would be an informal get-together tomorrow.” I follow her down the corridor.

“The chair of the board is here to introduce our new boss.”

“I thought she couldn’t start until October.”

“I heard she took another job and they called in the runner-up. Melissa told me it’s a man and he is handsome.” Lara wiggles her hips and shrugs her shoulders.

I laugh. “The last thing we need at an all girls’ school is eye candy for a headmaster. Thank God I teach little girls.”

We rush into the lounge along with some of our other colleagues, but I stop in my tracks in the doorway. The chair of the board stands across the room, her white dress blinding against the sun streaming from the windows behind her. But it’s the man beside her that causes my mind to backfire.

Someone bumps into me as more people try to push through. I stumble inside and my eyes meet with Dan’s.What the actual fuck?

ChapterNine

Hunter

Clack. Clack.Clack.

The sound snaps through the darkness, invading the warmth of my dream. I struggle to ignore it, desperately fighting to stay asleep. I’m so fucking tired.

Clack.

Clack.

What the hell is that? I’m definitely more awake than asleep now. The clacking continues and I have no idea what’s going on. What time is it even?

I pry one eye open and find Caro on the floor near the window. The shutters are tilted up slightly so she has better light for her torture device. Papers are strewn around her and she is stapling them.Clack. Clack.Fuckingclack.

“What are you doing, honey?” I rasp.

“Honey is food.”Clack, she snaps two papers together.

“What are you doing, Caroline?” I roll on to my back, knowing sleep is done. I run my hand over my face and push up on to my elbows.

“Stapling.”Clack.

“I see that. Why are you doing it here, in my bedroom while I’m asleep?” I’m afraid to look at the clock because the five a.m. wake-up calls weren’t fun when I had early morning fitness clients at the beginning of my career. And they are even less fun now when I have a full-time business to run.

“Don’t you want to know what I’m creating?”Clack. She doesn’t even look at me, busy with her project.

“Please tell me.” I yawn.

“It’s my magazine. I wrote and drew it yesterday and I made copies this morning in your office—”

“Caro, I asked you to stay away from my office.” I need to start locking that room.

“I didn’t move anything. I just made copies, and now I’m binding them together so I have an issue for everyone important.” She lifts her eyes to me and, as always, my annoyance disappears.

“And we are all eager to get the next edition, but why are you doing it here? How long have you been up?”

“Long enough.” She collects the papers, clutches them to her chest and comes over. I lean in for a kiss and she gives me a peck on my cheek.

The morning is getting better now.

Until I glimpse the clock on my nightstand. “Caro, we’re going to be late!” I spring out of bed, almost toppling her over. Fuck.

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