Page 24 of Our Bender

I thought we’d find an elderly teacher because they usually had first dibs on us hockey players coming to their rooms, but instead, Miss Josie was…damn… I swallowed but my mouth felt dry all of a sudden. I coughed into my hand to clear my throat. Miss Josie was pretty.Reallypretty.

Her hair was thrown haphazardly in a messy bun on the top of her head, held together by a cheetah print scrunchy. She was very petite compared to me, and she was dressed very feminine, wearing one of those loose jumper dresses over a turtleneck, long-sleeved shirt. She completed the look with black tights and platform converse sneakers.

The way she looked and moved seemed eerily familiar, but I couldn’t place why or where I’d seen her before.

She turned to us with a kind smile, but her hazel eyes looked a bit tired, like she’d been up way too many hours already, which, I guess was true for teachers.

I licked my lips. Fuck. I was not expecting this. I looked at my teammates to see if anyone else was noticing just how hot she was. I hoped not, because the thought of anyone else liking her made me want to scoop her up and run away with her…Fuuuck. Calm down, asshole,I told myself.

“So, who would like to read to the class?” she asked us directly.

“Not Tyler, he can’t,” Duke quipped, reaching forward to shake her hand with a charming smile. “Duke Callahan, nice to meet you.”

My stomach instantly sank with disappointment. She’d for sure start crushing on him. The girls always fell for his pretty boy hair even though he was taken. I needed to put it in Claire’s ear to buzz his damn hair again to keep the girls away. Surprisingly though, the look on the teacher’s face said something else. Her eyes met Duke’s and she cocked her head to the side and pursed her lips, like she didn’t approve of his comment. Her gaze shifted to me then.

“I uh…” I coughed in my hand to lower my voice, “I can read,” I assured her. I reached forward to shake her hand and was shocked by the contact. With her dainty hand in mine, it felt like… like we had some kind of connection.

Her mouth dropped open for a split second before she dropped my hand and turned away from me.

Fuck. I needed to get my shit together. What did that say about me if shaking hands with a woman got me all hot and bothered?

She addressed the other guys standing to my right. “So, any volunteers to read?” she asked the rest of them.

I felt my eyebrows scrunch together as I stared down at her. Her head only came up to my mid-chest. “Hey, I actuallycanread,” I told her with a forced chuckle. I could feel heat climbing my neck, and I pulled at the collar of my jersey. Duke was now grinning like an idiot, finding this whole thing way too funny.

She turned and touched my shoulder, and I’m not even kidding, my heartbeat quickened at her touch. But she pulled her hand back quickly like she just touched hot lava. “I didn’t mean to…” Her throat rolled with a swallow. “Aren’t you the one who just got a concussion?” Her eyebrows pinched together in concern. “You really shouldn’t be reading in your state. I’m surprised they even let you come here today.”

I licked my lips and nodded, liking her concern for me and feeling oddly pleased that she watched our game. “So, you know I can read though, right?” I pushed. I just wanted to make sure.

Duke rubbed a hand over his face to hide his laughing, and I felt my face burn with embarrassment. I just didn’t want her thinking I was some stupid jock. I hated when people thought I was stupid, and for some reason, I really craved her approval.

Her petite face cracked in confusion as she looked up at me. Her eyelashes had some of that goopy makeup on them to make them longer, but other than that, her face was scrubbed clean. And I liked her style. I likedher. A lot. “Um… Yes?” she answered.

“I’ll do it,” I said awkwardly.What the fuck was I doing?Then, even though my whole body was shouting at me not to, I took a stupid book from her grasp.

“Uh… Okay then, suit yourself,” she said pleasantly. “Boys.” She motioned for us to stand in the reading nook.

She buzzed past us then to greet the kids by the door, and I appreciated the faint scent of sugar cookies and vanilla that trailed after her.

Campbell elbowed me in the ribs, hard, making me double over.

“Dude, what the-”

“Did you just… Did you just sniff her hair, dude?” Campbell asked, amusement playing on his stupid face.

“No,” I shoved him back. “Fuck off, dickhead.”

Griff cleared his throat and gave me a quick head shake. “Language,” he whispered sternly.

I nodded, then turned my attention back to Miss Josie.

“You know how you know her, don’t you?” Campbell asked.

I shot him a questioning look. It bugged me that he seemed to be able to place her, but I couldn’t.

“She’s the girl who went nuts when that Garrett Sanderson rookie cheated on her.”

“Huh?”

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