Arden didn’t understand why he felt like a teenager on his first date as he and Keera sat at her small kitchen table. The lights were dim, and it felt as if the rest of the world had fallen away. Why was he so comfortable with this woman? With everything happening, he should be more on alert, should be more suspicious.
But instead of that, all he seemed to want to do was pull her next to him, close the distance between them, and taste her sweet lips. He had a feeling they tasted like honey. Yeah, he had a strong sex drive, but it was getting a little ridiculous how much he wanted this woman.
Looking up, his eyes connected with Keera’s, and Arden quit resisting the urge to touch her. He reached across the small table and let his fingers sift through her silky strands, her tresses flowing over his skin.
“What are you doing?” she asked nervously.
“I love long hair,” he told her. “You should wear it down more.”
“I try to keep it as professional as possible. It isn’t easy being a high school principal when you’re as young as I am. It’s hard to earn the students’ respect,” she told him.
“You seem to be doing a good job on that front,” he said. He did notice how she backed away from him, though, so he dropped his hand and grabbed his fork instead, taking a bite of pie, the taste not nearly as satisfying as her lips would be.
“Don’t you notice how the kids always seem to turn to a male teacher, or even Ethan? It’s annoying sometimes,” she told him.
“I didn’t even think about it,” he admitted.
“You wouldn’t have to. Not only have you grown up in this town, earning instant trust and respect, but you are indeed a male,” she said. He enjoyed the sigh in her voice. She might be fighting him, but she was definitely attracted. He just had to get her to trust what she was feeling.
“I guess I’ll have to pay more attention to that,” he said.
“Are you saying that to appease me?” she asked with a smile. Damn, when this woman smiled, her face lit up, making her even more beautiful than she was already.
“Not at all,” he assured her. “What made you want to be a principal in the first place?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I just knew I needed to do something that would make a difference to children,” she told him.
“Why not social work, then?” he asked.
“I think I went into school having no idea what I wanted to do, and then it just sort of happened. Why don’t you tell me why a billionaire would decide to be a high school teacher, earning a pittance of a paycheck and working long hours? That has to be a much better story than mine.”
He laughed. “I’ve been asked that a lot,” he said. “And I think it’s the same answer as yours. I wanted to make a difference.”
“But you had a great childhood. You’re close with your family. Why feel the need to help kids?”
She picked up a cookie and ripped off a corner. The way she opened her mouth, her tongue sweeping out the slightest bit to taste the chocolate before she popped it into her mouth, had his body aching in an unbearable way. He shifted on his small chair and wondered what the chances were of getting her into bed.
He wasn’t a betting man, but he didn’t think his odds were too good on this night.
Their eyes connected again, and her hand froze on its way to her mouth. The sexual chemistry between them was insane. She took a shuddering breath, and while she was doing her best to pretend nothing was happening between them, he had no doubt there was magic in the air. She could deny it, but it was there.
“Did you ever think of doing something else?” she asked.
“Nope, not really. I’m a pretty stubborn man, and once something gets locked inside my head, there’s really no turning back,” he said.
“Is that a warning?” she asked, surprising him with her sass.
“Would you take heed if it was?” he said, his lips turned wide. His cheeks were actually a bit sore from smiling so much.
“I’d take it as a challenge,” she answered, surprising him.
“I’ve never been able to resist a challenge myself,” he said.
“I guess we’re both pretty stubborn,” she said before resuming her small bites of cookie. The way this woman ate was driving him mad.
The two of them chatted as they consumed far too many calories. He found that not only was he attracted to her, but he actually enjoyed her company. That was rarer than people realized.
When you connected with someone, it was foolish to ignore it. And one thing people would never be able to say about Arden was that he was a fool. Yes, when he made up his mind, he went after what he wanted. And yes, he wanted Keera. What he wasn’t sure about was exactly what he wanted her for. Was it just sex?
“I have to say I’m a bit worried about your chair,” he told her as he shifted. “I’m not sure it’s gonna keep holding me. Maybe we should move to the couch.”
Her eyes narrowed, and he realized he’d kill to know what was going through her mind.
“Just because my furniture doesn’t come from some high-end retailer doesn’t make it any less useful,” she assured him.
He held up a hand. “Whoa, where did that come from?”
“I don’t like snobs,” she said.
“How is that comment me being a snob?” he asked.
“You’ve been extremely wealthy your entire life, so being here in my apartment is the definition of ‘slumming it’ for you,” she told him.
He sat back and looked at her. “Are you a reverse snob?” he asked, liking the shock in her eyes.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she questioned.
“I don’t judge you for your life. Why should you judge me for mine?” he asked. This was a conversation he’d had before, but her answers would tell him a lot about her.
“I’ve known wealthy people, and they think money gives them the right to do whatever they want, whenever they want. It’s obscene,” she said.
“Just because someone has the money to enjoy some of the finer things in life doesn’t define who they are,” he pointed out.
“It defines a lot of people,” she said.
“Does it define you?” he asked. Her head turned as she looked at him, trying to figure out where he was going with this conversation. He was confusing her, and that was good. It was nice to keep someone off-kilter once in a while.
“I refuse to be defined. I get to choose the path I want to take. And I will never let money rule my life,” she assured him.
“Good. Me, either,” he told her. He leaned closer, their heads close, but not close enough. She stayed there for a moment before backing away.
“I’m sorry,” she finally said. “It’s just that wealthy people confuse me. They don’t understand how the rest of the world lives, don’t understand what it’s like to be hungry or worried about how they’re going to pay their bills. And they are a little too judgmental about the rest of the population.”
“Basically, you’re telling me I don’t have compassion or common sense,” he said with a chuckle.
“No!” she assured him. “I wasn’t talking specifically about you . . .” She trailed off when he continued laughing. “You’re making me uncomfortable on purpose, aren’t you?” she asked before giving in and letting out her own chuckle.
“Maybe a little. But you are being quick to judge me without getting to know me,” he told her.
They finished their dessert, and Arden took the time to get to know this woman a little more while also letting her see he wasn’t the person she’d so quickly assumed he was. Arden could see she was definitely not a woman eager to jump into a quick affair, but she was also skittish when it came to relationships.
He wasn’t sure where that left them.
“We’ve consumed a million calories today, and I think it’s now time to call it a night,” she told him.
Arden was surprised by the disappointment her words filled him with. But he didn’t want her to feel as if he wasn’t willing to respect or listen to her. He rose from the table and held out a hand to help her up.
With reluctance, she gave it to him, and he slowly pulled her to her feet. The two of them stood there for a few moments, and though the sexual tension was as thick as fog, he also felt comfortable. He liked being with this woman.
Reaching out, he ran a finger down her cheek, enjoying when her eyes dilated. Damn, he wanted to kiss her. And he knew she’d let him. But somehow he knew it wasn’t the right moment. Tonight had been about building trust. He couldn’t blow that.
“Good night, Keera,” he said, his voice husky.
“Good night,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
Though it felt as if his legs were weighed down and he was slogging through the mud, he let her go and walked to the door. It had been a pretty great night. He planned on a lot more just like it.