“Good morning, Elena.”
The deep timber of his voice startles me out of my focused thoughts causing me to whack my foot on the overflowing recycle box under my desk.
“Ouch!” I call out, immediately reaching to rub my stubbed toe.
Tripp’s eyes widen. “Oh my gosh, Elena, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to make you jump.”
Examining my throbbing appendage, I curse myself under my breath for wearing sandals today instead of something with a covered toe. At least I have an excuse to go shoe shopping. Obviously, these aren’t “work appropriate.” Yay!
“It’s ok,” I finally respond, still wincing a bit. “I’m behind on my shredding again.” I gesture to the overflowing box. “It’s like having a giant brick down here. It’s great as an ottoman. Not so good when I kick it.”
His handsome face changes from a guilty expression to a panty-dropping smile.
Damn. He really is an attractive man. If only I was fifteen years younger.
Ummm, nope. I think I’d still want Greg.
“You were concentrating really hard.” He leans his hard body against my desk, crossing his feet. “What does Principal Windham have you working on today?”
I pull my arms across my chest, stretching my back muscles. Hunching over a computer for long periods of time makes me ache. Yet more proof that I’m not young anymore. “I’m updating everything on the website. Now that the district is changing our email portal, I’m trying to make sure all the teacher’s email addresses are current.”
“I thought the rollover wasn’t happening for another couple of months.”
“It’s not,” I agree. “But I need to get the new information set up while both email addresses still funnel to the same place. Less confusion for the parents that way.”
“Ah.” He crosses his arms and gets more comfortable. “So you’re planning ahead.”
“Clearly not since all my paperwork is getting backed up under here,” I state, tapping the box again with my uninjured foot.
“You know, if you need help, I’m always willing to stay a little late so we can get it all done.” He throws me a smoldering pout. A couple months ago, that look might have made me swoon. But now it doesn’t do anything except make me flattered that he thinks I’m fun to flirt with.
As much as I want to bat my eyes at him, even if it’s just to keep the fun banter going, I can’t seem to do much more than give him a smile that resembles a mother humoring her son.
“As much as I appreciate the offer, you know the shredder is where I get all my inner-office gossip. And I can’t miss out on that.”
He belts out a sexy, throaty laugh, that does absolutely nothing to turn me on. Seriously. Greg has ruined me.
“And how are the office lovebirds doing anyway?” he inquires, even though he knows I don’t usually divulge anyone else’s information. This time, however, I’ll humor him a bit.
Looking around making sure no one is approaching, I reveal, “Not so loving anymore.”
His eyebrows shoot up. “Really. I was wondering if that ass grab was really an accident.”
My jaw drops. “She did not!”
“Oh, yes she did,” he assures, his body language indicating he’s not nearly as traumatized as he pretends to be. “Last week when we were on that field trip. She claims she accidentally brushed up against me while we were getting on the bus, but it felt an awful lot like a full-palmed caress.”
I laugh so hard I’m grateful to already be sitting down. “Like she… she…” I can’t catch my breath. “… like she caressed your bum?”
“Cupped my behind, complete with a squeeze.”
Tears leak out of my eyes, and I can hardly breathe, but I can see him laughing right along with me. Like I said… totally traumatized.
It takes a few seconds to pull myself back together. “I’m so sorry.” Waving my hands in front of my eyes, I try to dry up the tears and pull my breathing together. “I can’t wait for the rumor mill to start spinning about this.”
He groans. “I was doing so good staying out of that web.”
“No you weren’t.” He looks at me quizzically. “Oh please. You can’t convince me you haven’t noticed the way all the single women around here ogle you.”
He twists his lips to the side playfully. “Not all of them.”
“Pfft. Name one woman in this building that doesn’t start drooling when you do that whole hands-in-your-pockets-pulling-your-pants-tight-over-your-ass move.”
His eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “How did you know that was a move?”
“Who doesn’t know that’s a move?”
Lies, lies and more lies. I had no idea that was a move until Callie told me. But he doesn’t need to know that. Interested in him or not, I don’t want him to think I’m a complete tool.
“Hmm,” he hums in answer, the guttural sound practically vibrating through me. And still… my hormones don’t seem to notice. “I thought I was smoother than that.”
“Oh, you’re smooth,” I jest, leaning back in my chair. “Some of us have just been around a while. We know all the moves. We were there when they were invented.”
He looks me dead in the eye and lays it on the line. “Is that why you won’t go out with me?”
My breath catches. It’s been so long since the last time we talked about it, I thought he’d given up on the idea of taking me out.
“Tripp,” I interject quietly.
“No, it’s ok.” He looks down and shrugs. “I know my age is a deterrent.”
Placing my hand on his forearm, I set him straight. “It’s not your age, Tripp. It’s not even mine. I mean, originally I hesitated because I’ve never been a cougar before.” His lips curl up in partial amusement. “But that has nothing to do with it now.”
He peers up at me. “Then what is it?”
The door suddenly opens up and a throat clears behind me. Without even turning around, I know who it is. “I already found the love of my life.”
Tripp takes stock of Greg standing in front of my desk and then winks my direction. “At least I know it’s not about me.”
Shooting him a delighted expression, I finish putting him at ease. “Nope. Not at all. My destiny just involves a really hot, scruffy gymnastics coach. But don’t give up yet. You’ll find her. You have at least fifteen years.”
He blows out an exasperated breath. “That’s a long time to wait.”
“It’s worth it. I promise.”
Tripp pats my hand and pushes off my desk. “I guess I should head back to my class. My conference period will be over soon and I better be ready for the hooligans to show up.”
He turns to walk away, but I stop him. “Hey Tripp, can I give you some advice?”
Looking over his shoulder, he waits for my words of wisdom.
“Don’t try to find her in this school. I hear everything and just…” I shake my head and crinkle my nose. “… just trust me.”
He chuckles. “Noted.” And then he’s gone.
Swiveling my chair around, I stand, and I lean over my desk to give my sexy boyfriend a quick peck, loving that his newly grown beard is long enough now to tickle my lips.
“What was that about?” Greg pries, watching through the glass wall as Tripp ventures down the hallway.
“I think I broke my first heart.”
Greg chuckles. “Really? How does it feel to be such a vixen?”
I snigger. “Honestly, a little like taking candy from a baby.”
“You’re not that old.”
“No, but he is that young.”
“It goes to show how wonderful you are, that even men in their twenties want you.”
Chortling, I poke fun at him. “That was really, really cheesy.”
His responding grin makes my heart flutter. “But did it earn me brownie points?”
“Always,” I tease and lean back in my chair, exaggerating my movements as I cross my legs, making it a point for my skirt to ride up a bit. If the lust in his eyes proves anything, he knows I’m toying with him.
Interesting how a hot twenty-something can try to flirt with me and I don’t respond at all. But the second Greg ventures into the room, my inner-siren comes out.
“So, what brings you to my neck of the woods, anyway? Just wanted to see my smiling face, I assume?”
“Of course. But I also thought you might be hungry.” He holds up a paper sack I didn’t notice before.
“Coney’s Island!” I squeal in delight. “How did you know?”
“Don’t get too excited,” he backtracks as I snatch the bag out of his hand and begin digging through it for the goods. “I got plain foot-long hot dogs.”
“That’s the best kind,” I say, still digging around for more goodies, like ketchup packets. “Never ruin a perfectly good weiner with things like chili and cheese.”
He barks a laugh. “Do you even hear yourself talking sometimes?”
Moaning my approval as I take a huge bite, I talk around my lunch. “Not when you’ve distracted me with presents, I don’t.” Looking down, I realize how rude I’m being. “Um… you don’t want any, do you?”
“No baby,” he chuckles. “I would never come between you and your hot dogs.”
Winking at him, I continue to devour my food as the principal approaches. “How’s it going with the web… Oh! I’m sorry,” she declares when she notices Greg. “Are you eating lunch in front of a visitor?”
I wave his direction and take another bite of my hot dog. Not even my boss will distract me from this nitrate-filled goodness. “Ms. Windham, this is my boyfriend Greg.”
Her eyes widen and her head cocks in surprise, no doubt wondering how she missed this bit of information that can be shared. Greg takes her reaction in stride and puts his hand out to her.
“It’s nice to meet you, Ms. Windham. I’ve heard great things about you.”
She eyes me sardonically. Clearly, she doesn’t think I’ve actually said great things about her. I shrug and say the first thing that comes to mind. “What? I like working with you.”
My answer seems to delight her and she turns back to Greg. “Well, I’ve heard nothing about you, but I guess the grapevine runs swiftly around here. Elena has been wise to keep you to herself.” She leans in as if she’s telling him a secret. “Some of my teachers aren’t known for keeping their hands to themselves.”
I gasp. “You heard about the ass-grabbing?”
“From what our bus driver says, dear, it was a full on fondle.”
Greg’s eyes bounce back and forth between us as we discuss how Tripp’s “ego” was stroked last week. When his phone rings, he excuses himself and steps away, mouthing Libby my direction.
I nod in understanding and continue listening to my boss as she spouts off about how many times she’s had to talk to Maggie Ray’s husband on the phone and how I may have to start fielding all her calls. We both know she secretly enjoys it and gets more pleasure out of bitching about it than she ever would if he left her alone. But I humor her and nod in agreement.
All the while, I’m trying to eavesdrop on Greg’s conversation when his body language suddenly gets tense.
“Since when?” he demands from across the room, pacing as he listens to her on the other end of the line, Ms. Windham still babbling on.
“Over my dead body,” he suddenly bellows, making me still. Even my boss looks over, knowing something is wrong.
“You stay put. I’m coming over and we’re gonna talk about this.” He presses the end button so hard, I’m grateful he doesn’t have an old-school flip-phone or he would have crushed it. As it is, he still might do some serious damage to this one.
“Greg?” I say, not wanting to sound as scared as I suddenly feel, but somehow knowing the rug is about to be pulled out from underneath me. “Wha… what’s going on?”
Placing his hands on his hips, he turns to face me, a murderous expression covering his normally jovial face. Then he spits out the words I’ve been dreading since that first day I found out he had come back.
“Libby. She’s moving to Austin.”
My whole body runs cold as he turns and hightails it out of the room, and out of the school. For the umpteenth time, I feel like I can’t breathe.
Here we go again.