I glanced up at the clock on the wall and pulled a face. I would have to go and pick up Hunter from his after-school activities soon, but I was on a roll with the project, and I didn’t want to take a break.

I leaned back from the computer and closed my eyes for a moment, but the letters and numbers still danced behind my eyelids like they were imprinted there for good. It felt nice to be working on something that I wasn’t churning out for any old client, something that I was putting together for a damned good reason. Autumn was much easier to work with than most of the people I’d had on my roster in the last few years. I also got to make out with her once in a while, which was a new one on me. And the longer I spent putting together this program to help her produce the grade curves for the school year, the more I started to believe this could be something good for the business. I didn’t know anyone else in the city who was working on stuff in the education sector. Sure, I didn’t know if they would take it or not, but with Autumn championing the cause, there was a good chance, right?

I was working from home while Hunter was out at his gaming club. It was the second one this week, and he had seemed to enjoy the first one well enough. I was hoping he would start making some friends there soon. Autumn was there to keep an eye on him, and she would report back to me with the ups and downs for my son so far, but it was up to him to strike out on his own and make some new buddies. She could only guide him so far, and I hoped his case of self-imposed social isolation wasn’t permanent.

I closed my laptop, got to my feet, and stretched before reaching for my car keys. It always sucked to break off a project when I was right in the flow of it, but at least I got to go see my two favorite people in the world to make up for it. I grinned as I headed out to the car. Autumn would be there. I would get to see Autumn again.

Our date over the weekend had gone so well, I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her since. She was smart, charming, delightfully awkward, and a little blunt in her own unique way—and a great kisser too. If I’d had my way, I would have taken her home and fucked her senseless all over again, but Raymond was set to drop Hunter off early the next morning and the last thing I’d needed was for my son to catch Autumn making coffee for us the next day. Hunter wasn’t dumb, and it wouldn’t take him long to catch on that there was something going on between me and his favorite teacher, but that didn’t mean I had to hand it to him on a plate yet. Not before I knew where I stood with her for sure.

I drove up to the school and found myself humming along to the radio, something I hadn’t done in years. I normally found most of the modern pop songs that got airplay a little dramatic and silly, but I was in a better mood that day than I had been in a long time. I drummed my fingers on the wheel and thought about Autumn, fitted the lyrics of the silly love song crackling over the air to everything we’d been through so far.

We were still at that early, nebulous stage of the relationship when it felt like anything at all could happen. We could stick together forever, or she could vanish tomorrow, for all I knew. Though I hoped she was going to pick the former. There was something about her that made me feel buoyant, as though I was about to float up and climb a hundred feet into the air without even realizing.

I arrived at the school and checked myself out in the mirror. I couldn’t help noticing that I looked a little different than normal. Not physically, but something inside me seemed to have lit up, my eyes brighter. I liked it. If this was what Autumn did to me, then damn straight I would be keeping her around as long as I could.

I hopped out of the car and headed up to the school, cutting around the back to get to where I needed quicker. I was a couple of minutes late, but I doubted Hunter would notice, given how involved he’d been in his game the last time I’d come around.

I paused when I laid eyes on him, and I smiled when I saw who he was talking to. It was a kid his own age, a little girl, and the two of them were waving their arms around and laughing at some shared joke. I didn’t want to cut him off yet. It was so nice to see him interacting with another kid, having a good time and not forcing it.

“Dad!” Hunter spotted me suddenly, and he came barreling toward me as though I was the most exciting thing he’d ever laid eyes on.

“Hey!” I waved to him and headed toward him.

“This is Amelie,” he gestured to the girl standing next to him, looking up at me a little bashfully. “We did a campaign together today. She’s really good! Better than me!”

“Well, that’s pretty impressive.” I nodded down at her with a smile. “Maybe you could train Hunter up, huh? Get him up to your level?”

“She says she’s going to show me some tricks next time we’re in the club.” Hunter nodded, and he glanced around at the door. “I just need to get my bag.”

He headed through to grab it in a little buzz of overexcited activity, and I began to relax. He was doing well. I’d wondered if these clubs might be a little too much for him, but he seemed to be getting along great—and hey, he’d already made a friend who he wanted to see again. That couldn’t be so bad, right?

“Hey.”

I heard the familiar voice behind me and had a smile on my face before I so much as turned around and confirmed the source.

“Well, hello there,” I greeted Autumn, who flushed a little and smiled back at me as soon as our eyes met. I knew exactly how she felt. Being in her presence sent little sparks of electricity racing all over my body. There was so much I wanted to do to her, so much I wanted to say, and it felt like those urges were all climbing on top of each other in my brain.

“Seems like Hunter’s getting along well.” I nodded to the spot my son had been standing in, as Amelie’s mother appeared and led her away.

“Yeah, I wondered if he and Amelie might click,” she said. “They’re both a little quiet, but they’re both obsessed with games. I’m not surprised they joined the club and enjoyed it so much.”

“You’re doing such good work here, Autumn,” I told her fervently. “Really. I can’t thank you enough. I know he’s had a hard time making friends and socializing, but… well, you’ve helped him through it. That’s more than I ever could have asked for.”

“Just doing my job.” She smiled modestly, though I could see the pleased little flush move a little farther up her neck.

“Speaking of,” I changed the subject so as not to sound like I was heaping her with praise, “I’ve been working on that program to figure out the grade curves for you.”

“Oh, really?” She perked up. “How’s it going?”

“It’s coming along well.” I nodded. “I had to drag myself away from it to come down here. I’ll probably be in touch for a little advice in the next few days. Maybe you could test run it for me sometime?”

“Well, I’m pretty crappy with technology, but I’ll give it a go,” she agreed. “Maybe we could make a night of it?”

“A night?” I cocked an eyebrow at her playfully. “My, my, a little forward, aren’t we?”

“You’re the one who came to my house that night,” she reminded me, raising her eyebrows in my direction.

“And I didn’t hear you complaining so much,” I shot back. I glanced over my shoulder, where I could see Hunter chatting to one of the other kids back in the computer room, and I swiftly moved toward Autumn, took her hand, and pulled her into the classroom behind us.

“What are you doing?” She giggled, but she didn’t protest as I pushed the door shut behind us and then pressed her up against it.

I kissed her swiftly, knowing this was likely all I would be able to steal for the foreseeable future. I wasn’t sure when the two of us would find the time to hang out again, and I wanted her, wanted every little piece of her I could get my hands on. Her fingers traced a formless shape over my neck, and she let out a little moan that sounded like relief as much as anything else, as though she had been craving this as deeply and as keenly as I had. I pushed my tongue into her mouth, pulling her body against mine, feeling her begin to soften, to fit against my form…

And then I heard a door outside click open, and I swiftly pulled back from her. She was panting, catching her breath, and she raised her eyebrows at me.

“I don’t think that’s appropriate school behavior,” she remarked playfully, and I brushed my mouth over her neck, greedily inhaling her familiar scent.

“Well, you’ll have to find a way to punish me.” I cocked an eyebrow at her, and she giggled and touched my cheek.

“When do I get to see you again?” she asked.

“Anytime you want,” I replied at once. “Seriously, text me and let me know when you’re free. I want to see you again.”

“Me too,” she agreed, and she glanced around. “Hey, I should probably get back out there, make sure the rest of the kids get home all right.”

“Of course.” I pulled away from her reluctantly, and she shot me one last smile before she headed out the door. I lingered for a moment, gathering myself, making sure it wouldn’t be too obvious what I had been up to when I went to pick up Hunter. After a second, I stepped out through the door and went to grab my son.

“Dad!” Hunter called to me. “Where were you? I was looking for you.”

“Oh, I had something to talk about with Aut—with Ms. Becks,” I replied. “Come on, let’s get home, shall we? I’m starving. You can tell me all about your campaign on the way there.”

“Sure!” Hunter sounded excited as he followed me back out to the car, and I glanced back into the building one last time to steal a look at Autumn. And, of course, I found her looking in my direction, staring at me like she was trying to drink me in before I got out of there for good. I smiled at her and then turned my attention back to Hunter.

“What are you smiling about?” He furrowed his brow at me suspiciously.

“Oh, nothing.” I waved my hand. “Come on, tell me about your campaign with Amelie. I can’t wait to hear about it.”