The crew, which consisted of the counselors, a nurse, employees, and Noah, had a meeting after their dinner that night.
Noah sighed when the nurse crept closer to him. She was in her thirties and would be considered pretty with her fake blonde hair and brown eyes, but she was overly aggressive and always made-up, which he felt made her look like a whore. Everything about her was the opposite of what he found attractive.
Twice, he’d told her he wasn’t interested, but she kept on coming on to him, and it irritated him. He’d already called a friend to find a replacement because he wouldn’t be able to handle dealing with that shit the whole summer.
“We all need to be organized when the children start showing up tomorrow afternoon.” He stood in front of the group and looked around the room at the thirty people who would help him that summer. “Most of these children have never been out of the city. They have all grown up poor, and most of you here grew up privileged. It’s going to be hard to connect with them at first, but don’t give up on them. Most will be terrified at first, and it will take them a few days to settle in. Some will be belligerent because of their fear. I’ve planned games for the next few days that will help everyone meet one another. If, by chance, you see a problem with a child you don’t know how to deal with, come find me.”
He watched everyone nod. Out of the thirty people in the mess hall, twenty of them were the counselors. Fortunately, a few had experience with the camp and had helped in the last few years. He planned on one of the counselors to sleep in each of the children’s cabins. In the past, he’d seen some children abuse others, or a few were so afraid they ran away. By putting the friendliest people in with them, it tended to head off all the problems because the children had an adult friend they could talk to.
“There are five of you counselors who have been here before. Could you stand up and show yourselves?” He watched two boys and three girls stand. “Take a look at these five. They are experienced Sunshine counselors. If you have a problem, they will be able to help you. If they can’t, they’ll send you on to me.”
“Does anyone have questions so far?” Noah asked the group.
There was a murmur but no hands.
He nodded and clapped once. “Okay. Tomorrow we’ll start setting up games for the kids. Besides meeting each other for the first time, it’s a way for them to get to know other people. There is a bonfire going down by the lake tonight if you all want to hang out and get to know each other. If not, I suggest getting some sleep.”
Noah watched most of them stand and make their way outside.
“Noah, how about we get to know one another in private?”
He rolled his eyes and turned to the nurse. “I’ve asked you more than once to back off. This is your final warning before I charge you with harassment. By the way, I’ve put a call in for another nurse.”
“Are you fucking kidding me? But I quit my job to be here with you,” she murmured in dismay as her complexion reddened.
One of his brows rose. “Yes, I know, but we both know why you wanted to be here. Don’t we?”
“You haven’t even given me a chance,” she griped.
“Because you’re not my type. Either go down to the bonfire or your cabin, please.”
“I could have made your summer very special,” she hissed as she walked off.
He sighed in frustration. When he turned back to the room, he noticed Riley was still seated at one of the tables while everyone else was gone. Her gaze stuck on the doorway where the group went out.
“Riley?”
She turned toward him and seemed to try to smile.
“Don’t you want to go to the fire, sweetheart?”
She bit her lip and shook her head.
“All right, come with me. You can help me.” Noah smiled when she jumped and rushed to him, eager to please him. Everything he was learning about her appealed to him. He loved that she already automatically grabbed his hand and looked to him for security.
“Where are we going?”
He tapped the tip of her nose. “I’m just going to walk around and check everything out before I head to bed.”
S
he stared up at him, which made him feel ten feet tall and like he had hung the moon.
“Can I go to bed with you?”
He chuckled even as he felt his cock harden further. Since meeting her, he’d had to wear his shirt not tucked in to hide his hard-on.
“Probably not a good idea, sweetheart. Let’s see how you do in your cabin.”