Her throat bobbed and swallowed. “David.” My name on her lips a second time felt less like a plea not to and more like benediction. I rubbed my lips against hers and her arms come up over my shoulders and into the short shaved fuzz on my head, a holdover I haven’t yet abandoned from my military days.
“I promised.” She leaned into me and I pulled back. I’m not intentionally teasing her, but I’m not going to lie and say that perhaps it felt good knowing she wants me, but would feel the itch of denial in about three, two, and one as the bell sounded off.
We pulled back putting distance between us. She’s still in my arms attempting to catch her breath with the sound of students echoed in the hallway.
“Yes, you did promise didn’t you.” Her tone was clipped, angry I’m guessing, but I can’t help her sexual frustration at the moment. She’d been denying me from the beginning and honestly a little tit for tat isn’t so bad.
“Don’t be like, Kiara. You came into my classroom bearing gifts.” I release her and step back keeping my hands in my pockets to give them a safe place to berth.
“I didn’t…” She huffed leaving her thought incomplete.
“You never said what you intended to make peace with.” Things would be so much easier if she came clean and told me this was either never going somewhere or had a spitting chance of doing something besides idle too hot with no relief in sight.
“It doesn’t matter.” She mumbled brushing past me again.
“It always matters.” It does and I’m crossing my fingers inside my pockets silently urging her to tell me what the heck is going on inside her head.
“My brother is on the fire department in town. They’re having a cook out and fund raiser with the police department.”
“And?”
Kiara rolled her eyes and tugged on a free curl that’s escaped her complicated hair style.
I can’t keep the stupid smile off my face. Who knew I wouldn’t be the one asking to go on a date. She certainly turned the tables on me and while I won’t label this as anything, I’ll certainly treat it like a date.
“So you wanna go or what?”
“Do I wanna go or what, she says to me.” I teased her watching her adorable lack of patience. “Of course I wanna go. I wanna go with you.”
“Fine.” She fluffed her hair and made to stalk out sashaying her narrow hips.
I reached for her arm stalling her escape. I needed details and she was coy in giving me so little. “When is this gathering of people and cooking of food happening?”
She clucked. “Tomorrow.”
“Alright then. I’ll pick you up at five.”
“Seven.”
“Five. All the good food is gone by six.” I pushed the boundary. At five, everyone would be there and they’d see us walk in together which was the whole reason I was going to treat this like a date. I want people to know we’re together. I want to hold her hand and kiss her forehead in public. I want to feed her potato salad off my plate. I want her brother to see me as someone worthy of his strong, amazing sister.
Her lips pursed together and I watched her come to terms with my demand. Her eyes said this wasn’t a date, but I didn’t believe her for a hot minute and instead returned the favor of perusing her tight body. Her cheeks darkened and she turned her fac
e away toward the hall bustling with students.
“Five and don’t be late.” She doesn’t wait for me to respond, but I do anyway.
“Was planning on being early, babe.” I muttered shuffling back to my deck realizing she left her coffee on the desk. I take a sip of it proprietarily. Not too light, and not too sweet. It’s good and makes eating the rest of the tart delightful.
“Hey, Mr. Easton.” My most promising students, Caleb and Sophia walk into together.
“Doesn’t the sign say no eating?” Sophia ever the wise one points to the sign in my computer lab scrunching her nose.
“Indeed it does, good thing I’m finished.” I crumple the bakery bag tossing it out.
“Coffee too?” Caleb quipped.
“Nah, we’ll keep this our little secret.” The only secret I planned on keeping despite Kiara wanting to brush us under the rug. Sorry babe, just like this coffee I was up for making this real.