Hot For Teacher (55 page)

I open the door finding Emma laying there, her back propped up more so she’s sitting up and looking out the window. Her head snaps to me, and a smile graces her sweet face. I walk straight over to the other side of the bed pulling the covers down and climb in beside her. There isn’t much room but enough. I help her lift up a little, so I can put my arm around her. She instantly lays her head down on my chest and sighs. We lay there quietly, no need for words. Finally, she falls asleep and I follow shortly after.

We spend the majority of the next day in her bed, watching some TV and by evening the feeling of dread hits me when I think about returning to school tomorrow. Duke texted me to tell me we’re playing at Randy’s again next weekend. It will be weird because Emma won’t be there. She needs time to heal, and I aim to make sure she doesn’t overdo anything.

Now it’s late and we’re playing with each other’s fingers as we lay in her hospital bed. “Do you believe in love at first sight?” she asks as she looks up at me. I smile looking up and thinking about her question.

I look down at her, my brows crease in my seriousness. “I don’t think of it as love at first sight. I think it’s more love at first feelings. There’s always that newness, and if you’re lucky, that spark. It’s when you get to know someone, your feelings soar when you see them, think of them and then when you finally make love, connect, and then it can be love at first touch. I dunno. Sounds corny.” I chuckle, but she doesn’t.

“That’s perfect and just how I feel too. I love you, Josh.”

I lean down and kiss her full lips and say against them, “I love you too, Emma.”

The next morning Emma is discharged. I’m late to school because I helped her get home and settled. Her mom was there, and her apartment was spic and span clean. Emma didn’t even recognize it. I hated to leave and go to school, but I am dedicated. I stopped by her Calculus room and explained her situation to her teacher. He said he will send all her homework to her via email from now on and she can do it at home. I will be helping her with that.

By Friday, I’m exhausted running back and forth from school and to Emma’s. Now I’m at the bar getting ready for our band to play. The bitchy girls are here, which is normal, but I’m in a zone as we start to play. By the time we finish our night, the bouncer’s had to break up three fights between women biding for my attention. They had to carry the one woman off the stage that always manages to get up there. But, as usual, I only have one woman on my mind and can’t wait to get to her place and hold her in my arms.

It’s been a week since I was released from the hospital and two days since Mom left to go home. She needed to get back to her jobs. I hate that she spent so much time away and hope she doesn’t get in trouble or fired. She told me her managers were both very sweet about her being off for her daughter. I can tell Josh is exhausted from the light bags under his eyes. He’s been so amazing running back and forth and then playing the weekend at Randy’s. I feel bad for him but long to have him in my arms again. Calculus would be kicking my ass if not for him. I was so thankful he spoke with Mr. Thomas about getting my homework to me by email so I wouldn’t fall any farther behind, and he’s been so awesome helping me. He actually fell asleep last night, his head lying on his arms on my desk. I couldn’t finish anything because I was too busy looking at his gorgeousness.

We haven’t made love again not that we both haven’t wanted to. We came very close a few times, but I’m still hurting from the accident, so we know it’s not a good idea to try yet. God, I’m so horny!

By Wednesday early evening, Josh comes to my apartment as usual. I’m in the kitchen making dinner, struggling with my crutch. He leans against the breakfast bar and I do a double take when I turn my head. He really is the most handsome, gorgeous and sexiest man I’ve ever seen. “Move in with me or better yet; let me move in with you. Your place is bigger.” I gasp as my crutch starts falling from under my arm. I begin to stumble but strong arms catch me before I hit the floor. I’m floating a few inches above the ground, the look of concern marring his beautiful face. “I mean it, Emma. I want to be with you every second of every day that I can.” Tears form as my eyes search his. My heart is beating so fast but not just from the near fall.

“My place IS bigger,” I whisper and a smile grows on his mouth. He lifts me throwing his arms around me as his mouth crashes against mine.

We pull back touching our foreheads together and look into each other’s eyes. “I have good news and bad news. Which would you like first?”

Now my heart races in fear. “Bad news?” My voice is barely heard over the pounding of my heart in my ears.

“Well, my news is both good and bad. I turned in my resignation today.” His eyebrows raise as he looks at me with hope.

“What? Why?” I yell. My heart just plummeted. Did someone find out about us? Did they ask him to resign? Layton. Oh, my God. I feel terrible.

His hand cups my face. “Hey, hey. It’s not what you think. It’s okay.” I feel like I could cry. “Baby, listen.” I try to relax and wait for what he’s about to hit me with. “Come. Let’s get comfortable.” He leans down and grabs my crutch helping me put it under my arm, and we walk over to the table and sit down. He takes my hand covering it with his other one, and I take a deep breath. “Okay, so, Saturday night a guy came into the backroom after our gig and talked to us. He’s a record producer and loves our sound.” That doesn’t sound so bad. Yet. “Baby, he wants to record us, cut a CD.” My mouth turns up into a smile.

“That’s amazing but you all are amazing. I’m so happy for you.” He smiles back and my heart flutters. I’ll never get used to that.

He looks down at our hands and then back into my eyes. “I turned in my resignation at the college today because I don’t want to hide anymore. I want us to be together, be a regular couple. I want to hold hands in public, kiss you when I want to, which is all the time. I can’t wait until the school year is out and with the advance the record label gave us, I have enough money to last for a while until I can find something else.” My tears are brimming in my eyes again but this time from his love and happiness. “It’s okay, Em. I had to do it. I don’t want us to be a secret anymore. I love you.”

His words envelope me. Overwhelm me. He’s so selfless, so sweet, so caring. What did I ever do to deserve him? “I’m happy. So happy. I just don’t want it to be something you’ll regret later. You worked so hard to become a teacher full time, permanently, and I just want to make sure this is really what you want. I don’t want to be in the way of your dream, your happiness.”

He moves so fast that I barely blink. My crutch lands on the floor with a bang as he stands, lifting me in his arms, and placing me on his lap. His mouth is all over my face, kissing everywhere. “You’re my happiness, Emma. I can’t be truly happy without you. Don’t you understand that?” His hand cups my face, his tender touch, his loving words makes me cry harder. “Shhhh.”

I press my mouth against his, hard. I can’t get close enough. “I love you, Josh. Take me to bed. Please,” I whisper against his soft lips.

He stands with me and carries me to my bedroom. I feel the soft mattress beneath my back, and he makes quick work of ridding me of my clothes and then his. My damn cast is so heavy, but he spreads my legs and is inside me before I have a chance to think about it. I love the way he feels, his large length filling me. It’s not long before his strong arms begin shaking on either side of me as I clench him hard with my release. I watch his gorgeous face contort in his bliss. So beautiful. I want it to always be this way, always be this happy.

§    §    §    §

I’m holding her in my arms staring up at the ceiling. The feeling of nervousness over what I did fades into the darkness. This, this is where I am meant to be. If things don’t work out with my music, I’ll find another job. It’s a job. But this, Emma, she’s my life, my happiness, my everything. She snuggles into me deeper. My arm tightens around her. If nothing else great happens in my life, I’m good with what I have right now.

“I know you didn’t, Lay. It’s cool, really! Stop it!” She’s been on the phone trying to calm Layton down as I unpack the last of my things. He thinks that she thinks he told someone about us and that’s why I’m no longer teaching at the college. “I swear! Don’t make me come over there! You know I can’t get around that well.”

I laugh as I put the last of my books on her bookshelf. Our bookshelf. Shaking my head, I stand up and chuckle to myself. I still can’t get over I’m here finally. We’re pretty cramped with my stuff here now, but it’s cozy.

“The guy will not believe me!” I sit down on the couch and she walks over then proceeds to straddle my lap. I lean down and help her pull her casted leg up next to my leg and then lean back and run my fingers through her soft hair, resting my hand on the side of her sweet face. “I give up! I guess he’ll just go around life now feeling guilty over something he didn’t do.”

“I’ll talk to him. He’ll be fine. Hey! Why don’t I call him and invite him over for dinner. He never passes up a free home cooked meal.” I give her a smirk and then wink.

She laughs. God, I love the sound of her laugh. “True. Okay. Maybe he’ll listen to you. God knows he won’t listen to me.”

“But first, we need to get your Calculus homework done.” I flick her nose with my finger and she rolls her eyes.

“Spoiled sport. What do I need that for anyway?” She sighs.

“You need it to finish your business degree and graduate. I’ll be standing in the crowd cheering you on and being so proud of you.”

Her lips cover mine. Soft. Warm. So full of love. Calculus can wait.

It’s Friday and she’s still healing so we decide to go to Randy’s for a while together. This will be weird. A friend of mine that I haven’t seen in a long time is playing there tonight. It will be great to catch up. When we walk into the bar, everyone’s heads seem to turn at the same time. The look on some of the women’s faces is priceless when they see my arm around Emma. “Oh, my freakin’ God!” One of the waitresses comes running around the counter straight for us, and I barely release my hold on Em when she hugs her. “Damn, girl. It’s good to see you.” She looks down at Emma’s casted leg and then back up at her face. “You doing okay? Come sit down.” I stand there and watch the girl fawn all over Emma and my heart swells. I walk over and sit on the opposite side of her smiling as I hear the other girl talking a mile a minute to her and not letting her get a word in.

“And then, Burke threw his ass out the front door. It was the biggest fight in here.” Emma smiles and laughs. “How are you really? Are you happy?”

Emma turns her head to me; her eyes lower and darken with desire. “Oh, yes. I’m happy,” she whispers. My hand finds hers in her lap, and I thread my fingers through hers and smile.

“Damn! You’re a lucky girl,” her friend says as she stands and leaves us alone.

“Yes, I am.” Emma’s smile grows, and I swear I’m so mesmerized by her, I didn’t even hear someone come up behind me until a hand lands on my shoulder. I turn my head to see Nate standing there grinning.

“Hey, man! How are you?” He says with a smile.

I release Emma’s hand and stand up clasping his shoulder. “Great. Good to see you.”

“I heard the news. So proud of you, man. You all must be freaking out over the record label deal. Awesome for you!” He pounds my shoulder, and I hear a gasp behind me. Shit! I knew there was something I forgot to tell her in my excitement of moving in. “Well, I gotta get to the stage. Stick around and I’ll buy you a drink later.” I smile hearing her chair move behind me and nod. He walks off, and I turn in time to be slammed by her body, her lips on my instantly. I’m not complaining.

“I’m so proud of you! Why didn’t you tell me?!” She squeaks and I laugh.

“I forgot?” Her brows raise but a smile stays on her lips, brightening up her entire face. God, she’s so beautiful. “I did! Really! I was so excited to move in I totally blew it off. I actually forgot about it.”

“Wow! How could you forget something as important as that? This is amazing!” She kisses me again and all is right in my world.

We finally sit down. She’s excitingly talking about it, asking me questions, and I tell her everything. The band starts playing and she leans her head on my shoulder, my arm holding her close. They really are good, and they’ve improved their sound. A slow song begins and she sits up, pushes herself up with her hand against the table and then holds one out to me. I look up at her and frown. “I can’t dance.”

She looks down at her cast and back up at me. “We’ll go slow. Come on, please?”

I take her hand not putting much pressure on it and stand. She leaves her crutch behind, and I’m thankful she has a walking cast on, but she’s still really slow as we make our way in front of the stage on the small dance floor. She puts her arms around my neck as I put mine around her waist. We don’t move very much, just sway to the beat. She looks up at me, and I look deeply into her eyes. God, I love her. We keeping moving, staring into each other’s eyes, and everything around us fades. Finally, we both blink at the same time when the music changes to a faster beat, and we laugh as my hand moves up and takes one of hers from around my neck. I help her get back to the table pulling her chair out for her, and she sits down. I lean down from above her and she turns her head in time for me to kiss her lips.

“Hey, what can I get you two?” A waitress says shaking me out of my Emma zone. I sit down and order us a couple of beers with shot chasers.

We sat there listening to the band, drinking and talking about everything going on. When the band is done for the night, I help my drunken girl up and guide her to the backroom to see the guys in the band for a little bit. I need to get her home and tucked into bed soon. “Hey, I’m gonna go to the restroom. Need anything?” She looks up from her chair at the table with the guys and smiles.

“Just you get back here as quickly as possible,” she slurs. I laugh and kiss her forehead and walk out of the room knowing Nate will look after her until I return.

I do my business then wash my hands. When I come out of the restroom, someone slams into me knocking me against the wall in the hallway. Hands are all over me, my chest, my arms, and then grasps my cock through my jeans. A mouth is on mine, and at first I think it’s Emma until I taste the lips. A loud gasp sounds to my right, and I open my eyes to see Emma standing there with tears forming in her eyes, and she turns quickly heading toward the backdoor.

I look down to see that freaking groupie that’s always after me. What the fuck? I push her away. She lands into the wall across from me, and I turn my head to my girl. “Emma! Wait!” The bitch comes at me again grabbing my arms.

“You don’t need her. She’ll never be enough for you. Why don’t you let a real woman take care of you,” the witch whispers in my ear.

I push her back holding her arms a little too roughly. “I have a real woman.” I look down her body and then back up into her eyes. “She’s a better woman than you’ll ever be.” Her mouth drops open as I release her with such force she stumbles backwards.

I turn and run after Emma. By the time I get the backdoor open, she’s hobbling as fast as she’s able to away from my truck. I catch up to her easily stopping her as I grab her waist and turn her around. My head snaps back as she slaps me across the face, but as I open my eyes, I see tears falling from hers, the look of sorrow in them, apologetic.

“Emma. Stop. Please don’t. She attacked me. There’s no one, no one but you. I love you. I….”

She pushes against me, her mouth on mine, hungrily, needy. Shit! Our tongues become tangled, dancing their own dance. Her hands are around my neck. Her fingers push into my hair, tugging. “Take me home. Please. I need you,” she whispers against my ear then nips and sucks on my earlobe. I lean down lifting her in my arms. Her crutch dangling from her hand beside us, and I walk her to my truck. My mouth is back on hers as I set her down in the seat buckling her in. “God, hurry!” She says breathlessly.