Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 46525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 233(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 233(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
After dinner, his hand settled on my lower back as he guided me toward my car. Right before I reached for the door, he caught my fingers, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. “My mistake almost cost me getting to know you. Not gonna make another one.”
I melted right there in the parking lot, all too aware Levi was going to be the best kind of trouble.
4
SAYLOR
The bell hadn’t rung yet, but my classroom was already buzzing with restless pre-lunch energy. I leaned against the edge of my desk, listening as one of my juniors summarized the reading I’d assigned yesterday. A couple of kids in the back were whispering instead of taking notes, and I shot them a pointed look that made them straighten up instantly.
“Okay, settle down,” I called, unable to hide my smile. “We’ll pick this up again tomorrow. For now, make sure your notes on the Declaration are ready. There will be a quiz on Friday.”
A chorus of groans rose, but most of the students were grinning as they packed their bags. One of the girls near the front waved as she headed out. “See you after lunch, Miss Everett!”
I waved back, warmth filling my chest. I already felt like I belonged in Crossbend. Most of the kids were awesome, and I’d been spending most of my spare time with a sexy biker who looked at me like he wanted to eat me up. Which I really wished he’d do. Soon.
As the room emptied, I sank into the chair behind my desk and pulled out the stack of essays I planned to grade during lunch. I was halfway through the first paper when a familiar silhouette filled my classroom doorway. I looked up and felt my whole face light up before I could stop it.
Levi leaned against the frame, two takeout bags in one hand and a sweet tea in the other. With grease streaked on a forearm, he looked entirely out of place among the posters of historical timelines and student desks, but that didn’t stop butterflies from swirling in my belly.
I set my pen down with a teasing smile. “Second time this week. Spending your lunch in my classroom on Monday wasn’t enough for you?”
“Figured you might be too busy to eat if I didn’t bring it to you.” He pushed off the doorframe and crossed the room to set the bags on my desk. “And it looks like I was right.”
I flashed him a sheepish smile. “I brought a banana and a granola bar.”
“That’s not lunch. It’s barely a snack.” He started unpacking containers. “Grilled chicken sandwich, extra pickles, sweet potato fries, and the sweet tea you like.”
I watched him arrange everything with a ridiculous amount of warmth spreading through my chest. “I didn’t even realize how hungry I was until you brought all of this. You’re spoiling me, Levi.”
“Good.” He dropped into the chair across from me, his knees brushing mine under the desk. “You work hard. Somebody ought to take care of you while you do it.”
We ate together while I told him about the debate my advanced placement students had gotten into that morning over the causes of the Civil War. He listened like it was the most interesting thing he’d heard all day, nodding along and asking questions that proved he was actually paying attention.
Halfway through my sandwich, Mr. Hargrove from the English department stuck his head in the doorway. His gaze landed on Levi, then flicked to me, lingering a beat too long.
Levi’s entire demeanor shifted. His jaw tightened, and he sent the other man a glare that could have stripped paint off a wall. Mr. Hargrove mumbled something about catching me later and disappeared fast.
I arched an eyebrow at Levi, fighting a smile. “Was that really necessary?”
He reached across the desk and brushed his thumb along the back of my hand. “Yeah. It was.”
His possessive tone should have bothered me. Instead, it made those pesky butterflies flap their pretty wings more quickly in my stomach. I turned my hand over and laced my fingers with his. “You keep feeding me and glaring at other men, I might get used to it.”
“That’s the plan, baby.”
Laughing softly, I shook my head. “It’s a good thing you’re on the approved visitors list, or else he could kick up a fuss about you being here.”
“He’s welcome to try.” Levi flashed me a cocky grin. “With everything the Kings do for this school, the principal would laugh him out of his office.”
Pressing my elbow against the desktop, I propped my chin on my hand. “Does that mean the rumor I heard is actually true?”
“Only one way to find out,” he drawled.
Our school offers an Automotive Maintenance and Light Repair track as part of the Career and Technical Education program, and one of my third-period students was in it. “Do you really help Mr. Brandon out sometimes?”