Friday's Child by Kylie Brant

at her. “Well, I have to tell you, Kate, that ifI’d had a teacher who looked like you when I was in the first grade, I would have been heartbroken to be promoted to the second.”
    His voice carefully bland, Michael said, “Chloe, why don’t you help Miss Rose find Trask. He’ll show you where to wash the brushes out in the basement.”
    â€œOkay.” Chloe was plainly delighted to have a reason to escape the adult conversation. “C’mon, Miss Rose.” She dashed from the room, and Kate followed her.
    Derek watched them exit, then turned to his boss with a wide smile on his face.
    Michael waited with resignation for his reaction. It wasn’t slow coming.
    â€œWell, you’ve been even busier than I thought. What have you been up to, working during the day and getting tutored at night?” His chuckle was loaded with meaning.
    â€œYou’ve got a predictable mind, Latham. You know how hard it is to say no to Chloe. Kate was kind enough to agree to help her out with her bedroom.”
    â€œWhen she finishes in Chloe’s bedroom, will she be starting in yours?” Derek inquired.
    With effort, Michael kept his temper in check. The fact that it took effort didn’t escape him. He was used to the innuendos and the one-track mind Derek could have when it came to women. But he never recalled wanting to bury his fist into the man’s perfect capped teeth for making a suggestive remark before. “You’re way off base, Derek. She’s a nice woman, going out of her way for a student. It would be a stretch, even for you, to make something dirty out of it.”
    Derek held his hands up in mock surrender. “Okay, okay, just kidding. She’s a damn good-looking woman, though. I know that hasn’t escaped your attention. I take back everything I said before about schoolteachers. I could easily become—what was your word?—intrigued by her myself.”
    â€œI don’t think you’re her type.”
    Derek gave him a knowing grin. “Staking a claim, boss?”
    Irritation, tightly banked only a moment ago, seeped into his voice. “If you don’t get out of my den in five seconds,you’re going to be free to stake a claim yourself—in the unemployment line.”
    Unperturbed, Derek reached for his briefcase. “On my way.” At the doorway, he paused. “If you learn anything new, you’ll teach me, right?” He ducked out of the room, chortling at his own wit.
    Michael dropped back into his chair, staring at the wall broodingly. He didn’t spend a lot of time in self-analysis, but even he could recognize the emotion that had threatened to choke him as soon as Derek had laid eyes on Kate. Although unfamiliar, it was easily identifiable. Pure, unadulterated jealousy.
    Serious, gorgeous, sexy Kate Rose had something that set his pulse pounding.
    And Derek had been right about one thing. He was definitely staking a claim.
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    â€œPay me?” Kate could feel her blood pressure rise threateningly. Her eyes narrowed and shot daggers at Michael.
    â€œYou will not pay me for helping Chloe. I wanted to do it, and I enjoyed myself. I was happy to…”
    The rest of her words were muffled by the placement of Michael’s fingers against her lips. Amusement curled his mouth and tinged his words. “You didn’t let me finish, Kate. May I finish?”
    Shock held her immobile for a few seconds at the feel of those warm fingers, large, yet curiously gentle, pressed against her mouth. Even after she gave a stiff, self-conscious nod, he seemed slow to remove his touch. When he did, his fingers left a lingering warmth in their wake.
    â€œI wasn’t offering to write you a check. Not that your help hasn’t been worth it,” he added. “But I would like to do something to repay you for all the time you’ve given to Chloe. So how about it? Will you have dinner with me? If you