at her. âWell, I have to tell you, Kate, that ifIâd 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.â
His voice carefully bland, Michael said, âChloe, why donât you help Miss Rose find Trask. Heâll show you where to wash the brushes out in the basement.â
âOkay.â Chloe was plainly delighted to have a reason to escape the adult conversation. âCâmon, Miss Rose.â 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 wasnât slow coming.
âWell, youâve been even busier than I thought. What have you been up to, working during the day and getting tutored at night?â His chuckle was loaded with meaning.
âYouâve 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
âWhen she finishes in Chloeâs bedroom, will she be starting in yours?â Derek inquired.
With effort, Michael kept his temper in check. The fact that it took effort didnât 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 manâs perfect capped teeth for making a suggestive remark before. âYouâre way off base, Derek. Sheâs 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.â
Derek held his hands up in mock surrender. âOkay, okay, just kidding. Sheâs a damn good-looking woman, though. I know that hasnât escaped your attention. I take back everything I said before about schoolteachers. I could easily becomeâwhat was your word?âintrigued by her myself.â
âI donât think youâre her type.â
Derek gave him a knowing grin. âStaking a claim, boss?â
Irritation, tightly banked only a moment ago, seeped into his voice. âIf you donât get out of my den in five seconds,youâre going to be free to stake a claim yourselfâin the unemployment line.â
Unperturbed, Derek reached for his briefcase. âOn my way.â At the doorway, he paused. âIf you learn anything new, youâll teach me, right?â He ducked out of the room, chortling at his own wit.
Michael dropped back into his chair, staring at the wall broodingly. He didnât 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.
Â
âPay me?â Kate could feel her blood pressure rise threateningly. Her eyes narrowed and shot daggers at Michael.
âYou will not pay me for helping Chloe. I wanted to do it, and I enjoyed myself. I was happy toâ¦â
The rest of her words were muffled by the placement of Michaelâs fingers against her lips. Amusement curled his mouth and tinged his words. âYou didnât let me finish, Kate. May I finish?â
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.
âI wasnât offering to write you a check. Not that your help hasnât been worth it,â he added. âBut I would like to do something to repay you for all the time youâve given to Chloe. So how about it? Will you have dinner with me? If you
Maggie Brendan
Barbara O'Connor
Jan Washburn
Terri Blackstock
Norah Simone
Barry Kemp
G.P. Taylor
Alan Cumyn
Linda Barnes
Lisa Jackson