classroom. Rob had treated her as he had before, not trying to take her hand or kiss her, which she was grateful for. Little kids were far more aware than many adults realized, and the last thing she wanted was to explain her relationship with Rob to the small fries.
A few hours later, Alaina met him at a small café, and the two of them ended up chatting for over three hours, talking about everything under the sun. Only when people began to arrive for dinner did they notice how long they’d been sitting at the table. Rob left a generous tip, and Alaina had to hold back a smug smile when she noticed the waitress had put her phone number on the check but he’d left the slip of paper in the sleeve on the table with nary a glance.
On Saturday night, t hey went to dinner on their first traditional date. Rob took her to a crowded, noisy, Italian hole-in-the-wall, and she had a huge plate of spaghetti in front of her in record time. His steak Marsala smelled amazing, and when he offered her a bite, she couldn’t resist.
She asked him some questions about the previous night’s game, which again, she’d watched, though she was having trouble tracking the puck on her small, non-HD television. The silly thing didn’t really look like a puck, more like a grayish blob moving from place to place. Rob patiently answered each question and offered to watch a game with her the next afternoon after practice. He then broke the news that tomorrow’s date might be the only time they could see each other for a while since the team would be gone most of the week, and she readily agreed to spend the time with him.
“Hey, do you want me to read on Monday? I don’t think I’m scheduled, but I could stop in quick before my pre-game skate.” Monday’s game was at the Barn, but the team would be gone for the rest of the week.
Either way, Alaina figured game days were important to him and that she shouldn’t intrude on him during that time. “No, we’ll be fine. Really.”
“Are you sure?”
“I don’t want to make too many demands on your time.”
Rob pulled a face. “I offered.”
“I know, but you’re a nice guy and you clearly love the kids. I can’t take advantage of that.”
“How about we work out some special method of payment?” He grinned, and she whacked him on the hand, sending Marsala sauce flying off his fork.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” I can’t believe I did that. I can’t believe he said that. Was Kyle right? Did Rob just want to sleep with her?
Alaina shook her head. Rob wasn’t like that. She hoped.
Rob dabbed at his Polo shirt, laughing. “Easy there, slugger. So I guess that’s a no?”
“If you want to kiss me, all you have to do is ask. Or just do it. You don’t need my permission. I think we’re beyond that, don’t you?”
“Is that so? I’ll have to remember that. Might come in handy later.”
Alaina smiled, looking down and playing with her spaghetti. Geez, didn’t the man know what a god he was in bed? Though they hadn’t done the actual deed, the single-minded focus with which Rob approached even a little messing around was sexy as hell. He could do just about anything to her and she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt it would feel good.
“Anyhoo…” Should she tell Rob about Kyle? On the one hand, he was just a student teacher. On the other hand, she didn’t want to not tell Rob and then, when he was at the school reading, have him see Kyle and wonder who he was. In the end, Alaina decided full disclosure was the way to go. Plus it would be a welcome change of subject. “A new student teacher started recently.”
“Oh, someone to haze and run into the ground like we do the rookies? Excellent!”
“Must really be something to be a hockey player,” she said. “We aren’t too bad. We don’t want to scare the student teachers too badly, after all. They do usually pull playground monitor duty, which sucks in the winter.”
“I can imagine.”
“He’s helping
A few hours later, Alaina met him at a small café, and the two of them ended up chatting for over three hours, talking about everything under the sun. Only when people began to arrive for dinner did they notice how long they’d been sitting at the table. Rob left a generous tip, and Alaina had to hold back a smug smile when she noticed the waitress had put her phone number on the check but he’d left the slip of paper in the sleeve on the table with nary a glance.
On Saturday night, t hey went to dinner on their first traditional date. Rob took her to a crowded, noisy, Italian hole-in-the-wall, and she had a huge plate of spaghetti in front of her in record time. His steak Marsala smelled amazing, and when he offered her a bite, she couldn’t resist.
She asked him some questions about the previous night’s game, which again, she’d watched, though she was having trouble tracking the puck on her small, non-HD television. The silly thing didn’t really look like a puck, more like a grayish blob moving from place to place. Rob patiently answered each question and offered to watch a game with her the next afternoon after practice. He then broke the news that tomorrow’s date might be the only time they could see each other for a while since the team would be gone most of the week, and she readily agreed to spend the time with him.
“Hey, do you want me to read on Monday? I don’t think I’m scheduled, but I could stop in quick before my pre-game skate.” Monday’s game was at the Barn, but the team would be gone for the rest of the week.
Either way, Alaina figured game days were important to him and that she shouldn’t intrude on him during that time. “No, we’ll be fine. Really.”
“Are you sure?”
“I don’t want to make too many demands on your time.”
Rob pulled a face. “I offered.”
“I know, but you’re a nice guy and you clearly love the kids. I can’t take advantage of that.”
“How about we work out some special method of payment?” He grinned, and she whacked him on the hand, sending Marsala sauce flying off his fork.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” I can’t believe I did that. I can’t believe he said that. Was Kyle right? Did Rob just want to sleep with her?
Alaina shook her head. Rob wasn’t like that. She hoped.
Rob dabbed at his Polo shirt, laughing. “Easy there, slugger. So I guess that’s a no?”
“If you want to kiss me, all you have to do is ask. Or just do it. You don’t need my permission. I think we’re beyond that, don’t you?”
“Is that so? I’ll have to remember that. Might come in handy later.”
Alaina smiled, looking down and playing with her spaghetti. Geez, didn’t the man know what a god he was in bed? Though they hadn’t done the actual deed, the single-minded focus with which Rob approached even a little messing around was sexy as hell. He could do just about anything to her and she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt it would feel good.
“Anyhoo…” Should she tell Rob about Kyle? On the one hand, he was just a student teacher. On the other hand, she didn’t want to not tell Rob and then, when he was at the school reading, have him see Kyle and wonder who he was. In the end, Alaina decided full disclosure was the way to go. Plus it would be a welcome change of subject. “A new student teacher started recently.”
“Oh, someone to haze and run into the ground like we do the rookies? Excellent!”
“Must really be something to be a hockey player,” she said. “We aren’t too bad. We don’t want to scare the student teachers too badly, after all. They do usually pull playground monitor duty, which sucks in the winter.”
“I can imagine.”
“He’s helping
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