Read Online Intimate Friends by Claire Matthews - Free Book Online
Authors: Claire Matthews
Ads: Link
INTIMATE FRIENDS
Claire Matthews
Copyright © 2011
Chapter One
Emma blew a loose strand of hair from her forehead, already feeling herself wilting in the heat of early May. Texas in winter was a dream—in summer, it was hell on Earth. She hurried through the parking lot of Travis High School, and the blast of cool air that hit her at the entrance to the building made her gasp involuntarily. Four more weeks of oppressive heat, moody teenagers, and back-stabbing faculty before she’d be on a plane to London for two glorious years, to immerse herself in the works of Chaucer, Shakespeare, Spenser… She found herself transported into a realm of stately 17 th century poetry, until a senior football jock with an attitude called, “Hey, Miss Whitten, looking hot today.” He wiggled his eyebrows in an attempt to look seductive..
“You like things hot, Curtis?” she cooed.
“You know it.” He grinned as his buddies snickered behind him.
“Well, great, then you’ll love picking up trash under the bleachers today after school.” She watched his face flatten like a pancake.
“But, Miss W—"
“I don’t wanna hear it. My office, three o’clock, I’ll have the trash bags ready,” she called over her shoulder, already resuming the path to her office. She couldn’t help grinning at the grumbled whining in her wake. These boys were going to learn some respect for women, if it was the last thing she accomplished before she left for graduate school next month.
She turned the corner and saw Noah waiting for her, coffee cups and bagels in hand, standing outside her office. Her face broke into a smile as soon as she saw him—it always did. His dorky good looks charmed her—curly brown hair flopping pleasingly over his forehead, and wide green eyes hidden behind dark-rimmed glasses. He was wearing his “boy genius” uniform, as she called it—khaki pants, button-down shirt, patterned vest, mismatched tie. He rolled his eyes at her tardiness, but his warm grin was welcoming, infectious.
“I know, I know, I’m late,” she said with a sigh. She unlocked her office door and threw her briefcase behind her desk. “But it was for a good cause.”
“’ Cause you felt like sleeping in?” he joked.
Emma stuck her tongue out at him and grabbed her coffee . “Thanks.” She took a long gulp of invigorating caffeine. “And I’ll have you know I was late because I was busy teaching Curtis Monroe a little respect for the female gender.”
“Oh, I bet that went over well.” He laughed, scooting his glasses up with his index finger. Emma grimaced, touching the tip of her nose. Noah looked at her quizzically.
“Cream cheese,” she said softly, but he still looked blank. He glanced down at his bagel, then up at her again.
“ Noah …cream cheese …on your nose .” Emma giggled, reaching over and swiping the tip of his nose with the pad of her thumb. She wiped her fingers on his napkin, and then, because proximity allowed, she straightened the curls drooping over his forehead, and fixed the back of his collar, which was bent up in back. “God, it’s like coming to work with a six-year-old,” she teased. He blinked at her, eyes wide and green, and she was worried for a second that she’d offended him. He swallowed hard.
“How do I look?” he asked in a weird voice, and she could smell toothpaste and coffee on his breath. She moved back quickly, feeling awkward. She’d overstepped her bounds, teasing him the way she would tease any one of her three younger brothers. But when she offended them, they simply tackled her, sat on her chest and made her smell their stinky socks. Noah just stared at her, seemingly lost—he was an only child, and probably didn’t understand her affectionate ribbing.
“You look gorgeous, you stud.” She grinned, winking at him playfully. He laughed and rolled his eyes, and they were good again, best friends, lunch mates, sci-fi movie buddies. Emma
Claire Matthews
Copyright © 2011
Chapter One
Emma blew a loose strand of hair from her forehead, already feeling herself wilting in the heat of early May. Texas in winter was a dream—in summer, it was hell on Earth. She hurried through the parking lot of Travis High School, and the blast of cool air that hit her at the entrance to the building made her gasp involuntarily. Four more weeks of oppressive heat, moody teenagers, and back-stabbing faculty before she’d be on a plane to London for two glorious years, to immerse herself in the works of Chaucer, Shakespeare, Spenser… She found herself transported into a realm of stately 17 th century poetry, until a senior football jock with an attitude called, “Hey, Miss Whitten, looking hot today.” He wiggled his eyebrows in an attempt to look seductive..
“You like things hot, Curtis?” she cooed.
“You know it.” He grinned as his buddies snickered behind him.
“Well, great, then you’ll love picking up trash under the bleachers today after school.” She watched his face flatten like a pancake.
“But, Miss W—"
“I don’t wanna hear it. My office, three o’clock, I’ll have the trash bags ready,” she called over her shoulder, already resuming the path to her office. She couldn’t help grinning at the grumbled whining in her wake. These boys were going to learn some respect for women, if it was the last thing she accomplished before she left for graduate school next month.
She turned the corner and saw Noah waiting for her, coffee cups and bagels in hand, standing outside her office. Her face broke into a smile as soon as she saw him—it always did. His dorky good looks charmed her—curly brown hair flopping pleasingly over his forehead, and wide green eyes hidden behind dark-rimmed glasses. He was wearing his “boy genius” uniform, as she called it—khaki pants, button-down shirt, patterned vest, mismatched tie. He rolled his eyes at her tardiness, but his warm grin was welcoming, infectious.
“I know, I know, I’m late,” she said with a sigh. She unlocked her office door and threw her briefcase behind her desk. “But it was for a good cause.”
“’ Cause you felt like sleeping in?” he joked.
Emma stuck her tongue out at him and grabbed her coffee . “Thanks.” She took a long gulp of invigorating caffeine. “And I’ll have you know I was late because I was busy teaching Curtis Monroe a little respect for the female gender.”
“Oh, I bet that went over well.” He laughed, scooting his glasses up with his index finger. Emma grimaced, touching the tip of her nose. Noah looked at her quizzically.
“Cream cheese,” she said softly, but he still looked blank. He glanced down at his bagel, then up at her again.
“ Noah …cream cheese …on your nose .” Emma giggled, reaching over and swiping the tip of his nose with the pad of her thumb. She wiped her fingers on his napkin, and then, because proximity allowed, she straightened the curls drooping over his forehead, and fixed the back of his collar, which was bent up in back. “God, it’s like coming to work with a six-year-old,” she teased. He blinked at her, eyes wide and green, and she was worried for a second that she’d offended him. He swallowed hard.
“How do I look?” he asked in a weird voice, and she could smell toothpaste and coffee on his breath. She moved back quickly, feeling awkward. She’d overstepped her bounds, teasing him the way she would tease any one of her three younger brothers. But when she offended them, they simply tackled her, sat on her chest and made her smell their stinky socks. Noah just stared at her, seemingly lost—he was an only child, and probably didn’t understand her affectionate ribbing.
“You look gorgeous, you stud.” She grinned, winking at him playfully. He laughed and rolled his eyes, and they were good again, best friends, lunch mates, sci-fi movie buddies. Emma
Similar Books
