Read Online Take a Chance on Me by Kate Davies - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kate Davies
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focused her attention back on the page in front of her. Footsteps informed her that she had company at Trudy’s desk.
“Hi.” His voice was low, with a hint of amusement lurking in the back. “I see you took my advice. Good for you.”
Stung, she shot a narrow-eyed glance at him. “I was already planning on getting the keys, thank you very much. I just didn’t do it on your timetable.”
“Of course,” he replied, nodding calmly.
Gritting her teeth, Jessica turned her attention back to the forms. A surreptitious glance told her that Trudy was listening to their conversation with undisguised interest. She signed the last page and handed the clipboard back.
“Theater, light booth, green room, costumes,” Trudy chanted as she dropped keys in Jessica’s outstretched palm. “Enjoy.” Then she eyed Tom and asked, “Did you need something, Mr. Cameron?”
Jessica slid a glance at Tom under lowered eyelids, and was gratified to see him fumble for an answer. He muttered a goodbye and continued on toward the main door. Trudy swiveled back to her computer keyboard, pretending she wasn’t the least bit interested in the tension snapping between Jessica and Tom.
Jessica turned to go, groaning inwardly as she exited the office and discovered that Tom was leaning against the doorframe to the front entrance of the school. Her heels clicking on the pebbled flooring alerted him to her presence, and he turned slowly, still watching for the arrival of the first bus.
“So.” She stood in the foyer, arms crossed, though whether she was warning off him or herself she couldn’t say.
“So,” he echoed, one eyebrow quirked.
Jessica searched her brain for a topic of conversation, considering and discarding the weather, the current political situation and her lesson plans for the day. God knew she didn’t want him to bring up yesterday. Not now. Maybe not ever.
They stood in the hallway, glancing everywhere but at each other. It was empty for the moment, but students would be arriving soon and filling every inch with their jostling, laughing, shouting energy. Five kids or five hundred—they’d still manage to expand to fill the space provided.
“About yesterday.”
Jessica shot Tom a look. “Don’t say another word.”
“I really think we should talk about it.”
“Why?” She held up a hand as he opened his mouth to speak again. “Seriously. It happened. We’re both adults. No harm, no foul. Let’s just forget it.”
As if she’d ever be able to forget that kiss.
“I just—”
Jessica slapped her hand over his mouth. “Not. Another. Word.”
His breath was hot on her palm. Jessica suppressed the shudder that threatened to overcome her. It was time to get out of this situation, and fast. Pulling her hand away, she hitched her bag over her shoulder and turned to go. “Have a nice day.” She tossed off a little half-wave and strode around the corner to the Language Arts wing.
Nice day. Yeah, right. Tom shouldered his way out the front door and took up his customary spot at the top of the stairs. It was sure starting on a low note. After a night of tossing, turning and far too little sleep, not to mention too many repeats of the kiss that shouldn’t have happened running through his head, he’d punched off the alarm clock at oh-dark-thirty, only to discover that his coffee machine had died sometime during the night. He’d grumbled his way to the drive-through espresso stand nearest the school, cursing his dependence on caffeine to start the day.
Then, to top it off, the source of his sleepless night chose this morning to invade the office with her cheery disposition and her citrusy scent calling up every erotic image that had danced through his mind last night. He’d followed the light, tempting fragrance out into the main office right to the source. Then Trudy, office manager and busybody extraordinaire, had caught him off-guard and left him stammering like an idiot.
So he left the
“Hi.” His voice was low, with a hint of amusement lurking in the back. “I see you took my advice. Good for you.”
Stung, she shot a narrow-eyed glance at him. “I was already planning on getting the keys, thank you very much. I just didn’t do it on your timetable.”
“Of course,” he replied, nodding calmly.
Gritting her teeth, Jessica turned her attention back to the forms. A surreptitious glance told her that Trudy was listening to their conversation with undisguised interest. She signed the last page and handed the clipboard back.
“Theater, light booth, green room, costumes,” Trudy chanted as she dropped keys in Jessica’s outstretched palm. “Enjoy.” Then she eyed Tom and asked, “Did you need something, Mr. Cameron?”
Jessica slid a glance at Tom under lowered eyelids, and was gratified to see him fumble for an answer. He muttered a goodbye and continued on toward the main door. Trudy swiveled back to her computer keyboard, pretending she wasn’t the least bit interested in the tension snapping between Jessica and Tom.
Jessica turned to go, groaning inwardly as she exited the office and discovered that Tom was leaning against the doorframe to the front entrance of the school. Her heels clicking on the pebbled flooring alerted him to her presence, and he turned slowly, still watching for the arrival of the first bus.
“So.” She stood in the foyer, arms crossed, though whether she was warning off him or herself she couldn’t say.
“So,” he echoed, one eyebrow quirked.
Jessica searched her brain for a topic of conversation, considering and discarding the weather, the current political situation and her lesson plans for the day. God knew she didn’t want him to bring up yesterday. Not now. Maybe not ever.
They stood in the hallway, glancing everywhere but at each other. It was empty for the moment, but students would be arriving soon and filling every inch with their jostling, laughing, shouting energy. Five kids or five hundred—they’d still manage to expand to fill the space provided.
“About yesterday.”
Jessica shot Tom a look. “Don’t say another word.”
“I really think we should talk about it.”
“Why?” She held up a hand as he opened his mouth to speak again. “Seriously. It happened. We’re both adults. No harm, no foul. Let’s just forget it.”
As if she’d ever be able to forget that kiss.
“I just—”
Jessica slapped her hand over his mouth. “Not. Another. Word.”
His breath was hot on her palm. Jessica suppressed the shudder that threatened to overcome her. It was time to get out of this situation, and fast. Pulling her hand away, she hitched her bag over her shoulder and turned to go. “Have a nice day.” She tossed off a little half-wave and strode around the corner to the Language Arts wing.
Nice day. Yeah, right. Tom shouldered his way out the front door and took up his customary spot at the top of the stairs. It was sure starting on a low note. After a night of tossing, turning and far too little sleep, not to mention too many repeats of the kiss that shouldn’t have happened running through his head, he’d punched off the alarm clock at oh-dark-thirty, only to discover that his coffee machine had died sometime during the night. He’d grumbled his way to the drive-through espresso stand nearest the school, cursing his dependence on caffeine to start the day.
Then, to top it off, the source of his sleepless night chose this morning to invade the office with her cheery disposition and her citrusy scent calling up every erotic image that had danced through his mind last night. He’d followed the light, tempting fragrance out into the main office right to the source. Then Trudy, office manager and busybody extraordinaire, had caught him off-guard and left him stammering like an idiot.
So he left the
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