Flying in Shadows (The Black Creek Series, Book 2) (40 page)

Brie tried to explain the "Nathan Reed" situation to Liz on the way home. But her
sister laughed so hard tears dripped from the corners of her eyes. The only way Brie
could stop Liz from laughing was to tell her what their boss had said about it.

Then Liz quieted. "That sounds like 'better watch your back.'"

"I thought so, too. I can handle Sandy."

"Brie, pretend to listen to me, just this once. You've been working at Bloom for six
years. Moved up the ladder fast, kept your nose clean. You're a keynote speaker at
conferences, some of which other teachers from our building attend. A few are teachers
you had when we went here. You're rubbing noses with the assistant super. It doesn't
sit as easy with people like Sandy Finley, who need to look the best and get the most
attention. I'm not telling you to stop what you're doing to appease insecure colleagues
or Sandy, just be careful. Principals can make your life... difficult."

Liz pulled into the drive, pressing on the brakes without putting her car into park.
"Good luck with the car. Are you sure you don't want me to have Tim take a look at
it?" she asked, shifting the gear into reverse.

And see the slashed tires? "No, I've got it." Brie shut the door behind her and said
her thanks loud enough for Liz to hear through the window.

As she made her way to her front door, she lifted one hand to wave goodbye to her
sister and juggled her keys to find the right one with the other. Checking the knob,
she realized the door wasn't locked. She stopped and saw something move across the
frosty side lites of the door. A figure. A person. She turned to gesture at her sister,
but Liz was already down the drive.

Happy dog noises came from the other side of the door. Still a little breathless,
she opened it to Macey's regular end-of-the-day greeting and Nathan Reed standing
in her foyer with his thumbs in his pockets. It wasn't hard to see he was angry.

She took a deep breath, lifting her chin as she hung up her coat and dropped her bag.
"I already thanked you for finding Macey for me." she said, while trying to think
of what really needed to be said here.

"Why didn't you tell me your tires were slashed? In your garage? With the door closed
and locked?"

"Listen, I appreciate your worry, but I can take care of myself and... I hardly know
you. You hardly know me." The bottoms of her low-heeled pumps clicked as she made
her way across the hardwood and onto the ceramic of the kitchen floor. We need to
take a step back here, Nathan."

Red filled his face. He jammed his hands firmly in his pockets. "I'm not talking about
you and me, although I have my own ideas about that. I'm talking about some nut-case
putting at least a half-dozen slashes in each of your tires in your locked garage.

"I can take care of my own car." She turned as she thought of just how she was going
to do that, and reached up to pull out a single tea bag and mug. "And there is no
you and me. It was just a kiss."

Nathan made his way to her in three long strides, picked her up by the shoulders and
plopped her on the kitchen counter, smashing his mouth to hers. Framing the side of
her face with one hand, Nathan laced his fingers in her pinned up hair with the other.

She couldn't think and for the first time in her life let go. Slipping away from her
blessed control, she blocked out the possible consequences and surrendered to the
now. Her skin nearly ignited from the feel of his body as she pulled him in closer.
She held onto his lanky back, his strong arms, feeling his rough hands on her face,
in her hair. His mouth and his tongue emptied her mind. She clamped her eyes shut
and wanted to stay right there.

As he'd done at the midnight hour in her basement, he pulled away as quickly as he
took her.

Nathan whispered close to her face, "Just a kiss my ass."

Black Creek Burning

The Black Creek Series

Book One

by

R.T. Wolfe

~

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Black Creek Burning

from your favorite eBook Retailer,

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Its not uncommon to find dark chocolate squares in R.T.'s candy dish, her Golden Retriever
at her feet and a few caterpillars spinning their cocoons in the terrariums on her
counters. When R.T. isn't writing, she loves spending time with her family, gardening,
eagle-watching and can occasionally be found viewing a flyover of migrating whooping
cranes.

R.T. enjoys hearing from readers. You can contact R.T. through her website:
www.rtwolfe.com