Two Week Seduction (13 page)

“You think it’s more?” he pressed.

She licked her thumb and idly scrubbed off some doodling on the desk. “Teaching means lots more to me. And to my kids.”

That’s when he figured it out. Lightning struck like a bolt from the sky, and he couldn’t believe he hadn’t understood this earlier. “You don’t want to go to law school. You want to stay here and teach.”

She flinched, then sent him an accusing glare. “How’d you find out about law school?”

“Sam told me.” Then he touched her hand. “He’s really proud of you.”

Her lips curved, but only a little. “Sam’s sweet. He thinks I should go to Stanford. Wants to visit me and see if California girls really live up to the hype.”

“He’s a giver, your brother.” She chuckled at that, but he could tell her heart wasn’t in it. “So not Stanford, then.”

“I’d be a fool to turn it down.”

“Not if you want something else. Not if you want to teach.”

“Teach?” she scoffed. “You know I get cursed out every day? I spend half my time forcing the administration to do their job, and the other half buried in useless assessment exams. I have to be a bitch all the time just to keep some semblance of control, and I do this for how many peanuts a day? This job’s not worth it!”

“So go to law school.”

“I will!”

Except she didn’t want to. He could see it in her whole body. Her posture was defensive, her eyes downcast. She was caught between a frustrating job and what her family expected her to do. After all, the Helings were lawyers. It was their family crest. “Don’t get caught in something you don’t want. This is your life, Alea.”

“And I’m tired of it.” She looked into his eyes. “Have dinner with me tonight. Make me forget that there are problems here one teacher can’t solve.”

Well, hell. What could he say to that when her dreamy hazel eyes looked into his? Like he was her salvation, if only for a few hours.

“Sure. Italian okay? I’ve…um…been dreaming about lasagna.”

“Sounds perfect,” she said with a grin. He felt his heart stutter. She was dropping matches again into his very dark soul. And yet, he couldn’t hate her for it. In fact, he was about to thank her every way he knew how.

But when it was all said and done, they’d still go their separate ways.

Chapter Thirteen

The afternoon was—no question—the best time of her life. Turns out John was incredibly handy with his hands. He was able to fix her sticky desk drawer and jury-rig the bent cabinet. While she set up her next day’s lesson plan on her computer, he replaced the burned-out bulb in her overhead projector. And he apparently made a new friend while doing it. She heard him and the school cop Jacob talking in the hallway while she finished up with Charlie. The kid had passed with an awesome B+.

Then it was time to go. A little early for dinner, but that just meant they could take their time. It started awkward. John probed into her thoughts about teaching, about law school, about everything. But the more she talked, the better she felt. And even more important, she got him to open up as well.

They ended up trading war stories—him for the military, her for teaching—and the hours flew by. By the time they’d finished talking about their first years in their respective careers, his lasagna was finished. The tiramisu and cheesecake were consumed as they discussed the administrations.

It was the date of her dreams. The two of them talking, just sharing their lives like true friends. And God, she’d never laughed so much. Sure, they’d bantered before, but John really had a wicked sense of humor when he let fly.

Then reality struck. They were just leaving the restaurant when her phone rang with the very distinctive
Jaws
theme. She groaned, but he flashed her a wicked grin.

“Who’s that?”

“My mother.” She’d put in the ringtone yesterday in a fit of evil daughter. “I’ll call her back tomorrow.”

“Liar.”

She purposely bumped his arm. “Some of us aren’t perfect children. We duck our parents’ calls and never fix their cars.”

He snorted. “No, you just plan their parties and live up to expectations.” He leaned back against her car. “Answer it. She’ll just call back anyway.”

True enough. So with a sigh, she popped open her phone. “Hi, Mom.”

“Finally! I’ve been calling you all afternoon.”

“I’m out on a date, mom. I don’t usually answer the phone when I’m with a guy.” The guy in question winked at her. He was stretched out against the door of her little Prius, looking solid and sexy as he stood there. Without even thinking, she stepped right up to him, leaning forward until she was flush against him. His arms went around her waist. His expression slid to serious and his nostrils flared. Then he started nuzzling against her neck in the most amazing way.

“Alea!” Her mother’s voice shot through the phone.

She jolted. “What?”

“Alea Cynthia Heling, you haven’t heard a word I’ve said.”

“Um, sure I have,” she lied.

“Never mind. Just come to the house right now.” Alea frowned. Mom was using
that
tone of voice.

“Um, right now?”

“Yes, Alea.
Now.
”

Then her mother hung up. Alea dropped her head onto John’s forehead, feeling his solid body support her. She could get used to this—held up by a man who could probably bench press her car.

“Your mother wants to see you,” he said, his voice laced with humor. With her ear pressed to his chest, it sounded deeper. Richer. And it mingled perfectly with the steady thump of his heart.

“You know the one good thing about Stanford Law?”

“It’s in California. Far, far away from your parents.”

She chuckled. “Got it in one.”

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. It was sweet, and it thrilled her down to her toes.

“So,” she said, “I could take you back to the school for your motorcycle.” Not at all what she wanted. “Or you could hang with me a little longer while I go see what Mom’s drama is all about.” She tilted her head up. “Sam might be there. And…um…I could make it worth your while afterwards.”

His eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled. He’d been doing that a lot this afternoon, and she loved the sight of it. She hoped to make regular crow’s feet there before too long. “What do you want?” he asked.

Her smile grew wicked. “Well, there are a few things I was still hoping to do to you.”

His brows arched. “To do to me? Sounds scary.”

“To you? A big bad tech sergeant in security? Don’t be silly.”

“Yeah, well high school teachers are terrifying. Geometry teachers most of all. You can’t graduate without their okay.”

“I’d heard that,” she said. Then she stretched up for a kiss.

They were just getting into the good part of the kiss. Their tongues were deeply entwined, his hands were gripping her hips and pulling her hard against him, and—

The
Jaws
theme sounded again.

She groaned.

“Five minutes,” she said. “I’ll give her five minutes. Then I’m going teacher on her ass.”

“See,” he said as he mock shuddered. “Scary.”

…

John was still smiling as they walked up the front steps to the Heling mansion. And it was a mansion. But for the first time ever, he was less aware of the differences. That was Alea’s doing. She kept him laughing enough that he didn’t have time to feel out of place in this neighborhood of the rich and the too-cool-to-be-famous.

Alea rang the doorbell, then planted a swift kiss on his lips before anyone answered. It was quick and it involved a darting thrust of tongue. But before he could react, she pulled away.

“That’s so you won’t forget that you have plans for tonight.”

“I was going to forget?”

“Who knows what happens to your brain when Sam turns on the Xbox.”

“That’s true,” he said in mock consideration.

“You sit down to one game with my brother, and you’re walking home to a sad and lonely bed.”

He held up his hands. “No games. I swear.”

“Good.” Then she stretched up on her toes to give him another incentive. Except at that moment, the door swung open and Mrs. Heling stood there looking very classy in her pantsuit and perfectly coiffed hair.

“Goodness, Alea, I didn’t realize you had stopped off to get John. No wonder you took so long.”

“Mom, I was all the way across town. I came as soon as I got off the phone with you.”

Mrs. Heling flashed her an annoyed look but then stepped back. “Sam’s downstairs, John. You can go—”

“Actually, he’s with me, Mom.”

“What?” She looked horrified.

“I told you I was on a date. Now I’m here to talk about your decorating emergency, then I’ve got to get home. School tomorrow. Early day, you know.” Then she winked at John just to let him know that she wasn’t thinking about school.

John kept his expression calm, though his dick was another matter. “I’ll stay out of your way, Mrs. Heling.”

A female voice interrupted with a high-pitched squeal. “Is that my baby sister at the door? Mom, let her in!”

“I was, dear. And stop screaming.”

“That wasn’t a scream. It was a squeal.” Then a taller, lankier version of Alea came sliding around the corner before wrapping her sister in a huge hug.

“Well, look who came up for air,” Alea said, her words muffled in her sister’s shoulders. “Congratulations on passing the bar.”

John stayed back, using the time to admire the two women. He noted the similarities in the shared love and that pert Heling nose. But he also saw differences, like Candace was in a business suit and really high black pumps, whereas Alea was in a casual dress and no heels.

Candace pulled away to give him a frank perusal and low whistle. “Look at you John O’Donnell, all filled out and manly. I bet the girls wet themselves when they see you in uniform.”

Mrs. Heling gasped in horror. “Candace!”

“Hi, candy cane,” John answered. “Still with the potty mouth, I see.”

She chuckled, not in the least bit offended. “Are you kidding me? Lawyers have the filthiest mouths.”

“Not true,” said Alea. “Teenage boys still win. Yesterday I heard—”

“Yes, yes,” interrupted Mrs. Heling. “Let’s all come inside. No need to give the neighbors a show.”

Candy stepped back, but she linked arms with Alea and dragged her along. “So is it true? Do military men do it with their boots on?”

John nearly choked. Good God, was this a Heling women fetish? Meanwhile, Mr. Heling was just pouring himself a drink from the wet bar as they entered. “Good evening, Alea. John.”

John straightened up to military attention. “Hello, sir. How are you this evening?”

“Fine, fine. Drink?”

“No, sir. Thank you, sir.”

Candy’s giggle filled the air. “Listen to him all yes, sir and no, sir. Daddy, quit giving him the evil eye and hand me a drink.”

“I give all of my daughters’ dates the evil eye,” he said, as he poured another drink for Candy. His gaze was on what he was doing, but his words were clearly pitched to John. “After all, one just passed the bar. The other just got accepted into Stanford Law.” He handed the glass to Candy, but his gaze cut over to John. “Can’t let just any man have time with such brilliantly accomplished women.”

John swallowed, the message clear. After all, he was just a tech sergeant. Nothing to compare to these blue bloods. Meanwhile, Candy nearly deafened them all with another squeal.

“Stanford? Oh my God!” The sisters hugged again while Candy kept chattering on. “Oh poor me. Just a lowly Harvard grad. But what about NYU? I thought you wanted to be in public interest or something.”

“I haven’t heard yet.”

“Oh, those Manhattan types. Too busy clubbing to see what a brilliant woman you are.”

Alea opened her mouth to answer when her father started shooing them away. “All right, all right. That’s enough screaming for one evening. I spent the day with the tax attorneys, so I’ve got a terrible headache.”

Alea turned to her father. “Tax attorneys? Why?”

Candy finished her drink. “Misreport your income, Daddy? Secreting away millions from Uncle Sam?”

“Very funny,” their mother said, her mouth pursed in disapproval. “It’s on some case with a Fortune 500 company. They’re quite the target for the IRS, you know.”

“Which one?” Candy asked. “I’ll dump my stock.”

Her father just laughed and waved them away. Even John knew he couldn’t tell them. It was a breach of ethics.

“Come on, girls. Let’s get this party finalized. The caterer is giving me such fits. Why ever would you choose now to go gluten free, Candy?”

“Because gluten makes me bloat, hurl, and then eviscerate anyone nearby.”

“Sure,” Alea drawled as they left the room. “Blame it on that…”

“John, would you stay a minute?” Mr. Heling called. “I’ve got something I’d like to talk to you about.”

Uh-oh. He knew from Sam that Mr. Heling’s “talks” were more like a military tribunal. Was he about to be verbally shot for touching the man’s daughter?

“Yes, sir?”

“Please, call me Jonathan.”

Not a chance in hell. Mr. Heling liked being “sir’ed” too much for him to stop. Though he did sit down when offered a seat.

“I understand from Sam that you’ve done well for yourself in the military. Tech sergeant, am I right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Security, right?”

John nodded.

“Do you know the Smithson building downtown? It’s where my firm’s located. We’ve got floors 20 and 21.”

“I’m not familiar with it, though I do know where it’s located.” All the big high-rises were in the same general vicinity.

“Yes, well we had a rather disturbing break-in last month.”

“Your offices, sir? Or the building?”

“Electronics firm on the third floor. Don’t know the full extent of the theft, but I understand a great deal of expensive equipment was stolen.”

Not just a small theft, then. And fairly impressive, depending on what equipment was taken. If it was large equipment, then that would involve a great deal of coordination. His mind spun through scenarios. Nothing more than speculation as he had no idea of the building’s layout. But it was something he often did. And something he was good at, too.