I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think.
“I think maybe it’s your fault,” I managed, barely. “You kissed them pretty stupid last night.”
“Nothing stupid about those kisses, Cassidy,” he said, low and rough, adjusting his belt like it might tame what I’d just stirred up.
“Maybe we should eat,” I suggested, because if we didn’t, I was going to climb into his lap and forget we were in an elementary school classroom.
“Good call.” He flashed me a grin that turned my insides to syrup.
He stripped off his jacket, every move somehow sensual, and slung it over the back of my chair. His red plaid shirt clung to his chest and arms in all the right ways, sleeves rolled up to reveal forearms like sin and golden skin that practically dared me to touch it.
Sitting down far too gracefully for a man his size, Gunner opened the bag and laid out our lunch—two sandwiches, two apples, and two juice boxes.
“Miller beef with mustard mayo. Homemade. It’s good.” He slid one packet toward me with a wink. “And the apple? Thought it might earn me some extra credit.”
I laughed, full and bright. “You brought me a juice box too. You’re really pulling out all the stops.”
“I like to impress my teachers. Especially the pretty ones.”
He pushed the straw into my juice box and handed it to me like it was a love potion. I suddenly wanted to sip it just to keep his attention on my mouth.
As we ate, the energy between us, effortless and electric.
“I should be doing paperwork,” he said with a groan. “But I couldn’t stay away.”
“You drove all this way just to bring me lunch?”
He gave me a look so sincere it made my chest ache. “I missed you. I know it’s only been a few hours but…it felt toolong. Too lonely. Which is ridiculous because I’ve got ten stable hands who think I’m God’s gift to horse training, but apparently none of them have your smart mouth or that thing you do with your eyebrow when I’m being an idiot.”
“You are an idiot.” I could feel my blush spread from my neck to my ears. “But you’re dangerously good at this.”
“Only with you,” he said simply. And I believed him.
He reached across the desk and took my hand, thumb brushing back and forth. “I think we should tell people about the date.”
“It was one date,” I teased, even as my heart galloped behind my ribs.
He leaned in, eyes locked on mine. “You want there to only be one?”
I shook my head, no voice left.
“You think there’s something happening here?”
I nodded.
“You want to cool it?”
This time I found the words. “No.”
“Didn’t think so.” His smile softened. “You tell Lily. I’ll tell my brothers. We’re dating now.”
My teenage crushes had nothing on this man and the way he was making me feel. The way his eyes on me made my blood heat, made my panties wet. This was the man I couldn’t bear to talk to only a couple of weeks ago. Now I didn’t want this lunch break to end.
I let out a breathless laugh. “Okay. We’re dating.”
“Excellent,” he said, voice gravel and warmth. “Now drink your juice, sweetheart.”
I nearly choked on the straw. His eyes tracked every movement of my lips, and damn it, I needed to change my underwear.
