That brought Reese out of her daze. “Nothing,” she said a little too quickly. “It’s just been a long day, and now I have this to deal with.”
“You’re not happy about the museum thing?”
Reese shrugged. “I’m not the one whose art is going to be on display for everyone to see and critique. But I know how hard it can be to put yourself out there like that. I hope my students, or at least some of them, are feeling confident enough to share their innermost thoughts and feelings with the world.”
Garrett took her hand in his. “Don’t worry. With you as their teacher, I’m sure they are loving what they’re creating and will be proud to display it.”
Reese smiled. It was a placating thing to say, but his heart was in the right place so she couldn’t hold it against him.
“Reese?” Garrett said softly. “Are you worried about how the kids will feel displaying their work, or is this about something else?”
“There’s nothing else.” She hated feeling so on edge, but she had no intention of being that woman who always went running to her man with every little problem.Her man.She liked the sound of that.
“Okay. I can walk you to your office, then we can get lunch. Unless you’d rather be left alone. I can always grade papers while I eat my sandwich.”
Of course, she didn’t want him to leave her alone. “No, you can walk with me. I’ll just put this on my desk and grab my lunch.” She could look through the folder during her next free period.
They walked back to her office together and while Garrett was always professional when they were at the school, she still enjoyed having him this close to her. She didn’t miss the times his fingers brushed up against hers, or how he took every opportunity to accidentally brush up against her.
Her office felt more like a large closet with a desk, some shelves, and a storage unit that contained most of the art supplies she wasn’t currently using in any of her classes. She placed the folder on her desk, snatched her phone and lunchbox, and turned to leave, only to bump into Garrett. He was smiling broadly at her, a gleam in his eyes like he was up to something. “What?” She asked, unable to keep her own smile to herself.
“Even in these fluorescent lights, you’re still a sight, and the way this blouse hugs your curves…” His voice faded as hisarms went around her waist. He lifted her onto her desk and proceeded to devour her mouth like she was the last woman on her and he’d die if he didn’t kiss her right then and there. Thankfully he’d had the sense to close the door.
When he pulled back, he cupped her cheek and said, “Tell me you don’t have any plans this weekend.”
Reese inhaled the soft scent of his body wash, a light mix of pine and musk. Everything about this man turned her on in ways she never thought possible. “Not yet. What did you have in mind?”
“There’s this thing I want to take you to. I think you’ll like it. I wasn’t going to say anything, but I wanted to give you something to look forward to so you don’t stress as much about what’s in that folder.”
Reese wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her cheek to his chest. She could hear his heartbeat and feel the rise and fall of his chest with every breath. “You’re the best.” She’d known she was in love with Garrett for a while now, but it was getting harder to find ways of telling him without saying those three little words. “Come on, I’m hungry,” she said, not sure if she’d ever look at her desk the same way.
Garrett kissed her thoroughly again, then groaned low in his throat. “Me too.” At her playfully raised eyebrow, he sighed, kissed her forehead, and stood back allowing her to stand and adjust herself before opening her office door. “Let’s go eat, Miss Graham.”
Something about the way he said her name like that always made her tingle in all the right places, and she was sure he knew it. “You are such a tease, Mr. Cooper.”
Garrett grinned. Yeah, he knew exactly what he did to her, and he enjoyed every second of it.
