NOAH
I can't concentrate on the lecture I'm supposed to be giving about the Civil War. My mind keeps drifting back to the way Mia's lips felt against mine, when we were standing outside the coffee shop, all soft and hesitant and perfect. I stumble over a date, and my students exchange confused glances.
"Sorry," I mutter, adjusting my glasses. "Let's pick this up tomorrow."
The bell rings and students file out, chattering about weekend plans. Today is a half day, so the kids are extra excited. Gathering the papers strewed across my desk, I shuffle them together and tidy my desk. Narrowing my eyes, I look at the stack of quizzes the students took earlier. I should sit here and grade them, but it's Friday and I want to go home. Which is worrisome since I enjoy being at school and am never eager to leave.
I step into the hallway and there she is. Mia. The reason why I'm in such a hurry to leave campus.
Mia walks toward me carrying a stack of books, her dark hair falling past her shoulders in waves that make my fingers itch to touch. She's wearing a simple blue dress that hugs her curves in all the right places, and I can't help but notice how the fabric clings to her full breasts, how it shows off her legs. God, those legs.
Our eyes meet and I watch color flood her cheeks. She remembers the kiss too.
"Hey," I say, my voice coming out a little rougher than I intended. I clear my throat.
"Hi." She shifts the books in her arms, and the movement draws my attention to the way her dress stretches across her chest. I force my eyes back to her face.
"Can we talk?" I ask. "Maybe take a walk during lunch? We could discuss curriculum planning, coordinate some units between English and History."
It's a flimsy excuse and we both know it. But Mia nods anyway.
"That sounds good. Professional development and all that."
The corner of her mouth quirks up in a small smile that makes my heart do something stupid in my chest.
"Meet you in the parking lot in twenty? I just need to put these books in my classroom." She asks, nodding toward her armful of books.
"I'll be there."
She walks away and I definitely don't watch the sway of her hips or the way her dress shows off her firm ass. When I finally tear my gaze away, I catch Blake Morgan watching me fromdown the hall. The football coach's expression is unreadable, but something in his eyes makes my stomach tighten with unease.
Twenty minutes drag by with excruciating slowness, but eventually Mia comes back out to the parking lot, her face tilted up to catch the sun. The light makes her skin glow and highlights the blue of her eyes.
"Ready?" I ask.
"As I'll ever be."
We drive separately to Riverside Nature Trail, a winding path through dense woods about ten minutes from school. It's a weekday, so the parking lot is nearly empty. Just a few cars belonging to retirees and stay-at-home parents getting their exercise. The kids will start showing up when the sun goes down.
I meet Mia at the trailhead and we start walking side by side, careful not to touch. The silence stretches between us, heavy with everything unsaid.
"So," Mia finally says. "Curriculum planning."
I laugh. "Right. Very important stuff."
"Extremely important." Her lips twitch. "We should probably coordinate our units on the American Revolution. Make sure we're hitting the same themes."
"Absolutely. Can't have the students getting confused about whether the British were the good guys or the bad guys."
"That would be tragic."
We walk a bit further, the pretense crumbling with each step. Finally, I stop and turn to face her.
"Mia, I can't stop thinking about you."
She looks up at me, her blue eyes wide and vulnerable. “Noah?—"
"I know, it's complicated," I interrupt.
