Chemistry: An Everyday Heroes World Novel (The Everyday Heroes World)

by J. P. Nicholas

  The way her nose scrunches up, I have a feeling she’s not keen on option one.

  “And option two?” she asks, urging me to continue with a hopeful gleam sparkling in her olive irises.

  I swallow the lump in my throat. I’m very reluctant to suggest this aloud, but I don’t see any other way to get Kyle caught up before his grades reach the point of no return. I spent all morning racking my brain about it after I graded his benchmark, only to come up empty. As much as I hate to admit it, this is the best option for Kyle.

  I lean forward and clasp my hands together on the desk before I present the next option. “Option two is that I spend a few hours with him every Saturday morning until he’s caught up to speed.”

  Raising my gaze, I know I should be analyzing her reaction to my proposal. Instead, I’m cataloging her—like the way she likes to gnaw on her bottom lip when she’s deep in thought. Or the adorable way that her eyes crinkle when she smiles.

  I swallow hard when I realize I’m staring at her. In a lame attempt to recompose myself, I lean back in my chair, cross my arms over my chest, and furrow my brow. “What are your thoughts?”

  She seems taken aback. Her lips are slightly parted as if she’s going to say something, but she doesn’t. I think my proposition just rendered her speechless as it should. Nothing about this parent-teacher interaction has been normal. And it certainly doesn’t follow suit with my usual talking to a student’s parent etiquette.

  “Mr. Ash—may I call you Lucas?” No, no, no! Absolutely not! I have to draw the professional line somewhere.

  “Of course,” I reply, ignoring all the warning signs in front of me and sirens going off inside my head. Evidently, it would seem that I have the iron resolve of a toddler when those eyes of hers are staring back at me. That can only be good for me, right?

  “You would do that for me—I mean—um—Kyle?”

  I nod without any hesitation, which causes her to smile—a genuine one this time. You can tell by the way it brightens her eyes, making them appear almost a shade or two lighter.

  “Making sure my students learn is my number one priority. Should I swing by the bakery tomorrow for his first tutoring session?”

  “That would be great. See you then.” She outstretches her hand and squeezes my forearm, which catches me completely by surprise. Based on the way she retreats the perpetrator back to her side of the desk almost immediately and the guilty expression that etches itself into her features, I think it’s safe to assume it was done out of pure instinct. Not in any way intentional or suggestive, but rather an act of pure gratitude.

  Admittedly, it felt damn good to have her touch me, even if it was just for an instant.

  “See you then,” I reiterate, daring myself not to glance at her magnificent ass as she stands up and heads out the door. Don’t you do it. Don’t you dare do it. Annnndd…I fucking did it anyway.

  I rake a heavy hand through my hair and drag out a sigh. “Lord, help me.”

  Straight up, this is singularly the worst idea I’ve ever had. Especially considering that part of me is still…well, straight up.

  Chapter Eight

  Chloe

  My baby voice is a bit rusty, considering that I haven’t used it since Kyle began talking in full sentences. But I slip into it with ease as I address the cute bundle of happiness resting in the Bjorn carrier on my chest. I glance down to find gorgeous brown eyes meet mine, causing him to drool a little when he smiles. I take a nearby napkin and wipe his chin.

  “Hi, Mateo. We’re going to have so much fun today, aren’t we? Yes, we are. Yes, we are.” Okay…maybe I’m getting a little too carried away with the baby talk. But I can’t help it. It’s been way too long since I’ve held a baby boy in my arms. And since none of my wacky brothers seems to be remotely close to settling down yet, I don’t see that changing in the near future.

  With my fingertips, I brush the curling brown hair to the side to get it out of his eyes. The welcoming chime from the door alerts me that I have company. I jerk my head up at the sound, focusing my full attention on a potential customer.

  I barely notice that I’m smiling as soon as I catch sight of him. His brown hair is messy in a way that’s almost a style in and of itself. The dark stubble that usually outlines his jaw is a little thicker today, probably from a skipped nightly shave. The ovular tortoise shell-colored frames resting on the bridge of his nose are a perfect complement to the whiskey-colored eyes behind them. The long-sleeved navy sweater he’s wearing does nothing to hide each hard line of muscle underneath it.

  Back in my day…no teacher ever looked like Lucas Ashford. He rocks that nerdy sexy look that seems to push all the right buttons and flip all the right switches to turn me on. But no matter how sexually attractive I find him, I know I can’t act upon any of it. After all, he’s Kyle’s teacher. And that’s more than enough to keep him at arm’s length.

  Lucas walks toward me. I avert my gaze and pretend to fidget with something on the cash register.

  “Well, aren’t you a future lady charmer in the making?”

  “Excu—” I cut myself short, hoping that I stopped myself just in time from embarrassing myself in front of him…AGAIN! I pretend to clear my throat and remain silent as he talks to Mateo.

  “I’m sure you’re going to be one handsome young man when you grow up. But promise me that you won’t let that go to your head. Okay, Buddy?”

  My heart melts like butter in my chest at the way he speaks to Mateo. He’s not talking to him in a high-pitched baby tone like most people do. Instead, he is just talking to Mateo in his normal voice. For some reason, I find that all too telling about the kind of man he is. Perhaps I’m reading way too much into this—hell, I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t—but any man that doesn’t mask their voice for a baby must be honest in all aspects of their life. At least, that’s the vibe I’m currently getting from him.

  After brushing his thumb over Mateo’s cheek, eliciting a giggle from the pudge ball, Lucas raises his eyes to meet mine. “Is he yours?”

  There’s something deep inside of me that wants to say yes. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s just a womanly instinct to want to test a man and see if he passes. But do I really want to start off lying to the guy? No, I don’t. That would not bode well for me further down the line. Besides, he’s not my boyfriend; he’s Kyle’s teacher. Nothing more. Nothing less. So, there is no benefit for me to test him anyway.

  I shake my head.

  “No, my friend’s. I’m on babysitting duty at the moment.”

  “He appears very comfortable around you,” he smirks.

  Warmth spreads through my chest at his compliment. I’m not sure if he’s flirting with me or if he’s just giving me a genuine compliment. Either way, I need to change the subject before I blush again like a weirdo.

  “Are you ready to teach my kid some Chemistry?”

  “Is J the only letter that doesn’t appear on the Periodic Table?”

  “Yes?” I ask, feeling like I just walked into class and saw the words Pop Quiz written on the board. When he doesn’t respond straight away, I start to second guess myself. “No? I don’t know. I wasn’t prepared for a quiz. I didn’t study.”

  This raises a chuckle out of him as he nods.

  “The answer’s yes.” As if on cue, Mateo decides to mimic Lucas’s head nod. Lucas takes note of it and releases a devastating smile, completely showcasing his cute guy next door dimples. “See? Not only is he a little charmer, but he’s got the brains to match. Can someone say double threat?”

  Mateo opens his mouth, but nothing comes out.

  “I guess not,” Lucas states with a laugh.

  A loud beep chirps from behind me. Lucas arches his brow out of curiosity. Shit, the brownies.

  “Would you mind holding him for a minute? I don’t want to impose, but my brownies are done, and I’d rather not take him anywhere near an industrial oven.”

  “No, no. Of course! I’d be happy to hold onto
this little guy for a bit.”

  “You sure?”

  “On second thought, I have one condition.”

  I quirk my brow. “And what’s that?”

  “I get one of those delicious brownies.”

  I tap my chin, pretending to be thinking it over. “You drive a hard bargain, but you have yourself a deal.”

  Once Mateo is safely secure in Lucas’s arms, I dash to the oven like a madwoman. Using many precautions and careful movements, I remove the trays from the oven and place them on the island to cool. Since the bakery is not crowded on this early Saturday morning, I overhear Lucas’s conversation with Mateo through the door.

  “I need your advice, Little Dude. But this stays between us men, got it?” He takes a beat. “Good. How do you get all these ladies falling all over you? What’s your secret?”

  There’s another pause.

  “Ah, not one to kiss and tell, I see. I can respect that.”

  I bite down on my lip to stifle back a laugh. That has to be the most ridiculous and hilarious conversation I ever heard. It really is cute the way Lucas talks to Mateo as if they’ve been best friends since drinking beer at a bar back in their college days.

  Deciding to let the brownies cool some more, I make my way back through the door to the front of the bakery. My heart bursts in my chest at the sight unfolding before me. As soon as I open the door fully, I find Lucas flying Mateo through the air like he’s Superman. Mateo is giggling uncontrollably as Lucas guides him as he flies around the entire bakery.

  There’s just something innately sexy about a man with a baby in his arms. Lucas was always attractive to me, but watching his smiling face beam with joy as he plays with Mateo just makes him that much sexier. And quite frankly, it is stirring feelings deep inside my core that I haven’t welcomed in a very long time.

  “The brownies are still cooling, but I can get you a coffee while you wait.”

  “Sounds great. Thank you,” Lucas says as he tucks Mateo against his side. I’m grateful as hell for the counter separating us because it prevents Lucas from seeing me clench my thighs together. I don’t know how much more of this I can take. I should take that baby away from him before I lose the rest of my sanity.

  A few hours later, Mateo is asleep, napping in his crib, which flanks the staircase off to the side of the room. Lucas is now tutoring Kyle at a table in the corner by the window. I can’t help but observe how it’s going from afar. I try to tell myself that I’m watching for Kyle’s sake, which is partly true. But I also know that it’s partly a lie I’m telling myself. I’m watching Lucas just as much as I am my son—both for very different reasons, obviously.

  Watching the two of them interact with one another is rewarding to see. I love how Kyle’s face lights up when he understands whatever Lucas is teaching him. I also love how Lucas gets all excited when Kyle answers a question correctly, patting him on the back after taking another swig of his coffee. Those are two peas in a pod over there. As exciting as it is to see them getting along so swimmingly, a part of me is now filled with an aching sense of dread and worry. I should be happy—no, ecstatic—that they work so well together. That’s precisely what I wanted when I marched into Room 2-11. But a part of me is worried that Kyle may become too attached to Lucas. It may be too early to worry about such things. But being a mother does something to your brain that rewires it to think of every possible way your child can get hurt.

  Kyle has never had a father figure in his life. Sure, he has had his grandfather and three uncles who try to help fill that void, but it’s not the same. I’ve never dated anyone over the years for the fear that they wouldn’t stick around like Kyle’s father. The last thing I want to do is bring someone else into Kyle’s life just for them to abandon him all over again. That may be my cynical side talking, but that doesn’t stop it from crossing my mind.

  Even though Lucas is Kyle’s teacher, and they are stuck together for the remainder of the year…there’s no guarantee he will stick around longer than that. And there is no obligation for Lucas to do so at all. At the end of the year, he will have fulfilled his teacherly duties. But if my son grows too attached to him, when he moves onto eighth grade next year and Lucas is no longer in his life, it would feel like he was abandoned all over again. And even though I think my son could handle that no problem…I know I can’t.

  I have to force myself to look away because watching Lucas make both these boys smile today is shredding every ounce of the resolve telling me to resist him. And I must resist him! There is no other option. He’s my son’s teacher, for fuck’s sake. And that is all he can ever be.

  Chapter Nine

  Chloe

  My heart is pounding at what feels like one-hundred and ninety beats per minute as he trails scorching hot kisses down my neck. With each one, his lips linger slightly longer than the last. I squirm beneath the weight of him, thrusting my pelvis upward, begging for more. Much, much more. More friction, more kisses, more touching, more everything. I want it all. But more importantly, I don’t want it to end.

  The dark-haired mystery man doesn’t disappoint as he works his way downward. Palming my breasts in both his hands, he tweaks each nipple, rolling them with his thumbs. His lips find their way back to mine. The instant our mouths collide, a breath shudders out of my chest. His stubble scrapes my cheek as he angles his head to deepen the kiss. He seizes the opportunity and slips his tongue into my mouth. I take greedy pulls of it, making him groan.

  I reach outward, desperate to touch him, to feel his heated flesh under my fingertips. I feel his abs tighten as his hips rock forward. A moan escapes my lips when his groin grazes my swollen clit. Pleased by the sound, he continues the motion, rocking back and forth, to and fro. I can feel the pressure building up inside me with each repeated movement as he grinds against me relentlessly.

  “Fuuuuck, you taste so sweet,” he grumbles against my lips.

  The pressure inside me climbs higher and higher as my vision grows hazy. I know I’m close…too close. I wrap my legs around him, my heels pulling him closer to me. I want more contact to anchor me as I begin to fall apart.

  “Look at me. I want to see you as I—” My words are cut short when a white-hot pleasure surges through me. As soon as his gaze meets mine, the haze lifts, and I can make out the mystery man’s face clearly. His name rolls off my tongue with urgency. “Lucas!”

  I shoot straight up and glance around the room, anguished to find my bearings quickly. My hand clutches my chest. I can feel my heartbeat starting to slow while my brain informs the rest of my body that it was just a dream. Thank God. None of it was real.

  Christ! This is not good. Lucas is already purchasing a townhouse in my everyday thoughts; I don’t need him to buy a vacation villa in my dreams as well. As much as I hate to admit it, I’ve thought about him a lot since he left yesterday. Granted, it didn’t help that Kyle kept raving about how awesome he is over dinner last night. Just after one tutoring session, my son already can’t stop talking about him. I guess I’m not the only Hayden he has that effect on. And that’s what worries me the most.

  To better get my mind off of Lucas, I decide to take Kyle out for a true Sunnyville delicacy. Ask anyone in town, and they will tell you that there is no better breakfast than Mama Bertha’s famous pancakes at Bertha’s Cafe. They’re practically clouds handpicked from heaven itself and drowned in both the tastiest and stickiest homemade maple syrup ever made. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. My anticipating smile falters into a frown when I walk inside and see just how packed it is.

  “What is this place giving away today?” I ask the closest waitress as she scribbles my name and party number on her notepad.

  “In honor of Mama Bertha’s birthday, we’re doing a buy one, get one pancake platter special. You’re looking at about a thirty-to-forty-five-minute wait at the moment,” she informs, tapping her pencil eraser against her chin. As if on cue, I hear my son’s stomach gurgle in the background.

>   “They can sit with us, Renee. We’ve got plenty of room, and I could use the company. This guy won’t stop staring at his phone,” the familiar voice calls out to the waitress. I turn my attention to my left to find Lucas playfully smacking the guy across from him on the arm.

  The waitress, Renee, I would presume, clears her throat to get my attention. I give it to her. “If you don’t mind, I can get two more places set with them.”

  I turn to Kyle, who just nods his approval. Well, I guess I don’t mind then. “That’ll be fine.”

  “Perfect. You can follow me this way then.”

  When we arrive at the table, the first thing I notice is that Lucas’s friend has moved to his side of the booth, leaving Kyle and me to share the other side. I release a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, relieved that I don’t have to sit next to Lucas. I don’t know how I would’ve reacted being so close to him. Sure, sitting across from him isn’t too much better, but it is better, to say the least.

  “Thank you, but please don’t let us impose on your morning,” I request as I slide my ass into the booth, and Kyle slides in beside me.

  Lucas leans forward, directing his full attention to me. “You and Kyle are never an imposition. And, as I said, I’m more than welcoming your company.”

  “Can you put your phone down for one minute, man?” Lucas asks. His friend glances up.

  “Sorry, I’m a little sidetracked today. And being a completely rude asshole,” the stranger admits before extending his hand to me. I shake it. “Ethan, completely rude asshole extraordinaire.”

  “Hi, Ethan. I’m Chloe, and this is my son, Kyle.”

  I notice that Ethan winces ever so slightly when I say the word son, although I’m not sure as to why. Lucas leans over and whispers something I don’t make out into his ear.