“You can use mine at the apartment if you want.”
“Yeah?”
“Sure.”
Rachel nodded. “I think I’ll meet him at the library first. There might be some research that requires looking in actual books.”
“No way.”
They both laughed.
“Yes, way. I want to look up a few things that I read in last month’s classes.”
“Surely you can find anything you want online,” Bree said just as the bell rang out for the end of the period. Both girls shoved their tablets, pens and worksheets in their backpacks and stood up.
Rachel shook her head. “No, actually, some research is harder to do online because there are so many websites out there, and some information is bogus.”
“That’s true.”
“I know what books I want to look in. I’d probably have to pay to access them online.”
“Another good point. So will I see you at the apartment later then?”
“Sure.”
Bree smiled. “On second thought, let me just see what I can find to do. Give you guys some…quiet time…to study.”
They both laughed again and filed out of the classroom with the rest of the students.
“So I thought what we’d do…” Rachel dropped her bag on the floor next to the chair and looked up at Dallas. “Is search for a couple of books we can use, make some copies, put them on some poster board and use a laser pointer or a long pointer to explain what the phrases and terms mean.”
“That sounds good.” Dallas nodded, dropping his bag next to hers. “But they’re not all words that describe body parts and stuff. What do we do about the other words?”
“Like which one?” Rachel had her worksheet out in front of her, scanning the words they needed to use. “And do we have to do all of them?”
“I think so. I don’t know why Mr. Flynn would give us a list and then not have us do some of them. Besides, doesn’t it say something at the top of the list?” He came around to stand behind her and gazed down at the list over her shoulder. She was completely aware that he had moved so close to her, and her heart began to pound. She was afraid she was blushing, and the thought made her cheeks burn even more. She kept her head down so he couldn’t see. When he reached around to point at the writing at the top of her page, she thought she might faint.
“Look, it says we are to make visual references and/or display models of all pertinent words. What the heck is that supposed to mean? We have to decide which ones are the pertinent words?”
Rachel regained her composure to look at what he was talking about. She scanned the page. “I think he means these. See the asterisk next to these? They are the ones we make visual references about.”
“How can you tell?”
She turned her face up to respond, and they were close enough to kiss. He didn’t move back. Her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes moved from his eyes to his lips and back up to his eyes. “It’s…They are the only ones that can be displayed. The others are…in need of definition only.”
“Ok.” He breathed the word, staring into her eyes.
She swallowed, and he smiled. “So where do we start, Miss Goody-two-shoes?”
She looked back down and cleared her throat. “I want you to find this book.” She grabbed her bag, pulled out a notebook and jotted down two book titles. “And that one.” She looked up at him. “You know how to find books in the library?”
Dallas tilted his head, giving her a direct look. She blushed. “I’m sorry. I did it again, didn’t I?”
He tried to hide his amusement and leaned over to take the paper from her. When he did, his arm brushed hers, and she felt a jolt of electricity. “You’ll learn.” He murmured, putting his lips against her ear through her long soft hair. “I’m smarter than I look.” Her hair smelled like honey and milk. He breathed it in for just a second before turning away from her.
She watched him as he walked away, his eyes lifted up and looking at the numbers and letters on the sides of the aisles. She was impressed. He was in really good shape. She tore her eyes away from him and looked back down to the list of references she’d jotted down the day before. She had two books to find also. When she found them, and he found his, they would check them out and go to the apartment. The thought made her heart patter and her stomach turn over with nervousness. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to be alone with him so soon. She didn’t really know him.
But Bree did. She would know whether he was a trustworthy guy. She wouldn’t have suggested they use the apartment and say that she would stay away to give them alone time if she didn’t think it was a good idea and that Dallas could be trusted.
At that point, Rachel wasn’t worried. There wasn’t anything Dallas could do that would offend her anyway. He was charming and sweet. She was kind of hoping they might get closer anyway.
Closer but not too close.
She smiled as she walked up and down the aisles.
The books were spread on the floor and on the coffee table. Dallas was sitting on the couch, leaning over one of them, a pen in one hand and the other pointing at places in the book.
“You have the anatomy layout sheet?” He asked. Rachel was sitting on the floor with two books and her tablet, also making notes. Several pieces of poster board sat to one side, waiting to be used. Without speaking, she reached to the side, grabbed a paper and handed it up to him. She kept her eyes on her place in the book so she wouldn’t lose it but the words blurred in her eyes when she felt his hand brush against hers. She looked up at him. He was smiling at her.
“Thanks.” He said.
She smiled back at him. “You’re welcome.”
“How’s it coming along? We gonna do some cut outs or draw the pics?”
“Are you an artist? Because I’m not.”
“I’m not that good at drawing actually.” He admitted.
“Well, I can’t draw a stick figure. We’ll use cutouts and paste them on the poster board instead.”
“Makes me feel like a kid again. Using paste and cut outs.” He laughed.
She chuckled. “Yeah, well, it hasn’t been that long since we were kids.”
“I haven’t been a kid for a long time.”
“I bet your mom and dad would disagree with you about that.”
“You’re probably right about that.”
They smiled at each other in silence for a moment. Rachel couldn’t help giggling. She looked back down at the book to hide her embarrassment.
“Let’s take a break from this. Let’s get a drink or something.”
Rachel pushed herself up from the floor immediately. “You want a Coke?”
“Love one.” He responded, sitting back on the couch, stretching his arms out over it to the sides.
She hurried to the refrigerator and pulled the door open. When she leaned over to get two bottles out, she heard a low whistle.
She turned and looked over her shoulder at him, a smile covering her lips. “Was that you?” She asked.
“I sure hope so.” He said. “Otherwise, you got a ghost in here, and I’ve got competition.”
She laughed.
She went back and sat next to him on the couch, folding her legs under her and facing him. “So tell me how your grandmother is doing.” She said, taking the cap off her drink. She took a long drink. The Coke was cool and refreshing as it went down.
He did the same and then responded. “She’s doing good actually. As good as can be expected. Every time we think she’s taking a turn for the worse, she seems to bounce back.”
“I hope you don’t mind me asking about her.”
“No, not at all. I love my grandma. But she’s ready to go. She’s small and frail. And…you’ll like this…she’s a Christian, so she’s always talking about God and stuff, how she’s ready to go to her home in the sky.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“I’m sure you are.”
“Does that bother you?”
“Of cour
se not!” He gave her a surprised but amused look. “Why would it bother me?”
“Just wondering. I like my church. I like to talk about stuff like that. Sometimes it bothers people.”
He shook his head. “She’s always been that way. So I’m familiar with it. It doesn’t bother me at all.”
“I’d like to meet her.”
“I’ll take you there sometime this week. Can’t wait too long. She’s ready to go even if her body keeps hanging on. Once her body is set to go, she will pass. Her mind is ready.”
“I’m glad you choose to take care of her.”
He shrugged. “Somebody has to help her. My aunt Lil comes to help sometimes too. She does all that intimate stuff a guy like me can’t do. You know, grandma might be old, but she deserves her dignity, right?”
“Right.” Rachel nodded.
“You know, you aren’t what I expected.”
“What do you mean?”
He reached out and brushed some of her blond hair from her cheek and ran the back of two fingers under her chin. “You’re a lot more relaxed than I thought you’d be.”
She smiled. “I’m just a normal person. I’m not a prude, you know. I just have my standards. Morals, you might say. Values.”
He nodded. “I get it. I do, too. But I’m glad Mr. Flynn put us together. It gave me time to meet the real you, not the…the prude I saw in class.”
She gasped and slapped his arm lightly. “I said I’m not a prude!”
He laughed and shrunk away from her dramatically. “Ow! Brute!”
She threw her head back, laughing and put up her fists like she was about to fight him. “I’ll take you!” She threatened him with a smile.
He came closer and grabbed her small fists in his hands, pulling her closer to him. They were inches away from each other, and she pulled in a sharp breath, looking up into his eyes.
“You will?” He said softly. “Because I gotta be honest. I would let you.”
“Would you?” She whispered.
He moved even closer, so that when he spoke, she could feel his breath on her lips. “I would.”
The next moment, he was kissing her. She moved into his arms and wrapped hers around his neck. Electricity ran through her and took her breath away.
When he pulled away from her, they locked eyes.
“You’re beautiful.” He whispered. “And smart. And…you’re awesome, Rachel. Please. Take me. I would love to be yours.”
“Oh, Dallas. I would love to be yours, too. We are going to do so well on this project.”
They both laughed and were kissing again moments later, the first kisses of many to come.
*****
THE END
Table of Contents
SPORTS Romance – The Perfect Game
BILLIONAIRE BOSS Romance – What the Boss Wants, He Gets
BILLIONAIRE BOSS Romance - He’s The Boss
MOTORCYCLE CLUB Romance - Bad Boy Biker’s Bride
MOTORCYCLE Romance – Outlaw Bad Boy Biker
MAFIA Romance – Bought By the Hitman
STUDENT TEACHER Romance – Professor London
PARANORMAL Shifter Romance – To Lure a Mate
MAIL ORDER BRIDE - The Gambler’s Bride
MAIL ORDER BRIDE - A Heart in the West
MAIL ORDER BRIDE - A Bride’s Destiny
WESTERN BILLIONAIRE Romance - A Heart in Trouble
WESTERN BILLIONAIRE Romance - Gold in Texas
CLEAN REGENCY Romance Collection – Dashing Dukes
COLLEGE Romance Collection – College Desires
SPORTS Romance - Hotter Than Ice
SPORTS Romance - Hard Play
SPORTS Romance – One Game at a Time
SPORTS Romance – Game On
BILLIONAIRE BOSS Romance – What the Boss Wants, He Gets
Colten Lewis looked at his watch. He hated tardiness. He looked up at the tatty apartment building and imagined what it would look like when his builders had finished with it. The rental income from the luxury apartments would be much higher than it was now. How could a real estate owner let a building in such a prime location get so dilapidated, he wondered? All the tenants would have to leave. There would be protests no doubt. The usual ban the bomb, support mass immigration assholes would turn up. Then there would be the press reporting what a bad man he was for putting old ladies and families with handicapped kids on the streets. They always took that line, the press. But not one of the journalists had ever bothered to scratch the surface and see what Colten really did with tenants he wanted to move. Most of them got more cash than they could earn in a lifetime, and if they went without making a fuss, he always rehoused them in much better accommodation. The problem was if you had to move three hundred tenants there were always a couple that chained themselves to the front door in protest. Most of those that protested had never done a days work in their lives. Colten called them freeloaders. People who lived on welfare and feigned illness so they would never have to work.
''You're late,'' Colten said as he got out of his chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce. ''The price has just gone down a hundred grand.''
''Sorry Colten. Bloody traffic,'' Jim Nail said. Jim was old now, and he could no longer run a credible business. It had all become too fast for him. The deals were more complicated than in years gone by. In those days, you shook a man's hand, and the deal was done, no clowning around with lots of lawyers. At seventy-six, he'd decided to sell his portfolio, and he intended to sell most of it to Colten. He knew Colten would drive a hard bargain, but Colten was trustworthy and did what he said he would do.
''You're not walking too well Jim,'' Colten observed.
''Gout,'' Jim replied.
''Not surprised all the alcohol you pour down your neck.''
Colten was one hard son-of-a-bitch, but he was straight and fair. Jim laughed to himself when he remembered what his wife always said when she talked about Colten. Great mind, great body, great catch.
''Where's that lovely PA you used to have? Every time I call your office I get some guy on the phone,'' Jim asked.
''Fired her,'' Colten said coolly.
''Why. She was hot and efficient. Why would you fire such a good advert for your company?''
''Because she didn't do what she was told,'' Colten replied.
''You mean she wouldn't let you screw her.''
''That would be very wrong of me as a boss,'' Colten said.
''But true, nonetheless,'' Jim added. Colten smiled.
''Anyhow I've got a new PA starting Monday. If you thought the last one was nice, you've gotta see this one.''
*****
''Are you nervous Avaline?'' Penny asked.
''No, why should I be?'' Avaline Francis replied as she put the finishing touches to her nails.
''Maybe you've forgotten, but you start your first job tomorrow. You know, at CL Real Estate?''
''How could I forget,'' Avaline replied.
Avaline and Penny shared a student apartment in a seedy area of Los Angeles. Not that either of them was still a student. They had both recently finished secretarial college and found jobs. Penny had passed a casting shoot and was soon to star in a porn movie with one of America's hottest adult actors. Avaline had also given the idea of porn some thought but decided it was degrading. When she'd gone to pick Penny up from the studio, the director had begged Avaline to take her clothes off, but she'd refused.
''It's such a pity. You're really hot, look at your sexy legs and those boobs,'' he'd said.
Avaline wondered how a gay man could possibly judge her, but apparently he was one of the world's best adult movie makers, so he must know a thing or two.
''You'll have to sit in an office and take orders while I travel the world to exotic locations.''
''Crap. The furthest you'll get is Brighton Beach where a well hung Russian will shag your brains out and come all over your belly,'' Avaline said. ''And besides no man tells me what to do. Remember John and what happened to him?'
'
How could I forget Penny thought? Poor John. He'd been Avaline's boyfriend for years, and although she'd cheated on him numerous times, he'd never found out. When he'd told her, he didn't like her new hairstyle she'd gone crazy. First, she'd taken a picture of his manhood while he was asleep and posted it on Facebook under the heading, ''Small Cock for Sale.'' Then she'd taken all his clothes and stuffed them down a drain outside the apartment.
Penny looked at Avaline. She was a very beautiful woman. Her long legs seemed to go on forever, and they were as shapely as any woman's. She had long, natural, blonde hair and a smile that no man seemed able to resist.
''Out in the real world, I think you'll find it's different, especially in the business world.'' Penny took the pot of nail varnish Avaline had handed her and began to paint her own nails. '' There are a lot of very hard men around. You won't be able to click your fingers and have them fall to their knees like you did with all the others you've had.''
''I've never met a man strong enough to resist me yet. I can twist them all around my little finger. All I have to do is show a bit of leg and flutter my eyes and the poor creatures buckle.''
''You're so wrong; you'll find out sometime.''
*****
Avaline looked at her watch; she was five minutes late. CL Real Estate was located in a huge glass fronted building in downtown LA. Colten's company occupied the top three floors, and the rest of the building was occupied by various companies from banks to shipping companies. By the time she got to the top floor she was ten minutes late.
''Hi I'm Avaline Francis, I'm starting work as Mr. Lewis' PA today,'' she said to the woman behind the magnificent reception desk.
''He's expecting you. Through that door there.''
Avaline looked behind her and saw a double glass door. It led to a smaller office with a desk, which she assumed was hers. Another door led from that office to Colten's. She knocked and entered.
''You're late. Your first day, and you're late. I would have thought you would have been twenty minutes early. That's what I expect.''
He was tall and dark, and she noticed his nose had been broken at some time. It wasn't crooked but flatter than most men's. She hadn't met him at the interview; he'd asked his personnel department to chose a few suitable candidate. He'd taken two things into consideration when hiring her. First, what the personnel department had to say and second the way she looked on the photo they gave him of her.
Romance: Young Adult Romance: The Perfect Game (A Highschool Football Romance) (Bad Boy Nerd New Adult Romance) Page 3
