She lifted herself enough to get the sweatshirt over her head. His breath whooshed out as he dropped the garment on the floor.
The way his gaze raked her torso… She might have to make another cosplay character. Valaria’s twin sister, Salaria: sexual goddess.
With her legs splayed on either side of him while he perched on his knees, she had nothing else to do with her hands but relax them behind her head.
“I thought you were sexy as hell the first time I met you. I think I like you best with no clothes on.”
She wiggled her hips. “I still have my sweats on.”
He gave her breasts one last lingering look before hooking his fingers into her waistband. A brief thought of whether she should take a more active role crossed her mind. But the way he handled her, so carefully, like she was fragile, was too intoxicating. She liked being taken care of, even if it was for a fling.
Was that what this was?
She brushed the question off. Too much thinking about the future. Always on guard, always planning her life around what others thought. In this bedroom, it was just them and the sizzling chemistry between them.
A draft wafted over her belly as he tugged her pants down. Deftly moving off the bed, he slid her pants off.
Another breath puffed out of him as his gaze swept from her breasts to her bare sex down to her toes. “You weren’t wearing any underwear? I might’ve choked on my grilled cheese if I’d known that.”
She smiled. “Are you saying you would’ve gone out of your mind with lust while I was wearing a thick coat of cotton armor?”
“You make those sweats looks sexy. Don’t ever doubt that.”
She cocked her head. His sincerity floored her. Her clothing had been warm and functional. Nothing like the athletic wear that showed as much as her Valaria outfit, which she enjoyed wearing, too.
He hadn’t moved since he dropped her pants. Self-consciousness was setting in.
She caught his gaze. The heat in his eyes stole her breath. He ripped his shirt off and dropped his shorts.
It was her turn to gasp. She rose on an elbow. The words “You work out” left her mouth before she could consider how inane they sounded.
The corner of his mouth kicked up. “I do.”
His broad shoulders were one of his best features—when he was dressed. But he had a tight body carved from a lifetime of taking care of himself. He might feed her pizza and grilled cheese, but he didn’t subsist on greasy food alone.
And his manhood. Thick and straining, it was as hard and defined as the rest of him. This geek was hiding an Easter egg under his clothing—Surprise! I’m really a jock.
She tracked every flex of muscle as he bent to the nightstand and withdrew a box.
Condoms.
Her mind screamed Yes! but she bit her lip. He pulled out a foil packet and was setting the box back when he frowned. Straightening, he turned toward the hallway light and squinted at the box.
His shoulders slumped. “They expired last spring. Like, nine months ago.”
“What?” She sat up, but that put her at eye level with his erection. Actually, that wasn’t a bad place to be.
“Shit.” He tossed the box and the packet to the nightstand. “I’m sorry.”
She giggled. Only two responsible adults would fret over the expiration date minutes before they were going to insert the hard cartridge into the needy game station. “Not to ruin the mood, but I’m trying to think of anyone under the age of twenty who’d be deterred by an expiration date.”
His mouth quirked. “That’s how we had Jaycee.”
“Well, I’m on birth control if that’s the main concern.”
“I’ve obviously been abstinent for a while.”
“Then…” She shrugged. “Let’s use them.”
His gaze stroked her body. He leaned over and grabbed a condom, ripped it open, and rolled it on.
Her belly fluttered with nerves as he crawled back on top of her. But she didn’t have time to dwell as he lowered his head and captured her mouth.
He was sweet, like the juice they’d had. She twined her arms around his neck and hugged him close. They weren’t separating for anything. No other foreplay was needed beyond seeing him naked.
She cradled him between her thighs and rolled her hips into him. Sensing her need, he positioned himself without breaking the kiss. The pressure of his broad head promised he’d fill her like she’d never experienced before.
She surged up, taking him inside. He tensed, like he was afraid to hurt her. But he felt too good to slow down now. Digging her hands into his ass, she pulled him toward her.
Letting out a gasp, she arched into him enough to rub her aching breasts against his bare chest. He set a hard pace. There was no playing around, no does this feel good, how about this. He took what she offered. They strained against each other, nipping earlobes, nibbling lips, and it was exactly what she needed. Heavy breathing intermingled with moans filled the air.
Stretching out the pleasure should be her goal, but nothing but hormones and want drove her. Tightening around him, she dug her nails into his back and cried out, her climax slamming home.
He stiffened above her, his thrusts shortening as he let go. They came together and for a few moments, it was just them. A couple. No history between them or behind them.
Languidly kissing her, he withdrew. Curling up with him was the only goal on her list for the night. The endorphins chased away her aches and pains and her meds would kick in soon. He left only to disappear into the bathroom. By the time he came out, her lids were too heavy to keep open. But she hoped he stayed.
The bed dipped with his weight before she was wrapped in his warm embrace. It was just the two of them. For now, this would have to be their little secret. Her small smile lasted until she fell asleep.
Chapter 9
Light peeked in from behind the blinds, casting slatted shadows across the wall and bed. Natalia extracted herself from Chris’s side, where she’d been planted since they’d fallen into an exhausted sleep.
Her body aches had returned and not the just the delicious stiffness from a night of passion. She glanced at the nightstand where the expired condom wrapper lay by her empty juice glass. No bottle of pain meds. Damn. She’d have to get out of the warm nest to get some.
But there was a slumbering naked man to come back to, so…
She scooted to the edge of the bed and swung her legs down. The covers fell off her and air wafted over her nude body, sending shivers across her skin.
Sliding off, she dropped to the floor to snag her sweatshirt. Wait. It wouldn’t cover her ass, but Chris’s shirt would fall to close to her knees. Then she didn’t have to waste the energy to step into her bottoms.
With his shirt, and surrounded by even more of his scent, she tiptoed downstairs to keep from waking Chris.
A muffled rumbling sound was coming from the living room. She crept to the entry. His phone was vibrating on the end table. She’d bring it up to him when she got her water and meds.
Turning back to the kitchen, she spotted the acetaminophen bottle on the counter. Perfect.
She dug out a capsule and found a glass to fill with water. Tossing back the pain reliever and gulping down the water, she was turning when voices grabbed her attention.
Frowning, she looked around. The main window was in the living room, and thanks to her state of undress, she didn’t want to creep out there any farther than she had to for phone retrieval.
It was Sunday and…she sought out the oven to peek at the time. Whoa. It was almost eleven. She’d wonder how she’d slept that late, but she’d been up in the middle of the night. And busy.
An engine sounded like it was passing by. A faint door slam made Natalia jump and spin around. The water in her stomach swelled like an alien was going to burst out.
Rushed footsteps and the creak of the garage door opening pushed Natalia back into the counter.
Her usual mantra of What Would Valaria D
o didn’t come to mind. Not even her fictional wannabe inner tough girl could help her out of this nightmare.
Jaycee rounded the corner. “Dad! I’ve been trying to call—” She stopped so fast her shoes skidded on the hardwood. “Ms. Shaw.”
Jaycee’s gaze swept Natalia from her bedhead down to her bare little toes. Natalia’s breath choked to a standstill in her throat. She couldn’t speak. She wanted to scream. She’d rather an alien bust out of her and spare her the career-ending mistake she’d just been caught with.
“Ms. Shaw.” Scandal dripped from Jaycee’s tone. “You and my dad?” An overnight bag Natalia hadn’t noticed dropped from the girl’s hand.
In her mortification, Natalia couldn’t help but think that Jaycee’s look fit her so much better than the stuffy uniform dress code of the academy. Skinny jeans, an oversized maroon sweater—the letters MCU probably slid under her grandparents’ radar—and a pair of high-top black Vans. Her hair was twisted in a side ponytail that draped over her shoulder. She looked refreshingly fourteen and comfortable in her own skin, unlike her usual demeanor at the school.
Natalia gulped. “Jaycee—”
A light brow arched. “What happened to Ms. Halliwell? Is that just in the walls of Preston, or once you kick it with a parent we’re on a first-name basis?”
No, that was Mr. Budinsky.
“Jaycee,” Chris snapped. His welcome, yet completely unwelcome heat surrounded her as he sidled next to her. He was wearing the shorts he’d had on earlier and had found a dark shirt. Her attention was too absorbed by the unfolding drama to note what was on it. “Why don’t you head to your room for a couple of minutes while Ms. Shaw—Natalia and I—talk.”
“Natalia, is it?” Jaycee crossed her arms and kicked a hip out. “Why? You two want to get your story straight? Nope.”
Natalia cringed. All her principal bluster had vacated. She was in someone’s house, in a situation she’d sworn she’d never put herself in, and she couldn’t fall back on her professional ways. She had no idea how to act. Put her in a boardroom and she ruled the meeting. Slip into Valaria’s costume and she kissed strangers in public. Mingle with the sponsors at faculty parties who didn’t care to talk to her anyway and she could make an excuse to leave early.
But deal with a date’s kid? Foreign territory.
Deal with a kid outside of “Preston’s walls”? What the hell should she say?
“Natalia needs to get dressed,” Chris spoke evenly. “Please give her a few minutes of privacy.”
“Nuh-uh. I want to hear the story. How long have you two been hooking up?” Jaycee’s gasp was indignant. “Dad, did you let your girlfriend suspend me?”
“Jaycee…” Chris rubbed the bridge of his nose.
“Who else knows? Oh my god. Was it my tardiness that was the love connection? How—”
Natalia’s last nerve snapped. “Jaycee, your father asked you to wait in your room.” She sucked in a breath. That wasn’t called for, but dammit—she wasn’t wearing a bra or underwear!
Jaycee reared back, her gaze seeking her dad’s.
“Please, Jaycee.” Chris’s weariness soaked his tone. Great. Was he upset at her now?
Jaycee hitched up her bag and wandered past them. “Call me when the warden allows me out.” Her footsteps pounded up the stairs and her door slammed shut.
“That could’ve gone better,” Chris muttered.
“That shouldn’t have gone at all.” She massaged her temples. Her current headache had nothing to do with her fall the previous night, and her body aches had been forgotten as soon as Jaycee had entered the premises. “I should’ve been gone hours ago.”
“She doesn’t usually come back this early, but she said Nana wasn’t feeling well. With the snow coming, I doubt they wanted to risk having Jaycee an extra night.”
They sounded lovely. Natalia would be happy to leave Chris and Jaycee to it. But she needed to be in on “the talk.”
“Why don’t you go get dressed?” Chris’s gaze strayed to where Jaycee had disappeared up the stairs. “I’ll make us all something and we can talk over food.” Her look must’ve been dubious, but the corner of his mouth lifted. “It’ll bring a sense of normalcy to an otherwise awkward discussion.”
Yeah. As if any of them had an appetite. With a sigh, she headed up the stairs, grateful Jaycee’s door was shut. She’d done enough of the walk of shame without moving an inch in the kitchen. And there’d be no fleeing once they finished discussing what Jaycee had walked in on. Natalia’s car was parked at the community center. She’d either need a ride or have to call for one.
She dressed, sucking up the unwashed sports bra, and grabbed her bag. Facing the door to the hall, her stomach roiled. She wanted to vomit and run, and run while vomiting. Was this what kids felt when they were sent to her office?
* * *
Downstairs, Natalia slumped on the stool she’d used before, but after a sidelong look from Chris, she moved over. That must be Jaycee’s spot. Chris finished boiling some spaghetti and warming up meatballs and sauce. It was the lowest-maintenance pasta dish she’d ever seen made. And she probably couldn’t make it by herself.
Jaycee probably could.
Natalia sunk her head into her hand. “What do you think she’ll say?”
“I don’t know.” He frowned as he stirred the sauce. So far, he’d cooked Natalia two meals and ordered out one. If they were to keep seeing each other—not that she should—she should treat him to a dinner. Takeout or dine out. Her cosplay alter ego should’ve been a sous chef. Maybe then she’d learn.
Funny how her parents had fretted so much over her future, but they hadn’t ever taught her how to cook. Neither one knew how. They’d always had a personal chef. But they could’ve ensured she knew the basics, just in case.
Natalia had been taught to sew by her favorite nanny, Beth—a fact that would have made Mom die a slow death, punishing Natalia for it every minute, if she’d ever learned it. Other kids hid their alcohol and cigarettes. She’d hidden her Singer in the back of her walk-in closet. But her pattern-reading ability wasn’t helping her here.
She fiddled with the hem of her top. “Can I get the plates and stuff?”
He gestured to the cupboards to his right. She evaluated his expression as she skirted around him to get plates and silverware. His mouth was a flat line and his dark eyes grim. Was he worried about his daughter, or her? Or both?
“I’m really sorry,” Natalia murmured. She set her items on the bar but didn’t sort them.
Without a word, Chris pulled the pot off the stove and dumped the water and noodles into a strainer. He set the pot on a pad and sighed. “I don’t need an apology, Natalia. I have a beautiful woman in my home who I like talking to and have a great time with.” He glanced at her, heat flaring in his eyes. Yeah. They had a great time. In and out of bed. “I’d love for my daughter to know about you. Is it just your job?”
It wasn’t just a job. It was her career, the one she’d been groomed for. And she was excellent at it, thank you very much. If the price of respect was strict adherence to the school’s policies to keep her parents from interfering and the school board from questioning each and every change she implemented, then yeah, it was her “job.”
She chose another way to explain. “I have to fight for every ounce of respect. From the staff, the parents, and to some extent the board. It was a contentious decision to bring me in, but it was me or see the school fail. And I have a proven track record.”
He nodded but didn’t look at her as he puttered around, getting serving bowls for the food. “I get it. I don’t like it, but really, the decision is yours.”
To keep seeing each other. It’d always been up to her and she was tired of having to resist.
He studied her, but when she didn’t reply, he went to the base of the stairs. “Jace, come on down.”
Jaycee’s entry was quieter than her departure. Chris had been right to let her cool off. Natalia met her steady s
tare.
“You two ready to explain yourselves?” Jaycee slid onto a barstool, but her ghost of a smile was promising. Unless she was just really happy to see spaghetti.
Chris took the seat between them. They should’ve chosen the table, but Natalia doubted father or daughter ever thought of sitting there. The table was for show.
As they each took turns dishing out their food, Chris explained. “I met Natalia at TCCC, before I knew she was your principal. Afterward, we weren’t going to see each other, but she came through the store to drop off a roller derby flier and we got to talking. Then last night I went to her game, she got injured, and I brought her here to care for her.”
Jaycee twirled her fork against her plate. “Is that what the kids are calling it these days?” She leaned across the bar to squint at Natalia. They really should’ve sat at the table. “Is that why you came down on me so hard?”
Natalia wasn’t sure if her answer would make things better or worse. If she wanted to keep seeing Chris, if she wanted Jaycee to keep her relations with her dad under wraps, she had to be transparent. “No, that’s how I normally am. I don’t sugarcoat my job. That’s why the school board hired me. I get them back on track with the school’s polices, up to standard.”
She shoved a forkful into her mouth. Simple carbs, easy to digest. Just what she needed this morning. Both because of the exercise and because her stomach was as tight as her customary hairdo at work.
Jaycee frowned at her plate. “I thought they hired you because your father owns the schools.”
Natalia coughed around her mouthful and reached for a napkin.
Chris set his fork down. When her coughing died down, he asked in a measured tone, “Is that true?”
Wiping her mouth and catching her breath, she cursed the loose lips that had led the gossip train to Jaycee’s door. Was it any wonder that Valaria and her world of secrets were appealing? By the time Valaria took out her hit, she was gone. She didn’t get caught with no underwear in the kitchen.
“My grandfather founded the academy. My father took over after he passed away. My original last name was Preston, but I had it legally changed after college.” The truth spilled out and maybe she should’ve hid her vulnerability, but she’d never been able to talk to anyone about her name change. Her parents hadn’t understood. “After going through high school with the last name Preston, I didn’t believe being ‘Ms. Preston’ would win me any credibility at work. It’s hard enough being a woman in the traditionally male-dominated world of Preston Academy.”
Based on Principal: Fanboys Book 3 Page 9
