"Since this is my first day here, I thought we'd start off by you each introducing yourselves to me, and then I'll do the same," she said, and a burst of confidence blazed through her as thirty hands shot up. Nothing like having a bag of candy to get them to listen.
The day passed in a blur of activity, and when the final bell rang, Natalie dropped into her chair. When she was sure no one was looking, she scooted backward, kicked off from the floor, and set her chair to spinning, then hugged her knees to her chest as she whirled around and around.
She'd survived. Not only had she survived, but she'd had a wonderful day, one full of great kids who were eager to learn. She felt on top of the world. A happy giggle flew from her lips as she continued spinning. She didn't stop until her head was light and she knew if she continued she'd make herself sick.
"It appears that you like your new job."
Natalie froze, but her chair spun one more time before her feet touched the ground and she could focus her eyes on the doorway. Leaning against the doorjamb, and looking far too good, was Hawk, sporting a sexy-as-hell smile and those made-for-dreams smoldering eyes.
Oh, this was going to be a very, very long month if she had to work with the man every day. As the wattage on his smile kicked up a notch, her stomach shook.
Yes. A very long month . . .
chapter 7
Slow and painful torture would be better than this!" Hawk's stomach dipped when his hand brushed against Natalie's for the tenth time this day alone. His muscles tight, his mind anywhere but where it should be, he moved quickly to the other side of the gym, feeling her gaze follow him.
"What's your problem?"
Turning, Hawk found his best friend, Colt, walking up.
"None of your damn business," Hawk grumbled.
"Ha! Obviously it's woman trouble."
"How would you know about woman trouble, Colt?"
"That's a hoot, Hawk! Weren't you mocking me this past year while Brielle put me through the ringer?"
"Well, that was you. It was much more fun to watch." Hawk had definitely enjoyed how uncomfortable Brielle Storm had made his friend.
"Yeah. Well, payback's a bitch," Colt said with an evil grin.
"We're in a school, Colt," Hawk reminded him. He looked around and was grateful not to see any kids listening in. "And what are you doing here anyway?"
"I had to drop off the green paint I picked up."
"Well, you did. Now leave," Hawk said, not in a mood for visiting.
"If I promise to be good, will you tell me about your troubles?"
What the hell. "The entire situation is ridiculous, Colt. I barely know this woman, but suddenly I can't seem to think of anything else but her." Blowing out his breath, he waited for Colt to mock him.
"Maybe you should just take her out, see where things could go," Colt told him as they both turned to stare at the woman in question while she moved through the gym hanging decorations.
"Nah. Women are great and all, especially for one thing. However, they're also pretty much interchangeable, and most important, they're always temporary. Natalie lives in this town, so she's automatically out. I don't sleep with women here, you know that."
"Yeah, I remember that rule. That was until I met Brielle . . ." Colt said with a knowing laugh.
"You're not being any help at all, Colt. This woman is just too damn complicated. Too messy. Too . . ."
"Too what?" Hawk's eyes narrowed. Was his best friend mocking him?
"Hell, this is insane. I just need to get over myself, quit acting like a damn teenager."
"All I can say is, good luck, buddy," Colt said before laughing and walking away.
"Thanks a lot!" Hawk replied, but all he got back was a chuckle from his engaged and far too happy friend. "They all fall sometime," he muttered, and tried to focus on what needed to be done for the pageant to be a success.
Thirty minutes later, when he took a step back and knocked into Natalie, nearly tripping over her as she leaned over a chair, he was barely able to stop the groan that seemed hell-bent on escaping from his dry throat.
Her ass should have Warning: Lethal pasted right on it, because for a woman who had shown up in town in such uptight clothing, she'd sure found her own casually hot style during the last week. The jeans were enough to give him a heart attack, and the tight sweaters she'd decided to wear with those jeans didn't leave much to his imagination.
Conversation. That's what they needed. Then he'd discover she wasn't so appealing after all. He'd grow bored and the fact that she had a great body wouldn't matter, because he couldn't stand a woman who didn't know how to hold her own while talking.
He cornered her by the gym wall. "We never finished the discussion we began at Thanksgiving, Natalie."
"We've talked plenty of times, Hawk," she said with a nervous laugh.
"Not about anything important. It's usually just you telling me what to do."
"Isn't that what women are supposed to do?"
Her sass had him smiling. "That's what my mama says, anyway."
"Ah. I like a man who knows that he's supposed to listen to women," she said, making his stomach clench.
"So you like me, huh?"
This was where he expected her to blush and run away. That was her usual reaction when he flirted with her. This time, she must have had a bowl of Wheaties for breakfast, because she took his breath away when she winked at him.
"Nah. I think you're a pain in the butt, Hawk, but you do make a great worker bee." She turned.
"No way," he said, stopping her easily and trapping her against the wall with a hand on either side of her head. "You don't get to make a statement like that and then just walk away."
Her breathing hitched, making his groin tighten, and he leaned just a bit closer. Conversation certainly wasn't helping him get over his fascination with Natalie Duncan.
"Hawk, I get to say whatever I want and then walk away because it's my prerogative." She looked a bit jittery, but not nearly as spooked as she'd been a week ago.
"Then you'll have to learn that if you play with fire . . ."
"If I play with fire, what?"
Amazing. She wasn't backing down.
"Then the fire chief has to come put out the flames," he said. Their bodies were practically touching now; Hawk had forgotten they weren't the only two people in the gym.
"Well . . ." she said, making his heart thunder. "In that case, I'll have to . . ." He waited with bated breath, and she looked deep into his eyes. ". . . stop playing with fire."
It took several heartbeats for the words to process in his muddled brain. When he realized she was through with this little dance, he pulled his hands from the wall, releasing her.
After watching the sway of her hips as she walked away, Hawk leaned against the wall for several agonizing moments, unwilling to turn and show everyone in the gym just what effect Natalie Duncan had on him.
When he knew it was finally safe to turn, he looked out and saw Natalie going about her business as if nothing had just happened. That irritated him more than anything else. How could she play so hot one minute and then so cold the next? What was her problem?
As things were wrapping up for the night, Hawk watched Natalie climb up a ladder, those jeans hugging her ass to perfection and putting far too many images in his head while he was in a room full of giggling children.
He had to wonder again what in the hell was wrong with him. Again, he thought about calling in a crime report on the town's three meddling women, who were currently up on the stage, paintbrushes in hand, heads bent close as they planned something else that was sinister, he was sure.
Hawk looked on nervously as Natalie stepped close to the top of the ladder, stretching her body as far as it would go to hang a star from the ceiling. His stomach flipped over when he saw the bottom of the ladder wobble. She was going to fall and crack her head wide open!
Rushing away from the wall he'd seemingly been holding up, he grabbed on to the b
ottom of the ladder to steady it, and got a far too close glimpse of the soft white inch of skin showing on her stomach as she stretched out her arms.
Just when he began getting a good handle on himself and his lustful thoughts, he heard an oof and felt the ladder wobble dangerously. He looked back up just in time to see Natalie slip from the rung she'd been barely holding on to. Letting go of the ladder, he held out his arms, then groaned as she landed safely against his chest, her arms automatically reaching up around his neck.
"Oh my gosh!" Her eyes were wide, her mouth open, and her cheeks flushed.
Hawk didn't even think, didn't hesitate. He simply closed what little gap there was between them. He might regret this later. Hell, he would regret this later. But right now, oh yes, he had to taste those lips. Feeling almost as if he were in a trance, he ran his fingers through her long and beautiful hair and pulled her head closer to his.
Hawk tried to rein himself in, but he gave up when his lips brushed hers and he felt her breathing change. His first taste of her was like an explosion of flavor, cherries and mint and heat. A whole hell of a lot of heat.
He held on to her tightly as his mouth demanded her full attention. There was no struggle, no awkwardness. It was as if they were made to fit together. He could go on kissing her all night long.
After a few more seconds, he realized he was on the verge of losing control, and only then did he pull back. As her eyes fluttered open, Hawk knew the truth. He would have sex with this woman. And it would be out-of-this-world incredible. He could fight it all he wanted, but it was going to happen. And it was going to happen soon. His raging hormones demanded it.
"Excuse me," he said as he set her down on her feet, slowly. Without another word, he turned and walked away, not looking back once. If he had turned around, he'd have noticed the panic flare in Natalie's eyes. He would have noticed how she immediately closed herself off.
Sure, he felt the eyes of all the adults in the room on him. Screw it! He didn't care. It was time to drink an ice-cold beer, and then maybe he'd kick his own ass for acting like such a damn fool.
chapter 8
Natalie snuck away from the gym. Parents were beginning to arrive to pick up their children, and she couldn't face them right now. She had to get away from here, had to get away from the eyes that she knew were upon her.
Not once in her life had she shared a kiss with a man in a public place--not that she'd shared many kisses in her twenty-three years, but she had shared a few. But those had been nothing to prepare her for the feelings assailing her body from the simple touch of Hawk's lips on hers.
Although almost in a daze, she made it to her classroom. She put on her new thick coat and slipped on her boots. The walk home took only about ten minutes, but it would be enough to clear the cobwebs from her head.
Once outside, she cringed when she saw Maggie approaching her. The woman made eye contact and there was no possible way to get out of this mess. So, with her heart pounding, and snow falling down upon her, Natalie waited for Hawk's mother to approach. She could only hope the woman hadn't witnessed the kiss. But her luck was never that good.
"Are you leaving already, Natalie?" Maggie's smile was sweet and inscrutable.
"Yes. I have to get my lesson plan ready for tomorrow." Natalie answered Maggie's smile by pasting on the most convincing one she could manage.
"I bet you're so overwhelmed right now. A new teaching job, and then thrown into doing this pageant at the same time. You poor thing."
Natalie's shoulders relaxed. Maggie might not have seen the kiss. Thank goodness! "Yes, it's a bit overwhelming, but it's always much nicer to be busy than to have too much time on my hands."
"That's always been how I feel. How long will the lesson plan take?"
It was an innocent question, one that didn't raise any suspicions for Natalie, so she answered honestly. "Only about an hour or so, but I really need to go to the grocery store, too. I tend to forget to shop until I'm out of just about everything, and a person can only live on ramen noodles and microwave mac and cheese for so long." She didn't add that her other staples were frozen pizza and corn dogs. Maggie was the type of woman to be horrified by that sad fact.
"Oh, darling. You can't eat like that. I insist you come to my place for dinner tonight," Maggie told her.
Natalie's anxiety instantly reappeared. "I promise you I wasn't fishing for a dinner invitation."
"Of course not, dear. But I won't take no for an answer. I'd be hurt if you refused."
"But . . ." Natalie tried to think quickly. Yes! She had it! "I don't have a car," she nearly shouted.
"That's no problem at all," Maggie said as she took out her cell phone. "Hawk, darling. Where did you disappear to?" Maggie was silent for a moment as she listened to her son. "Perfect. I need you to stop by Natalie's house in one hour and pick her up. She's coming over for dinner and doesn't have transportation." Silence again and then, "Thank you, son. I'll see you in a little while."
Maggie hung up and gave Natalie a big grin. "It's all settled, then. Hawk will pick you up. We're having a nice big pot roast. See you tonight."
Maggie headed away, leaving Natalie standing there with her mouth gaping. The one person she'd wanted to avoid for the next century was now going to be showing up on her front porch in an hour. Tears threatened, but Natalie wouldn't cave in to them.
This was just another bump in the road. No big deal. After all, it was only a little kiss. From what she'd heard about Hawk from the other teachers, he was quite the playboy, and kissing was almost a pastime for him.
He'd probably forgotten all about it by now. That's what kept her going as she trudged home and slipped inside. No lesson plan was made as she sat on her couch and watched the clock, the hands seeming to move so much quicker than normal.
When the doorbell rang exactly on time, her heart gave a little lurch, and she was still no closer to figuring out what she was going to say to Hawk. Keep it light. She could do this.
Of course, that all flew out the window the second she opened her door and found Hawk leaning against her rail, his cheeks slightly flushed from the cold, his dark eyes carrying a sparkle in them, and his lips instantly turning up when she caught his eye. Before she could utter a single word, he opened his mouth.
"I decided I liked that kiss a whole hell of a lot. I've also decided I'm not going to fight the attraction I feel for you. If I thought you didn't feel the same way, I'd back off, but that small hitch in your breath and that look in your eyes tell me there's something between us, something strong. And I want to explore it further."
The way he spoke was casual, as if they were discussing nothing more significant than what was for dinner. But the look he shot her was anything but casual. Hunger burned inside her, and Natalie knew she was in serious trouble.
"I think this is a very bad idea, Hawk," she whispered.
He took a step closer, and for the life of her, she couldn't back away like she needed to.
"You know, all the best things in life happen because of bad ideas," he said, his words a promise that sent a shudder right through her.
"We don't know each other."
"No one knows each other at first. Finding out all of the things that make you tick--that's where the fun comes in." He reached out a hand and cupped her cheek.
"The teachers here love to gossip, Hawk. Really love to gossip."
"Aw, heck, Natalie. Don't you want to know me for yourself?" he countered.
"It's just that you're a popular topic around the school. Every eligible woman in Sterling would love to be the one to wear your wedding ring." Then a slight smile tilted her lips. "Well, to be fair, you're neck and neck with the Whitman men."
"Oh, honey, I'm much better than any of the Whitman boys," he said with a laugh.
"You and the Whitmans were described to me as royalty in this small town. There's been a lot said about none of you settling down, but even more said about your character and how you love your family an
d neighbors. I think this could be too complicated. I'm not interested in settling down."
"Good. Because I'm not ready to settle down, either. But there's nothing wrong with taking a beautiful woman out. There don't have to be any expectations."
"Well, I also heard you don't date women in your hometown." She was trying desperately to stand firm, but failing epically.
"You're not from here, so we're okay."
"I think we're far from okay, Hawk.
But he wrapped an arm around her and tugged her close.
"I have the remedy for that," he told her, as he bent forward and kissed her for the second time. Natalie didn't even try to pretend she didn't want it. Maybe it would be for the best if she just held on and enjoyed the ride.
chapter 9
Natalie had ended up playing Othello with Hawk until about midnight. Then he'd taken her home, given her a scorching kiss on her front porch, and gone away with only a wave. She hadn't heard from him for the next two days. Was this his idea of keeping it casual?
She hated that she felt unsure about herself, hated that she was even thinking about Hawk as much as she was, and hated that her plans seemed to be coming unraveled. It was too soon. Entering into a serious relationship was way down on her checklist, and she couldn't stray from that list. Not that Hawk wanted to get serious. He'd even said that. So she was worrying for nothing, right? Right!
Peeking around a corner, Natalie watched the gym buzz with activity. The pageant was coming together, and decorations covered the walls in brilliant blues and silvers. Everyone, adult and child, sported a major smile.
The next moment, she noticed something strange. Concealed by a wall, she watched as Hawk peeked through a doorway--not unlike what she was doing!--with a large box in his hand. When he saw that nobody was paying any attention to him, he set the box down and casually walked over to his mother and her two friends, who were painting a giant board to look like a snow-covered mountain.
After a few moments, he strolled over to a small group of children and sat on the floor with them, and soon their voices rang out as they practiced one of the musical numbers.
With her curiosity overriding her need to hide from the man, Natalie walked swiftly into the gym. Almost as if Hawk had built-in GPS on where she was, he turned his head and their eyes collided.