Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
MORGAN
When they got back to the school, she was tense and trying not to snap at Palmer. It wasn't his fault that she hadn't had a chance to talk to Benji after they'd arrived at the hospital.
It wasn't anyone's fault.
It was just life.
The office had called Benji's mom and she descended on the hospital like an avenging angel.
They could hear her from the waiting room, loudly demanding to see her son.
The problem was that Morgan had heard a little about Benji's mom before. Sure, she always took warnings with a grain of salt, but this assessment was right on point.
Benji's mom could be a fire breathing dragon, but only in public as the story goes.
Call her into the office to talk?
She's all full of concern for her son.
Send home a note asking for help, get a caustic “F*ck you for failing my kid” reaction, but the other teacher had noted that Benji seemed to imply that she wasn't at all interested in private.
When Morgan approached her in the waiting room, she hadn't expected effusive thanks, but what she got was anger as if she was responsible for her son's injury instead of bringing him to the hospital for treatment.
And when Morgan asked if she knew how Benji had been injured, the woman gave her a haughty stare. "You should know, since it happened at the school!"
No, Morgan didn't know that. She would have seen the accident report in the school's file for Benji.
As soon as the doctor appeared, the worst thing happened.
The doctor looked around the room.
"Morgan Rafferty?"
She stood and moved forward. "Yes?"
"Benji said he'd like talk to you."
"The hell he will!" Morgan was shoved out of the way by Benji's mom. "I'm his mother and I'll see him. She," Benji's mother jerked a thumb in her direction, "isn't going to see him at all!"
The doctor looked down at the clipboard in his hand. "Your son asked-"
"My son," she glared at the doctor in his nice white coat, "is a minor and I'll decide who he sees."
His mom turned and glared at Morgan. "Shouldn't you be teaching?"
Morgan nodded and looked back at the doctor. "Please tell him that I'll see him in school."
Benji's mom muttered something under her breath and waved at the walkway for the doctor to precede her.
Morgan had stayed in place until Palmer had touched her arm.
"Are you okay?"
She looked up at him. "No. I was waiting for him to not be in pain before talking to him, but I think I made a mistake."
Palmer put his arm around her shoulders, and she leaned into his side. "You did the right thing, Morgan. Everything will work out."
She smiled as his hand squeezed at her shoulder. "Thanks, Palmer."
They walked out into the parking lot together, headed toward his truck.
When they got to the passenger side, she turned and grasped his shirt with both hands, bringing him closer.
He looked surprised, but not unhappy with the change.
"I know you were tired when you finished work, so I'm sorry I called you. I just knew that you'd be able to handle this and help him."
He leaned in, placing one hand on the side of his truck by her head. "I'm always happy to help."
"I'm so lucky to have you as..."
She hesitated, not knowing how to end that thought. She licked her lip and looked up to see his eyes focused on her mouth.
"I'm lucky to have you."
He lifted his gaze from her mouth back to her eyes. "Why did you change your words?"
She didn't answer him, but she was happy when he spoke again.
"I'm hoping you'll want to be mine."
Her breath caught in her throat. "Yours?"
"Mine." He nodded. "I know it might be strange living together, building this relationship between us, but I know I want to be with you."
"Be with me," she parroted with a smile on her lips. "So, dating?"
He nodded.
"Kissing?"
He leaned in and placed a slow, delicious kiss against her lips.
When he pulled away, she felt hazy and happy. "And..."
His eyes darkened and even though they were in a parking lot, Morgan was tempted to keep kissing him. "Are you going back to the school?"
She nodded. "I need to write up the report and," she turned her head and looked at his watch, "I think I can teach my last two classes."
Palmer opened the door for her and helped her in. They were back at the school in minutes, and she found herself totally in love with this man.
Not the crush she had years ago when she met him, but crazy in love with a man who was so kind and amazing she couldn't believe that he was real.
RHETT
By the time Morgan came home after school, Rhett had a night in planned so that she could relax.
He heard the distant ding of the elevator and made his way to the doorway, holding his hand behind his back.
The key in the lock made him smile.
Okay. Half a smile.
But the instant he saw the surprise on her face as she walked through the doorway, he really smiled.
She was gorgeous.
And she looked happy to see him.
"Palmer! Were you going out?"
He stood there stunned for a moment before he remembered how he'd planned to greet her.
He brought his hand around to his front and her smile beamed back at him. "For you."
"Oh my god! Are those-"
"Bluebells. I figured I could give you a proper Texas welcome."
Instead of reaching for the flowers, Morgan dropped her bags in the entry way and wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight hug. "Thank you!"
He wrapped his arms around her and stepped in so that they were pressed against each other from their knees up.
She had such an amazing figure; he couldn't help holding her close. She felt amazing in his embrace.
"Mmm," she sighed and then drew slightly back, glancing a kiss across his cheek before she touched a kiss to his lips. "'You're amazing. What's the occasion?"
"You're home." He slowly lowered his hand from her back and moved to close the door. "I know you had a tough morning."
"You did too," she used her feet to move her bags out of the way and kicked off her shoes.
"But handling things like that is my job. You're a teacher. And I have to say I was impressed."
"Impressed by my students? They're awesome."
"Your students. Your class." He handed her the flowers and she leaned in to smell them.
She paused on her way to the table where he'd left a vase filled with water. She looked at him with a softer smile.
“You thought of everything.”
He hoped so. He just wanted to do things right.
“I wanted you to know that I thought you were incredible today. You were right there helping me with Benji. I’m pretty sure you didn't have any medical training.”
She shook her head.
“No training beyond Girl Scouts, but I have gone through CPR training, so if you need mouth to mouth, I’m your girl.”
Her mouth rounded into a surprised ‘o’ and she closed her eyes.
“That came out all wrong.”
Rhett shrugged, “I’m good with that.”
Her eyes opened and she looked at him.
“That’s left over from my teenage crush on you.”
Rhett wasn’t sure he heard her right. “Your what?”
She looked down at the table.
He walked over to her and took her hand in his, drawing her along with him to the couch.
He didn’t let go when they sat down, and he held her hand in both of his. “What did you say?”
He watched her draw in a breath and then let it out. He could see that it was taking a lot for her to talk to him about this.
“I’ve had a crush on you since the moment I met you.”
MORGAN
She saw how confused he was and almost felt bad telling him about it, but he wanted to know.
“It was at a community event. Jacob had brought me with him to get me out of the house. I was going through one of my “house potato’ periods.”
One brow rose on his incredible forehead.
“It’s like a couch potato but more active. I just didn’t want to go outside.”
Drawing in a breath, she continued.
“It was some kind of safety event and I remember that there had to be more than a dozen booths and other areas, but I didn’t want to walk around. I just wanted to sit in the grass and read under a tree.”
She saw him move, leaning back a little.
“There was a dragon on the cover.”
Morgan smiled. “I was heavily into the Sunrunner series by Melanie Rawn and I considered it a personal affront that Jacob dragged me out of the house.”
“I’m sure he had good intentions.”
“He did, but I didn’t care then. I was just mad and then you came over to talk to him.”
“I told him half the crowd could hear him.”
She grinned at the memory. “If it had been anyone else but you or his higher ups, he would have told you where to stick your advice.”
She loved Palmer’s half smiles.
Not only did he look incredibly hot, but she wanted to earn the rest of his smile.
“I guess I did know he had a sister, but when he said Morgan-“
“You thought boy.” She shrugged. “I get it, but back then he might have called me Morgana.”
That seemed to strike another cord with him.
“Why did you stop using that name?”
She looked away then. She hadn’t expected the question.
“Morgan?”
His voice always sounded so sweet and strong at the same time.
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
She shook off the bad memories and tried to meet his eyes. She almost did it. “I was bigger back then. I had some medical issues and my weight ballooned. Some of the girls picked on me, taking turns poking fun, and they always sing-songed my name, adding an extra N near the end. ‘Morgan-nah.’
“It gave me the hives. And an almost murderous rage.”
“I bet it did,” he cradled her hand with one of his and rubbed it with the other. “How did Jacob handle it?”
She smiled at that.
“Jacob was Jacob. He made me work and exercise. Walking and swimming, almost driving me nuts. Then we found a doctor who understood what I was going through and helped me.”
She drew in a deep breath and smiled at him, almost feeling it.
“It was a long road to getting my weight to what my doctors considered healthy. And the whole time I had Jacob’s support. I think he felt bad for trying to exercise me to the point of exhaustion.”
“I know he did.” Palmer’s voice was soothing. Added to the gentle movements of his hands, she felt his support. “Are you still healthy? Is there something I can help with?”
She wanted to cry.
Not that her tears would be sad.
The easy way that Palmer just listened and accepted her words made her feel heard.
“I’m sorry that I didn’t see you back then.”
He’d seen her with his eyes, but he hadn’t seen beyond the way she hid behind her books and homebody mindset.
“I don’t think I saw myself back then. Jacob didn’t know what to do with me, and I didn’t understand what and who I was. Now, I know.”
His smile was just gorgeous. “I believe it. You have this way about you that’s totally… you.”
She leaned in and put her free hand on top of his. “I worked long and hard to bring out the best parts of myself. I’m glad you can see me now.”
“I still feel bad that I didn’t see beyond the surface then.”
He looked so contrite that she gave his hands a squeeze.
“Well, I’m kind of glad you didn’t.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “How so?”
She grinned at him, feeling a little flirty. “Well, if you had, Jacob would have thrown you in jail.”
Palmer nodded. "I don't doubt that."
They smiled at each other and then they broke out in quiet laughter.
RHETT
It had been an incredible evening.
He'd ordered in dinner from an Italian Restaurant down the street and while he knew that it was a great little place, he was nervous about what Morgan would think.
Given how they'd both cleared their plates and how she'd oohed and aahed over the tiramisu, she liked it. A lot.
Then, he'd cued up a movie on Amazon Prime that they'd decided on, and Morgan curled up against his side. He had to admit that he'd never thought that she'd like action films, but he'd misunderstood her love of things from other eras.
And Commando with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Rae Dawn Chong had captivated her.
By the end of the movie, when they were on the island and searching for his daughter, Morgan had one hand gripping his thigh and the other gripping his arm.
"Oh my god, how have I never seen this movie before?"
"I don't know. It's a classic." He shrugged and accidentally lifted her head where it was laying on his shoulder. "Sorry."
She sat up a little and gave him a look he didn't understand. "What other films are we adding to the list?"
He looked at her surprised. "I'm glad you liked it."
"I liked the action, but I really loved the snarky one-liners." She wiggled a little and gave him what looked like a stern teacher look. "Remember when I said I'd kill you last? I lied." There was a moment of quiet and then she laughed out loud. "That was awesome! And then when she said they ate too much red meat!"
He agreed.
"I love that she flew the plane! And the thing... where she shot in the wrong direction? That was amazing!"
Rhett couldn't stop smiling.
She was beautiful every second of the day, but smiling like she was... excited and happy? She was incandescent.
She filled his whole life with light.
"You, Palmer Butler," she leaned in just inches from his face, "amaze me."
And then her lips were on his.
He wrapped his arms around her and drew her down into his lap.
She didn't tense up or try to hold herself away from him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and met his kisses, feeding the building hunger between them.
Rhett felt her hand sliding up the back of his neck and her palm move around the back of his head.
The sensations she created were incredible. Her hand in his hair, her lips against his and her full rounded backside wiggling against his dick made him so damn hard.
When she opened her lips, he followed eagerly, opening his mouth and tracing her bottom lip before delving into her mouth.
She moaned and pressed closer.
Her breasts...
"Oh god." He moaned into her mouth as her breasts flattened against his chest. He'd never been so aroused before.
She started to shift on his lap, and he put his hands on her hips to hold her steady.
"What?" She sounded breathless and flustered.
He looked at her, smiling. "Where are you going?"
Her cheeks were flushed with heat. "I... I wanted to sit- I mean, I wanted to-" She looked down between them. "I want to feel you against-"
She turned her face away and he lifted his hand and touched her chin, turning her head to look at him.
"Let me help you."
Her eyes widened and she smiled again.
Rhett knew he'd do anything for this woman.
He put his hands on her hips and helped her sit up and turn so she could straddle his lap.
The instant she sat down and her heat touched him, he had to clamp his teeth together to keep from coming. Damn it. He felt like a teenage boy and with Morgan, he needed to be a man. He needed to make this incredible for her.
He was desperate to be her last.
With his hands on her hips, holding her against him, he rocked his hips against her and saw the wordless shock on her face.
"You're so hot."
She smiled. "You don't mean that."
The look he gave her said he wasn’t happy with her interpretation.
Her smile eased a little.
"I'll never tell you something that isn't true."
She flushed red, but he had a feeling that it wasn't from heat or arousal.
"You won't think that when... when my clothes come off."
He frowned at her, his forehead furrowing in concern.
"Not a chance."
She shook her head and her hands grasped his shoulders. "I tried..." She bit into her lower lip and when she let it go he could see the pale lines that her teeth had left. "I tried having sex before," she swallowed and he saw how hard her throat worked at it, "I just wanted to do it, like pulling off a bandage, you know? I wanted to figure it out. Lord knows I read more than my share of romances and I wanted to feel that... that... afterglow?"
"You didn't feel that?"
She lowered her gaze again so he touched his fingertip under her chin and turned her to look at him.
"Tell me, Morgan."
Her eyes were watering and he felt like an asshole for asking, but he wanted to know how to make it better for her.
"He took one look at my... my stretchmarks and," she swallowed again, "he sneered at me. He said I was ugly. That I made him sick."
His heart broke for her.
"Morgan. I need you to hear me."
She looked right into his eyes and he knew she'd listen.
"When I say you're hot, I mean it."
"But, you haven't seen-"
"I've seen you."
She pulled back slightly, but he held onto her hips tighter so she wouldn't fall back.
"I've seen your beauty."
Her mouth pinched into a thin line.
"I've seen your smile. I've seen your caring nature. I've seen the way you make others feel important, feel seen. I've seen you worry over the health of others and I've seen how much you give. When I say you're hot, that's what I'm talking about."
She gave him a hesitant smile. "Sure. I know you think that."
He tilted his head to the side as he looked deeper into her eyes. "What's going on, Morgan? I don't understand."
"What do you mean?"
He moved his hands from her hips to the outside of her thighs. "You wanted to get closer to me. I'm guessing you felt how hard I was."
She nodded slowly.
"So you're afraid I'll see you and I'll decided I won't want you anymore?"
She nodded again.
"So why would you want to let me get closer to you instead of you pulling away?"
She bit into her lip again and he was afraid if she did that any more she might draw blood.
When she spoke, she blurted out her words in such a rush that he knew how tied up she was inside.
"I was hoping I could... I could come like this, pressed up against you. I read that in a book and it sounds heavenly."
He lifted an eyebrow at that.
"Well, I'm guessing it would work and then I could... I could use my hands or my mouth and you could... you know."
He had to take a breath and process what she was saying. "So you thought you'd come against my dick and then... suck me off?"
She pulled her hands away from his shoulders and covered her cheeks. "That way we both... you know."
"I can help you come like this, Morgan. I'll show you how to ride me and come. I can also use my hand to do it. Or my mouth."
She covered her whole face and groaned.
"Oh my god. You'd have to see me then."
"Baby- Morgan. Look at me."
It took a few seconds, but she pulled her hands down so he could see her eyes.
"Oh, baby, don't cry."
He reached up his hands and drew her hands back to his shoulders.
"Let me show you."