18
Sitting at my desk, I review each of my students’ grades. Of course, Jaden is my best student by far. He’s born to be a chef. He really doesn’t need my teaching; it all comes so naturally to him. I need to find more challenging recipes for him next year. I want to bring out the very best in him. He’ll need to be pushed to a higher standard if he still wants to move to New York City and open a restaurant there. That’s one tough place to open a new establishment and be successful. I know he has it in him, but I want to give him as much knowledge and as many skill sets as I possibly can.
It’s still fifteen minutes before anyone will be here when a hard thump comes from the other side of the classroom door. I jump from my chair and walk toward the door. I peek through the square window. Not seeing anyone, I open the door.
Looking down, I find Jaden trying to lift his backpack.
“Let me help you with that,” I say. Bending down, I make eye contact with him. My body quivers inside. Heat pools in my belly and lower as I take in his familiar scent. My eyes flutter, my heart races as I reach for his backpack.
“I got it.” He grasps the same strap I have in my hand. We touch and my insides erupt. I take a deep breath. Placing my hand on my knee, I push myself up and stand next to him.
“Jaden. How are you? Really?” I look up and down the hallway. It’s empty at the moment, so I touch his arm.
“I’m fine.” He looks down at my hand on his arm and smiles.
I move my hand and push the door open with my ass, stepping backwards into the classroom.
He walks into the room and over to his table. He places his backpack down and turns to face me. Our eyes lock.
Familiar sexual and emotional sensations flood my body. I thought what we had was just a two-week affair. Just sex, no commitments. No feelings. Just fucking until we passed out. So, why is my heart racing? Why are my legs weak? Why the hell am I wet?
You know why.
My feet move me toward Jaden, and I begin to speak, “Jaden, I wish?—”
“Don’t say it, Blaire. Don’t tell me what you wish. We both know it can’t be.” He drags his fingers through his hair, then steps toward me.
“I’ll finish next year with you as my instructor. I want to learn from the best, and that’s you. But my feelings won’t ever?—”
“Not here,” I interrupt him.
“Yes, here. Let me finish, please. I?—”
The classroom door flies open, and we step away from each other. He quickly turns and walks back to his table.
I straighten my blouse and wipe my hands down the front of my skirt. I take deep breaths and hold each one to a four-count before blowing them out, trying to calm my racing heart.
When all of my students are present and sitting at their tables, I clear my throat. “Good morning, everyone.” I smile and hold my iPad close to my chest.
“Good morning, Miss Turner,” they reply.
“Let’s welcome Jaden back to class.” I wave my arm in his direction.
He nods in recognition of his fellow students saying, “Welcome back, Jaden.”
I catch Candace trailing her hand down Jaden’s arm, then holding his hand lying on the table. My chest tightens and my stomach feels like cement. My fingers turn white as I clutch my iPad tighter.
Coughing loudly, I glance at her, then shift my narrowing eyes, fire blazing behind them to the floor. A second passes as I compose myself.
Addressing the entire class, I say, “Time to get started on today’s recipe. Let’s go to the prep stations and begin.” I walk down the middle of the class and lead my students to the back of the room.
When Candace goes to retrieve the bowls and utensils needed, I turn toward Jaden and touch his good arm. His skin is so soft and warm. I squeeze it tighter.
He tilts his head and smiles at me. His blue eyes drawing me into his aura. My eyes flutter, my clit throbs. I take a deep breath and attempt to regain my composure. Sliding my hands down the front of my apron, I avoid eye contact with him as I say, “Jaden, you’re going to need help today.”
“I’ll be happy to help Jaden, Miss Turner. I can make mine, then help him with his. I got this,” Candace says confidently with a smile on her face as she empties her arms filled with bowls and spoons on the counter.
“This is an individual task, not a team one,” I state firmly.
Her eyes dart to Jaden’s and he shrugs.
“You’ll each need to be working on your recipes at the same time. Jaden can ask for my help when he needs it.” I stand in front of their table, my hands holding the edges as I look at Candace sharply.
Her head bows slightly as she says, “Yes, ma’am.” She peeks up at Jaden and he nods.
I leave their station and walk around to the other eight students. The knocking of wooden spoons and clanging of metal bowls fills the room. A cloud of flour dust flies above Bob’s head when he flops the soft bag onto the table.
“Ah crap,” he sighs.
“Oh, no,” comes from Samantha. I walk toward her table.
“Do you need my help?” I ask.
Her head shakes quickly.
“I got this. Just poured a little too much vanilla in the mixture. I hope it doesn’t affect the taste.” She twists her lips and slams her eyes closed.
Patting her on her arm, I walk past her and over to the rest of my students, taking a peek at their progress. Seeing how well they are all doing and having things under control, I return to my desk to make some notes in their folders.
As each of my students continues measuring and mixing the batter for their fruit cobblers, my eyes dart to Jaden when he exclaims, “Dammit!”
Candace drops her mixing spoon and goes to his station, helping him recover the spilled sugar.
I push back my chair and walk over to their area. My gaze meets Candace’s, and she quickly finishes helping Jaden. She moves closer to him, placing her hand near his ear. I can’t hear what she’s whispering, but my blood heats up and my heart hammers in my chest. I want to throat punch her.
Now we’re talking.
Touching Jaden’s cast, I stand on his other side and say, “I’ll help you, Jaden. Candace…” I shake my head and find a calmer voice before speaking to her.
“Yes, ma’am?” She looks at me, then at Jaden.
Clearing my throat, I say, “Thank you for helping Jaden, but you need to finish your dessert.” Raising my left arm, I check my watch and continue, “And get it in the oven.” I tilt my head and raise my eyes, gesturing toward her unfinished dish.
I step closer to him. So close, I can feel his body heat. Too close as my body responds with a level of heat I’ve not felt in months. Since he and I were together. A heat I’ve missed so much.
After Candace finishes her dish, she lifts the baking glass with care and walks away from us, toward the wall of ovens near the back of the classroom.
Jaden glances around at his fellow students. Everyone is placing their cobblers into the ovens as he walks me back toward my desk. He leans down, his lips brush my ear as he whispers, “You sound jealous… Miss Turner.”
Turning my head, my eyes dart to his, my lips are less than an inch from his. One hiccup and I can kiss his velvety soft lips.
Kiss me!
I place my hand on his shoulder, gently pushing him back from me. I look around his towering body and see everyone still busy in the back of the room. No one pays any attention to us.
My eyes come back to his, and I glare. Although I don’t want to glare, I want to lean in and kiss him. I squeeze his good arm and say, “I’m not jealous.” I look away from him. In an attempt to convince him that what I just said is true, I stand tall and straighten my shoulders.
But I’m damn full of jealousy and I know it. It’s searing through me like a high-speed bullet train. I don’t want Candace near him. Fuck, I don’t want any woman near Jaden.
His lips tug upward, his eyes sparkle. He leans in again and whispers, “Sure, Blaire.” His body blocks any of the class from seeing him touch me as his hand trails down between my breasts, then along the waistband of my skirt. I quiver and a quiet moan escapes me. His smile fills his face as he whispers again, “I know you’re wet. I can smell your desire for me.” He sniffs my hair and I nearly faint as I grab the edge of my desk.
“And your need for me.” He stands tall, turning and walking away from me, back to his table and his dessert.
My heart’s in my throat as I glance around at all my students again to see if any of them paid us any attention. Christ, if any of them did, I’ll… shit… I don’t know what anymore.
I walk behind my desk and plop into my chair. I need to keep some space between me and Jaden, even though I don’t want any space at all between us. I’ll figure something out. I have to. I can’t keep lying to myself. He is more than just my student. A lot more. I fall back against my chair and close my eyes.
“Fuck,” Jaden shouts, and his eyes dart to mine.
“Sorry.” He scrunches his face, then bends down to pick up the utensils he dropped. Candace rushes to his aid before I can come from behind my desk. I clench my jaw and grind my teeth as she places her hand on his back, while collecting the few items on the floor for him.
My entire body stiffens, filling with jealousy. I check my watch and see I have a few minutes before the desserts will be done, so I push back my chair and step out of the classroom; into the hallway. Leaning against the cool tile wall, I breathe deep and talk to myself.
Get a fucking grip, Blaire. You can talk with him when the school year ends. You can figure something out. Just get your ass together.
I slap my cheeks and return to the classroom.
Jaden’s eyebrows lift when he sees me walk behind my desk. His head tilts and he mouths, “Are you okay?”
I nod, then open my laptop and begin to make more notes. But I’m not okay. I won’t be okay until I find a way to be with Jaden again. Maybe it’s time for me to rethink my future as a teacher. Maybe it’s time to do something new and different.
The oven timers all sound simultaneously, and I’m brought out of my thoughts and back to my class. My students retrieve their dessert from the ovens.
I join them and say, “All these delicious aromas are making me hungry. How about y’all?” I glance around the half circle as they place their finished desserts on the tables.
“Me too,” Angela speaks first, licking her lips.
“I can’t wait to taste each one.” Bob rubs his hands together, looking around at all his classmates’ desserts.
“We’ll give them about ten minutes to cool off. While we wait, Candace, will you, Bob, and Samantha set the table for everyone?”
“Yes, Miss Turner.” She glances at Jaden, then trails her hand across his arm.
I clear my throat and cross my arms under my breasts, staring at her. The pulse in my neck throbs and my ears heat with jealousy.
I want her away from him. How in the world will I make it through another year of teaching her and Jaden as cooking partners? I can’t switch them. Jaden can’t ask for a new partner; it would make things uncomfortable, and Candace would become suspicious.
I’m going to have to suck it up and pretend she isn’t a threat to me.
Because she’s not. Jaden wants me.
I shake my head to quiet my inner voice.
When the ten-minute timer sounds, I clap my hands and announce, “Alright everyone. Let’s enjoy these delicious desserts y’all have made.”
I take my seat at the head of the long rectangle table. I watch Candace sit at the other end. She pats the chair next to her as she smiles at Jaden. He walks around the back of my chair, trailing his hand along the frame of the chair. His fingers glide over my shirt, my clit throbs, and I close my eyes. He sits next to Candace and glances my way, smiling.
“Okay. Let’s eat,” I say and begin with Bob’s apple cobbler.
We spend the next half hour tasting each of the ten desserts and cleaning up. Each dish was prepared to perfection.
As my students collect their backpacks and purses, I walk over to Jaden.
“Would you mind staying after class? I’d like to catch you up on what you missed.”
He looks around the classroom, then back at me. He shrugs, then the corner of his lips tug upward.
“Sure.”
Back at my desk, I stand with my hands clasped together.
“Congratulations everyone. Your desserts were absolutely scrumptious. I’ll see you all next time. Have a great day.” I wave my arm for my students to leave.
Once they’ve all left the classroom, I walk toward the door. Opening it, I check the hallway to be sure no one is lurking and waiting for Jaden.
He stands beside my desk, his blue eyes fixated on my chest. I go behind my desk and sit in my chair. Waking my laptop, I click on his name and go down the list of assignments he missed.
“Pull up a chair, so we can go over the assignments you missed.” I point to the chair closest to us. He drags it over with his good arm and spins it around, straddling it and resting his arm on the back of it.
“Okay, Miss Turner. What did I miss?” He tilts his head to the right and smiles.
“In a minute.” I turn the laptop to the right and fold my hands together on my desk. “J, tell me how you are. Really.”
“I’m getting better. Stronger every day. Mom is a great nurse.” He smiles wide.
“What happened? You weren’t upset over anything, were you?” I ask, and close my eyes.
“I wanted to drive to the beach to unwind after my shift at The Oasis. I needed to relax and listen to the ocean waves. They calm me down. I gunned my car to beat a yellow light and the other car jumped the green light. Guess they were in a hurry, too.” He shrugs, then winces.
I stand and come around from behind my desk. Touching his arm that’s in a cast, I caress him gently.
“How long will you be in that?” I point to his cast as I hop onto my desk, keeping some space between us.
“Another month. Then I’ll have to go to physical therapy.” He tilts his head upward, then trails his eyes from my breasts to my toes and back. Heat pricks up and down my spine, then finds my clit, making me quiver.
“Are you back working? Can you even work at all?”
“Yeah. Dave’s been great. He lets me do what I can. They have a wheeled cart I use to bus tables instead of having to carry the bins and trays.” He sighs.
“But…” I lead him to continue.
“But I can’t help in the kitchen right now.” His head falls to his chest as he sighs.
Reaching, I place my hand on his scruffy chin and lift his head up to me.
“You’re lucky, Jaden. The accident could’ve been so much worse.” My heart fills with a familiar warmth being alone with him and triples its beat. I quickly move my hand back to my lap and say, “I’m glad you’re going to be okay.”
I move from sitting on my desk and walk around to the back. I check the list of assignments because I need to get us back to the reason I asked Jaden to remain after class, the real reason.
“The only dish we made while you were absent was a quiche. Each team made a different variation. Candace did very well on her own. Have you made one before?”
“Those are easy. Mom taught me how to make several versions of quiches.” He scoots the chair as close to the desk as he can.
“I can make one for you if you want me to stay after classes tonight.” He pushes his hand across the desk, bumping his fingers against mine.
My eyes drop to the desk, watching his hand as his fingers crawl onto mine. He slowly moves my fingers apart, then slides his hand underneath mine. He flips his hand so our palms touch.
I squeeze my legs together as his warm skin melds with mine. I should move my hand, but I don’t. I want to touch him like this. I want to touch all of him like this.
Maybe we could… No, maybe. But… what if we met after class for extra credit? Or out of town, away from everyone here? Maybe we could. Besides, I want Jaden to have it all.