“Pleeeaase?” I smile when Hailey joins in. And it’s evil because I know no one can deny her.
He sighs, looking at her and then focusing back on me. “Watch the game?”
I nod. “We’re having nachos.”
He looks around again, moving a little closer and lowering his voice. “Friends?”
I take a moment to answer, because I can’t stop staring at his lips and into those eyes. “Friends,” I agree, but I taste the lie on my lips.
Maybe it’s not a total lie though. I can be friends with him and enjoy his very muscular, sexy body at the same time.
“Okay, I’ll be there.”
I don’t fight my grin. It’s been awhile since I’ve felt this free and happy, which is a little scary.
“Okay.”
I walk with Hailey to the car, chancing a glance back at her hot as fuck teacher a couple of times before I climb in the car.
Friends.
But come on, there have to be some benefits.
* * *
Friends.
We’re friends. Who watch football games together. It’s fine. It’s normal.
Except I can feel the heat from his thigh on mine through our jeans as we sit next to each other on the couch in his apartment, and I swear my skin is tingling from the mere contact.
It takes everything inside me not to attack him right here and now.
Which is messed up because his kid is currently playing with her Barbies on the floor right in front of the couch. His adorable, sweet kid who happens to be my student. I can’t believe I let him talk me into coming here today.
“Hey, kiddo.” Hailey looks up at her dad. “Can you go get in your pj’s? It’s almost bedtime.”
“Oh, man,” she whines as she stands up. “I was still playing.”
Rafe smiles at her, clearly not impervious to her charm. “I know, but you have school tomorrow, and it’s already about an hour past your bedtime.”
She pouts but nevertheless heads down the hall. Rafe stands and starts picking up Barbie stuff during the commercial. I also stand, handing him a pink doll shoe. “Maybe I should go too.”
“What?” He looks disappointed, and that look, right there on that handsome as hell face, is exactly why I need to go.
“It’s a school night for me too.”
He scoffs, tossing everything into a toy box under the television. “You’re what? Twenty-seven? Twenty-eight? I think you can stay up until the game is over.”
“Twenty-nine. Thank you.”
He grins at that, walking closer. Too close, damn it. I can smell his cologne. It’s subtle, but it’s too good, drawing me in and making me stupid. “Hmm, who knew I had a thing for older men?”
I roll my eyes. “Five years. I’m hardly an older man.”
He laughs, and it’s so damn beautiful, it nearly guts me because I want to reach out, grab the back of his neck, and kiss him. But I can’t. Because friends don’t do that. I have plenty of friends, plenty of other gay friends even, and we don’t do that. Ever.
“Older is older.” He shakes his head, smiling that gorgeous way he does, but thankfully Hailey bounces in, and I put some space between us.
“Will you read to me, Mr. Burke?” She’s holding up a book, and I can’t—and won’t—say no to that. I take her hand, and she leads me to her room where I read her not one, but three stories, before Rafe comes to my rescue.
Tucking her in, we say goodnight and then walk back to the living room. “Just stay until the end of the game. You know you want to know who wins.”
I laugh and realize I can’t seem to tell him “no” either. “Fine.”
We sit on the couch to watch the game, my eyes constantly glancing in his direction, unable to ignore the magnetic pull I feel toward him. This is pathetic. “You know, all the other teachers are jealous, right?”
“What?” He turns to look at me with curiosity.
“Yeah. Ms. Cook and a few other of the female teachers can’t believe I’m at your place now.”
“You told them?” He looks surprised.
I shrug. “Yeah well, they bombarded me after you left on Friday. I had to tell them something, so I settled on the truth.
He looks surprised and maybe a little guilty. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even think about that. You aren’t in trouble, are you?”
“No.” I should lie and tell him I was. That would be the smart thing. “They just think we’re two guys watching a game together, and they’re jealous as fuck.”
He laughs. “We are just two guys watching a game together.”
I shift uncomfortably at that, mentally kicking myself. “Um, yeah. I know, but . . .”
He grins slyly, and I want to both punch him and kiss him at the same time when I realize he’s fucking with me. He knows why this is weird. We’ve fooled around, and now I’m back at his place.
“They want me to gather intel.”
Now he frowns with confusion. “About what?”
I lean back against the couch, spreading my legs out casually and planting my feet on the floor. “You, duh. You’re the most talked-about parent at that damn school.”
“Why, Nolan?” He looks freaked-out, and I sit up a little straighter, turning to look at him.
“Because you’re hot.”
He still looks confused, and I laugh because he has to know that. “They talk about that?”
I shrug. “They all want to be Hailey’s new mommy.” He winces, and I cringe immediately, realizing how stupid that was to say but not quick enough not to say it. “I’m sorry, Rafe. That was stupid.”
“No.” He swallows. His sad eyes meet mine. “Did you tell them I’m gay?”
I shake my head instantly. “No. I would never out you.”
He bristles visibly. “I am out.”
Okay, this is not going well. “Okay, you’re out, but they don’t know that. And I wasn’t going to be the one to tell them. Not without your permission.”
He nods slowly. “Do they know about you?”
I shake my head slowly, shame silently creeping in. “No. No one at school knows I’m gay.” I see the surprise on his face, and I feel defensive. “Not because I’m ashamed. They just haven’t asked.”
“I understand.” He thinks quietly for a moment, watching the game before turning to me. “It’s not like straight people have to have a great big coming-out party. Why the hell should we?”
I laugh at that. “Coming-out party?”
He grins. “That’s a thing.”
“Oh, I’m sure.” I bite my bottom lip, feeling vulnerable and weird after this conversation.
“So, what are you going to tell them tomorrow?”
I pretend to think about it very seriously, “Hmmm . . . I think I’ll tell them you’re a freak. You love aggressive women who just go for it.”
He shakes his head, not amused. “You fucking would.”
I laugh, “I would never do that to you. I won’t say anything. I’m pretty sure they already think I’m an asshole.”
“You?” His sarcasm makes me laugh despite myself.