She didn’t answer, so I left her a voicemail. She’s probably at work.
After recess and a story, the kids have gone to music in a different room when Viv bursts through the door of my classroom, looking around frantically for Baz. “Asher?”
I stand from my desk. I should have known she was going to panic. “He’s fine.”
“You said he got into a fight? Is he okay?”
I nod my head, standing in front of her in her frantic state. “Viv. Breathe.”
She looks furiously at me, but she does take a deep breath. “Is he okay?”
“He’s fine. He’s in the nurse’s office, laying down.”
She takes another deep breath. “What happened?”
“I’m not sure. He got into a fight with another kid on the playground. Baz shoved him, and the kid socked him in the nose.”
Her jaw drops, and she’s clearly shocked. I was a little surprised myself. Baz is usually the lover not the fighter type. “He pushed another kid?”
I shrug. “He’s a boy. And a Sterling. It won’t be the last time.”
She looks even more annoyed now. “How can you be so calm?”
I smile. “He’s fine. Little bloody nose.”
She pales when her eyes meet my collar. “Is that his blood?”
I look down, seeing a little spec of blood on my shirt. It must have happened when I hugged him to me. I lift my eyes. “He’s fine.”
“You were there?” She barely manages the question. It’s merely a breath from between her lips.
Lips I crave.
Fuck!
I nod my head, still watching her mouth. “Yes.”
We’re standing too close, but neither of us move. “And he’s okay?”
She’s not speaking above a whisper, and I know my closeness is affecting her now that she knows Sebastian is safe. I nod my head again, my hand raising to her hips, resting there. “He’s fine.”
“Thank you for being there.” Her eyes lift and settle on mine. “I’m afraid of something bad happening to him.”
Her hair is down today, wavy and unruly as I push the hair behind her ear and let my hand rest on the side of her head, the other on her hip. “I think all parents worry about that.”
“Not all kids have lost a parent.”
I swallow hard, thinking about Colt and how he never even got the chance to meet his son. “Baz isn’t Colt.”
She nods her head slowly, but she didn’t know Colt well. All she hears all the time is how much Sebastian looks like his father. But truth be told, he’s wilder. “I know.” Her voice is still low even though we’re the only people around. Her full lips still hold me in an intoxicated trance as she pulls the bottom one with her teeth. “I was afraid when I got your voicemail. Even though I was sure he was fine, the fear was real.”
“It’s normal.”
She nods as she lowers her eyes to the ground. “I’m glad he has you, Asher. I know you don’t believe me, but I’ll never take you away from him again.”
The pain from thinking about that time in my life is too great, and I step away, moving back toward my desk. “I won’t let that happen again.”
She moves forward, walking near me. “It won’t. You don’t need to worry.”
“You’re damn right.” She stands inches from me, and I hate how I notice her breasts rising and falling in the camisole top she’s wearing. I lean back on my desk, and she moves forward, her thighs touching my knees as she laces her fingers through my hair.
I think it’s to comfort me, but her touch only ignites me, sending me back to my earlier thoughts before Baz got hurt.
“I know it hurt you.”
I lock eyes with her, feeling too vulnerable, but she’s blocking me at the moment. Not that I can’t move her, but I don’t want to. “I’m actually happy, Viv. I didn’t think that was possible. I don’t want to lose him again. And hell . . . I even like being near my family.”
She drags her hand from my hair down over my cheek. “I won’t let that happen.”
Won’t she though? If we start fucking and she falls for me again? I haven’t changed my mind. I can’t be in a relationship. “What makes you so damn sure?”
Her thumb sweeps over my bottom lip, and I groan, wanting to touch her, but I leave my hands at my side, resting on the desk.
She watches me and takes another deep breath, not moving her thumb from my lips. “Because it’s my biggest regret.”
I want to believe her.
“You aren’t doing either of us any favors by lying.”
“I’m not lying.” Her chest presses against me, and our mouths are insanely close to mine as her hands rest on top of mine. “I know you aren’t in love with me, but I know you feel this crazy magnetic attraction.”
“I fucking hate it.”
“Do you?”
I push her body back as I stand up. She looks hurt until I grab her ass, lifting her and placing her on my desk instead, my body creeping over hers as I lean down to look into her eyes. “Yes.”
Her hand wraps around the back of my neck, and her legs part allowing me to settle between them. “But you still want this.”
It’s not a question. My lips slide over hers as my tongue darts out, dragging over them. “You’re gonna kill me.”
She looks concerned now, laying under me. She glances toward the door. “Oh my God, Asher.” One of her hands rests on my chest as she looks back to me. “My body is on fire. Craving your touch.” I swallow as I look into her eyes. “Anyone could walk in.”
I want to touch her so fucking bad as my head rests against hers. “They’re in music for at least another ten minutes.”
She captures my bottom lip with her teeth and nips softly but doesn’t kiss me. “I’m here, begging you to touch me when my kid is—”
I cut her off quickly, seeing the guilt in her eyes. “Your kid is fine.”
She looks down between our bodies to where we’re still clothed but pressed against each other. “This could get you fired.”
She’s right, and still, I don’t want to move. My lips press against hers as I pull her into a desperate, unapologetic kiss. Her hand moves from my chest to grip my hair tightly between her fingers. She moans softly as I press my hard cock between her legs, knowing she’s already wet for me.
She always is.
“Asher . . .” she gasps, her hand creeping between our bodies as she guides me back.
I’m panting as I look down at her, having lost all control. “What?”
“We can’t do this here.”
She pushes me back further, and I move away from her, pissed-off and frustrated. “But we can do it in the gym at Lola’s?”
“That’s our home right now. This is your place of work.”
She drops her feet to the floor and stands up from my desk, smoothing down her skirt, but I stand close to her. “I was just trying to help your teacher fetish.”
A small smile plays on her pretty lips. “I think you only fanned the flames,” she leans into my ear, “Mr. Sterling.”
Mother. Fucker.
All I want is to throw her little ass back on the desk and punish the fuck out of her for making my dick so fucking hard, but I see Mrs. Bailey walk through the door, and suddenly I'm grateful for Viv stopping what we started.