“Ah, it’s nothing.” He turned to face her. “Did you get everything you need?”
Nodding, she held up her purse and the big stack of tests she was bringing home to grade. “Yep.” She hesitated. “Would you be able to drop me off at home? I walked this morning, so I don’t have my car.”
“No problem,” he said easily.
They left the school through the back doors, crossing the parking lot toward Reed’s black Camaro. The drive to her apartment wasn’t as tense or awkward as she thought it would be. They chatted about the workshop and what Reed planned on teaching the kids the following afternoon, and by the time they reached her building, she felt completely at ease.
At least until he asked if he could come upstairs.
“I’m dying of thirst,” he said sheepishly, putting the car in park and killing the engine. “FYI—the water fountains at your school suck.”
“Yeah, they tend to drizzle out drops instead of a steady stream,” she answered with a laugh.
“Mind if I chug some water before I take off?”
She hesitated only for a beat. “Sure, come on up.”
Her heart did flip after flip as they rode the elevator to her fourth floor apartment. She wasn’t sure being alone in such close quarters with Reed was a good idea, but what was she supposed to do? Let the man die of dehydration?
Still, AJ’s text message of blessing once again fluttered through her mind as she unlocked the door and gestured for Reed to come inside.
“Don’t mind the teeny size of this place.” She sighed. “It kind of grows on you after a while.”
It was two steps from the front hall to the kitchen, and Darcy hurried to the sink to pour him a glass of water. “Want ice?” she offered.
“Naah, this is perfect. Thanks.”
He drained half the water in one hearty gulp and she watched his strong throat muscles work as he swallowed. Once he finished, he went to fill up the glass again, chugged it as well, then glanced over and said, “So do I get the grand tour?”
She snickered. “Uh-huh. Sure.” She moved to the doorway and pointed to their right. “Living room.” Pointed to the left. “Bedroom and bathroom.” She faced him again. “The end.”
Reed chuckled as they drifted into the living room, which was just big enough to accommodate her sofa, coffee table, and TV unit, and a cramped office area in the corner with a large desk and two mini file cabinets.
“You’re right,” he remarked. “This is tiny. I’m surprised you don’t get claustrophobic in here.”
“Like I said, it grows on you.” She wandered over to the desk and set the stack of tests next to the computer keyboard. The sight of the sleek work surface reminded her of Reed’s cryptic laughter in her classroom, and as usual, her curiosity got the best of her. “What were you giggling about when you were looking around my classroom earlier?”
He rolled his eyes. “First off, I’m a man. Men don’t giggle.”
“Mmm-hmmm. Whatever you say.”
“I laughed because being there brought back some memories. I’m pretty sure the last time I was in a classroom, I was failing a test. Either that, or daydreaming about my geography teacher.”
She stuck out her tongue. “He must have been a real looker.”
“Ha ha. And I’ll have you know, she totally was.” A dreamy sigh escaped his mouth. “I would’ve cut off my right arm for a shot with Mrs. Franklin. Lord, she used to sit up on her desk, and she’d always wear the most indecently short skirts, flashing a helluva lot of thigh. I guarantee that every single boy in her class was trying to hide a boner with his geography book.”
Darcy laughed. “Poor Mrs. Franklin.”
“Poor Mrs. Franklin?” he echoed. “No way. That broad was totally digging the attention. She wore high heels and miniskirts to teach a geography class—trust me, she knew exactly what she was doing to us poor boys.”
“Now I’m picturing a total seductress. Like a Mrs. Robinson type.” With a grin, Darcy sidled back to her desk and hopped up on the edge. She crossed her legs, then leaned back on one elbow, trying to strike her most provocative pose. “Is this how she’d sit?”
Uh-oh. Big mistake.
In the blink of an eye, Reed’s expression had flooded with heat. The man even licked his lips, which summoned an instantaneous response from her. Her body tingled as his smoldering blue eyes seared right through her clothes and brought goose bumps to her skin.
Despite her better judgment, she dropped her gaze to his groin, and her breath lodged in her throat when she saw the outline of his erection straining beneath his shorts.
“You’re just as bad as Mrs. Franklin,” Reed said in an accusatory voice. “Get off that desk before I do something stupid, Darcy.”
She swallowed the moisture that had filled her mouth. “What kind of fantasies did you have when you were sitting in her class?”
He growled. “You really don’t want the answer to that.”