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I took tiny sips of bourbon whenever those thoughts invaded and sent my shoulders up to my ears. This was my time to relax, to unwind after a long week of work and tension and non-stop running around. Before I knew it, glass number one was empty and I’d made my way halfway through glass number two of bourbon.
Dad would be proud. According to my mama, he loved nothing more than a stiff drink at the end of each day and grinned, at least we shared that much in common. That and two half brothers who wanted nothing to do with you either.
That was a tough thought to accept, and I took another sip, maybe it was a gulp, after a while it didn’t matter. Bourbon and hot water was the perfect combination for forgetting one’s worries, or least for shoving one’s worries down so deep that it was the same as if they were forgotten.
Non-existent.
A knock sounded in the distance in an attempt to interrupt my relaxation, but I ignored it, assuming the neighbors were having a party. Or something. It was after ten in Pilgrim, not exactly a time for unexpected visitors, so I sank deeper into the tub and let the hot water do its thing on my stiff, aching muscles.
The knock sounded again, louder this time. And the knocking didn’t stop, it grew louder and more insistent until I couldn’t deny that it was my door. My unexpected visitor.
“Are you kidding me!” It wasn’t a question because it didn’t’ require an answer, more like an apology from the universe for interrupting a brief moment of peace.
I stepped from the tub, soaking wet, and yanked my robe from the hook on the back of the door, angry as I stomped down the stairs and looked through the peephole, groaning at the identity of the incessant knocker. After two deep breaths that I exhaled slowly, I opened the door about a foot wide, just enough to interact with the unwanted guest. “Principal Rutherford, what are you doing here?”
He winced at the formality and I smiled, knowing I’d scored on that one. “It’s Ben,” he reminded me as he raked a hand through thick hair. “I thought we could finish our talk from earlier.”
“And I told you there was nothing to talk about, no apology necessary. So, why have you ignored my wishes and interrupted my bath?”
His gaze heated at my words, as if he’d only now noticed that I wasn’t dressed at all. Green eyes tracked down the length of my robe-clad body, focusing on the swell of cleavage the soft fabric did nothing to hide. My nipples reacted, but that was only because it had been a long damn time since a man looked at me like that.
“Can we talk?”
I nodded. “We’re talking right now.”
“In private?” He nodded to my house, as if he had the right to gain entry to my home.
“There’s nothing you have to say that you can’t say right here, Principal Rutherford.”
“Dammit, Joss.” He used his size against me, stepping in close that I had to step back or let his proximity affect me, which I refused to allow. That gave him the perfect in and I groaned at the intrusion. “I just want to talk.”
“And I don’t, but once again, I guess that doesn’t matter.”
He sighed. “I’m sorry.”
“Another meaningless apology? Lucky me.” Maybe if I just let him get the words out and pretended to accept them, this would all be over before my bath water turned cold. “All right, you’re inside and you have my attention, lay this grand apology on me.”
He flashed a gorgeous boyish smile that I wished like hell I was immune to, especially while I was naked and dripping wet. “You looked beautiful the other night. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you in that red dress, the way it hugged your curves and…well, you were stunning. It just all caught me by surprise, that’s all, and I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings.”
My mind got caught up on the words ‘beautiful’ and ‘stunning’. They were words no man has ever used to describe me, so much that I was distracted, but only temporarily. “Thank you for the compliment. And the apology.”
“Yeah, sure. No problem.” He stood nervously as if he wanted me to say something more, but I had nothing. “So, we’re good?”
I nodded and tightened the sash around my waist. “As good as we have ever been, sure.”
That was an answer he didn’t like and Ben took a step forward, scrubbing a hand over his face. “Can we be friends?”
“No.” I shook my head and took a step back, angry at his gall. “I don’t think we can. We both have enough friends that overlap, let’s not make things more difficult.”
“They don’t have to be.”
