“It’s not just Mia,” he said softly, stepping closer. “It’s me, too. I’m…I’m scared, Ken. Of getting hurt again, of getting you in trouble…of losing what we have.”
I reached out, my hand hovering inches from his arm. I wanted to touch him, to reassure him, but I wasn’t sure I had the right. “You won’t lose me, Marc. No matter what happens, I’ll always be here for you. For both of you.”
Then my hand touched his arm, and when he didn’t flinch away, my self-control cracked. He was so close I smelled the sunshine and soil on him, and I lifted my right hand, cupping his cheek.
He didn’t move away.
Then my left hand reached up for his other cheek, and I stared into his eyes, and saw that raw, open vulnerability that mirrored my own fears. The first kiss we shared had been slow and tender, a silent promise. But now as I lifted my face toward Marc’s, finding his mouth with my own—
Nothing had ever been so right and yet so terrifying. In that moment, nothing else mattered but Marc—the feel of his lips on mine, the warmth of his stubbled skin beneath my fingertips, and this hunger that flared up inside me, wanting and needing more.
Then I opened my mouth and deepened that kiss, the rest of the world fading away, leaving just us and this heart-stopping connection that set every nerve ending alight with passion. My arms wrapped around him, hands fisting the fabric of his shirt. Marc made a soft sound then tilted his head, his hand resting on the back of my head, holding me, guiding me—
But then, a sudden sound snapped me back to reality: voices coming from the hallway, getting closer, then right outside my door, turning the handle. I broke away from the kiss, my chest heaving as I tried to catch my breath. Marc looked equally disheveled, his cheeks flushed and his eyes wide.
We jumped back, hastily straightening our clothes. But the electricity between us was unmistakable.
Someone would have to be blind not to notice.
“Ken, are you—” As Stella stepped into the room, her eyes darted between Marc and me, immediately picking up on the tension that hung in the air like a thick fog. She tilted her head to the side, an expression of concern etched on her face as she tried to make sense of the scene before her. However, following closely behind her was Nancy Henderson.
Nancy’s eyes narrowed, scanning the room with a keen curiosity that quickly turned into suspicion. She sniffed, as if sensing the charged atmosphere. “Is everything okay here, Mr. Parker?” she asked, her tone dripping with false sweetness in the presence of a parent.
“Yes, everything’s fine,” I replied quickly, trying my best to sound casual, despite the slight tremor in my voice that threatened to give away my true emotions. My heart was still racing from the intensity of the kiss, and heat rose in my cheeks. “Mr. Mendez needed to grab Mia’s jacket.” I walked over to Mia’s cubby, my steps a little unsteady, and reached for the jacket hanging on the hook below it. “Here it is,” I said, holding out the jacket to Marc, our eyes meeting briefly, a silent acknowledgment of the moment we had shared.
“Yes, thanks.” Marc, bless his heart, had even less of a poker face than I did. His eyes, wide and unsettled, bore into mine as he gave me a crooked smile before heading out the door. “Bye, Mr. Parker. Ladies.”
“Bye, Mr. Mendez.” Nancy’s gaze flickered between us again, obviously sensing that there was more to the story. She watched him go, then turned back to me, her eyes narrowed in silent inquiry. “You know, Kendall,” she began, her voice taking on an insinuated tone I knew all too well, “it’s so nice to see parents getting so involved with their children’s education. Don’t you agree, Stella?”
Stella, bless her heart, stepped in smoothly. “Absolutely, Nancy. Marc has been a fantastic volunteer today.” She gave mea nudge, her eyes warning me to keep calm. “Ken, some of the parents wanted to thank you. You should come join everyone outside.”
“Sounds great,” I said, eager for an escape from the awkward situation. I took a deep breath, attempting to regain my composure. What if Nancy had seen us? What if someone else had walked in? The consequences of our reckless actions began to sink in, a heavy weight settling in my chest.
But for now, I needed to focus on my job and keep people from asking questions that I wasn’t prepared to answer. As we walked down the hallway, Nancy turned left to head toward her classroom, leaving just me and Stella.
Her eyes locked on me, still probing for answers.She knows something is up, I thought, anxiety twisting in my gut. When I didn’t offer anything, Stella glanced at me sidelong. “So, what was that all about with Mr. Mendez?” she asked, a curious lilt to her voice.
I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice steady while my thoughts raced.How much should I tell her?“Nothing, just discussing Mia’s progress,” I said, the words sounding flat even to me.
Stella raised a brow and gave me a skeptical look. “Seemed pretty intense for a parent-teacher chat.” Then her voice dropped. “Are you okay?”
I shrugged, hoping she didn’t hear my heart pounding. The guilt twisted in my gut, but I she couldn’t know about Marc and me—not yet.
We stepped into the bright sunlight, blinking until my eyes adjusted. The laughter of the children still here, enjoying the Spring Fling, filled the air, a welcome distraction from the lingering anxiety swirling inside me. I took a deep breath, trying to push away thoughts of Marc and our forbidden kiss, at least for now.
As Stella and I approached the group of parents and teachers gathered near the newly planted flower beds, Ginger Hawkins caught my eye and waved me over. “Mr. Parker! The kindergarten parents wanted to thank you and Ms. Brooks for all your hard work today. The kids had a blast, and the school looks beautiful,” she added, waving her hand at the cheery, colorful walkway to the school’s front doors.
I forced a smile, hoping it looked genuine. “It was my pleasure, Mrs. Hawkins. I’m just glad everything went smoothly.”
She nodded, then turned to address the group. “Let’s give a big round of applause to all our wonderful volunteers and teachers who made this year’s Spring Fling such a success!”
As everyone clapped and cheered, I scanned the crowd, my heart skipping a beat when I spotted Marc standing with Mia, accepting handshakes and claps on the back for his expertise today. Our eyes met, and for a moment, the world around us faded away. His gaze held a mixture of longing and uncertainty, and I saw my own conflicted emotions written on his face.
Mia tugged on his hand, breaking the spell, and he looked down at her with a smile, listening intently as she chattered excitedly about the flowers she’d planted. I watched them, my chest tightening with a bittersweet ache. They looked so happy together, so perfect—a family.
And that was the problem, wasn’t it? Marc had Mia to think about, and I had my job. No matter how strong our connection, no matter how much I wanted to be with him, there were still many obstacles in our way, at least for now.
But even when the time came and he was no longer the parent of my student—Marc was afraid of this, afraid of this relationship that might break his heart and traumatize his daughter.
