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Just then, the ancient school secretary comes barging into the room, moving quicker than I’ve ever seen. She worked in the office when I was a student here, and I swear she was older than dirt back then.
“Mrs. Cook!” Jess gasps, rushing over to her. “Whatever is it?”
“There’s… at the front desk… a man!” Mrs. Cook pants, her wrinkled cheeks flushed, and her glasses hanging around her neck on their chain. She looks like she’s about to have a heart attack, so I fill a glass with water and offer it to her but she just scowls at me.
“Deep breaths, Mrs. Cook.”
Jess starts to breathe in and out as if to guide the older woman through the process. Thankfully Mrs. Cook joins in and soon she’s calm enough to talk.
“There’s a very tall, handsome man in a Navy uniform at the front desk asking for Miss Masters,” she finally gasps, and I don’t miss that she seems to be blushing.
“Oh, that’s my visitor for the children,” I reply. “Thank you Mrs.Cook, I’ll go and collect him.”
As I leave the room, I smirk when I hear Mrs.Cook say in a breathless voice, “You know that An Officer and a Gentleman is my favorite movie.”
I’m still laughing to myself as I make my way up the corridor to the front desk, but stop abruptly when I see Jake, standing with his back to me looking at the trophies in the cabinet. I stop myself from staring at him, taking in the crisp white dress uniform that fits him like a glove, hugging his broad shoulders and tapering down to his waist. And god help me, it should be illegal to have an ass that fine.
As if he can sense me perving over him—or maybe it’s the sound of drool splashing to the floor—Jake turns on his heel and removes his cap, placing it under his arm as he gives me a cocky salute.
“Chief Petty Officer Hartman reporting for duty, ma’am.” He whips his hand down from his salute and stands at ease, stretching his white pants across his crotch and damn if there isn’t a very impressive bulge.
I blink rapidly and fix my eyes firmly on his smirking face, reminding myself that I’m not only in my place of employment, but I’m responsible for a class of very excited and impressionable young children. I cannot become a puddle of goo right now, no matter how fine this man looks.
“Thanks for coming Jake, the kids are just coming back from recess,” I mumble, trying to keep the blush from creeping up my neck. I grab a visitor’s badge from the front desk and hand it to him, watching as he sticks it on one of his bulging pecs, just under a row of medals.
As we walk down the corridor toward my classroom, several doors open and the excited, flushed faces of my colleagues peer out to get a look at Jake. He doesn’t seem fazed at all by the attention he’s getting, and he keeps up the quick pace as we move toward the end of the corridor.
When we get to my classroom, I peek inside and see that my teacher’s aide has the children sitting in their spaces on the rug reading them a story. They listen enthralled to The Very Hungry Caterpillar, one of their favorites, and I’m silently thankful they’re calm. Last thing I want is for them to be bouncing off the walls—that would really freak Jake out.
“You seem very calm for a man who hates kids,” I whisper, even as I notice the light sheen of sweat on Jake’s forehead.
“Where does this idea that I hate kids come from?” he mutters. “I don’t hate them, they just make me uncomfortable, that's all.”
“Okay. Well, they’re nice and calm so this should go smoothly.” I take one more look inside and see that the story is about to end. “Just remember to breathe, don’t curse, and if you have anything in that backpack that could maim or kill them, please keep an eye on it.” I give Jake’s bicep a reassuring squeeze. “Oh and if they ask you why you’re not a real seal, just roll with it.”
The quizzical look on Jake’s face is priceless, and I try to hide my giggle as I lead him into the classroom and all my kiddos look up and gasp in unison. I notice that Jake stands up straighter and his chest puffs out a little at their reaction, and I know everything’s going to be fine.
∞∞∞
“I still can’t believe that kid thought a real seal was coming to talk to them,” Jake chuckles as he helps me stack the tiny chairs on the tables. We’ve just sent the children home, and I’m still amazed that Jake decided to stay for the whole day.
I laugh and glance over at him, still breathless at how handsome he looks in his uniform. It’s a miracle he’s managed to keep it looking pristine with so many sticky little fingers around. “I just didn’t have the heart to tell them you weren’t a real seal.”
“That one little boy looked so pissed.” Jake’s deep rumbling laughter echoes around the empty classroom, and it warms me to hear it again.
“I know!” I reply, stacking the last chair and turning toward Jake. I jump when I realize he’s managed to move like a ninja from the other side of the room, and now we’re face to face. His sudden close proximity makes my heart race, and his fresh ocean scent makes my head spin. I don’t know what makes me do it but I gingerly reach up and run my fingers over the medals decorating his chest. “That was a nice touch letting him wear these for the day,” I whisper in a voice that sounds way too husky and aroused to be mine.
“He looked like he was ready to throw a fit,” Jake says in a gravelly voice, his eyes fixed on my fingers as they move slowly back and forth over the silver and gold. I don’t know what I’m doing, but watching him with the kids, it’s made me see the real Jake again. And I’m hopelessly attracted to him.
Slowly, I look up. The intense fire in Jake’s eyes causes my breath to catch in my throat, and my heart to flutter in my chest. His own fingers reach out and graze down my cheek, sliding along my jaw and down my neck where they grip me possessively. My heart goes from fluttering to hammering against my breast bone as he tilts his head toward me and licks his lips.
Oh God, Jake Hartman is about to kiss me! The fantasy I've had since I first made my Barbie and Ken kiss is about to come true.
When his soft lips press against mine, I sink into it, completely lost.
It’s tentative at first, soft and questioning. But as I tilt my head and slide my tongue along the seam of his mouth, it deepens and quickly becomes hungry and possessive. His hand tightens around my throat, holding but not squeezing, and it feels like he’s supporting my whole body at that contact point. As our tongues battle and slide deliciously together, my hands bunch the front of Jake’s uniform and I press myself against his hard body, feeling the press of his erection against my hip. I feel completely consumed by Jake’s kiss, but as breathtaking as it is, it can’t happen here, and it can’t happen until I have the answers I need about Pete.
“Wait!” I gasp, pulling away. Jake’s hand drops from my throat, making me immediately miss the warm, possessive pressure. “Not here, someone could walk in.” I take a further step back, but Jake doesn’t allow me to get far. He steps forward with me and cups my face in his warm, rough hands, causing me to involuntarily lean into them.
