Breaking the Rules (8 page)

“How the hell?” Scott asked.

Tim sat forward. “No freakin' way!”

Colin only laughed. She knew what she was doing all right. “Soxy does it again.”

“Soxy?” Scott asked as he picked up all the cards and Hope pulled in all the money.

“Well, gents, it was nice doing business with you, but I need a drink. Anyone else need one?” She stood and all hands went up except Colin's.

She looked at him. “I'll take a Coke. I'm on call.”

“Where's those nachos, baby?” Tim hollered past her.

Kelly yelled back, “Stop ordering me around. I'm working on the chili.”

Scott pointed toward Hope, who was at the refrigerator. “She's a smart cookie. I highly approve.”

“Well, now that I have your approval, I'll jump her.” Colin leaned back with his hands behind his head.

“Nah, really, bro. Go for it.”

“I already told you, it's not going to happen.” He shut his mouth as Hope came over with two bottlenecks and a can of Coke.

“Let me open these for you.” She handed the bottles over to the other men and then leaned in front of Colin giving him an eyeful of her chest.

Colin cleared his throat and looked away, though it took all his effort to keep his eyes from taking in the view. “You don't have to.”

Hope smiled. “Don't worry. I got it.”

As she opened the can, it spewed all over Colin, from head to chest. Behind Hope's squeals, he rubbed his face. Finally, once the bubbles dwindled down, Colin laughed so hard, his side hurt.

“Not again!” Hope tried to clean his face with the napkins at the table.

Tim and Scott looked at each other, between their own laughs.

Kelly threw a kitchen towel over the bar. “Here.”

“Let me just get your shirt. Wait, don't move.” Hope blabbered on, so Colin grabbed her wrist to stop her, and she stared down at him.

Kelly yelled, “There's some more towels and clean shirts in the laundry room past the garage. Help yourself.”

Colin stood up, still with Hope's wrist in his hand. “Want to help me out?”

She looked around the table and jiggled her necklace around. “Um, yeah.” She grabbed the towel and walked with Colin to the laundry area.

Once the door closed, she stopped in front of the washer where towels and shirts were stacked. “I'm so sorry, Colin. Klutz is my middle name.”

She turned around and stopped talking as Colin removed his wet shirt. Leaning over her, he found a towel and rubbed his chest. “No problem, I guess it's payback from Luigi's the other night.”

When she didn't answer, he looked into her face. Her eyes darkened and he moaned to himself. To hell with just friends. She wanted it, and he wanted it. So, they were going to have it. He stepped toward her and that was all it took to have her backed up against the washer. He placed his arms around her, resting them on the machine behind her.

Hope bit her lip and looked up from his chest to his face, nodding her head. “We shouldn't — ”

Colin lifted a hand and fingered her cheek. “You're so goddamn beautiful.”

Hope's eyes widened. “You are, too.”

He felt that flitter in his stomach again. Since when did that happen? He bent forward and kissed her lips once. Enough to show her what she'd miss, and enough to let her say no, if she really meant it.

“I don't think — ” her words said, but her body said something different. She angled into him and tilted her head back as if asking for more.

Grabbing her waist with one hand and her head with the other, he pulled her in and kissed her with the passion that had been building inside of him since he met her. And she kissed him back. There was no turning him down this time. She did want him and he wouldn't be fooled or told otherwise.

He pushed her back on the washer and allowed his hands to explore the side of her waist. He slipped his hand under the edge of her shirt, delighting in the feel of her smooth skin under his fingers. Just enough to entice himself, but not too much to throw her off. Man, he wanted to feel more of her, but he held himself back. The last thing he wanted was to scare her off. They had to take things slow. Damn … it had been too long.

She gave back. Her hands pressed upward against his chest and she flitted her tongue on his lips, opening his mouth. A little moan came out of her and that threw him out of sorts. In the distance, he barely heard the door open.

“Kelly sent me to check — ” Tim stopped when they broke apart, breathing hard. “Oh, shit. Ok. Uh. Get back to that, then.” He turned around, shut the door, and announced to the rest of the house, “Uh, Colin and Hope are a little busy in there.”

Kelly squeaked, “What?”

His favorite buddy, soon to be ex-friend, had just interrupted the best time he'd had in a long time. Colin faced Hope, but he could tell they weren't going to resume their interrupted kiss. She had turned to the towels and pretended to unfold and fold them again. Colin wiped his face. “Hope. Turn around.”

When she did, she shook her head. “I told you. Now we have Mr. Blabbermouth announcing to the whole world.”

Colin lifted her chin with a finger and forced her to look at him. “It's okay. It was only a kiss.”

“Yeah, well.” She handed him a shirt that said Keep Calm and Recycle and Colin put it on.

He rubbed her arm. “A damn rattling kiss, but — ” He stopped when she took a deep breath.

Pointing at his chest, she said, “This didn't happen.” She turned to walk out, but Colin grabbed her wrist and stopped her.

He held her hand and rubbed her fingers. “Oh, but it did.”

“Forget it ever did. It can't happen.” She let go and stormed out of the laundry room.

Taking a deep breath outside the laundry room door, Hope lifted her chin and walked to the dining area. Colin followed behind, but she refused to look at him. The visual of Colin's disappointed face as she left him would be etched on her brain for days. Besides, she wouldn't allow herself to be alone with him again, because her libido was obviously in charge tonight.

Now she had to deal with the repercussions of being caught by Tim, the blabbermouth. She knew Tim would have a lot to say, but if she pretended it was no big deal, maybe they'd all forget about it. They walked to the table and three sets of eyes followed their every move.

Wiggling his eyebrows at them both, Tim beamed. “So, how are you two doing?”

Hope glared at him, and not quite ready to sound composed, she turned and joined Kelly in the kitchen.

When she looked at Colin from the corner of her eye, he sat at the table and knocked back his half cup of Coke. “Sure could use a beer about now.”

Several snickers followed.

“So,” Scott sat forward and whispered, “what's going on, bro?”

Colin shook his head and eyed Hope across the kitchen bar, then back to his brother. “Nothing.”

Kelly raised an eyebrow and asked in a softened voice, “What's going on?”

Hope shook her head and nodded toward the back patio. “Outside.”

Kelly and Hope made their way to the table. Her friend carried a loaded platter full of nachos. Hope ignored the others, holding her chin up high. She grabbed the empty beer bottles and placed them on the kitchen bar, out of the way of everyone's prying eyes.

Colin braced his elbow on the table and rubbed his chin with a faraway look in his eyes. She couldn't help herself from looking at his face — the strong jaw line. The very jaw she kissed not five minutes ago. She licked her lips remembering his hands under her shirt. Damn, it had been a long time since she'd been drawn to a man. In fact, she saw attractive men all the time, but not one sparked an interest in her — until now.

Her face and neck felt impossibly hot all of a sudden. She had to put an end to the stares and end the matter, once and for all.

Before she could say anything, Tim butted in with his nonchalant self. “So, I see you two have a lot in common.”

Hope stood with her mouth open. She grabbed the rag on the table and held it up as if she were going to throw it at him. “Hey, you're going on like a twelve-year-old reading
Playboy
in the dugout. If I were you, I'd focus on my own woman and butt out of other people's affairs.” Hope threw the rag, and stormed to the kitchen with the rest of the empty bottles before the unfortunate double entendre had a chance to sink in.

Kelly slapped her hands down on her legs. “Now you've done it. She's furious. Tim, really.” She stomped off to the kitchen and patted Hope on the back. “I'm so sorry he's being a jerk.”

Holding his arms up, Tim asked, “What?”

“Sometimes I wonder how you two ended up together.” Hope glowered at the dining area across the room. “He
is
being a jerk,” Hope added louder, to make sure he heard her.

Scott shook his head. “You done blown it this time, Tim-O. Now everyone's pissed at you. When's the last time you saw Colin kiss anyone? Geez.” Scott started in on the nachos.

Tim quirked his head to the side. “I was just having a little fun.”

Colin stood and faced his friend. “You're being a prick.” Colin headed to the kitchen, grabbed Hope's arm. “We need to talk. Now.” With his firm grip and his needy eyes, she let him lead her toward the patio. Not sure where this would lead, she knew she had to put an end to this chaos and then get the hell out of there.

Sliding the glass door open, Colin allowed her to step out into the cool night. Hope sat at the circular porch table and folded her arms over her chest. She closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath.

“Look, don't be mad at me. It's not my fault Tim acts like an imbecile.”

“I'm just so — ” She jerked her hand up. “So — ” Ramming her fist on her leg, she continued, “Mad. Why does Tim have to act like that?”

“Tim is missing the shut-your-mouth gene. Don't let him get to you so much.”

“Don't get to me? He's in there blabbing away about something he knows nothing about.” She attempted to look at him then, and his nearness sent a shiver through her body. She hesitated, blinking with bafflement. Why did he have to smell so good — all man, like a walk through the forest — and those sea-green eyes that dragged a woman in. She stared at his grim mouth, as a warning whispered in her head.
Don't do it, Hope
. But, God, she wanted to caress his face and bring his lips to hers again — even with all the mess they'd created.

As if he knew what she was thinking, Colin reached out and stroked her arm. “He won't talk outside of this house. I'll make sure of it.”

His words brought her back to reality. “I appreciate it.” She was suddenly anxious to escape from his disturbing presence. If she didn't escape soon, she was scared her body would take over again.

“So, you didn't like the kiss?” He rested his arms behind his head as he observed her.

Folding her hands in her lap, she lifted her chin. “It was nice.”

He tipped his face closer and asked, “Only nice?”

She rushed her words out, “Okay … gob smacking. It was gob smacking.”

“Whoa, that good, huh?” He smiled, those damn dimples captivating her.

She laughed to cover her annoyance, then she sighed deeply. “Colin, even though it was the best kiss I've had in a long time, we can't let this go further.” She stood. “It pisses me off as much as I know it does you. I know you want to take this further, but I've told you it's impossible.”

Colin brought his cap down on his head further. “Yeah, you've told me already. Only friends. Friends who have fun. Wasn't that fun?”

“Colin — ”

“Okay. I get it. No fun.”

“I'm Jason's principal. Don't you think it's a little weird to kiss your son's principal?”

“Not at all. He has nothing to do with it. In fact, Jason didn't cross my mind at all until now when you mentioned him. Besides, Jason already told me he likes you.”

“It doesn't matter what Jason thinks. It matters what I think, what the board thinks, what other parents think. Other teachers, like Dave Hunter. He knew something was going on.”

Colin stood to face her and crossed his arms. “Well, truthfully, nothing was going on, and nothing has really gone on because you won't let it. So, stop worrying about it. I'll stop pestering you. I get it. I don't need any more rejections tonight.”

“I'm not trying to make you feel bad. I wish we could take this down the road it was heading, but we can't. Imagine if you were making out with a patient — it'd be the same kind of thing.”

“Well, actually, you've been my patient — ”

“Exactly!” Hope pointed at his chest.

“So, only friends. I won't continue to beat a dead horse.”

“Am I the dead horse here?” She wrinkled her nose.

“Yeah, in a way.”

“Perfect.” She held up her hands. “All I ask is that we're friends. We're obviously going to see each other outside of school. Kelly's been a friend for a long time. We can just be civil to one another and move on.”

“Fine.”

She was irritated by his mocking tone. Why did that make her feel deflated? She should be happy he finally understood where she was coming from. “Fine.” She put her hands on her hips and turned away without waiting for a reply. She stared out across the patio into the swampy area behind the house and she found herself inexplicably dissatisfied.

Colin let out a huff. “Nice knowing you.” When she turned around, Colin had turned to leave just as his phone beeped in a message. As he checked who it was, Kelly slid the door open.

“Is everything okay out here? I brought your margarita, chica.”

“Everything's perfect.” Hope grabbed the glass and sipped, while glancing at Colin.

“I've got to head to the hospital. Broken bone.” He eyed Kelly. “Thanks for letting us invade your house again.”