Read Doris O'Connor Online

Authors: Too Hot to Handle

Tags: #anal sex, #series, #firefighter, #contemporary, #romance, #erotic, #erotica, #italian

Doris O'Connor (4 page)

Oh, it was going to be such a long two
weeks.

 

 

Chapter Four

 

Two days later Kitty’s nerves were stretched
to breaking point. Everywhere she turned there was Alex with his
knowing bedroom eyes. Even in her sleep he haunted her. Last
night’s extremely erotic dream had had her waking up all in a
lather with nowhere to go, and she still felt unsettled and
downright horny, if she was honest with herself. She couldn’t even
recall the last time she had felt like that. Well, actually she
could. That had been in Amsterdam, and look how that turned
out!

He hadn’t even paid any particular attention
to her, apart from those looks. They made her wish she was still
without responsibilities and free to indulge – in what exactly?
Another one night stand? Not likely, the man practically lived on
her door step. An affair? Kitty crossed her legs and made herself
think of Margaret Thatcher in a thong to stop the lustful fantasies
that the mere thought of having an affair with Alex evoked in
her.

Eva gave her a strange look over her coffee
cup. Shoot, why did she have to have such an expressive face?
Think of something else quick, girl.


Is everything all right, my dear?”
Eva still looked at her strangely.


Yes, of course,” said Kitty.
Yeah, that feeble semblance of your normal voice will really
convince her. Get a hold of yourself, girl.
“Why wouldn’t it
be?”


No reason, you just seem out of
sorts lately. I thought maybe Noah?” Eva had that gratingly
sympathetic look on her face that folks usually adopted when they
talked about her son.


Noah is just fine, Eva. I haven’t
been sleeping well, and that’s all.”


Well, who has with all those fire
fighters swarming around? I tell you, some of the dreams I’ve had
lately have been positively X-rated. Mmm-mmmm.”

Kitty almost choked on her coffee and shook
her head at the woman.
Seriously?
And the most annoying
thing was, wasn’t she just as bad? Lusting after Alex Giovanni. And
what’s worse, she knew exactly what he looked like naked and what
he could do with—
Oh hell, best not go there
again.

****

It was her class’s turn on the fire engine
after lunch. If she was to have any chance of not dissolving into a
boneless bag of drool in front of Alex and his team-mate, then she
really had to pull her wayward thoughts together. The firefighters
were demonstrating the use of their hoses
- oh no don’t go there
either, can you think of any more bad clichés do you
think?

Being around a bunch of middle aged women in
the throes of their rampaging hormones was not helpful. She had
enough of her own to contend with.

She was going for a walk to clear her
head.

Half an hour later, a slightly breathless
Kitty turned the corner and collided with a very hard, male
chest.


Whoa, what’s the
hurry?”

Alex held her far too closely, and those
astonishing eyes of his smiled down on her.
Oh for pity’s
sake.
Of all the corners, he had to have been lurking behind
this one.


Sorry, didn’t see you there.”
Kitty was quite proud of her almost normal voice, even if her heart
seemed to have turned into a jack-hammer.


Glad I ran into you actually.”
Alex let go of her, and his face grew serious. “I was going to ask
you something.”


Oh yeah?” Kitty looked up at him
warily.


That kid in your class, think his
name is Ethan. Is he… I mean—” Alex’s voice faltered, and Kitty’s
own heart plummeted.


Is he what? Spit it out, Alex.
What’s bothering you about him?”

Alex took a step back and looked at her
puzzled. “No need to bite my head off. I was just wondering how he
is getting on in mainstream schooling. Can’t be easy for
him.”


And why not? He is reaching all
his targets with some additional support. Why shouldn’t he be here?


I’m not suggesting he shouldn’t
be. I was just wondering; that’s all. I was talking to him earlier,
and well, he’s a sweet kid.” Alex had that earnest look in his eyes
again. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to tread on any toes.”


No, I bet you didn’t.” Kitty
couldn’t help her sarcastic tone. “No one ever means to, and
everyone always does. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back
to class, before they self-combust with excitement about the ride
on the fire engine.” And she ran off towards the doors, fighting
back the tears threatening to fall.

She was not going to cry in front of him. He
already looked astonished enough at her reaction. When would she
learn not to be so defensive? They hadn’t been talking about Noah,
after all. This was why she could never tell him about his
son.

****

Alex looked at Kitty’s rapidly departing back
and wondered what on earth he had said to upset her. They’d been
getting along reasonably well over the last few days, after
all.

After she had fled so rapidly from the head
teacher’s office the other day he had decided that he would have to
take it slow with his Kitty. She clearly had him pegged for some
sort of playboy, and in truth his
behaviour
back in Amsterdam wasn’t exactly the way
he normally acted. He’d had far too much to drink, and she had
presented such an alluring sight that he had acted purely on
instinct and the instant attraction that had sprung up between
them. He smiled grimly, thinking his hot-blooded Italian Papa would
have been proud of him.

He ran his hands through his hair and shook
off the sadness that clawed at his insides whenever he thought of
his dad. He should have come home sooner. They had spent so little
time together in the end. Maybe if he had, he would not have felt
obliged to make that stupid promise on his father’s death-bed. A
promise, his equally hot-blooded and fiery Mamma was going to keep
him to. And unless he came up with his own choice of bride soon, he
feared he was going to be stuck with Irene, just to keep the peace.
He was a man of his word, after all.

The thought of spending the rest of his life
with Irene was enough to turn a man into a eunuch overnight.
Now
where had that thought come from?
He had found her attractive
enough once. But that was before Amsterdam and Kitty.

****


Neenaw, neenaw.”

The siren was deafening, and Kitty grimaced in
between laughter at her excited bunch of reception class children.
Even Ethan had eventually climbed on board the fire engine, after
some gentle coaxing by none other than the delectable Alex. The
little boy now had great fun turning the siren on and off and on
and off.


Enough already.” Alex laughed and
put a gentle hand on the little boy’s arm, stopping him from
hitting that switch again.


You will get me in trouble with
Miss Jenkins here, and I’m trying really hard to get into her good
books.”

Ethan’s little round face with the almond
shaped eyes and flattened nose, typical of his condition, wore a
huge smile.


I wanna do it again!”

Alex met Kitty’s eyes above the head of the
little fellow and smiled. Had she forgiven him yet for his earlier
questioning? She certainly seemed to have a soft spot for
Ethan.


I don’t think so, Ethan. In fact,
we all need to go in now.” Her face lit up when she smiled at
Ethan. He pulled a face but nonetheless managed to jump off the
fire engine with a little help and lined up with the rest of the
children and their classroom assistant. They filed into the school
one by one.


You have a real knack with those
kids, and they are lucky to have you.”


Well, Einstein, that would be why
I became a teacher.” She threw him a disparaging look over her
shoulder.

Oh no not this time.
He
manoeuvred
himself in front of her.
“Look, I’m sorry if my earlier questions upset you. I didn’t mean
to be insensitive, or whatever you may think. I was just curious,
Kitty.”


Fine, now let me get past. I need
to get back to class.”

****

Alex’s deep sigh made Kitty look up. He still
hadn’t moved and why did he have to look at her like
that?


Why did you walk out on me that
night?”


What?”


You heard me”

Kitty was mortified. She could not have this
conversation now. She didn’t
realise
she had said that out loud until Alex
grabbed her by the arm and marched her around the fire engine, away
from the curious glances of his team-mate.


Oh, but we are having this
conversation now.”


Alex, I work here,
please
.”


Ok, have dinner with me tonight,
my place, I cook. You owe me that much, don’t you
think?”


I owe you? Are you mad? It was a
one night stand. Surely you’re familiar with the concept?” Kitty’s
heart hammered in her chest, and she willed him to let her
go.


Was it? You never gave us a
chance, by walking out like that. And then not returning my phone
calls. Why? I know you had a good time.” Alex’s voice dropped to a
very low growl, and Kitty blushed furiously, desperately trying to
get her breathing under control.


Will you let go of me, please?”
Even to her own ears her voice sounded far too husky. Sure enough,
Alex smiled that extremely sinful smile of his, the sudden heat in
his eyes scorching her.


Have dinner with me tonight and I
will.”


Miss Jenkins, are you still out
here? There is a phone call for you from the nursery.” The school
secretary’s voice interrupted them. Alex had Kitty trapped against
the side of the fire engine, and she gave Alex a shove to put some
distance between them before the woman appeared next to
them.


They say it’s urgent. Noah had
some sort of an accident.”

Kitty froze, dread filling her heart
instantly. “Did they say what sort? How is he?”


I don’t know. I have them on
hold.”

Kitty took off at a run towards the office
before she could hear the rest, only dimly aware that Alex was
following.

She snatched the phone off the
counter.


Hello, Kitty Jenkins here. What
has happened to my son?”

****

She had a son?

Alex took in the tense way she held herself,
the white knuckle grip she had on the phone, and sent a silent
prayer up to the powers that be. From the one answer responses she
was giving, she was told in great detail what had happened. It was
some measure of relief to his own nerves when he saw her relax a
bit and slide down into the chair.

Alex liked kids, always had done. After all,
his three older sisters had managed to produce a brood of ten
nephews and nieces among them. This could certainly explain things.
If she had a son, then she would hardly be willing to chase round
the bed sheets with him.
More’s the pity.
“Is everything all
right?”

Kitty visibly jumped when he asked that
question, and she didn’t look at him when she answered.


Yes, thank you. He had a fall, but
he’s okay, thank God. I have to go and pick him up. I’m sorry,
Alex, but dinner is off.”


I would expect nothing less. We
can do it another day. If he’s anything like my nephews, he’ll
bounce. Boys will be boys and all that.”

He smiled at her in an effort to reassure her.
Kitty glanced up before mumbling that she had to go. She ran away
from him, leaving Alex to wonder what that haunted look in her eyes
was all about.

****

Kitty wasn’t in school the next two days, and
Alex found himself wondering about her and that son of hers. He
hoped everything was okay. Careful questioning of her colleagues
had brought some information. Eva had been the most helpful when he
turned on the charm.


Oh yes, she phoned in to say that
she’ll not be back till the beginning of next week. Little Noah has
badly sprained his ankle, so they are staying at home. Can’t be too
careful in his condition.”


Condition?”


Oh yes, Kitty doesn’t like it when
we talk about it. She doesn’t want him
labelled,
and he is such a sweetheart; he really is.
He has done so well. I mean you would never know.”


Never know what?” Alex was getting
quite exasperated with the dippy woman. For a school nurse she
certainly didn’t fill him with confidence in her abilities, and how
he wished she would stop flirting with him. Still, she knew
everything there was to know about the school and staff.

He gritted his teeth as she put one hand on
his knee, smiling at him suggestively. He casually removed the hand
that inched toward his groin.


You were saying?”

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