Chapter Three
“Marco, put the crayons in the bin, please.”
Cheri tried so hard not to laugh as her playful, goofy, bright-eyed student pretended not to understand. She loved all of them already, with their easy hugs, their happy laughter. The children were so wonderful, so eager to please and so quick to soak up knowledge. That was why she’d become a teacher; she didn’t fit in with most adults, but big groups of kids made her feel at home, like she had a calling.
She steered Marco gently to the bin of crayons, squeezing his little hand just enough to get him to let go. He was obsessed with the red crayon.
“Okay, y’all. Get your things from your cubbies. Time to line up for the bus.” Time for her to clean up and get things ready for tomorrow.
“
Maestra
! I lost my shoe.” Cynthia had lost her shoes five times in the two weeks Cheri had been at work.
“Cynthia, again?” She laughed, took the little hand. “Did it find another cubby?”
“
Buenos dias, linda
.” A familiar voice sounded and she looked up into warm, dark eyes.
“
Senor
.” She grinned, tempted to tell Paulo her name was Cheri.
“He says you’re pretty, miss.”
“What do you think, Cynthia?” Paulo was a charmer, that was for sure.
“
Maestra es muy linda, si, Tio
Paulo.”
She smiled. “You’re her uncle?”
Paulo’s dark eyes flickered a little. “We’re like family,
si
.” He put a hand on her arm, which made her shiver. He’d been so helpful with the house, and he always made her feel special, not like a mousy teacher.
“Let me find her shoes and I’ll be right with you.” She led the little girl to the cubbies, finding one sparkly pink shoe that had fallen behind the cabinet.
“
Alli esta
!” Cynthia clapped her hands and Cheri felt like a hero. That was the best thing about kids.
Cheri helped the wee girl get her backpack on and then pointed her down the hall toward the line of children waiting for the bus to the reservation.
Paulo came up behind her, his hand slipping to rest on her hip. “How about an early supper?”
Really, she’d never had so much attention from men.
She looked up, her face surprisingly close to his. “I would love that. Is there a place to go?”
This town was the smallest place she’d ever lived. Ever. It had a feed/general store, which was also the gas station and post office. There was a hotel from days gone by, but she wasn’t sure it was even still open, and a diner that did breakfast and lunch.
“There’s a truck stop out by the main road. They have good meatloaf.”
“I like meatloaf. Let me grab my purse.” She headed for her desk to get her purse. “Did you need something? Here at the school, I mean.”
“Oh I was wiring the sound system in the cafeteria.” He followed, close enough for her to feel his heat.
“Yeah? How fun! Now we’ll be able to have announcements.” When all grades were in the same building, that could be a challenge.
“Hey, you should have seen it before we had the cafeteria.”
Apparently that had been only a few years ago. She couldn’t imagine.
“The kids were telling me.” She grabbed her bag, her sunglasses. “They’re amazing, you know? The kids?”
“I know.” His cheeks heated when she smiled at him. Gosh, he was cute.
“Do you want me to follow you?” She locked her door, leading him through the one long hallway.
“I could drive you and bring you on back for your car after.” He took her elbow, his hand warm and calloused.
She nodded, smiled. There was something about him, something comfortable and easy and relaxing. He had this calm strength about him, coupled with an “aw shucks” sort of shyness.
He led her to his truck, handing her up into the cab, and he pulled out, honking and waving at Johnny Rodriguez, one of her third-graders.
The truck was surprisingly clean, even the backseat looked as if someone could sit back there and not be disgusted. The drive to the truck stop took only about ten minutes. How tired had she been on the way into town that she’d never seen that?
The place was rustic and older, but it looked busy, clean, and the smell when she opened the car door was delicious. The sign where the specials were posted said “Meatloaf Monday”. It was Thursday. Looked as if meatloaf was always on.
Paulo led her in, hand gentle on her arm, warm. Sure. Everyone smiled and nodded and the lady behind the long counter popped her gum.
“Everyone here seems to know everyone else, hmm?”
“Give or take. Some get along better than others.” That seemed very cryptic for Paulo, but she hardly knew him, really, so who was she to judge?
“It’s like that anywhere.” She offered him a smile. “You should have seen my last school.” When your year ended with a knife fight, it was a little depressing.
“It sounds like the big city didn’t agree with you.” Paulo helped her into a booth and she jumped when someone slipped into the seat across from her.
“Why would it agree? Cities are loud. Hey, honey.” Josh popped up in the strangest places.
“Yes. Hello. It was scary. Lots of violence. It’s hard to teach like that. Hard to keep everyone learning.”
“Bet the kids liked you though. Hey, you haven’t had any more snakes since Monday, have you?” Josh asked.
She chuckled. “No, thank goodness. No, I haven’t. I was so glad to see you.”
That had been…terrifying. Thank goodness Josh had been dropping by with a can of coffee and he’d dealt with it.
Paulo raised a brow. “Did you plant a snake in Cheri’s garden,
guapo
?”
“Would he do that?” Her eyes went wide and she shook her head. “No. No, I heard him make the
ack
noise.”
Josh’s cheeks went red but he chuckled and nodded. “I sure did. It was a biggun’, P. Four-foot diamondback.”
“
Madre de dios
!” Paulo’s eyes went wide and he nodded at the waitress when she brought the coffee pot over. “You keep the skin?”
“Yeah.” Josh looked at her, then frowned at Paulo. “I mean, it kept its skin. They’re protected.”
Paulo made this odd little disbelieving sound. “Right. You’re a good guy.”
“I am!”
There was something different about them today. There was none of the chest bumping they’d done at her house that first day. They were laughing at each other.
It was adorable.
Charming.
Made her feel a little guilty too because she wanted to lean over, see if Paulo’s kisses were as warm as his hands. At the same time, she wanted to push into Josh’s lap and rub. They smelled so good, better than any men ever had.
She pressed her hands to her hot cheeks, worried that her glasses might steam up. She’d never had such amazingly sexual thoughts, especially about people who were right there in front of her.
“You okay,
querida
? You look flushed.” Paulo’s fingers trailed over her arm and her nipples went hard.
“Just fine. So, meatloaf?”
“Mmmhmm.” Paulo looked…hungry.
Josh made this low sound, raw and deep enough that she shivered.
Okay, Cheri Louise. Get yourself together.
This was just about meatloaf. Food. Not eating them up with a spoon.
Paulo’s body seemed to heat beside her and Cheri caught herself rubbing her thighs together. This was the most bizarre thing, this desperate need she had for both of them. She wasn’t that kind of girl.
Not at all.
The waitress came over, nostrils flaring in the weirdest sort of way. “You guys ready?”
Josh chuckled softly. “Getting there.”
Cheri heard a thump under the table. Josh jumped, glaring at Paulo, and she stared back and forth at them. “What the heck is with you two?”
She got two wide-eyed stares in return.
“Us? We’re just two old friends.”
The waitress snorted.
Josh puffed up a little. “Meatloaf.”
Paulo nodded. “Me too.”
She tried to smile. “I guess that’s a ‘me three’.”
“Sure thing.” Marlene didn’t seem put out by Josh, so maybe this kind of banter was normal.
It unnerved her though, more than a little, and she found herself staring at the table. How could she be sitting across the table from the man she wanted to fuck and next to the man she wanted to date?
“What’s wrong,
linda
?” Paulo asked, patting her leg.
She must have jumped a mile, but she managed a shrug. “I’m feeling a little out of place.”
“I bet anyone who comes here to work feels that way.” Josh winked. “We’re tight-knit.”
She nodded, even though that wasn’t what she’d meant at all. Lobo Basin was homey. “Most small towns are, hmm? I think even lots of neighborhoods in big cities are.”
“Well, don’t worry, honey.” Josh chuckled, reaching for his drink. “You’re going to fit in fine.”
“I’m trying.” She added sugar to her coffee and enough cream to make it right. “The children like me.”
“So do I.” Both men said it at the same time.
She looked from one to another, eyes wide. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Paulo’s arm rubbed against her shoulder, warm and hard with muscle.
The touch relaxed her, bone deep, and she smiled. Thank goodness tomorrow was Friday. She needed some quality down time. The bathtub and the vibrator had worked last time. Hopefully it would tomorrow too.
“So, would you like to go driving this weekend?” The question from Josh came out of left field.
“I…” Okay, weird. Was it weird to sit here with Paulo and make a date with Josh?
Paulo rumbled a little, the sound one she felt more than heard. “This is only her second week of school, Josh. Let her rest this weekend.
Josh’s nostrils flared. “I think the drive out to the old grounds is real restful.”
“Old grounds?”
Paulo nodded. “Indian dwellings. There are drawings and such.”
“Oh how fun!” That would be so neat to see. And she just hated to offend anyone.
“I’ll pick you up Sunday at noon? We’ll take a picnic lunch out and explore.”
“I… Okay. Okay.” God, she had guilt.
That calloused hand of Paulo’s landed on her leg again, squeezing. Comforting. Maybe it was okay. She sure hoped it was.
The biggest pieces of meatloaf she’d ever seen landed on the table. There had to be a pound of meat on her plate. There was also gravy and mashed potatoes, but the meat… Heavens.
“That’s huge,” she murmured, trying not to admit that it made her mouth water.
“Yes ma’am.” Josh grabbed his fork. “It’s good for you.”
She wasn’t sure about that, but it sure looked fine. She tried a bite and she couldn’t help but moan a little. Oh that was yummy.
Paulo shivered next to her, then tucked in, and then there wasn’t any more talking because they were eating. She made it through about a quarter before she had to slow down, but the boys, lord, they devoured it.
When she pushed her plate away halfway through, they fell on hers like starving men too.
“Y’all don’t get fed enough.” She needed to get her little kitchen completely unpacked, make a brisket for…one of them.
“Well, I ain’t a cook.”
“You’re not much of anything.” Paulo’s laughter rang out, making her and Josh both stare.
“I’m a cowboy.”
“Do you have horses?” She loved horses. She used to have one when she was a girl, a pretty paint named Hannah.
“I do. Anytime you want to go riding…” Josh trailed off, his cheeks going red. “Either or both of you.”
Paulo chuckled. “I’ll call. I have plans tonight.”
Her heart sort of flopped down into her belly with the meatloaf. Paulo had a date? With someone not her?
“You do?” Josh arched an eyebrow.
Paulo nodded, took Cheri’s hand. “I’m taking Miss Cheri to get ice cream, and then I’m going to take her home.”
Oh.
She smiled so wide her cheeks hurt a bit. “I’d like that a lot.”
“Good.” Paulo nodded as if it was all settled.
Josh crossed his arms, leaned back in the booth. “What’s your favorite ice cream, girl?”
“I like java chip best. Chocolate and coffee, you know?”
“You like your coffee. I like pistachio. Paulo likes cherry vanilla.”
“Mmm. Can you get good ice cream close by?”
“Sure can. At the Dairy Dawg. They have hot dogs and fries, but the best is the ice cream.” Paulo looked so tickled. She’d had a Dairy Dart where she grew up. She’d bet this was the same kind of place.
“The Dairy Dawg? I love it. I’m so there. Well, after I digest. My goodness that was a lot of meatloaf.”
“
Esta bien
.” Paulo licked his fork, a motion that struck her as oddly erotic.