“Need help with that?” a voice that still evokes all sorts of wrong feelings asks from behind me.
Flustered, I almost drop my phone as I spin around with my heart now stuck in my throat. Alistair is standing too close to me in all his six-foot-three hotness, holding a box of donuts.
“What are you doing here?” I blurt out like I have the right to know.
I’m such a dumbass.
He raises an eyebrow, displaying a phantom of a smirk on his lips. “Getting sugar treats for a faculty meeting.”
What a one-eighty change in attitude. He was furious with me on Monday after he found out I was high. Here he is now acting like the Alistair I fell in love with in Italy. My heart is fluttering like a hummingbird in my chest.
“Gotcha.”
He points at the phone in my hand. “Do you need help taking a picture?”
I want to say no and run away. But that would be stupid as hell. There’s nothing illicit about a teacher offering to help a student out. It’s just an innocent picture.
“Yes, if you don’t mind. Max loves donuts. I want to make him jealous that I’m about to order the biggest one they have.”
Alistair gives me a small smile before taking the phone from me, brushing his fingertips against mine in the process. A zing goes up my arm.
Nonsense, Chiara. You’re imagining things. There’s no such thing as magical, electric touches.
“What do you want on the picture? The sign?”
“Yes, please.”
I stand in front of the shop and strike a lame pose. I can’t relax when Alistair is the one taking the photo. I feel self-conscious and exposed.
“Come on, Goldilocks. You’re not even trying.”
My heart skips a beat, and I drop the fake smile. I can’t believe he called me that out in public where anyone could hear him.
A second later, Alistair realizes his mistake. His easy grin vanishes as he lowers the phone.
Troubled, he says, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to call you that.”
“No, it’s okay. Slipups happen.”
He returns my phone. “Are you getting donuts to go? They have a special deal today. You’ll get double your order if you buy a dozen. I suspect once this hits social media, the place will be packed.”
“That’s tempting, but I don’t think I can eat twenty-four donuts by myself. I’ll probably go into a sugar-induced coma, and who’s going to rescue me?”
“I would,” he says, and my heart decides to do the conga.
What the hell is going on here? Alistair just offered to be my knight in shining armor. I must be hallucinating. Sure, we’re not on school property, but he’s still my teacher. He’ll lose his job if people suspect we were involved before.
I don’t know what he reads on my face, but he suddenly clears his throat and says, “I’d better go or I’ll be late. See you in class on Monday.”
He walks away, leaving me bereft and cold inside. The silly girl in me is upset he didn’t stay longer.
I’m still watching his retreating back when someone touches my shoulder, scaring the crap out of me.
“Madonna Santa! Robbie, you almost gave me a heart attack.”
“Sorry. Hey, was that Mr. Walsh?”
“Hmm, yes.”
“That man is sin incarnate.”
“You really need to stop lusting after a teacher.”
I’m such a hypocrite. If he only knew the wicked things Alistair did to me this summer.
Shit. My face must be redder than a tomato.
He sighs loudly. “I know. I hate the rules that students can’t get involved with teachers. It’s so unfair. Do you know how many hotties we’ve had at DuBose since I started? Too fucking many. All forbidden, which makes them even more appealing.”
“If you’re into older guys.” I shrug, hoping I’m selling the lie that I don’t find Alistair all that hot.
“Are you referring to Mr. Walsh? He’s not that old. He’s only twenty-six. No, wait. I think his birthday is coming up, so he’ll be twenty-seven soon. But he’s still hot.”
“How do you know when his birthday is?”
“I googled it, of course.” I stare at Robbie with a question in my gaze, and he adds, “Oh my God. You have no idea who he is, do you?”
A sliver of apprehension and excitement runs down my spine. “No. Should I?”
