Page 69 of The Headmaster’s Rule

“It’s okay. I need to go pick up pumpkins, anyway. We’re carving them in class tomorrow.”

With a sigh, he eases me off his lap, reaching for my sketch. “Can you leave this with me? I’ll get Margaret to make me a copy. It will be useful in planning setup.”

“Of course.”

I smile, handing him back his vest and jacket from the coat stand. He slips them on, buttons carefully fastened, tie straightened, hair smoothed back into place. Once more, he’s Headmaster Wright, and I smile to myself, loving that I’m lucky enough to see the undone side of him. The real Theo.

He studies me, as if weighing something. “Do you know the faculty cottages on the edge of campus, behind the row of cypress trees?”

I nod.

“Mine is the one in the middle. Do you have plans tomorrow night? I’d love to cook you dinner.”

I blink in surprise. “You want to cook for me?”

He smiles. “Yes. Well, I’d love to take you out to a nice restaurant, but that’s probably out of the question, given we need to keep this under the radar. Even if we didn’t run into anyone from school, it’s a small town. People talk.”

“Of course.”

“But I’d love to cook for you. Is there anything you don’t like, anything you’re allergic to?”

“Nothing,” I murmur, biting back a huge smile. I hadn’t given any thought to what a relationship with Theo might look like, given I spent most of today thinking he’d changed his mind, but that sounds divine. Him, cooking for me, in his house.

“I’d invite you tonight, but now I have a meeting with a parent.” He sighs, motioning to the phone, but he’s still smiling. “I wish I could bring you in here to massage my neck every time I get a stressful phone call.”

I laugh. “I already have a job.”

“I know.” He lowers his mouth to mine, eyes glinting as he kisses me goodbye. “But I’d make it worth your while.”

CHAPTER 23

Theo

Iclose the door behind Eleanor with great reluctance. I do now have a parent meeting tonight, but it’s not for an hour, and I could have shelved everything else and kept Eleanor around for a little longer. Could have peeled that blue dress off her like I’ve imagined doing since I saw her at the faculty meeting this morning.

But I had to send her home. I knew if she stayed, I’d let her do a hell of a lot more than massage me. I shouldn’t have let her do that, shouldn’t have even kissed her, for Christ’s sake. Not in my office. Not on campus.

But the moment I realized she’d spent all day thinking I’d ghosted her—or whatever the kids call it now—I couldn’t stop myself.

Juliana’s right. I really am an idiot.

I should never have let her wake up alone. If that had been me—if I’d woken up after the night we’d shared to find her gone, with no explanation—I would’ve been devastated. She looked so hurt and uncertain standing here this afternoon, and I won’t be the reason she feels that way.

So I kissed her. And told her I was all in.

I hadn’t planned that either, but it was a relief when she admitted that’s what she wants too. That we’re really doing this. The thought makes me want to skip down the halls and sing.

What is she doing to me?

Hell, I’m lucky the only thing I let her do was massage me. It felt so damn good to have her hands on me as I took that call. Yes, she worked out some of the knots from my shoulders—knots I didn’t even know were there—but it was more than that.

A thrill zipped through me as she peeled my suit jacket off, as she instructed me to remove my vest. And when she massaged my shoulders while I dealt with that agitated parent, fingers hot as they stroked across me… I shouldn’t like her touching me like that while I’m on a professional call, but fuck me, it was hot. Illicit. If not crossing a line, definitely getting pretty fucking close.

Part of me hoped she’d do more, maybe get on her knees in front of me, under my desk. That thought makes my dick twitch, imagining her down there with my cock in her mouth. Anyone could walk into the room and they wouldn’t know.

Jesus Christ.

This is exactly why I sent her home. My career, her career, this school is on the line, and I can’t take the risk. It was difficult enough to keep my hands off her before we started this, but now? If we’re together, which is bad enough in itself, I need to keep it off school property. I need to draw a line, somehow, between our personal and professional lives. To retain some semblance of control.