Page 35 of The Teacher

“Yeah, it is nice. I haven’t had a good night out for a long time.”

“Really? I’d have thought have the town’s eligible bachelors would be lining up to date you.”

I blush. “No,” I stammer.

But that’s not true, I’ve had plenty of offers of dates. It’s just that none of them were Skipper Deep. But I don’t tell him this. I don’t want to inflate his ego.

But I know that, even after all these years, my heart’s been holding out for Skipper. Even after what he did to me. Even after feeling betrayed. I just could never get the image of him out from my heart.

No man has ever compared to him.

All the kisses, all the drunk fumbles in the dark with strange men have all felt like nothing compared to Skipper. I’ve enjoyed the sex over the years, but nothing has made my heart flutter or my mind hazy the same way as when Skipper used to touch me in the school classrooms when we were teenagers. No other man has ever come close to making me feel like Skipper Deep has.

And now he’s back, sitting right here next to me.

“Okay, I’ve got an idea,” I say, drinking the rest of my wine. “How about a competition?”

Skipper perks up. He’s interested. “A competition? I already like the sound of that.”

“Yes, but not just any competition. A drinking competition.”

“Okay, damn. A drinking competition? I’m in for that. What’s it gonna be?”

I lean in close to Skipper so that I can practically taste his delicious aftershave. I’m teasing him with my puckered lips so close to his. I can sense him going hard between his legs. “You’re so desperate to make me come back to your hotel suite, how about we make that part of the deal. Let’s see who can endure the most shots. If you win, I will willingly go back to yours right now and fuck you out of this world.”

Skipper nods. “I like the sound of that,” he says. “What if you win?”

“If I win you get nothing, Skipper. Zero. I go home and I get to choose our next date. How about that?”

Skipper pauses for dramatic effect. Thinking.

“That sounds like a deal.”

“Perfect.”

“But one question before we start.”

“Shoot.”

“What alcohol will the shots be?” he asks.

I lick my lips and pull away from him. I love teasing him like that. “Tequila,” I say.

He really likes the sound of that. Skipper immediately calls over the waiter and we start the competition.

We get a whole line of shots ready on the table in front of us. Skipper lifts up his first shot and winks at me.

“Ready?” he asks.

“To kick your ass? Always.”

We drown our first shot. The alcohol hits me like a wall of fire. I knock it back down my throat.

I may not be a party girl, but I grew up with Cove Finn. I know how to hold my liquor, especially when I had to deal with drinking with my brother for years. I know how to drink a man twice the size of me under the table, I’ve had plenty of practice.

We both pick up the next shot.

“Ready?” I ask.