Class Act: A Coach/Student Romance

THE NEXT MORNING, I woke up in Abe’s guestroom feeling terrible. I had tossed and turned all night, angry at myself for crossing the line and kissing him and angry at him for… Why exactly was I upset with him? Did I really expect him to walk away from his family because of a little attraction between us?

I couldn’t be mad at him, though I wished I could go back to him topping me on the couch. I would have gritted my teeth and borne the discomfort in my ribs just to experience more with him.

That kiss hadn’t been enough.

Oh god, the way he’d grabbed my bare ass and easily lifted me had me turned on.

I groaned and crawled out of bed, gingerly touching my ribs. They ached more than they had last night. I had to find some food so I could take some more painkillers.

In the bathroom, I took care of my morning routine, but I still had no clothes to put on. With a sigh, I crept out of my room and down the hall to Mandy’s room. I knocked softly on the door.

A few seconds later, the door opened, and Mandy appeared, dressed in a pair of lavender pajamas with cupcakes on them. She rubbed her eyes.

“Emery?”

“Shit, did I wake you up? I’m sorry.”

“It’s not even eight yet.” She frowned. “Why are you up already? It’s a Sunday.”

“I want to borrow something to wear. Your father was supposed to have thrown my stuff into the wash last night, but I don’t know if he has, and nobody’s awake yet.”

“Sure. Come on in. That shirt you have on looks hideous on you.”

She was right. The material was shapeless on my slender body, but I loved the feel on my skin.

And it was Abe’s shirt.

He was never getting it back.

Mandy stretched, then crawled back into bed and pulled the sheets up to her chin.

“Mandy, you’re supposed to help me find something to wear.”

She waved a hand at me. “Take whatever you want from my closet. I don’t mind.”

“I won’t take anything fancy.”

“Whatever you say.”

I knew she had an extensive closet, courtesy of the credit card her mother had given her. I moved through all the options and selected a pair of faded jeans and a yellow graphic T-shirt.

“I’ll get these back to you soon. I promise.”

“I don’t care about the clothes.” She rolled over and sat up in bed. “What happened at the hospital? Are your ribs okay?”

“They will be. You didn’t need to have your father take me to the emergency room, although the medicine they gave me sure has helped.”

“You’re welcome. What are you going to do about your dad?”

I shrugged and put a leg inside the jeans. “Try to stay out of his way as best I can. If it gets too bad, then I’ll look around for a room to rent somewhere.”

“Hmm.”

She wore a contemplative frown that made me uneasy. I knew her plotting face all too well. We might not have known each other for long, but we spent a lot of our free time together.

“Whatever you’re thinking, stop it right now.”

“But it’s the perfect solution. All we’d have to do is convince both Mom and Dad to let you stay here while you finish high school.”

A choked sound left me. “No way.”

“I’m pretty sure they’d agree to it.”

I shook my head. “Doesn’t matter. I wouldn’t want to stay here anyway.”

“Why not?”

Because I kissed your father last night, and I liked it.

“I don’t want to be a bother.”

“My dad will be cool about it, and I just need to make Mom feel guilty enough for not picking me up last night, and she will agree.”

“No need to. I’ll be fine, though I love your manipulative heart.”

I shrugged out of the shirt Abe had loaned me and pulled on the T-shirt I had picked from Mandy’s closet. The fit was much closer to my actual size than Abe’s clothes.

“Ugh, why do you look cuter in my clothes than I do?” Mandy said.

I laughed. “I do not.”

“Do too.” She sighed. “Did my parents fight last night? I was out cold before you guys returned.”

“Umm, a little.”

Mandy growled and dropped back onto the bed. “I don’t know why they don’t divorce already. They have nothing in common.”

“I’m sure you don’t mean that.”

“I do. It’s so uncomfortable being around them when they argue.”

“If they do divorce, and I’m not saying they will, who would you choose to live with?”

She shrugged. “I don’t think I’ll have to choose. I’ll be off to college soon, and then it won’t matter.”

“But there will be holidays.” I went over to her. “You won’t be able to stay neutral, you know.”

She shuffled over and patted the space beside her. “At least I’ll still have you as a friend, right?”

“Of course.” I ruffled her hair. “Why don’t you help me make breakfast?”

“You don’t have to do that. Dad will make it.”

“I want to. To thank your folks for letting me spend the night.”

“Fine. Go ahead, but I need at least another hour of sleep.” She pulled the pillow over her head, and I chuckled.

“All right, then, be lazy.”

Clutching Abe’s shirt in my hands, I slipped out of Mandy’s room and closed the door, only to have a steel band fasten around my wrist.

“Abe?” I squeaked.

He pulled me along with him, and I quickened my steps to keep up. He flung the door of the guestroom open, marched inside, and closed the door behind us. Only then did he release me.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he snapped, his lips so stiff they barely moved. His eyes glinted hard and accusatory.

“What do you mean?”

He gripped the shirt I had on in his fist and yanked at the material. “What are you wearing?”

“Mandy lent me some stuff.”

“I told you it was inappropriate to wear her clothes, didn’t I? Take them off.”

“What?” I tried to step away from Abe, but he kept his hold firmly on me.

“Last night, you were kissing me, and this morning, I find you coming out of Mandy’s room wearing her things?”

I gaped at Abe. Was he jealous that I’d been in Mandy’s room? That I was wearing her clothes?

“Why are you angry? They’re just clothes.”

“They aren’t yours. Take them off. I’ll bring your stuff up for you.”

“But you didn’t have a problem with me wearing your shirt last night.”

Color rose in his face.

My heart skipped a beat. I was right.

He was jealous of me wearing Mandy’s clothes.

“Don’t wear my daughter’s clothes, Emery, and that’s final.” He let go of my borrowed shirt.

“Why does it bother you so much, Abe? You turned me down last night, didn’t you? What business is it of yours whose clothes I wear?” I cocked an eyebrow. “And don’t use the Mandy-is-my-daughter defense card. We’re both old enough.”

He took a step toward me, and I backed up until my legs hit the bed.

“But you’re both under my roof, so you’ll follow my rules.”

“It won’t bother you then if I wear her clothes outside your house?”

The muscle in his cheek ticked, and his nostrils flared. “Why are you being such a brat?”

“Because I want you to admit the real reason you’re upset seeing me in Mandy’s clothes.”

Abe’s hand came up. I flinched and lifted my arms as if deflecting his blow. It never came. He widened his eyes and cupped my neck, his anger melting away. “Emery, I’d never hit you.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and tried to quell the fear that had risen inside me when he raised his hand.

“It doesn’t matter how angry I get. I’d never ever lay a hand on you that way. Do you understand?”

I lowered my gaze to the floor and nodded. Abe took me by the shoulders and pulled me against him. I easily went along and placed my head in the center of his chest. His hand came to rest on my lower back, stroking me gently.

“It was a reflex,” I whispered. “I know you’d never hit me.”

“Good.” He sighed and kissed my head. “Will you change?”

“Will you tell me why it matters so much to you?”

“I don’t know. It just does. I hate seeing you coming out of her room and wearing her clothes.”

“You were jealous?”

“Hmm.”

It wasn’t a direct answer, but he’d said enough. I smiled. “I’ll change.”

“Good boy.”

Oh shit.

Everything inside me turned to Jell-O. Abe’s approval shouldn’t make me feel so good. Like a bandage over a wound. Or salve on extremely sunburnt skin.

It only made me want more.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he said.

“Like what?”

“You know.”

Ugh. Why couldn’t he come out with it already? He acted as though if he didn’t say the words, then everything would be normal. Nothing could ever be normal between us again after that kiss we’d shared last night.

“Abe?”

“Yes?”

“What are we doing?”

“Fuck if I know. I can’t be with you the way you want. It’s too complicated, but I don’t know if I can walk away either. I need to know you’re okay.”

He pressed his thumb to my bottom lip and rubbed. I opened my mouth and licked his thumb while staring up at him. Abe swallowed hard and dropped his hand. “I’ll go get your clothes for you to change.”

I rolled my eyes, and when he frowned, heat surged into my cheeks. “Yes, sir.”

He picked up the T-shirt that had fallen onto the ground. I tried to pull it out of his grip.

“No, don’t take that.”

“I’ll throw it in the laundry with my things.”

“Please don’t. I’d like to keep it.”

“Emery.”

“Please. If I can’t kiss you or-or more, I can at least sleep in your shirt and think about it.”

Abe’s chest rose and fell, but he released his hold on the shirt. “You shouldn’t be saying that to me either.”

I shrugged and hugged the T-shirt to my chest. “Just speaking my thoughts out loud. You should go if you don’t want to hear the rest.”

“You’re a brat, aren’t you?” He cocked his head to the side. “Let me get your things.”

When Abe left, I sighed and lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling with a silly smile and a flutter in my stomach. Abe wasn’t going as far as I wanted, but he wasn’t pushing me away either. Had he taken me up on my offer last night and fucked me, I might have been left thinking he only wanted to use my body. He was being careful, though.

He was exactly the kind of man I thought him to be. I wasn’t even sure what I expected and wanted from him, but all I knew was that being around Abe made my life better somehow. Like the way he touched me and talked to me gently yet firmly.

Abe could be the one.

The door opened, and I sat up. Abe carried my duffel and a laundry basket with my clothes. Something lacy peeked out from the bundle, and I bit back my smile. Had he just dumped everything into the machine, or had he picked through my clothes? Did he like the lace?

“Get dressed.” He hovered in the doorway as if he was afraid to get too close. “I’m going to get started on breakfast.”

“Oh, can I help?” I jumped up from the bed, jarring my ribs, but I was too happy to pay the flare of pain any mind. “If your wife doesn’t have a problem with someone else in her kitchen.”

“Teresa isn’t here.”

“But it’s Sunday.”

“Just another business day for her. I’ll be in the kitchen.”

Abe walked out and closed the door firmly behind him. For a long time after he’d left, I didn’t move. I’d flirted and played with him, but fear skated down my spine. What was I doing? He would never choose someone like me over his wife, so why should I push? I would only end up getting hurt.

Only if you go into this with false hope.

I peeled off Mandy’s clothes. Abe’s face, stamped with jealousy, flashed through my mind.

Maybe I’d find heartbreak.

But maybe I’d find love.

The very big maybe was worth the risk.