Page 16 of The Other Side
7
“Chance Harper, let me introduce you to Violet Price.” Banks swept his hand out, motioning to me, frozen, next to him.
Chance looked even more devastatingly handsome in a well-fitted black suit and crisp white button-up shirt. He had opted not to utilize a tie, which allowed him to leave the top two buttons undone.
This man was like my walking kryptonite.
But then reality sank in.
Chance was the new English teacher.
We’d be working together.
Nothing could transpire between us, or I could lose my job.
Furthermore, he had chosen to omit the part about him working at Montgomery the night before. Had our exchange been meant as some cruel prank? I’d been ostracized by everyone else. I didn’t know how much more I could take.
My heart sank.
“Oh, we’ve already been acquainted.” Chance gave me a knowing smirk. “It’s nice to see you again, Violet.” He ran theback of his knuckles casually down my arm, causing a shiver to run through me.
Instinctively I flinched away from his familiar touch, trying to ignore the fact that I could feel a blush already creeping along my cheeks and a heated coil tensing in my lower half. I didn’t want anyone to get any ideas. “It’s Miss Price,” I sniped.
Chance’s eyebrows shot up in surprise; his amused expression remained.
“I forgot to mention she bites.” Banks snickered at my reaction.
Chance leaned down to whisper, “You look as good as you tasted last night, in that dress.” I couldn’t tell if his tone was teasing or sincere. Not that it mattered.
I tensed, my eyes locking with Banks, who was keenly observing our interaction, but from enough of a distance to not have heard Chance’s comment.
“I ran into him while I was in town yesterday,” I nervously explained to Banks. “He introduced himself when he overheard me mention to someone that I taught at Montgomery.”
Banks gave a knowing nod, accepting my watered-down explanation for our initial meeting.
Nobody at Montgomery needed to know about the panty-dropping kiss we had shared in the hallway outside my apartment door, or the butterflies in my stomach that hadn’t gotten the message that something was seriously wrong here and they needed to stand down immediately.
Feeling suddenly overheated and sensing the panic rising inside of me, I blurted out, “I need a new drink.” Without giving Banks a proper goodbye, or allowing my gaze to land on Chance, I stormed toward the bar at the far side of the room.
“I’ll go with you,” Chance said from behind me.
“I’m fine,” I threw behind me, not bothering to see if he was following me because I could feel him gaining on me.
“I need a fresh drink myself,” he replied, letting his hand come to rest at the small of my back once I made it to the bar.
Again, I jerked away from him.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I hissed just under my breath, so only he could hear me. “Are you trying to get me fired!?”
His brow shot up in surprise, but before he could answer me, Headmaster Winston appeared behind him, clapping a hand on Chance’s shoulder. “Mr. Harper, I see you’ve met the lovely Violet Price.”
I clenched my jaw at the sound of affection as he spoke the word “lovely” to describe me.
“She’s been very accommodating, Headmaster.” Chance glanced up at the intimidating older man, who had even a few inches on Chance’s already tall frame.
“Please, call me Chuck.” He waved a hand at Chance.
My lips parted in a mix of shock and annoyance.
