Handsome Stranger by Megan Grooms Page B

fell he had been stunned mute for a moment. He had to touch the shining locks amazing himself at his daring.
    “ Nate?” He had forgotten someone knocked. He looked up to find Frank in his door. The large gym teacher took up the whole doorframe. Nate wasn’t a small man but next to Frank he felt like it. He looked like he had been a wrestler in his hay day but now was growing soft around the middle. The man’s hair line was quickly receding leaving the large forehead to look even bigger.
    “ Hey, what’s up?” He couldn’t hide a little of the disappointment in his voice at it not being her. He put on a fake smile to make up for the lackluster in his voice.
    “ Someone told me you were talking to the ice princess. Did she blow you off?” Frank walked in and sat at Nate’s desk making himself comfortable by putting his feet up.
    Holding back a groan he had to force himself not to say something biting back at the large man. Nate didn’t like that he was calling sweet innocent Abby the ice princess. He was sure they hadn’t really tried to get to know her. She clearly wanted someone to be friends with. He guessed these people just hadn’t tried hard enough. Always inviting her out to some party, a place she was clearly uncomfortable with. “Why does everyone hate her?” His voice was a little harsh despite his trying to sound like he didn’t care.
    “ Hey we all tried man. We invited her to out with us, over to our houses for cookouts, some of us even asked her out on a date. She turned us all down flat. If her kids aren’t involved with school functions she doesn’t even go to those. Hell she doesn’t even eat in the teachers’ lounge. She sits in her classroom all day. The only time she goes out is when her kids have recess. It’s just weird.” He smiled suddenly and Nate got a picture of a shark in his mind. “She does look good though doesn’t she? You can’t usually tell in the outfits she wears here but she has got great tits. Her ass looks good too. I saw her shopping once.”
    Nate caught himself before he walked over and punched the man. He had been a friend to him since he came to town and he knew how the man objectified women, he had never wanted to punch him before. Though he was right, Abbs looked great; it hadn’t escaped his notice or the notice of a certain other body part. He shoved that to the back of his mind for later, this was not the time or place to be thinking about her body.
    He took a deep breath; he couldn’t invite anyone from the school so it was alone or with his sister. He would have to at least invite his sister. He wasn’t sure if he could trust himself around Abby. He might kiss her, or more. He grew uncomfortable as his mind strayed off on its own starting to think about ‘or more’. Quickly he picked up some papers off his desk. “I’ll see you later Frank.” He ground out already heading for the door. He didn’t need anyone noticing how much he liked the strange and beautiful woman.
    In his car he took a few deep breaths forcing himself to calm down so he could call his sister. “Hey Jess, it’s short notice but can you and the family come over for dinner tonight? Say 7 o’clock.”
    “ Why do you sound stressed? Is everything alright?” His sister knew him too well. Now she was going to be worried until she saw him tonight. He felt bad but he couldn’t help how his voice sounded.
    “ Yea, everything’s fine, please don’t worry about that.” How embarrassing. How do you tell your baby sister that she needs to watch her big brother so he doesn’t attack a petite cute kindergarten teacher and have his way with her? He sighed “there is someone from work I invited over and I want you guys there so it’s not just the two of us. I’m afraid it would turn weird if we don’t have anything in common.” He finally admitted, at least a little.
    She laughed. “Sure, don’t worry about it. Jim will be able to keep the conversation going. You’re not