Page 12 of Inside Out

“Inherent force of matter is the power resisting by which every body, so far as it is able, perseveres in its state either of resting or of moving uniformly straight forward.”

~Isaac Newton

“The key to resisting the sexy, silver fox is to keep it moving.”

~ Julius Shepherd

Over the next two weeks, ignoring my growing attraction to Rome, as I’d come to think of him, was easy. I had tennis practice or matches at least six days a week, and I spent my evenings grading papers and composing music forInside Out. I suspected Rome knew I returned his attraction just as he’d picked up on my reluctance to act upon it. For the most part, he respected the boundaries I’d set in place and only reached out to me through emails to talk about the play we were both reading and helping to develop. I very well couldn’t ignore his communications, but I could choose not to acknowledge the personal notes he added to the bottom that complimented me on the tie I’d chosen to wear that day or mentioned he regretted missing me in the teachers’ lounge during lunchtime on the days he joined us.

I had to give the man credit; he was serious about fostering a great relationship with the teaching staff in the three buildings, which included bringing catered lunches once a week. It’s true that I happened not to attend, but if he’d asked around, he would know I usually spent my lunch break in my classroom. I knew it made me look standoffish to the rest of the teachers, but my workload was going to be heavy enough without adding the play to my teaching and coaching responsibilities. I wouldn’t say I felt overwhelmed, but I had enough on my mind that I didn’t need to add fending off unwanted advances to the list.

Unwanted advances.That made me snicker. In the stillest hours of the early morning, I would dream of Rome and wake up hard, hot, and yearning for him. I started running more in the morning, and if that didn’t drive him out of my system, I took care of business in the hot shower that followed. I used the excess energy in my classroom and on the court which meant my students were engaged and my tennis players were motivated. I was winning at this avoidance thing until Rome decided to step up his game on the third week of school.

“Knock knock,” he said, standing in my open door with a carryout container in his hand. “I thought I’d take a chance and catch you before you ate your…” His words trailed off as he tried to see what I had laid out on my desk from across the room.

“It’s leftover chicken Caesar salad from dinner last night.” The smells wafting across the room intrigued me, making it easy to put the lid on my Tupperware container and shove it aside. “What did you bring me?”

Rome accepted my question as the invitation I intended and entered my room. His stride was casual but powerful at the same time. The man moved with a natural grace and confidence that hinted at tightly controlled power. Was he that controlled in bed too or was it the one place he felt safe enough to free the beast he tried to hide from the world? The closer he came, the faster my pulse raced, answering the power that hummed beneath the surface of my tormentor. Rome’s blue eyes locked on mine, and that crooked smirk returned to his face because there was no way he missed the desire he stirred within me. I should hate that my body betrayed my true desires and the smug expression on his face, but I had to focus all my energy on not letting my imagination run wild. Getting a boner in my classroom was a big no-no, even if the only other person in the room was a consenting adult who would love seeing the way my body reacted to his nearness.

“I brought you a little of everything since you’ve been so elusive in both your attendance at the weekly lunches and your email responses when I bring it up.”

“Is that like Mohammed going to the mountains when they wouldn’t come to him?”

“I don’t think anyone’s ever compared me to a prophet before, but there is a mountain of mashed potatoes in here.”

I couldn’t help the little hum of pleasure that escaped me. Carbs were my only vice. “Gravy too?”

“What’s Salisbury steak without mashed potatoes and gravy?”

“A life not worth living,” I said vehemently, rubbing my hands together as Rome set the Styrofoam container on my desk. I eagerly opened it and saw he’d brought me honey-glazed carrots and a yeast roll also. “Who is going to teach my class and coach the tennis match after school once I fall into a carb coma?”

“I could take it back and you could eat your—”

My playful growl cut him off, stunning us both. Rome’s eyes widened in surprise then closed as a delicious shiver worked its way through his body. Yes, I knew the sexy man was envisioning all the ways he could make me growl. When Rome reopened his eyes, his icy blue gaze burned with intensity.

“I don’t want to keep you from working,” Rome said, taking two steps back from my desk. I couldn’t stop myself from raking my eyes up and down his lean, muscular frame. When my eyes returned to his face, I saw that all traces of the smugness from a few minutes before were gone. Rome’s jaw was clenched as tightly as his fists, and I saw his internal struggle reflected in his expressive eyes. He wanted to stay in the room with me but didn’t trust himself to do it. I liked that I affected his control; I liked it more than I was willing to admit to myself. What would he do? Lean across my desk and kiss me? I wasn’t ready to accept the ramifications of meeting him halfway if he did. “I just wanted to be sure you didn’t miss out. Again.”

His subtle rebuke made me smile. “It’s not personal, you know,” I said. “I rarely eat lunch in the lounge.” I gestured to the stack of papers on my desk. I had started entering the grades into the website the school used to share real-time updates with parents and students before he stopped by. “These honor students fret if their grades aren’t updated regularly.”

“So do their parents,” he said with a sly grin. “Good luck tonight.”

It would be our stiffest competition of the season against our county rivals. Whoever won the most points would be in first place for the league. The highest Blissville had ever finished was second, so our team was hungry to prove we were the real deal. “Thank you, sir.”

“Please call me Rome,” he said. It wasn’t the first time he’d asked me to be less formal with him, but it was the first time I gave it serious consideration. Of course, calling a man sir in certain circumstances could be very personal, but it wasn’t something that had ever appealed to me.

“Thank you, Rome.” I loved the way his name felt on my tongue, and his flared nostrils said he liked it too. “Will you be there?” I’d heard he attended as many high school events as he could but had yet to see him at the tennis events.

“I wasn’t sure you would want me there,” he admitted.

He was right; I hadn’t wanted him to attend. Had one kind act changed my mind? It shouldn’t have because I would find it even harder to ignore his presence and concentrate even after such a brief exchange. “I think the kids would appreciate your support.”The kids, huh?

“I would hate to disappointthem. See you this afternoon.”

“Thank you,” I said, gesturing to the food I had yet to taste.

His answer was a quick wink before he turned and left my office without a backward glance. I didn’t have time to contemplate what had transpired between us because I only had fifteen minutes before my next class, and I wouldn’t waste it waging an internal battle when I could be eating. The steak was tender and flavorful, and the mashed potatoes were creamy and delicious with the brown gravy on top. I ate and entered grades until not even a single carrot remained. The bell for my next class rang just as I tossed the empty container in the trash.

“Mr. Shepherd, I have a question about my most recent grades,” Angela Hightower said when she entered the classroom.