Free Take a Chance on Me by Kate Davies Page B

can do anything to help.” He nodded briefly and was gone.
    Jessica leaned her forehead on the board, listening intently to the sound of his footsteps fading away.
     
    Tom picked up the pace as he rounded the corner, anxious to put some space between himself and Jessica’s classroom. Finally safe in his office, he closed the door and dropped into his chair. He held his hand out in front of him, flexing it slowly.
    All she’d done was place her hand on his. A brief physical contact. Nothing more.
    So why was his hand still—tingly, for want of a better word? And he didn’t even want to think about the tingles still echoing in other more personal parts of his body. He cursed under his breath and crossed his arms. He was sounding like some giddy teenager. And heaven knew his hormones were acting like they were back in high school.
    The problem was, the two of them seemed to keep on touching each other—at the pizza place, in the theater, just now in her classroom—and he had this same reaction every single time. There was no reason such casual contacts should have such an effect on him.
    And the non-casual contact…
    Shit. That kiss yesterday still wouldn’t leave him alone. Just now, in her classroom, it was all he could do not to grab her and try for a repeat.
    He brushed a hand through his hair, leaving it rumpled and tangled. Jessica Martin disturbed his orderly life, bumping up against his wall of professionalism and knocking it down bit by bit. Until she’d arrived on the scene he’d had no trouble keeping his distance from co-workers.
    Now, without even realizing it, he was searching her out, looking for an excuse to interact with her. If he’d been smart, he would have stuffed the paperwork in her mailbox and avoided this situation today altogether. But no, he had to bring it to her door—and then he ended up encouraging her in this insane plan to direct a Shakespeare play.
    The woman was a bit bent. And so was he for letting her get to him like this.
    He’d been on his own for years now, and up until a few days ago he hadn’t questioned that status. He’d learned the hard way that the only person he could trust was himself. It was safer to keep people at arm’s length.
    Unfortunately, it was getting harder and harder to keep Jessica Martin there.
     
     
    “You’re an idiot.”
    Jessica snorted and leaned back in the overstuffed chair. “Didn’t I just finish telling you that?”
    She could hear Ana’s sigh clearly over the phone line. “Yes, but I figure you needed the confirmation.”
    “No, I’m well aware of the fact.”
    “And you’re going to go through with it.” Skepticism laced Ana’s voice. “It’s bad enough you’re the drama coach—”
    “Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence.”
    “You know what I mean. You and theaters don’t exactly have the best track record.”
    Jessica twisted the phone cord around her finger. “I know,” she muttered.
    “So, like I said, that’s bad enough. But Shakespeare? Are you nuts?”
    “Probably.”
    “Tell me again why you won’t direct something else.”
    “I gave my word.”
    “You blurted the idea out in the middle of a class discussion. It’s not like you swore an oath.”
    Jessica sipped at her rapidly cooling tea. “Still, I won’t go back on my word.”
    “Whatever. I’ll be there in ten.”
    Jessica held the phone, listening to the faint buzz of the broken connection. She should have known Ana would latch onto this like a Rottweiler on a—well, on anything.
    She hoisted herself out of the chair, padded into the kitchen and switched the kettle back on. She took out another oversized mug and pulled down the basket of tea bags from above the refrigerator. Then she grabbed a box of chocolate cupcakes out of the freezer. This was going to be a long night.
    The doorbell buzzed, jolting her out of her thoughts. She flicked on the hall light as she walked to the front door. It had gotten dark in the hour since she’d arrived