Forever With You (Bayou Dreams Book 5) by Farrah Rochon

for the school. Do you think—”
    A knock sounded on the door a second before Ardina Scofield’s head poked in. “Mr. Frank— Oh, hi, Leslie,” she said. “Mr. Franklin, the superintendent of schools is here. Principal Williams asked if you could join them in the cafeteria.”
    “I’ll be right there,” Gabriel said. He waited for the secretary to leave before returning his attention to Leslie. “I’m sorry we have to cut this short. I would really like to continue this conversation if you have some time to spare. It’s important that the correct information gets out there, and not the rumors that I’m pretty certain the person who just left this room started.”
    Leslie had to bite her lip to stop herself from making a sound, but she couldn’t stop it from twitching.
    “You’re not betraying your sources,” he said. “I know it was Ardina.”
    “Whoever it was, they apparently got the story wrong.”
    “Yes, she did. And it’s imperative that parents know the truth. Can you help me get the information across to them?”
    “Of course,” Leslie said.
    Relief flooded his face. He reached over and clasped both of her hands between his. “Thank you.”
    The moment he touched her, tingles started to rain on her skin. He pulled his hand away and ran it up and down his pant leg, but his eyes remained on her. The mixture of confusion and heat in his stare made Leslie question whether her innocent infatuation was one-sided.
    But it
had
to be one-sided. He was young and hip and single and just starting out in life. She was a widowed working mother who spent her free time making sure their new puppy didn’t leave any smelly surprises on her hardwood floors.
    But she wasn’t blind, either. She knew that look in Gabriel Franklin’s eyes.
    This was not one-sided.
    “I’ll be in touch,” he said.
    Leslie could only nod.
    With one last penetrating look, he turned and left her standing in the room. Leslie slouched against the counter and focused all her energy on pulling in as many deep breaths as she could.
    When had her safe crush turned so dangerous?
    * * *
    Gabe fought to remain focused on what Superintendent McCabe was saying, but it would be easier to recite the entire periodic table backward. In his sleep.
    He’d lost his ability to comprehend anything the moment Leslie Kirkland entered the school cafeteria. He should be used to his body’s reaction to her, but every single time she was near he was shocked at just how much she affected him. He’d had to stop himself from circling her volunteer days on his calendar; but it didn’t matter because he had her schedule memorized.
    If only he could figure out a way to make her see him as something other than Cassidy’s teacher. He had never failed so miserably at getting a woman’s attention.
    There had been a number of times over the course of the past few months that he’d thought he’d noticed her looking at him with something akin to interest, but maybe it had been wishful thinking on his part. If her reaction to him asking her to call him by his first name wasn’t a Mount Olympus–size hint as to how she felt, Gabe didn’t know what was.
    Leslie Kirkland obviously didn’t think of herself as his friend, so he shouldn’t think of her that way, either. She was a dedicated volunteer who took a vested interest in her children’s education. Period.
    She was also gorgeous, sophisticated and—as he’d learned tonight—had the softest hands he’d ever felt.
    Gabe tracked her out of the corner of his eye as she walked over to the refreshment table that had been laid out for parents and teachers attending tonight’s conference. Her slim figure curved in just the right places, the slight flare of her hips accentuated by her fitted suit jacket. Her rich auburn hair fell in thick waves, reaching just past her shoulders.
    And that face—God, that face. Deep-set sable-colored eyes, intoxicatingly smooth light brown skin, lips that haunted his