formed. How could he ever explain? No matter what he said, Delia would hate him. And she had every right to.
The waiter returned and set Donna Lee’s scotch on the table. Without thinking, Chase picked up the glass and downed it in a single gulp. Delia’s eyes, which still hadn’t returned to their normal size after Donna Lee’s departure, expanded even more.
“Good God. I’m having a drink with a teenager. I’m definitely going to jail. How could you do this to me?”
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Delia,” he said when he’d finally gathered enough courage.
“I’m not Delia to you anymore. I’m Ms. Clark now.”
“Don’t say that, Delia.”
“Well, what do you want me to say, huh? Did you want us to just pick up where we left off? Hey, I know, why don’t we go back to my place and have a quickie before your Latin class?”
Chase was taken aback by Delia’s uncharacteristic sarcasm.
“In all fairness, you never asked how old I was.”
“Oh, so I’m supposed to assume that every man I meet in a bar on a cruise ship throwing back beers is possibly a teenager?” She had a point there. You had to be twenty-one to even get in the bar. She had a right to assume he was of age. “You didn’t even tell me your real name. C.J. Mitchell? I thought you were Chase Donovan.”
“And I thought you were Delia James.”
“James is my married name. I went back to my maiden name, Clark, at the end of the summer.” He had to admit, that was a logical explanation.
He knew Delia lived in D.C. which is why he never told her where he was from, but he had no idea she was a school teacher. Even so, what were the chances that she would teach at the school he attended? But then again, considering the way he went through private schools, the odds were not in his favor.
Chase looked longingly at the empty glass of scotch. He needed another drink badly.
“You shouldn’t be drinking. You’re a child. You should be in class or … popping pimples or arguing with your parents about something.” Delia studied his face looking for signs of adolescence, but she didn’t see any. He looked perfect, tanned, mature, and unfortunately sexy. Delia put her face in her hands.
“Can I get you another drink?” The waiter asked Chase. He didn’t even get carded. Chase wanted to say yes, but he didn’t want to cause more problems so, he shook his head no. “Let me know when you’re ready to order,” the waiter said cheerfully as he bounced away.
“It’s complicated. I can’t get involved right now. I have a lot going on in my life,” Delia mockingly repeated the phrases Chase had told her at different times while they were on the cruise. “Of course, you can’t get involved. You’re in high school. You have to go to prom and apply to college and do homework, homework that I give you because I’m your teacher! I can’t believe I fell for a high school student.” Chase’s eyes lit up. She still cared for him.
“I fell for you too. I’ve thought about you every day since we left the cruise.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better? I’m your teacher. You can’t have feelings for me.”
“I won’t tell anyone,” he offered knowing she was worried about losing her job. “No one has to know.”
“I’m supposed to believe that? After all the lies you’ve told me, I’m supposed to believe you’re suddenly telling the truth.”
“I never lied to you, Delia. I just … didn’t tell you some things.” Chase reached out for her hand.
Delia abruptly stood from the table and said, “Chase, C.J., whoever you are, just go back to school and leave me alone.” She dashed out of the restaurant.
Chapter 7
Sex was so much better when he paid for it. It was a fact his wife would never understand. At least she didn’t get in the way of his need to feed
The waiter returned and set Donna Lee’s scotch on the table. Without thinking, Chase picked up the glass and downed it in a single gulp. Delia’s eyes, which still hadn’t returned to their normal size after Donna Lee’s departure, expanded even more.
“Good God. I’m having a drink with a teenager. I’m definitely going to jail. How could you do this to me?”
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Delia,” he said when he’d finally gathered enough courage.
“I’m not Delia to you anymore. I’m Ms. Clark now.”
“Don’t say that, Delia.”
“Well, what do you want me to say, huh? Did you want us to just pick up where we left off? Hey, I know, why don’t we go back to my place and have a quickie before your Latin class?”
Chase was taken aback by Delia’s uncharacteristic sarcasm.
“In all fairness, you never asked how old I was.”
“Oh, so I’m supposed to assume that every man I meet in a bar on a cruise ship throwing back beers is possibly a teenager?” She had a point there. You had to be twenty-one to even get in the bar. She had a right to assume he was of age. “You didn’t even tell me your real name. C.J. Mitchell? I thought you were Chase Donovan.”
“And I thought you were Delia James.”
“James is my married name. I went back to my maiden name, Clark, at the end of the summer.” He had to admit, that was a logical explanation.
He knew Delia lived in D.C. which is why he never told her where he was from, but he had no idea she was a school teacher. Even so, what were the chances that she would teach at the school he attended? But then again, considering the way he went through private schools, the odds were not in his favor.
Chase looked longingly at the empty glass of scotch. He needed another drink badly.
“You shouldn’t be drinking. You’re a child. You should be in class or … popping pimples or arguing with your parents about something.” Delia studied his face looking for signs of adolescence, but she didn’t see any. He looked perfect, tanned, mature, and unfortunately sexy. Delia put her face in her hands.
“Can I get you another drink?” The waiter asked Chase. He didn’t even get carded. Chase wanted to say yes, but he didn’t want to cause more problems so, he shook his head no. “Let me know when you’re ready to order,” the waiter said cheerfully as he bounced away.
“It’s complicated. I can’t get involved right now. I have a lot going on in my life,” Delia mockingly repeated the phrases Chase had told her at different times while they were on the cruise. “Of course, you can’t get involved. You’re in high school. You have to go to prom and apply to college and do homework, homework that I give you because I’m your teacher! I can’t believe I fell for a high school student.” Chase’s eyes lit up. She still cared for him.
“I fell for you too. I’ve thought about you every day since we left the cruise.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better? I’m your teacher. You can’t have feelings for me.”
“I won’t tell anyone,” he offered knowing she was worried about losing her job. “No one has to know.”
“I’m supposed to believe that? After all the lies you’ve told me, I’m supposed to believe you’re suddenly telling the truth.”
“I never lied to you, Delia. I just … didn’t tell you some things.” Chase reached out for her hand.
Delia abruptly stood from the table and said, “Chase, C.J., whoever you are, just go back to school and leave me alone.” She dashed out of the restaurant.
Chapter 7
Sex was so much better when he paid for it. It was a fact his wife would never understand. At least she didn’t get in the way of his need to feed
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