point, Stevie. You can’t avoid me all week.”
Hearing him say her name again made her chest ache. Why couldn’t he just sod off and leave her alone? She turned to face him, but he hadn’t moved back, and so his face was a little too close for comfort. “I don’t have to do anything,” she said flatly in a low voice, feeling relief in the knowledge that the coach was large and most of the kids had chosen to sit as far away from the staff as possible.
He smiled sadly. “Have it your way…for now. But you will listen to me.” He dropped his voice to a barely audible whisper. “Even if I have to tie you down to make sure you do.” He grinned and widened his eyes for a split second. She swallowed hard. Shit . He sniggered. “Don’t look so scared. I’m messing with you.” He shook his head as his shoulders juddered. He was clearly taking great delight in her shock.
Flaring her nostrils, she turned away from him again.
Shit head.
****
They arrived at the cycle hire place and everyone left the bus. Jason stormed to the front to take charge. Each student was issued a bike suitable for his or her height, along with a helmet. Matt, the owner of the bike hire company, came over to chat with Stevie. He was a handsome man, very tall and lean, with cropped black hair shaved at the sides in a kind flat Mohawk and more tattoos than anyone she’d ever met.
“So, you’re the one who has the delights of escorting this lovely lot, are you? I’m Matt.” The man spoke in a strong Scottish accent and held out his hand to her. His warm smile revealed a line of crooked teeth. Oddly enough, they were still very white and just seemed to add to his charm.
After shaking his offered hand, she held up her palms. “Guilty as charged, I’m Stevie.” Her cheeks warmed.
“How long are you up here for?” His delightful accent suited him and increased his appeal.
“Only for the week. Then I get to go back to only seeing them through the day time.”
His laugh was deep and quite sexy. “So, do you get any time off whilst you’re here?” he asked with a glint in his eyes. She glanced over at Jason who was watching intently, a stern expression on his face.
She cast her gaze back in Matt's direction. “Oh, I don’t know…maybe. But I think we’re on a pretty tight schedule.”
“Awww, that’s a shame. I was going to ask if I could take you for a wee spot of lunch maybe. Or a drink?” He raised his eyebrows hopefully.
Suddenly, Jason came breezing in. “All right, Matt? How you doing buddy?” He slapped the man on the back a little too hard.
“Hi, Reynolds. Just chatting to Stevie here. Asking her out but it seems you’re holding the reins pretty tight on this trip, eh? No freedom day this time?”
Jason cleared his throat. “Ah, not sure we have time for that this week. Lots to cram in, mate. You know how it is.”
“Okay, well, if you change your mind, give this gorgeous woman my number, eh?”
“Yeah, I doubt she’ll be free.” Jason turned to glance at her through narrowed eyes.
Annoyed at his obvious, misplaced possessiveness, Stevie smiled widely at Matt. “You can rest assured, Matt, that if I get the time, I’ll be sure to get your number from Mr. Reynolds.” She turned to see Jason’s nostrils flare. Feeling sure that she was beet red by now, she smiled and stepped away to check on the students.
****
Jason waited until Stevie had walked back to the kids and turned to Matt.
“Don’t push it with her, okay? She’s off limits.”
Matt smirked. “And why would that be, my friend? Got yourself a wee crush, have we?”
Feeling his frustration rising he replied, “It’s not like that. It’s…it’s complicated. She’s…she’s just off limits, okay?”
Matt cocked his head inquisitively. “Just to me? Or to you too?”
Running his hand over his hair, Jason shrugged. “Like I said, it’s not like that. She’s from London, and I get the feeling she’s the type
Hearing him say her name again made her chest ache. Why couldn’t he just sod off and leave her alone? She turned to face him, but he hadn’t moved back, and so his face was a little too close for comfort. “I don’t have to do anything,” she said flatly in a low voice, feeling relief in the knowledge that the coach was large and most of the kids had chosen to sit as far away from the staff as possible.
He smiled sadly. “Have it your way…for now. But you will listen to me.” He dropped his voice to a barely audible whisper. “Even if I have to tie you down to make sure you do.” He grinned and widened his eyes for a split second. She swallowed hard. Shit . He sniggered. “Don’t look so scared. I’m messing with you.” He shook his head as his shoulders juddered. He was clearly taking great delight in her shock.
Flaring her nostrils, she turned away from him again.
Shit head.
****
They arrived at the cycle hire place and everyone left the bus. Jason stormed to the front to take charge. Each student was issued a bike suitable for his or her height, along with a helmet. Matt, the owner of the bike hire company, came over to chat with Stevie. He was a handsome man, very tall and lean, with cropped black hair shaved at the sides in a kind flat Mohawk and more tattoos than anyone she’d ever met.
“So, you’re the one who has the delights of escorting this lovely lot, are you? I’m Matt.” The man spoke in a strong Scottish accent and held out his hand to her. His warm smile revealed a line of crooked teeth. Oddly enough, they were still very white and just seemed to add to his charm.
After shaking his offered hand, she held up her palms. “Guilty as charged, I’m Stevie.” Her cheeks warmed.
“How long are you up here for?” His delightful accent suited him and increased his appeal.
“Only for the week. Then I get to go back to only seeing them through the day time.”
His laugh was deep and quite sexy. “So, do you get any time off whilst you’re here?” he asked with a glint in his eyes. She glanced over at Jason who was watching intently, a stern expression on his face.
She cast her gaze back in Matt's direction. “Oh, I don’t know…maybe. But I think we’re on a pretty tight schedule.”
“Awww, that’s a shame. I was going to ask if I could take you for a wee spot of lunch maybe. Or a drink?” He raised his eyebrows hopefully.
Suddenly, Jason came breezing in. “All right, Matt? How you doing buddy?” He slapped the man on the back a little too hard.
“Hi, Reynolds. Just chatting to Stevie here. Asking her out but it seems you’re holding the reins pretty tight on this trip, eh? No freedom day this time?”
Jason cleared his throat. “Ah, not sure we have time for that this week. Lots to cram in, mate. You know how it is.”
“Okay, well, if you change your mind, give this gorgeous woman my number, eh?”
“Yeah, I doubt she’ll be free.” Jason turned to glance at her through narrowed eyes.
Annoyed at his obvious, misplaced possessiveness, Stevie smiled widely at Matt. “You can rest assured, Matt, that if I get the time, I’ll be sure to get your number from Mr. Reynolds.” She turned to see Jason’s nostrils flare. Feeling sure that she was beet red by now, she smiled and stepped away to check on the students.
****
Jason waited until Stevie had walked back to the kids and turned to Matt.
“Don’t push it with her, okay? She’s off limits.”
Matt smirked. “And why would that be, my friend? Got yourself a wee crush, have we?”
Feeling his frustration rising he replied, “It’s not like that. It’s…it’s complicated. She’s…she’s just off limits, okay?”
Matt cocked his head inquisitively. “Just to me? Or to you too?”
Running his hand over his hair, Jason shrugged. “Like I said, it’s not like that. She’s from London, and I get the feeling she’s the type
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