agitation. Unable to find him in her wing, she headed for the front of the school. The breaker box was in the office. A flip of the switch would fix the problem so she could finish her work and get the heck out of here.
Her sensible flats clicked along the dim passageway. The janitor’s closet sat open halfway down the hall. She paused at the door and scanned the wall for the flashlight Kenny kept strapped to a charger just inside. She didn’t particularly want to go in. Dark places had never been high on her list, and after being trapped in a closet just yesterday, she wasn’t excited to repeat the event.
You’re being silly. No one’s here.
Sam looked up and down the hall to make sure she was really alone, then reached in and fanned her fingers along the Sheetrock. The scent of strong cleaning chemicals cut through the darkness. Her hand passed over the flashlight, and she exhaled a relieved breath.
She’d been through too much in her life to be scared by some stupid kids playing pranks on her. Flicking on the flashlight, she headed for the office.
A loud noise echoed from the direction of the gym just as she rounded the corner. Sam’s heart rate jumped. She slowed and glanced that way.
Just Kenny. He’d probably tripped in the dark and hurt himself. But as she stepped toward the gym door and peered through the darkened rectangular windows, apprehension curled in her stomach.
She’d be stupid to walk into a pitch-black room alone. Especially after everything that had recently happened. Common sense drew her back a step.
Something brushed her shoulder. Her adrenaline spiked. She whipped around, swinging out with the flashlight.
“Whoa, relax.” Ethan eased back and held up his hands.
“Oh my God.” Sam pressed a shaky hand to her stomach. “You scared me. What are you doing here?”
“I saw your car in the parking lot after my meeting. The front door was unlocked. What are you doing at school so late?”
A thrill shot through her at the knowledge that he’d stopped back by because of her. Followed by a host of nerves.
He’s still a shrink regardless of how hot he is.
“Um.” She turned back for her hallway. “Finishing up some work.”
“In the dark?”
From the corner of her eye she could just make out his sexy little smirk, and her heart raced faster. God, it had been months since she’d been attracted to anyone. Why him? And why now?
“The lights only went out a few minutes ago. I was on my way to the office to flip the breaker.” She flicked the flashlight over the floor, growing more annoyed with herself by the second. “At least I’m not skulking around a building I shouldn’t be.”
“You missed me.”
She huffed out a laugh that sounded more like a snort. Beautiful. “You read a lot into one little sentence.”
“I read between the lines. I’m a trained professional. That’s what I do.”
She was all too aware of that fact. And knew for certain she didn’t want to know what he’d “read” between her lines.
Change jingled behind her as she moved. She could feel his gaze at her back, knew his hands were in his pockets, that he was probably studying her like he did all his cases. Did he think she was as crazy as Will did? Ethan was nothing to her, so why did it matter so much what he thought?
“I consider lights-out a sign it’s time to call it a day,” he said in that sexy shrink voice of his. “Have you had dinner yet?”
Sam nearly tripped over her feet. And hoped it was too dark for him to notice. “Are you for real?”
“Me? Always.”
She stopped and faced him. He was too cute for his own good. And dressed in crisp slacks and a white dress shirt rolled up to his forearms, he was currently looking at her in the low light as if she were all he could think about, not the other way around.
Her resistance wavered.
“I’m not . . . ” She bit her lip and focused on the pocket of his shirt. Dammit, how did she explain this? “I’m not the best
Her sensible flats clicked along the dim passageway. The janitor’s closet sat open halfway down the hall. She paused at the door and scanned the wall for the flashlight Kenny kept strapped to a charger just inside. She didn’t particularly want to go in. Dark places had never been high on her list, and after being trapped in a closet just yesterday, she wasn’t excited to repeat the event.
You’re being silly. No one’s here.
Sam looked up and down the hall to make sure she was really alone, then reached in and fanned her fingers along the Sheetrock. The scent of strong cleaning chemicals cut through the darkness. Her hand passed over the flashlight, and she exhaled a relieved breath.
She’d been through too much in her life to be scared by some stupid kids playing pranks on her. Flicking on the flashlight, she headed for the office.
A loud noise echoed from the direction of the gym just as she rounded the corner. Sam’s heart rate jumped. She slowed and glanced that way.
Just Kenny. He’d probably tripped in the dark and hurt himself. But as she stepped toward the gym door and peered through the darkened rectangular windows, apprehension curled in her stomach.
She’d be stupid to walk into a pitch-black room alone. Especially after everything that had recently happened. Common sense drew her back a step.
Something brushed her shoulder. Her adrenaline spiked. She whipped around, swinging out with the flashlight.
“Whoa, relax.” Ethan eased back and held up his hands.
“Oh my God.” Sam pressed a shaky hand to her stomach. “You scared me. What are you doing here?”
“I saw your car in the parking lot after my meeting. The front door was unlocked. What are you doing at school so late?”
A thrill shot through her at the knowledge that he’d stopped back by because of her. Followed by a host of nerves.
He’s still a shrink regardless of how hot he is.
“Um.” She turned back for her hallway. “Finishing up some work.”
“In the dark?”
From the corner of her eye she could just make out his sexy little smirk, and her heart raced faster. God, it had been months since she’d been attracted to anyone. Why him? And why now?
“The lights only went out a few minutes ago. I was on my way to the office to flip the breaker.” She flicked the flashlight over the floor, growing more annoyed with herself by the second. “At least I’m not skulking around a building I shouldn’t be.”
“You missed me.”
She huffed out a laugh that sounded more like a snort. Beautiful. “You read a lot into one little sentence.”
“I read between the lines. I’m a trained professional. That’s what I do.”
She was all too aware of that fact. And knew for certain she didn’t want to know what he’d “read” between her lines.
Change jingled behind her as she moved. She could feel his gaze at her back, knew his hands were in his pockets, that he was probably studying her like he did all his cases. Did he think she was as crazy as Will did? Ethan was nothing to her, so why did it matter so much what he thought?
“I consider lights-out a sign it’s time to call it a day,” he said in that sexy shrink voice of his. “Have you had dinner yet?”
Sam nearly tripped over her feet. And hoped it was too dark for him to notice. “Are you for real?”
“Me? Always.”
She stopped and faced him. He was too cute for his own good. And dressed in crisp slacks and a white dress shirt rolled up to his forearms, he was currently looking at her in the low light as if she were all he could think about, not the other way around.
Her resistance wavered.
“I’m not . . . ” She bit her lip and focused on the pocket of his shirt. Dammit, how did she explain this? “I’m not the best
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