Surreal.

That's really the only way I can describe this feeling right now.

I'm standing in the middle of what can only appear to be a forsaken battleground to an outsider. There are boxes everywhere, papers and bulletin boards waiting to be arranged; not to mention the various other miscellaneous objects scattered on the floor around me.

But… it's my floor.

My four walls. My six windows. My door. My classroom.

It's all mine, at least for now. It will continue to be mine as long as I successfully make it through the next ten months.

Ten months.

There are going to be 20 second graders in here at least six hours a day, five days a week for the next ten months. That amounts to almost 200 days and right now I am terrified of that inevitable first one.

Thankfully, right now, that day is three weeks away.

Three very short weeks. So right now I've got to get back to the aforementioned recreation of Custer's Last Stand that is my present.

I truly believe that I am the only one crazy enough to be in the building right now. Everyone else is out enjoying the end of their summer. They aren't faced with this excited, nervous feeling of being a first year teacher. I just want to get my room set up, and get my first few days… weeks… the whole year, planned out right now, maybe then I can relax.

I've acquired all of these posters, and boards and just stuff that I want to set up, and it's all spread out, I just don't have any idea where to start.

"Hello?" A knock at the door and a voice sounded suddenly and the box in my hands is dropped to the floor, or rather, dropped to my foot.

"Oh my God." That hurt.

I spin around and simultaneously drop to the floor trying to tend to the new affliction and see who caused it all at once.

I see a man now rushing into my classroom, heading in my direction, clearly concerned over what his unexpected presence had done.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

He's holding a box too. Is he another teacher? He sets his box down next to the one I've just dropped and kneels next to me.

"Are you okay?" He asks, his hand resting gingerly on my shoulder. I jump when I feel his warm hand rest on the skin thats left uncovered by the thin straps of my tank top.

I nod, and he pulls his hand back. "Yes." I start to stand up and he stands up as well.

"I'm surprised to see anyone else in the building." He speaks again, "Are you new?"

"Yes." I nod again.

"Where are you coming from?"

"UNC." I replied. "I just graduated." I smile awkwardly. Thats the most words I've said to him yet. I can't really form anything more then one word replies as I try to ignore the pain in my foot, and answer his questions all the while still not knowing who the hell he is. He's sure easy on the eyes though.

He's tall, probably just over six feet. Trim, clearly he works out; he looks like he may have played basketball in high school. He's wearing a pair of dark wash jeans, and a green t-shirt with a John Deere logo on the front. The jeans are faded though, tattered at the bottom, and the shirt is taunt around his broad shoulders and I can make out the outline of his well sculpted chest.

His lips seem to automatically curve into a smile when he's not talking, and I've already noticed a trademark smirk he seems to have. His teeth are perfectly straight, gotta love that, and at the moment he's got a bit of a 5-O' Clock shadow going on. Last but not least his eyes have got to be the most amazing shade of blue I've ever seen. It's a dark curulean. Absolutely gorgeous.

"Oooh." He chuckles and I know I'm blushing. "That's why you're in here setting up now." He smiled. "You're really new."

I nod stupidly again and offer an even more uneasy smile in return. This man is talking to me like he's known me for years and he doesn't even know my name. I find it a little strange, but at the same time I just accept that this must be his nature. You can tell just by looking at him that he's very outgoing, probably the life of any good party and makes friends with anyone easily. If nothing else, getting to know him now will make being the new girl a little bit easier. Although it's really driving me crazy that I don't know his name.

Then as if he read my mind…

"By the way, I'm Justin… Justin Timberlake." He holds out his hand.

I reach out to shake it. "Callie Harrington." I finally am able to form a bonafied smile.

"I did the same thing my first year." he grins and takes a look around at my mess and now I'm embarrassed. "I came in really early, a few weeks before the first day and started setting up. I remember how nerve-wracking it is. I was so scared. But trust me it'll get easier."

"How long have you been teaching?" He really didn't look that much older than me, so it couldn't have been that long. But his words help calm my nerves for the moment.

"Six years." He said. "They hired me right out of school too, and I worked on getting my masters while I was teaching. I got lucky."

"Oh." I say, "I just finished up with my masters. I got it all over and done with." I laugh lightly and he smiles.

"That was probably a good thing, I practically killed myself trying to do it all at the same time. But I survived. So what are you 23? 24?" He asks.

"24." I reply and I think for a moment and then just decide to go ahead and ask; after all, he did. "You?"

"27." He bobs his head.

I nod unnecessarily and then remember how he joked around about me being in so early. "So... why are you in so early?" I look down at his box still sitting there next to mine.

"Oh, I'm going on vacation in a week and I don't get back until three days before we start." He replies, bending down to pick up that box.

"Oh."

"Yea, well I'm going to let you get back to your..." he trails off and looks around with a lopsided grin. "while I go start setting up my classroom. I'll come back and check on you later." He chuckles again. It was a light, but hearty sound. "I'm right down the hall though if you want to come down and return the painful favor." and with that he winks at me and leaves.

I smile to myself after watching him leave. I've made a friend.

A couple of hours later, my stomach rumbles. It's now nearing 12:30. I've been here since before 10 and it still pretty much looks like I'm stuck in a war zone. And now, I'm hungry. I sigh and let my eyes wander around, taking in all that I still have to do. But, at least I have three weeks to do it.

I look down at the box closest to my feet, and I make a pact with myself to clean out and put everything in this box somewhere, before I will finally let myself eat something.

And then, it's right back to this mess. I hate feeling so unorganized.

I bend down and open up the top of the box, and realize that none of this stuff is mine. 'Dammit, Justin must have taken the wrong box.'

I sigh and figure that I might as well bring it to him now, and get my box back.

I walk down the hall slowly, not entirely sure where I'm going, until I hear the faint sound of a radio, and a man's voice singing along with it. I want to laugh out loud, I hadn't pegged him for the singing type. But, then again I really don't know him that well.

I adjust the box and raise one hand to knock on his door, although I have to admit I thought about just speaking up and actually take him up on the offer o return the favor he'd provided before. I did startle him though, at the noise he whipped around and gave me an embarrassed grin.

"Hey." He had been stacking a few boxes of tissues up on a shelf but he set a couple of the boxes down and started walking towards me.

I looked around, his room was already in pretty good shape. It definitely looked better then mine.

"What's up?" He asks.

"This is yours." I hold out the box and he takes it.

"Oh yea. I realized that a little while ago, but I figured you'd find out eventually, and you seemed to have quite a bit to take care of as it was." He smiles.

He reaches out for the box and sets it on a nearby desk.

"This looked great." I said, taking another look around. "I seriously have no idea what I'm doing." I laugh a little.

"Yea, well thanks. I pretty much keep it the same every year. The kids desks move around a lot but, for the most part it's just routine."

I nod, not really having anything else to say. "Well, I'm going to go get something to eat I think, and then get back to my... disaster." And I seriously don't know what comes over me but I can't prevent the next words from coming out of my mouth. "Would you like to come with me?"

His eyebrows raise slightly and I know he's probably wondering why the hell a complete stranger just asked him out to lunch. I'm dumbfounded at my own actions and pretty much expect him to look at me like I'm crazy while he tries his best to turn me down gently.

"Sure." He finally answers. "I could use a break."

"Okay." 'Wow... alright.'

"Yea, and when we get back, if you need any help moving furniture around or something, let me know. I'll probably be finished up here pretty quickly."

"Thanks." I say and then realize that I'm still pretty new in town and don't have a clue where I plan on going for lunch. Great, I invite him to lunch and I don't know how to get anywhere except from my apartment to here and back again. He's going to think I'm an idiot.

But I swear he's the friggen Dalai Lama or something because it's like he automatically senses that I'd jumped the gun and was half-way to shoving my foot in my mouth.

"I know the perfect place." He says, "They make the best subs, are you game for that?"

'What the hell.' "Sure, sounds great."

"Cool." He glances around quickly and picks up what I assume are his car keys off the bookshelf next to the door. "I'll drive." He offers. "But next time it's all you." theres that wink again, and while it's probably the cutest thing I've ever seen, I hope that he doesn't have the wrong idea about all of this. The last thing I need is to open up that can of worms.

But I don't really have the chance to worry about it right now because he's already left the room and is calling back to me.

"Callie! You coming?" His head pokes back around the door and he gives me a confused look.

I snap myself out of my stupid worries. He's probably married with two kids and I'm just being stupid. That and I havn't had a boyfriend, or even a real date in like 4 and a half years. He's just being nice. I shake my head and smile slightly.

"Yea." I nod.

He cocks his head to the side and tosses his keys from hand to hand, "Um... Are you alright?" He clears his throat and doesn't look right at me.

"Yea." I start walking towards him. "Just let me grab my purse." And with that we're on our way.

"So Miss. UNC Grad. what part of North Carolina are you from?" Justin takes a long swig of his Pepsi and gives me a lopsided, lazy grin. We've been sitting I this booth at a local sandwich shop for the last 25 minutes talking, about random things. It's great getting to know him.

"Actually, I'm from New York, but I left for school. I just never went back." I shake my head and reply. "I really love it there."

"So... why did you leave and how'd you end up here?" He raises an eyebrow at me. "This isn't exactly a place people go searching for."

I laugh, it is a valid question. Suddenly uprooting from a place I obviously loved, to jump halfway across the country to the middle of no-where Tennessee. He's right though, this definitely isn't a place you'd imagine people would search out. Memphis, yea. Nashville, sure. But somewhere in the middle... po-dunk towns with no claim to fame aren't any kind of mecca for people to pray to.

I've often wondered myself why this was the place I picked to flee to, however that's another topic for another day... maybe. Right now I just have to come up with a passable answer.

"I don't know. I suppose I just went where there was a job." I shrug and reach for my Diet Coke.

"There weren't any jobs closer to home?" He asks.

"Well, there were... but I took graduation as an opportunity to try something new." I can tell he's mulling that over and it seems to pass whatever test he had for it, but just to be safe. "My family's still in New York, and my friends all took off too so I opted for something different."

"A kindred spirit huh?" He grins, "I like it. Adventurous. I hope we're all you're looking for."

"So... what about you?" I ask. I'm suddenly very happy about my slightly neurotic ambition to settle in at school so early. I really like Justin. And no, it's not that I want to date him or anything, although he seems to be a pretty amazing (and pretty hot) guy. I just really appreciate his warm welcome.

"I'm a native." He shrugs with that lopsided grin of his. "It's all I've ever known. But I like it, for the most part. I pretty much know everyone and yea its a little strange because I'm working with some of my old teachers but its comfortable. I'm not quite as daring as you." He chuckles.

"To each his own. And it must be nice, having everyone you know so close, you're probably married to your high school girlfriend... two point five children living the American Dream." I smile.

He holds up his left hand and waves it in the air. "Nope.Not me. " He replies. "You have pretty much all my best buddies pegged though. My high-school girlfriend literally ran off to Hollywood to 'find herself.'" He added the air quotes for good measure, before continuing. "and in a place like this you don't get to many new faces so..." he trails off and shrugs his shoulders.

"Ahh." I nod, pretending to know what he's talking about. For a moment the conversation lulled and I hoped I hadn't said anything wrong but then he smiled and spoke again.

"so second grade hmm?" He asks, rubbing his hands on a napkin and crumpling the sandwich wrapper into a ball. I wanted to laugh when he started tossing it from hand to hand.

"Yup." It wasn't much of an answer but then again, his question wasn't much of a question.

"Truth be told, and I know we're not supposed to pick favorites... but I really love that age." He leans back, tossing the wrapper in the air and trying to catch it but it ended up hitting the edge of the table and rolling across the floor. His face broke into that lopsided, only now slightly embarrassed, grin again and he stood up and ambled over to grab it and toss it in the garbage, taking my trash too.

He sat back down across from me, "I've been teaching second since I got here, but they needed someone in third and they asked me to take it. I didn't necessarily want to but they managed to convince me." He chuckled and I wondered what was so funny. "I guess you're my replacement."

"I guess so." I smiled.

"Well, you ready to get going? I know you've got one helluva mess to tackle." He was already standing, keys in hand and grinning at me. When I looked up at him he winked.

"Hey...shut up." I smiled and reached for my purse before standing up.

"shut up." he mocked me before waving his hands in a gesture towards the door.

Another twenty minutes later, we're standing in the hall outside my classroom door.

"So, do you need any help moving anything around? I'm pretty much done down there, it's the same room I've always been in and everything stays the same, except the names on the desks."

"You don't move it around, mix it up from year to year? Just to give yourself a bit of a change?" I ask him. I find it hard to believe that someone like him would be so habitual. He just doesn't seem like he could be so conventional.

Then, it's like he does a complete 180. I hope it wasn't something I said, and I don't think it could have been but his expression changes. His jaw sets and his eyebrows furrow as he steps from foot to foot. "Not often." He pauses and claps his hands together glancing back and forth down the hall quickly before looking back at me. He clears his throat and looks like he's thinking about saying something more, but instead of elaborating on why he just changes the subject.

"So, do you need help?"

"Um, yea I will. Do you want to finish up and just come back when you're done. Give me a chance to figure out where I want everything and clear some room." I laugh lightly and smile at him, hoping to break the unexpected tension that's hanging in the air.

He doesn't answer me right away. He's got this blank look like he's staring into space. "Um. Justin?" I raise my hand up and wave it in front of his face and he shakes his head quickly, and breaks into that predictable grin, although it's slightly less authentic.

"Sorry. What did you say?"

I sigh and laugh, "Just come back here when you're done."

"Right." He nods. "I'll be back."

True to his word, about a half hour later I hear a knock at the door and a now somewhat familiar voice calls my name and in an oddly familiar twist of fate the files in my hands drop to the floor, papers flying everywhere.

"Man, I come in and you become butterfingers. Is this going to become a habit?" He chuckles and walks across the room and bends down to help me put it all back together.

"Only if you plan to keep scaring the crap out of me every five minutes. Damn someone needs to get you a bell or something... you're like a cat."

"Let's just assume that at any given moment I could walk through that door, and you should be ready for it." He smiles and hands me what he's collected as we both stand up. He looks around.

"Wow, you really got it together in here." He says. He's right, compared to where I started I've done a pretty good job getting it all together. There are still some boxes of various things that I haven't figured out what to do with yet, but I do have things up on the walls and a lot of papers filed away. With the exception of the mess he just caused.

"So what are we doing with these desks?" He claps his hands together and looks around.

"What do you do with your room." He proceeds to explain his arrangement and after very little convincing indeed, I tell him to feel free to do what he thinks might work best and if I need to move it later on I'll make sure to get his help, you know, for the grunt work. He is a man after all.

He pushes the last set of desks into a table and then casually sits down on one of them. He looks down at his hands briefly, and then up at me. "Look good?" He asks, who would have thought he would be seeking approval from me.

"Yea." I nod, "I guess, I'll let you know once the kids get in it." I smile and he grins back at me.

"Fair enough." he nods and then looks at his watch. "Well Callie, it was wonderful meeting you today, but I have a date with my suitcase." He smiles and stands up.

I force a smile back at him, although I have to admit that I don't want him to leave me alone here. It's all becoming very real, very fast and he's the only friendly face I have right now. "Alright. Thanks for everything today." I step towards him.

"Well, I'm sure you're foot isn't very thankful."

I laugh and look down. "Pain aside, I'm actually very happy you knocked on my door. I'm not as nervous anymore."

"Good." He nods. "So I guess I'll see you on the First Day." He emphasizes those words and grins at me.

"Yes you will. Provided I don't go into hiding first."

"It's really not that bad. You'll be great, and I'll be right down the hall if you need me."

"Thanks."

He just shakes his head as if to say, 'don't worry about it.'

"Have a great time on your trip. Where are you going? If you don't mind me asking?"

"Florida. I'm taking my younger brothers to Disney World." He smiles.

"That's so sweet." I say.

"Yea, I do it every year and trust me on a teacher's salary thats extremely hard to do. But I'm sure you've anticipated that."

I nod. "Every year? Wow. Aren't you bored of it yet? I mean isn't there only so much mouse you can take?"

"I don't know. They like it. We have a system worked out and it's something to look forward to right before school starts you know? For me and them."

"Ah. Well have fun." Seriously, I can not get this guy figured out. He's flirty and sweet and for the most part he's outgoing and certainly friendly; but at the same time he's very methodical and collected. It's like he's worked out his entire life, right down to the moments he allows himself to let go. It's very strange.

A paradox if ever I've met one. A puzzle I'll probably figure out in one way or another.

"Okay, seriously, I'm going to get going." He says again. "Have a good night and give yourself some time to relax before the big day. Because once it starts, you'll wish you did."

"I'll remember that." I say. "Goodnight Justin."

"Goodnight." He replies and as he walks by me, I feel his hands squeeze my shoulders and I turn my head and watch him walk out the door.

I kind of feel like I'll be seeing a lot of him. And I don't mind a bit.

I'm late. I seriously can't believe this. I'm never, never late for anything. The most important day of my life and I'm late.

Why is it that when you're in a hurry everything that could possibly go wrong, happens?

Last night, I laid everything out. Clothes, had lunch ready, set the alarm and checked it twice. I had all of my things in the car. I was ready, went to be early and tried to sleep but of course, that wouldn't happen for hours.

Then I finally did fall asleep and... the damn alarm didn't go off. Well, actually it did but I'd forgotten to find a radio station that would actually come in. So the thing went off for a half hour on dead air before something finally came through with a 50 Cent track and jolted me out of my Patrick Dempsey fantasy world.

So I jumped out of bed and showered ridiculously fast and got dressed but I managed to spill coffee all over my clean white pants. Which is ironic because I never drink it, and I don't think I ever. will. again.

Anyway, I finally found a whole new outfit, but now I'm going to be late.

25 minutes later I'm speed-walking down the hallways at school towards the library and my feet are already killing me in these heels. I pause at the door and catch my breath before I plaster a huge smile on my face and take the last few steps into the room and join the faculty meeting that is well underway.

All of the heads turn to look at me. I'm late. I know it and they know it too. Towards the back of the room I see the somewhat familiar face of Justin, offering up a friendly smile and a small wave but every other face is new and completely unreadable.

Sherry Holmes, the principal has stopped mid-sentence and raises an eyebrow. I know she only hired me because someone above her forced her to. It was very clear that I was not her first choice but the superintendent liked my resume and so here I am. I'm sure my tardiness on the first day won't do much to help win her over though.

"Well, Miss Harrington. Welcome to the building this morning."

"Good morning." My smile is uneasy as I try to inch my way towards an empty chair at a nearby table. I wish she'd just stop staring at me and get back to what she was saying before.

"Well everyone, most of you know that Maryanne McCurrey retired at the end of the year. Justin has graciously accepted her position in third grade. This here is Miss Callie Harrington and she will be filling in as our new second grade teacher. Please do your best to welcome her to the building."

"As I was saying before, we'll start making our plans for open house within the next couple weeks. Alright everyone, I'll give you some time to get ready this morning and have a great first day."

And just like that the meeting is over and she is heading right back to her office. I expected maybe some one-on-one conference with her this morning or even a short conversation at some point this morning but she just seems to be leaving me to fight upstream on my own.

I gather my things and at the same time look around and try to catch some ones eye to formally introduce myself but the rest of the staff is already catching up on their summer activities or heading out to begin their day.

I don't even see Justin and I have to say that's somewhat disappointing. I was looking forward to seeing a friendly face. But it's a busy morning for everyone around here and I especially understand the need to make sure everything is in order.

Without trying to draw any more attention to myself I gather up my things again and leave the library heading straight towards my room. If I stopped to think for a second I might have found it strange that my door was already unlocked and propped open and that the light was on, but that was the farthest thing from my mind.

I hurry into the room heading straight for my desk, shrugging off my coat and I'm just moving to set my bag down on the desk when...

"Hey."

and down the bag goes, right on my foot. Dammit!

I hear a deep chuckle and turn my head to see Justin just standing from where he must have been sitting on top of one of the desks.

"This is some habit we have here."

Part of me wants to cry, the other part curse, but instead of doing either I start to laugh. And not just a little bit either, I mean a fill blown belly-buster of a laugh. I'm laughing so hard that I have to pull out the chair and sit down behind my desk.

Justin must think I am insane. I can see him walking towards me, an amused expression on his face. I collect myself and finally focus on him. He just shakes his head.

"Good morning." He smiles and I take a second to look him over. He's dressed in a pair of black slacks and shoes... I'm willing to bet money that his socks are black too but thats irrelevant. He's also wearing a simple dark green polo shirt that fits tighter against his shoulders and chest than at his waistline. His arms are folded across his chest, and some papers in his hands I can see the definition in his strong arms. Well, I'm assuming their strong. I kinda wonder how often he works out. He looks like he hasn't shaved in maybe a day, there's just a little bit of stubble along his jaw.

"Rough morning." I reply, and even though the light isn't all that great in here, I can still see his blue eyes lighting up as he starts to laugh. I know that this is work, not a singles bar but damn there is something about him. I have to say that it kind of sucks that it could never happen. The school 'frowns upon' employee fraternization.

Actually, that in itself is kind of funny. When I accepted the job here and had a brief orientation meeting with Sherry she made sure to make that point multiple times. As far as I know Justin and I are the only two unmarried, unattached teachers in the building.

"So I've sensed. Sorry about scaring you... again." He unfolds his arms and steps forward towards the desk, handing me the papers in his hand.

"What this?" I take it and ask before looking it over.

"It's your mail, I had this feeling you were a little distracted this morning so on my way back down here when I left the library I stopped and grabbed it. I would have waited for you but I thought Sherry might want to talk to you."

Oh dear, he's too sweet for his own good.

"Thanks. But, she pretty much wanted nothing to do with me. She hadn't really been all that welcoming in general so I didn't really expect much. Is she... is she..." I lower my voice and he leans closer and I smell his cologne and lose my train of thought for just a second. "Is she like this with all new teachers?"

I expect him to nod, or shake his head and leave it at that but he doesn't move, except to turn his head a little and look me right in the eye. "Sherry is a bitch." He says simply and then leans back.

My jaw drops. That was the last thing I expected him to say. "It's not you." He adds and the look on his face lets me know that the subject is dropped. Strange.

"I'm almost afraid to ask how the rest of your morning has been." He pulls one of the tiny chairs away from a student desk and I hold back a laugh as he settles his 6 foot plus frame on a seat that is barely a foot off the ground.

"Just all the random things that could possibly go wrong. Alarm clock not going off, deciding to drink coffee for the first time ever in my 24 years and then spilling it all over my white pants"

He shakes his head, "Trust me, white pants and second grade don't mix well anyway."

"Thanks. And then getting here late, when I am never late for anything... it really makes me wonder how the rest of the day is going to go you know? I'm freaking out enough already." Maybe I shouldn't be revealing so much being that I barely know this guy but he's really easy to talk to and let's face it at this point he's really the only one I have to talk to besides my cat, Duncan.

He glances at the clock. "Well Miss Harrington." He forces his voice to take on the tone of Sherry as best as he can with a look to accompany it... and I smile. I guess his mission was accomplished, because he continues to talk then in his normal voice. "I'm sure you'll be fine. I have faith in you." He stands up and my stomach turns when I look at the clock too and realize I only have about a half hour before the day really starts. I'm terrified of 21 7 year olds. How pathetic am I? "But I think I am going to head out and give you a chance to get ready for the day. You're going to be fine, the great thing about today is you can pretty much spend all morning screwing around and playing games and not have to worry about getting in trouble for it. I'll check in with you sometime this afternoon."

He smiles that gorgeous grin and heads for the door. I just said gorgeous didn't I? Oh Lord, save me now.

"Hopefully I'll find you here instead of a you-shaped hole in the wall. Have a good morning Callie."

"You too." I watch him leave, before I stand up and start unpacking my bag. I check my roster and make sure that every name has a desk. I glance over my intinerary for the week, trying to commit to memory when they have art, and gym. I do everything possible to keep myself from looking at the clock.

Then a bell rings, and I walk to my door. I step out into the hall and see Justin doing the same, one door down. I look across the hall and smile at the older woman, one I haven't been introduced to but I can read the tag on her door that says 'Mrs. Andrews.' I can see up the hall, other teachers are waiting and ready to welcome the students that are now walking towards them into their rooms. I glance back at Justin again and he winks and gives me a thumbs up sign. If it were any other person, I'd probably feel like I was being such a baby, freaking out like I am... but for some reason he doesn't seem phased at all and is doing all the right things to make me feel better about it.

I hear a little voice right in front of me and I turn my head and look right down to see a little boy, with brown hair and green eyes looking up at me wondering if he's at the right room.

It's go time.

I lean back against the door-frame, cross my ankles and fold my arms over my chest, watching from the end of the hall as the backpack clad children step into view.

I smile when Callie steps into the hall, she immediately looks down the hall at me and I can't help but wink at her and give her a cheesy thumbs up. She's so nervous and it's really very endearing. I remember feeling that way. Lord, I sound like I've been doing this for years and years, and you'd think since I've changed grades I might be a little closer to where she's at but I'm not.

I sympathize with how Sherry is treating her. Sherry really has some stick up her ass when it comes to young teachers. She was pretty short with me when I was first hired, and the only thing I really remember was that she made sure to point out that employee's dating is something that she really "frowned-upon." Which is really strange because I was the only person in the building at that time that was under the age of 40.

Sherry's probably flipped her lid now that Callie's here. But, she's really got nothing to worry about. Callie's sweet, and yea she's pretty damn gorgeous... and yea there's just something about her that makes me want to be around her. She's got this amazing smile. But I haven't really thought about any woman since Jenn left. Callie's just someone I know is going to be a great friend. It's nice to have a new person in the building, especially one that doesn't talk about 401K's and how their kids are graduating next year.

Anyway, I watch a little boy step up near Callie and she leans down towards him for a moment before standing back up and motioning for him to come into her room, I'm pretty sure she was telling him to find an empty cubby for his book-bag and I'm hoping she took my advice and laid out some games on her rug. I'm guessing she did something like that because she's out in the hall again about three seconds later and she glances back at me again.

It's like in a split second the girl who was approaching a level 5 freak-out a half hour ago has morphed into a completely new person. She smiles again and of course I can't help but return it. She seems like the type of person who can make light of any situation. I guess she's definitely in the right profession. I raise an eyebrow at her wondering if she'll get my silent question as to how she's doing. I suppose she does because she nods slightly and then returns my cheesy thumbs up.

If I give it a moment I'd probably start thinking about how weird it was that we just did that. But...

"Mr. T!"

I hear a few familiar voices call out my name and that small smile breaks into a full on grin as I recognize some of my students from last year heading right for me. Thats one of the major benefits of switching up a grade, especially in such a small school. I was really happy with my roster, half of my students this year are students from my class last year.

"Hey Lilly. How was your summer?" I kneel down as one of them finally slows to a stop in front of me.

"It was great Mr. T, I went to Disney World and I got a new puppy and I named her Tinkerbell but last week I heard my Mommy tell Daddy that we should have named her Tinkle-Bell because she likes to pee on the living room carpet... and I was really excited when Mommy told me that you was gonna be my teacher again."

She finally runs to the end of her breath and I laugh lightly, and shake my head. "Wow Lilly, it sounds like you had a really great summer. and I think Tinkerbell is a great name for a puppy. And I'm excited to be your teacher again too. Go ahead inside and find your desk okay?"

She nods and runs in, and I don't really have time to think before a few more students are there, ready to talk my ear off too. Before they can start I tell them that once everyone gets here we'll all talk about our summer's, because quite frankly I'd be standing in the hall all morning otherwise.

"Morning Justin." I turn my head and see Henry Turner, the other third grade teacher who has the room across the hall from mine, nodding at me. Students keep searching out their rooms and I walk towards the middle of the hall just to get a better view.

"Morning."

He doesn't speak for a few seconds and I look up the hall at Callie again as she's leaning down to speak with a little boy. I can almost hear the smile in his voice when Henry speaks again.

"Have you met her yet?" I don't even think to ask who he's talking about.

"Yea. I came in a few weeks ago to set up my room and she was in figuring it all out." I know I'm smiling when I think about our first meeting.

I shift the box higher after turning the corner to head towards my room. I love how quiet the building always is at this time of year. It's a nice change. For me it's surprising that I even think that because change in and of itself isn't something I'm fond of.

The doors lining the hall are closed, windows dark. The school year won't be starting for another three weeks and I'm the only one who ever comes in this early to set up. What can I say, for the last 26 years of my life I've taken a vacation the week before school starts and I'm not going to stop now. I'm a creature of habit I suppose. Especially now.

I keep walking towards my room and I notice that the door to the room next to mine is wide open and as I get closer I hear someone moving around inside. It takes me a second and then I remember that there is a new teacher this year and relax.

I stop outside the door and look in, expecting to see someone bordering on retirement, muttering about how things 'ain't what they used to be' because that pretty much sums up the type of person I know Sherry was looking for. Far be it for her to hire someone young and fresh who can add a little life to this place. However, when my eyes land on this new addition to the building my jaw drops slightly.

This woman looks to be in her early 20's, she's probably just out of school and even though her back is to me, the hand that's pressed to her forehead as she stares down into the box at her feet makes me believe that not only is she new to the building, but she's new all around.

I can't help but scan her over while I have the chance. She has long, wavy blond hair. She's dressed in a pair of white shorts that definitely show off an amazing pair of legs, among other things, and a black tank top, with these tiny little straps. She's tan and fit and I'm willing to bet money on the idea that her face is probably just as beautiful as the rest of her.

She bends down and picks up the box at her feet and starts to stand up. I know she's going to be turning around so I can't just stare.

"Hey." I steady the box in one arm and reach out to knock lightly on her door. It isn't much of an effort to smile, but that instantly changes to a look of worry when the box in her hands drops onto her foot and she swears, dropping down to one knee to hold her toe.

That was smooth. Real smooth. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

She looks up at me. I cross the room quickly and set my box down next to hers, immediately kneeling down next to her, I am trying to focus on making sure I didn't do any permanent damage but all I can think about was how much money I could have made on that gamble. She is gorgeous.

"Are you okay?" I don't even realize that I am reaching out to touch her until I actually feel her skin under my fingertips and see her jump and jerk her eyes up to meet mine. I pull my hand back and stand up. She does the same.

I rack my brain for something to say. Right now I feel like an idiot. So run with my first thought from when I was walking down the hall and saw the open door 10 minutes ago. "I didn't expect to find anyone in else in the building. Are you new?"

She nods. "Yes." Even her voice is beautiful dammit.

"Where are you coming from?"

I see her look me over, I kind of wish I knew what she was thinking. She smiles slightly. "UNC. I just graduated."

I was right. "Oooh." I laugh when she blushes. "That's why you're in here settig up now. You're really new." Now she's got that deer in headlights look so I smile and hold out my hand.

"By the way, I'm Justin... Justin Timberlake."

She slowly reaches out and places her hand in mine. "Callie Harrington." And then she blows me away with the full effect of what I already knew was one amazing smile.

"She seems like a nice girl." He nods.

"She's great."

"I'll have to go introduce myself some time today." He takes a breath. "She's a pretty girl too."

My head snaps to the side and my eyebrows raise with the dumbfounded expression I give him, but I nod slowly and relax. He's kind of weirding me out a little, I don't know what he's getting at. First of all, he's married and second of all... he's old enough to be her father.

"Don't you think so?" He asks, a small smile greeting me.

"No... she is." I finally say and shift my feet, staring at the for a moment and then I look up to see the hallway emptying out as the last few students are wandering around.

Suddenly he claps me on the back. "Well then. It looks like I've got all mine so... I should probably get in there. Are you nervous at all about the grade shifting. I've got a lot of stuff for you to take a look at if you like."

"Yea..." I nod. "That would be great. But no, I'm feeling alright. I'm excited, but not nervous."

"Good for you." He nods. "Alright, have a good day then Justin."

"You too." He nod back at him and he head into his room. A quick look in the room, with a head count lets me know I have all of mine too but I linger in the hall for a minute longer, just long enough to see Callie turn around just once more and smile at me before heading into her room.

I smile back and I look into my room, for the first time wondering why I'm not just the least bit nervous. I mean, I spent the last six years figuring out second grade and now I'm pretty much starting all over. But I feel surprisingly relaxed and I don't really know why.

Well, that's not entirely true. If I actually stop to think about it, I think it's because I've been very preoccupied with making Callie feel a little less nervous. I'm sure if I'd really been thinking about it I'd be a bit more apprehensive but I remember coming to this school and being ready to shit a brick. I was all alone.

And Sherry was no help either. She spent more time worrying that I was looking for a date then whether or not I knew what I was doing as an actual teacher. She only came to observe my lessons maybe twice throughout the entire year, but she found time to come and sit in on every parent-teacher conference I had with a single mother.

I'm pretty sure she'll do the same thing to Callie, maybe even be harder on her because of me. Which is ridiculous because even if I did think of Callie that way, after the hell Sherry put me through I wouldn't even think about going there. My job and hers would be gone in 10 seconds flat.

The hallway is starting to clear out now, and Callie turns around once again and smiles at me. There it is again, and I have to admit that smile alone is going to make it difficult though.

Something's gotta make me feel alright
I don't know what it is
But something's gotta give

"Alright boys and girls, have fun." I nod at the art teacher, Mrs. Pine, as the last of my third graders disappear into the art room, heading straight to the corner to grab their tie-died extra-large t-shirts that serve as make-shift smocks. They pay me no mind as they scramble back to the tables and find seats next to their friends.

"I'll see you in forty minutes." I say to her before turning back into the hall and letting the door shut behind me. I start towards the office to grab my mail and I flip through the papers, finding a paper-clipped stack of fliers for the open house to send home with the students.

I say hello to the secretary, and then I'm right back in the hall hoping to get back to my room and finish grading some math quizzes before I have to go back and get my kids.

I'm just turning around the corner and I see Callie hanging what look like maple leaves on the wall outside her door.

"Hey." I stop near her and she turns her head, I think this might be the first meeting of ours where I haven't totally caught her by surprise. I can't stop myself from giving her a quick look up and down when, after she replies with a hello back, she turns her concentration back to the task at hand.

Even in black cropped pants and a white polo shirt she looks good. Her blond hair pulled back in a messy bun, with just a few haphazard tendrils that have fallen out tucked behind her ear. Her bottom lip is pulled between her teeth as she's straining to reach up and place that last leaf.

Something in my brain finally clicks back and I remember that I'm at work. "Here." I simultaneously hand over my mail to her and take the construction paper project out of her hand and she steps out of my way so I can hang it up for her.

"Thanks." She smiles.

"Not a problem. Any more that need to go up there?" I ask.

"No, that was the last one. Thank God." She replies, and we both turn to admire the "Fall is..." paragraphs ad drawings that her students have crafted, and so diligently glued onto the various colored 'leaves.'

"They're cute." I say.

"They couldn't wait for me to put them out here." She hands my mail back to me. "So are you going to that conference?" She points out the paper thats at the top of the pile regarding a guided reading conference next month.

"I haven't gotten a chance to look that over yet, but most likely. Sheri is always asking us to go to these things and if I don't volunteer, I'd probably be asked to go anyway. No one ever really wants to go, but it looks good if you do. Are you?"

"Sheri already pre-registered me to attend." She laughs, "She said that someone had to go and the experience would be good for me. I don't think I could've said no if I wanted to. I don't even know where this place is."

"Hmm... well I'll probably meet up with Sheri later this afternoon and have her get me the registration information and I'll come with you." I offer. For some reason I can't stop myself from uttering those words. These conferences can either be really interesting, or like pulling teeth and I went to one like this last Spring. But, I can't just let her go alone can I?

We stand in the middle of the hall in silence for a few seconds awkwardly staring at each other. I'm wracking my brain for something to say but come up empty.

"There was something I wanted to ask you but I... can't remember what it was." I mumble.

She lifts up her wrist and checks her watch. "I've got to go pick up my kids from the gym. But, I will stop down and see you at the end of the day? Maybe you'll have remembered by then." Her phrase ends in a question and I nod.

"Okay. Cool. I have some quizzes to go over anyway. Have a good afternoon."

"You too." She grins and flicks off the light switch in her room before patting my shoulder as she walks past.

It takes a moment for me to realize that I'm actually watching her walk away. I shake my head and turn around to head right into my room. I sit down at my desk and get lost in recapping the very short conversation in the hall, and anticipating the pending one this afternoon. When I finally come out of that haze I glance at the clock and realize that it's already time for me to head back to the art room.

So much for sending those quizzes home today. They'll just have to wait until Monday.

At the end of the day I'm sitting at my desk, finally tackling that stack when I hear a knock on my door and the click of her heels as she walks across the tile floor. I smell her before I actually look up and see her.

Roses and Vanilla.

Anyway, I look up just as she's opening her mouth to speak.

"Hey." we both say at the same time and then simultaneously chuckle.

"So how was your first week? It wasn't so bad right?"

She pulls out one of the chairs at a desk sits down in it, I fight back a smile at the sight.

"It went well I think."

"Good. I would have popped in to visit you more but I jumped right into this and third grade is just as new to me as it is to them."

"I see, you're giving quizzes already. You're mean." Her tone is mocking in a playful way.

I laugh and shake my head, leaning back in my chair I lock my hands together behind my head. "It's just a pre-test to see where they are. So there."

She smiles. "So didja remember what it was you wanted to say earlier?"

"Yea I did actually. I have a box of some stuff that I used last year, and it's all second grade stuff that I can't use so I was wondering if you wanted to take a look at it and see if you wanna use any of it."

"Yea that would be great." She replies. "Do you have it here?"

"No." I shake my head from side to side and am about to tell her that I would bring it on Monday when my mouth completely betrays my brain.

"But if you want, I can drop it off at your house just in case you might want to use some of the welcome back stuff next week." Her eyes widen for a second then she relaxes.

"Well, I would say yes, but my apartment isn't ready for any sort of company yet. I do have to go out this evening to do some errands, maybe I can stop by your house?"

Surprisingly she doesn't seem the least bit uncomfortable with that idea at all, and neither am I.

"Sounds good." After a few more moments of aimless conversation, I scrawl down my address and some directions and we part ways with the expectations that we'll see each other later.

Later on that evening, I'm engrossed in a major Guitar Hero battle with my best friend Mike when I hear my doorbell ring.

"You expecting some one Jay?" One of my other friends, Frank, asks.

"Uhh...no?" It takes a minute for my brain to register what's going on, Franks brother Jeremy is already on his way to the door when my finger presses the pause button on the game. Mike's angry 'Hey!' is drowned out by my sudden freak-out.

"Shit!" I literally jump over the back of the couch and make it to the door just as Jeremy is reaching for the doorknob. I push him out of the way and pull open the door.

"Callie, Hi." I smile and kick Jeremy in the shin before he can say anything.

"Hi. I'm here for that box."

"Yea... yea, come on in." Unfortunately there is no way around her seeing the mess of beer bottles, pizza boxes and of course the game and men occupying my living room so I figure I might as well introduce her.

Jeremy is just sitting back down when I point at him.

"Callie, this is Jeremy, Mike and Frank." I point each of them out and they wave or nod at her in response to her small 'hello.'

"Guys, this is Callie, she is the new second grade teacher that took my job."

They immediately welcome her into the group and I know they must have ulterior motives.

"Callie, you up for guitar hero?" Frank holds up one of the wireless guitars and smiles. "Maybe you can knock Jay down a peg or two, he thinks he's unbeatable."

I interrupt before she can even speak.

"You guys Callie isn't gonna play the game. Come on, don't pay attention to them, I'll get that box."

I start to continue through the room and when she doesn't follow me I turn around and offer a confused look.

"What Justin, afraid you're gonna get beat by a girl?" It's my turn to be surprised, but I recover a split second later as she's already slipping the strap over her head.

"Alright girl, you're on." I reach for the other guitar that Mike is handing over.

"I'll even let you pick the song." I offer and grin at her. This girl is going down, I never lose this game.

My cocky grin quickly falters when she locks in her choice of a Kansas classic, and the familiar intro begins.

My so-called friends quickly jump to her side and I instantly find myself watching her instead of the colored dots on the screen that are deciding my fate.

I go back and forth, stealing glances at her every once in a while wondering how the hell she got so good at this game, and where my ridiculous talent for this game disappeared to.

Despite the fact that I know I am majorly failing at this game right now; and I hold my own but before I know it the last notes have been played and my friends are all cheering for Callie while I stand there with my jaw on the floor.

"Dude she just kicked your ass!" Mike says unnecessarily and I glare at him.

"Yea... yea... whatever." I yank off the guitar and toss it at him, only slightly satisfied when he doesn't quite catch it and it drops on his foot. I turn to her to see her smiling brightly back at me, and I have to tell you that the outcome of that battle completely leaves my mind.

"Now if you'll excuse me I have laundry to pick up. Where's that box?" She sets down the guitar shaped game controller and claps her hands together. I do my best to ignore the last traces of laughter from the guys and nod at her. I just got beat by a girl. And I've never been happier about it. A few minutes later, I've pulled the box off the shelf in the basement and handed it off to her. I walk her to the door and stand there watching walk to her car.

"Thanks Justin!"

"No problem Callie." I wave to her. "Drive safe." I add for good measure.

"I'll see you on Monday." She waves back at me from her car door.

"Yup" I nod back at her and lean against the door frame as I watch her back out of the driveway and leave. I turn around and head back inside.

My friends are laughing about something when I come into the room. Three heads turn to look at me.

"What's up guys?" I ask, picking up my beer from the coffee table and sitting down in a chair.

They all shrug and shake their heads and then Jeremy sets down his beer and speaks.

"We like her Jay."

"Um... alright?" I hope this isn't heading to where I think it's heading.

"Yea. I think she'd be good for you." Mike takes a swig of his beer.

"It's about time you moved on and got out there again." Frank adds.

Shit.

"Guys, it's not like that. Callie's just someone I work with. She just moved here, was looking for a friend. She's sweet but you know..."

I'm interrupted by Mike.

"We know you haven't dated anyone since Jennifer left, and you haven't even looked at a girl since you trucked your ass out to California to get her and came back empty handed. Blah... blah... blah. Dude I have never seen you jump so fast. You were over that couch in like... half a second."

I really don't want to hear this. I glare at Mike and eye the other two. "I'd really appreciate you not bringing her into this and I don't think about Callie that way."

"Bullshit Jay!" Jeremy laughs. "You always cream our asses at that game and she comes up in here, puts on "Wayward Son" and you suddenly can't even find the red button. She had you so back asswards you can't even stand it."

I groan and can't think of anything to say to refute their statements. I mean I like seeing her every day at school. She's easily one of my favorite people there. But seeing her outside of school, well this was just something completely different.

She wasn't my colleague, today she was this vibrant, very attractive woman that came all the way across town to see me, and completely kicked me ass at guitar hero. Which is something that no one has ever done. I never lose, I hate losing, but because it was her that beat me... and because of that gorgeous smile that lit up her face when Mike, Jeremy and Frank high-fived her afterwards I'm completely okay with that. I have to admit the effect she had on me is a little weird.

But dammit all, I don't know if I'm ready to date again. The last time I dated a girl like her... it just didn't... I don't know.

I pick up a pillow and throw it across the room at Jeremy. The guys fall into a fit of heavy laughs.

"Dude that girls gonna getcha. You've got it bad and it's about damn time too." Frank says.

I don't think they are quite right about that all yet. I'm not really sure how I feel about Callie right now. This morning she was just Callie Harrington, the second grade teacher down the hall. Tonight she became Callie Harrington a woman unlike any one I've ever known before.

The reasons I'm alone I know by heart,
but I don't wanna spend forever in the dark.

(Thursday, October 2, 2008 9:30 A.M.)

I click out of the e-mail to one of my students parents, and check the clock. Normally right now, I would be taking attendance and handing out morning work but today I have some time to waste.

I tip back in my chair and reach across my desk for the cardboard coffee cup. I eye the one next to it and decide to just do it.

For some reason on my way in this morning I pulled through the Dunkin' Donuts drive through, something I never do, and I bought not one, but two cups of coffee.

One for me.

And one for Callie.

I eye that cup and remember her story from the first day of the school year, when she swore it was her first and last experience with coffee. So why... why did I buy it for her? I'll never know.

But I did, and it's been sitting on my desk for the last twenty minutes, just waiting for me to bring it to her. I'm not sure what I'm waiting for. Well, scratch that, when I walked down the hall she wasn't here yet. But we have to be in the cafeteria for a morning meeting in about ten minutes so I'm sure she's in by now.

I stand up, tuck a pen in my pocket, pick up that cup and head for the door, stopping to flick the light switch with my forefinger as I turn into the hall.

I walk the few steps to her door and lift my hand up to tap my knuckles on the door. "Callie?"

She's sitting at her desk, plucking away at the keys and her head snaps in my direction.

"Hey Justin." She smiles and I start walking towards her.

"Good morning." is all I reply with as I set the second cup on her desk.

"What's this?" she looks from it to me, a justifiably confused expression on her face.

"Well, I stopped at Dunkin' Donuts on my way in this morning and I thought maybe you should give coffee another shot. This one's got a lid on it, so I think you're white shirt is safe." My eyes scan over her white tank top, that has some kind of print graphic on it. The good thing about a staff day is that we can dress down, and even though it's well into what most consider to be fall, it's still rather warm.

She raises an eyebrow at me and slowly reaches for the cup. "I'm trusting you." She points a finger at me and smiles. "So if something goes wrong... I'm blaming it all on you. You and your complimentary coffee."

"Callie, it's a cup of coffee. Not a bomb."

"They are one in the same my friend." I shake my head and watch her bring the cup to her lips and take a sip. Her nose crinkles up a bit and I swear it is the cutest thing. By the way, the past two and a half weeks haven't done much to curb my growing attachment to this woman.

They've been filled with little jokes and comments, unnecessary stops in her room just to see her. My feet just carry me there. Sometimes it's in the mornings, sometimes in the afternoons. Sometimes it's just random moments during the day when I know neither of us have our kids. It's really effecting my ability to get my work done, because even when I'm not the one approaching her, she will pop into my room. Which makes me think, just a little bit, that maybe it's not completely one sided.

But I haven't done this in a while. And, I'm not really sure what exactly it is that's going on here. I feel like such an asshole because on one hand, I can't get enough of making her smile, but on the other I don't know if I'm prepared to take on anything more than what it already is. Whatever that may be.

But there is something in the air between us, I know that. I'm just not really ready to find out how she feels about it.

"So...?" I ask. She gives me a look, that clearly shows she isn't completely enjoying it. I laugh.

"It's something you get used to." I say.

"It's something you get used to." She smiles and sets the cup back down on the desk. "I'm perfectly fine with my method of caffeine injection."

I roll my eyes as she picks up a light blue Diet Pepsi can from the other side of her computer and triumphantly takes a sip.

"So, are you ready for today?"

She shrugs. "Yea. Let me just grab this..." she reaches across the desk for a pen and a notebook and stands up. "... and lets go."

We walk through the halls towards the cafeteria, joining others along the way and once we reach those doors it's time to part ways to meet with our other grade teachers to talk about the curriculum.

"Do you want to hit up that sub shop for lunch?" I ask her as we walk through the double doors.

"Sure." she replies with a smile.

"Cool. Alright, I'll catch up with you in a little while then."

"Yup." she nods. "Have fun."

"You too." We exchange an unspoken agreement of 'yea right' before she heads in one direction and I in another. Kind of relieved that the table she sits at with the two other second grade teachers, is around the corner from where I am with my fellow third grade teachers. I would probably get no work done otherwise.

A few hours later I rejoin her at those doors and ask how her morning has been.

"Oh you know..." she trails off and I'm sure she's getting the same treatment I did when I first started. Everyone else throwing ideas around and the new person inadvertently forced to just follow along. I can tell by the look on her face that she really doesn't want to talk about it.

"You ready to go?" I turn the talk towards our lunch. "My car or yours?"

"Actually, I have to run down to my room and send a couple e-mails, so why don't you go ahead and get us a table and I'll meet you there." Her eyebrows raise and I can tell that she feels bad about having to say that.

"Oh. Sure." I won't readily admit that I'm a little disappointed, but at least she didn't cancel altogether. "Just do what you need to do."

"Thanks." She smiles that smile and hurries off and I pull my keys out of my pocket and exit the building.

Twenty minutes later I am sitting at a table unwrapping my sandwich and keeping an eye on the door.

Finally, just when I was beginning to think I'd been stood up when I wasn't even on a date, I see her come through the door. She waves at me and then heads to the counter to order her sandwich.

I set down my food as she makes her way over to the table.

"Have you played any Guitar Hero lately?" She laughs as she sits down. I actually blush, what an opener.

I shake my head. "Girl, we need a rematch. You just got lucky."

"I just got lucky huh? I'll have to call my mom and let her know." She giggles and I grin.

"I'm sure she'll be more than happy to hear that." I reply and then the laughter gives way to a comfortable silence as we eat, knowing there is only so much time we have before we need to get back to work.

"Are you looking forward to that conference?" I ask after a while. She sets down her sandwich and shrugs.

"I don't know. It's something new so I don't really know what to expect."

"Yea, it's not so bad. I'm just glad to have company this time. I had to drive out to Jackson for one last year and one of the other teachers was supposed to come with me. But his wife went into labor so I ended up going alone."

"Aw..." she gives a typical girl reaction and I groan.

"Oh shut up." She laughs. "My cousin had a baby a few months ago, a little boy and he is such a cutie. But, my mother is on my case now. Telling me to meet a man and get married and give her grandchildren."

"Yea, I've gotten those speeches from my mom too. Not so much any more because I haven't dated in a while but..." This is getting into dangerous territory. "But she had that monologue down."

We share a laugh and I assume that the conversation is over and I shove the last bite of my sandwich into my mouth. Thankful for that small favor.

"Speaking of that." She grins. "I find it hard to believe that you don't have someone. I mean, I know it's a small town, but there are women in it." She bobs her head up and down as if she's confirming her statement.

"Callie... I don't think you quite understand the dynamics of a small town." Yea, I guess there are single women in the town, but I just can't picture myself with any of them. I'm just not interested.

My elbows rest on the table, something I was raised not to do but oh well, and I hold my hands out palms down as if I'm bracing her and myself for what I'm about to say. Not that it is really all that monumental.

"The stereotype had to come from somewhere. There's a reason behind it. High-school sweethearts marry off at graduation. They get their local jobs and start popping out babies. The girls that don't submit to that stigma head to the cities to search for something more..." I swallow the knot that formed in my throat at those words and hope she didn't notice before continuing, "...the guys that are left hang around here getting drunk, and falling into the trap of monotony. I'm the odd-man-out and you are the first girl to flee to the backwoods instead of fighting your way out." I chuckle and drop my hands to the table, sliding one over to grab my drink and take a sip.

"Well then hot-shot, what happened? Why didn't you marry your high-school sweetheart? I'm sure you had one." She raises an eyebrow at me, not in a mocking way just as though she is genuinely interested and my even though I just took a drink my mouth goes dry and I feel my whole body tense up. This is not good.

My mind scrambles to throw some words together and I bide some time by clearing my throat. "I... it just didn't work out." I know that's a lame answer, but I don't like to talk about Jenn with my buddies, let alone Callie. I hope she'll accept it and just move on.

"Oh." She replies and I look up to see her staring at me, a look on her face that clearly shows my reaction has confused her. I suddenly panic and I just can't leave it like that. She probably thinks that I was some prick who left her in the dust. Words start spilling out of my mouth and it takes a second for me to gain control of them.

"She moved to California and I think she's married to some basketball player now. I..." I stutter and start gathering up my garbage. "I'm sorry I just really don't want to..." God I sound like such a loser.

"Well, she's certainly missing out." Callie interrupts me, probably out of pity and blatant desire to head off the pitiful ramble I was heading towards, but I am so thankful that she does.

I need a change of subject. Unfortunately I find that in one of the stupidest questions I could possibly ask. "What about you? Are you seeing anyone?"

And now I sound like I'm hitting on her. Am I?

"No. Other than the teachers in the building, the only men I've met are, well you... and your friends. And as far as I know the only one who's single is you." She shrugs and stands up. I follow suit, both of us silently agreeing that it's time to head back to school.

"Ahh." What else can I respond with. Nothing really. We walk side by side across the parking lot in the direction of our cars and the lazy small talk continues. As we come to a stop next to her car, I don't even know what we're talking about anymore I'm completely mesmerized by the movement of her lips and Jenn is the furthest thing from my mind.

I think I just said something about her moving out here again, something I am very happy about, have I mentioned that?

"Yea and I don't regret it one bit. I wouldn't have met you... and even worse, you wouldn't have met me." She grins, and I think she's just made some joke that I should probably laugh at but something else comes to mind.

"Yes. That would have been horrible." I reply softly, and I am well aware that I'm staring right into her eyes and I can't help but notice how beautiful they are. Usually I'm so caught up in her smile, but damn. Her eyes are beautiful, everything I know about her so far is just...

Without thinking I step forward and my hands cup her jaw and I lower my lips to hers. And I suddenly appreciate her mouth in it's entirety, instead of just viewing that smile that drives me crazy.

I can feel her tense up, but as I tilt my head and pull away only to mold my lips to hers again she relaxes and starts to respond.

But when I feel her hands reach up to wrap around my wrists, my brain suddenly takes over and I release her and step back.

One of her hands touches her slightly swollen lips and her shocked eyes lock with mine.

I immediately start to apologize but she cuts me off. "We, we have to get back to the school. I'll see you later." she stammers and pulls open her car door and climbs in. She quickly gives me an awkward, polite smile and then avoids my stare as she starts up the car and drives off.

I know I really screwed up. I shake my head and curse at myself before making the few steps to my car. I rip open the door and get in, my foot resting on the step; one hand on the steering wheel and the other against my forehead as I lean back against the seat.

I can't believe I just did that. I really am an idiot. But damn it all, if that wasn't one hell of a kiss.

When my pass came in you dropped the ball
It didn't change the way I feel
My Dear, I went for the steal, maybe it was rushed

I can't believe that just happened.

Justin, the third grade teacher from down the hall just kissed me.

Doesn't he realize what problems this could cause? This can't be good.

What if he wants to start dating or something? I mean yea, we've had some interesting conversations, and some flirty moments but I never expected it to go anywhere.

Okay, maybe I might have, quite possibly, thought a tiny little bit about it.

Let's face it. He's hot. And sweet. And funny. We clearly have a lot in common. I can totally kick his butt at guitar hero.

And he's single.

But we work together, and our boss... well Sherri has made it quite clear how she feels about teachers having anything more then a professional relationship.

This could be very messy.

I can't think about it right now. I just have to push the thought of his unbearably soft lips against mine and get back to work.

As difficult as that may be.

I pull into the parking lot and get out of the car, not even daring to look around the parking lot to see if Justin is right behind me or not. With my luck, he'll want to talk about this right now and I can't do that. I need to get my head on straight first.

I grab my purse and head back into the building, as I reach the door of the building I see Justin pulling in. Even the distance and the windshield in between us doesn't stop me from noticing the concerned look in his deep blue eyes.

I quicken my pace and let the door to the building float closed behind me heading back towards the safety in numbers of the teachers now rejoining their groups to continue planning.

I try to focus as the other two teachers swap ideas but to be honest my mind is understandably elsewhere, and they are pretty much set on following the same old stale curriculum thats been in place for years now. I'm too preoccupied to argue and they don't want my opinion anyway.

Two mindless hours later, I find myself avoiding Justin's gaze as I head out of the cafeteria. It appears that he will be stuck here for a little while longer and I am thankful for that. At least it gives me a chance to get out of here before he traps me in my classroom.

I feel bad for basically plotting out my avoiding him but right now it's probably for the best.

Either way it was surprisingly easy to avoid Justin for the next few days. I know it was childish but I already had so much to deal with, and he didn’t seem to be actively seeking me out either.

In fact it was Thursday before I even saw him at all. I was standing outside during recess with the other second grade teachers when I spotted him out across the field with his students. They were scouring the ground for leaves and dropping them into plastic freezer bags. I watch him interact with them and can't help but be a little mesmerized. Something about a guy with children that just gets to you, ya know?

He must have got the feeling that someone was watching him because he turned his head in my direction and even from across the field I can see the uncertainty in his eyes, but slowly he lifts his hand, waves just slightly and nods his head once. My stomach starts to tighten into knots of guilt because I know the only reason he’s being distant is because of the way I reacted. I really do miss him coming in every morning just to chat. I smile weakly back and then a voice catches my attention.

The always intrusive Harriet Jones has made her way to my side, and she’s standing to my left, arms folded across her chest as she speaks.

“Is that Justin all the way out there?” She asks, when I know she knows it is. I swear she always knows whats going on with everyone.

“Yea.” I reply.

“He must be starting the food chain unit.” She mentions. “I’m sure you’ve met him right?” she prys, when I'm positive she knows he’s in my room almost every morning.

“Yea we’ve met.”

“He’s such sweet boy.” She’s is one of the younger teachers in the building. But I use the term “young” loosely. Half the time she's acting like your best friend, and the other half she acts like an old nosy aunt. I really don’t have any idea what she’s trying to do but I go along with it.

“Yea, he’s been very helpful. He gave me a lot of the stuff he used last year.” I reply, at least trying to keep this all school related.

“Oh. I have to admit, I’ve noticed that he stops in your room from time to time. I’m glad to see he’s opening up again.”

“Again?”

“Yes. When he first started working here, he was the life of the building. Then, from what I’ve heard, his fiancée ran off to California and he hasn’t been the same since.”

I fight to keep my composure. ‘His fiancée?’

“He was engaged?”

“Yes. I believe so. When that girl took off, it really broke his heart.” She nods and watches him calling his kids together, probably to head back inside.

“He took some time off, I think to follow her out there but as far as I know he came back empty handed.”

“Oh.”

“I really shouldn’t have told you any of that, so…”

“Really, I won’t be running off to paint a billboard or anything.”

“No I wouldn’t think you would…” She looks as though she had more to add to her thought, but he’s approaching us now with his line of third graders in tow.

“Good afternoon Justin.” She smiles politely at him.

“Hello Harriet.” He returns her greeting. “Callie.” He doesn’t quite meet my eyes, but does smile.

“Hey.” I say softly, and barely realize that Harriet as already begun to walk away and she blows on the whistle around her neck to call the kids in.

After pausing just briefly, he looks back to make sure all of his students are with him.

“Jamie, go ahead and stop right at the door okay?” The student at the front of the line nods enthusiastically and I can’t help but smile at the sheer joy he has of simply holding that coveted spot as line leader. I look up and see Justin smiling right back at me but when our eyes meet the grins fade slowly. This is so stupid. I… we really need to stop acting like teenagers. And I suppose the balls in my court.

“Hey Justin?”

“Yea?”

“Are you gonna be around after school?”

His eyebrows furrow, and he gives me a questioning look. “Um.. yea.” His hand reaches up to rub over the top of his head through the short hair and down the back of his neck.

“I was thinking I’d come down.” I try to sound as nonchalant as possible. I know what we need to talk about; he knows what we need to talk about, but there’s no reason that Harriet or the other second grade teacher to question any motives.

His eyes widen just slightly and then he nods. “Yea that would be great.” “Okay.” I smile, I forgot how much I like just talking with him, even if it is the slightest bit awkward right now.

“Okay.” He grins back and turns away to head towards the front of his, somewhat patiently waiting line.

“Okay Jamie, go ahead inside, right into the room and to the rug.” He pulls open the door and holds it open as his students file in.

I look towards the playground. “Miss H’s class.” I call them over and they line up, my student of the week coming right up front and waiting for the okay to lead her classmates inside. When I turn back around again I see the last of Justin’s students heading inside and he winks at me before following them in.

I can't get what Harriet said out of my head. I've had my fair share of horrible endings to relationships but that is horrible. I can't believe someone would leave someone like him. I’d kind of really like to hear the story from him, because I’m sure there’s more to it. I’ve only known him for a short period of time but he’s been so consistent with everything that he does; kissing me was definitely an impulse and if him simply talking with me is shocking to the other teachers, I can’t even imagine what they would think if they knew he did that.

I really need to know what he is thinking.

I lead all my students into my classroom, passing by his door as we walk inside and see him sitting in a chair in the far corner with his students gathered around him on the rug reading from a Shel Silverstein book. He really is something.

Shel Silverstein is my favorite author.

Sooner than expected the day is over and I don't have any idea what I'm going to say to him, but I refuse to delay this any longer. Drama has never set well with me.

As the last bus is called and I smile and wave when the last of my students heads out the door I walk around the room dropping tomorrows morning work onto desks and grabbing stray pencils and erasers off the floor.

I make sure that I have everything ready to take home when I do leave before I actually take the short walk down the hall.

I peek into Justin's room and see him sliding papers into the students mailboxes. His back is to me and I watch him for a moment. He slides the last paper into a slot and then lifts his wrist up to read his watch. I hear him sigh and then he turns and walks towards his desk, stopping midway and walking back towards the mailboxes again. He stops and brings his hand up to his forehead, rubbing at his temples and he turns just slightly so I can see his profile. His eyes a closed and his nose is scrunched up and I can tell he's very stressed.

I feel really bad but at the same time kind of want to laugh a little. He really looks adorable, even in such a state.

"Hey." I step into the room and he jerks his head in my direction, eyes wide, panic spread across his face and I can't stop from laughing.

"Oh my God." his hand grabs his chest and he takes a deep breath before he starts to laugh.

"You should have seen your face." I say after I catch my breath. His blue eyes are sparkling and it really is a beautiful thing. His eyes are definitely one of the the things I've always noticed. For better or worse, they are very expressive.

"Girl... now I know how you feel. Damn." He shakes his head and looks at me with a lopsided grin.

"Yea well at least you weren't holding anything." I add. While he recovers I take a look around the room. He has always come to my room and save a couple instances I haven't really been in here very often. It hasn't changed at all since he set it up three weeks before the beginning of the year. I've already changed the desks around twice and it's only been just over a month.

I've really noticed how much he likes to keep everything so structured and organized, which makes it even more odd that he did what he did. Not sure I'm ready to bring that up yet.

"Whats with that?" I point to an acoustic guitar leaning up against a bookshelf near the rug.

He had settled down tentatively on the edge of his desk but suddenly he stands up and crosses the room.

"Oh... well you know for being so close to Memphis you'd think the school would have an excellent music program, but we're lacking in that department." He sighs and lifts the instrument gently in his hands.

"You know they only get a half a year of it and I think it's a shame so I try to do stuff with them on my own."

'Could he be any more... ugh.' I tilt my head just a little and watch him as he spins it in his hands and slides his fingertips over the strings. "So you know how to play?"

"Yea. I mean, obviously it's not my career or anything. But I can play a song or two." He grins. "Mostly with them I can make up little songs that they can sing to help remember what they've learned. It's simple stuff really, but it works."

Life is really cruel sometimes. Bringing me to a place where I'd seriously meet someone who could be the perfect guy, but making it so theres nothing I could do about it. But there are so many little things that make me want to.

"Justin?"

He sets the guitar back down and looks right at me. "Yea?"

"I think we need to talk about..."

"Yea." He interrupts me. He looks at the door and then back at me. "But, it's probably not a good idea to do that here." His voice is a little softer and I'm sure he's worried about someone hearing just this.

"Okay?" It comes out like more of a question then an agreement but I don't know where else we could go.

"Listen how about..." He starts to speak but then theres a knock at the door and we both turn to see our wonderful principal standing there looking at the two of us like we're two teenagers she caught making out in a closet.

This woman is something. However if that is her suspicion she isn't far from the truth.

"Justin, I wanted to speak with you about that conference you plan on attending later this month." She says.

"Sure Sher, Callie and I were just discussing that actually." He smiles at her and without even trying I understand his creation of what shouldn't be a necessary cover story. It's ridiculous that either of us should feel we need one but I admire his quick thinking.

"I'm going to head out for the day. I'm thinking I will grab an early dinner at that sub shop you told me about Justin. Have a good afternoon Sherri... Justin." I smile at the both of them and walk towards the door.

The nod and smile he returns to me let me know that he understood what I meant and I head down to my room to grab my bag and have to admit I am the slightest bit thankful to have at least a few more minutes to decide exactly what I want to say to him.

I am you and you are me
We are the same mistake packaged differently
Everybody bleeds the same

It's a little funny that this has become "our" place. We have a place, Justin and I. And apparently, we are a "we" as well. My eyes open and I sit up a little straighter, shocked at the thought that has passed through my brain.

I guess there really isn't a question as to whether or not I do feel something for him. Interesting.

I really want to know what Sherri had to say to him. I'm sure an earful with the way she was staring us down when she came in my room. For God's sakes we were just talking. She really has issues.

I rest my head back again and hum along with an older Rascal Flatts song.

"I meeelllt every time you look at me that way. It never faaaaaiiiillls any time, any place. This burn in me is the coolest thing I've ever felt. I meeeelllll..." For some reason I can't help but sing along and I get lost in the song until there is a light knock on my window.

Dammit, he's done it again.

He's laughing as I clutch my chest and glare at him. "You just couldn't let me win today could you?" I ask.

"It's just too easy." He smiles. "Are we gonna go inside?"

"We can just sit out here." I reply, not really wanting to have what could be a very awkward conversation in front of strangers.

"Okay." He doesn't question it, instead just walks around the car and climbs into the passenger seat.

"Maybe you should start working music into your classroom. Or can you only belt it out in cars?" He grins when he successfully makes me blush.

I don't know what is more embarrassing, being caught singing in the car in general, or having him be the one that caught me.

"You're just still pissed off that I creamed you at that game. You scared I can out-sing you too?"

"Whoa no girl, I just heard you sing, so I'm not even gonna challenge you there. You've got a set of pipes." His eyes lock with mine and I fall silent.

He just complimented me, and I really liked it.

At the moment though, I am not really sure how to react to that and our gaze breaks and we both just breathe.

"So, did Sherri have anything interesting to offer?"

He sighs. "Not really. I don't know what the hell she is so... um worried about." He starts, but then clears his throat and contemplates what he's just said before he continues. "But she was not so subtly trying to get me to not go to the conference. She said that she really only needed one person from the school to go and that it was nice of me to offer. I said that I was actually interested in what the conference was about but I told her that I might not be able to go after all and would get back to her." He says.

"Why wouldn't you be able to go?"

"Well... I kind of wanted to make sure that it was alright with you." He replies and my jaw drops just slightly.

"Oh." So we're jumping right into this.

"I just... I'm sorry about what happened Monday and I know that I've made you uncomfortable and I don't really know why I did it."

His eyebrows are furrowed making wrinkles in his forehead and his blue eyes look a little glossy. He's really falling into this apology. I don't know if I should stop him or let him work it out. For the moment, it's cute so I'll just let him go.

"I really messed up and I know I sound like an ass but I don't want that to screw up our relationship." He stutters. "I mean our professional relationship and our friendship. I didn't mean to say out relationship."

I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. He's severely stressing out with this and if he would just shut up I would tell him it's alright but he keeps going.

"I guess I was just... I don't know happy to have someone to talk to and I..."

I can't take this anymore. We're both slightly turned in our seats facing each other but his head his turned and he's looking out the windshield or down at his hands as he rambles. I reach my hands up and hold onto his jaw, forcing him to look at me.

"Justin, for the love of GOD I beg you to stop talking."

"I'm sorry?" He says and I drop my hands.

"Stop apologizing. Damn."

"I just wanted you to know that it was a mistake and that I am sorry I put you in such an awkward situation."

I think for a moment. "Why do you think that you need to say you're sorry?"

"Well the way you reacted. It was pretty clear that I freaked you out."

I laugh when he says that.

"Yea, I suppose I did freak out didn't I?"

"Yes. And avoided me and I don't want you to think that I was only hanging around you and helping you out because I thought that it might..."

"Don't even go there." I really hope he wasn't going to say what I think he was going to say. I never would have thought he was just trying to get something from me. "Those thoughts hadn't entered my mind."

"Oh." He looks down at his hands again.

"Well now they have." I smirk when he looks up quickly, already searching for the words to get out of that, but when he sees my face he relaxes.

He breathes deeply.

"Justin it was only a kiss." I say finally. "I am really not offended."

"You're sure it's okay?"

"Yea. I probably should have come and talked to you sooner. I really miss you coming to my room every morning." I smile.

"Well, I miss coming down there." He smiles back and theres an easy silence that falls between us. We both stare through the windshield. So he knows that I'm fine with the fact that he kissed me. And he says that he doesn't know why he did it, but thats bullshit. I could let him get away with it and we could go on with our lives here and I'm pretty sure we'd both be miserable. I know I'd be miserable anyway.

I've finally decided that I don't mind possibly figuring out where something between us could lead. Screw Sherri and her stupid rules. Who is she to decide what I do with my personal life? Or what Justin does with his? As long as it doesn't have any effects on how well we do our jobs there shouldn't be an issue. He's not my boss and we don't even teach the same grade.

Maybe it's simply because I have faith in taking leaps of faith, but all signs are saying that he is someone I was supposed to meet. There was a reason I got the job out here and there is a reason why I wasn't scared to take off to the middle of nowhere and perhaps this is it.

He's told me he hasn't dated anyone since Jenn left. I can't really completely imagine how much she must have hurt him but even if he doesn't realize it, he's moving on.

He's an amazing man that I've just started to get to know. And I really want to know more.

He knows why he kissed me. And I am going to get him to admit it.

"Justin?" He looks at me. "Why did you kiss me?"

His jaw locks and he looks away from me again.

"I don't know."

"Justin, there are a lot of things that people just 'don't know' but reasons for kissing someone isn't something that just slips your mind." He doesn't speak and it kind of seems like he's pretty much refusing to talk. I forgot how stubborn and blind and childish men could be. If they can't brush it off they would rather ignore it.

"Fine. You don't have to answer that question. But you do have to answer this one." He turns to look at me again and unreadable expression on his face.

"Do you want to kiss me again?"

He jolts to the side, and if I thought his eyes were wide before, they are almost falling out of their sockets now. I don't know where I got the balls to say that but there's no taking it back now.

My heart starts to race as I wait for some kind of answer from him. I can hear it beating stronger and it seems like hours are just flying by.

He tongue darts across his lips nervously and I'm pretty sure that he feels caught in a catch 22. If he says yes he fears that I might worry that he is really only looking for a less the professional relationship and take that negatively. And if he says no, that I might actually be hurt. In my head it can't be any clearer; I want him to kiss me.

But he has to figure that out.

The volume never changed, but the radio seems louder.

"...whole world could change in a minute. Just one kiss could stop it spinning..."

Its ironic how so often a song can say the things that you can't.

"Yes." He replies finally, just seconds before his hand lifts to my cheek and he leans over the center console. My eyes close and my head tilts and I breathe in just before his lips touch mine.

It really feels like the car is spinning, but at the same time the entire world has indeed stopped to give us this moment.

My hand drifts up to his wrist and holds his palm against my cheek and his other hand reaches for my shoulder and slides down my arm to stop at my elbow and my hand rests against his forearm. I lean towards him, just the slightest bit frustrated by the armrest in between us.

He pulls back just a bit to lick his lips again and tilt his head in the other direction before closing his mouth over mine again and the feel of his lips and heat of his body mixed with the scent of his cologne or aftershave or whatever is just delicious.

His lips coax mine open just a little bit and I feel his tongue slide across my bottom lip but he doesn't push it. He pulls away slightly yet again and then kisses me once more before completely leaning back. It wasn't too little, it wasn't too much. Just perfect for a first... well I guess, second kiss.

I open my eyes and see him staring back at me, his teeth biting down on the corner of his bottom lip.

"I uh..."

"I swear Justin if you even attempt to apologize for that I will slap you."

He laughs, and I laugh and we completely bypass that possible awkward moment where we talk about what just happened. I'm hoping we're past that, because I'm expecting a lot more of this in the future.

"So..." He trails off and I look at him.

"I'm guessing you still want me to come to that conference with you?" He grins and winks at me.

Oh yes, I definitely want to know where this is headed.

Chapter Nine

I smooth out my skirt as I sink into the tiny chair at the little green table and attempt to finish writing out the lesson plans that need to be submitted to Sherri. Much to my surprise when I came in this morning there was a note in my mailbox saying she was going to be stopping in sometime next week and she wanted my lesson plans.

Of course I hadn't actually written out any because Justin had made it seem like she never actually did the observations she should, but that's just my luck.

At any rate I am hard at work writing out objectives and procedures when there's a knock at my door and I look up, smiling instantly when I see Justin there, two Starbucks cups in hand.

"Did you get me coffee again?" I ask. 'He's really gotta give this up.'

"Nope. It's diet Pepsi. I'll have you know the girl behind the counter looked at me like I was crazy."

I laugh lightly and take the cup from his hand when he stops next to me and holds it out. "Thank you." I lift the cup to my lips and take a drink.

"You know you really shouldn't drink that so early in the morning."

I wave a hand in the air at him and he shakes his head and takes a sip of what I assume is his usual coffee. "What are you up to this morning?" He asks, gesturing to the papers I have spread out on the children's reading table.

"Sherri wants my lesson plans, so I have to actually write them."

"Seriously?"

"Yea."

"Why are you working there? That can't be comfortable." He raises an eyebrow at me. "You should use your desk, that is why they are made."

"Justin, have you seen my desk lately?"

He scans the room and his eyes widen when he sees it. Manilla folders with worksheets, various guided reading books, and of course a semi-organized set of textbooks.

"It's buried." I add.

He laughs and steps backwards to sit on the edge of one of the desks.

"Well I won't take up too much of your time this morning then, but..." I watch him curiously as he looks towards the door quickly and then back at me, his tone lowering just a bit. "I have to tell you about this girl I just started seeing." He grins and a small smile plays at my lips.

"Oh really?"

"Yea, she's a teacher and she just moved to the area." He licks his lips and rambles off a few more things about me "...she's got this killer smile..." he adds and I can't stop my smile from growing, and he winks and leans a little closer his eyes darting to the door again. "...and I'm not gonna brag, but she's pretty hot too."

I blush and he leans back laughing.

"Justin." I hiss under my breath. Acting like this at work can really get us in trouble. But I can't resist playing along.

"She seems like quite a girl."

"She is." He nods.

"Hmm... so when do you think you're going to see her again?"

"Well I'm hoping that she'll come out with me tonight. Technically, it would be our first date."

"Oh really? Well..." I draw it out, holding him in suspense, and I can't believe how unbelievably cute he's being with this. "I really can't see how she could say no."

He beams and he opens his mouth to speak again, but a bell ringing to let us know that the students will be on their way in the building cuts him off.

"Crap." I say, turning back to my lesson plans and trying to gather them up.

"Dammit." He curses under his breath and stands up. I finally get everything together and stand up, looking at him.

"We'll talk later." I say and he nods. I really really want to kiss him right now but that's not an option.

He does take a moment to reach out and run his hand up and down my forearm with a smile before he tells me to have a good morning.

"You too." I reply and watch him walk out into the hall, instantly voicing a 'Good Morning Kyle!' after a smaller voice calls out a 'Good Morning Mr. T!'

I bite my bottom lip in a half smile as I think about this evening. I have a date!

~~~

A few hours later I'm in the middle of a class lesson on non-fiction books when I see Justin pop into my room and deposit a note onto the mountain of my desk. My eyes flicker between him and my students whose tiny hands are raised high in the air as they wait somewhat patiently to add to the brainstormed list of topics.

He grins and I smile back, returning my attention to my class as he disappears from the room.

A few minutes later I have sent them back to their seats, along with some construction paper and other things they need to put together what will become their own non-fiction books.

I walk to my desk and pick up the note my eyes scanning the words quickly.

'Callie,

Can't meet up with you after school today, I've got a hot date to get ready for. I've got to pick her up at her house around 7:15. We'll talk soon.

-Justin

I can't help but smile at his little note. And I grab a notepad of my own, keeping to the same subtle coded technique that he used. We talked last night about keeping this all a secret for now. Which is admittedly going to be very difficult.

I fold up the note and make a note to bring it down a little later and then I start weaving in between the tables, stapler in hand, ready to get these books put together.

It isn't until I get home later on that afternoon that the fact that I have a date really sinks in. I haven't been on a date in so long.

I try to waste some time, and kill some of my nerves by sticking to my normal nightly routine. Feeding Duncan and checking my mail; I even make an attempt to look over my lesson plans but that results in a total failure and I finally reach for the phone to call my old roommate Taylor.

Taylor is one of the few people I had kept in touch with since moving. Other then my family anyway. One of the first things she asked me after I started working and got settled in out here was if I'd met any 'Southern Hotties' and stupid me actually mentioned Justin.

She's been telling me to go after him for weeks; she's going to flip her shit.

"I have a date." I say as soon as I hear her 'hello' filter through the ear-piece.

"With the hot teacher?" She asks.

"Yes!"

"Oh my God, how did that happen?" She asks and while I want to go into this whole story I don't have the time right now.

"It's a long story, that I don't have time to tell right now. I am freaking out." I laugh as I say it, knowing how stupid I sound. But, she would never call me on it.

"What are you wearing?"

"I don't know."

"Where is he taking you?"

"I don't know." I groan.

"Stupid guys. He should have told you." She laughs. "They don't understand what we go through."

"I could call him and ask but I don't wanna..." She inturrupts me.

"No, let him keep his secrets. Just grab a pair of jeans and you know that tank top... well wait is it still warm out there?"

"It's alright."

"Okay that shirt from that place in Charlotte. Remember the one that she bought for you after Katy Jacobs accidentally lodged that blue slurpie across the bus and hit you when we were driving home from the senior week trip?"

I laugh at how she described the event that led up to the purchase of the shirt, instead of the actual shirt. "Yea, I know which one."

"Yea, and just don't put shoes on til he gets there. Then you can see what he's wearing. I don't know what they do or where southern boys take their girls on dates but I've heard some things. You might be running through a corn field and tipping cows."

"Tay... you know that the Carolina's are southern states too right? Did any of your boyfriends ever take you cow tipping?"

"Fuck no, but I stick to the cities. What time is he coming to get you?"

"7-ish" I reply and sit up from where I had flopped onto my back on my bed and look at my alarm clock. "And it's just after 6 now so I'm gonna get going."

"Yea girl, get yours! Call me tomorrow."

"Hasta Tay." I laugh.

"Pasta Cal."

And then I am alone again, but slightly less anxious. Honestly, I kind of enjoy the butterflies. I've never really been too afraid of new relationships, it's the endings that get me.

I really like Justin. There is so much that we have in common, professionally and personally, and I don't have to act like some one else around him, which is definitely a game I'm tired of.

I poke through the drawers of my dresser and fumble through the hangers in my closet to find the outfit Taylor had talked me into and then I head into the bathroom to touch up my makeup and play around with my hair.

I'm not really that fussy of a person, so I don't worry too much about all of that.

There's a knock at my door just as I am coming down the hall and I drop my bag on the couch and walk over to it. I breathe in and open the door to see Justin smiling at me.

He looks just the slightest bit uncertain and the expression is utterly adorable.

"Hey, come in." I say, pulling the door open and letting him walk inside.

"Hi." He steps in and looks around, and I look at him. Casually dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt that fits him in just the right places. A Memphis Tigers hat that had been on his head, is now being held in both hands.

"Nice place." He says finally after surveying what he can see of it.

"It's just a one bedroom apartment. I'm only here with Duncan so it works." I say. "Thanks."

And as if he cared about hearing his name, the gray and white cat slinks out from behind the couch and weaves in between Justin's feet. Justin leans down and pats him and then looks up at me.

"Are you almost ready to go?" He asks.

"Yea, um where are we going?" I reply, grabbing a pair of shoes from the rack near the door and sitting down on my couch.

He doesn't speak and I look up to see him rolling the bill of the hat in his hands and he clears his throat.

"Well, I wanted to talk to you about that." He says and he looks worried.

"What's up?"

"Do you mind if we just head back to my place" He clears his throat again and then looks right at me, almost ashamed of his proposal.

I think I know what his concern is. We already agreed on keeping this relationship a secret and that pretty much limits where we can go and what we can do on dates. Which kind of sucks but its the smarter thing to do.

"No thats cool."

He sighs at my words, relief clearly evident on his face. "I mean I know that it's kind of a lame date but..."

"It's not a big deal. We can just talk and do whatever." I grin at him and he nods.

A few minutes later I have my bag and we're walking out to his car to head back to his place. And you know I am really just fine with the idea of just hanging out with him.

We reach his truck and he opens up the door, reaching for my hand to help me get inside the massive thing before he shuts the door and jogs around the front to get in his side.

The car starts up and he turns down the radio, shifting the car into drive he pulls out of the parking space and I turn my head away from the window when I feel his fingers curl around mine.

He doesn't say anything, and isn't even looking at me when I glance from our hands to his face. But there is a soft smile on his lips as he focuses on the road ahead.

I tighten my fingers around his and relax in the seat.

Come along with me, come on and dance with me
The band played songs that we had never heard
But we danced anyway

(Justin's POV)

Maybe it was a little bold to just reach over for her hand like that. But, for some reason I just knew she'd be okay with it. I'm nervous as hell, so I'm really hoping my palms aren't sweaty or something, but in all honesty this doesn't really feel like a first date to me. I mean technically it is the first date I've been on in a long time and that fact keeps hitting me in the face over and over.

However with Callie, its almost like all those innocent lunches at the sandwich shop were our first, second, even third dates and this is just a night in with my girl.

My girl?

Well, I'm not going to throw that down on the table just yet. She's something special but, well... At the moment though the conversation at her apartment plays over in my head and I really wish that I could do this right.

Make a reservation at the only fancy restaurant in town- really show her off, because she's beautiful and she deserves it and she should know that. The car ride is a comfortable quiet, me in my thoughts and her in her own I suppose, but about fifteen minutes later I pull into my driveway and we get out of the car.

"You've seen the hall and the living room but why don't I give you a tour of my place." I offer once we're in the door.

"Alright." She agrees and I reach for her jacket as she slides it off her shoulders, tossing it onto the back of the couch as we pass by. The tour isn't really all that grand, but I'm proud to say that I'm a homeowner at 27. Not to mention, hell yea I'm trying to make a good impression.

The second I got home this afternoon I attacked this place with a vengeance just to make it not look like the bachelor pad that it is. A place victimized by not only my messes, but the messes the three freeloaders I call my friends make when they need a break from their wives and kids.

We eventually wind up back in the living room, and I'm kind of at a loss as what to do next.

"So um, have a seat." I say, making some strange hand-motion towards the couch and she smiles and sits.

"Your house is great." She says and I grin. She's impressed, mission accomplished.

"Thanks." I reply, "Do you um want to order something to eat? I'm not really that great of a chef so I don't want to subject you to that kind of torture just yet. I just thought it would be easier to get some kind of take out. Is that alright?" I'm quite aware that the longer I talk the faster it comes out.

"You know what? Chinese sounds great."

If there's one thing I've noticed about Callie, its that she's pretty easy to read. So, the panic that has been mounting my chest since the moment I picked her up, about how much I don't want to seem like a jerk by ordering take out, now instantly starts to melt away. I can tell by the look on her face that thought hasn't even entered her mind.

I grab the menu and we look it over, well she looks it over- I've practically got the thing memorized. Again, I am not a cook.

I just sit down next to her and pretend to look it over. She looks amazing, I mean she always looks great but I guess because I know she was thinking about me when she was getting ready and just the simple fact that we are spending time together just does something to me.

And good LORD the smell of vanilla that's hovering around her right now has never drove me as crazy as it is right now. Damn women and their perfume. It can be downright deadly.

I want to kiss her. But it's not the right time.

I've kissed her before, and I'm certainly planning on doing it again. But, we're not horny teenagers and there's got to be more to tonight then just making out.

After I call in our order from the kitchen I grab a couple cans of soda out of the fridge before heading back into the living room.

"I grabbed you a Pepsi, is that okay? I don't own any of the diet variety."

"That's fine. But next time I won't be so easy to please." she responds with a wink and a smile, and she reaches for the can.

'So she's already assuming there'll be a next time.' I smile and glance down at the ground. If she talks in that voice all night I'm going to have a problem.

"So the food should be here in about a half hour." I take a seat on the couch next to her and just out of habit throw my arm up on the back. She turns a little and looks at me, her fingers popping the top on the soda can and she takes a sip.

"Okay." She replies. She glances around the room quickly and then looks back at me. I'm starting to get that nervous feeling again, I don't know what to do right now.

"How do you feel about that rematch?" She's smiling and there's a devilish look in her eyes. She gestures to the playstation that's tucked away on a shelf of my entertainment center. "You up for getting your butt kicked again?"

I can't stop the grin on my face. "You think so do you?" I stand up and pull out the game, and hook it all up and when I turn around she's already standing and got one of the wireless guitars strapped around her.

Its hanging a little low and she's trying to tighten the strap and I use the opportunity to reach for her hands and I rub my thumbs across the backs of her fingers before releasing them.

"Here, let me do it." I know it's a cheap shot, but she doesn't say anything and I'm gonna take what I can get.

"Did I?... Did I tell you that you look great tonight?" It's probably a bit of a random time to mention that but it just comes out.

"You don't look so bad yourself." She replies and I shake my head and laugh lightly. "Now stop trying to sweet talk me, and start the game." She adds. I pull on the other guitar and do as she asks.

20 minutes and two losses later, I finally get to celebrate a victory.

I swear it's just because it's her that I lose. But in the euphoria of finally winning I admittedly get a little cocky and she laughs at me. I throw my arms around her and look down at her.

"What are you laughing at? You lost Hunny." I grin.

"I sooooo let you win." She pinches my side and my jaw drops.

"You did not... did you?" I don't know how much more of a beating my ego can take. At least my boys weren't around to see it this time.

Her eyes are locked on mine and she's smiling and just when I'm about to admit defeat she shocks me by leaning up and kissing me. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't" she says, still staring up at me.

I bite the side of my bottom lip and my gaze flickers back and forth between her eyes and the lips she just kissed me with.

"Do you really care?" I think that's what she says but regardless I just shake my head because right now I just care about kissing her again.

I tighten my arms around her and start to lean down but of course just as her eyes close and I'm about to do what I've been waiting to do all night the damn doorbell rings.

"You've got to be kidding me." I mumble under my breath, but force a very slight smile that she's returning. Her hand pats my chest and she steps away.

"Well I guess our food is here."

Fifteen minutes later we've got the food spread out on the coffee table and we're sitting on the couch again. The television is on, the background noise of some VH1 reality show just drowns out the silence that pops up when we stop speaking to take a bite.

"...So they were divorced when I was really young. They're both remarried now- my dad has two sons, my two brothers but they are quite a bit younger then me." I say, now that we've somehow wound up on the topic of our parents.

"What about your mom?" She asks.

"What about her?"

"Did she had any other children?"

"No." I laugh, "I think I scared her out of that."

She giggles and I shove another piece of general tso's chicken in my mouth. The sound is freaking contagious and she looks adorable with her legs tucked underneath her and her back to the arm of the couch. There's a box of lo mein in one of her hands in chopsticks in the other. We've already discussed how amazed I was that she actually knew how to use them.

I got a good laugh out of her for that remark too. She offered to teach me- but failed miserably when I ended up breaking mine in half.

"I'm sure you did." She replies.

"Hey now. You're being awful mean to me tonight." I tease her. She just rolls her eyes. "Do you have any brothers and sisters?"

She nods. "I have an older sister who lives in Arizona."

"Wow, so parents in New York, sister in Arizona, friends in North Carolina and you in Tennessee. That's quite a spread."

She just nods and shrugs her shoulders, like it's not a big deal. I couldn't imagine being so far away from everyone I knew. But, then again everyone I know is roughly 20 minutes away at any given moment.

"I went where I was needed. And if I say so myself, I'm pretty glad I did." She smiles at me.

"Yea... Do you miss any of it?"

"I'm used to not being around my family. I miss a few of my friends back in North Carolina but the ones that matter know that I'm there if they need me."

"Those that matter?"

"Well, I'm not gonna lie. There were a couple people I didn't mind leaving behind."

"Really?"

She takes a deep breath and she starts to sit up and lean over to put her near empty carton on the table. I reach for it and set it down and she leans back again.

"Yea. Namely my ex. You know, exes are exes for a reason." She laughs lightly and I can tell she feels a little awkward talking to me about this.

"You don't have to..."

"Naw it's all good. He just wasn't the guy I thought he was. He was getting to be pretty controlling and I didn't really need that. I was going to break up with him anyway but before I could end it with him he told me he'd been sleeping with one of my roommates."

"Damn."

She just shrugs her shoulders again. "So, I was more then happy to get far away from them."

"Well, he certainly missed out on something." I reach over and rub her knee and then reach for her hand. She willingly gives it and our fingers wind together and rest on her leg.

"So, how many girls' hearts have you broken Stud?" That infectious smile of hers surfaces and I laugh. Her question sinks in and I clear my throat.

"I don't know if I've got that kind of pull." I reply. Now I know it's lame, but she might have been able to talk about her past relationships, but I suppose I'm just not that good at letting things go.

"Aw come'on. I'm sure you had a girl or two after you in school."

Fuck it. Maybe it's time to let some things go.

"I actually dated the same girl from my junior year of high school until I graduated from college."

"Wow." She's clearly shocked, but she does cover it well.

"Yea, I told you. You don't get that many new people around here."

"That's a long time to be with the same person. If you don't mind me asking, what happened?"

I don't know if I mind. So much went wrong I don't really know if it's worth getting into. Honestly, I'm scared as fuck to put it all out there. So I take the easy way out.

"It just kind of fell apart. I guess that's the short version. As far as I know, we were together and happy and heading down the same road as everyone else we knew one day, and the next she had her life packed into a few boxes and was heading to California, decidedly without me."

"Oh you did mention something about Hollywood before. The same girl who went to 'find herself?'" I can't believe she remembers what I babbled about the first day we met.

"Yea, one in the same. And I haven't really heard from her since." That's not really a lie. She definitely never tried to contact me. I was the loser who followed her out there and made a fool of myself.

"Well, what you said to me goes both ways." She squeezes my hand. "She missed out on something really great too."

We both turn to look at the television, the initially unnecessary distraction providing a welcome way to shift the topic. Soon after we start talking about which girl with the stupid name Flavor Flav will pick this season and successfully segway from the uncomfortable silence.

I reach for the remote and flip through the channels, finally stopping on one of the movie channels and when I habitually throw my arm across the back of the couch she moves over next to me.

Before I know it, the movie I was only half watching is now ending and I lift up my wrist to read my watch. It's already nearing midnight.

I really don't want to move, it's been nice to just be around a woman. And even nicer to feel her in my arms. But, we both agree that the night has to end some time and she helps me clean up the living room a little bit before we head out so that I can bring her back to her apartment.

The drive back across town seems a lot faster now, and being the southern gentlemen that I was raised to be I walk her to her door. Earning another cute comment out of her.

"So, tonight was really great." I say, sounding every bit like some movie as we stand out in the hall.

"It was." she smiles and her key is in her hand. "Goodnight Justin." She turns just slightly and reaches for the door handle to unlock it.

This night really has been great, and there's only one thing that could make it better.

The one thing that I've been wanting to do, and trying to get to all damn night.

"I'm gonna say goodnight. But, Callie there's something else I've got to say first." That probably sounded confusing as hell.

She turns back to face me again. "Yes?"

I step forward and slide my right hand behind her head, the other hand easily slides around her waist to pull her towards me and I kiss her.

I don't mean some sweet and simple goodnight kiss either. I really kiss her. This girl has really got me caught up in something I didn't think I wanted to get caught up in ever again.

I capture her lips a few times, tilting my head a little and then break away and can't resist kissing along her jaw. Her hands have found their way to my shoulders and I feel her fingertips straining.

I could easily do this all night. I have to force myself not to.

"Goodnight Callie." I mumble, my lips against hers and then kiss her again.

"Goodnight." she whispers back breathlessly and I step back away from her. We smile at each other and I lick my lips and glance at the floor and back at her again.

She nods her head just slightly and I nod back. "I'll call you when I get home."

I say and watch her dissappear through her door before turning around and heading back to my car.

Before you I was only what I let control me
You are a revolution against my own conclusions
And now I say goodbye to the way I used to be
I hear your name in every word I say

(Saturday October 11, 2008)

I still can't get the night out of my head the next morning. That is, when I finally get around to waking up. Being a teacher means I've pretty much kept with the same schedule for most of my life. Monday through Friday I'm up early in the morning and I have a routine. Shower, breakfast, school, 'homework' and then to sleep only to wake up and do it all over again. Saturdays and Sundays are everyone's weekends. I'm quite partial to my routine, and as a result even on the weekends I'm usually up by eight.

Although even on weekends, I'm usually asleep by 10. However last night through me completely off my rhythm. After dropping Callie back off and coming home I crawled into bed and spent much of the night staring at the ceiling. Thinking about her smile, her voice, her eyes, her hair, the things we talked about, the taste of her kisses and the feeling of her body in my arms.

That last little bit might have taken me to a place I haven't visited since I was seventeen. But, sometimes a mans gotta do what a mans gotta do. Especially after being completely alone for so long.

It's now nearing 1pm on Saturday and I've only been up for two hours. And what have I accomplished in those two hours?

Laundry? Nope.

Cleaning? Not at all.

Any work for school? Definitely not.

I've scrounged together a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and that's about it. I have no desire to do anything at all but lay here on this couch, watch Cartoon Network and contemplate a way to make the next date even better.

Unfortunately my friends have other ideas. A new episode of Ed, Edd, and Eddy is rambling on my TV screen when I hear a pounding on my front door, followed by the sound of it swinging open.

I really need to start keeping that thing locked.

"Dude!" I hear Franks voice shout out. "Where the hell are ya?!"

I lift my arm up and wave over the back of the couch. "In here."

"Is he home?" Apparently Jeremy is with him.

"Yea... man you saw his car in the driveway." Frank responds.

"Well I don't know maybe he's with someone." Jeremy refutes.

I can't help but laugh at their stupid argument as they walk the short distance from the door to the living room.

"Please, who would he be with?"

I groan. I love being the butt of all the jokes.

"I don't know, his Momma?"

"Leave my Momma outa this." I finally interrupt as they come into view and a magazine comes flying at me along with a couple other envelopes and they thump me in the chest.

"Grabbed your mail." Frank says.

"Thanks." I reply and thumb through the bills and end up face to face with a Playboy.

"What the hell is this?"

"Your welcome Buddy." The two guys start to laugh.

"We figured you could use it since your all hung up on that hot teacher and we know you ain't gonna grow the balls to seal the deal and go after her."

I suppose I should fill them in on whats happened between me and Callie the past couple days.

I toss the pile of mail and the offensive yet, not completely unappreciated magazine on the coffee table and sit up.

"What's up guys?" I ask.

"Whats up?!" Frank says, looking at me like I am insane and should know why they are invading my house on this Saturday afternoon.

"Man the Tennessee/Florida game is today. Volunteers all the way! Mike is on his way over." As if on cue the front door opens and I hear Mike shouting hello.

I groan, I really don't know if I am up for an afternoon of college football. Crazy right? Jeremy is already tuning the tv to ESPN though and Frank is heading towards the kitchen. Mike comes into the room and slaps Jeremy on the back.

"Jay you owe us. Thanks to you friggin' bailing on us last night I had to sit through two lifetime movies with Kate. I missed the fucking Memphis game."

"God forbid you spend some time with your wife." I roll my eyes at him. Frank comes back into the room with four Miller lites in hand and passes them around. "Help yourself." I remark, knowing that they know not to take my sarcasm seriously.

"So what the hell was up with you yesterday?" It takes a few minutes, but once they get settled, Mike finally asks the question.

"I uh... had plans."

"With who?" Jeremy asks.

"Uhh..." What is with me today?

"No way! He hooked up with the teacher!" Frank somehow deduces, and I can't help the half grin that forms on my face.

"I didn't 'hook up' with her. We just hung out."

"Seriously?" Mike raises an eyebrow at me.

"Yea, we hang around here, watched a movie and ate some Chinese food." I conveniently leave out everything related to Guitar Hero.

"What kind of date is that!" Jeremy says and I cringe. "You couldn't take her out to dinner or something?"

"I wish I could have trust me." I make a feeble attempt to defend myself. "But I work with her you know? We really aren't supposed to be dating."

I probably should have just kept that little piece of information to myself but its too late now.

They explode into various degrees of shock and laughter, a chorus of rhymes about forbidden fruit and how I have to nail her now filters into the air; of course in a less vulgar concoction of words. Then they calm down and Frank makes one last statement.

"Well, I think I speak for all of us when I say that we like her." I know I don't need their approval but it's nice to hear anyway. "So uh... when are you gonna see her again?" He asks.

"I don't know. Probably Monday morning I guess." I shrug because I honestly don't know.

After that inquisition ends the talk turns to the game unfolding on the television and the not so juicy details of my love life and left alone.

My thoughts that afternoon continuously flit back to her so when the guys finally take off and head home to their wives, its not long before I give up on cleaning up the mess they've left behind and grab the phone off the dock.

I dial the number that isn't quite yet familiar, but just the sound of the ring in my ear gets my heart pumping just a little faster. Its a great feeling though, when she picks up the phone and realizes its me; I can hear the tone in her voice change. It sounds lighter, a little more breathy, and I wanna believe that its a tone completely reserved for me.

That one phone call ends up lasting well over 2 hours and may have just been the highlight of my whole day.

At nine-o'-clock on Sunday morning I find myself in my truck, clad in sweatpants and a t-shirt, with a paper bag of groceries in the passenger seat. Sometime between last night and now I got the bright idea to cook breakfast for Callie.

Now I have been parked outside her apartment complex for about twenty minutes now, an elderly lady coming outside to pick up her newspaper gives me a strange look and I'm almost afraid that she's going to call the cops on me or something.

I finally drag my ass out of the car and grab the grocery bag. I reach her door and ring the bell, suddenly realizing that I might very well be waking her up.

"Justin? What are you doing here?" Callie asks as she opens the door slowly a few moments later. I have a quick second to glance over her as her hands skip over her hair and face, and then work on straightening out her clothes.

She's still wearing what I assume are her pajamas. Just a tank top and a pair of Tarheel blue terry cloth shorts.

Maybe it's just me and my own biased opinion, but even though I'm pretty sure she just woke up a short while ago, she still looks great.

"I uh..." I suddenly realize I'm staring and feel a bit awkward about everything going on right now. "I brought breakfast." I smile and shake the bag in my arms just a little bit.

She looks surprised, as I expected, and thankfully she smiles brightly and there's this sparkle in her eyes that kinda makes me feel like I've done something right.

"Come in." She then starts to step backwards making room for me to come through the door.

I follow her into her kitchen and set the bag down on her counter and then turn back to face her. "Good morning." I reach up and brush a few strands of her messy blond hair away from her face, kiss her lips quickly and then pull her into a hug.

"So, are you hungry?"

"Sure." She answers.

"You know I've heard that the way you like your eggs says a lot about you." She says after we discover that we both really just enjoy scrambled eggs with mozzarella cheese. I've just cracked four eggs into a bowl that she'd watched me search her cabinets for.

"Oh really? Care to enlighten me?" I humor her, and she laughs lightly.

"Nope." she shakes her head and screws open the cap on the bottle of orange juice I brought and starts to pour some into a glass.

Our eyes meet and she lifts the cup to her lips, I raise my eyebrows at her.

"I don't know anything about it." She finally laughs. "It's just something I heard."

I shake my head at her and pour just a little bit of milk into the beaten eggs, a trick I learned from my Grandpa. "Well, we at least know that we like our eggs the same way, that's gotta be good right?"

"For me anyway, as long as you can do the cooking." Her laugh is contagious and captivating. I set down the bowl and just look at her; preparing to tell her so when the shrill sound of her phone ringing cuts me off.

She reaches for the dock where a cordless handset should be resting there on the wall to her left, but its empty.

"Be right back." She says, and I can't resist watching her walk away down the hall towards her bedroom where she left the phone last. I smile to myself, imagining her curled up in her bed last night talking to me on the phone.

Within the next few minutes I finish getting everything ready and realize I have no idea where she keeps her frying pan, not to mention I don't know how long she's going to be on the phone and I don't want her food to get cold while its waiting for her.

Having kicked off my shoes when I can into her apartment it's no surprise that she doesn't hear me coming down the hall and I peek into her room and she her perched on the edge of her bed, facing her vanity. She has the phone pinched between her ear and her shoulder and shes making quick work with her fingers trying to pull her hair up into a ponytail at the same time.

The power women have to multitask is beyond me.

"Hey Callie?" I say, trying to get her attention but not scare her like I have a habit of doing.

Her head turns sharply to me, and the phone almost slips but she grabs it and holds it to her ear. Apparently I failed. Her eyes are wide and then she cringes.

"Yes Mom, there is a man here." She mutters. I can only imagine what mess I've gotten her into now.

I smile awkwardly at her as she stands up, waving her hands and shaking her head as if to tell me not to worry about it.

"His name is Justin. I work with him." She's now fielding questions as we both walk back towards the kitchen.

"No Mother, he did not spend the night here. Not that it is any of your business."

Oh no, I know that tone. She's getting all feisty and defensive. I like it. Although I'm glad that she's walking behind me so that she can't see the grin on my face at the mere idea of spending the night with her. It would probably earn me a nice slap to the shoulder.

"Mom, I can't really talk about this right now. Can I call you back later?" I hear her say with an exasperated sigh. Well I would love to hear what she has to say about me, at the moment I would rather have her all to myself.

"Thank you. Love you too Mom... bye." She clicks off the phone and sets it on the counter, hopping up to sit on the edge. "Sorry about that." She looks at me, and I contemplate teasing her a little and maybe dragging some information out of her but the look on her face warns me otherwise and she keeps talking anyway.

"What did you need?" She asks.

"Um a frying pan?"

She uses her foot to push open the door to the cabinet right underneath where she's sitting. I swallow hard, suddenly filled with nothing more then the desire to slide my hands up those legs that she doesn't even know she's teasing me with, pull her to the edge of the counter and forget about breakfast completely.

It's been much too long since I've really spent time with a woman and that fact is hitting me hard in more ways then one.

Next thing I know, in the seconds I've spent fantasizing, she's leaned over and pulled out a frying pan.

"Justin?" She holds it out to me. I blink and tare my eyes away from her thighs and clear my throat.

"Thanks." I take it from her and busy myself with starting a burner on the stove and fixing our breakfast. "So that was your mom?" A stupid question I know but, I need something to think about other then her smooth, bare skin.

"Yea. She usually calls me before she goes to church."

"Oh, well you should have talked to her. I could have watched TV or something. I'm sorry I interrupted." I feel a little bad because I know she's out here alone.

"No it's alright. She was just really surprised to hear another voice."

I chuckle, more to myself then anything because she expertly skirted around the fact that her mother had been more interested in the fact that the voice was male.

He supposed that his mother probably would have been filled with questions, had she heard a female voice at his house on a Sunday morning as well. Parents were rather predictable, and had the same worries no matter how old their babies were.

"Well I hope I didn't get you into too much trouble." I shrug and turn off the burner and more the frying pan. With a fork I pick up a bite of the scrambled eggs and hold it out to her. "Taste."

That proved to be a bad idea as well, because all I focus on then is her mouth closing down on the fork as she leans forward and puts a hand on my arm to keep steady.

"Hot." She says and in my head I'm agreeing with that statement in a completely different way then she means it. "But good." She tells me.

She hops down off the counter and scoots around me in the small kitchen to reach up into a cupboard for two plates. Completely oblivious to the effect she has on me with her playful move of nudging my hip with hers to get me out of her way. When she turns back around, she's caught in between me and the counter and I take the plates from her and set then down.

"Justin?" She looks at me, clearly confused by my silence and movements but there's something I have to do.

My tongue darts across my lips and my hands rest on the counter on either side of her.

"Kiss me before I kiss you." I don't even know what I really just said, but I had to let her know what I was thinking somehow.

"What?" She asks, but when my mouth closes on hers and my hands circle around her waist she does nothing but tilt her head to the side a little and match my lips motion for motion while digging her fingers into the curls that are just starting to form at the back of my head.

What I'd give to make you coffee, find out how you like your eggs
Wrapped around you in the morning, a tangled lace of arms and legs
What I'd give to let you love me... find out what that feeling is

Chapter 12:

 Another week of sneaking around, stealing glances and secret smiles passes by surprisingly quickly and before I know it I'm in the parking lot of Callie's apartment complex that Friday morning securing her luggage next to mine in the back of my truck.

We climb in, and I settle on a radio station before we begin the drive east. I really wish this was more of a trip for pleasure than business because there are so many places that I'd like to stop and show Callie along the way but hopefully there will be another chance.

The normally draining drive seems to fly with Callie there in the passenger seat chatting with me about random things and occasionally singing along with the radio. Nearly six hours later we arrive in Knoxville and she picks up piece of paper with the directions to the hotel on it. We find our way through the city pretty quickly.

Pulling into the parking lot of a Crowne Plaza hotel I double check just to make sure we're at the right place. Because, to be honest it's a little nicer then any place I've ever been before for something like this. But, when my eyes scan over the directions again it confirms that this is in fact, where we belong. The exterior of the building itself isn't all that spectacular, but when passing by the windows I could see the rich color scheme and grand staircase and can only imagine what the rest or the place will look like.

"Finally." Callie says, when I pull the truck into a space and put it in park, turning off the engine. "Six hours in the car with you, is a long time." She laughs.

I shake my head and open up the door and she follows suit. "I could say the same for you Miss Stop-at-every-rest-stop-so-I-can-pee."

"Well, I drink a lot." She playfully defends herself, "At least I don't change the radio station every five seconds."

"They play too many commercials." The banter is comfortable, not biting as I pull the bags from the back of the truck and we start to walk inside.

"Good Afternoon." I say approaching the desk and greeting the woman standing there at her computer. "We're checking in. There should be two rooms booked under Sherry Piper."

I glance at Callie, who is leaning her luggage up against her knee and digging through her purse for something. I imagine just briefly that we are there together checking into a bed and breakfast or something. Just on a weekend outing completely of our own choosing. The background noise of random people moving about the hotel lobby as well as the tapping of the women's fingertips against the keys of her computer keep me somewhat grounded.

"I'm sorry sir. Did you say two rooms?" My head snaps in her direction and I nod.

"Yes. We're here for the teaming conference. There should be two rooms booked."

She bites her lip and her eyes flit over the screen hoping to find information that apparently isn't there.

"We're only showing one room booked. Are there more than two teachers coming from your district? Maybe they have been booked under a different name?" She questions me.

"No Ma'am." I shake my head.

"I'm sorry sir, but unless it was specifically mentioned that it was a necessity to have more then one room booked in order to allow more schools to attend we based our rooms on double occupancy." She politely explains and my stomach tightens into knots. I just can't fathom that Sherry would have let this slip by.

"Um, alright. I'll just pay for it myself then. Do you have another room available?" I force out quickly, not taking a chance on looking to Callie for any input. I would love nothing more then to spend a night with Callie. However, we're supposed to be working this weekend and being alone with her in a hotel room; I'm not sure I can control myself.

The woman behind the desk doesn't even blink before replying, "No sir, I'm afraid we are completely booked." She says. I look to Callie and start to say something about finding another hotel close by and she looks at me as if I am crazy.

"Don't be silly." She cuts me off. "It's really not a big deal." She pats my arm and then smiles at the clerk. "We'll be fine." Within minutes we're being handed key cards and pointed towards the elevators.

I wait until we're safely inside before reaching for Callie's hand. We've been sneaking around for the last week and its become a natural instinct already. "I uh... just didn't want you to think that..."

She squeezes my hand and interrupts me yet again. "I don't. But, even if I did, I'd be okay with that." Does that mean what I think it means?

The elevator lurches to a stop on the fifth floor and the doors slide open. I drop her hand to reach for the handle on my suitcase and she does the same, leading the way out the door and I swear she's got just the slightest bit more of a sway to her walk as she heads down the hall.

She comes to a stop at room 525 and swiftly opens the door.

"So, I've been thinking..." I catch her attention once we're inside, and she's unpacking just a few things from her suitcase.

Before she can make the smart ass comment that I know she's got on the tip of her tongue when she looks right at me with a smirk and a sparkle in her eyes I continue. "Would you like to go to dinner with me tonight?"

Her smile softens and she clasps her hands together. Her head tilting to the side in a silent question.

And I just nod slightly, letting her know that yes, I mean on an official date.

"Justin." She walks towards me and I hold out my hands palms up and she places her hands in mine. "I would love to." She finished and I close my thumbs down across the backs of her hands and pull them up around my shoulders. That's just the answer I was hoping for. I finally get to treat her to the magic she deserves. She doesn't have to know that I've already found the perfect restaurant and made a reservation. I simply wrap my arms around her and envelop her in a hug and tell her that I will call down to the front desk and have them recommend somewhere while she gets ready.

She pulls back and her hands come to my cheeks and I find yet another spectacular smile that I've never seen before. "Okay." She says and then rises up to kiss me. I can't help but lift one hand to the back of her head and hold onto the moment for much much longer then she probably anticipated. The hand at her back pulling her against me and I trace her bottom lip with my tongue. I can't really predict how this night will go but now that I have the chance I'm going to show her just what I'm made of. Her eyes are closed as I pull away and place one more kiss to her forehead.

"I hope you packed something nice." I mumble, my lips still caressing her skin and I feel her swat my chest.

"You're one lucky guy. My mom always taught me to be prepared for anything. Even spur of the moment romantic dinner dates with a guy you're secretly dating." She laughs lightly and steps back. I get the feeling that she suspected I might take the opportunity to take her out right, or that if I hadn't suggested going to a nice dinner she would have mentioned it herself.

About twenty minutes later I've changed into a pair of nice tan slacks and a deep blue button down shirt. I'm straightening a tie when the bathroom door clicks open and the light shuts off. I turn my head and see Callie coming back into the room in a stunning black dress that falls just below her knees, and a deep purple wrap draped around her shoulders. I'm thankful for the mild temperatures that we're getting this year because she looks gorgeous. Her hair is curled and I really want to sink my fingers into it because it looks so damn soft and she smiles at me with that smile that I'm constantly deciding I can't get enough of.

"Are you ready to go?" I ask her softly.

"I just need to find my shoes." She replies and searches through her things to find a pair of flats and slips them on her feet. I grab the jacket that I have already laid out on one of the beds and check to make sure that my wallet is definitely in my pocket. She fumbles through her purse and pulls out some kind of lip gloss and leans into the mirror on the vanity to put it on and then tucks it back into her purse.

"Alright." She finally says as I'm pulling the jacket on. "Where are we going?" She asks.

"You'll just have to wait and see." I grin and wink at her while extending my hand and feeling a chill run up and down my spine when she takes it. I pull open the door and we exit the room. For the first time together and not worrying about who sees us.

We take the elevator down to the lobby and as we're walking outside Callie starts towards the car but I tug on her hand and she stops. "It's not that far away, why don't we walk?"

She nods and I lead her in the direction of the restaurant. A few blocks later we stop walking. "Here we are."

"The Melting Pot?" She says out loud reading the bright florescent sign lit up above the entrance. And for a moment her tone makes me nervous.

"Yea, is that alright? Have you ever been to one before?"

"No, what is it?"

"It's like fondue, I thought it might be fun." I say.

"Okay." She replies, not a hint of hesitation in her voice and I sigh and relax.

"Alright." Once inside I give my name to the hostess and she brings us to our table; a booth in a back corner with a small red candle flickering in the center of the table.

A waitress soon arrives to take our drink orders and after checking the wine list I order for the both of us and then we're left alone to glance over the menu.

"So how does this work exactly?" She asks, her voice low as if she feel silly asking that question.

"Its actually pretty neat, built like a 3 course dinner." I lean over the table to point to things on the menu as I explain it. "For the appetizers you just pick which kind of cheese fondue you want and they give you all sorts of vegetables and bread and fruit. Then for dinner you cook your food at the table yourself and for dessert they have a couple different kinds of chocolate fondue and bring out fruit and other things. It's supposed to be really great."

"You've never been here before?"

"Nope, I thought we could try it out together." I answer, and she seems surprised.

She smiles, "Alright. So what should we choose?"

"Anything you want." I reply instantly, she's got to know that tonights all for her.

Once the waitress takes the order a few minutes later, our appetizer set-up arrives shortly and we both sip our wine and drift into a comfortable conversation.

"So, I have to let you know that Sherry tried to tell me yet again that I didn't need to come this weekend." I say with a laugh.

"Really? What a surprise." She responds sarcastically.

"Yea, I just told her that I had already made plans to meet up with a friend of mine out here anyway so if she asks I met a guy named Steve Prindle for lunch."

She laughs lightly. "You know, I'm very thankful that she hired me, even if it was kind of forced on her, but this is a little ridiculous. Apparently we aren't able to adhere to her stupid policies."

"Well, we kind of aren't." I chuckle, earning a hard look from Callie.

"She has no reason to believe that though. She just automatically thinks that we're clawing to get at each other."

"She's kind of always been on that stuff though. I think something happened with a couple of teachers before. I don't really know. Harriet tried to tell me about it one day but that woman babbles on about anything and everything and I learned pretty quick that it wasn't usually something important. But the no employee relationships thing wasn't really made such a big deal to me then as it has been since you came along." Then a memory strikes me and I really let out a laugh, drawing a confused smile out of her.

"Although I just remembered that during my first year here she sat in on a couple of my parent-teacher conferences. But now that I think of it, it was actually just the same mother twice. I was still with Jennifer at the time so I didn't really pay attention to it but I'm pretty sure it was a single mother. She's just all about preventing the scandals that small towns are famous for I guess."

"So what happened after you broke up?" Callie asks and for the first time in a long time I don't feel uncomfortable talking about it.

"To be honest I don't really remember. I wasn't really in the best of places then. I'm not even sure I enjoyed being around myself so I'm pretty sure she didn't think anyone else would want to." I reply, finishing with a nervous laugh.

"I can't imagine you that way." She states. "What happened?" Her eyebrows furrow together and I know she's asking, not to be nosy but just because she's interested in my past.

And while I don't really like to think about it, I kind of feel like she deserves to know. After all, she'd told me all about her ex. I take a breath and give her my story.

"The shorter version is that we'd been together through most of high school and while while we were in college too, kind of following what everyone seems to do around this place. You've met my friends. I guess I just expected that we'd get married and start a family like everyone else." I look up from focusing on my hands not really sure what kind of look I expect to see on her face but she's just listening to me intently. A look in her eyes urging me on.

"Um then she thought she was pregnant and I don't know I guess she got scared and when we found out that she wasn't she just kind of decided everything was over. She said she didn't want to be here anymore and that she was basically bored."

"Bored?" Callie asks.

"Yea." I shrug because I didn't really understand it all at the time either. "Bored with me, or with the idea that she could be growing up and ready to start a career and a family and she just had to leave."

"And then she went to California?"

"Yes."

"And you went after her?"

I pause and look at her curiously because I don't remember ever telling her that before. "Um yea... I didn't think I told you that."

"No." She sighs and her shoulders slump a little and she looks nervous. "Harriet said something to me a few weeks ago."

"That woman needs to get a life." I shake my head, Callie relaxes and I finish up my little story. "Yea, I did. Not one of my shining moments. But, once I found her she was already living with some guy and she told me that she didn't think she ever really loved me, she was just 'comfortable.'" I provide air quotes an a roll of my eyes for effect.

"I'm sorry Justin." Callie says and my eyes meet hers and I know that even though she has no reason to say that, she just understands how it feels to have your heart broken.

"I used to be sorry about it too. But I'm not anymore." I reply, reaching across the table for her hand. Hopefully the motion on its own was enough to show her why.

She gives me that smile that I was hoping for and I slide my thumb back and forth across her hand. "It's okay now."

She nods and I squeeze her hand before letting it go and we both seem to silently agree that the subjects of Sherry and school and Jennifer are to be dropped. And we focus on the night unfolding ahead of us; just for us.

Over an hour later we leave the restaurant; with my arm around her shoulders I feel chill bumps rise on her skin when the cooler night air hits us. I stop to slide my jacket off and place it on her shoulders before wrapping my arm around her again.

"Now we can take the long way back." I say and she tilts her head and smiles up at me. I can't resist the opportunity to lean down to give her a peck on the lips. "How do you feel about a little walk through Market Square?"

"It sounds lovely." She responds and her tongue slides across her lips and she leans against me as we walk.

As we walk other couples pass by, the quiet whispers they share just barely audible among the other sounds that surround us. We don't speak, just meander along past booths that are being deconstructed and others that appear to be just set up. A sign on the window of one of the shops advertises the Farmers Market that will be there tomorrow.

We pass by a man with a guitar and his open case laid out in front of him as he plays just outside a bar. His folksy music gets drowned out by the louder bass and the voices from inside when the door swings open and an older man walks outside to pull out a cigarette.

I nod at the man as I reach into my pocket and toss some change into his case. He doesn't appear to be a penniless street bum, judging by his suit and expensive guitar; just a man who wanted to play, and so I don't feel like I'm patronizing him with a handful of quarters and dimes.

Slowly but surely we see the hotel coming into view and once we're back inside the building and waiting for the elevator to reach the ground floor I hear a soft sigh and feel her head rest in the crock of my arm. I sigh too.

I couldn't have imagined the night going any better. And as I turn my head and stare down at Callie, I can't help but kiss the top of her head and decide that there is no other woman I would have rather spent that evening with.

Finally the elevator arrives and I nudge her softly with my elbow and she walks ahead of me and pushes the button for our floor. A few moments later I'm unlocking the door to our hotel room, and pushing it open for her to walk in.

"I've had a wonderful evening Justin." She says as she slides my jacket off her shoulders and folding it over her arm. I let the door shut behind me after following her into the room.

"I'm glad." I reply. "I just wish that it hadn't taken so long for me to be able to take you out. It's something I should have done right from the start." A concerned gaze focuses on me and she tosses the jacket onto a bed and walks towards me.

"You know I don't really care about that." My arms are folded across my chest but as she steps nearer I loosen them and she reaches for my hands. "I just love spending time with you."

I smile because it's a corny line and we both know it, but it's true. "I know."

"I know, you know, so cut it out and kiss me." She works her way into my arms and leans her chin against my chest smiling innocently up at me. My weak smile turns instantly into a wide grin before I oblige her request and tighten my arms around her.

As her mouth meets mine again and again the feeling from before climbs back into my brain and I can't help but think that tonight might lead somewhere we've never gone before. And the more I think about it, the more the idea starts sinking into other parts of my body. And at this point with the intensity of the situation and the feelings I have for this woman, mixing with the wine we had at dinner those body parts are becoming increasingly difficult to control.

I will thoughts of puppies and my grandmothers pecan pie into my head because I don't want to push her but it's been a long time since I've been involved with a woman and I just want her so much and in so many ways. I'm a man, not a machine.

I feel her tense when she moves and her thigh brushes against my crotch. And I'm sure she finding something there she didn't expect.

"I'm sorry." I mumble quickly and lick my lips in habit, looking at her as she looks up at me. She doesn't say anything in response and I don't really know what to say or do.

"I uh, I just..." I stumble over a few words and she bites her bottom lip and her hands slide around my neck and shakes her head, the look in her eyes tells me that she doesn't care.

"You just what?" she smirks, a devilish gleam in her eyes, and she leans forward, pressing her lips to the side of my neck and then nipping lightly at the soft skin below my ear.

"God." I mutter when her tongue slides over the same spot. "I want you."

"Can I tell you a secret?" She asks softly as she moves and my eyelids flutter closed when she repeats the same tender motions to the other side of my neck.

"Mmhmm." This time I lick my lips in anticipation of what I pretty much know is coming.

"I want you too." She whispers, her mouth against my ear, and I swear my knees almost give out.

I groan and my eyes open wide enough for me to mark my target before I dip my head down to catch her mouth with mine, not wasting any time finding her tongue with mine and filling this kiss with purpose.

For a few minutes the only sounds I hear are our breaths and my own heartbeat. Then my hands roaming her back, stumble upon the zipper to her dress and fumble with it but I can't bring myself to actually tug it down even just a bit.

Then one of her hands slides from around my neck and pulls on my tie, loosening it and I take that as the last sign I needed to get in order to be sure this was truly happening.

"I haven't done this in a while." The words come out, barely in a whisper against her ear as she pulls the tie off over my head and begins undoing the buttons of my shirt.

A soft giggle escapes her lips and she kisses my adams apple, her hands running underneath the shirt and onto my shoulders to push it off. "You're doing just fine." She says and I realize what she thought I meant wasn't my point at all.

I loosen my arms around her and lean my head back a little bit.

I shake my head, "That's not what I meant."

She looks up at me, her eyebrows furrowed. "Then what?"

"I meant, falling in love." I say after contemplating the words for a split second. "Callie, I really think I'm falling for you." For the first time in a long time I put myself out there without thinking and what follows isn't panic, but relief because I don't fear her response at all.

And a soft sigh escapes her before I slide my hand to the back of her head and lower my lips to hers.

So come on, get higher, loosen my lips
Faith and desire and the swing of your hips
Just pull me down hard, and drown me in love
Cuz everything works, Love, everything works in your arms

The idea that left his lips, mixed with the intoxicating way they are teasing mine is almost too much to handle. I'm not quite sure if he's expecting me to say anything back. I mean, it's not like he's actually said those three words. But, the way he sounded there I'm sure they were pretty close to the tip of his tongue.

The tongue that’s now torturing the side of my neck. Oh my God. I can feel every inch of my body on fire. Responding to every touch before it even happens, and now my brain is reeling at the same time. This man has every part of me lit on fire, in the best way.

And then words fall out of my mouth before I even know they're coming. "I'm falling for you too." He spoke from the moment and I have to as well.

His arms loosen around me and he tears his mouth away from my neck to look at my face. Almost like he's trying to judge the honesty of that statement. It’s a shame that someone has left him that way but at the same time I understand it. I nod just slightly and I see a spark of pure liquid happiness light behind the lust that’s already there in his eyes.

Tonight has just been magic. From beginning to end. Tonight is the night we've been holding out for. And, we don't have to hold back anymore. Its almost as if that thought reaches us both at the exact same time, because in the seconds that follow our confessions time seems to both speed up, and slow down.

His fingertips wrap underneath the straps of my dress and my hands slide down his chest to reach for the hem of the tank top he'd been wearing underneath his dress shirt. He stops what he's doing and allows me to lift his shirt off over his head. And for a second I'm definitely caught it the sight of how well built he is. The gym equipment he has in his garage is definitely put to good use.

My lips immediately lower to the center of his chest and place a few feathered kisses before I look up at him looking down at me and with his eyes locked on mine his hands slide down my sides and his fingers scrunch up the bottom of my dress.

I feel his fingertips pressing into the muscle of my thighs as he stoops down and catches my lips with his while his hands start to slip the dress up. My arms are locked around his neck. Then his hands shifts and caress the skin on my sides as they continue to bunch up my dress until finally after he spends a few seconds roaming my breasts he breaks his mouth away from mine to finally pull my dress off over my head.

His eyes roam over me, standing there in just my underwear and I feel a stitch of uncertainty, but all the while it’s mixed with the pure electricity of what has been ignited between us. I can sense only lust, almost amazement in his eyes when they meet mine.

"Beautiful." He whispers, I think more to himself then me, and I smile. He reaches for my waist and around my back, pulling me into him again and attacking my neck with fervor. The expert motions of his tongue and mouth catching me off-guard and only able to close my eyes as they make their way down the column of my neck and the center of my chest. I feel his fingers starting to fumble with the clasp of my bra and I snap back to my senses, wanting to have my own moment of exploration of his body before he continues tantalizing mine.

I reach for his hands and pull them away and he looks at me confused. But, the second my hands start trailing down his stomach to reach for his belt buckle he understands.

It only takes a few seconds for me to undo the belt and the button on his slacks and with my eyes watching his mouth draw in shaky breaths, I start to push them off his hips and I kiss his chin and chest a few more times while they slip out of my grasp and fall to the floor completely.

She steps out of them, nudging them to the side with his foot, already warding off the possibility of tripping over them in a few minutes and then after looking him over and taking in my fill of his body standing before me in only a pair of dark gray boxer-briefs, I slip my arms around his trim waist. First tickling my fingers up the V shaped lines made by the toned muscles there.

And I fall into him again, reveling in the sensation of his bare skin against mine. I feel him, almost completely hard and poking against me and shivers shoot up my spine. I slip my hands just under the waistband of his boxers at his back and I hear him hiss in a breath. My eyes close, and I allow him to undo the clasp of my bra now, but with me holding him so close, it doesn't yet fall down to reveal what he wants to see next.

He leans his chest away from mine and one hand slips under the bottom of my bra to palm my breast, squeezing it gently and then thumbing my nipple, now a hard nub that I can't wait to feel his tongue slide against and I lean back myself to pull the bra off and I give him a second to stare. Instead his arms go around my waist and he lifts me up unexpectedly.

I hug his neck and wrap my legs around him while he carries me to the bed.

He leans forward, laying me down gently and crawling over me in one swift movement and he kisses my lips once before hovering over my chest and then fondling the breast that hadn't yet seen any of his loving attention.

His mouth latches on to my breast and his tongue flicks at my nipple, the sensation igniting the unconscious arch of my back and I can’t control my own thoughts. “Oh God.”

My hand rubs across the top of his head, trying to grab at the short hair there. And he teases me even more when his free hand slips under the band of my underwear at my hip and doesn’t start to pull them off. It’s getting to the point where all I want is to feel him inside me and he seems totally content with taking his time.

“Callie.” My name floats through his lips. “I can’t wait any longer.”

“Don’t” I reply as best as I can, but my breath is already running away from me.

Somehow in the next few seconds he strips the last of our clothes off and finds a condom. I help him slide it on, taking a second of my own time to caress him. But he pushes me back onto the bed with a shake of his head.

“Another time.” He mumbles, before kissing me and setting his body against mine. “You okay?” He asks.

I slide my hands to his ass and pull him closer instead of giving him any other kind of response and he surges into me. I feel myself sucking him in slowly and I can help the soft moan that escapes to mix with an equally satisfied groan coming from him. He holds still, buried deep inside me and brings his mouth to mine. One arm holding a bit of his weight off of me and the other hand cradled behind my head.

After a few kisses he starts to pull out and tries to find a rhythm.

“Justin.” I whisper his name after a few more slow thrusts. I love the feeling of him wrapped up inside and around me. “Faster.”

I spread my legs open wider and run my nails down his back and he answers my request. His hips moving faster, the feeling we’re both chasing starting to build. I can see the strain in his face, mixed with the pleasure.

I know he’s trying to hold back, but he wants to let go.

“Callie, God.” He forces out. “I can’t hold…”

I kiss his sentence to an end and push up, rolling him onto his back and switching our position. I start my own slow ride, the change giving him a chance to hold on just a little longer. I lean forward and start moving faster, my eyes shutting in pure ecstasy when he hits the perfect spot at this angle and it only takes just a few more moments before I know that I am close.

My hands cradle his jaw and I press my lips to his just as I feel the muscles in his stomach tense and I fall over the edge, my inner walls clamping down on him to pull out his release too.

In a few delicious seconds it’s all over and I lay still on top of him, feeling his hands run slowly up and down my back, his heart beat is strong in my ear as my head lays on his chest and we both try to catch out breaths.

“Fuck me.” He says with a elated sigh after a few seconds. I giggle.

We both seem to know that no words need to be spoken to describe it, or talk about it. I slide off of him and onto the bed next to him. He leans over me and kisses my cheek before pulling off the condom and getting up to throw it away.

I close my eyes and wait for him to come back to bed, but I feel his hand nudge my shoulder and I open my eyes to see him handing me one of his t-shirts. He’s pulled a clean pair of boxer briefs to sleep in.

“Just in case you get cold.” I sit up and pull it on while he crawls into bed next to me and he pulls me down next to him, dragging the blankets up over us.

“Goodnight Callie.” He says.

“Goodnight.” I whisper back and smile when his lips press against my head.

The sun has already begun its ascent into the sky by the time my eyes pry themselves open the next morning. I remember the night before within the few seconds it takes me to realize that Justin is still asleep beside me.

He has somehow sprawled out across the bed on his stomach and managed to not knock me off the bed, contorted with one arm resting across my stomach and one leg winded between mine.

I stretch and then it suddenly hits me that I had somewhere to be this morning, and he did too.

“Oh my God.” I turn my head and try to sit up looking for the alarm clock on the table next to the bed. The numbers read quarter to ten and I shut my eyes tightly and for a split second hope that when I open them again the ten has become at 8. Unfortunately, that feat is impossible.

“Justin!” I push his arm off of me and pat his back. “Justin, wake up.”

He slowly moves into a stretch, coming out of his sleep and he rolls onto his side, rubbing an eye, his mouth in a half grin when he sees me through the open eye.

“Good Morning.” He mumbles and starts to sit up and move towards me, coming in for a kiss.

I put my hand on his chest and shake my head.

“We’ve got to get up, we’re really late.” I say.

“Late for what?” He blinks, still clearly not really awake.

“The first session of the conference. It started almost an hour ago.”

“What time is it?”

“Almost 10.” I climb out of bed and start to walk towards the bathroom. “We’ve got to hurry.”

"Callie." I hear Justin's voice calmly call my attention.

"What?"

"We're already late."

"I know that. That's why we need to get going." I try to add a little more urgency behind my words because he’s looking at me like he doesn’t care at all and I’m kind of getting annoyed.

"Or we could just… skip it." He grins at me. "Whose gonna know?" he shrugs, and I realize he’s completely serious.

"They'll know, we have to sign in. Justin, you know that." I state as a matter of fact.

"So what, tell them we forgot to set the alarm clock or something. Does it really matter? There are so many better things we could do."

"Justin, I'm not going to skip the conference just so that we could have sex again." I shake my head at him, although the idea doesn't sound all that crazy.

He scoffs and sits up on his knees. "As much as I would love to do that, that wasn't what I was suggesting. Sorry Babe, but you already wore me out once. A man needs some food in his stomach before we take on round two." He speaks with a satisfied tone and I blush.

"I was thinking we could order up some breakfast and just hang out for a little while and then go down for the afternoon session. We'll have to sign in again, and we can just mark that we made both sessions. It's no big deal."

I look at him, his eyes pleading with me to agree with him. It’s really no contest. "Okay. But this better be damn good breakfast…" I cross the room quickly and kneel on the bed in front of him. "And a very hot round two." I mumble as I press my lips to his and push him back onto the bed. His arms circle around me after a moment and he responds to the surprise kiss with a few of his own before I pull away and snuggle into his embrace.

I know I shouldn’t be so okay with just skipping out on the conference. I know that if Sherri finds out we missed the morning session our cover is completely blown. But, when he looks at me with a smile like that I just can’t even worry about it.

So I settle by his side as he pulls out the room service menu and we take out time figuring out what to order, and then relax with the television until it finally gets there.

This afternoon we’ll have to pretend we’re just colleagues, but for right now I can only think about enjoying the morning with my boyfriend; a man that I am slowly but surely falling in love with.