Chapter 4 - Detained by desire

It was well after 6.30 and growing dark by the time Gemma had mopped up all of the paint marks left smeared around the year 4 Art area. She was starting to understand why the previous teacher had stuck to pencil drawings and collages. Rinsing the final sponge under the cold tap, Gemma glanced at the toppling tower of humanities books piled up for marking tonight. She hadn’t got anything in for tea and couldn’t face the idea of shopping now. Her feet ached, her second best dress was ruined and Max hadn’t even glanced at her when he and a group of giggling TA’s had driven off to the Farmer’ Arms for “drinkypoos”. Mr Abraham clearly thought she was a liability and all of her creative ideas seemed ridiculous now that she had experienced the bedlam that was year four.

Gemma’s eyes filled with stinging tears as she pulled the first book from the pile and grabbed her purple pen. Maybe she wasn’t cut out for this after all? Suddenly she longed for the mundanity of the job she knew how to do. The dusty office and the same old routine. The tears spilled unchecked down her cheeks, mixing with mascara, board pen and yellow paint. God but she was tired and she hadn’t even finished her first full week!

Suddenly a box of tissues appeared under her nose and a warm arm cane about her shoulders.

“Hey, hey, hey” said a soft voice against her hair “it’s ok! The first week is a killer! You’re doing great. I’m sorry I’ve been a brute.” She looked up to see Dominic smiling ruefully at her. She sniffed into a tissue and tried to check if she had smeared yellow paint on his shoulder.

“I guess I’m still getting used to working with everyone and I forgot how new this all was for you. You have thrown yourself into everything with such enthusiasm it’s easy to imagine you’ve been here for years”

Gemma found her voice “you think I’m a silly, flirty.... flibertygibbet!” She squeaked.

His eyes widened. “Flibbertygibbet?! As if I would ever imagine you to be one of those!” His chuckle surprised her. It was warm and deep and natural and something inside her went “twang” at the sound.

“Gemma, I just wanted you to be careful. You are one of life’s dreamers and you see the best in everything. In everyone. I just wouldn’t want your progress here to be.... derailed... by anything. Anyone.” He sighed with mild exasperation. “As usual, my heavy handedness has created more upset than it has saved!”

Gemma was slightly baffled by that. Who was trying to derail her? Janet? Maybe Kirsty, the young sports TA, that Max had laughed so loudly with in the car park earlier?

Her silence must have been taken for agreement because Dominic suddenly withdrew his arm and moved away from her.

“It’s none of my business but I do want you to know that I’m only looking out for your very best interests Gemma. Schools can be small communities. Uncomfortably small at times”.

He looked at her with a curious expression of... what?... regret? Hesitancy?

Gemma’s stomach gurgled loudly like a blogged sink starting to drain.

It broke the moment.

“Right! Off home with you Miss Hathaway. I’m locking up tonight and you’re the last one here again!”

Gemma wearily started to lift the boomed off her desk to place on her trolley to take home but his warm hand stopped her.

“No marking tonight. I forbid it. Go home. Order take away. Have a bath and sleep. You need to look after yourself. This is a marathon not a sprint!”

Gemma felt the tears begin again at his sudden kindness.

“Will you be ok?” He asked gently

She nodded as the tears dropped from her nose into the books in her hand.

“Ahh lovely. You’re absolutely done in aren’t you? Listen. I will cover reading tomorrow morning for you. You have a morning of getting yourself straight and feeling more on top of things. If you need longer you just let me know ok?”

Gemma barely gasped “thank you” before he had switched off her PC, swept up her bag and steered her through the doors to the car park.

“Drive safely. And remember. If you need more time tomorrow just email ok?”

She drove from the car park with his concerned blue eyes following her until she turned onto the road home.

She was just contemplating detouring for fish and chips when a figure stepped into the road ahead of her.


JESUS! She hit her breaks hard. What the hell?

The figure walked to her passenger side window and grinned through it.

“Hello gorgeous! Fancy seeing you here! I was just wondering how on earth I was getting home when ‘bam’ out of nowhere appears my beautiful guardian angel!”

Max was clearly drunk. His hair flopped becomingly over one eye whilst the other squinted in concentration.

“Jenna! You marvellous woman you! Take me to bed like a good girl won’t you?!”

Gemma stifled a giggle! What was he like?!

“Fine, ok, jump in then! But no being sick in my car!”

He gave her a smouldering look “I’m sober as a judge m’lady!” He hiccuped gently as he sank into her passenger seat.

“So where do you live?” Gemma asked, restarting the engine.

“Hmmm?” Said max distractedly as he lifted her hair from her neck and sent shivers over her skin with his warmth breath.

“Your house? Where is it that I’m taking you?” Gemma tried to focus on the road ahead.

“Oh... I can’t go to mine! My keys are still in my classroom!” He closed his eyes and sank further into the passenger seat.

“Wait! What? What do you mean you ca....” Gemma realised she was talking to herself as gentle snores started to fill the car.  Typical. Gemma resigned herself to cheese on toast and a night on the sofa.

Chapter 3 - The Art of seduction

“....and then mummy said we could get a new hamster because peanut couldn’t swim so now we have buttons and she is the BEST. Miss Hathaway? Do you think buttons can fly?”

Gemma was watching Max playing rounders with year five outside her window. His eyes hidden behind aviators, strong thighs on show in black shorts and a tight white T-shirt emphasising his broad shoulders and offsetting his deep tan. She sighed gentle.

“Miss Hathaway? What do you think?”

Gemma realised that Maisey was tugging on her sleeve and expected a response. Gemma hadn’t a clue what she had asked but pasted a bright smile on and said “yes my lovely!! Of course!!”

Maisey seemed delighted with that answer and skipped off chattering about parachutes or some such nonsense.

Gemma returned to her daydream. Max, slightly warm after physical exercise, turning towards her and gathering her up in those delicious arms, his laughing brown eyes looking deeply into her own as his mouth lowered toward.....

“MISS HATHAWAY!!”

Gemma came to with a start as Dominic Abraham’s steely gaze raked disapprovingly over her face.

Oh god. She hadn’t been miming the “snogging” action of her daydream had she?

“Well?”

Gemma cleared her throat apologetically “I’m awfully sorry. Could you repeat the question?”

Dominic suppressed a flicker of impatience. It was only visible in the slight tightening of his mouth and narrowing of those penetrating eyes.

“I asked if you had decided upon an extra curricular club for this term yet?”

She looked at him non-plussed for a moment and then remembered Janet asking about Lunchtime and after school activities in last weeks briefing.

“Oh yes. I was going to run an eco group! I’m very into the environment and zero waste!”

He looked at her skeptically as though the thought of her knowing anything about such issues was as likely as him sprouting wings.

“Right. Well you can do Tuesdays and I will do Thursdays and we can do a Friday lunch together.”

Gemma nodded. Wait.... what? She frowned.

“Whaaa..”

“I will email you my ideas later so you can plan your first meeting. Oh, and, Miss Hatherway? Less licking windows and more ticking books would probably make a better impression on your new colleagues!”

What had just happened? Gemma watched him leave her room feeling like a naughty school girl who’d been signed up for revision one to one with the head.

She really ought to concentrate more though. Glancing down at her desk she noticed she had written ‘Gemma loves Max” in purple pen on Toby Collins’ spelling book. Bugger!

She looked to see if he was still on the field but the year 5’s had gone in to change meaning lunch was almost over. What was she teaching next? Oh, yes! Art!

Gemma was bent over a work bench covered in poster paint in front of 25 under tens when the fire alarm sounded.

“Don’t rush!! Don’t rush! Line up quietly please year 4!”

Gemma reached to catch a pot of Daffodil blaze before it rolled to the floor. Unfortunately the lid hadn’t been secured properly (how many times?!?!) and the action sprayed her liberally from head to foot with yellow paint! Darn it! Another dress wrecked!

She wiped the paint from her eyes with the back of her hand whilst attempting to count squirming heads that refused to stay still.

“Right everybody! Quietly on the yard! No running!”

Year 4 moved towards the exit like a shrieking monkey zoo as Gemma dithered. The paint would have dried solidly by the time she returned but she couldn’t stay back to put lids on now.

Shaking her head in resignation Gemma followed her group up to the top hard.

They were the last ones out. Everyone else was standing in pristine silence as year 4 descended like a pack on banshees. All teacher eyes swung towards her and she became suddenly aware of her appearance.

Paint was liberally smeared all over her like some sort of custard wode. She had leaned on the board leaving an imprint of the number 8 in blue whiteboard marker on her left breast and her attempts at wiping her face had definitely dislodged some of the expensive “smudge proof” mascara that wasn’t worth the plastic it had been wrapped in.

Chapter two - meeting head on

Chapter 2 

The staffroom was a hubbub if greetings, swapping of holiday anecdotes and exclamations over tans and new hair. Gemma took it all in with nervous anticipation. Her eyes kept darting to the door, searching for the curly brown hair and twinkly eyes of Max but it was already 8.05 and he hadn’t appeared. Without even realising she was doing it Gemma scanned the rest of the staff for potential romantic interests. Old, wedding ring, too beardy, too young, gay. Of the few men on staff it appeared that Max was the school Adonis. 

A hush fell over the room and a slim woman in her 50’s cleared her throat. 

“Welcome back everyone! I hope you’re all rested and recharged after the break! It’s great to see you all and especially one or two new faces. As you know, Sally in reception had her little boy in August so Amanda will be joining us to cover for her! Hello Amanda!” A woman with thick glasses wearing a pinafore dress when bright scarlet and wiggles her fingers in acute embarrassment. 

“And we are welcoming Nina and Gemma to years 2 and 4 respectively” Gemma smiled around at her new colleagues and waved. 

“But of course you are all keen to meet the newest addition to Cinderhurst Primary. Our new executive head, Dominic Abraham.” The woman beamed in the direction of the door and Gemma turned to catch a glance of the newest stuffed shirt. 

Hot tea spilled across her knees. “Shit!” She shrieked loudly, flapping her hands to try and disperse the scolding liquid. “God, Sorry! Oww!” Gemma glanced again at the doorway but, unfortunately, her eyes hadn’t been deceiving her. Mr Dominic Abraham exec head was none other than he of the firm thighage and Mediterranean blue eyes! 

He ignored the spilled tea and strolled with confidence into the room.

“Thank you Janet! It is a pleasure to be here at the start of an exciting year for the school. As you may already have heard, I will be diving my time between Cinderhurst and St. Martins in Kingsclere. With that said, I fully intend to have a finger on the pulse of the day to day workings of both schools to ensure exceptional progress this year.” 

This was met with a mixed response of enthusiastic clapping from Janet and a few others and eye rolling and sharp glances from one or two staff. It seemed Mr Abraham might have his work cut out for him at Cinderhurst. 

As the meeting continued Gemma took the opportunity to examine Dominic more closely from under her lashes. He was dressed in yet another implacably tailored suit, his dark hair falling neatly to his collar. Those heavenly eyes roamed the staffroom with methodical calculation as though memorising every face. Gemma could suddenly feel herself coming under scrutiny. Heat spread from her chest, creeping up the scooped neckline of her Bardot dress. She flicked her gaze up. 

Mistake.

She found herself pinned by an assessing blue stare. His eyes narrowed in recognition. Gemma thought she saw a slight pull at the corner of his firm mouth and then his eyes travelled on. 

“If anyone has an enrichment activities planned then I’ve created a spreadsheet on staff shared entitled...” Janet stopped mid sentence as the staffroom door flew open and Max tumbled in, disheveled, roguish and unbelievably beautiful in creased slacks and a faded, short sleeves checked shirt. 

“Sorry gorgeous!” He blew Janet a kiss and took a seat next to Nina who looked immensely pleased. 

Unlike Dominic who had assumed the still, predatory posture of a bird of prey. His blue eyes had narrowed and those firm lips were drawn tight. 

Seemingly oblivious Max waved at one or two staff members and reached out to grab a chocolate from the bowl on the coffee table in front of him. As he lifted his head he seemed to stare at something by her feet and, with a wide grin appearing on his full mouth, his gaze scorched its way up her legs, appraising every inch of her before lingering on her neckline. 

Gemma squirmed in her seat. Oh my goodness but he was sex personified. His mouth curled to shape the words “hello you!” And she felt herself colour unbecomingly. He was still staring. A cough startled her into reality again. 

Dominic was frowning in Max’s direction, his arms folded across his chest and a look of impatient disapproval etched across his features. 

Gemma quickly looked down at her planner and tried to ignore both men. 

The meeting was coming to an end and the staff were moving out, chattering and waving paper, to collect the student in. 

She stood and scooped up her laptop and planner and was just heading for the door when two voices simultaneously called her name. 

“Gemma!”

Closing her eyes Gemma pasted a smile on her face before turning to respond to the two most devastatingly handsome men she had ever seen.  

Max reaches her first and his arm cane around her waist as his lips met her cheek. “You decided to turn up today then? We didn’t scare you off yesterday!?” He grinned and Gemma found herself smiling at his boyish exuberance. “I better get myself sorted” he said raising a comical eyebrow “besides, the big bad boss wants a word with you and I don’t think I’ve made the best of first impressions!”. He looked pleased with himself and gave her a suggestive wink as he sauntered past “see you in here for something hot and sweet at breaktime gorgeous!”. 

Gemma turned back to Dominic the smile dying on her lip as she took in the glacial coolness of his eyes and the tightly clenched jaw. 

“You wanted to speak to me?” Her voice came out slightly squeaky and she winced. 

Dominic gave her a long, measured look. “I wanted to apologise. Yesterday when I saw you I should have introduced myself. It was rude of me not to. I hadn’t intended to be here as I was setting up down at St Martins.”

Gemma let go of the breath she had been holding. “Oh, no problem” she gushed “I didn’t think you were rude! Just a little odd! Ha!” She laughed and then stopped and bit her lip. Again, that tiny tug at the corner of his mouth. 

“Well, welcome to the staff. I hope you settle in well”

“Thanks” she said and turned to go. 

“Oh and Gemma?!” 

His voice was serious 

“I should make it very clear that I do not approve of inter staff dalliances so may I suggest that Mr Cuthbert and yourself refrain from undressing one another with your eyes during morning briefing from now on”

Before she could respond Dominic had gone, shutting the door behind him leaving Gemma mouthing like an angry carp. 

Chapter One - First Day Encounters

Gemma smoothed the folds of her 1950’s swing skirt down against her legs and checked her reflection in the car mirror one last time. A pale face with huge, brown, terrified eyes stared back at her. She reached for her “peachy pout” lipstick  before halting with it half way to her lips..... hang on. Teachers didn’t wear bright lipstick did they? God, she was going to fail at this miserably. Defiantly, she slashed a slick of glorious colour across her full slips and stepped from the car. She was ridiculously early, her small fiat the only vehicle in the school car park. Clutching her new leather work satchel, Gemma made her way to the reception. 

“Welcome to Cinderhurst Primary” declared the cheerful blue and green sign. Gemma took a moment to look around her new surroundings. This was it! Her first job as a qualified teacher!! She reached into her bag to grab her phone to take a ‘first day’ selfie in front of the sign when a huge gust of wind caught the ruffles of her vintage dress and lifted it over her head! Battling it down Gemma sent a prayer of thanks that the school was deserted still! She was just posing for her Instagram moment when a deep, amused voice interrupted. 

“Can I help you?”

Oh shit!!!

Gemma swung around so fast that her leather satchel flew from her shoulder, it’s contents spilling onto the path. 

Shit! Shit! Shit! 

She scrabbled after the various escapee items only to find herself staring at a pair of very expensive, very shiny brown brogues. Lifting her eyes, Gemma scanned her way up toned thighs in impeccably tailored grey trousers, a lean midriff encased in a crisp white shirt, sapphire blue tie and charcoal waistcoat to finally stare into eyes the colour of a summer sky. She stood hastily, brandishing the item she had clutched from between his feet. “Got it!” She declared brightly. His penetrating gaze settled on the object in her hand and his mouth twitched with barely concealed amusement. Gemma finally looked at what she was waving in front of her. 

Heat rushed to her face as she focused on the foil packet announcing it was “extra thin for pleasure”. 

Shiiiiiiit! 

Hastily Gemma shoved the offending article back into her bag and attempted to straighten her appearance and cool her flaming face. 

“So, can I?”

The man was still looking at her with puzzled amusement. 

Get a grip! Gemma scolded herself and tried to concentrate. Who was he? A teacher? Parent? 

“Sorry!! I’m Gemma Fisk! I’m starting with year 4 today! NQT!” 

She stuck out her hand only to realise she was holding a tampon before hastily withdrawing it and instead nodding enthusiastically. 

One dark eyebrow lifted sardonically.

“Well Gemma. Have a great first day! Reception is up the path to the left! The ladies there are lovely and will show you around”

He smiled a devistating, slightly crooked smile and strode down towards the school gates. Gemma watched him leave, her eyes drawn to the breadth of his shoulder and the luxuriant curl of his hair on his collar. 

Please, please, PLEASE don’t be a colleague! She needed to focus and THAT was not going to help in the slightest! 

Grinning sheepishly, Gemma donned her satchel and walked in the direction he had pointed in. 

Having finally loaded up with pilfered stationary, the obligatory “new starter paperwork” and a cup of tea, Gemma made her way along the blue carpeted corridors towards the year 4/5 area. She carefully scrutinised the art work displayed as she went. Bowls of fruit, self portraits, dragons. Nothing abstract. She’d have to change that! Gemma adored bold splashes of colour and the kids loved getting creative with textures and layers. Pushing a door open with her left buttock, she precariously balanced her tea cup on a lever arch file in her left hand in order to fumble for the light switch. Suddenly a waft of deliciously masculine, lemony aftershave surrounded her and a warm, firm hand steadied her elbow. “Woah there!” Said a voice filled with warmth and humour. “You found the secret paper stash then? I can see we are going to have watch you, you little tea leaf!”. Gemma turned to see impossibly white teeth smiling through full lips in a chiselled face the colour of caramel. “I’m Max” said the teeth. “You must be Jenna with year 4?!”. Gemma’s brain registered the question and her mouth opened to respond but Max was already talking again. “You’ll love it here. We are all pretty decent. Don’t believe a word anyone says about me!” He grinned cheekily. Gemma smiled “I shall reserve judgement” she parried with a wink. What on earth? Was she seriously flirting with a man she had only just met!? Max didn’t seem to mind. In fact he looked at her vintage outfit appraisingly before leaning closer and whispering “only half of its true!”. He shot her a naughty grin and disappeared off towards the staff room. Gemma found her desk and unloaded her hoard. She felt flustered and overheated. Opening a few window, she reflected on the fact that she had encountered more testosterone in fifteen minutes in this new job than in 12 years at Bedhams. A grin spread over her face. Maybe teaching wasn’t going to be all work and no play.