It Started with a Crush by Piper James

Chapter Eight

Chase

Istretched across my bed when I got home from the bar, unable to stop thinking about that kiss. Sage was incredible, and hanging out with her had made last night more enjoyable than any night I’d had since arriving in Texas. Even before that, honestly.

I hadn’t felt such a magnetic pull to a woman since Daniel’s mother in college. Of course, that pull had been strictly physical. Angel and I hadn’t had much in common other than our mutual attraction. We’d casually slept together for several weeks until she ended up pregnant.

I’d offered to marry her because it was the right thing to do, and she’d laughed in response. She had actually been quite sensible about the whole situation, coming up with a solid plan to co-parent with equal time and financial responsibility. We had it all planned out—until the unthinkable happened.

Angel had suffered from an undiagnosed heart issue, and while she was delivering Daniel, the muscle failed. The doctors fought valiantly to revive her, but the pregnancy and delivery had been too much of a strain on her heart. She was gone, and I was left alone with a newborn.

Well, not totally alone. I had my brothers, and they were the lifeline I needed while healing from the trauma of losing Angel and learning how to be a parent at the same time. Angel had no family to speak of and my parents had passed away, so my brothers were my only support. I thanked God for them every day during those early years.

There hadn’t been any women in my life since then—at least, no one serious. I’d had a few flings, but nothing had come of them. I refused to bring anyone into Daniel’s life who wasn’t going to be there permanently, and none of those women had fit that bill. And honestly, I hadn’t fit the bill for them either—a twenty-something single dad with a baby wasn’t all that appealing to girls back then.

But now? Now, I was thirty-three, Daniel was older, and he already knew Sage. In fact, he fucking adored her, coming home from school every day with her name on his lips, talking about all the fun he was having in Miss Barlow’s class.

And me? Well, I couldn’t stop thinking about how soft her lips were. The warm cavern of her mouth. The feel of her arms around me as her fingernails dug into my back.

When she pushed me away, it was immediately obvious that she was freaking out about being caught making out with me in such a public place. Acting on instinct, I’d let her go, slipping into the men’s room before whoever was approaching could find us alone there together.

She’d made up some excuse shortly after, saying she needed to get home. I desperately tried to catch her eye, but she’d been on a mission to avoid all contact with me, physical or otherwise. I watched her go, deciding right then and there that our impromptu make out session would not be a one-and-done thing.

I wanted to kiss her again, among other things. And my still-hard cock agreed with me.

Shortly after she left, I signaled Ethan, and he agreed that he was ready to go. The others stayed behind to have a few more drinks, and Ethan was an alibi, of sorts. No one could accuse me of secretly going after Sage.

And that scenario wasn’t as ridiculous as it sounded. When I got back to the table, Belle had been staring at Sage with a deep furrow in her brow. When her blue gaze moved to me, her eyebrows raised all the way up before a small smile curled her lips. I pretended not to notice, but it was obvious—she’d figured out something had happened between Sage and me.

And for whatever reason, Sage didn’t want anyone to know. I had to know why. Digging my phone out of my jeans pocket, I pulled up the text thread I had going with her.

Me: Hey. Hope you made it home okay.

I dropped the phone to the bed and resumed playing that kiss over in my head for the thousandth time. A few seconds later, my phone chimed. I picked it up to read the message.

Sage: I did. Thanks.

Me: I had a lot of fun tonight.

Sage: …

I held my breath as those little dots appeared, disappeared, and then reappeared again.

Sage: Yeah, it was a fun night.

“Oh, no. You’re not getting off that easy, Miss Barlow,” I mumbled, my fingers flying over the screen.

Me: Want to know the best part?

Sage: Chase…

Me: That kiss was amazing, Sage.

Sage: Please. Just don’t.

My chest hollowed out as I read those words a second time. Whatever sparks I felt between us, she didn’t feel the same. Maybe it was the alcohol that made her do it. Maybe she was filled with regret, and talking about it was making things awkward.

Shit.

Me: I’m sorry, Sage. I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable. I just thought…it doesn’t matter what I thought. I won’t bother you again.

I tapped the icon to send the message, my entire body deflating. That feeling that something great was happening between us swept away, leaving nothing but disappointment in its wake.

My phone began to ring, and I picked it up to look at the screen. My heart stuttered in an off-beat rhythm. It was Sage.

“Hello?”

“Hey. It’s Sage,” she said, her voice sounding slightly strangled.

“Hey,” I replied.

“I don’t want you to think you’ve done something wrong,” she said, jumping right into it without further niceties. “You didn’t. I wanted…I wanted that kiss just as much as you did.”

“So, what’s the problem?” I asked, careful to keep my voice gentle.

“The problem is Daniel,” she said, and instantly, my hackles raised. “Wait. That didn’t come out right. Of course, he’s not a problem. He’s a wonderful kid. What I meant to say is, my job is the problem. The fact that I’m Daniel’s teacher, to be exact.”

My feathers unruffled as she explained. A barrage of flash backs had washed over me, memories of previous women talking about my son as if he were some sort of inconvenience. But Sage was an elementary school teacher. Of course, she wouldn’t think of him that way.

“Is there some sort of rule about dating students’ parents?” I asked, finally getting the gist of what she was saying.

“Not officially,” she said on a sigh, like she was relieved I understood. “It’s more of a personal rule.”

“A personal rule,” I repeated.

“Yes,” she said. “If I start seeing a student’s father, it will lead to confusion about our classroom relationship.”

“So, we won’t tell Daniel,” I said, relieved to have found such a simple solution. “I wouldn’t want him to know unless things got serious, anyway. There’s no point in getting his hopes up, just to dash them a few weeks down the road.”

“It’s not just that,” she said quickly. “Red River is a small town, and word travels fast. Other parents would start to question whether or not I’m remaining impartial, or if I’m giving my…boyfriend’s kid preferential treatment.”

“That’s ridiculous,” I said before I could stop myself.

“I know, but it’s human nature,” she said without missing a beat.

“Who cares what other people think?” I asked.

“I do, Chase. My reputation in this town means a lot to me. I’m sorry, but this thing between us can’t happen. I’m so sorry.”

Dead air met my ear, and I pulled the phone away from my ear to look at the screen. Sure enough, she’d ended the call.

And just as definitively, my hopes for something more happening between us.

“Damn it,” I growled, scrubbing a hand down my face.

Thinking she just wasn’t that into me was much easier than knowing the truth. That she did feel something, but refused to give into it because of some misplaced sense of propriety. I would’ve liked to think people in this day and age weren’t so closed-minded and petty as to crucify a young, single teacher for dating the single dad of one of her students.

But I was new to Red River, and Sage had lived here her whole life. She obviously knew more about the people here than I did.

Whatever the case, she’d decided. And I just needed to learn how to deal with that decision and move on.