Attraction: (A Temptation Series Stand-alone) (The Temptation Series Book 4) (35 page)

Where are you? This is not funny. Come and get all these
bottles ~ Carly

A response came back instantly.

If I do, are you going to lick it off my cock? ~ Derek

‘You arrogant arsehole,’ I shouted to the street. ‘No!’

Another message sounded from my phone.

You’ll change your mind. And when you do, I’ll be waiting ~
Derek

‘Fuck you, Dik,’ I shouted again and stormed up the path to
my front door.

My phone beeped yet again, and I was almost of the mind to
launch it into the garden. But I didn’t, instead reading it because I just
couldn’t help myself.

I love you too ~ Derek

Pausing on the threshold to my house, I slumped against the
wall and slid down it until I was sitting on my arse. ‘I’m not giving in,’ I
said to myself.

Libby stepped over me and opened the front door. ‘Yeah, good
luck with that.’

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

The following week started, as it did every week, with a
school assembly. Our school co-captains, Katie Stahl and Matthew Banks — both
aged ten — were delivering the announcements for the week while I stood and
watched over the students who sat cross-legged on the floor. It was only 9.30
in the morning and already thirty degrees. Today was set to be a scorcher.

‘This week’s yard warrior is Jet Bradley from grade three,’
Katie announced.

Jet sprang up from his seated position and voiced an
enthusiastic, ‘Yeah.’

During his journey to the front of the gymnasium where Katie
and Matthew stood waiting to hand him his award, Jet performed some warrior-like
moves, drawing a laugh from the students and faculty.

Libby — his teacher — shook her head with mild amusement,
then applauded him on his efforts before he took his seat back amongst the rest
of his class.

‘We’d like to remind everyone that next week is Jump Rope
for Heart Day. You will need to wear your sports uniform to school on that day.
Please also remember to bring in any sponsorship money you have raised,’
Matthew informed his peers.
Argh, I hate sorting money. Spending it ...
yeah. Sorting it when it’s not mine ... not so much.

Katie and Matthew then took turns to inform everyone about
the Easter Hat Parade and Easter Chocolate Drive that were scheduled in the
coming weeks, when I noticed Samuel Carter — aged five — fishing for the
world’s most elusive booger. What was quite remarkable about his attempt was
the angle at which he twisted and turned his finger in order to successfully
secure it. Impressed with his skills or not, I shook my head at him when he
caught my eye and indicated he remove his digit from his nostril. He blushed
bright red then stuck his booger-encrusted finger directly into his mouth.
Eww!
Feral little fucklets.

‘We would like to welcome Miss Hanson to speak to you about
an exciting new music program,’ Katie advised before handing Libby the
microphone.

The mention of a new and exciting music program was news to
me. So with curiosity, I listened intently.

‘Good morning, Yellow Bark Primary School students,’ Libby
said in a chirpy tone.

‘Good morning, Miss Hanson,’ they replied in unison.

‘Who enjoys singing and playing an instrument? Raise your
hand for me,’ she asked while surveying the room with her hand pressed to her
forehead. ‘Excellent, that’s a lot of you. Well, it just so happens that I have
some very exciting news to share with you. You see, I have a friend who sings
and plays the guitar and he has agreed to come and visit the school once a week
to give you some lessons,’ Libby explained.

Many of the students clapped excitedly, but I stood
perplexed and wondering what the fuck? These things were normally brought to my
attention long before they were publicly announced.

Furrowing my brow, I continued to listen to her
announcement, but caught Sally grinning at me like a deranged clown. ‘What?’ I
mouthed, now even more confused.

She shook her head, her smile increasing, and mouthed the
response, ‘Nothing.’

Bullshit nothing.

‘My special guest is part of a music ensemble, and he has
kindly agreed to perform a song for you today so that you too can see just how
much fun it is to sing and learn an instrument. Now, before I ask him out here,
some of you may recognise him. Hmm ... I wonder who is smart enough to know
why. Anyway, please make him feel very welcome, students. This is Mr King!’
Libby announced and then locked eyes with me.

Holy fucking friend of the devil, she did not just say
that.

I’m not sure if I blushed bright red or paled to a ghostly
white — because I was without a mirror and couldn’t see my reflection —
regardless, I changed colour. I knew I did. I could feel it.

Looking around the room to try and pinpoint his whereabouts,
I nearly jumped so high as to hit the roof when the twang of his guitar sounded
behind me.

I turned around to find him casually dressed in jeans and a
tight grey tee, his acoustic guitar hanging over his shoulder. He had on a
microphone headpiece and was slowly walking toward me as he strummed his
guitar.

I was rooted to the spot; stunned, unable to move any which
way. I was also hell-bent on not making a scene or alluding to the fact that both
Derek and I knew each other. The last thing I needed were students singing
annoying love anthems every time I walked past them.

Watching him intently as he stopped beside me, my heart fluttered
frantically within my chest. I honestly couldn’t say what consumed me the most:
fear, embarrassment or a realisation.

Sucking in a deep breath, the scent that was Derek
infiltrated my body, mind and soul. He was freshly showered and emitting a
mixture of aftershave, deodorant and a hint of smokiness that all combined
together to be purely Derek. Closing my eyes for the slightest of seconds, I
quickly savoured the aroma and then reopened them.

He looked out over the students and gave them a confident
grin right before he glanced in my direction and began to sing ‘Unintended’ by
Muse. It floored me, because I recognised the song almost instantly. Alexis was
a huge fan of that band and had dragged me to one or two of their concerts.

‘That’s firefighter Derek,’ Tanner shouted and pointed
toward him.

Derek smiled and chuckled through a lyric, then gave me
another quick glance before continuing to walk through the centre of the
gymnasium. Unfortunately, I was still in a state of astonishment and remained
completely expressionless as he strode away.

The small walkway allowing movement through the two groups
of students seated on the floor — what was referred to by the teachers and
students as the catwalk — was an easy, clear and quick route for Derek to make
his way to the front of the room. As he walked in between the children, my
stare followed his retreating form as if it were invisibly glued to him, a part
of him ... attracted to him.

Derek stopped every few steps and acknowledged a child with
a smile or a wink and then continued until he was almost standing beside Libby
at the front of the gym. His clear, flawless voice carried the ballad through
the room beautifully, captivating everyone listening.

As he turned around to face the room, his eyes locked on
mine, and the lyrics he then sang were undoubtedly directed at me. He was
telling me through the song that I was his unintended, the one he chose to
love. He was telling me that yes, he had a past, but that I was the one he
wanted for his future. The sheer honesty and fragility of his public confession
hit me so hard that a tear escaped my eye.

What is wrong with me? I don’t cry. I don’t do tears.
I’ve never done tears.
Wiping my cheek with my hand, I cursed the fact that
this man had made me cry more in the eight months I had known him than I had at
any other time in my life. He was a fucking human onion.

‘Are you all right?’ Brooke whispered as she stepped up
beside me, inconspicuously covering her mouth.

‘Mm-hmm,’ I murmured, nodding a couple of times.

‘Good. Just checking you weren’t going to flee the room. I
don’t fancy tackling you in front of the student body,’ she advised as she
turned and made her way back to where her class was seated.

Directing her an astounded look, it went unnoticed as she
didn’t glance back at me. At that point, I looked up and found the faculty
mesmerised by Derek’s performance. My colleagues — even Vice Principal
Sidebottom — were captivated and watching him with unwavering attention.

A smile broke through my tears as I returned my stare to
him, finding that he had been watching me with what appeared to be a slight
expression of trepidation. When he noticed my smile he beamed his own, which
relit the fuse to my heart.

In that moment, I realised that he was the one. Mine ... my
unintended. Derek and I just ‘are’.

I wiped another tear and straightened my shoulders, mentally
preparing myself for what lay ahead. I knew now — and probably had all along —
that I wanted Derek in my life for good. I wanted Derek and everything that
came along with him: his dangerous job, his unconventional family, his history
where Lucy, Nic and Alexander were concerned. I realised that I could deal with
it all if it meant that he and I were together.

Derek played the coda, slowing down the plucking of the
strings to the very end. The room erupted into a round of applause, my own two
hands frantically clapping as well.

‘Thank you,’ he said graciously. ‘So how was that? Did you
like it?’

The room’s occupants said, ‘Yes.’

‘Would you like to learn how to do that?’ he asked
enthusiastically, his child-speaking-voice making me giggle.

Again the room’s occupants said, ‘Yes.’

‘Great! Because I would really like to teach you.’

Libby raised the microphone to her mouth and addressed the
room. ‘Wasn’t that cool? Thank you so much, Mr King. Now, I heard someone call
out that they recognised our special guest.’

‘Me,’ Tanner shouted and stood up. ‘That’s firefighter
Derek.’

‘Tanner, yes it is, but please sit down, and next time raise
your hand,’ Libby instructed. ‘Tanner is correct. Mr King is also firefighter
Derek. He is a man of many talents.’

My eyebrows shot up, and I had to quickly cover my mouth
with my hand to muffle my snort-outburst.

Brooke, Libby, Sally and Derek all glanced in my direction,
Libby reddening in the cheeks at her slip of the tongue.

She cleared her throat and continued. ‘You too can be good
at many different things when you grow older. But first you have to be good in
school. Do you think you can all do that?’

‘Yes!’ the children shouted happily.

‘Excellent! Now, if you would like to learn to sing or play
an instrument, make sure you take home today’s newsletter and give it to your
parents. Everyone please thank Mr King.’

The students said thank you to Derek in unison while Libby
handed the microphone back to Katie, who then advised everyone that assembly
was now over and for all to make their way back to class.

As the children — led by their teachers — filtered out of
the gymnasium, I waited until Derek had politely accepted praise for his
performance by passing staff and, in turn, expressed his gratitude.

The last of the room’s occupants were leaving when Derek
slowly strode toward me, stopping just shy of my position in the room. Silence
ensued as we took each other in and waited to be left alone.

When the wooden door slammed and cemented our privacy, he
spoke. ‘Baby, you are my unintended and I am yours. Stop fighting it.’

‘Okay,’ I whispered, closing the distance between us and
placing my hand on his cheek before pressing my lips to his.

Our kiss was quick, sweet and enough to relay the surrender
within. I wanted it to be more, but I had control, and now was not the time or
place for it to become what all kisses shared between Derek and I became.

Pulling away, I sucked in a breath. ‘We have a few things to
sort through.’

‘I know, and we will. I promise to be more open with you. I
want this, Carly. I want us to work.’

I nodded. ‘How ’bout you come over tonight and —’

Derek’s pager beeped continuously, interrupting our conversation.
He pulled it from his pocket and grimaced with disappointment. ‘Shit!’

‘What’s wrong?’ I asked, noticing his unease.

‘There’s an out of control grass fire just past Wallan. It’s
a big one so I have to go,’ he explained sorrowfully.

‘Go, firefighter Derek. Go and put out fires,’ I said as I
placed my hands on his chest.

He chuckled, then kissed me once more. ‘I’ll call you later,
as soon as I’m relieved from duty.’

I nodded. ‘Okay.’

As Derek turned to leave the room, my stomach clenched
tightly. ‘Be careful,’ I called out, almost desperately.

He stopped at the door and turned back. ‘I always am,’ then
winked and left the room.

The extreme heat and strong winds that were forecast for the
day were a major concern. Knowing the dangers, and knowing that Derek would be
out there amongst it, left me feeling ill.

***

‘Stop checking your watch,’ Libby said from her lounging
position on the couch. We were watching
Game of Thrones
but the telecast
was forever being interrupted with updates of the grass fire in Wallan that had
turned into an out of control bushfire, devastating over 10,000 hectares of land.

I couldn’t function properly.

‘I wasn’t,’ I lied in response. I’d been checking it
constantly for the past three hours.

‘He’ll be busy, Carls. The fire flared up quickly, so he
probably hasn’t had a chance to ring in,’ she offered for reassurance.

‘I know. But it’s been hours, Lib. Surely he’d get a break
or something. To recharge and freshen up.’ I leaned forward and placed my
elbows on my knees, resting my head in my hands. ‘I just want one text saying
he’s okay.’