Handsome Stranger Read online

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Handsome Stranger

  Copyright© 2011 Megan Grooms

  Cover Artist: Kendra Egert

  Interior text design:

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  Abby worked on cleaning her classroom after the children left for the day. The school was still humming with teachers and students doing afterschool activities. There was nothing she was involved in however so she took her time. In no hurry to get home to her empty one bedroom apartment. She could hear the other teachers greeting each other. Seeking out friends to make plans for the evening or for the next night being the start of the weekend. She knew none would venture into her room however. She was too shy to try to make friends and most thought she was a snob and looked down on them because of her inability to socialize with them.

  Silently she longed for the college days when she would hang out with her friends. They had understood her quite nature and helped her to live a full college life without ever pushing her too far. Sadly all her friends had moved away or gotten married. She was the only one to take the first job she could find. A small town where everyone had known everyone since birth and no one took very kindly to an outsider that wasn’t outgoing. She was sure if she could step out of her comfort zone and approach some of them they would accept her. However every time she tried she had a panic attack and finally she decided it wasn’t worth the stress. If only someone would take the time to get to know her on her comfort level. She would be open to so many more people if she had someone to cling to at school staff get-togethers.

  A knock on the door startled her out of her self-pitying. Before she could turn around she heard a voice from the hall “don’t bother. You’ll learn soon enough, she’s as cold and frozen as ice.” She cringed at the words hiding her face from the stranger. It took her a moment to control herself enough to turn around.

  In the doorway stood a man more handsome than anyone Abby had ever encountered. His auburn hair was cut short, his eyes were hazel. Her breath caught in her throat when he smiled at her. “Hi. I’m the new music teacher.” He walked into her classroom and Abby just watched him. His eyes looked down cast a little like he was embarrassed by the unknown person in the hall.

  She desperately wished she had dressed with a little more care this morning. She really wished she’d worn makeup. Her mind was franticly trying to find something to say back to him. Instead it kept repeating ‘he’s hot, he’s hot,’ over and over again. This was clearly not what she wanted to blurt out upon first meeting the man.

  “Names Nate.” He held out his hand for her. His smile blinding her momentarily with how it lit up his face and made his eyes crinkle endearingly. “Nate Sommers.” He tried again. Slowly his hand fell away when she didn’t take it.

  ‘Shit, shit, shit’. Her mind started to repeat. “Sorry, my name is Abby Tate. It’s nice to meet you.” She smiled a bit and he grinned back at her. “What happened to…” She trailed off she didn’t even know the old woman’s name.

  “The old woman?” Nate supplied laughing a little. “She retired, you didn’t go to the party?”

  “Um… I hadn’t known there was one.” Abby answered truthfully. They never told her about anything anymore. They assumed that she wouldn’t go because she hadn’t yet.

  “I hadn’t officially started yet but she invited me to meet everyone. I glanced in your room and didn’t recognize you so I thought I’d introduce myself. I thought I had just missed you at the party.” He seemed a little confused to Abby. She guessed he was wondering why no one told her about the party.

  “I don’t usually get told about get-togethers.” Abby answered honestly. There was no point in acting like everyone liked her. She knew everyone would warn him about her as soon as he left her room. They already tried to warn him when they knew she could hear. He didn’t seem to know what to say to her statement and she felt bad about making the nice introduction into something uncomfortable for him. She usually had that effect on people though. They never seemed to know how to react to her candor.

  “Well I’m having a get-together” he chuckled at the odd words “at my house tonight around 7 o’clock. It’s short notice I know but I would like it if you’d come.” She tensed and he noticed. “There won’t be many people and you don’t need to stay long if you get overwhelmed.

  She looked at him shocked. Not many people understood her hesitation at accepting invitations to their house. They usually assumed it was because she didn’t like them. No one ever had thought maybe she was just uncomfortable. “I… Well, thanks.” She couldn’t help admire his long lean stature. She found herself eyeing him shamefully. His eyes looked so nice, and caring she noticed that there was a ring of brown inside of the hazel. She shook her head realizing she’d been gazing into his eyes like a love sick teen.

  He smiled and reached for the pencil in her hair. He pulled it out causing her mass of shining brown hair to cascade around her face. He took in a breath staring at her. Finally he blinked a few times “sorry, I didn’t realize it was the only thing holding it up.” He looked away again embarrassed and she found the look adorable on his handsome face.

  “Don’t worry about it.” She actually laughed a little she was surprised how easy it was to talk to this handsome stranger. She usually got tongue tied or didn’t know what to say. Though truthfully he was doing most of the talking and she was doing the staring.

  He grabbed a piece of paper off the table and wrote something down. “My address and phone number, I really would like you to come Abby.” He smiled holding out the paper for her.

  She took it her hand shaking just a little. “I think I will Nate.” She smiled again shyly suddenly feeling very nervous like she was being asked out on a date. Just a party Abbs get a hold of yourself. She scolded forcing herself to calm down and stop shaking.

  “Your hair looks beautiful like that.” He said reaching out and slightly brushing it before turning and walking out her door without saying anything else.

  Abby watched him walk away. He had a nice tight ass and firm long legs. His stride full of power and propose, she looked around taken aback. She forgot she was still in her classroom. She felt herself burning inside. Quite startled she realized she wanted that tall stranger. Her face burned as she hurried to get her things and leave as if someone could read her thoughts.

  * * *

  Nate paced his classroom. What had he been thinking? No one was coming to his house. He was torn, it was clear she didn’t like a lot of people. His little sister had the same problem. He could just not invite anyone, then it would be just the two of them. He liked that idea though he wasn’t sure she would.

  He could invite people as he had first thought when the invitation popped out of its own accord. However he wasn’t sure who to invite. It seemed that his coworkers didn’t like the woman. He couldn’t imagine why. She was gorgeous, he was sure she was intelligent. She worked with kindergartners so she had to be nice. He shook his head, daydreaming about her wasn’t getting the problem fixed any faster.

  The only other option would be to invite his sister and her family. Though he wasn’t sure if it was appropriate, not to mention her not knowing them may make her even more uncomfortable. If he invited coworkers maybe they would learn she wasn’t as bad as they thought. Maybe she could even make a few friends.

  A knock on his door
startled him. Before he could even look to see who it was his mind was hoping it was her. He wanted to see her again. He wanted her to have come looking for him wanting to talk to him. He couldn’t believe how quickly he fell for her beautiful face. When her hair fell he had been stunned mute for a moment. He had to touch the shining locks amazing himself at his daring.

  “Nate?” He had forgotten someone knocked. He looked up to find Frank in his door. The large gym teacher took up the whole doorframe. Nate wasn’t a small man but next to Frank he felt like it. He looked like he had been a wrestler in his hay day but now was growing soft around the middle. The man’s hair line was quickly receding leaving the large forehead to look even bigger.

  “Hey, what’s up?” He couldn’t hide a little of the disappointment in his voice at it not being her. He put on a fake smile to make up for the lackluster in his voice.

  “Someone told me you were talking to the ice princess. Did she blow you off?” Frank walked in and sat at Nate’s desk making himself comfortable by putting his feet up.

  Holding back a groan he had to force himself not to say something biting back at the large man. Nate didn’t like that he was calling sweet innocent Abby the ice princess. He was sure they hadn’t really tried to get to know her. She clearly wanted someone to be friends with. He guessed these people just hadn’t tried hard enough. Always inviting her out to some party, a place she was clearly uncomfortable with. “Why does everyone hate her?” His voice was a little harsh despite his trying to sound like he didn’t care.

  “Hey we all tried man. We invited her to out with us, over to our houses for cookouts, some of us even asked her out on a date. She turned us all down flat. If her kids aren’t involved with school functions she doesn’t even go to those. Hell she doesn’t even eat in the teachers’ lounge. She sits in her classroom all day. The only time she goes out is when her kids have recess. It’s just weird.” He smiled suddenly and Nate got a picture of a shark in his mind. “She does look good though doesn’t she? You can’t usually tell in the outfits she wears here but she has got great tits. Her ass looks good too. I saw her shopping once.”

  Nate caught himself before he walked over and punched the man. He had been a friend to him since he came to town and he knew how the man objectified women, he had never wanted to punch him before. Though he was right, Abbs looked great; it hadn’t escaped his notice or the notice of a certain other body part. He shoved that to the back of his mind for later, this was not the time or place to be thinking about her body.

  He took a deep breath; he couldn’t invite anyone from the school so it was alone or with his sister. He would have to at least invite his sister. He wasn’t sure if he could trust himself around Abby. He might kiss her, or more. He grew uncomfortable as his mind strayed off on its own starting to think about ‘or more’. Quickly he picked up some papers off his desk. “I’ll see you later Frank.” He ground out already heading for the door. He didn’t need anyone noticing how much he liked the strange and beautiful woman.

  In his car he took a few deep breaths forcing himself to calm down so he could call his sister. “Hey Jess, it’s short notice but can you and the family come over for dinner tonight? Say 7 o’clock.”

  “Why do you sound stressed? Is everything alright?” His sister knew him too well. Now she was going to be worried until she saw him tonight. He felt bad but he couldn’t help how his voice sounded.

  “Yea, everything’s fine, please don’t worry about that.” How embarrassing. How do you tell your baby sister that she needs to watch her big brother so he doesn’t attack a petite cute kindergarten teacher and have his way with her? He sighed “there is someone from work I invited over and I want you guys there so it’s not just the two of us. I’m afraid it would turn weird if we don’t have anything in common.” He finally admitted, at least a little.

  She laughed. “Sure, don’t worry about it. Jim will be able to keep the conversation going. You’re not much into sports.” She hung up before he could explain it was a female. Had it really been that long since he had brought a date home?

  Truly this wasn’t a real date. He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t asked her on a real date, one where he took her to a nice restaurant. The invitation to come to his house had spilled out before he could monitor his own thoughts. This would be a nice way of getting to know her without the pressure of other people around. Surely she would have been distracted by big crowds at regular restaurants. This also gave him a chance to surprise her with his cooking ability. He felt like a woman as he thought about what he should wear to look good for her.

  His mind drifted to what she would wear. He ashamedly hoped it would be something to show off her great chest that Frank had mentioned, or maybe something to show off her legs. She had been in slacks in the classroom but if the rest of her body said anything about how fit she was her legs would look great. Something silk would look great on her, a dress would be wonderful, easy to take off. Thoughts of silk sliding along his body filled his mind making him jerk the car. It was a damn good thing his sister was coming tonight.

  ***

  Abby’s room was a mess. She had nothing sexy to wear. She actually wanted to look good. Sure she would feel self-conscious around coworkers but if he looked at her like he did that afternoon she knew it would be worth it. Finally she decided to screw it and brave the mall. She hated shopping and had no idea what was in style anymore.

  Fighting the urge to run for it Abby went to the counter only to be glared at by the woman behind it. The woman looked like she was wondering if she was in the right place or not. “Yes?” She looked her up and down and Abby felt like she was being judged.

  “I have a date tonight and I need a dress.” Abby announced standing taller. She hated it when she felt belittled by other people. She didn’t look that bad she didn’t think. There was no reason for this woman to look at her that way. So what if it wasn’t technically a ‘date’ she wasn’t really lying, there would just be other people there as well. Besides what did it matter what she told this woman it wasn’t any of her business one way or another.

  “Where are you going?” The woman walked around the counter now and looked her up and down again. Abby got the feeling the woman was now looking for her dress size. It would be hard to tell in what Abby was wearing. Her work clothes weren’t really formed fitting. She found it easier to chase after the children if she wasn’t wearing clothes that would rip when she knelt down.

  “It’s his home, he’s making us dinner.” Abby liked the idea of just the two of them at his home. She liked the idea that he was making dinner just for her to come over. Pushing silly dreams aside she followed the woman to the back of the store.

  An hour later Abby had new clothes, shoes and makeup. She stopped last at Victoria Secrets for underclothes. Nothing she had now would really match the dress and she wanted to look good, even if he didn’t see it tonight. She could admit to herself that if he wanted to see them tonight he would. She had never been so attracted to someone so quickly and part of her knew that she should take it as a sign that this was something special. She just wasn’t going to be the one making the first move.

  As she showered her mind drifted to the evening with Nate. What if he did want her? Quickly her mind took a hold of that thought. His arms locked around her he bent down pressing his soft lips to hers, his tongue flashing out licking her lips begging for her to open them to him. As she did his tongue darted in exploring her mouth. A groan of ecstasy escaped her and she leaned back offering her chest to him. His pressed gentle kisses down her neck as his hands slipped under her dress pulling it up with his exploration of her body.

  The alarm on her phone snapped her back painfully. She was quivering with wanton need and shook herself out of her daydream. As she finished her shower she wondered why she felt this way toward a virtual stranger. She didn’t know him but it didn’t matter she wanted him and if he wanted her she would give herself to him happily. She took care to shave, just in case
he did want her though she tried to talk sense into herself. Reminding herself that a man that looked that good, wouldn’t want a woman like her.

  After she was showered, shaved and changed Abby looked at herself in the mirror. She had gotten all the makeup the woman told her too however she didn’t know how to put it on. She had never been one to wear it and just hadn’t had the time to learn. In college when her friends thought she should wear it they put it on her. She never bothered to learn from them. Finally she decided to suck it up and went to her neighbors, Mrs. Lee.

  The woman was elderly and extremely nice. However she also thought she was a match maker and kept bugging Abby to let her fix her up. Abby had been able to avoid it so far by just telling her that she didn’t like dating. Getting help from her tonight would signal the end of that excuse. It was more important at the moment to look good so she sighed and knocked on the woman’s door. Abby could always hope that things with Nate worked out and she wouldn’t be available much longer, she like that idea a lot and was smiling genuinely by the time Mrs. Lee opened the door.

  “Well hello Abigail, don’t you look wonderful!” She stepped back and held the door open. “What’s the occasion?”

  “There is something at the school.”

  The woman eyed her. “You know Abigail you are a horrible liar. What’s his name?” She ushered Abby into the kitchen and sat her down on one of the bar stools and started making tea.

  Abby’s cheeks grew a bit pink “Nate, he’s new at the school He invited me to his house with some other people. Do you think I’m over dressed?” She couldn’t help be self-conscious. She had on a black dress that had large white flowers on it. It went down mid-thigh and she hadn’t had something that short on in a long time. She hoped her legs looked ok. The top had two large straps that went over her shoulders, the cut was a square one and the bra she chose pushed up her breasts to show a nice amount of cleavage.