“Are you sure?” Rafe glanced at the group. Although they were quiet he knew that if they became restless they could be quite the handful.
The woman smiled. “I think I’ll be able to manage for a few minutes without you. Now go, but be back in fifteen minutes.”
“No problem.” Rafe nodded. Fifteen minutes was all he needed. He would use the time to run down to the teachers’ lounge to try to find Anya. This was his sole purpose for being at the school and he didn’t want to waste another minute. He had to see Anya and soon. Like right now.
He’d turned, ready to make his escape, when there was a rap at the door. He kept on moving. He would direct whoever it was to Mrs. Rosner. The visitor would not have come to see him, anyway. He hadn’t even been introduced to the rest of the staff yet.
Determined not to be held up for any reason Rafe flung the door open. The words died on his lips. There, standing in front of him, looking even more beautiful than ever, stood the woman he’d practically changed careers to pursue.
After a wait of over six weeks he was finally face to face with Anya again.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Shock coursed through Anya as she stared up into the face of the man she thought she would never see again. Rafe Kent! What in goodness gracious was he doing at Coleman School?
“Rafe,” she gasped, not able to stop herself. “What are you doing here?” Her hand flew up to clutch her scarf in an involuntary gesture of self defense. Had he tracked her down?
“Anya.” For some strange reason Rafe looked surprised, almost as if he hadn’t expected to see her. But that didn’t make sense at all. Wasn’t he the one who had sought her out? That was the only reason he was at the school, wasn’t it?
Within a fraction of a second his look of surprise disappeared, his face softening into a look of pleasure. “I didn’t expect to see you at the door,” he said. “Principal Coleman told you I was here?”
Struck dumb by his remark Anya could only shake her head. Whatever did he mean?
Before either of them could say another word Mrs. Rosner broke in. “Anya. I thought you’d forgotten about the art kit. Come in. I’ll go and get it for you.” As she spoke she was heading for the cupboard in the corner. “I see you’ve met my intern. You knew each other before?”
“Your…intern?” Eyes wide, Anya looked from Mrs. Rosner then back to Rafe who had stepped aside to let her in and now stood there, beaming.
“Yes, and he came at the right time, too. Just when I needed someone to take over since Diana left.” She turned to Rafe. “Diana was my intern last term. She’s all done with her training now."
“Oh. Perfect timing.” Rafe nodded then he chuckled. “Although I was hoping to be assigned to a slightly older group.”
Claire laughed. “Instead, you got the babies. But don’t you worry. Once you get used to them you’ll see they’re the easiest group to manage.”
He gave her a doubtful look. “I hope so.”
As they spoke, Anya could not help staring at one then the other. What in the world was going on? Since when did the school start hiring strangers off the street? Last time she’d seen Rafe almost two months ago he’d been nothing but a tourist wandering through Europe, clad in denim shirt and khaki trousers, sporting a ponytail.
She had to admit, though, that now he looked like a perfect gentleman in his pleated navy-blue trousers, long-sleeved shirt and conservative tie. And, to her surprise, the ponytail was gone. And even as she gazed at him, looking so different in his professional attire, memories came flooding back and she knew he was the same charming foreigner she’d fallen in love with.
At that thought, Anya dropped her gaze. Fallen in love? A bit too strong, maybe. All right, a lot too strong. How could she have fallen in love with someone she’d only met a few times, someone she thought she would never see ever again?
But whether it made sense or not, there it was. The erratic heartbeats, the heat rising in her face, the suddenly sweaty palms, the feeling like she was having trouble breathing. And this wasn’t a panic attack. How could it be, when even as her body gave this violent response to his presence her heart was melting into a mushy mess of pleasure. No matter that her brain was trying to rebel against the very idea, there was no denying the fact that she was glad to see him.
But that was beside the point. She had to get out of there. Fast. This man was dangerous in more ways than one.
“Here you go, Anya.”
Before the words were properly out of her colleague’s mouth Anya stepped past Rafe to grab the box of art supplies. “Thanks, Claire,” she said, her voice distressingly breathless. “I’ll get it back to you by the end of the week.”
“No rush, my dear.” The older lady dismissed her with a wave of the hand. “I have a spare one I can use if I need anything.”
“Okay, thank you.” Anya turned, deliberately keeping her eyes downcast so she wouldn’t have to see those amber eyes staring back at her. Then, just so Claire didn’t think she was being strange, she gave Rafe a brusque farewell nod then fled, not stopping till she was safely back inside her classroom. Thank goodness her class of five-year olds had already gone out to the playground with her assistant. The sight of their teacher dashing, panting into the room and slamming the door shut behind her would not have gone down well at all.
Anya staggered away from the door and over to her desk where she plopped down into her chair, still shaking from the shock of seeing Rafe again. How in the world could this have happened? Rafe and her in the same work place? What were the odds of something like that happening? She shook her head. No, this was no coincidence. The first chance she got she would speak to the principal. She had to get to the bottom of this.
But Anya never got the chance. Not that day, anyway. At the clanging of the last bell she helped her group gather their belongings and escorted them out to the parking area where the school buses and parents were waiting. As soon as the last child was collected she ran back to the office, intent on seeking audience with her boss.
Too late. There, in the main office, stood Rafe. His back was to her. He was speaking with the receptionist and it looked like he was doing an excellent job of charming the socks off the woman, as mature as she was. Whatever he was saying to her must have been tremendously intriguing because she seemed totally entranced.
Anya’s brows fell. For a man like Rafe it was too easy. Had she been charmed just as easily?