Gil Garrett swears he'll die if he can't get Midge Kingston to notice him soon. Midge notices all right, but a bad marriage has left her extra cautious. It will take more than a few nudges from her well-meaning friends to get Midge moving in Gil's direction. Someone isn't above a little sabotage to get the handsome teacher to play handyman in order to throw the two together. Once in each other's orbit, it's do or die.
EXCERPT
Gil Garrett tried to keep his breath steady and his body in
check. It wasn’t easy. Midge Kingston was just about the prettiest woman he’d
ever met. Her short blonde hair looked like spun gold and as soft as silk.
Life, love, and laughter danced in her light blue eyes. She was trim, smart,
not afraid to get out and play with her son. Loved kids, dogs, people. Always
had a kind word for everyone…except Gil.
It wasn’t always that way. When he’d first met her months
ago, she was as open and friendly as everyone else at Jameston Elementary
School. Her demeanor only turned frosty when she realized Gil was most
definitely interested in getting to know her better, in every sense of the
word.
Gil couldn’t say he blamed her for her attitude. More than
one co-worker had told him Midge’s story, and he’d be lying if he said it
didn’t piss him off. She’d been in the Army, serving in Iraq. When she returned
to the States, she found her husband gone and their six-year-old with her
mother. At least the bastard had had the sense to leave the boy with someone.
That was the man’s only saving grace. He’d taken off with the wife of a
neighbor—also serving in Iraq—after telling Midge’s mother he needed a break
from parenting. No one had seen them since that day two years ago. That was
probably a good thing. If Gil knew where to find the son of a bitch, he’d
probably punch him out. Nobody deserved treatment like that, especially a woman
as fine as Midge.
She was the teacher every second grader wanted. He’d heard
more than one little boy profess his secret love for her, more than one little
girl claim she was “going to be just like Mrs. Kingston” when she grew up.
Midge made learning fun for her students. Gil wondered if she realized how much
she truly impacted their lives. She’d sure made an impact on Gil’s. Not a night
went by without him wishing for her by his side, in his arms, pressed beneath
him in ecstasy.
His gaze followed her as she picked her way up the bleachers
to watch the softball game. She waved to the other mothers who waited for her,
smiling as she did so. God, how he wished that smile was directed his way. The
woman was to-die-for. She wore a pair of light blue shorts that showed off her
long, smooth legs—legs Gil desperately wished were wrapped around his waist. A
yellow tank top gave him a hint of cleavage, enough to know she was wearing a
bra. She wore a floppy straw hat to keep the sun off her face and dark
sunglasses. As she sat, one of the woman said something. That drew Midge’s
attention his way.
Gil damned the sunglasses. He couldn’t tell if she was
watching Nick race to the dugout, or him. Judging from the smile that tugged at
her lips, Gil had a feeling it wasn’t for him. Unless it was work related, her
smile normally disappeared when she saw him.
She was killing him. Did
she know that? Did she care? Obviously not. No matter he walked around all
the time with an erection that would rival a baseball bat. Thank God for loose
jeans and a heavy-duty jock strap, but there were times when he wondered how
long even those could contain him. Something had to happen soon. At this point,
begging wasn’t beneath him. He just wanted a shot, to prove to her he wasn’t
the bastard her ex-husband was; to show her he was worthy of her love, because
she damn sure had his already.
He whipped off his ball cap and ruffled his fingers through
his hair to quell his frustration, then tucked the cap back on and marched on
to the dugout where the boys waited.
* * *
Midge Kingston pressed her lips together in an effort to
keep from licking them. Man alive, Gil Garrett had a sweet-looking ass. He
looked as good going as he did coming. That last word heated her as it did all
too often lately. She’d done a lot of private coming just dreaming of his body
nestled in hers.
“When are you going to put that poor man out of his misery?”
Kay Maxwell whispered.
Midge knew the answer to that question all too well—never.
She was wise enough now to realize fantasy was much more pleasing than reality.
Reality got a woman hurt. Reality meant heartbreak. And she had to face
facts—if she were that good in bed, she wouldn’t have had trouble keeping her
husband. Sex with another man, no matter how yummy and tempting, wasn’t an
option. She would not repeat that
humiliation. Better to quietly indulge in her darkened bedroom with her
fantasies of Gil to warm her thoughts, a vibrator to pump her, and her own
nimble fingers to bring her to orgasm—something Carl had never been able to do
in seven years of marriage.
Kay nudged her. “Do I get an answer?”
She forced herself to look her friend’s way, but at the riot
of frizzy brown hair and not into those know-it-all eyes of hers. “What’s the
point? It would never go anywhere. This town is too small for trysts.”
“Trysts, shmysts. Who gives a rat’s ass? Someone needs to do
that man.”
“And fast.” Dottie Sawyer’s comment from behind brought out
the cackles. “I’d do him if I was single. If you were a real friend, you’d take
one for the team.”
“Or two or three,” Kay added. “Over and over and over.”
Heat rushed Midge’s cheeks. “I get the general idea.”
Dottie leaned her chin on Midge’s shoulder. “Please allow us
to live vicariously through you.”
She laughed. “I don’t kiss and tell.” Hell, she didn’t even
kiss. Thankfully no one said that aloud.
“Have you seen him without his shirt yet?” Kay’s gaze
wandered over to the dugout, where Gil was prepping the boys for the game.
“Oh man, yeah!” Dottie’s reply was enthusiastic. “He played
lifeguard for the kids at our pool party last weekend. Sorry you missed it,
Kay.”
“He’s sculpted to perfection,” Terri Howard said with a
dreamy sigh. “I’d forgotten how perfect a man could be when he takes care of
himself. I’m used to dough-boy.”
That got more laughter and some nods. The image of Gil in
swim trunks flooded Midge’s senses. Just one look had taken her breath away.
She’d left the party quite quickly after that, feigning a migraine. Nick stayed
to swim, then remained for a sleep over. Midge had worn out a set of batteries
that night.
“Come on, Midge. Just once…for us,” Terri said.
She gave them an indulgent smile. “I’m not a one-night stand
kind of girl. And besides…I haven’t exactly treated him very nicely these last
nine months. I doubt he’d be interested.”
“Are you blind?” they shouted.
Midge wanted to crawl in a hole and die as people around
them and on the field looked their way.
Kay snickered. “He watches you like a lovesick puppy all the
time.”
Still, she shook her head. “Nope…too late. The damage is
done.”
Terri gave a wistful sigh. “A pity to waste such a gorgeous
hunk of man.”
“Be that as it may…” Midge replied. That earned her a
collective “hmph.” She doubted the discussion would be dead for long.
Thankfully their focus shifted to the boys taking the field to start the game.
Trusting her sunglasses to hide her eyes, Midge watched Gil.
He was all about the boys—smiling, supportive, firm yet understanding. He was
the teacher every child wanted for fifth grade—the one all little girls had
their first crush on. He was the coach a kid had to have. It really was a
surprise to find him still single. He seemed born to be a family man.
Midge passed a lazy gaze over his body. He worn loose jeans
and the team’s green T-shirt—Jack Rabbits. His brown hair peeked out from the
back of his ball cap in short waves. Like all the other adults today,
sunglasses protected his eyes. He slowly scuffed his hands together each time
one of his players stepped up to bat. Midge imagined them skimming over her
naked flesh, warming her, building her to a frenzy as no man could. There’d be
no awkwardness. They’d fit together seamlessly, instinctively.
At least that’s how it was in her fantasy. She masturbated
every night thinking of the many ways he’d love her, and she, him. And every
day at work she watched him from the corner of her eye, wondering.
Gil cheered as one of the boys hit the ball deep into
outfield. The joy in his face overwhelmed her. Midge felt pressure built in her
crotch and crossed her legs to quell the ache blooming in her slick clitoris.
Yet of its own volition, her leg started to rock. She crossed her arms and
parked them in her lap, desperately trying to anchor herself in place.
How pathetic was she? Doing herself every night while
thinking of a man whose advances she’d refused? And what would she do if he
turned his attention to someone else? The girls were right. She had to do
something, get this out of her system. If only to reinforce what she already
knew—she sucked in bed.
But how in the world could she get Gil to make a move when
she’d coldly rebuffed all his previous efforts?
“All right,” she said to the ladies. “I’ll do it. Now…how
can we subtly bring that man back into my reach.”
They huddled up.
“Okay…here’s what we do…” Kay said.
