Rina didn't know how she felt about that. On one hand, she loved it. Loved the way that she could feel him, the way she knew he must be able to feel her. On the other hand, it was like getting one touch of something you knew you wanted but probably could never have.
She was helping these children, and that meant she could be a true assistant. Could she be just an assistant? Not all assistants and executives were in romantic relationships, but in those cases, they weren’t attracted to one another. Considering all assistants were male, and there weren't many female executives, the likelihood of a relationship forming was minimal, but from the way she and Justin kept looking at each other, she might be in for a world of heartache.
They stayed for a couple more hours and then left, leaving happier children than when they'd first arrived.
“That was amazing,” Justin said as they got in the car and started on the way back to Holiday.
She smiled right back at him and bounced in her seat. “I know. I'm so happy just watching those kids. You did it, Justin. It was you and your magic.”
He shook his head and took his hand off the steering wheel long enough to pat her knee. The tingles shot right up her body, and she bit her lip.
“You did most of it I think. All I did was release that tension, but you took care of it, and you made sure it didn't hurt anyone or go wrong. You are the amazing one, Rina.”
She blushed and shook her head. “Let's just say it was a team effort.”
“Deal. Now, I am hungry. I know we fed the kids there, but I didn't feel comfortable eating their food since I wasn’t starving. Want to go to the diner and get some lunch?”
She looked at him, surprised. “Really? You want to spend more time together? I'd have thought you would've grown tired of me.”
“I don't think I could ever get tired of you, Rina. Let's go get some food.”
She warmed at his comment but didn't say anything back. She wanted him, really wanted him. This couldn't end well.
Chapter 5
Justin walked the halls of his school, smiling down at the kids as they shuffled toward their classrooms. Some of the kids looked happy, enjoying their day and loving school. While the others looked like they'd rather be anywhere else, including playing out in the snow. His magic pulled within him and beat against his skin. He could feel it —like a magnet —reaching, longing to help the kids who weren't happy. When he’d used it for the first time with Rina at the orphanage, it was as if his body had decided it was time to stop being sluggish and instead be a full-time executive. He still wasn't sure if he was up to the job, or even wanted it, but, apparently, his magic—or whatever the hell they called it—was ready.
The school bell rang. The last of the kids shuffled to their classes, and the teachers closed their doors. He walked the empty hall, content that all was okay. He loved his job.
But, thinking about the fact that it might not have been his decision to go down this path made him pause and feel uneasy. Rina had told him that it might not have been Santa’s interference that made him choose to be a teacher, and then later a principal, but he wasn't sure. He didn't remember the exact moment he’d decided to go into the teaching field, but he knew it was soon after the ice incident.
Did that mean, because of someone else's interference, everything he had done from that point on wasn't by his own choice? He didn't know how he felt about that. It was as if his life was out of his hands and someone else was taking control.
There was nothing he could do about it now. He loved what he did, even if it was a product of an accident. And, now, thanks to Rina, he had another outlet to help children and figure out who he was.
Rina.
He'd felt the way her pulse increased every time he touched her. He’d known then it wasn't just him. Thank God. He loved the way her smile brightened every time something good happened.
Had he just said love in connection with a woman?
He needed to slow the hell down. He hadn't even kissed her yet. Oh, he had been thinking about it. A lot. Like every thirty seconds or so. And not just kissing. No, he wanted to know what her skin tasted like. She smelled of sugar cookies and cinnamon, and he wanted to see if her skin tasted the same. Now he knew why he’d been craving sugar cookies like a maniac. Because, apparently, he was Santa’s minion. Well, whatever the happy equivalent of that was. But, damn, he really wanted to know what Rina tasted like.
He knew she was his assistant, and he probably shouldn't be thinking those types of thoughts about her, but he couldn't help himself. She just fit so right against him. He hadn't meant to hold her so close the day before, but he was glad he had. She had tucked close to him and held on tight. He had only wanted to comfort her so she knew that everything would be okay. She’d looked so distraught at doing something so impulsive.
For some reason, he couldn't fault her for it. He knew there was more to the story than her being stuck in the basement of the workshop, and he needed to figure out what it was. Maybe in time she would trust him enough to tell him, and then maybe more
More what?
More of her? To be with her? To taste her?
He didn’t know, but he wanted to find out.
He walked to the end of the hall to his office and closed the door behind him. He was at work, and it wasn't the greatest time to be thinking about a sexy little elf he wanted to get to know a little bit more. Okay, a lot more. He worked on more of the budget and all the messages that had accumulated from parents and city officials until the bell rang again and it was time for the students’ lunch break. He would take his later.
He walked to the lunchroom and watched the kids file through the lines and sit down at their appropriate tables. Most were happy and energetic as they ate and talked with their friends, but some were little more laid-back and even sad. The urge to help them and shore them up overrode everything else, and he let out a bit of magic.
What could it hurt?
Without Rina by his side helping him to control it, it burst from his body with no control. Some of the children's eyes widened, and their smiles brightened. They started talking faster and grew perkier, and others looked like they had so much energy they couldn't sit still.
Then the first piece of Jell-O flew across the room.
“Food fight!” a fifth grader yelled from his table.
It was chaos with food flying in every direction. Teachers yelled at them to quit, getting hit in the face and arms with food for their efforts. Every single kid joined in, their lunches forgotten in terms of food and now thought of as weapons. They pelted each other, laughing and giggling, their energy increasing so much they gave him a headache.
He quickly damped down his energy, closing it off before he did any more real damage. Some of the kids immediately sat back down, their excess energy depleted, and their behavior returned to normal. For others, it took a little bit longer until they sat down.
Justin looked down at the pot roast currently sliding down his shirt and sighed. This was all his fault. He needed Rina to help him. He’d done too much, and he didn't know what he was doing. He’d put these people in danger because he thought he was better than he was. What if someone got hurt because of him? He would never be able to forgive himself.
The teachers looked to him for guidance, and he gave them each a nod.
“I trust this won't happen again,” he said calmly, his voice low and deep. The students quickly nodded, their mouths shut, their eyes wide. With that, he turned on his heel and walked out the door. He trusted his teachers to take care of it then follow the food fight disciplinary guidelines. Each student involved had to clean up part of the mess, meaning the next class would be disrupted. But, it would teach them manners and a sense of responsibility. What about his own responsibility?
It had been his fault, after all.
Justin shut himself in his office, changed into a clean shirt, and sat down on his little futon in the corner of his office. He rested his head in his hands and tried to fight down the nausea that threatened to take hold. He’d let go of too much energy at once, and now he was shaking. He knew his face was pale and clammy, and he was glad no one could see him.
Cowardly, he spent the rest of the day in his office and went through his numerous piles of work. The teachers came in one by one to let him know that everything was handled and the children were properly sorry. Each teacher remarked that the children said they had no idea what had come over them and even said that the teachers themselves had felt like they wanted to join in, it had been so energetic. Justin merely shook his head and said the fact that they’d cleaned it up was punishment enough; they didn't need to lose recess or anything else. When the final bell rang, he needed to get out of there. He packed up and watched the kids get on their buses and load into cars as parents picked them up.
He was a failure, an epic failure. He would have to tell Rina what he’d done; it was only fair. She had told him her mistake, and he would have to tell her his.
He waved and said goodbye to some of the students as he made his way to his car.
“Oh, Justin, I mean Mr. Cooper,” a voice purred behind him and then giggled. He resisted the urge to vomit. He hated to hear giggling, except for when Rina did it. For some reason he didn't mind Rina’s giggle, but the woman behind him made him want to tear off his ears then gouge out his eyes with a wooden spoon so it would leave splinters.
He turned as he put his fake smile on. He was in public and couldn't actually slap the woman, not that he would.
“Hello, Mrs. Booth, I see you’re here to pick up Dustin.”
She waved her fingers and let out another giggle, and he clenched his jaw at the pain of the sound. “Oh, what do I keep telling you, Mr. Cooper? Call me Cindy, please.” She batted eyelashes that had way too much clunky mascara on them and came up to him with her arms outstretched. “I heard about what Dustin participated in today at lunch, and believe you me; I will take care of it when I get home. I just wanted to let you know that I do take care of everything in my possession.” She winked then reached around and grabbed his ass.
Seriously?
Justin pulled back, anger running through his veins. “Make sure you get Dustin home okay in this weather, Mrs. Booth.” He narrowed his eyes, and she stepped back, her face losing a little bit of that blush. Good. “The weatherman said it's going to start snowing a little bit heavier tonight, so I would just make sure you get home ahead of that.” He leaned closer to her so her son, who looked embarrassed, wouldn't be able to hear. “And, if you ever touch me like that again, I'll make sure that your husband gets Dustin in the divorce.”
He turned away, got in his car, and drove off before she could utter a word. He was so pissed off that the woman had the audacity to grab his ass in public. Not to mention the fact that she was fucking married and her son was standing right by her. He did not understand some of the moms at his school. They were ridiculous and scornful. He might be one of the youngest principals around, but that didn't make him an open meat market for them. He took a deep breath trying to calm himself and drove directly to the inn. He didn't even bother going home to change out of his clothes. He just needed to see Rina. He tried to tell himself it was for work, but even he didn’t believe that. Justin wanted to see her because he knew as soon as he was in her presence she would lighten up his day.
He pulled up to the inn, got out, and walked in without knocking. He knew Connie liked to think of it as a home rather than a public place to the town residents, but he needed to see Rina now.
He walked directly to her room, knowing she was the only guest at the inn, and knocked. When he heard her soft voice saying come in, his tension eased just a little bit. It was amazing that just her voice could do that.
Her eyes widened, and she smiled when she saw it was him. “Hi. I didn't know you were getting off work so early. It's good to see you.”
Without thinking, he pulled her into a hug and rested his cheek on her head. She stiffened for only a moment then wrapped her arms around his waist. He inhaled her sweet, sugary scent and let out a breath.
Her soft laugh tickled his chest, even through the layers he wore, and he squeezed a little harder. “Did you have a bad day at work?”
For some reason he could imagine her saying that on a daily basis when he walked into his home and she would stand there, asking him how his day went like a real couple.
He pulled back and brushed a curl behind her ear. “Yeah, I guess you could say that.”
“Is there anything you want to talk about?”
He loosened his tie, took off his jacket, and made himself at home in her room. When she sat down at the edge of the bed, he purposely sat down in the armchair. That way he wouldn't succumb to the need to lay her down on the bed just to see what she tasted like.
“I did something really stupid today, and then when I was leaving, I had an incident that I don't even want to get into.”
Her eyes widened, and she scooted closer so that she could take his hands. He covered her small hand with his big ones and squeezed.
“What happened today? I want to hear both things because you look like you need to talk.”
“Yeah, I guess I do.” He missed talking with people about his day. Yeah, he had his brothers, but they didn’t live with him, and he had been feeling lonely. He just didn't want to get too dependent on Rina in case she didn't feel the same way.
“Then tell me. That's what I'm here for, to listen.” She smiled, and her big blue eyes twinkled.
“Well, we'll start with the thing that wasn't my fault. On my way out of the school, I was accosted by a mother.”
She frowned. “What did you mean by accosted?”
He cleared his throat, uncomfortable. Maybe he shouldn't have started with this one. “Uh, she well, she grabbed my ass. In front of her son. Oh, and I forgot to mention, she's married.”
Rina’s eyes narrowed, and she gave a cute little growl. “She did what? How did she think in any way that was appropriate? Especially in front of her son. Peppermint balls! That poor kid. Not to mention you. Are you okay?”