Teacher (Voyeur #6) - Fiona Cole Page 0,8

lifted her half-empty glass. “Let me finish my wine, and I’ll be right over.”

We stepped out of the kitchen, so we didn’t get in the way. We’d just made it to the couch when Sean came over.

“Hey, Hanna,” he greeted. His voice was deep and soothing if I took the time to break it down. He really was very attractive, almost like a Chris Pine doppelgänger with those lips.

“Hey, Sean. How are you?” I adjusted my position, facing him fully, and placing my hips against the couch. The added bonus was it gave me more space, and no one could stand behind me.

“Better now.” It was a cheesy line, but it did the trick to make me laugh.

Alex not so subtly bobbed her brows behind her wine glass.

“Sorry, that was pretty corny.”

“A little. I prefer y equals m-x plus b as my favorite one-liner.”

“Oh. My. God,” Alex groaned.

I groaned internally, cringing at my own words. What was wrong with me, saying a math pun to such a cute guy who potentially also thought I was cute?

Sean’s laugh had my eyes snapping open. “That’s a good one.”

“You understood that?” Alex asked.

“I mean, I’m an accountant. Math is my foundation in life.”

Alex shook her head, and I laughed, feeling a little lighter since I walked in.

At least, until he reached out like he was going to push my hair behind my ear, and I jerked back, almost falling over the couch.

His hand froze before dropping. “Sorry,” he muttered.

My entire body flamed with embarrassment. I stared down, not wanting him to see my beet red cheeks.

Idiot. Idiot.

Ringing blotted out any sound, and I tried to breathe deep, hoping it all passed. I was sure that by the time I’d decided to look up, Sean would be long gone.

But Alex, my beautiful, soon-to-be, sister-in-law, saved me. She cleared her throat, pulling my attention to her and asked, “How was barre?”

It took me a moment to process her words, and I blinked.

“Barre?” Sean asked.

Jerking my eyes over, I was so surprised that he hadn’t run as far as he could get from me, I stuttered over my words. “Oh, um…it’s a ballet exercise class.”

One side of his mouth tipped up. “That’s hot.”

“Oh.”

Really, oh? That’s what you’re going to follow that up with? Super smart, Hanna. Sofia reprimanded.

“It totally is,” Alex said, saving the conversation again. “And Hanna is amazing. She’s so flexible and bendy. Super bendy.” She leaned over and bumped her shoulder to mine, rambling away. “I mean, how many talents can one girl have. She’s gorgeous and a math whiz. Pretty much the whole package.”

I stared slack-jawed and shocked at the word vomit; it was like she was trying to get me a job.

“Anyway, Erik looks like he wants me to come talk to him. Nice chat, Sean.”

With that, she headed to Erik, who clearly had his back to her and was engrossed in a conversation with Ian.

A high-pitched, slightly manic giggle broke free as I gathered the courage to turn and face Sean. When I did, I found his full lips pinched, trying to hold back a laugh.

“Sorry about that. It was pretty weird.”

He let his smile free, showing off dimples and perfect, white teeth. “Not at all. Not that she didn’t point out anything I didn’t know.”

“Oh,” I breathed.

I was on a role of eloquence tonight.

“Listen, Hanna. I was wondering if—”

“Dinner’s ready,” Carina called from the dining room.

Sean’s mouth snapped shut and turned into a rueful smile.

“Want to talk after dinner?” he asked.

“Sure.”

By the time we made it to the table, the seats had been filled, and he sat next to his friend, Adam, and I took the one next to Daniel.

“Hey, Hanna.”

I didn’t blush when Daniel said hello. I didn’t stumble over my words. No, instead, I relaxed back in my chair and gave an easy smile. “Hi, Daniel.”

The meal was delicious, filled with laughter and raunchy jokes. Where Carina death glared at anyone who said anything inappropriate. Apparently, they were at a stage in Audrey’s life where she liked to repeat everything.

“I think it’s adorable when she says shit,” Ian praised. “Ow.” He jerked and rubbed his leg where I’m assuming, Carina kicked him. “Fine. It’s wrong, and we shouldn’t encourage it.”

Daniel focused most of his attention on Kent sitting on his other side, and only once turned to ask for me to pass the water carafe. Oddly enough, when our fingers brushed on the handle, I didn’t jerk away like I usually would. Instead, a tingling warmth worked