Repressed (Deadly Secrets) Read Free Page B

David, I’ll show up on your front porch.”
    “I don’t doubt that,” Burke muttered as the woman walked out of the office. She didn’t spare Ethan another glance, just swept by him as if he weren’t even there. But as she passed, the sweet scents of lavender and vanilla drifted Ethan’s way, sending a quick shot of heat straight to his belly.
    Muffled voices echoed from the outer office, followed by the main door slamming shut. As the sound dissipated, Burke reached for a file from the corner of his desk and sighed. “Sorry about that. Annoyed teachers are often worse than disgruntled postal employees.”
    “That bad, huh?” Since the principal didn’t sit, Ethan set his bag on one of two chairs across from the desk and tucked his hands into the pockets of his slacks.
    “You don’t know the half of it. Woman’s not happy unless she’s got my balls in a vise on a regular basis.”
    Ethan chuckled. Oddly, with her, that sounded painful and pleasant all at the same time. “Lucky you.”
    Burke handed him the folder. “I hate to cut and run, but I’ve got a meeting at the district office in fifteen minutes. We’re all set for tomorrow. So long as you’re not a disruption, we’ll do whatever we can to cooperate.”
    “I know how to blend.” Ethan flipped open the folder and scanned the top paper. “These are Thomas’s behavior evaluations from the staff?”
    “Yeah, only one missing is Sam Parker’s.”
    “And he is . . . ?”
    “Chemistry teacher.” Burke shrugged on his suit jacket and lifted his chin toward the door. “You already met her.”
    “Ah.” One side of Ethan’s lips curled. “Disgruntled staff member. Yeah. I think I remember.” As if he could forget the girl with the glittering eyes.
    “She was heading back to her room. You can probably catch her if you need her evaluation before tomorrow.”
    Ethan didn’t. Not really. He had enough here to get started. But the thought of seeing those eyes again was a nice distraction from reliving all the shitty things that had happened to him in this town. He tucked the folder under his arm and shook the principal’s hand. “Thanks.”
    Burke fixed his jacket collar and stepped toward the door. “Annette will get you a copy of Adler’s class schedule and a map so you don’t get lost. If anything comes up, let me know. I’ll see you in the morning.”
    Ethan said good-bye to the principal, gathered a campus map and visitor pass from Annette, the salt-and-pepper-haired secretary who continued to eye him as if he had a second head, and strolled down the long hallway with its scuffed walls and dinged lockers. Posters advertised the upcoming dance. A banner hung from the ceiling, reminding students to dress up for spirit week. At the end of the corridor, a janitor wearing headphones pushed a broom across the floor. The man looked up as Ethan approached, narrowed his eyes, then quickly turned away.
    Another friendly resident. This place just got more and more welcoming.
    He glanced at the map, continued down the corridor, and took the next right. Halfway down the hall, he spotted the chemistry teacher, standing next to a curvy blonde wearing a short skirt and ice-pick heels no woman in her right mind could possibly stand on all day.
    They must have heard him because they both turned to look as soon as he rounded the corner. And the second Sam Parker’s mesmerizing eyes locked on Ethan’s, something hard and tight gathered right in the center of his gut.
    Man, those eyes seriously needed to come with a warning label.
    The blonde paused midsentence, and swept a heated look over Ethan. “You look lost, handsome.”
    Ethan glanced from the ostentatious diamond ring on the blonde’s left hand to the staff ID badge clipped to her waist. Margaret Wilcox. English department, if he remembered correctly from the files he’d scanned earlier. “Actually, I’m not. I was looking for Ms. Parker.”
    Margaret flicked Sam a look. “Well, that