Summer Surrender (Phases Series, Book Six) Read Free Page A

She’d even managed to catch up on some of her reading. So far, it had been the perfect working vacation.
    “Thanks, Miz C. I finally feel like I’m getting this now.”
    Hollis smiled at Travis, the last student straggling up to her desk. “Well, it helps when you come to class.”
    Color bloomed high on the boy’s cheeks, but he returned her grin. “Yeah. Yeah, I know. I’ll see you Monday. Have a good weekend.”
    “You, too.”
    Travis nodded and waved as he headed out of the classroom, nearly running into Daniel as he entered.
    Her tummy fluttered wildly as he approached. The lake and trees weren’t the only gorgeous scenery around here. His bronze complexion and high cheekbones hinted at what was surely Native American ancestry. Tall and leanly muscled, his body had a runner’s grace with a tightly coiled energy that lurked beneath the surface. For lack of a better description, he always seemed ready to pounce.
    “I’m really impressed with the progress you’re making with the kids,” he said as soon as Travis was out of earshot.
    “They’re great kids. Some of them aren’t particularly motivated, but I’m hoping to get them all to the point where they can pass this course and move on to the next grade.”
    “I think you’ve made more progress here in a week than I’ve seen some people make in months.”
    She waved away the compliment, trying to ignore the pleasure his words brought. It shouldn’t matter to her what Daniel thought of her. But she’d be a liar if she said it didn’t. Annoyingly enough, it mattered what Josiah thought, too. Between the two of them, she’d had plenty of fantasy material.
    “Thank you, but they’re doing all the work,” she said, forcing herself to stop imaging a threesome with him and Josiah. She’d clearly been spending too much time with Maggie and her guys since sex seemed to be all she could think about lately.
    Daniel’s lips curved upward as he half sat half leaned against her desk, his groin right at eye level. She tilted back in her chair. It was easier to keep her eyes on his face that way. Not that keeping her gaze on his face was a hardship.
    She shifted in her seat as she peered up at him. The man was gorgeous—closely cropped black hair, brown eyes so dark they were almost black and firm lips that she couldn’t help but imagine covering her own. Oh hell, she’d been imagining those lips doing more than that. Mentally shoving aside the fantasy of Daniel baring her breasts and drawing her nipples into his mouth one after the other, she tried to focus on what he was saying. Soon, she’d need to throw herself into the icy waters of Lake Superior to cool down and keep her imagination under control. She tuned back into reality in time to hear him say, “So did you decide to come?”
    Before she could open her mouth to respond, Josiah bounded into the room carrying a cardboard box and looking as if he’d been slugging down all of the coffee she’d been longing for. Hazel eyes glinting with amusement, he shoved his dark brown hair off his face.
    “That seems like an awfully personal question,” he said as he perched on the other side of her desk.
    Hollis felt her cheeks flush. The man was a ridiculous tease, but she knew he didn’t mean anything by it. He was just one of those guys who flirted with any woman he came across. Of course, he didn’t behave inappropriately with his students, so at least he had some control.
    Daniel reached across and cuffed Josiah across the back of the head.
    Josiah laughed. “Just kidding, sweet cheeks. I know he’s talking about the cookout tonight.”
    So did she, now that he’d reminded her. Daniel had invited her to the “We Survived the First Week of Summer School Cookout” a couple days ago over lunch. She’d heard some of the other teachers were going, too.
    “What should I bring?” she asked.
    “We’ll have plenty of food,” Daniel said before the other man had a chance to speak. “You don’t