wider.
“Hello, beautiful,” Osten’s voice filled the empty room.
CJ looked up and smiled as the blush ran up her cheeks. “After-
noon, Osten.” She placed her pen down on the desktop and put the full
intensity of her eyes upon him. He held the box in his arms.
Moving into the room, he placed it down in the normal spot
where he kept it. This time however, he didn’t leave. Instead he ap-
proached the desk, his uniform showing off the predatory moves he
had as if they were part of his genetic makeup and he’d been born to
them.
Two large, strong hands placed themselves on her smooth desk.
Osten leaned down closer to her and asked, “Did you miss me?”
Dragging her eyes away from those hands of his and forcing her
mind to focus, CJ licked her full lips. “No, why would I? I just saw you
at lunch when you and Angela ate in the cafeteria.”
Vittano's Willow
33
A smug grin cracked his face. “And here I thought you didn’t
see me in the cafeteria. I tried to get your attention and you acted like
you didn’t notice me.”
CJ flushed again. It was true. “I don’t know what you’re talking
about.”
“Shouldn’t lie to me, gorgeous. We both know you saw me. I
would have rather sat next to you at the table.” He reached for her face
with one hand and stroked the silken skin with his knuckles.
CJ trembled at the contact.
“Ms. J,” a masculine voice intruded.
She sprang back from Osten’s sensual touch to meet the highly
amused gaze of Mikhail. Osten took his time in standing upright. The
young black man stood in the doorway, his eyes flickering back and
forth between the two adults in the room.
“Yes, Mikhail. What can I do for you?” CJ asked, praying her
embarrassment would fade quickly.
The young man stepped further into the room, his dark gaze
missing nothing. A smirk that seemed predisposed to be on young
men’s faces filled his. “I was just checking to make sure you were
coming to the game tonight? And perhaps bring along your friend .”
CJ felt her face heat up even more. “Of course I will be there. I
don’t expect my students to let me down and I don’t let you down. I’ll
be there.” She swallowed as she tried to ignore Osten’s scent that still
filled her nose.
“Football game?” Osten asked, keeping his eyes on his sweet,
sexy teacher.
“Yes. It is a serious rival school, so the game is very important to
us.” CJ met his gaze and got a dry mouth from the amount of passion
she witnessed swirling in his dark eyes.
“Are you coming, Petty Officer Scoleri?” Mikhail questioned,
hope plain in his voice.
Osten met the inquiring gaze of the young man. “I would love to
watch to a football game. Sure, I’ll go.”
A huge grin crossed Mikhail’s face. “Wonderful, you and Ms. J
can go together; that way you can sit with each other.” He winked
before bolting from the room with a, “See you later!” trailing after him.
Her head thumped to the desktop. “I can’t believe he saw that,”
she complained.
Strong fingers lifted her chin up from the desk. “Don’t do that. I
don’t want you to hurt yourself.”
34
Aliyah Burke
CJ opened her eyes to find Osten millimeters away from her
face. Before she could say a word or move, he kissed her. Marked her.
Branded her with nothing more than the feel of two fingers on her chin
and his lips against hers.
His tongue swept into her mouth; setting her body on fire as he
had the last time they kissed. As she moaned and pressed closer to his
seeking tongue, he released her mouth and stepped back.
CJ raised her eyes to his and saw they appeared black they were
so dark. “What was that for?” she asked.
“I couldn’t help myself. Now, come on, I’ll walk you out.”
Osten took another step back from her tempting body. Every
inch of his warrior’s body was primed to make love to her until neither
of them could move a muscle.
Standing on limbs that were none to steady,
Virginia Kantra, Doranna Durgin, Meredith Fletcher
Alexis Abbott, Alex Abbott