CHAPTER ONE
SAWYER
“To Sawyer!” Lisa lifts her glass, and I hold my breath in fear of whatever she’s about to say, praying nobody can hear her over the loud hotel bar music. “May you use your new position to educate the minds of our future generation, help shape our troubled youth, and never get arrested for sleeping with a student.”
Raising my glass, I clink it with hers, groaning at her crassness but not bothering to reprimand her. Over the years, I’ve learned she says whatever she wants, and calling her out will only make her worse.
Besides, her toast isn’t entirely off base since I’ve just accepted my first teaching position, all thanks to a teacher who did sleep with her student and was fired—something I will definitely not be doing.
“To me,” I agree because, despite her drunken toast, I’m proud of myself. I’ve busted my ass these past four years, and now I have a degree in English education to show for it. After this summer, I’ll be stepping into a classroom and doing what I love: teaching. I’ve dreamed of this for so long, it felt like just that… a dream. But I worked hard and made it happen, and now my dream is a reality.
“Scott’s calling me,” Lisa says, eyeing her phone. “He must be here. I’m going to go find him.” She swallows down the last of her drink and then kisses my cheek before taking off to chase down her husband.
“Congratulations,” a masculine voice says, making me twist to the side to face him. When I meet his eyes, they’re dancing with mirth, and I know he heard everything Lisa just said. “A teacher, I assume?”
I nod, taking a sip of my drink. “Yes, twelfth grade English, and thank you.”
His eyes scan my body, just long enough to take me in but not for so long that he looks like a perv. “I think you have a better chance of sleeping with your students than shaping their minds.” My eyes go wide, not expecting that. “Have you seen those TikTok videos?” He cringes, his entire body dramatically shuddering. “I’m not sure any of them are capable of being shaped or educated. But if you were my English teacher in high school, I have no doubt I would’ve tried to hit on you.”
I take a moment to check him out. Underneath the white Nike hat he’s wearing low on his forehead is a hint of brown hair that appears to be shaved short. The tiny age lines around his brown eyes tell me he’s older and has lived life—probably in his early, maybe mid-thirties. If I had to guess, he’s about a foot taller than my five-foot-four self and, based on the way his biceps fill out his white polo shirt, he works out on the regular.
“So…” he prompts, making me look back up at him.
“What?”
“If I were your student, would you sleep with me?” he asks, his crooked smile making him look significantly younger.
I choke out a laugh and throw the rest of my drink back. “No. No man is worth the amount of work I’ve put into getting this degree.”
His smile softens, and he nods in understanding. “I’m Hudson Matthews.”
“Sawyer Addison.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Sawyer Addison.” He leans in close, so only I can hear whatever it is he’s about to say, and I catch a whiff of his masculine scent. It’s crisp with a tad of smokiness and a hint of vanilla. “This is the part where I should insert some clever pickup line, but I’m years out of my youth and rusty on the flirting, so how about I just offer to buy you a drink? And if you say yes, I’ll ask you to dance in a little while so I can show you my moves.”
A sexy grin spreads across his face, and I find myself laughing in appreciation at his straightforwardness. I don’t get out often, but when I do, he’s right—guys my age always have the corniest pickup lines. Women respect a man more when he simply lays it all out instead of wasting our time playing games.
“You can definitely buy my drink, and after a few, if I still like you, I’ll consider dancing with you. But I have to warn you, dancing is rather personal, right up there with sex, so you’re going to have to make quite the impression on me in order to get me out onto that dance floor.”
He chuckles darkly. “Challenge accepted.”
“I’m drinking Jack and Coke.” I push my empty glass his way.
“Ah, a woman after my own heart.” He raises his glass, and the bartender rushes over.
“What can I get you, Mr. Matthews? Another drink?”
“Yes, please, and one for the lady.”
“Yes, sir.” The bartender goes about making the drinks, and I glance at him curiously.