Mouth Watering

By L.P. Maxa

EVERYTHING SHE NEEDED...

Looking to change her life, Corey Cooper moves across the country to a remote town in Colorado to become the new guidance counselor at St. Leasing, a prestigious all boys prep school. But soon she learns her attraction to the gorgeous head coach, Dominic Hardy, is more than the usual chemistry, and that her students are more than the typical randy teenage boys.

WAS WRITTEN IN HIS SOUL

Dominic Hardy loves his life at St. Leasing. As head coach, he's fulfilled by his career, and in the small Colorado town outside the school's gates he has all the entertainment a man could desire. No complications, no attachments, life was good. Then Corey Cooper comes to St. Leasing and Dominic's instincts kick in - she is his, and that's for life. Throw in a troubled teen, a tyrannical parent, and a mysterious disappearance, and all of a sudden everything at St. Leasing has become a matter of life or death for his kind.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group
• Release date: Jun 27, 2017
• ISBN: 9781944262792

L.P. Maxa

L.P. lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, daughter, three rescue dogs, and one adopted cat. The first group of chickens met with a sad and unexpected death. They have been replaced. The dwarf goats are a story for another day. And now there are ducks. Writer, business owner and office manager, L.P. says she loves to read as much as she loves to write. Reading a good book is her reward after writing one. In her spare time—ha!—she fosters puppies for a rescue organization based in Austin. Connect with L.P. – lpmaxa.wordpress.com facebook.com/pages/LP-Maxa/1442560722667127 twitter.com/lpmaxa instagram.com/lpmaxa

Book preview

Chapter One

Dominic

Dominic stopped dead in his tracks when he saw an unfamiliar car pull up, then something shifted in the air around him. Like the light spring breeze changed directions. A woman climbed out of the newer-model SUV and stretched her arms above her head, revealing a strip of tight, toned stomach. She arched her back and inhaled deeply. A small smile lit up her beautiful face, like clean mountain air made her happy.

She was absolutely breathtaking.

Literally, looking at her stole the air from his lungs.

Whoa. What? Stole the air from his lungs? Who was he, John Legend? Nope. Looking at her made his dick hard. There, that was more like it, and he nodded to himself.

The woman had parked in front of the administration building, but Dominic was sure he’d never seen her on campus before. He definitely would have remembered her. There weren’t many chicks his age roaming the grounds of St. Leasing. She couldn’t be the new guidance counselor. Nah. Dean McCormick would never hire such a young gorgeous woman to take on that job. The boys would be way too hard for her to handle, what with their hormones in a constant state of overdrive.

Dominic wouldn’t blame them. He was a grown-ass man and he was having trouble controlling himself. As it was, he’d been staring at her for a socially unacceptable amount of time. He watched as her eyes took in the architecture around campus. He knew what she was seeing, knew the feeling of tradition and history the old stone buildings and ancient trees inspired. Maybe he should go over and ask if she needed help. She didn’t really look lost, but it was getting close to dusk and she needed to get inside.

He crossed the street, coming up beside her. Excuse me, ma’am? Could I point you in the right direction?

The woman whirled around, almost tripping in surprise. Oh, wow. You scared me. She laughed a little at herself, and the sound went straight to his heart. Actually I was looking for the dean’s office.

Dominic’s smile grew. She was even more beautiful up close. She was so petite her head barely came up to his chest. She had long reddish-brown hair, stunning emerald green eyes, and there were freckles wildly scattered on her nose. She appeared younger than him, but those eyes? Those gorgeous green eyes held some depth. The dean’s office? Are you here for the counselor position? He hoped like hell her answer was no.

I am. I have an interview in about ten minutes. She looked down at her watch, checking the time and pulling her bottom lip between her straight white teeth.

Damn. She’d never get the job. Which meant he’d never get a taste of that sweet little mouth of hers. Dominic gave himself a mental shake. This girl was messing with his brain. He didn’t need her sweet little mouth. He had plenty of willing and able mouths at his beck and call. But still, he couldn’t deny that the thought of her disappearing from his life as quickly as she had appeared upset him.

She cleared her throat. Shit, he was staring again, lost in confused thought. I drove into town, and was hoping to get here early enough to explore the campus a little, but I got so turned around trying to find this place. It’s almost completely hidden from the road. She flailed her arms toward the big, gated entrance.

That’s cute. She’s so animated and friendly. Cute? Motherfucker, his brain needed to rein in those sweet thoughts. Yeah, we like it that way. It’s better for the boys, better for all of us really. Where the hell had that come from? He couldn’t let things like that start slipping out. St. Leasing’s secrets were none of her business. She was frying his brain with her dazzling smile. Luckily, she chose to ignore his odd comment. If you want, I can walk you over to the dean’s office. I was kind of headed that direction anyway. Total lie, he had been headed to his truck in the opposite direction. He was due at practice in like two seconds.

Really? That’d be great. Thank you so much. I’m Corey by the way, Corey Cooper.

Dominic turned and took her outstretched hand. It felt small inside of his, but her handshake was firm. Good, he loathed a weak handshake, even from a woman. I’m Dominic Hardy.

They walked in silence for a ways, it wasn’t uncomfortable, but it was definitely charged. Dominic could feel that she was attracted to him, even if she wasn’t admitting it to herself or acknowledging it. He could feel it coming off her in subtle waves, and smirked to himself. Perfect. Maybe he could get her to meet him for a drink before she headed out of town. And she would be leaving soon. There was no way she’d get that job. Not here. Not at a school like this.

So, Mr. Hardy, I take it you work here at St. Leasing?

He nodded. I do. I coach varsity baseball. And please, call me Dominic.

Have you been coaching long?

This was actually the first place I coached right out of college. Playing pro ball was my dream, but that didn’t pan out. I was good enough to get me my job here though. What about you? What brings you to an all-boys boarding school?

Corey took a deep breath. I grew up in Louisiana. It’s the only place I’ve ever lived. I needed a change and I came across this job online. I’ve been emailing back and forth with Dean McCormick for a couple weeks now.

Dominic nodded, realization dawning on him. They had been emailing. They hadn’t even talked on the phone yet. He’d bet that the dean thought Corey was a dude. As soon as McCormick got one look at her, he wouldn’t give her the job. Women were rarely hired to work on this campus, and for good reason.

He stopped in front of a large mansion. It had a circular tower on the right side and was built with weathered stone. It was one of the oldest buildings on campus. Here we are, the dean’s office is on the third floor. She turned and smiled up at him, causing his heart to skip a beat. Stupid heart, what the hell was it thinking? He was used to thinking with his dick. His dick seemed smarter.

Thank you so much, I really appreciate your help. Corey reached for the large brass door handle.

Wait. Dominic groaned at the desperation he heard in his voice. She stopped and looked back over her shoulder, smiling again. Why did she keep grinning at him like that? Would you like to meet me for a drink later? After your interview? There is a small bar in town, well, it’s the only bar in town. But it’s got cold beer and no students. You had to have passed it on your way in, it’s called Moon Bar.

Corey nodded. I would like that. I can meet you there in about two hours?

Dominic doubted her interview would take longer than two seconds, but he had to get through practice so a couple hours would work for him. Sounds great, I’ll see you later, good luck. She smiled at him one more time before she disappeared into the building.

He glanced at his watch; he was so late for practice. Hopefully his assistant coaches had started the boys on their warm-ups. The team tended to get antsy and reckless without direction and something to occupy their minds.

Did he really ask that girl out? Dominic doubted Corey would be good company after she got turned down for a job she had driven days to interview for. But then again maybe he could send her on her way with a fond memory of Colorado.

Chapter Two

Corey

Corey entered the building and took the wide dark wood stairs up to the second floor. She had to get this job. Truly, she had no other options at this point.

She had packed up her whole life and run away from home. Well, ran away was a little dramatic. She’d needed to get away. She needed a change of scenery, a change of pace. Corey had known only one way of life, and she was ready for an adventure. Plus, her loving family was suffocating her, and her ex-boyfriend was the worst.

She wouldn’t admit that she was lonely, because she wasn’t that girl. She wasn’t wounded. She wasn’t broken. What she’d been through with her ex had made her cautious, that was all. She had chosen to move her life across the country for a fresh start and a fresh perspective. See? Not broken, and not dwelling on past mistakes. Not today, not ever.

Quickly, she shoved those thoughts away and focused on Dominic’s sexy smirk instead. Dominic Hardy. Corey had been dealing with men like him since the day she turned sixteen. It was obvious Dominic was a man who got what he wanted. He probably had women falling all over him and never had to work too hard to get them in bed. She chuckled to herself. He could be a lot of fun.

But right now she had a future to think about and a job interview to get through. She squared her shoulders and knocked lightly on the door to Dean McCormick’s office.

Come in. The voice that answered sounded warm, weathered, and slightly gravelly. It reminded her of her grandfather’s, minus the deep Cajun accent, of course.

She opened the large heavy wood door and turned her sweetest smile on the man standing before her. He definitely looked like someone’s grandfather: a rounded midsection, thinning gray hair, and kind, crinkly eyes set behind rimless glasses. And, no joke, he was wearing a tweed blazer.

May I help you? Dean McCormick returned her smile with one of his own, warm yet utterly confused.

She put her hand to her chest, cocking her head slightly. Yes, I’m Corey Cooper. I’m here to interview for the counselor position. We had an appointment at five?

His confusion faded into surprise. Oh. Uh, well, please come in, Ms. Cooper. Sit down, dear. He motioned to a leather winged-back chair that was angled in slightly toward his large mahogany desk. Ms. Cooper, I have to say, you weren’t exactly what I was expecting. Please don’t think I’m trying to be rude here, but I assumed you were a male Corey.

She laughed lightly. That happens sometimes. I’m sorry. She wasn’t sure why she felt the need to apologize for her name. That doesn’t change anything, does it? I mean, does it make a difference if the counselor you hire is male or female? Surely not, she thought. This was 2017. He couldn’t refuse to hire her because she was a woman. She became nervous, biting her lower lip.

The dean sat behind his desk and folded his hands on the surface. Actually, Ms. Cooper, it does make a difference. St. Leasing is an all-boys boarding school. I was looking to hire a male for this position due to the fact that it requires a pretty personal relationship with our students. These boys, they are teenagers with hormones and tempers. There are no girls or women here, other than a few older teachers. I don’t want my students to be embarrassed to come to you with their problems because they find you attractive.

She jerked back slightly. She couldn’t believe what he was saying. I can assure you, Dean McCormick, that I am great at what I do. And I would never let a student feel embarrassed or uncomfortable in my presence. I can do this job, and I can do it well. I understand where you are coming from. I understand that I would be working with a large group of teenage boys, but I know I can help them.

I have no doubt that you are good at your job, Ms. Cooper. Your experience and schooling alone speaks for itself. But that doesn’t change the fact that I was looking for a male for this position. My boys here, they are isolated from their families and from girls for a reason. Both tend to be a distraction for them. Their education and success is my top priority. I don’t need them thinking about how pretty you are, when they should be confiding in you.

Her eyes went large. Okay, now she was pissed. Pretty, but incapable? "Look, Dean McCormick, with all due respect, that’s bullshit. I went through four years of college, plus two years special training dealing with troubled adolescents, then I worked at a school full of dangerous teenagers. I have helped drug addicts, gang members, young pregnant girls…you name it, and I’ve seen it. There is nothing your privileged boys can throw at me that I can’t handle. And the fact that you think otherwise is sexist. I am a grown woman. I’ve had ‘boys’ hitting on me my whole life. Believe me when I tell you, I know how to shut them down."

Silence.

Corey started to chew on her lip again but then thought better of it. She didn’t need the dean to see that she was nervous or unsure. Her little outburst had shocked even her, but she didn’t want him to know that.

McCormick leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples like he had a headache coming on. Well, Ms. Cooper, in truth, I need to hire someone to fill this position quickly. We don’t currently have a counselor on staff, and there are some urgent matters that need attention.

Corey stood her ground, tilting her chin up, determined to make him say he’d hire her.

He leaned forward, lacing his hands back together on his desk. "The job is yours. You can have it as long as you can handle it. However, if I hear of one instance where you are put in a bad position, or one of my boys comes across too aggressively, or if someone is hurt because he was too embarrassed to come to you, I’ll send you on your way. Understood?"

Corey nodded, her jaw clenched, holding in her victorious grin.

McCormick grunted. Your office will be located in the athletic building rather than the admin building. You will be surrounded by capable people who can help you if needed. You will not conduct office hours any time after four o’clock. You will email me daily with a list of your appointments, that way I can know exactly who is coming and going from your office. Those terms are nonnegotiable. They are for your safety as well as my boys’. He stood, using the top of his desk to hoist himself up. Now, I realize you have come a long way to be here today. We can meet tomorrow morning to go over the paperwork and finalize everything.

Holy crap. Corey couldn’t believe her ears when she was spouting all that stuff to the dean. But apparently, it worked. Not that any of it had been a lie, but she had assumed the dean would get angry and throw her out anyway.

Thank you so much, Dean McCormick. I promise I won’t let you down. And at the first sign of trouble, I will come to you. I don’t want to see these kids hurt any more than you do. She got up and grabbed his hand, shaking it until he politely pulled away. She had a job, now she needed a home. In the job description, it mentioned faculty housing?

He came around to her chair, holding his hand out in a gesture that suggested she should start to leave. Yes, we have a row of houses located on the edge of campus set aside for teachers who prefer to stay here rather than in town. They are small and old, but they’ve been well taken care of. The rent is pretty cheap as well. Are you interested?

She took a couple steps toward the door, talking over her shoulder, I am. I saw some pictures online and they look charming. It would be nice to be able to walk to work every day. Are there any for rent at the moment? She’d driven all this way praying that she’d be able to stay on campus. The houses in town she’d searched online were much more expensive than her place in Louisiana had been.

As a matter of fact, we had one come available last month. It’s already been cleaned, and it comes furnished. Let me get you the key and then you can go home and unpack. Welcome to St. Leasing, Ms. Cooper.

Chapter Three

Corey

The house was absolutely perfect. The siding was painted light gray and had a crisp white trim. It was small, but had a front porch that went the length of the house. And it literally had a white picket fence surrounding the well-kept yard. There was a large pine tree off to one side, the needles from it a stark contrast to the green grass.

As she climbed out of her car, she drew in the crisp evening air, so different than the heavy humidity back at home. She couldn’t seem to get enough of it. She was in love. In love with the nature surrounding her, the house in front of her, and the feeling of being on her own after all this time. There was such a difference between feeling alone and feeling independent, and she savored it.

She’d done it—she had gotten away from the life that was drowning her back in Louisiana, and she finally felt like she could breathe. Like a weight had been lifted off her chest and for the first time, in a long time, she was right where she needed to be.

Corey walked up to the white front door and used the key to let herself into her new home. It had oak wood floors that looked like they were original to the house. There was a small living room furnished with a cream-colored couch and loveseat. They looked new and like the kind of furniture you could curl up in and be comfortable for hours. One whole wall was bookshelves, full of books. She ran her fingers over the weathered spines. Some old, some relatively new. Maybe everyone who had lived here left their books behind. The little kitchen had light gray and white marble countertops and stainless steel appliances. The bedroom and bathroom off the living room were pretty and feminine.

For a school that had only a handful of women working on campus, this house was girly. The large bed was covered in fluffy soft white bedding, with white sheer curtains framing a large window that faced the woods behind the house. The bathroom had a claw-foot tub. It was perfect.

She went out the door in the back of the kitchen and found herself on a small concrete patio already set with beautiful pots full of flowers and some expensive-looking outdoor furniture. Rich kids. Ha, if the dean thought these kids had problems, he should visit the school where she used to work. Then he’d understand her reluctance to think she couldn’t handle life here. The house was more than she ever thought possible as far as faculty housing went. She looked at her watch and saw she had thirty minutes to change clothes and head into town to meet Dominic. She’d been here for only an hour and she already had a new job, a beautiful home, and a new friend. Things were definitely looking up.

She shrugged off her pencil skirt, white button-down blouse, and red sweater. The bar she passed on her way into town looked more like a boots-and-jeans establishment. She pulled on a well-loved pair of dark jeans, a plaid button-down shirt, and a comfortable pair of boots. She went into the light, bright bathroom and touched up her makeup. She ran her fingers through her hair, grabbed her puffy red vest, and headed out the door. As she walked to her car, she stopped, tilting her head to the side. She swore she’d heard a howl.

Were there wolves in Colorado? Maybe she should Wikipedia her new home and find out more about it. She took another step down the driveway and heard it a second time. It sounded like it was moving closer. Weird. She jogged the last few feet, got into her car, and pulled away. In her rearview mirror, she swore she saw something run across her neighbor’s yard. It was dark and larger than any coyote she had even seen back home. No, it was dusk. The light was probably playing tricks on her. Besides, even if it was something, the chances that it was an actual wolf were slim to none. It was probably a regular old dog looking for food. Maybe she’d put something out for it tonight.

Chapter Four

Dominic

Dominic sat at the bar, already on his second beer. Practice had given him a raging headache. The boys had been feisty and revved up. It was the temperature. Every time the seasons started to change, they got all riled for a few weeks. He hoped that the long laps around the ball field had worn them out and they would all go back to their dorms instead of heading out to cause trouble. His gaze kept darting to the door. Would she come? Would she be so upset at not getting the job that she would leave town without stopping in to tell him good-bye? She might, hell, he would. He shouldn’t really care either way. It shouldn’t matter if she came or not. He knew for a fact he could leave with his waitress right now if he wanted to. She was cute enough. Doable. But he wasn’t that hard up, and unlike his friends, he tried to never bite the hand that fed him. Or made sure to keep a cold beer in front of him in this case.

He had almost given up hope when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw the door open. In walked Corey, and she looked so insanely hot his dick swelled behind his zipper. She wore her jeans well, and the cool evening air had given her cheeks a slight blush. Every male eye turned in her direction. Dom felt heat surge through his body. Mine.

Whoa, hold the fucking phone. Mine? Where the fuck had that come from? Maybe he had a brain tumor. She did look edible though, there was no doubting that. Her button-down was tight against her chest, and he wanted to run his fingers through her long hair. What? Nope, he didn’t. He wanted to grab a fistful of her long hair and haul her lips up to his. There, that was more like it. He’d be correcting his thoughts until his brain got it together. No big deal.

Corey smiled as soon as she spotted him. He sat at the bar, beer in hand, watching her make her way through the small crowd. Corey, I’m glad you made it. How was the interview? He readied himself for her reaction. Would she cry? He hoped not. He hated it when women cried. He never knew what to say or what to do with his hands. It was so irritating and uncomfortable.

She climbed on the stool he’d pulled out for her. The interview was, uh, interesting. Dean McCormick assumed I was a guy. Then he didn’t want to give me the job when I wasn’t. She chuckled softly. But we talked, or argued really, and in the end he saw things my way. I got the position.

Ha. He had a position she could get. Dominic was oddly proud of himself for that dirty comment. ’Bout damn time, words like sweet and cute had been running rampant through his head all damn evening. Wait. She’d gotten the job? Really? That’s great, congratulations. He tried to put more enthusiasm than he felt in his voice, but he didn’t think he was doing a good job.

What the hell had the dean been thinking? Corey wouldn’t be able to handle those boys. Shit, Dominic could barely keep them under control on their bad days, and he was cut from the same cloth. How was this sweet, sexy young woman going to be able to keep them in line? He’d have to talk to the dean first thing tomorrow.

But tonight? Tonight, Dominic wanted her all to himself.

Her brows knit. "You don’t really seem all that happy about this.