Lesson Learned {Student Teacher Romance}

Chapter 40

Will looks like a male order movie star standing on the Gotlieb's doorstep and beaming at me like he'd waited all day for this very moment. His tailored jacket and dark wash denim embraced his athletic frame and complimented the hint of emerald in his dreamy eyes. 

"Moira," Will's sharp inhale sets off those dang butterflies inside my chest. "You look beautiful." 

"So do you," I wince and shake my head. "I mean, you look great, too." 

Will chuckles and steps over the threshold to pull me into his arms for a strong hug that made my joints melt into goo.

"Congratulations, Moira," his deep timber tickles the inside of my ear. 

"I couldn't have done it without you," I mutter into his shoulder. 

WIll's heady cologne, the press of his toned body against mine, and the brush of his breath on my tingling skin had my mind and my pulse on the fritz. 

His large hand caressed my jaw to bring our lips together in a passionate kiss that I could feel all over. Will's breath hitches in his throat as he pulled me closer to deepen our embrace. 

"That's all I could think about on the way over," Will murmurs on my lips and lightly rests his forehead on mine. 

"Great minds think alike," I sigh and cling to his coat to enjoy the pleasant shake of Will's laughter.

"Let's get out of here," he threads his fingers through mine and guides me over the doorstep toward his Volvo parked at the curb. 

Sitting in the passenger side seat of Will's car is a box of a dozen long-stem red roses along with an ivory card in his confident penmanship. 

He rests the unexpected gift on my lap with a dashing smile and a playful wink. I plucked the little card out of the satin ribbon-wrapped box to read his inscription. 

'Congratulations, Moira. I can't wait to see what you do next.'

Tears gather at my lashes as I open the box and lean over to inhale the sweetly floral aroma of the velvety rose petals. 

"They're stunning, Will," I whisper as soon as he's seated next to me. "Thank you." 

"You are stunning," he reaches over the gearshift to trace the curve of my cheek and gaze into my eyes. 

He's backlit in the glow of the moon and it's highlighting the attractive stubble on his chiseled jaw. 

"Where are we going?" I ask. 

Will's full lips pull into a coy smile that agitates the butterflies in my belly. 

"It's not a celebration without cake," he answers cryptically and starts the car.

We wind through Auburn until Will parks next to a quaint little wood-shingled house that's been turned into a coffee shop and bakery with live music. 

It's cozy inside and buzzing with activity with lots of tables fitted around a low stage where a two-man acoustic band is entertaining the audience. 

After we take our place in line Will laces his fingers through mine again and smiles at me like he's proud to be able to do that in public. 

"What can I get you?" The young woman at the cash register openly ogles Will when it's our turn. 

"I'll have a decaf cappuccino and two of whatever confection this lovely lady would like," Will replies and turns to me. "Moira, would you like anything to drink? This place does coffee and looseleaf tea."