Chapter One

Petty Officer Second Class Osten Scoleri grumbled under his breath. What the hell was I thinking when I agreed to this? He had been the idiot who had raised his hand when the second-in-command of his SEAL team had asked for a volunteer. So now, for the next two weeks, he had to sit behind a folding table and answer questions from high school students about life in the Navy. Granted, it had been delayed for a while since they had been out on missions, but now it was almost November and he was here.

Readjusting his hold on his box of pamphlets and other information, he paused as his gaze picked out a gorgeous Corvette pulling into the parking area. Its black and silver finish gleamed in the late autumn sun.

A group of teens waved to the driver and waited. Osten watched as a young woman climbed out and reached in for a briefcase. “Morning, Ms. Jackson,” one of the students said.

“Good morning, gentlemen.” She smiled at all of them as she locked her car. “And how are we doing on this lovely Monday?”

The students were all big, strong young men and they seemed to dwarf the woman they surrounded. Osten watched to see if there was any sign of impending trouble.

“Fine, Ms. Jackson. We’re just fine. Getting ready for the big game this week,” another student spoke.

“Well, make sure you pass the test and you will all be ready on this end.” Her snappy response reached Osten as he watched them disappear inside the building, the students holding the door for her. A round of laughter from the boys was the last thing he heard.

Picking up his pace, Osten continued on his way as he became the object of many female stares. He was in his dress blues, and, even as a Petty Officer, still cut a very dashing figure. So while the girls were checking him out…he was mentally going over the vision he had seen walking into the school before him.

He hadn’t been able to see her all that well, for the students had blocked his view, but what he had been treated to was very attractive. She wore a straight black skirt that hugged her hips before stopping above her knees, topping it off was a pale-colored shirt.

Her hair was free to settle around her face, which had hidden her features from his questing gaze. Her voice was sultry, yet filled with kindness. Osten was intrigued.

Walking into the office, he sat his box down beside him as he waited to be acknowledged. Finally a large woman headed in his direction.

“Good morning,” she said in a friendly tone.

“Good morning, ma’am. I’m Petty Officer Scoleri reporting in.”

She nodded. “Ah, yes. The man from the Navy. I’m Sandi Richmond, one of the assistant principals. Well, we will get you all set up. So if you will just follow me.” Her large bulk moved from behind the counter.

Lifting his box with ease, Osten fell into step behind her. He was stuck here in this high school for two weeks, from noon to the end of school, with the exception of today. He had arrived early to get situated. As he followed the blonde woman, he took in the layout of the school.

Finally the woman stopped beside a folding table, waving a hand toward it. “Here you go. Most students will be asking questions between classes, but those who are very interested will get permission from their teachers and come to speak to you one on one.” She looked at him with blue eyes.

Osten placed his box on the table. “Sounds good.”

Sandi smiled at him. “If you need anything, feel free to ask any one of the teachers. Um, the closest would be Ms. Jackson. Her room is that first door, just up the ramp. So, you can always just go knock on her door if you need something while classes are in session and you don’t want to walk all the way back to the office.”

Osten nodded. “Ms. Jackson, got it. Thank you.” That’s what those kids called the woman in the Corvette.

Sandi sent him another smile. “My pleasure. Now, is there anything at all I can get for you before I get back to my office?”

“No, ma’am. I’m fine. I will just set up and wait for people to stop by.” With a glance at the woman who seemed reluctant to leave him he added, “Thanks for the help.”

“My pleasure.” Sending him a friendly wave, she walked away.

Osten shook his head, took a deep breath, and began to set up the pamphlets and other things he had in the box. Then he took a seat and waited for his first student to walk by.

By the end of the day, Osten had met many of the teachers, most of them female teachers who took to flirting with him like second nature. The one he hadn’t met yet was Ms. Jackson. She didn’t leave her room for the hours he was there.

He could tell she was a well-loved teacher, for her students were always laughing and talking when they went in her room and doing the same when they left. He had also made some appointments to talk to students one on one over the next two weeks. It seemed he would be coming in earlier than noon, but he didn’t mind.

As he was packing up his box up for the day after he had answered his last question, that door opened again. Out stepped Ms. Jackson. From his position, Osten could see her shirt was a pale yellow. She had her jacket over her arm and her purse in one hand.

“Ms. Jackson,” a male voice spoke, jerking Osten’s attention away from her body.

“Hey, Mikhail. What can I do for you?” she asked as the young man hurried up to her.

“I wanted to ask you a question about the assignment.”

Immediately she swung the door to her room open wider. “Come on in and let’s go over it.”

“Thanks, Ms. J,” he said.

Osten watched them walk into her room. The man had been one of the young men who had stopped by to talk to him and set up an appointment to have a one-on-one with him later in the week. A highly intelligent senior, Mikhail was a tight-end on the football team hoping for a scholarship to help pay for some schooling.

Osten’s packing slowed as he found himself waiting for her to leave that room. All that vanished when he saw Ms. Riley approaching him. A slim blonde woman, she was beautiful with a nice body; however, it wasn’t anything that attracted Osten.

“Afternoon, Mr. Scoleri,” she fairly purred as she stopped by his table.

“Ms. Riley,” Osten replied with a nod of his head.

“How was your day? Students treating you okay?” Her manicured fingers trailed over a Navy pamphlet as her sultry eyes met his.

“Wonderful. Everyone has been extremely nice to me. If you will excuse me, I need to get going.” He picked up his box and began to walk off.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she hollered after him.