Chapter Three

Osten’s stomach rumbled long and low. It was after one in the afternoon and he had yet to eat any-thing all day. He groaned with dismay.

“Hate school that much?” a teasing voice asked from beside him.

Looking up, Osten was met with the most gorgeous brown eyes he had ever seen. CJ stood there watching him, wearing a light-green shirt that offset the color of her skin wonderfully. His body reacted immediately to her beauty and her scent. It was one he couldn’t identify; but on her…it was amazing.

Shaking his head he responded, “No, well, I never did like school, but I am just hungry.” She grinned, showing him a mouth of straight, white teeth. What a beautiful smile.

“Well, you can join me in my room for lunch. I have extra, unless…you had other plans.” She tipped her head to the side and as he followed her gesture, he saw Abigail approaching.

“I would love to join you.” Standing immediately, Osten moved to her side. His eyes took in how nice she would fit against him. Chantoya Jackson was the perfect height for him.

“Great. Let’s go.” Together they walked into her room. His eyes took in her space that was full of lab tables. One in the back had some dishes on it and they sat there.

“What do you teach?” he asked.

“Biology. AP Biology if you want to be technical.” CJ pointed to a stool. “Grab a seat; just let me get you a plate and some silverware.”

He was impressed. “Wow.” He pulled out a stool and sat on it. “Thanks,” he said as she set dinnerware in front of him.

Taking a seat across from him, CJ dished up the food. Fried rice, egg rolls, and some fresh fruit. “You’re welcome.”

Osten put a bite in his mouth and saw CJ’s eyes narrow briefly. “Hey, Abigail,” she said.

“CJ. I was just coming to see if Mr. Scoleri wanted to grab a bite to eat with me.” She pouted. “I guess you beat me to it.”

“Guess so,” CJ mumbled. She and Abigail were merely polite to one another on a good day.

Refusing to take the hint, Abigail moved further into the room, her high heels clicking across the floor. “I feel like I am going to slip in your room. I’m so glad mine has carpet.”

“It’s kind of pointless to have carpet in a lab.” CJ ate a bite of food and prayed for the patience to deal with her. Her right hand kept clenching and unclenching in the attempt to control her temper.

“I didn’t know you had met CJ yet,” Abigail said to Osten in a falsely sweet voice.

“Actually,” he told her, “I have known her for a while now. Two of our friends just celebrated the birth of their child, and we were both there.” He placed a pointed look at the woman who had just sat beside him. “So this is like a ‘getting reacquainted’ type of lunch you are interrupting.”

CJ choked before she could cover it with a cough. She loved the dejected look on Abigail’s face. Osten sent her a quick wink before staring down the blue eyes of Abigail.

“Oh, I see.” She sighed dramatically before placing a hand on Osten’s uniformed arm. “Well, I want a lunch with you while you are here.” Her voice was seductive and blatantly offering.

“I’m not sure I can guarantee that. I take things a day at a time,” his answer fell.

Abigail looked at the woman across from her newest interest. Her brown skin shone with good health; all-in-all, she would agree that CJ was very pretty, but no one took a man from her. Especially a black woman. “I’m sure I will find a way to get you to agree.”

She rose from the stool and sashayed out of the room, not aware that her exaggerated walk was ignored by the man it was supposed to entice.

CJ laughed the second she was gone from the room. “Wow! Abigail doesn’t get turned down often. She isn’t pleased.”

He shrugged. “She isn’t my type.” His dark eyes roamed over her as if seeing what lay beneath her clothes.

Squirming on the stool, CJ was amazed by her body’s reaction to him. By no means chaste, there really hadn’t been a man to get her body this wet without doing anything other than talking to her. “Her loss,” she managed to get out.

“If you say so.” He took a bite of the egg roll. “I prefer my women a bit more ‘natural,’ as opposed to grossly over advertising themselves.” He seemed to understand her mood. “So, have you known Dez long?”

A genuine smile graced her face as she nodded. “We have known each other for over twenty years.”

“That’s great.” Osten really liked Dezarae Connelly, the wife of one of his teammates.

The light chime of a cell phone broke into their lunch. “Excuse me,” CJ said and went to answer her phone. “CJ,” she spoke.