The Teacher's Billionaire

throttle her every time she smiled seductively in Dylan’s direction. It wasn’t that she was jealous or anything. She had no reason to be jealous. This wasn’t even a date. Although the waitress had no way of knowing that. Did the waitress think she was too unattractive to be on a date with someone like Dylan Talbot?
What do you care?
    Instead it was a matter of proper behavior. Having worked as a waitress in college, she knew what most restaurants considered proper behavior. Many restaurant managers considered flirting with customers a no-no. Although many women still did it often in the hopes of getting a better tip.
    “I’m all set tonight. What about you, Callie?” His voice pulled her thoughts away from how a waitress should act and back to reality.
    While the white chocolate mousse on the tray looked delicious, she didn’t think she could spend any more time watching the waitress flirt with Dylan. After all a woman could only take so much. Callie shook her head and smiled. “Couldn’t eat another bite tonight.”
    With obvious disappointment that her prey for the evening intended to leave, the pretty blond accepted Dylan’s credit card and left.
    “Let me pay half.” Callie wasn’t comfortable with him covering the whole meal. After all, it wasn’t a date. Not even close.
    Dylan pushed away the money she offered him. “Don’t even think about it.”
    “But...”
    “But nothing. You’re a guest down here this weekend.”
    Callie wasn’t deterred by his argument. “Still it’s not...” she almost said date when their waitress returned with Dylan’s card. Quickly he signed the receipt and came to his feet ready to leave.
    “Don’t argue with me. You won’t win.”
    A little annoyed, she let the matter go and stood when he pulled her chair back. She really wasn’t comfortable with him paying for her. But his clenched jaw told her any further argument would be useless.
    With his hand on the small of her back, Dylan guided her through the crowded restaurant. The heat emanating from his large hand seeped through the light sundress she wore, nearly scorching her skin.
    She wanted to quicken her pace and dislodge his hand. At the same time she wanted to lean into it. Lean into him. The powerful sensations his innocent touch sent through her body were exquisite. Callie hadn’t felt this physically drawn to a man in a long time.
    That fact scared her.
    No, correction, it outright terrified her.
    She couldn’t be attracted to this man. Only heartache could come from such an attraction to a man like him.
    You’re not attracted to him. He’s only affecting you this way because your emotions are already on overload and because you’ve been single for so long.
    She’d let her social life become nonexistent when her mom was ill. Since her mom’s death she hadn’t felt up to dating. When she got home, she’d make an effort to date more, Callie promised herself as he opened the car door for her. Maybe she would even join that online dating site Lauren kept telling her about.
    Once they were both settled, the Aston Martin’s powerful engine roared to life but remained idling in the parking lot. Dylan turned his body so that he faced her. “How does a drive by the water sound? There’s a great cafe near First Beach where we could stop for coffee.”
    Lord, it’s warm in here.
    She wasn’t sure if it was the confines of the small sports car or not, but suddenly Dylan seemed bigger, more masculine than before. If that was even possible.
    “Or if you like jazz, there’s a great Jazz Club on Thames Street.”
    Uncomfortable under his direct gaze, Callie shifted nervously. The sound of her sundress moving against the leather seat seemed unusually loud in the silent car.
    For the life of her, she couldn’t understand why he wanted to prolong their time together. Although she hadn’t thought it necessary, she understood why he’d taken her to dinner. He felt obligated because of his association with her father. With dinner over he’d completed his duty as a host. There was no reason for them to spend anymore time together.
    Have I grown a second head?
Dylan couldn’t read the expression on Callie’s face. Since proposing ways to continue their outing, Dylan refused to think of this as a date, she’d sat staring at him with the most unusual look on her face. He didn’t know what to call the expression exactly. To some extent it bordered on confusion, but at the same time there were