The Back-Up Plan by Debra Webb Read Free Book Online

the large mahogany desk. She scooted onto the edge right in front of him. Her already too short skirt slid to the tops of her thighs as she crossed her long legs.
    Hank resisted the natural impulse to stare at those legs. He eased back as far as possible in his chair. The more distance between them the better. Why had Donna Jacobs spoken to Masters? Hank thought they had an agreement. He gave himself a mental shake with the reminder that you couldn’t trust anybody these days. Especially the man-eating female ogling him right now.
    “I also heard” she let her black, spiked heel drop to the floor so she could rub her foot against the inside of his leg “that the good doctor was ready to remove her child from your classroom. Of course,” Masters smiled down at him, “we all know that’s impossible since you’re the only kindergarten teacher.”
    A muscle in his jaw jerked rhythmically. He held on to the arms of his chair and glared at her. “I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t do that.”
    “But I thought you liked to be touched. What were all those pet names the media had for you? Oh, yes. Hard Hank...Bad Boy Bradley. I hear you never dated the same woman twice.” Her toes were making a path up his inner thigh now. “Maybe you’re just afraid of a real challenge.”
    Hank pushed out of the uncomfortable chair. “Is there anything else?” He kept his clenched fists pressed against his sides. How he would love to throttle this woman. The only challenge she represented was in his maintaining the overwhelming urge to hurl in her presence.
    She slid off the desk, heedless of his barely checked rage. A harsh chuckle escaped her lips as she moved nearer. He felt the heat of her breath on his face as she stared up at him. “You’re just no fun at all, Coach.” She pressed her body against his in an exaggerated act of balancing as she slipped her shoe back on.
    Hank finally relaxed when she had moved away from him and sat down behind her desk once more. He stared at her with such contempt that if looks could kill she would have dropped dead on the spot.
    “Well, don’t just stand there, Bradley. Your class awaits you.” With a wave of her hand she dismissed him.
    Rigid with repressed rage, Hank turned and left her office. He closed the door behind him with the last bit of control he had. He walked straight to the deserted faculty lounge and locked himself in the john.
    Hank exhaled a long, shaky breath and pushed a hand through his hair. He couldn’t let that predatory bitch get to him. He paced the tiny room. Back and forth. What the hell was he going to do? How long could he endure her bullshit? He kicked the trash can, sending it skidding across the tile floor into the far corner. He leaned into the wall, pressing his forehead against the cool surface. His head was pounding. Damn that woman .
    He knew exactly how to deal with a woman like her, but he was not in a position to do what came immediately to mind. Though he didn’t need the money this job paid, he needed the job. As true as it was that his degree in education had been a fall back plan, he was squarely there now. He’d lose his mind without these kids to fill his life. Teaching gave him a sense of accomplishment and he damned well intended to keep doing it. This was his life now. She wanted him to screw up so she could fire him. Maybe ruin his chances of teaching again.
    Many times in the past Hank had scoffed at women who filed sexual harassment charges against their male superiors. With the shoe on the other foot, he was at a loss as to what to do. And how could he possibly ever go public? A big guy like him, with his reputation, being pushed around by a skinny little power hungry bitch like Masters? No thanks.
    With his past career as a pro ball player it’d probably make national headlines. The whole world had been privy to every last detail of his life as it fell apart once before—he had no intention of allowing that to happen again. He