Turning Thirty-Twelve Read Online Free

shuffle off when a man appearing to be in his forties came up to the three of us.
    The first thing that crossed my mind was one word. 
    Yummy .
    This had to be the girls’ father because I could see exactly where their dark good looks had originated. The guy had a face that looked like it was chiseled in the finest marble. Every plane, every angle, every line was perfect. Good God, those full lips were the sexiest things I’d ever seen. His hair was a warm chestnut and had an ever so subtle waviness to it, with just a peppering of gray at the temples. And he was tall. I always liked tall guys, especially those with brown eyes. Being five-nine, I appreciated someone I could look up to, and Adonis here was probably six-two or more.
    I was in love.
    Well, I was at least in lust.
    “Daaaad!” the youngest girl squealed in that freshman girl voice that always found a teacher’s spine and worked its way up inch by agonizing inch. “Kathy was going to make me buy a stupid planner, but this lady says I don’t have to. Tell Kathy to leave me alone.”
    He turned to me and smiled, flashing the most perfect set of white teeth I’d ever seen.
    Oh, yes. I was definitely in lust.
    “She doesn’t need a planner?” he asked.
    I stood there drooling like one of Pavlov’s puppies. Even his voice was perfect. The good Lord just didn’t make them any yummier than this one.
    When I finally located some of the few wits I had remaining, I smiled back. “No. If she’s starting at Harrison tomorrow, we’ll pass them out to the students. I’m Jackie Delgado. I teach science there.” I extended my hand, hoping he’d ask for it permanently.
    The guy had one of those strong but not too strong grips. I instantly melted like a stick of butter in a hot pan. “Mark Brennan. Nice to meet you.” He inclined his head toward the youngest girl. “That’s Carly. “
    The older girl quickly chimed in. “I’m Kathy.”
    How does one politely ask a guy she just met if he wanted to go into the nearest closet, get naked, and play doctor? Especially when his daughters were standing right there... “Nice to meet you.”
    “What science do you teach?” Mark asked.
    The unusual thing was that he asked as if he really wanted to know. It didn’t seem like one of those questions asked politely when conversing with someone he had absolutely no interest in getting to know.
    “Biology. Three Bio One classes for freshmen. Three Bio Two classes for seniors.”
    “Maybe Carly will be in one of your classes. I think she’s taking biology.” His voice was rich and soothing.
    He could sell water to a drowning woman.
    “Maybe. They didn’t have class lists printed before I left.”
    God, I hope she’s one of mine. I’ll put an hour or two aside for parent-teacher conferences. We can plan the wedding.
    To keep my hands occupied so they didn’t reach out to touch his well-developed bicep, I grabbed one of the planners and threw it in my cart. “I guess I’ll be seeing you around school. Nice to meet you, Kathy, Carly, Mr. Brennan.”
    “Mark. Please.”
    “Mark. Please call me Jackie.” I turned to Carly. “Ms. Delgado at school.” Then I winked at her. She actually smiled at me. “Well, I better get going.”
    I turned my cart and moved toward the next aisle, hoping I wasn’t drooling too awfully much. I couldn’t tell if it was just my imagination, but I think he actually watched my butt as I walked away.

 
     
    CHAPTER THREE
     
    Carly Brennan showed up at my classroom door the very first period of the next day. She seemed pleased to already know one of her new teachers, and I was thrilled to realize I had at least one normal teenager.
    I went through my well-rehearsed spiel over the school rules, my classroom rules, and what I expected as far as student behavior. Judging from their looks, my hard-earned reputation of being strict had subdued my new kids.
    Well, at least some of them. The young man sitting front and center smiling at