Sarah Morgan - One Night...Nine-Month Scandal

She held onto her composure for the benefit of the twenty-six pairs of watching eyes. ‘We have a visitor—what didn’t he do?’

‘He didn’t knock, Miss Jenkins.’

‘That’s right.’ Kelly conjured a bright smile, like a magician pulling a rabbit from a hat. ‘He didn’t knock. He forgot his manners and he broke the rules. So he and I are just going to pop outside so that I can give him a little lesson on the behaviour we expect in our classroom, and you’re going to finish writing your poem.’

She turned to leave the room but Alekos closed his hand around her wrist, dragging her against his side as he faced the goggle-eyed children.

‘Let me teach you all a really important life lesson, children.’ His Greek accent was more pronounced than usual, his eyes dark, as he surveyed the class with the same concentration and focus that he undoubtedly brought to his own boardroom. ‘When something is important to you, you go for it. You don’t let someone walk away from you, and you don’t stand outside a door waiting for permission to enter. You just do it.’

This unusually radical approach was greeted with stunned, fascinated silence. Then several little arms shot into the air.

Alekos blinked. ‘Yes, you?’ Rising to the challenge, he pointed to a boy in the front row.

‘But what if there are rules ?’

‘If they’re not sensible, then you break them,’ Alekos said immediately and Kelly gasped.

‘No! You do not break them. Rules are there to—’

‘Be questioned,’ Alekos said with arrogant assurance, his deep male voice holding the children transfixed. ‘ Always you must question and ask yourself “why?” Sometimes rules must be broken for progress to be made. Sometimes people will tell you that you can’t do something. Are you going to listen?’

Twenty-six heads moved from side to side doubtfully and Kelly tugged at her wrist, trying to disengage herself so that she could take control.

A choked laugh bubbled up in her throat. Who was she kidding? She was never going to be able to gain control in the classroom again.

Alekos didn’t release her. ‘Take now, for example. I need to talk to Miss Jenkins, and she doesn’t want to listen. What am I going to do? Am I going to walk away?’

A hand shot up. ‘It depends how important it is to speak to her.’

‘It is very important.’ Alekos emphasised each word carefully as he addressed the captivated class. ‘But it’s also important to make the other person feel they are having a say in what happens, so I am willing to concede a point. I will let her choose where we have the conversation. Kelly?’ He turned to face her, his eyes glittering dark. ‘Here or outside?’

‘Outside.’ Kelly spoke through clenched teeth and Alekos smiled and turned back to the children.

‘This is an example of a successful negotiation: it should be a win-win situation. We both have something we want. And now I am going to take Miss Jenkins outside and you are going to—to write one-hundred words on why rules should always be questioned.’

‘No, they’re not!’ Kelly made a choked sound in her throat. ‘They’re going to write their poem.’

‘Fine.’ His eyes lingered on her mouth for a moment before sliding back to the enraptured class. ‘You can write a poem—about the benefit of breaking rules. It was very nice to meet you all. Work hard and you will succeed in life. Remember—it’s not where you come from that matters, it’s where you’re going.’ His hand still locked around Kelly’s wrist, he strode back out of the classroom giving her no choice but to follow him.

Outside the classroom, she leaned against the wall, shaking. ‘I can’t believe you just did that.’

‘You’re welcome,’ he drawled. ‘My going rate for motivational speaking on the international circuit is half a million dollars, but in this case I’m willing to waive my fee for the benefit of the next generation.’

Kelly’s mouth opened and shut. ‘I wasn’t thanking you!’

‘Well, you should be. Tomorrow’s entrepreneurs won’t emerge from a group of rule enslaved robots.’ Studying her face, he gave a sardonic smile. ‘Something tells me I’m not going to be given two stars in my book.’

Almost exploding with frustration, Kelly curled her hands into fists. ‘Don’t you know anything about children?’

The smile disappeared along with the mockery. Without it his face was cold, hard and handsome. ‘No.’ His voice was taut and his expression suddenly guarded. ‘Nothing. I spoke to them as adults, not children.’

‘But they’re not adults, Alekos. Do you know how much trouble we have with discipline?’ She was desperately aware of his fingers on her wrist and the sexy look in his eyes as he looked down at her. ‘When I took over that class they couldn’t even sit still on a chair for five minutes.’

‘Sitting still is an overrated pastime. Even in board meetings I often walk around. It helps me think. You should be encouraging them to question, not trying to churn out obedient clones all doing as they’re told. Why did you sell my ring?’

Kelly studiously ignored his question. ‘Without rules, society would fall apart.’

‘And without people bold enough to break rules, society would never progress,’ he purred. ‘And I’m not here to—’ Before he finished his sentence, hysterical shrieks came from along the corridor and there was the sound of feet running.

‘Miss Jenkins, there’s a flood! There’s water every -where!’

Alekos gave a driven sigh. ‘Where do you go for peace and quiet in this place?’

‘I can’t have peace and quiet—this is a school.’

A group of children ran towards them, Vivien close behind them.

‘Oh, Kelly.’ She looked hugely stressed and there were huge wet patches on her skirt. ‘There’s a flood in the girls’ changing rooms. Water everywhere. It’s pouring out of somewhere. Can this lot go in your room while I go to the office? We’re going to have to find a plumber, or a—’ she gave a helpless shrug ‘—I don’t know who to ring. Any ideas? The whole school is going to be under water soon; maybe I should phone for a submarine. We need someone who knows about pipes and water.’

‘I know about pipes and water.’ Clearly exasperated, Alekos inhaled deeply. ‘Where is this flood? Show me. The sooner it is solved, the sooner I can have you to myself.’

Suddenly noticing him, Vivien’s eyes widened and she looked slightly stunned.

Accustomed to that reaction from women seeing Alekos for the first time, Kelly bowed to the inevitable. ‘This is Alekos. Alekos, my friend and colleague, Vivien Mason.’

‘Alekos?’ Vivien’s eyes slid questioningly to Kelly, who gave a helpless shrug.

‘He’s the one who bought the ring.’

‘Ring?’ Vivien adopted a vacant expression which might have been convincing if it hadn’t been so exaggerated. ‘Oh, that old thing you keep in the back of your underwear drawer? I remember it—vaguely.’

Kelly’s face turned as red as a traffic light and she was horribly aware of Alekos’s interested stare.

‘Anyway, about this flood.’ Vivien glanced over her shoulder. ‘I’ll call a plumber, shall I?’

Alekos was looking at the water trickling into the corridor. ‘Unless he has super powers, your school will be under water before he arrives. Get me a tool box—something—whatever you have in this school,’ he ordered. ‘And turn off the water at the mains.’ With that, he strode along the corridor, leaving Kelly gaping after him.

‘Alekos, you can’t.’ Her eyes slid over his shockingly expensive suit and handmade shoes, and he turned his head and gave a mocking smile, reading her mind in a single glance.