An awkward moment with Diana

"I'll take a raincheck, I need to clear my head." Mr. Carter's voice sounds clear and steady, but you wonder if he is as troubled by Miss Cummins breakdown as you feel. He nods at where you are standing with Diana and Honey heads out of the room with a shake of his head.

"Well then," Miss Thibodeaux's easy tone does little to settle your nerves, "I guess I'll be having my drink solo, unless either of you would care to join me?" The invitation is directed at both of you, but you sense that she somehow already knows what Diana is going to say and she is far more interested in your response.

"Go ahead Honoré," Diana answers for you, "Dean Hawkfeather and I have a few things to go over before the next meeting." The dark-haired teacher nods knowingly at Miss Naylor and pirouettes gracefully towards the door.

"He's all yours, Luv." She drawls, deliberately accentuating her accent, "don't do anything I wouldn't do." You glimpse what could be a wink as she disappears out the door indicating a deeper relationship between these two women than you realized. The color in Diana's neck rises to her cheeks as she tugs at the sleeves of her blouse nervously and you feel a warmth in your groin that has nothing to do with the memory of Miss Cummins splayed legs and glistening labia.

"Thank-you, Mr. Hawkfeather." Diana reverts to the professional tone you remember so well from the first time you met. "Stopping that paddling before it got out-of-hand was the right thing to do." You try to match her tone, but you are sure she can hear the tremor in your voice as you reply.

"Yes, after this morning's session I confess, I was not ready for that kind of response." The silence that fills your office lasts for what seems like a very long time. Diana finally breaks it with a soft clearing of her throat.

"She was really turned on by that, wasn't she?"

"No doubt about it." You agree neutrally. "Some women are."

"I can understand why." Diana's husky whisper is just barely audible and you lean forward until you are close enough to touch her to catch every word. "Bent over like that, exposed and vulnerable..." The mental image of Diana face down on your desk with her skirt pulled up to her waist is more than you can take and you abruptly turn away.

"It was the 'Daddy' business when Mr. Carter took his turn that really worries me." This was enough of a sharp reminder to break the intimacy of the moment and Diana stiffens brushing her blazer with the palms of her hands.

"It's not really her fault, poor girl. Meeting her parents would give you a little more insight about what we are working with." She continues thinking aloud as she moves towards the door "Check Miss Cummins' schedule, find out if she has any Biology classes, I'd like to keep her exposure to Mr. Carter limited." You nod and move towards your laptop.

"And Kyle" - God you like the way she says your name - "The less said about this, the better. I'll talk to Honey, can you touch base with Mr. Carter?" As you nod she slips from your room and you let out the breath that you feel like you've been holding ever since Miss Thibodeaux left you alone with the perplexing Diana Naylor.