Invite her over

"I tell you what", you say putting a comforting hand on Erin's shoulder, "you can come back to my place to get cleaned up and I should have some cloths you can barrow."

"Really?" she asks looking at you with a relieved smile. "Do you think I could just kinda, hang out till Hill and the others get back?"

"Well?" you aren't sure how the board of trusties would feel about you letting a student hang out at your apartment, they had made a big deal about how young you were and if the students would see you as an authority figure.

"I mean if you've got other plans or something I totally understand." Erin says looking crestfallen.

Your heart goes out to her. You remember what it was like to be left on your own when all your friends went out to party while you put in the extra effort at practice. Erin had sacrificed a night out and her reward for it appeared to be that she was the victim of a cruel joke. It hadn't escaped your attention that some of the other girls had been giving Erin a hard time since she had been working with you. More than once you had heard some mutter that she was "the coaches' pet". She had been able to brush it all off so far and her efforts were showing results in the pool but you know from experience that sometimes that didn't seem worth it. "The hell with the board" you think.

"You know what? That sounds like a great idea" you say to Erin. "I didn't have any plans anyway. We can watch a few movies and just veg out."

"Really!?" She asks her face lighting up instantly.

"Yeah, just let me get some of my stuff from the office and we'll head out."

"Thank you so much Miss Doe", Erin says giving you a big hug. The feeling of her tone body pressing against your's, especially her large firm breast rubbing on your smaller perky ones, sends a spark through you leaving you temporally immobilized.

When you finally get your self together you pat her on the back. You try to speak and find you need to clear your throat first. "Hey, no problem. I was looking for an excuse to put off grading some papers anyway." Just as you are about to mention it Erin lets go but you could swear that her fingers lightly trail across your back causing you to shiver a little, but when you look at her she gives no indication of noticing anything.

As you grab your apartment keys and work cloths from the office you try not to think how well Erin?s body fit against yours and succeed enough that you don?t have second thoughts about being alone with her at your place.

When you step outside you notice that it has cooled off considerably and dark clouds are filling the sky blocking out what little light was left. ?Wow it looks like a storm is moving in fast? Erin comments.

?Yeah?, you reply uneasily. Storms had frightened you since you were little. One time a big storm had sent a tree in your yard crashing through the roof of your room. Luckily you hadn?t been hurt, but ever since then you had been scared to **** whenever the weather turned bad.

?Coach Doe?? Erin asks noticing your sudden change in demeanor, but you?re too caught up in that memory to hear. ?Jane?!? she asks taking your hand getting your attention this time. ?Are you ok??

?Huh? Oh, yeah?, you reply trying to smile but you can tell it looks nervous and ****, and from the look on her face Erin isn?t fooled. Sighing you reply to her unvoiced concern. ?The truth is storms freak me out. They have ever since I was a kid. It?s stupid I know, but I can?t help it.?

Erin squeezes your hand and gives you a reassuring smile. ?Well then it?s a good thing I?m coming over.? She replies with a hint of mischief in her eyes. ?I?ll protect you from this mean old storm?, she says in a theatrically heroic tone that would make Bruce Campbell cringe at it?s cheesy delivery.

?Oh gawd?, you chuckle, ?my fate lies in the hands of Xena the water nymph. I?m so screwed.? Just as you are about to let go of Erin?s hand thunder rolls ominously in the distance, causing you to instinctively step closer to her and grip her hand tighter.

?Maybe we better get going before it really starts storming?, Erin suggests.

?Yeah good call?, you reply forcing yourself to let go of her hand. The two of you start walking back to your apartment as you try your best not to cringe at the increasing wind and thunder.