CHAPTER THREE

I set my alarm extra early for Wednesday so I could sleepily crawl out of bed, over to the deck and climb up onto part of the roof that overlooked the beach. I was tiredly rubbing sleep from my eyes when the reason for my dawn awakening showed up; Joe Lucas. He stopped by my house and I strained my ears, but couldn't hear him talking with my Dad as he dropped off his bag and his clothes for school before he came out the back door. I spied him from up high as he started stretching, stripping off his shirt and tossing it aside. Then he started push-ups and I had to check for drool when I saw his muscles clenching and quivering with every movement. 250 push-ups I counted along with him, watching his back start to glisten with sweat. Then he started running, he took off down the beach like a lion after his pray. I watched until he was out of sight, then I went back inside and into my bathroom. I could have gone downstairs, but after yesterday I don't think I could ever go in that bathroom again without see Joe naked. And after that and what I just witnessed I didn't care about hot water, I needed a cold shower. Showered, dressed and considerably cooled down I went downstairs twenty minutes later.

"Mornin', Bud." Dad greeted in surprise that I would be up this early.

"Morning, Daddy." I kissed his cheek happily as I found myself some breakfast.

"Hey, Bud?" Dad spoke up when I was finishing breakfast.

"Yeah?" I hummed, checking the time; Jackson was going to be up any minute now, which meant I had about half an hour before Joe Lucas was naked in the house again.

"You know Jackson has that volleyball competition coming up in a few weeks in San Diego?" Dad asked nervously and I frowned, why was he so nervous?

"Yeah, state championships." I nodded, trying to be casual.

"Well, we're gonna be gone for a week, and since you're missing a week of school before Christmas I thought you should stay here when I go with Jackson to San Diego." Dad explained and I nodded, still on alert about his unease.

"Okay." That was fair enough.

"Well, I asked him this morning and he agreed." Oh, God, where was this going? Please don't say I was going to be staying with Mr. Donztig our next door neighbour? "For the week we're away." Just spit it out, Man. "You will be staying with Joe Lucas." My mouth dropped open, my brain wasn't working. I was going to stay with Joe Lucas for a week? This was a dream, right? Please don't wake me up. I wonder if it storms if I could get away with the whole 'sleep with me' thing again?

"Okay." I finally managed to form a word.

"Really? Okay?" Dad asked, looking relieved. "It won't be weird since he'd your teacher or anything?" Trust me, it couldn't possibly be any weirder than seeing him naked and him being my teacher. But, I couldn't possibly say that to my Dad.

"Yeah, it's fine." I shrugged, playing nonchalant. "I mean, he's a neighbour, right? People stay with their neighbours all the time."

"That's great, Mile, really great that you're being mature about this." Dad said proudly as the back door opened. It couldn't possibly be time for Joe to be back already; Jackson wasn't even up yet.

"Hey, Mister S. Do you have any vinegar?" Joe was saying as he walked into the house, still dripping wet. What, had he gone swimming? "I think a jellyfish got me on my swim." Oh, God he had gone swimming. Clear your mind, Miley, clear your mind. I ordered myself.

"Take a seat, Joe." Dad nodded, heading for the pantry. "Miley, go get the first aid, please." Joe looked up in surprise to see me and I could only blush at him before I hurried off to find the first aid kit.

"Here." I fished out the bandages and cotton wool balls.

"Thanks." Joe hissed, taking the balls and dabbing them in vinegar before touching a couple to thing sting; a large, angry red mark on his rib-cage.

"Let me." I murmured when he tried to reach his back, Dad was on the internet, looking up what we should do.

"Thanks." Joe hissed again as I started gently swabbing his side and back with vinegar. Sweet niblets; Joe Lucas is half naked in my kitchen and I've got free reign over touching his sculpted, perfect torso. I licked my lips and watched the muscles in his shoulders twitch as I vinegared all the red marks.

"One jellyfish did this?" I questioned, raising one perfectly waxed eyebrow.

"Okay, so I may have swum through a swarm of them." Joe admitted sheepishly and I rolled my eyes. "Got my leg too; one of them tried to get to third base with me." I choked on the air I was breathing at that and had to cough a few timed before I could breathe properly. Holy Hell, so much for trying not to think about him naked; how am I supposed to not think about his package when he talks about fish trying to grope him?

"Hand me the cream?" I requested, gesturing to a jar in the first aid kit, when Joe complied I started smoothing the cream onto the stings, being carefull not touch him too hard.

"You're really good at this." Joe smiled lazily as Dad determined that we were fine to treat the stings and he went upstairs to wake Jackson.

"Thanks." I blushed, grabbing a bandage Joe obediently held his arms up - making me almost drool when his muscles flexed - so I could wrap the bandage around his ribs and back. "So, let's see how close that jellyfish got to third base." I knew my face was burning red as I dropped to my knees in front of Joe who was on one of the kitchen chairs. Joe pulled his board shorts up on his left leg and my eyes widened to see the angry red maks wrapped around his upper thigh. I licked my lips and Joe groaned as he readjusted himself so he could show the full mark.

I reached for the vinegar and cotton wool balls again earning a hiss when I touched one to the sting. I started at the lowest part of the sting and worked my way up, up, up... I tried not to pant or drool or show my arousal as got closer to his crotch, keenly aware that he had a very substantial Bulge that he was trying to cover with one hand, but failing miserably. I glanced up at Joe to see his light brown eyes had darkened and were half-lidded as he watched me intently. Holy Hell, this is a dangerous path. I dipped my fingers in the cream and started from the bottom again, my fingers lithely gliding up his muscled thigh, to the hem of his board shorts that were pushed up as far as they could go. The higher my fingers got with the cream the more I was aware of the Bulge. I froze my hand unmoving, afraid of what to do when my hand brushed the Bulge. Joes's breath hitched, mine stopped altogether, I gasped, my eyes widened. The Bulge twitched.

It all happened in less than a second.

I heard the thumping of footsteps and clumsily picked up another bandage, dropping it three times in the process. I was sure I couldn't possibly get any redder right now, nor that anyone else had ever been this red from being so close to someone, let alone their Math teacher. I quickly bandaged the sting and stood up just as Dad and Jackson came downstairs, the latter still half asleep.

WHAT I GO TO SCHOOL FOR

After the incident with the jellyfish stings and the vinegar, cream and bandages I had fled as soon as possible. Jackson had barely got his foot off the bottom step before I was, washing my hands and avoiding looking at anyone. Joe had stumbled over a thanks to Dad and me before grabbing his things and leaving, I guess he wasn't showering here today. Right after I'd washed my hands I grabbed my school bag and I was out the door with a hasty bye to Dad Jackson, almost colliding with Joe as we both rushed the front door, earning more embarrassment and awkwardness.

"Hey, Miles." I don't know how long I'd been standing at my locker, just staring blankly inside when Lilly arrived.

"Hey." I shook myself back to reality, trying to force my mind away from Joe and his penis.

"You okay? You look spaced." Lilly commented as we walked to her locker.

"I'm fine." I tried to sound convincing.

"Cool." She nodded, changing the subject, her green eyes alight. "So, what looks better?" She turned to me holding up two different lip glosses.

"Peach." I decided for her. "Why?" I questioned as she applied some lip gloss and checked her hair in her locker mirror.

"Just want to look my best." Lilly tried to shrug casually, but the pink blush on her cheeks gave her away. I narrowed my eyes slightly and inspected her; pink, flowery clothes, heels, make up. She was trying to impress a boy.

"So what do you have first?" I asked, I didn't have Math until after lunch today.

"Math, you?" So that was why Lilly was all prettied up, it wasn't just a boy she was trying to impress, it was Joe Lucas.

"Biology." I made a face, I was okay - if not good - at most subjects, but I just suck at biology.

"How's my hair?" Lilly turned to me with glossy peach lips, highlighted green eyes, and slightly bronzed skin.

"Great." I forced a smile.

"'Hey, Mi-lay, Li-lay." Oliver greeted us both ten minutes later when he walked into school. "What are you all hookered up for, Lil?" He asked, eyeing her up and down.

"Jerk." We both hit his arm before walking away.

"What did I say?" Oliver called at our retreating backs as if he didn't just say his best friend since kindergarten looked like a hooker.

"Don't listen to him, Lil, you look great." I assured as we walked to the Math classroom. School didn't even officially start for half an hour still, but most of the girls were already here for Math class.

"Is it true he called you a Princess yesterday?" Lilly asked as we stood at the doorway. Honestly, I was surprised she didn't ask for confirmation yesterday when she first heard the rumors.

"Yeah." I sighed, he still thought of me as the little 9-year-old who was too scared of storms to sleep alone. "It was a mistake though."

"A mistake? Hello, Miles, Mister Lucas knows who you are he gave you a personal nickname. He clearly likes you." I rolled my eyes at the way Lilly explained it like it was obvious.

"He doesn't like me, he's my teacher." I pointed out, deciding I finally had to tell her the truth. "And he gave me that nickname when I was nine, besides a lot of girls get called Princess, it doesn't mean anything."

"Except he's the hottest teacher on the planet and he singled you out." Lilly persisted before double taking. "Wait, did you say you knew him when you were nine?"

"When we first moved here." I shrugged, playing nonchalant. "He was a Senior, then he went away to college that Summer." And came back for my birthday just to make me happy. But, I didn't say that. "His youngest brother Frankie is only two and a half years younger than us." A funny thought occurred to me at that; Nick Lucas had just graduated, but if Joe was still teaching here then Frankie would be one of his students next year.

"And you never told me?" Lilly demanded.

"I didn't know he was a teacher here until two days ago." I defended myself, and I wanted to keep it to myself, I don't know, that Summer was special to me. "Besides, it's not like it's relevant, he's our Math teacher, Lil, he's not gonna fall in love with a student.." The truth was harsh. "He probably thinks it's funny that all those girls are falling over themselves for him because we're just kids to him." And yet somehow, that didn't feel true when he was staring at my ass yesterday.

"Whatever." Lilly grumbled, walking away. Oops; I think I accidentally just said Joe laughs at Lilly because she likes him.

WHAT I GO TO SCHOOL FOR

That day at lunch the cafeteria was half empty, and the ones that were there were mostly boys. I frowned, sitting next to Oliver, I think Lilly was still mad at me from this morning. When I sat down Oliver looked at me in surprise.

"Where is everyone?" I asked, feeling out of the loop.

"Gym." Oliver shrugged, like I should already know.

"Why?" That only confused me more; was there a girls-only assembly I should be at?

"Mister Lucas is there apparently." He rolled his eyes, clearly another boy not happy about all the girls being infatuated by our Math teacher. It happened slowly as we got further into lunch, the boys started to trickle out too until the point where there was only a handful of kids left and Oliver suggested we go see what the fuss was about.

"Woah." I couldn't help but breathe when we got to the Gym. Mr. Lucas was on the floor of the Gym, topless. For a second that's all that registered; his tanned, sweaty skin and the white contrasting bandage that covered the stings. Then it registered that he was playing basketball, three against one by the looks of it. Three of the boys from the JV basketball team were surrounding him, also sweaty. One of them elbowed his ribs and he winced, dropping the ball and the JV's scored. I frowned, concerned, I doubt a contact sport like basketball for the angry red stings that covered him.

"Okay, okay." Mr. Lucas bent, his hand on his knees as he panted. "I forfeit." He conceded and girls whined whilst most of the boys cheered. "You guys win." He shook their hands good-naturedly. I could hear him from where we were standing by the door. "If I miss my workout again I may have to call you guys." So that's why he was here, he didn't finish this morning and he just ended up getting an audience when he was working out.

"Three JV's for a workout?" Oliver spoke, surprised, impressed even. "Damn, and he's injured."

"And he was winning." A girl near us told him. "Seven to three. He must have a lot of stamina." She bit her lip and stared at him with a far off look, clearly fantasising what he could do with that stamina. I couldn't help my mind going there as well, and I'd seen him nervous and at half mast so I had a better visual in my head.

"You're drooling, Miley." Oliver interrupted and I had to reach a hand up to check that he wasn't lying. Damn it, he wasn't.


1) So the plot thickens ;)
2) The next chapter is quite boring, sorry. But, chapter 5 is a lot better.
3) Chapter 9 of CR3 is half done, but it's been half done for two days, so I'll try and finish it soon so I can update that.
4) I'm thinking I might tag team this story, like maybe 5 chapters in Miley's point of view, then 5 in Joe's... I'm not sure, though What do you guys want to see?
5) Do you have a favourite part of this chapter?
6) Is there anything you wantted to be different?
7) Or anything you want to see happen in the future chapters?

You guys are AWESOME! Can I get 7 reviews or up for this chapter?

Smiler For Joe!