Once and Again - By Lauren Dane Page 0,5

and she meant to do it. Whether he liked it or not.

Nathan looked back to the papers on his desk and then to her again. “He’s also missing assignments. I want them all completed and turned in. You can go online to see exactly what he’s missing. The school has a link on the website. I have a mini-site too with all assignments and directions available. If you have any questions, just ask.”

She wrote more down. Having all the stuff available online would help her a lot because she knew she couldn’t trust Chris to keep her updated.

“All right, thank you. He’ll get it done.”

He hesitated. “Lil…Lily, some of the kids he’s hanging out with aren’t going to give you any help in getting Chris turned around.”

He told her a few names and she thanked him, standing and tucking her things in her bag. She needed to go. Be away from Nathan who made such an attractive target for her attentions right then. Like that can of Pringles, he had to be resisted because he was bad for her.

She needed to keep him squarely in the authority-figure camp. He was her brother’s teacher. She was resourceful and intelligent, she could overrule her ovaries and get the job done. Pull up her big-girl panties and all those sayings. Forever and ever, amen.

She withheld her sigh at the discovery that in his presence her ovaries had the wheel and they were not letting go.

“Would it be all right if I checked in with you every few days to make sure he’s doing what he should be?”

He stood and moved toward her so she scooted toward the door. “Yes, of course.” He handed her a card. “My email and numbers are there. I check email each morning, at noon and then at four or so. If I can count on you and we can work together, we might be able to get Chris to his junior year.”

“Thank you. I mean that.”

“Why don’t we catch up over pie and coffee later?”

“No thank you, I’m busy.” She was very proud of the way she’d managed to sound as if she didn’t care at all.

“We used to be friends, remember?” He stepped closer and made her dizzy.

“I’m friends with your sister. I have enough friends.”

Beth Murphy was one of her best girlfriends. Growing up, Beth had practically lived at her house every summer, and given the situation the Murphy kids had at home, neither of her parents had ever complained to see Beth sleeping over.

But then Lily had gone to college and ended up with Nathan. It had been like a fairy tale at first. He was the handsome boy from back home. Older. Sophisticated. And really hot. Plus he taught her plenty of sex-type stuff that unfortunately she’d never found a man good enough to replicate. She’d considered him The One. It was fabulous until it all fell to pieces.

She and Beth had remained good friends, but they’d grown apart a little, especially after the breakup and then when she’d moved to Macon. As friends went, Lily considered herself to be very fortunate to have one in Beth, and it was one of the things she considered best about moving back to Petal.

Now for the thing she dreaded most about moving back to Petal. She sighed as she hiked her bag up to her shoulder.

“Thanks for the help.” She opened the door and nudged him aside to get past. He was solid and warm and still smelled really good. And she was totally sure he’d meant to brush against her the way he had. Man he was sneaky.

She’d once loved him more than anything or anyone in the world. Times change.

So close to her just then he caught sight of the flutter of her pulse at the hollow of her throat and the scent of her perfume wafted over. He imagined her body heating for him, the way his was for her. Her lips parted just a breath and he caught his own but drew her into his lungs and the shock of it echoed through his gut.

Ensnared, he drew another deep breath and barely managed to keep from burying his face in her hair. “You still wear frangipani?” He couldn’t help but smile. He loved the earthy scent she wore. He wanted to ask if she still put it behind her knees and in the hollow of her throat. But the look on her face told him that would be a bad idea.

But he