Once and Again: Petal, Georgia, Book 1

by Lauren Dane

  Lily had been walling this off too, she supposed. The fear had kept her from truly accepting what they had and what he could be to her. Stupid to have kept herself away from the beauty of this.

  “So naturally she realized all the stuff she’d been doing in front of Chris and the stuff she’d said to me. The guilt is going to be hard for her.”

  He rinsed her, pausing here and there to kiss a shoulder, an arm or fingertip.

  She opened her eyes to find him there, looking at her with such soft love it made her smile.

  “Hi.”

  “Hey.”

  “Your turn.” She switched places kissing over his chest.

  He loved the way it felt when she washed his hair. Loved the slick slide of her nipples against his back as she massaged in the shampoo. Loved how it felt to be taken care of. “Sounds like a supremely crappy day. You can have more than one slice of pie.”

  She laughed. “I have to tell Chris. I gave him a brief rundown over the phone when he got out of school today.”

  “He seemed very relieved to see a movie and hang with Jake. Our family cares about him, you know. Like we care about you.”

  “I know,” she murmured as she rinsed his hair. “It gets me through the rough times. I realized earlier that in the relatively short time that I’ve been back home, I’ve grown used to this awesome group of people.”

  “Only two more days, Lily.”

  She ran soapy hands all over his body and he arched forward when she slipped one down his back, over his ass and balls. And then she fisted his cock with the other hand. A nonsensical sound broke through his lips.

  “I know.” She began to jerk his cock with one soapy hand and caress his balls with the other.

  “You’re pretty good at that. Like blue-ribbon, gold-medal good.”

  “I’ve got moves you’ve never seen, boy.”

  He laughed but didn’t stop thrusting. “I can’t wait to see more. I aim to claim you all public-like. In two days. Ten minutes after school is out if I can make it here this fast.”

  “Claim like how?” She tightened her hold just a little, but plenty enough to send him to thisclose from climax.

  “Like I’m done with this secret-relationship bullshit. You and I are going to go out for dinner and then to the Tonk. And I will put my hand in your back pocket and smooch up on you and you can finally show the world how much you love it.”

  She giggled and then he didn’t want to come in her shower. He turned, taking her hand. “I want you. Not your hand, your pussy.” He picked her up and placed her on the bathmat and followed her.

  “I hope you know just how much that move would have gotten any other man a kick to the goolies.”

  “Good to know my goolies are safe.” He took the towel she’d been holding and began to dry her with it. “So you’re on board with the open declaration of how-awesome-Lily-Travis-thinks-Nathan-Murphy-is plan?”

  She laughed and turned into his arms.

  “I can manage it. Probably.”

  He bent his knees and bumped her with a shoulder and picked her up, his arm banded over her ass.

  “You have such a nice behind, Nathan. Have I told you that lately?”

  He carried her into the bedroom and tossed her on the bed.

  “You can’t get mad when I tell you to back off.”

  She said it very primly and he kept a straight face for a few seconds. “We both know I’m pushy when I need to be. So if you share with me and keep me updated on what’s going on and you let me help you, we’ll be golden. If you make me push you, I’m going to extract a price.”

  He leered and she shivered.

  “I think I just had a really dirty pirate fantasy.”

  “What?”

  “You looked at me like a very wicked pirate.”

  “Ah. Well then, girlie. I’ve come to plunder and ravage.” He waggled his brows and she pulled him down to the mattress.

  “Thank God. Toys aren’t nearly as good as you at plundering.”

  “Damn it, woman!” He paused to lick over her nipples. “What did we say about not killing me with your dirty mind?”

  She fluttered her lashes and reached down for his cock. “I can’t remember. Maybe you can help.”

  He dove on her, kissing over her nipples and down her belly until he reached her pussy. “I love this. So soft and sweet.” He fluttered his tongue over her clit and she whimpered.

  Settling in, he held her ass in his hands so that he could serve himself, angling her perfectly to meet his mouth. Her fingers tightened in the blankets and she moaned. His cock was so hard he worried he’d come like a fourteen-year-old.

  He devoured her, tasting every dip and fold of her pussy. She moved restlessly, her head going side to side as she began to rock her hips, brushing her clit over his lips and tongue exactly how she wanted.

  He held her tight against him, delighting in the way she squealed when his fingers dug into the muscle of her ass. So slick and so close, he listened to her breath, knowing she was very, very close.

  And then she came so hard she sobbed.

  He rolled her over, loving to look at the long, gorgeous line of her spine. The swirls of the tattoo, the flare of her hips. The tattoo was inherently feminine and it suited her curves perfectly. She angled her hips just how he liked it, and when he slipped in, he reminded himself to have a condom talk with her. He wanted to be in her totally naked.

  She clutched at the headboard, pushing back at him to meet his thrusts.

  “I love seeing you this way. Flushed from sex. Stretched out, eyes glossy, lips wet. The side of your breast makes my mouth water with that little bit of your nipple, enough to see the bar. You’re so fucking sexy I get rock hard simply at the thought of you. It’s a problem so I have to think about my third-grade teacher to erase any sign of arousal. Works every time.”

  She snorted.

  He fucked into her body slow and easy. He drew it out long and sensual until she writhed at every touch and he would explode if he didn’t come. When he did, his face pressed into the sweet hollow where shoulder met neck, he knew he was with the woman he was meant to spend his life with.

  “I guess we should have showered afterward.” She turned to face him as he came back into the room.

  “We’re due to meet them for pizza in an hour. I can think of a few ways to take up the time between now and then.”

  He got back into bed.

  “Sounds good.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  She knew he was coming for her. So she took care of errands as she waited. His ten minutes would be closer to a few hours, he’d called to say. She understood.

  While her brother was away at camp and her mother was still in the hospital, she let herself enjoy the silence. She’d taken Christopher to the bus for his camp, checked in to be sure Pamela didn’t need anything and had even called Nancy to check in on her.

  And so now she waited, dressed in her favorite jeans and his favorite red shirt with the heart-shaped snap buttons. The red boots she wore were a barter for one of her tailored dresses. And in a lovely turn, the husband of the customer she’d bartered with had seen Lily’s portfolio via his wife and had hired her to photograph his handmade boots for a catalog. Business was looking up.

  Things in general were looking up.

  “Hey there, Lily Travis.” Click-clack-click-clack, Polly Chase approached where Lily had just loaded groceries into her car. She accepted the hug gratefully.

  “Mrs. Chase, I wanted to thank you for the basket of books you sent my mother. She said it had all her favorites in it. I know she really appreciated seeing you too. I think she’s missing her friends.” In fact, Lily truly felt her mother’s friends would be the key to her long-term emotional and physical recovery.

  “I imagine she might be feeling a little embarrassed. But frankly I think she’s doing the right thing. What woman wouldn’t need a little time away when a heapload of manure falls on her life. She already looks better.
I’m glad to see it. And little Christopher! Girl, you did a great job with that one.”

  “I lucked out. He’s a good kid. He’ll be okay I think. This camp he’s going to will teach him survival skills and all sorts of fun stuff. He’s talked about nothing but for weeks.”

  “He’s all right then? About your mother?”

  She nodded. “He amazes me. He’s been supportive and helpful. Looks like he made it to his junior year. So I’ll take it day by day.” Lily laughed.

  “You surely do know how it has to be done. One day at a time because they’ll drive you nuts if you don’t. I wasn’t sure we’d survive all the fighting between Shane and Kyle, but we did and now they’re upstanding members of our community. Who’d have thought. All those grandbabies and gorgeous wives. And then of course we gained all the Murphy kids as our own too. Love those children.”

  “You’re smooth.”

  Polly laughed. “I’m old, honey, which means I get to be rude and everyone makes excuses for me. It’s the best. Anyway. I think you and Nathan were made for each other. I know he’s been keeping all this secret for you until school is out, but it’s out now and I just saw him down the Sands grabbing pie. He told everyone it was for you. Not a time waster, that boy.”

  Lily hurried. “I’m supposed to meet him at my house shortly. I’ll see you on Sunday when I photograph the items for the auction catalog.”

  Polly hugged her. “Of course. And then for dinner.” She kissed Lily’s cheek and click-clacked off, waving and calling out orders as she went. “Don’t be late or Shane will be grumpy. That boy loves to eat.”

  Nathan stalked right up to her door and knocked.

  She opened with a smile he quickly tasted until he made them both a little wobbly. “Good evening, Miss Travis. Our reservation is in fifteen minutes.” He looked her over and was sorry for it. She wore a pair of jeans that showed off miles of legs and her curves all at once. The shirt was exactly what he liked about her wardrobe, a mix of sweet Americana and red-hot siren. Her hair was in two pigtails. Red, shiny lips and big brown eyes. She was one hundred percent dynamite.

  “So soon?” She slid a palm up his chest. “I was hoping, you know, for something naked and sweaty first.”

  He groaned and took her hand, kissing the palm. “Stop that. Minx. We have plans and if I pause to disrobe you, we aren’t leaving for the weekend. You’re coming to my place tonight so I can debauch you properly at least three times.”

  “Like I’m gonna argue. Though I will say I’d be just fine going to your place to get started on said evening’s plans.”

  He took her hand and twirled her. “Nope. We got some dancing to do. And a little bit of public marking of territory. Come on. I want everyone to see you and know how lucky I am.” He guided her toward the car.

  “You’re not going to pee on me are you?”

  He laughed. “God you’re twisted.”

  “I should hope so. I have to keep my game sharp or the floozies will be after you.”

  He helped her in and then came to join her, leaning across the seat to get close enough to kiss her. “You’re the only floozie I want.”

  True to his word, he took her to dinner, doting on her, laughing, kissing her fingertips and letting everyone know they were an item.

  Out on the dance floor at the Tonk he pulled her close, swaying. She put her head over his heart, reassured by the beat there. “Doesn’t matter who knows. You understand that, right?”

  “I do, but for my own reasons. What are yours?”

  She looked up into his face. “I love you either way. Doesn’t matter who knows it as long as you do.”

  He grinned and swooped in for a sound kiss. “You do?”

  She nodded.

  And that’s when he dropped to one knee and held up a ring box. “Then make me the happiest man on earth and marry me.”

  She froze. Her eyes widening. “Nuh uh! Really? Jeez, Nathan! We’ve hardly been dating.”

  A crowd had circled them and a few chuckles sounded.

  “Really. And hardly been dating? I’ve loved you for going on a decade. That’s not rushing. I know you, Lily Travis.”

  That got some awwws.

  “I want babies. With you. I want a life. With you. I want you at my side forever. Let me be your man. Tell me you trust me with your heart and our babies.”

  “I guess so. I mean, I get to have the sex and you living under the same roof so you’ll carry heavy stuff and fix gutters and things like that. It’s really a good deal.”

  “I think I’m flattered.” He slid the engagement ring on, and the entire room hooted and hollered, celebrating along with them.

  Beth stood up at the edge of the dance floor. “To second chances and friends!”

  Nathan dipped her. “To love.”

  “I’ll drink to that.” He pulled her to stand and led her back toward the table where her friends and family sat.

  Her future looked bumpy at times. But oh so very bright.

  From friends to lovers, to friends to lovers again. Second chances and reunions all in one. Nathan Murphy was her past and her future, and she couldn’t wait to see what tomorrow would bring.

  About the Author

  To learn more about Lauren Dane, please visit www.laurendane.com. Send an email to Lauren at laurendane@laurendane.com or stop by her message board to join in the fun with other readers as well. www.laurendane.com/messageboard

  Look for these titles by Lauren Dane

  Now Available:

  Chase Brothers

  Giving Chase

  Taking Chase

  Chased

  Making Chase

  Cascadia Wolves

  Wolf Unbound

  Standoff

  Fated

  Trinity

  de La Vega Cats

  Revelation

  Reading Between the Lines

  Holiday Seduction

  To Do List

  Sweet Charity

  Always

  Matt is an expert and the Chase is on. Tate doesn’t stand a chance.

  Making Chase

  © 2007 Lauren Dane

  Tate Murphy is a girl from the wrong side of the tracks. She grew up a million miles away from the easy life Matt Chase has had. She’s spent her life pulling herself and her siblings up and out of that trailer by the railroad tracks, and she hasn’t looked back. Matt Chase is a dream of a guy, and she’s certainly not going to turn down a short fling with one of the most handsome men she’s ever seen!

  Matt Chase has watched each one of his brothers find love and he knows he’s ready for that too. It’s all a matter of finding the woman who captures his heart. He’s certainly sampled his fair share of them, but none has moved him the way Tate Murphy does when he goes to her shop to thank her for some cookies and a thank-you note.

  But as Matt gets to know Tate and appreciate her strength and unique beauty, he also realizes she’s got some big self-esteem issues about her past. To build a future, he’s got to find a way past some big roadblocks.

  Warning: this title contains the following: explicit sex, graphic language, some violence.

  Enjoy the following excerpt for Making Chase:

  He plopped down onto her couch and she stopped, looking at him, surprised. “What?”

  “Yeah, not so good with the woo am I? I’d love for you to come here and sit with me.”

  Tate didn’t know quite what to do. Matt Chase flustered the hell out of her. A sense of unreality settled into her. The guy, the donut of her dreams sat on her couch and wanted to kiss her? Did she hear him right?

  “Tate? Did I say something to upset you? I want more than a kiss.” He stopped and shook his head. “What I mean is I want to take you out too. This isn’t just some fun way to spend my Sunday. Although, I’m certainly enjoying being with you. God, I’m usually more smooth than this,” he mumbled and she laughed, kicking off her shoes and moving to the couch.

  “I don’t know what to say.”

>   Scooting so that his body pressed full against hers, he put a finger over her lips. “Then don’t say anything just now. I really need to kiss you, Tate. So I’m gonna.”

  His hand slid up her arm and cupped her neck, holding her, tipping her chin up. Before she had much of a chance to register anything but the delicious heat of his palm, his lips found hers.

  Slow. Incrementally building up the heat, he gently led her to open up to his tongue. She’d never been really crazy about kissing but she realized it was just that she’d never been kissed by someone who knew what he was about before. All the difference in the world lay right there.

  He didn’t jam his tongue in her mouth and down her throat, he teased her with it, tasted her, tickled her with the tip. His teeth joined the action, coming in to nip her bottom lip from time to time until she nearly panted with wanting him more.

  The heat of his mouth moved from her lips, skating along her jaw to the hollow just below her ear. A gasp ripped from her gut when he sucked there, the wet, warm sensation shooting straight to her nipples and then to her pussy, flooding her with moisture.

  Needing more of him, she adjusted, sliding her hands up into his hair.

  Matt had never wanted a woman more than he did as the taste of her rushed through him. She was soft under his hands, smelled right, felt good. These little sounds kept coming from her, little moans and sighs of need, and it drove him crazy. He didn’t want to scare her but if he didn’t get inside of her sometime soon his cock would explode.

  Before he knew it, her hands had slid from his hair to his chest and she was opening the front of his uniform shirt. Hesitantly but with some strength, she pushed him back enough to get on her knees and part the front of his shirt. When she leaned down to brush kisses over his collarbone before moving to flick a tongue over his nipples, he jumped, breathing her name like a prayer.

  Her hair was like silk over his superheated skin. Needing to see it all, he reached back and undid the clasp holding it up. It tumbled down in a sweet-smelling wave.