Free Once and Again: Petal, Georgia, Book 1 by Lauren Dane Page A

that. Much. At all. Ever in the next ten minutes.
    “You still don’t like being told no, I see.”
    That broke his sour expression. “Why can’t we date?”
    She was totally going to have to make up for the whopper she was about to tell. “First because I’m over you. Second, and far more importantly, because my brother is in your class. He’s got enough to deal with right now. The last thing he needs is to have anyone think he’s getting special treatment because you’re dating his sister. Or for him to worry you’ll retaliate if we broke things off.”
    He growled a sigh, and her insides got all warm and gooey. She really needed to date nice men who didn’t growl.
    “Do you really think I’d do that?”
    “If I did, I wouldn’t have accepted your apology. But this is Petal. Gossip is as common as marshmallows in Jell-O salad. He’s had enough, don’t you think? My lands, the boy can’t even go out for a burger without people knowing his dad left his mom for a girl barely older than him. I can’t be part of anything that would harm him even more.”
    “You said you were over me.”
    “I am. Don’t smirk. What if your face freezes that way?”
    He laughed and she did too. It felt so good to laugh with him after so long.
    “I want you back, Lil. I’m telling you that up front. Just so you won’t be surprised when I get you back.”
    It wouldn’t do to smile at him and encourage this silly behavior, but she did anyway because she’d clearly been dropped on her head as a child.
    Pie arrived and she was glad for the interruption. And the pie of course.
    “I need to get back home. I’m glad we cleared the air and all.”
    She tried to pay half but he pushed the cash back her way. “I invited you, I’ll pay. I’ll walk you to your car too.”
    Plenty of female attention landed on him as they made their way toward the door. That much hadn’t changed. It used to leave her feeling a little smug. That he was hers and they could look all day long but he wanted Lily Travis, not any of those other bimbos. And then she was wrong.
    “I can get it from here,” she said once they’d arrived outside. The evening air was cool, and without even asking, he helped her into the coat.
    “I’m sure you can. Where are you parked?” Bold as you please, as if she’d never spoken.
    “Around the corner. On Ash.”
    “Why you parking back there?” He held his arm out and she took it automatically. Once she’d done it, it would have been silly to let go. “It’s dark back there.”
    “It was daylight when I parked. This is Petal. Main was packed.”
    “You have a cell phone. Next time, text me and I’ll come get you.”
    It was dark but quiet, and the moon overhead was beginning to rise. “I’ll do no such thing. And there won’t be any next time, Nathan.”
    He took her keys and unlocked the door for her. “Just keep telling yourself that if it gets you through the day. But we both know that’s a bald-faced lie.” He stepped closer and her back hit the car.
    She was looking for some stern words when he leaned that last distance between them and brushed his lips across hers.
    All her stern internal reminders swept away when he pressed his body against hers and she found her fingers in his shirt, holding him to her. His hands slid up her sides, coming to rest at her back, just above her ass.
    Her mouth opened on a sigh, and he swallowed the sound, his tongue slipping between her lips like a thief and then he owned her as if they’d never been apart.
    She gave in and ran her fingers through his hair as he slid his tongue along hers. He tasted of tea and pie and man. She was lost in the sweet sensation of that kiss until he sucked on her tongue and her nipples hardened to the point of pain, throbbing in time with her clit.
    Up the block, someone shut a door, and it was enough to reclaim her senses and put her hand on his chest to push him back a bit.
    He broke the kiss and stared at her lips for long