Free Not So New in Town by Michele Summers Page A

the—!” She pushed on his rock-hard chest as she leaned toward the driver’s window, practically crawling in his lap.
    “Uh, okay. This works too,” a surprised Brogan said, wrapping his hands around her waist.
    “Pay attention.” Lucy turned his head from the magnified view of her chest region toward the window. “That’s my nephew. What is he doing out at this hour?” She jabbed her finger at the side of the school gymnasium, where Parker stood with two other boys, holding a football and a canned drink.
    “That better not be beer, or he has drawn his last teenage breath. Julia is going to kill him.” Her breath came out in short bursts. Holy hush puppies. She smacked her palms to her cheeks. “First me and then him.” She scrambled from his lap and reached for her door. “I haven’t been home for twenty-four hours, and I’m already dealing with a runaway teen. He’s dead meat.”

Chapter 8
    “Hold on there, Super Nanny.” Brogan reached for her upper arm.
    This whole night had taken a sharp turn. Lucy Doolan’s sweet, luscious form had been in his lap, and her lips within inches of his mouth. Lucy. The same girl who’d hidden behind columns, sneaking peeks at him back in high school. The girl who’d handed out socks and jocks or clipped coupons, all for the bottom line. Julia’s younger sister. He had zero feelings for Julia these days, but he couldn’t be too sure about Julia’s feelings for him, and he didn’t want to complicate Lucy’s life any more than it was.
    And kissing Lucy would be a complication. But damn…he’d been tempted.
    “Let go!” She wriggled like a fish on a hook. “I need to karate kick his lying little butt back into bed before Julia finds out.”
    “Calm down. You’re not going to gain anything by going all dingo-dog wild in front of his friends.”
    Lucy stopped squirming. “Okay. What do you suggest?”
    Hell if he knew. He looked through his windshield at Parker and his friends leaning against the brick gym wall, drinking their beers. Shit. He’d participated in some underage drinking, trying to be cool. Peer pressure could be a real son of a bitch.
    “Sit back.” Brogan released his hold. Silky hair spilled past her shoulders, tantalizing his fingers. The oddest urge to scoop it up and bury his face in the glossy strands came over him.
    “What are you going to do?” she whispered, as if they were conducting top-secret surveillance. Her concern dragged him back to the problem at hand.
    “Just pay a little visit.” He put the car in gear and slowly rolled forward toward the group of boys.
    The boys jumped to attention as soon as they spied his car. Parker stood frozen to the spot. His friends tossed their beer cans and hauled ass around the building and across the football field. Parker unfroze and started to chase after his friends.
    Brogan slammed to a stop, jumped out, and yelled, “Parker! I wouldn’t if I were you.”
    Parker skidded to a halt. Shoulders slumped, head hanging, he slowly turned.
    “Parker! What in holy peanut brittle are you doing?” Lucy stood next to her door as she banged it shut. “You told me you were going to bed. I…what…how…?”
    Parker narrowed a disgusted look at Lucy. “I’m not a baby. Quit treating me like one. It’s only eleven thirty. What the fuh—”
    “That’s enough.” Brogan used his most commanding voice. “Pick up those beer cans and throw them in the garbage and get in the car.” Parker stayed put, aiming a rebellious glare at Brogan. “Now!” Brogan roared. Parker moved as if crossing hot coals in bare feet. After he tossed the cans in the garbage, Brogan held the back door open and ordered, “Get in.” Parker slid onto the seat. “Stay there and don’t move.” Brogan closed the door and glanced over the car top at Lucy.
    “What are you doing?” Lucy asked in a loud whisper, surprise written all over her flushed face.
    “I’m not sure. But I wasn’t about to let him start blaming