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Nolan wasn’t sure he’d consider teaching elementary “thinking small”—surely, it paid decently enough and it was definitely a more admirable job than putting on a silly plush suit and entertaining kids that way—but he didn’t say anything. To a point, he knew what she meant. Living abroad was more glamorous than teaching. “My mom was going back to school to be a teacher,” he said at last. “It was on her way back from a night class that she got into anaccident.”
“Oh, I… I’m sorry. I don’t mean to demean the profession. I met a lot of women—and men, but mostly women—who’d make amazing teachers. It’s just,I…”
“No offense taken,” he said. He wanted to steer her back to herself. “If Mom could have lived in Spain, I’m sure she would have found that more appealing,too.”
“I know,” said Lilac. “And I feel stupid for complaining. I could… I could do almost anything. Mom and Daddy would make sure I had everything I needed, even if I’d just wanted to take a year or two off totravel.”
Wow, thought Nolan.A year or two off to travel? She lives in a different world than Ido.
“But no, I was determined to show them I would work. Determined todosomething, to have a reason for my degree… I was all set to be a teacher and then Frankie told me about this job opening at Tildy World and—I knew I wasn’t qualified, Iknewthat, but you have to understand how much Tildy World meant to be as a child. I just felt like… If I didn’t at least try, I’d regret it the rest of my life. I didn’t think I’d regret not taking the teaching job. Not…” Her voice cracked. “Well, I do now, but not for the reasons I would havethought.”
A jolt of panic shot through Nolan’s body. “You regret cominghere?”
“I wish I didn’t.” There was that sadnessagain.
“I’m sorry,” he said, trying hard not to take it personally. He knew for a fact that she’d been miserable last weekend before they’d begun their flirtation. It wasn’t about him—but oh, how it hurt to know he hadn’t been enough to make her feel better or to want to be here in his arms. “Is this… What happened lastweekend?”
Lilac’s voice caught. “I don’t… It’snothing.”
“It doesn’t seem likenothing,” he said. “Lilac, you were wasted lastSunday—”
She jolted upright and was off the side of the bed before he could even finish hissentence.
“Lilac.” He raised himself up on one elbow and ran a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it likethat.”
“It’s fine,” she said through gritted teeth, giving Nolan one final view of her beautifully round ass as she bent over to grab something out of her tote bag. She put one leg and then the other through a pair of black-laced panties. She looked even hotter in them than out of them, which Nolan was surprised to discover was even possible. “I just… I don’t want to talk aboutit.”
“Then we won’t talk about it,” said Nolan, reaching a hand out towardher.
She was already clasping a matching black lace bra. Nolan knew that if he got up and she saw his erection, she might snap at him for the inappropriateness of his lust at this particular moment. He settled for clenching the bed sheets hard with one handinstead.
Before he could think of what else to do, she threw on a tank top, tossing a pair of jeans atop the nearby table.Someone came better prepared than me, hethought.
She’dplannedto sleep with him—that much was clear. So didn’t that mean something? “I just wanted—that is, can’t we befriends?”
“I’d say we’re a little more than that now,” said Lilac, tugging one leg of her jeansup.
“Then talk to me, Lilac,” said Nolan. Erection be damned, he sat up then, shifting the sheets slightly to hide what was going on downthere.
“Iamtalking,” grunted Lilac as she finished tugging the second leg of her pants up. She jiggled her butt so divinely just then, Nolan had to actually bite his lip and squeeze the sheet harder before he burst. “I’m trying to keep it casual, as weagreed.”
“You mean, youdecided.” It slipped out before he could think better ofit.
Lilac stared down at him, tears somehow bubbling from her eyes at the same time her brows furrowed and her lips trembled. “And youagreed.” She threw her hands up. “Isn’t this what you all want?” She gestured to her body, still so luscious even under those layers of clothes. “I let you have it. Doesn’t mean I’m going to pledge myself toyou.”
“Whoa, whoa,” said Nolan, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. “Who said anything aboutdatingyou? I asked you to the beach is all. You’re the one who took it a step further. Not that I’mcomplaining, mindyou…”
That seemed to be the wrong thing to say. Or maybe there was no right thing to say just then. “See?” Lilac snatched her tote bag up off the floor and slid it over her shoulder, digging through and tossing a keycard down on the bed. “Well, then, we’re good. Just… Give that to the front desk before noon.” She was clearly trying to seem cool and collected, but Nolan couldn’t tell if it was anger or sadness that colored her every casual movement in thatmoment.
And—feeling lost in his own mixture of the two—he empathized. “Sure,” he spat, grabbing for the key. “Casual, then. You’ve made it clear what you think of me. It’s all on the table.”Everything except the feelings I thought I had—I still have, damn it—for you…He was lying to himself. He still had feelings, fledgling though they may be, and his damn cock down below was currently raging at him, begging him to make this right—just for more access to that beautiful, curvy body.I’m as bad as she thinks I am, hethought.
Lilac took a step toward the door, but she hesitated. “No,” she said. “I… I think better of you than that.” She swallowed. “You’re a good guy. That’s why I felt safe coming to you forthis.”
“Forthis?” he asked, raising a hand in question. “I… I’m glad you think of me that way, Lilac, but I mean, I… I don’t usually dothis.”
“Dowhat?”
“Sleep around. Keep itcasual.”
