Once and Again - By Lauren Dane Page 0,56

whole way to the therapist’s office about how the neighbors probably saw it and now everyone would think badly of her. She puked in the parking lot once we arrived. Better than in the car I guess.

“Bless the therapist and her colleague, who took us in right away. It went back and forth for a few minutes, but my mom just suddenly said she felt like she was going to lose it. She said she was too tired to think. She’s about to break. We could all see it. Even Nancy.”

Nathan moved behind her and took the bottle of shampoo from her. “Close your eyes and let me take care of you.”

Tenderness sliced through her as she closed her eyes and tipped her head back. Strong fingers massaged her scalp. “She denied and denied and denied. I was so sure she’d leave. And wham out of the blue she just tells us she’s having a breakdown. It was…difficult. She’s not from a generation so understanding about getting mental-health help. She’s ashamed of that more than the drinking I think.”

He rinsed her hair and then massaged through conditioner. His hands on her felt good. Their chemistry heated up, the tension between them building.

“How long will she be in the hospital?”

“Two weeks for now. They’ll monitor her situation and adjust at that point if necessary. I don’t know. I hope she’ll get the help she needs.”

“She’s taking a big step. That whole business with your dad took its toll.”

“I know. And like I said, once she’d admitted it, she started feeling all the stuff she’d been walling off.”

He soaped up his hands and started at her shoulders, slowly moving to her elbow, down her forearm and to her wrist and each finger. All the tension melted away as he did. As he ministered to her. She felt cosseted and adored.

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