Wild Lilly (7 page)

Six hours later, Owen lingered at her desk after the rest of the children had left.

“You did really good today, Miss Brooks,” he told her with a bashful smile. “Sorry Mark didn’t come. Paul said he didn’t have to if he didn’t want to.”

She glanced up from her notes. “Pardon me? I thought Mark was going to a school for older children.”

He played with the chipped edge of her desk. “Mark just doesn’t like school, and Paul can use him on the ranch. See, we don’t have as much land as we need for the horses, so we have to work extra hard to make what we do have work.”

She listened with half an ear, silently fuming inside.
How dare he?
Paul knew she was the new schoolteacher, and he had a responsibility as those children’s guardian to make sure they were educated. Just a few days ago, he was making her melt in the shade of the walnut trees. Now he was casually disregarding the very reason she was here. She should have known he was just another scoundrel. She stood and threw her shawl over her stiff shoulders, grabbing her lunch basket with a violent jerk.

“Owen, I’m going to give you a ride home,” she informed him, her tone brooking no argument as she marched down the small aisle of desks.

She paced around the parlor the housekeeper had led her to, her booted feet making no sound on the thick red and gold Persian carpet. Paul was out in the stables and had to clean up before he came in to see her. She paused before the wide river-stone hearth to examine the framed pictures on the mantle.

The first, in a thick, silver frame, was a wedding portrait of a lovely dark-haired woman and a blond man. She could see Paul’s mother in his features, while Owen and Mark favored their father. Next were various baby pictures, and finally a family portrait. Their children, four boys and one girl, surrounded the couple from the picture. Paul looked different in the picture, and it wasn’t just the suit. He seemed more carefree, but the devilish glint still shone in his eyes.

The sound of boots clipping against the wood floor made her turn around. Paul strode into the room, wearing jeans a couple shades darker than his eyes and a clean chambray shirt. His hair was wet again, and that delicious dark curl lay against his neck. Those faded blue eyes swept her figure, and she tried to keep the heat in her belly from flooding her cheeks.

“How can I help you, Miss Brooks?” His tone was polite as he gestured to the red damask sofa.

She took a seat on one end, and raised an eyebrow when he sat at the other. It was very forward of him, and distracting. His large frame seemed to fill the space and press against her in a delicious way. As he placed an arm over the back of the couch, his shirt strained against his muscular shoulders.

She lifted her nose and gave him a snotty glare. “Owen informed me that Mark will not be attending school. May I inquire as to why, Mr. McGregor?”

“Now, Miss Brooks, I believe we’re past the point of you calling me Mr. McGregor.” He lowered his voice and locked his eyes on hers. “Please, call me Paul.”

She wet her dry lips as he crossed his long, lean legs. “Fine, Paul, why will your brothers not attend school?”

He shrugged. “Because I need them on the ranch. Why force ’em to go to school when it won’t do them any good in the end. They can read just fine. What more do they need?”

Her hands curled into fists, stretching the fabric of her gloves. “What more do they need? How about an understanding of the world? An appreciation for science and arts, and the ability to speak with knowledge about our government and—”

He leaned forward and she could see the flecks of silver in his blue eyes. “That’s all fine and dandy, but those things won’t put food on the table, or keep our ranch running. I have more horses than land right now, and I need all the help I can get to take care of them.”

She fumed at him and something Owen said came to mind. “Mr. Mc—Paul, I would like to propose an exchange.”

The skin around his eyes crinkled as he grinned. “I’m not going to school, Miss Brooks.”

“The last thing I need is you in my classroom. I believe that education is very important, but I understand the reality of your situation. I’ll give you three hundred acres of grazing land adjacent to your property, in exchange for your promise that your brothers will attend school.” She bit the inside of her lip. Three hundred acres out of her three thousand was nothing. She just hoped it was enough to budge him.

His face hardened and he shook his head. “No deal. I’ll buy those three hundred acres from you fair and square.”

“I don’t want your money. I want those boys in school.”

“I’ll make the boys go to school, in exchange for two things.”

“And what would that be?” Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

He moved across the sofa and she tried to back away, but her bustle kept her pinned as he leaned closer. She could still smell the sun on his skin, and the heat of his body was a warm caress against hers.

“First, I want you to come over on Sunday evenings to help the boys get caught up. I won’t have them feeling ashamed of being behind.”

That sounded reasonable, especially when all she could do was think about his talented lips. His presence was overpowering and stroked over her body. “All right.”

His wonderful mouth curved in a small smile. “Second, I would like permission to call you Lilly.”

“All right.” He stopped an inch before her lips. Her eyes fluttered closed as his breath warmed her sensitive skin. He presence surrounded her with need, holding her as captive as chains. She trembled on the brink. She wanted to kiss him so badly, but she didn’t want to be the one that gave in to temptation.

He moved his lips against hers as he whispered, “Thank you...Lilly.”

Ever so gently, she brushed the surface of her lips against his, marveling that a man so hard and fierce could have lips as soft as velvet. He growled deep in his throat with a hungry sound as he captured her mouth in a kiss. He tasted faintly like mint and the crush of his lips undid her. It was everything she had hoped it would be, rough and demanding, but edged with an edge of tenderness that made her melt.

So intense, a sensual meeting of need. She returned his kiss with enthusiasm, licking the seam of his lips with the tip of her tongue. He reached around her waist and pulled her closer, his hand burning through the fabric of her dress. His questing tongue gently slipped past her lips and danced with hers. He was so skilled and her body responded to his touch as if she were made just for him. The coarse scrape of the stubble on his chin made her shiver as their mouths moved against each other with increasing passion.

The warmth between her legs turned into a wet heat as he kissed his way over the line of her jaw, pausing to murmur in her ear, “You have the softest skin I’ve ever felt. It’s like silk.”

The low tone of his voice stroked against her like a touch. Never had any man made her feel this wanton, this overcome by just a meeting of lips and tongue.

He rubbed his jaw against hers and she gave into temptation and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He was magnificent. His body felt like warm steel beneath his shirt. Perfect. She never knew a man could have muscles this firm. She was greedy for more and wanted to explore the pleasures of his body.

With a rough jerk, he pulled her close and he began to place little nips on the tender skin of her neck. He was so good, enough pressure to make it sting and her squirm, but not hard enough to actually hurt her. He soothed the bites with a long lick that spiraled up to her ear. The sound of his rough groan as her nails dug into his shoulders made her pussy clench.

“Oh my,” a startled female voice said from the doorway.

Lilly bound from the couch and away from Paul’s sinful lips. The housekeeper stood in the doorway with a tray of tea and cakes. “I’m so sorry, Mr. McGregor. I will...umm—yes, well, I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me. Yes, I’ll be in the kitchen.”

He nodded and sat back against the couch like nothing was amiss. His blue eyes twinkled with laughter as Lilly shot him a ‘shut up or die’ look.

“Wonderful,” she hissed at him. “Your housekeeper is now going to gossip to the town that the new schoolmarm was kissing you on the couch like a…” her voice lowered to a scandalized whisper. “Like a soiled dove.”

He stood and placed a soothing hand on her arm. The stroke of his fingers running down her sleeve was delicious. “Mrs. Conner doesn’t gossip, especially about the family. She’s been with us since before I was born.” He fastened his eyes on her mouth. “And you are no soiled dove, Lilly. You are an enchanting creature, as beautiful as a prairie sunset.” He began to lean down again, softening his lips for hers.

He pulled away to the sound of running feet and paws bounding down the stairs, and she let out a sigh of disappointment. Before he turned his back, she saw the evidence of how enchanting he found her straining the front of his pants. He was a very impressive man all around.

“Miss Brooks!” Owen yelled as he and Delilah bound into the room. “Can you stay for dinner?”

Paul stared at her and she blushed and turned away. If she didn’t get away from him, she might end up staying for dessert, too. Despite what her body said, she didn’t know him well enough for that...yet.

“No, thank you, Owen. I have to get back to my home. There’s much to do before school next week. Like figure out a way to plug the holes in the walls.” She darted a glance at Paul, who was watching her with that hungry expression again. Yes, better she went home now. That man was just too enticing.

“Thank you for your time, Paul,” she said as she tied her bonnet beneath her chin.

“My pleasure, Lilly.”

The words themselves were innocent enough, but the tone beneath them made her ache.

***

Owen flipped through his book again for his homework. “I swear I did it, Miss Brooks!” He shook the book over his desk. The rest of the class snickered and Lilly had to resist rolling her eyes. She smoothed her hands over her butterscotch-yellow cotton skirt and avoided getting her boot heel stuck in the hole in the floorboards.

“Owen, you know the rules. If you didn’t do your homework, you have to remain inside during lunch and finish it then.” She hated having to be this strict, but she’d learned the hard way during her substitute teaching in Hartford that if you gave students an inch, they took a mile.

Owen’s lip puffed out in a pout and he muttered, “I’m not fibbin’. I
did
do my homework.”

The rest of the class fidgeted in their seats and began to pull back the cloths covering their lunch pails to see what their mothers had packed. Overall, the day was a success. She knew where all the children were in their studies and they knew that she ran her classroom efficiently, brooking no tomfoolery.

“Then it should be easy for you to do it again during lunch.” She turned to the rest of the room. “Class dismissed for lunch. Don’t wander beyond the trees.”

She gave a tall girl with dark braids the brass pocket watch. “It’s your turn to mind the time today, Grace. Please sound the bell when it is time to return to class.”

The girl smiled and nodded, tucking the watch into her apron and grabbing her lunch pail.

The children managed to walk until they hit the door to the mudroom, then they ran with squeals and laugher. She watched them leave with a fond smile and tilted her head to Owen. “If you like, I can help you and we can get it done in half the time.”

He remained pouting at his book. “I did it.”

She firmed her shoulders and walked back to her desk. “My offer remains open, Owen, but you’ll not be going outside until you hand me your arithmetic.”

Guilt made her avoid his gaze as she sat down at her small desk and took out her own lunch. She had to let him know that he couldn’t make excuses. She’d be doing him no favors if she let him slide. The sound of a pencil scratching on paper made her glance up, and she hid a smile as she watched Owen do his work with an angry frown.

The door to the mudroom opened just as she took a giant bite of her sandwich. The bread turned to a lump in her mouth as Lee Krisp strode into the classroom with an ostentatious gold-topped cane and a grey silk suit. Owen glanced up with the same angry frown, but Lee ignored him and beamed at her.

“Miss Brooks, how good to see you.” His smile dropped a bit when his foot almost went through a hole in the floorboards.

She worked her tongue around the wad of bread and took a sip from her milk. “Mr. Krisp, how can I help you?” She stood and dabbed at her mouth with her napkin trying to buy time to think. He continued to smile at her without blinking, and his cold dark eyes darted to Owen and back to her.

Whatever Lee had to say, he didn’t want Owen around to hear it.

“Why, I just came to see how my neighbor is settling into her new job.” He leaned against a desk and the lid fell off its rusty hinges with a bang. Owen gaped as Lee swore up a storm at the offending furniture.

She stared at him and said in a loud voice, “Owen, go outside please.”

Lee’s lips pressed into a thin line and he tried for a jolly tone of voice as he put the lid back on the desk. “This place is a wreck.”

Feeling offended on behalf of her dilapidated school, she retorted politely, “I’m afraid there isn’t enough in the town treasury to do all the repairs this school needs. I’ve used some of my own funds to do some repairs, but I cannot afford to replace everything.”