Montana Actually by Fiona Lowe

arms, this time putting cool air and distance firmly between them to shore up her resolve. “Good night, Josh.”
    Somehow, she forced her legs to carry her away from him and out into the night.
    —
    STUNNED, Josh watched Katrina walking out the door through a fog of arousal. Every part of him wanted to catch her by the wrist and spin her back into his arms, but he was so hard, he was locked where he stood. That and the fact that she’d made it very clear the kiss was over. He’d never forced himself on any woman and he didn’t intend to start now. What wasn’t clear was why she’d stopped the kiss. And hot damn, the girl could kiss.
    The woman can kiss
.
    The intensity of her kiss had been unexpected. Perhaps he’d gotten a hint of possibilities when she’d sucked his finger into her mouth, but the moment she’d deepened his testing-the-waters kiss, he’d experienced a side of her he never would have guessed existed. In so many ways she was the epitome of control—organized, focused and bossy. Hell, she’d been telling him what to do and ticking him off from the moment they’d met.
    But nothing about that kiss was controlled—not for either of them. It had scorched him before delving down deep and pulling up a response he hadn’t experienced in a long time. It had made him feel hot, human and oh so horny. It had made him feel totally alive in a way he’d forgotten.
    And then she’d pulled back.
    His heart rate slowed to normal, returning his blood to all of his body parts, not just his dick, and his brain kicked back in, asking questions and demanding answers. Why had he kissed her? Exactly why had she stopped? And if she wouldn’t kiss him at work, did that mean she’d kiss him someplace else?
    He couldn’t answer a single one of them.

Chapter 7
     
    F or the third time in six weeks, Shannon waited outside the middle school principal’s office. She stared down at the highly polished linoleum floor and then up at the display cases filled with photos of smiling faces. Students holding trophies aloft for wins in sports, music, science fair and other academic achievements.
    A sharp pain pierced her heart. It wasn’t because Hunter’s picture wasn’t there and it wasn’t because she’d never have a bumper sticker on her car that said
I am the Proud Parent of an Honor Roll Student
. It was because all of the faces looking out at her were happy. Hunter was so far from happy that it was breaking her heart.
    The office door opened and the principal, Gary Folger, walked out with his hand on Hunter’s shoulder. “So tomorrow’s a new day, Hunter, with a chance to make it a great day.”
    Hunter’s head was bowed. “Yes, sir.”
    “So you write your apology letter to Mrs. Ambrose tonight and bring it with you tomorrow.”
    “Yes, sir,” Hunter mumbled as he tried to edge away from the principal’s hand.
    “Good man. I’ll look forward to reading it.” Gary Folger gave Shannon a tired smile. “He can’t return to class until he’s written the letter.”
    She nodded. “I understand.” She’d spoken with him and with the guidance counselor on the phone earlier. Neither conversation had eased her mind any. Hunter was monosyllabic with every adult he came in contact with and had been for a year, well before she’d bought the diner and moved him here. It wasn’t that he’d objected to the move, but then again, he hadn’t been enthusiastic, either. His guarded ambivalence to everything worried her the most.
    She wanted to offer her hand to Hunter like she’d always done when he’d been in elementary school, but he was fourteen now. If she tried it, he’d give her that look of teenage incredulity that said she’d lost her mind, so she clutched the strap of her purse instead. “Let’s go home, buddy.”
    He grunted and walked down the hall a good six steps in front of her, jamming his baseball cap down hard over his eyes. He didn’t say a word until they were in the car and she was