This is the stupidest, most reckless thing I’ve ever done.

The thought flashes across my mind as I tug the pretty brunette out of her chair and to her feet, but it doesn’t stop me from pressing my mouth to hers. Even as our lips connect, I fully expect to feel her knee connecting with my groin, but then I feel the softness of her lips and all rational thought flies out the window.

She tastes like peppermint mocha, my new favorite flavor. Desperate for more, I trace the seam created by her lips as my hands slide down her arms and settle on her hips.

I tug her even closer to me as I change my angle, silently urging her to allow me to deepen the kiss. After a moment of hesitation, she complies and parts her lips, granting my tongue access to hers. I feel a small hand rest on my chest, just below my pounding heart. The fingers curl into my windbreaker and seem to pull me closer.

She gasps into my mouth, and the muffled sound causes my heart to pound and my dick to swell painfully against the front of my pants.

She drives her tongue deeper into my mouth, twirling it against mine in a move that drives me wild. My fingers press into her flesh as the kiss deepens. My world narrows until the only thing I’m aware of is this amazing woman I’m holding in my arms.

Satisfaction mixed with delight wings through me. I’d happily spend the rest of my days right here in this coffee shop, kissing this tasty woman for ever and ever, if given half a chance.

The sound of a throat clearing penetrates the kiss-induced fog that’s coated my mind. I reluctantly lift my head and draw a deep breath while staring down into a pair of doe-shaped hazel eyes that seem just a little dazed.

Unable to resist, I drop down and steal another peppermint mocha flavored kiss before snaking an arm around the brunette’s waist and half turning so I face Suzie. Just before I turn my head, I flash this mysterious dark-haired temptress a wink.

“Suzie Collins, so nice to see you again, it’s been far too long,” I greet her. “I’m sorry for being so rude. I should have said hi to you first, but when it comes to—” my brain scrambles to fill in the blank. Improv has never been my thing. “—my sweetheart, I just couldn’t resist kissing her. It’s been so long since I’ve seen her, I just needed to touch her. You know how it is, right?”

“Ryan Jakes.” Surprise colors Suzie’s voice, softening it.

The woman I’m holding stiffens as she recognizes my name but she doesn’t do or say anything to indicate to Suzie that prior to me walking over to the table, we’d never met.

“I haven’t seen you since graduation,” Suzie continues. “Well, except for when your handsome face is filling up my television screen.” She reaches over and places a hand on my arm, acting as if we’re best friends.

I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. Suzie and I may have been in the same graduating class during high school, but we were anything but friends. Socially, we were on opposite sides of the social spectrum. Suzie was the pretty, popular daughter of the local doctor. The homecoming queen, the head cheerleader, the girl everyone wanted to be. Meanwhile, I was the kid who most people liked, but never really friended. The kid who played trumpet in the band, refused to outgrow his comic book collection, and who ran away from home the same night we graduated high school.

It was funny; I hadn’t given Suzie Collins a second thought since I’d left town, but the minute she walked into the coffee shop I recognized her – and remembered that while she hadn’t been a bad person while we’d been growing up, she’d always had a knack for using people to achieve her own goals. And that she’s always been oblivious to everyone’s needs but her own.

From the little scene she pitched, I assumed that the only way she’s changed was to add screaming in public places to her repertoire.

I tried to ignore her, but given the volume that was impossible, so I decided to try to sneak out of this place before Suzie noticed and recognized me.

That was my plan. But when I looked at the pretty brunette who was the center of Suzie’s stormy attention, and saw how downtrodden and sad she looked, my heart ached for her. She just looked so damn lost, like a puppy someone’s left out in the rain.

So, without so much as a plan, I walked over to the table and …

“So,” Suzie reaches up and fluffs her short blond hair while she bats her lashes at me. “What brings you back to our humble little town?”

“This and that.”

Suzie rolls her eyes and giggles. “Sounds fun. And very mysterious. How long are you going to be in town?”

“I’m not really sure just yet. There’s some stuff that hasn’t been nailed down yet, so at least a few more days.”

“Perfect!” Suzie holds up her left hand. A diamond the size of my pinkie fingernail catches the overhead florescent lights. “I’m getting married tomorrow.”

Thanks to her bridezilla routine, every single person in this coffee shop knows that her wedding is coming up…

“If you’re going to be around,” Suzie begins, “you can come. Obviously, there’s not enough time to send you a formal invitation, but if you’ll let me know where you’re staying, Lucy can …” Her words trail off and her gaze ping pongs from me to the brunette. “Wait a minute. How do you know Lucy, and why are the two of you kissing?” The last part comes out in an aggravated, accusing whisper.

I wondered when she’d get around to asking me that…

Fortunately, the nice thing about Suzie’s ability to only be able to think about things that pertain directly to her own life is that I had plenty of time to think of a cover story.

“Lucy and I are a couple.”

I said I thought of a story, I didn’t say it was a good one.

Beside me, the brunette stiffens. She tips her head to the side and up and stares at me, while Suzie’s eyes practically pop out of her skull.

“You. And Lucy?” she gasps. “Dating?”

“Yep.” Knowing just how important actions are when it comes to selling a story to an audience, I bend my head and brush a soft kiss against Lucy’s brow. I love how soft her skin is, and how her hair smells like cinnamon. It’s an intoxicating combination. And another new favorite flavor.

“But how is that even possible? Lucy lives here. You live in …” Suzie suddenly realizes that the only things she knows about my current life is what she’s read in tabloids and celebrity blogs, and even she knows that those lie far more than they tell the truth. “You live somewhere else,” she finally says.

“True, but there’ve been some really great inventions that make long distance relationships a piece of cake,” I tell her, struggling to contain a laugh that’s twisting my insides. “You may have heard of a few. They’re called airplanes, Skype, text messaging, etc.”

Suzie struggles to keep up. “But how did the two of you even meet?”

Shit, I hadn’t thought about that. Lying seems like the best solution. “I was in town. Visiting my family.” I doubt Suzie knows that I’ve spent the past eighteen years refusing to set foot inside the house I grew up in. I glance around the coffee shop and inspiration hits. “We met right here. She was standing in line behind me. When I got my order, I turned around and crashed right into her. Coffee went everywhere, and completely ruined this cute little pink top she was wearing.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you’re dating Ryan Jakes?” Suzie directs the question at Lucy.

All around us, I can feel people straining to hear the answer, attracted by both the drama Suzie created and my familiar name. There’s no doubt in my mind that this story is going to be rehashed around all the dinner tables in this little town.

“Um,” Lucy starts, her voice squeaky.

“We decided not to go public until after your wedding,” I say impulsively. Ideas for lies are coming quicker and getting easier to say. “Didn’t want to detract from your big day. And now we have and it’s all my fault. Please forgive me. It’s just I saw Lucy sitting here, looking so adorable, and I couldn’t resist kissing her. It must be the same way between you and your fiancé, right?”

“Err.” The expression on Suzie’s face indicates that this might not actually be the case. Probably because she doesn’t stop talking long enough to allow herself to be properly kissed.

“Now, if you don’t mind, Lucy and I have plans for this afternoon.”

This gets Suzie’s attention. “Lucy’s supposed to be helping me today. With wedding things.”

“Not today,” I tell Suzie. “Remember, it’s Lucy’s day off?”

“But,” Suzie starts, “she’s going to pick stuff up at the mall for me. And she needs to talk to the DJ. And I want her to check out this little spot down by the creek, make sure it’s dry enough for some post wedding photos.”

“Later.” I tighten my arm around Lucy’s waist and guide her toward the coffee shop door. “When she’s actually working. But not on her day off.”

Before Suzie says anything else, I grab Lucy’s lightweight coat off her chair, sweep her laptop off the table, and lead Lucy out of the coffee shop and into the warm spring sunshine.