Counterfeit Kisses

by Cora York

  “Thanks, sweetie.”

  When a piano version of The Beatles’ “Long and Winding Road” began, I giggled and rolled my eyes at Barb’s warped sense of humor.

  I clutched my bouquet of winter white roses and marched down the French lace runner, praying I wouldn’t trip and fall flat on my face. I’d embarrassed myself enough over the past few days to last me a lifetime.

  At the top of the aisle, I stood to the left of a dapper and tuxedoed Brendan and Max.

  The band struck up She Moved Through the Fair. The haunting music chased goosebumps all over my skin.

  Barb placed her hand on Keegan’s forearm and floated toward her future husband, and my heart filled to bursting. If anyone needed proof that love at first sight, or in their case love at first snipe, could happen, then Brendan and Barb were it.

  A strand of Keegan’s hair fell into his forehead, and my fingers itched to push it back. My fingers also tingled and itched to pull his hair while I straddled his lap.

  No, no, and no.

  He was Shane’s friend, and that was enough to make me stay away for life.

  Lead filled my chest, and I glanced at Keegan. He smiled at me. I scowled back, which made his smile grow wider. Bastard. I turned away. He could keep his nipple-hardening-bra-melting smile all to himself. I didn’t want him here. But I was glad he was. I gritted my teeth. My whirlwind emotions were enough to create a tornado strong enough to rip the castle apart.

  When Keegan and Barb reached the top of the aisle, he placed a kiss on Barb’s cheek and presented her to Brendan. At the sight of Barb, Max, who wore a red bowtie, yipped, and his tail went into overdrive.

  I hoped when I got married, and when life got crappy, or when I fought with Kee—my husband, whoever that would be—that I’d always remember the love we felt on our wedding day.

  While the happy couple exchanged vows, a movement caught my eye. I turned my head and saw Keegan watching me full on. His gaze devoured me, stealing my breath, and my heart lurched like a leashed puppy desperate to get to its owner.

  Cheers of congratulations and Max’s barking distracted me, and I averted my gaze toward the altar. A smiling Brendan grabbed Barb by the waist and lifted her in the air. Her hands found his shoulders, and he lowered her until their lips met, which caused the congregation to cheer even louder.

  They were lucky to have found each other, and a twinge of envy rippled my heart, but at the same time, I couldn’t be happier for them.

  Keegan crossed the aisle and stood by my side, but I didn’t look at him. I couldn’t. No matter how much I wanted to lay my head against his arm, to feel the warmth of his body seeping into mine, I wouldn’t. Not yet. Maybe never. Besides, I needed answers. He’d made it clear he wanted nothing to do with me. That like all women, I couldn’t be trusted. And then there was the whole Shane connection I still didn’t understand or quite comprehend.

  The back of Keegan’s hand grazed against mine, momentarily stunning me. I swayed a little and glanced at him. A frown creased his forehead, but then he gazed at the floor like a scolded child. I shook my head and pulled my hand away.

  Keegan walked up to the makeshift altar, tapped the microphone, and called for attention. A murmured hush fell over the room. “On behalf of the bride and groom, thank you for all coming with little or no notice.” The guests cheered again, and Barb gave a regal bow. “I also want to thank Tessa Maken for pulling this off at the last minute. Even under immense pressure, she didn’t crack.” He turned to Tessa. “I lov—”

  Hell no. I bolted up to the altar and grabbed the microphone from Keegan before he said something we’d both regret. “If everyone would like to go to the foyer, we have buttered whiskey, champagne, and hors d’oeuvres.”

  Whatever Keegan was about to say, now was so not the time. The L word coming from his lips was something I didn’t want to think about or deal with. I stepped away from him without looking at him.

  I thought I’d wanted to talk. Thought I’d wanted answers. But right now, with him standing a heartbeat away, I didn’t want to deal with the emotions those answers would expose. I wanted to make the most of the day and not wonder about what could’ve been. Sneaking away and having my wicked way with a sexy man who made me scream in ecstasy wasn’t allowed. Nope. Nuh-uh. Not happening.

  Regardless of the all-out war taking place inside of me, a smile stretched across my face, and I pushed past Keegan to congratulate my friends. I clasped Barb and Brendan’s combined hands between mine. “You two would melt the coldest of hearts. I can’t believe you’re married, or committed, or whatever you are. ”

  “You and me both, chickadee.” Barb pulled me into a hug.

  Brendan leaned down and whispered, “Let him explain. You two are meant to be, just like my darling wife and me.”

  I looked at the beaming couple and shook my head. “It was a fling. A hookup. Nothing more.”

  “And I’m a monkey’s uncle,” Barb said.

  “Tessa! Tessa, over here.”

  I glanced to my left to see who’d called my name. A grin lifted my lips. Sammy, wearing what looked like a brand-new navy suit and a white open-necked shirt, beamed at me, then pressed a kiss to my cheek. I’d never seen him so happy. Christmas miracles were happening all over the castle. “Sammy. Look at you. You look amazing.”

  “Look at me? Look at you. And you found Max a new owner. A rich one. Thanks a million, Tessa.”

  “Don’t thank me,” I said with a laugh. “Max was the one who found himself a new owner with zero help from me. How’d you get here?”

  “Yer man, the one who thinks he’s important, tracked me down and brought me here.”

  “Keegan?” The ice shielding my heart melted a little.

  Sammy nodded. “Said you’d want me to see Max was okay.”

  “He’s more than okay.”

  “I’ve never seen him as happy or as fat. Looks like he’s put on a few pounds.”

  I reached out and placed my hands on his bicep. “Do you still have a place to stay? Please don’t tell me you’re on the streets in this weather.”

  “I still have a bed. But the fella that owns this place told me he needs someone to help him in the kitchen, and the job comes with somewhere to stay. Since I have nothing else going on, I said I’d take it. He’s dying about you, y’know.”

  “Brendan?”

  “Keegan. Didn’t stop yakking about you the whole way here. I had to put me earbuds in to make him shut up.” Tears filled my eyes, but before I could get any words out, the crowd of guests swept Sammy, Brendan, Barb, and Max into the foyer for the cocktail reception.

  I sniffed back my tears and moved to the grand hall to inspect the tables and direct the wait staff on what they needed to do. I relegated Keegan Devlin to the back of my mind, where he’d stay until I had the emotional reserves to deal with him.

  Chapter Twenty

  Keegan

  This wouldn’t be easy. Not that I blamed her. I’d been a complete fecker. If Barb hadn’t sent me the video of Tessa’s god-awful singing, I might never have had the balls to come back. I didn’t believe in fate, and all that shite like Tessa did, but serendipitous events seemed to be at play. I didn’t even know if it would work between us. My life was in New York. Hers was here.

  Could any relationship survive that distance? I’d thrown around the idea of opening an Irish branch of Devlin Events to handle European clients. It was a possibility. I might come over for a few months and look into it. Getting on a plane after Christmas and never seeing Tessa again made me feel as if one of Santa’s reindeer had kicked my chest.

  From the doors of the banquet hall, I watched her work. She was as efficient as she was creative, and that was the real reason Devlin Events hadn’t won the event. Not because she’d lied. Her work was solid, and she let little, if anything, fluster her. I’d questioned her ethics and her morals and compared her actions to Grace. And worse than all of that, I’d listened to the man who’d done everything to r
uin her life. The man who’d ruined my sister’s life. If given the opportunity for a second chance, I’d take it with both hands and never let go.

  She didn’t deserve what I’d put her through.

  I didn’t deserve her.

  I needed to get her alone to apologize.

  To kiss her.

  To touch her.

  To make her mine.

  I strode into the banquet hall. This was it. The moment I’d put everything on the line.

  “Tessa. We need to talk.”

  She ignored me for a few seconds and inspected a place setting, picking up nonexistent flecks of dust.

  “Thanks for bringing Sammy here. That was sweet but other than that, we’ve both said enough.”

  “There’s more I need to say—” I glanced around the room at the bustling wait staff, “—but not here. Somewhere private. Let me explain about Shane.”

  Tessa thinned her lips. “You have five minutes.”

  She wasn’t going to make things easy for me. I didn’t blame her. “We go way back. He conned my sister. Said he was going to marry her. Stood her up at the altar, but not before clearing her bank account. When I caught up with him, I broke his nose. He’s lucky I didn’t kill him.”

  Her eyes widened, and she sucked in a breath. “How does any of that involve me?”

  “He read your emails. Saw a chance to get back at me through you and took it. I shouldn’t have listened to him. I was wrong.”

  “I’m sorry about your sister.” Her lower lip trembled for a millisecond before it stiffened. “You can leave now. I don’t think I want to hear anything else.”

  “You said five minutes.”

  “I changed my mind.”

  I stalked around the table towards her. Before she could get away, I wrapped my arms around her waist and leaned down until my mouth was level with her ear. I couldn’t help noticing how the hairs on her body stood on end at my touch.

  “We’re going to talk about us, and we’re going to talk now.”

  If she refused to talk, I wouldn’t leave her alone until she caved. I wouldn’t give up.

  Giving me a put-upon sigh, she lifted my hands from her waist and inclined her head toward the library. “In there.”

  I studied the sway of her hips as she walked into the book-filled room and stood by a bay window. Snow drifted outside, and a twinkling pine tree in the corner gave the room the feel of an old-fashioned Christmas Card.

  “What is it, Keegan?” she asked, her voice tired. “There is no us to talk about. The whole thing with Shane—”

  “He’s going to prison.”

  “What?” She pressed her fingertips against her lips.

  “He tried to get me to pay him a hundred grand as well as put cameras in the castle bedrooms. I set him up. He was arrested.”

  “When?”

  “The day before you told Barb the truth. He’s the reason I hurt my head.”

  “You got into a fight?” Her mouth fell open, and she rubbed the heel of her hand against her chest.

  “Of sorts.”

  “Why set him up? Why go to that trouble?”

  “Because you didn’t deserve any of it. Him stealing your money. Me blackmailing you. I wanted to make things right.”

  She held her fingers to her temples and sighed. “By lying? By making me feel like I was the only one in the wrong? Were you ever going to tell me?”

  “As soon as the wedding was over, I would have. I swear.” I locked the door so we wouldn’t be disturbed. “I’m sorry. I was angry and should never have accused you of unethical business practices or trying to ruin my reputation. I did that all by myself.”

  Her arms fell to her side, and she turned toward me with wide eyes. “Is that all? Don’t forget the kitten I kicked? The child I stole candy from?”

  “Someone once told me sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.”

  I waited for a response, a laugh, some kind of reaction, but none came.

  “I like you, Tessa. It’s more than like. I might lov—love you, and that terrifies me. I never thought I’d have these kinds of feelings again.” My voice sounded rougher with each word like I was losing control of my emotions. “Grace left me in a dark place. Since then, I haven’t allowed myself to feel, to remember what it was like being with someone who gave me chills from walking into a room. Someone who gave me hope. Challenged me. I don’t believe in love at first sight, but we could be great together. There’s a chemistry I can’t explain.”

  Tessa heaved out a breath, and my heart clutched painfully. Every muscle in my body went on high alert, ready to bolt. But no matter how much I wanted to run, I wasn’t going to. Not this time. Not ever.

  “You were a jerk and an asshole.” Tessa crossed her arms and faced the window again. “But,” she said then sighed, “I’m as much to blame. I should’ve told you everything about Shane, and I should’ve talked to you before I said anything to Barb. I’m sorry.

  “I don’t know what’s happening here either. Maybe this castle has some sort of Christmas love magic. And I-I guess I might… be falling in love with you. But you live in New York, and my home is here. A long-distance relationship isn’t going to be easy. I’m not sure it would even work.”

  I walked toward her and rested my hands on the dip of her waist. The way her body shivered in response stopped my breath for a moment and told me everything I needed to know. Tessa was my future. My forever.

  I swallowed hard. “I can move here for a few months.”

  She slowly turned to face me. “You’d do that?”

  “I’d do anything to give us a fighting chance.”

  A quizzical smile replaced the sadness on her face. “What convinced you to come back? And don’t tell me it was to give Barb away.”

  I reached into my jacket pocket and took out my phone. “This did.” I pressed play on the video. It showed Tessa in the foyer with her hands gripping a microphone as she shout-sang, “I will always love you, Keegan Devlin, even though you’re a douche canoe and an asshat.”

  When the video ended, splotches of red colored her cheeks and chest, and she hid her face in her hands. “Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no. Delete immediately.”

  “No chance.” I chuckled and slid the phone back into my pocket. “This is what I’m going to show our grandkids. I’ll tell them it was the moment their grandma admitted she was falling for their granddad. You can explain to them what a douche canoe and an asshat is.”

  I pried Tessa’s hands from her face and tipped her head up until our lips were less than a centimeter apart. I closed the distance between us and pressed my mouth to hers.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Tessa

  I ran my hands down his chest, marveling at how much I missed touching him. All thoughts of anything other than being here with him evaporated, and I placed my hand on top of his thundering heart.

  With a gentle push, Keegan walked me backward until my butt rested on the edge of an antique desk.

  “What are you doing?” I asked.

  “Quickly making up for lost time.”

  “I think I can help with that.” I unbuttoned his tuxedo jacket, then ran my hands lower and pulled his crisp, white shirt from the waistband of his trousers. I dragged my nails over his abdomen until he hissed out a breath.

  Already turned on beyond recognition, the power my touch had over him exhilarated me even more.

  “Clothes off,” I commanded and scraped my teeth over his lower lip.

  “Uh, uh. Plenty of time for that later.”

  Ignoring him, I tugged open his bow tie and reached for the buttons on his shirt, but before I even got to the second one, Keegan restrained my hands against the desk and pressed himself against me.

  “Later. I promise. Too many people around now.”

  I wiggled my hands free and brushed my knuckles along the front of his trousers. “I’ll hold you to that.”

  His hands explored my exposed skin and pushed down the bodice of my dress. The ed
ge of his thumbs grazed my nipples, sending rushes of blood to my clit.

  He moved his lips to my breasts, where he licked slow, tightening circles around one of my puckered nipples. This wasn’t the time to be slow. Was he trying to drive me insane? I wanted rough, hard, fast. To feel how much he missed me. How much he wanted me. Arching my back, I pushed my nipple deep into his mouth, but he released it with a pop.

  A frustrated breath whooshed out from my mouth. “I might die.” I caught his hair between my fingers and yanked him back to my breast.

  “I think I already have,” he said and took my nipple back into his mouth.

  When he moved his attention to my other breast, my head lolled back. This time he wasn’t slow or deliberate. He sucked hard, trapping my nipple in his mouth, tormenting me with the flat of his tongue. My body hummed beneath him, and even though he’d hardly touched me, I was already close to coming.

  “More,” I whispered.

  With his lips still fastened over my nipple, he pushed up the layers of my dress. And when my legs fell open, he stepped inside until my thighs framed his. His fabric-encased cock pressed against my damp underwear. If he didn’t touch me soon, I might lose my mind.

  He tore his mouth from my nipple and grinned. “Miss me much?”

  “Keegan,” I begged.

  He lifted my legs by the ankles and hooked them around his waist. He then eased my shoulders back until I lay on the desk. His fingertips stroked along the tops of my stockings and slid over the edge of my panties. “Nice and wet.” His hot hand cupped my mound, and my arousal deepened.

  I gripped the edge of the desk, writhing and grinding against the heel of his palm. Molten fire licked low in my belly, ready to engulf me.

  “Is this what you want?” he asked. His dilated eyes shone, and his chest rose and fell rapidly.

  Unable to form words, I nodded. He nudged the lacy material out of his way and slipped two fingers beneath the fabric, his blue eyes not leaving mine. I wanted to stay locked in this room with him forever. To lie down in front of the Christmas tree and have steamy, body-clenching sex all day. He leaned over, and the fingers of one hand dug into my thigh while his other fingers worked my clit, making me soar. I wanted more. Much, much more.