by Shen, L. J.
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USA Today bestselling author Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her heels high, and her history with the naughty bits left in. When she's not writing or reading, she gets her kicks from TV series like VEEP, Game of Thrones, and Homeland. She occasionally runs three miles, but only so she can have more gin and steak.
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Kissmiss in New York
Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland
It was just supposed to be a simple kiss with a stranger. I'd done it to prove a point--that I hadn't lost my sense of adventure. But you know what they say about the best laid plans. Maybe I'd get something in my stocking after all this holiday season...
First Edition
Copyright © 2019
By Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the authors’ imaginations. Any resemblance to actual persons, things, living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.
Proofreading by: Elaine York
1
Margo
Nancy spoke over the loud sound of steaming milk. “I can’t believe they bailed on us.”
“Really? Because I can.”
I’d just gotten a text from my soon-to-be ex-husband saying he and his lawyer couldn’t make it for our meeting...the meeting that was supposed to start five minutes ago. This was the second time he’d done this to me, claiming to be swamped at work. We’d even scheduled the appointment today at a café near his office in Soho to accommodate him, because he’d complained it took too long to get to either of our attorney’s offices. Not only that, I’d had to ask my best friend Nancy to fill in for my own lawyer when my regular divorce attorney got into a car accident yesterday. That’s how desperate I was to get today over with. If I bent anymore for the asshole, I’d break in half.
“Well, you know what I mean. I can believe it,” Nancy said. “But, man, the balls on Rex!”
It was just after Thanksgiving and already starting to look a lot like Christmas. The whole café was decked out in white lights and garland. I’d been hopeful when I walked in, thinking maybe the cheerful atmosphere would offset the misery of the meeting. But of course, anything involving Rex doesn’t end well.
I tried to make the best of it, opting to enjoy the seasonal eggnog latte, which I looked forward to every year. Holiday cheer should’ve been in the air, aside from the fact that my Scrooge of an ex—Rex—had pulled his usual crap. I’d agreed to a simple, no-fault divorce—which was ironic since the entire demise of my marriage was his fault—yet he needed a sit-down meeting. One apparently he and his lawyer decided not to show up for. That was just like him, unfortunately.
So, for the past hour, I’d been hanging out with Nancy, my childhood best friend. I normally tried not to mix business with pleasure, but she seemed eager and up to the task, and I was desperate not to delay this divorce anymore than Rex already had.
Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas” played low on the overhead speaker. I always loved this time of year; if only I didn’t have the dark cloud of these divorce proceedings looming over me, I could have truly enjoyed it.
Nancy drank down the last of her latte. “We need to figure out a way to spice up your life. Seriously, you do nothing but work and stress over this damn divorce. That can’t be healthy. Why don’t you come to my firm’s holiday party with me? It’s a harbor cruise.”
“I don’t know. I’ll think about it.”
“Even better…maybe we can go away somewhere after the New Year.”
Only half listening to her, I checked my phone. “Maybe.” A ton of emails had come in while I’d been at the café.
My job as one of the top event planners in Manhattan kept me super busy. Whether I was planning posh parties in the Hamptons or galas in the city, my schedule was chock full, seven days a week.
Nancy snapped her fingers in front of my face. “Did you hear me? I said maybe we should go away after the holidays.”
I forced myself to put my phone away. “Where would we go if we went away?”
She pursed her lips. “You know…I’m not sure I’ll even tell you. It’ll be a surprise. You can find out when we get on the plane. Your whole life is planned and scheduled in your damn phone. Pretty sure I’m going to make you get rid of that for a week, too.”
As if on cue, my text notification chimed, prompting me to take my phone out again and check it. It was one of the vendors for a holiday party I was in charge of. The thought of ever parting with my phone gave me the shakes.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I could never be without my phone for a week.”
“You don’t have an impulsive bone in your body. You need to unplug and live a little before your entire life passes you by.”
Playing with my empty cup, I said, “Impulsivity is a choice. I can be impulsive if I want to.”
She looked skeptical. “Really…”
“Yes.”
“So, if I dared you to do something right now in this café that you would never normally choose to do—anything at all—you would do it on a whim…for the sake of impulsivity?”
I saw where this was going. Nancy’s little dares went back to our childhood in Queens. It had all started in fifth grade when I’d tried to dare her to tell Kenny Harmon she liked him. But I never even got the words out…I’d said, “I dare you to…” and crazy Nancy cut me off and exclaimed, “I’ll do it!” What followed was ten years of us accepting each other’s dares before knowing what they were. I’d done so many things I would never have done otherwise—skinny-dipping, asking the most gorgeous guy in school to the prom, bungee jumping. I had to admit, some of those dares turned out to be some of the best times I’d ever had. But it had been a long time since we’d played our little game.
Though…what could she possibly have me do that was so drastic anymore? Of course, it would also totally prove her point that I couldn’t be impulsive if I said no. And…I did hate to break our long-running streak of agreeing to those silly dares.
I sat up straight. “Yeah. Sure. Why not?”
She lifted her brow. “You’re absolutely sure?”
I hesitated, then answered, “Yes.”
How old am I?
What am I getting myself into?
Her assertion that I wasn’t adventurous had me sort of pissed—mostly at myself— because she was right. I really couldn’t back out now. Even though Nancy and I had been playing games like this since we were kids, it wasn’t exactly cute anymore as adults. But when she put her mind to something in order to prove a point, she didn’t let up. It was partly why she was such a good lawyer. Not sure if it was because Rex ruined my day for the umpteenth time, putting me in a shit mood, but for some reas
on, I just didn’t feel like letting her win this time.
Wanting to get it over with, I asked, “So what’s my torture going to be?”
She closed her eyes for a bit. “I’m thinking. It has to be good…something that I truly don’t think you’ll actually do.”
Now she was really getting on my nerves. Whatever it was...I was going to have to go with it—just to prove her wrong.
After a minute of whatever weird meditation thing she was doing to concentrate, she finally said, “Okay. I’ve decided what it is. But you’re lucky, because I’m going to let you choose part of it.”
“Explain.”
“I want you to kiss a stranger. Someone in this coffee shop.”
What?
“Are you kidding me?”
“Not at all…but you’ll get to choose who it is. I’m not that cruel to make you kiss just anyone.” She whispered and nudged her head. “Like him.”
The old man next to us had grease from his egg sandwich dribbling down his chin.
Knowing she wouldn’t back down from this idea, I sighed and muttered, “Fine.”
“What was that? I couldn’t hear you?”
I gritted my teeth. “Fine!”
“Great. Who’s it gonna be?” Nancy’s eyes wandered around the room, then landed on someone in the corner. “Yes.” She beamed. “Ohhhh, yes. Yes. Yes! Today is your lucky day. I can’t believe I hadn’t noticed him sooner.” She squinted. “Doesn’t look like he’s wearing a wedding ring, either, so score.”
I braced myself, then turned around to see whom she was looking at.
She had to be kidding me.
The distinguished-looking, dark-haired man sitting in the corner was drop-dead gorgeous, dressed to the nines in a three-piece suit that looked like it was tailor-made for his perfect physique. His nose was buried in The New York Times. It was a perfect nose that complemented his perfect jaw-line. Have I mentioned he was perfect?
This guy would laugh in my face!
There was no way I was going to embarrass myself in front of him. The choice had to be a happy medium…someone I wouldn’t mind making a fool of myself in front of—but he also couldn’t be hideous.
“Okay, who’s it going to be?” she said, looking down at the time on her phone. “I think I’m going to run to get some Christmas shopping done since Rex bailed. So let’s get this show on the road.”
My eyes perused the room.
The young mom in the corner with her baby? Nope.
The teenage barista boy? Um…pretty sure I’d get arrested.
Oh my God.
There was literally no one else aside from the old man and Mr. Perfect.
I reassessed.
The dribbler next to us? No way. I just couldn’t do it, not even on my best day.
It came back to Mr. Perfect. He’d won by default.
“You’re right. He’s the only viable option.” I blew a frustrated breath up into my dirty blonde hair. “The guy is going to think I’m a nutjob.”
“Not if you explain yourself properly. It’s up to you as to how you spin it.”
“If I do this, I get to prove a point. But what’s in it for you?”
“Either I get to prove myself right, or I get to have a little fun. Either way, I win. Besides, I think it’s actually good for you. When’s the last time those lips have been touched anyway?”
I couldn’t even remember. That was sad. Honestly, I hadn’t kissed anyone since my cheating ex, Rex. (Yes, Rex rhymes with ex, and I should’ve taken it as an omen before I ever said ‘I do’.)
Taking a deep breath in, I got up. “I’m going to get this over with.”
My footsteps couldn’t have moved any slower. I kept looking back at Nancy as she watched me intently. My heart raced. The poor guy was oblivious as to what was about to happen.
Madonna’s rendition of “Santa Baby” played in the background as I made my way slowly over to him.
I found myself even more paralyzed the closer I got to his beautiful face.
Stopping right in front of him, I froze.
He turned his head away from what he was reading when he noticed me standing there. “Can I help you?” Of course, his sexy voice matched his exterior.
My nerves suddenly got the best of me as I stammered, “Hi…I’m Margo?”
It came out like a question. Margo? Like I didn’t even know my own damn name.
He closed his newspaper. “Hi.”
I just stood there and continued to say nothing.
“Is…everything alright?” he asked.
Sort of feeling like I was going to piss my pants, I said, “I don’t usually do things like this…um…”
He was just squinting at me now. This man thought I was an idiot. I couldn’t blame him.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
Laughing exaggeratedly, I said, “Oh my God, yes. Everything is great.” I turned around to look at my friend. She was giving me the thumbs-up, egging me on to continue.
“Is it okay if I sit?” I did so before he could even say yes or no. My chair skidded against the wooden floor.
“Uh…yeah. Go right on ahead.”
Clasping my fingers together, I smiled at him.
He finally lifted his brow in question, which served as my cue to say something.
Push it out.
“I’m sorry I’m acting so strangely. You’re going to think this is crazy.” I pointed back to Nancy. “My friend over there…we’ve known each other since we were kids. She and I have always had these funny bets over the years. Anyway, she just basically accused me of not having a spontaneous bone in my body. I didn’t like that. It made me a little angry, actually.” I licked my lips. “You seem like a successful guy. I’m sure you know what it feels like to be competitive.”
He glanced over at Nancy, then back at me, still looking confused as he said, “Okay…”
“Well…she’s not entirely right about me. Just because someone chooses to live responsibly the majority of the time, that doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of having fun.” I was totally rambling and needed to get to the point. “Anyway, she got me to agree to a blind bet, where I would basically agree in advance to do whatever she directed me to—to prove my spontaneity. That’s why I’m here.”
“She told you to go up to a stranger and start babbling…”
I cringed. “Not exactly.”
“What then?”
“I’m supposed to…kiss you.”
He didn’t respond aside from narrowing his eyes.
Great.
Laughing nervously, I said, “I told you it was crazy.”
He finally spoke. “What do you get for kissing me?”
“Nothing. I just get to prove that I’m…adventurous.”
Silence lingered in the air for a few seconds before he suddenly got up.
Lovely. I’ve scared him off.
“Where are you going?”
“If we’re going to kiss, I should at least buy you a coffee. What do you drink?”
Oh. Oh. My heart sped up. This is going to happen, then?
“I already had a latte, but thank you.”
He continued to the counter anyway, and after a few minutes returned with the most hideous green drink I’d ever laid eyes on. It was in a gigantic cup with a candy cane straw and had what looked like red sparkles immersed throughout. Pretty sure I got a cavity, or diabetes, from just looking at it.
“What is that?”
“It’s their iced Christmas tree-ccino. Bought it for my nephew last season. Kept him on a sugar high for three days.” He handed it to me. “Tell you what, if you can drink all of this down, we can kiss.”
“What’s the point of making me drink this first?”
“Well, it’s going to take you a while because it’s so sweet. That will give us enough time to at least get to know each other properly before I’m supposed to apparently shove my tongue down your throat. But mostly, it will amuse me to watch you drink it. B
onus?” He looked over in Nancy’s direction. “Your friend looks really confused right about now. Serves her right, if you ask me.”
“That is sort of a bonus,” I said, looking back at her and smiling. “Alright. It’s a deal.”
Taking the first sip, I tried to down it fast without really tasting it. Unexpectedly, I got brain freeze and had to stop. “Ugh!” I rubbed my forehead.
He chuckled. “You okay?”
Coughing, I said, “Yup.” I slid the cup toward him. “Want a sip? It tastes like Juniper—like a Christmas tree. Maybe a little hint of sap.”
“I’m good.” He held out his palm. “So…” he said. “What do you do for fun when you’re not propositioning strangers in coffeehouses, Margo?”
“I….” Sadly, I couldn’t remember the last fun thing I’d done. My shoulder’s slumped realizing Nancy was absolutely right—I had no life anymore. “I work a lot. I’m pretty much married to the job.”
“Job is a lucky man.” There was a hint of a glimmer in his eyes. It was the first time I realized that maybe he wasn’t totally turned off by my ludicrous request for a kiss.
Jesus. My nerves had consumed me so much that I hadn’t even asked his name.
“I’m sorry…I didn’t get your name?”
“Chet.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” I took another long sip of the drink, and once again, it went straight to my head.
“I’d slow down on that if I were you. My nephew was bouncing off the walls. Wouldn’t want you to do anything to embarrass yourself.”
“Pretty sure I’m already there. But thanks.”
We shared a smile.
“You know what?” he said. “I admire your willingness to step out of your comfort zone.”
“Well, just think of the story you can tell your colleagues when you get back to the office.”
He laughed, showcasing his beautiful smile before his phone rang.
Chet looked down. “Shit. I have to take this.” He held up his index finger. “One second.”