Blame it on the Kiss

by Robin Bielman

  “I think game time’s over.”

  “I think the only game that comes to my mind that’s played in a closet with a beautiful girl has got to do with kissing. Seven Minutes in Heaven or something like that. And since we are in the wedding party, it’s our duty to follow through, right?”

  He thought she was beautiful?

  Tingles swept over her lips and down the backs of her arms.

  “Am I right?”

  She cleared her throat and told her body to ignore any more tingles, quivers, flutters, shivers, trembles, prickles, or shudders he might instigate. He belonged to her best friend, even if she wasn’t here to claim him. “Yes, it’s a kissing game. But the rules say one minute.”

  “So you planned to kiss the guy that found you in here?”

  “Yes.”

  “On the mouth?” he asked, surprised.

  “Yes. But no tongue.”

  The small space between them dissolved as he canted his head down to talk in her ear. “I think it’s our obligation to play, Honor. It’s just a game, so can I kiss you?”

  YES! Her traitorous body shouted as his husky voice made her toes curl. Then, like he had some magic mojo, she put her arms around his neck. Her hands should not have been anywhere but at her sides, dammit. She reasoned the dark had something to do with it. Because she couldn’t really see him, she could pretend he was Theo James and this was her sixty seconds of pretend boyfriend kissing.

  “We shouldn’t.”

  “I know.”

  Maybe it was his agreement. Maybe it was her earlier desire to break her dry spell, to not leave the closet until she’d gotten a kiss. Whatever it was, she found herself pushing aside her guilt and wanting to finish the game she’d agreed to play.

  “Okay,” she said.

  “You sure?”

  God, did he have to be so careful with her? She touched her nose to his. “Yes.”

  “Plan on one minute in heaven, Honor.” A split second later his lips were on hers.

  Her eyes fluttered shut and the only man she pictured as his mouth moved against hers with a feather-light touch was Bryce Bishop. His sexy smile and gorgeous, milk chocolate latte eyes had been burned into the back of her eyelids since the second they’d met.

  And as she feared, their mouths were a seamless, perfect fit. He kissed her with super soft, slow, confident brushes of his sensuous lips, his jaw relaxed. No guy had ever started a kiss like this. With thoughtful determination and just the right amount of pressure. All those uptight cells of hers went languid. Her fingers played with the soft hair at the back of his neck.

  He cupped her cheeks in his warm hands, and his tender onslaught felt so good she never wanted it to end. His lips were like sugar and honey, and tasted a million times better than she’d imagined over the past several months. He moved his mouth against hers with confidence. Skill.

  She almost took his hands and moved them to her hips so she could press her body against his. Kissing him put her hormones into overdrive and she needed more. Much more. This gentle, closed mouth technique of his had it going on, and she craved an openmouthed kiss more than she did her next breath.

  A tiny purr escaped her lips. She couldn’t help it. The corners of his mouth lifted in return and he eased off just a bit. She grabbed him by the back of the shirt to make sure he stayed put.

  That night in his hotel room, his kisses to her neck and shoulder, the inside of her palm and wrist, had been incredible and dreamy, but this kiss?

  With each soft caress he seemed to take as much pleasure from it as she did, and knowing she affected him put this unplanned lip lock into a stratosphere all by itself.

  She slipped the tip of her tongue over his bottom lip, ready to move to the next level, but he pulled back. The sudden loss was like having a cold bucket of water dumped over her head.

  “What’s wrong?” she whispered.

  “Nothing. Just sticking to the rules.”

  Thank goodness one of them had a conscience at the moment. His lips had turned her into an unthinking body where her edges softened and her insides melted.

  “Friends?” he asked.

  “Friends,” she half lied. She’d do whatever necessary for the wedding, but nothing more. The horror at what she’d just done set in. She’d been able to forgive herself for her past indiscretion because she hadn’t known who Bryce was. But tonight she’d knowingly kissed him. She blinked back the regretful tears threatening to expose her. He belonged to Payton, and always would. He’d been the last good thing in her best friend’s life, and Honor wouldn’t sully or poach on that.

  Three more days. That’s all she had to get through and then she’d be free and clear of Bryce Bishop.

  …

  Bryce slipped two fingers under his shirt collar, pulled the material away from his neck, and took a step back before he changed his mind and committed an all-out assault on Honor’s incredible mouth. He wished she hadn’t tasted so good.

  All those months ago when they’d first met, he’d thought her the perfect girl to help him shed his good guy image. Being the committed, serious relationship type had gotten him nothing but heartache, and he’d wanted a night of no strings attached fun. She’d seemed up for that, too.

  Until Payton had come between them.

  Payton. Just thinking her name hurt like hell. He’d loved her and she’d trampled all over his heart. Messing around with Honor had almost ruined what little self preservation he’d had left. What a brutal twist of fate that the first girl to spark his interest since Payton was her best friend. Talk about a slap in the face. Guilt had plagued him because he felt like he’d disrespected Payton, and he hated feeling like a bad guy when she had done him wrong.

  Having the chance to talk with Honor after she’d dogged him at the film festival a few months back brought him a better sense of closure, but he couldn’t deny he was still attracted to her. Or that knowing she’d set out to do something for her best friend when it wasn’t her style intrigued him.

  Which meant he needed his head examined. He’d made new rules: Never get too attached and never give a woman the power to damage his heart again. One look at Honor made those rules hard to remember. Until mention of Payton jogged his memory. Honor reminded him of what he’d lost, and no doubt supported Payton’s decision to cut all ties with him. He couldn’t trust her. Not by a long shot.

  Whatever simmered between them ended in this closet. The kiss just now had been selfish, a lingering desire left over from their night at the hotel.

  “Come on. We’ve got a party to get back to.” He opened the closet door and blinked a few times to adjust to the bright light. Voices echoed down the hall from the kitchen and living room area.

  Honor slipped by him. “Thank you.”

  He grabbed her hand. She spun around and ended up flush against him with her palm pressed to his chest. Her blue-gray eyes sparkled under long, dark lashes, and for a moment he forgot what he was going to say. “What are you doing after the party?” he asked, to get a rise out of her. She brought out a little devil in him.

  “I, um—”

  “There you are,” Sophie said, walking up behind Honor. “Everything okay?”

  Honor wheeled back around. “Absolutely. What’s up?”

  “You’re my toilet paper bride.” Sophie turned. “Come on.”

  Bryce followed Honor, who followed Sophie. His eyes roamed over Honor’s backside, from her small back covered in a form fitting lilac sweater, to her waist, to the curve of her hips and her shapely rear end in a pair of tight jeans.

  She looked over her shoulder. “I’m busy,” she mouthed.

  It took him a second to understand she meant later. He nodded, knowing full well she’d answer his question that way.

  They reached the large living room with floor to ceiling windows that allowed for views of the ocean, and he headed for his best friend, Zane. “Dude,” Bryce said, patting him on the back and shaking his hand. “It’s not too late to back out
.”

  Sophie punched him in the biceps right before Zane put his arm around her and brought his bride-to-be close. “Shh,” Zane said. “Don’t give her any ideas.”

  Zane and Sophie eyed each other with love and admiration, confirming for the thousandth time that they belonged together. “It’s good to see you so happy, man.”

  “How’d your trip go?” Zane asked.

  “He signed, so great.” As a sports agent, Bryce had a small list of athletes he represented. Zane garnered him the most return as one of the best pro surfers in the world, but being friends since childhood mattered more than their business partnership. Bryce had spent the past couple of weeks in Seattle with the man he was most proud to add to his agented family: A guy whose body hadn’t been whole since he sat behind the wheel of a Humvee in Iraq three years ago. Today he beat practically everyone in Tough Mudders and Spartan competitions, and sat poised to prove even down a leg, physical fitness was about dedication and perseverance.

  After the year Bryce had had, things were finally starting to look up.

  “Congratulations.” Zane gave him a knuckle tap.

  “Let’s hope my luck holds and I sign the local boy I’ve got my sights on next.”

  “Okay everyone,” Zane’s sister, Julia, said, drawing Bryce’s attention to the middle of the room. “It’s time for one more game before we eat.”

  Julia started an explanation, but Bryce lost track the second he glanced across the room and caught Honor looking at him. Their gazes collided. She looked away, but he didn’t. Two seconds later, her eyes were back on his.

  This time she kept staring. With her long dark blond hair pulled up into a messy bun on top of her head, and full, watermelon red lips, she made his breathing come out a little too fast. She pulled in her bottom lip with her teeth, and he tried not to remember how sweet her mouth tasted.

  He couldn’t believe how much that chaste kiss had rocked his world. It had taken all his willpower to pull back when he’d felt the tip of her tongue. His thoughts raced to Payton. Had their first kiss been as potent? He gave himself a mental slap. Comparing his first reaction to the two best friends was a stupid thing to do, but being with Honor brought back memories. Memories best left forgotten because all they did was keep him stuck in a place he didn’t like.

  Someone tugged Honor’s arm, stealing her attention.

  Bryce heard the words “toilet paper” and “bride,” and Julia handed him his very own roll as the party guests got into two groups. Sophie’s cousin stood poised to be the bride in his group. Honor had been chosen in the other group.

  He knew because as hard as he tried, he couldn’t pull his eyes away from her. His other best friend Danny and a couple of Zane’s surf buddies couldn’t either. And their hands were all over her. Using the toilet paper as an excuse to touch her shoulders, waist, the back of her neck. Honor laughed at something one of the guys said and Bryce’s stomach knotted.

  “Thanks for the help, bud.” Zane bumped his elbow.

  Bryce looked down at the full roll of TP still in his hands. Glancing back up, he found Sophie’s cousin wore toilet paper from her chest to her knees.

  Zane’s gaze flicked to Honor and back. “Dude, what are you doing?”

  “What?”

  “Don’t ‘what’ bullshit me. You were checking out Honor. I thought that ship had sailed.” Why he’d told Zane and Danny about his botched one night stand, he didn’t know. But when he’d learned that Payton had passed away, they’d plied him with beers to make him feel better and he’d talked.

  “It has.”

  “Might want to tone down the possessive glare then.” Zane put a hand on his shoulder. “Besides, I doubt Danny copped a feel. Honor would’ve kneed him in the balls if he did.”

  “You’ve gotten to know her pretty well.” Bryce squeezed the Charmin, a double dose of curiosity suddenly coursing through his veins. “What’s her deal?”

  “She’s been a great friend to Sophie. And she’s opening up a new shop on Main Street. Something to do with Payton, actually.”

  Bryce’s chest constricted, for Honor this time. He’d heard the pain in her voice earlier, and knew he’d be wrecked if something happened to either Zane or Danny. He also remembered Payton mentioning a dream she and Honor shared. They’d wanted to go into business together.

  “Does it have to do with Payton’s list?” he wondered aloud, trying to make sense of that new piece of information.

  “I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “Nothing.” Bryce shook his head. Had Honor confided in him something she hadn’t shared with Sophie or anyone else?

  Unconsciously, his gaze moved to her again. Her arms were spread wide and she twirled, giving her group a good look at their work. A smile lit up her face, playfulness sparkled in her eyes. She was so different from Payton. In looks, in temperament.

  He wondered when Payton had written her list. Had it been after she’d dumped him or before? Finding out she wanted a one night stand reopened the crater-sized hole she’d drilled through his heart. He rubbed his chest and turned his back to Honor.

  For the next three days he’d do the best man thing and keep Honor at an emotional distance. He’d offered to be friends, but knew that was impossible given her connection to Payton and the wounds not quite healed inside him. Problem was, he’d had his hands and mouth on his ex girlfriend’s best friend and forgetting those images was proving difficult. Which put some very unfriendly—and unwelcome—thoughts in his head.

  Being attracted to Honor when a part of him couldn’t bear to be around her was a burden he wished he didn’t have to deal with. She was nothing but trouble to his closed-off heart, and he’d be damned if he forgot that.

  Payton flattened you, dude. Don’t think for one second her best friend isn’t capable of doing the exact same thing.

  Chapter Two

  “Looks like you’re stuck with me,” Bryce said in Honor’s ear. Despite their best efforts to keep some distance, once again fate had other ideas.

  She twisted and narrowed her eyes. “Lucky me.” Her sardonic tone brought an involuntary grin to his face.

  “You took the words right out my mouth,” he fired back, and her gaze dropped to his lips before flying somewhere over his shoulder.

  They stood with everyone else in the kitchen, pairing off for the last game of the night. The guys had each picked a partner’s name out of a hat and he’d chosen hers.

  Julia handed a sheet of paper and canvas bag to each couple. “This is a sexy treasure hunt. You’ll see what I mean by reading your list. Some of the hunt items are named, but I’ve upped the challenge for a few and put clues instead. The team that finds the most items wins. You’ve got thirty minutes. Go!”

  Honor looked over his shoulder at the typed list. “Start in the middle?” he asked, thinking everyone else would start at either the top or bottom.

  “My thought exactly.” She tugged him away from the others, down a narrow hallway toward the maid’s quarters, before snagging the paper out of his hands. “Made in haste, you’ll love the taste,” she said.

  “Sounds like we should’ve stayed in the kitchen,” Bryce said.

  “Nope. I’m thinking ‘made’ as in ‘maid’ the person, so that’s this way.” She pushed open the bedroom door and hit the light switch. “See?”

  “What am I supposed to see?” Looked like an ordinary room to him.

  She rolled her eyes. “The bed.” She hurried over to it and put a hand on the rumpled comforter.

  Thoughts of the two of them so close to tearing up the sheets the night they’d met immediately ran through his mind. Shit. These unwanted memories had to be because he hadn’t been with anyone since her, choosing to fly under the radar while his head and heart continued to recuperate.

  Honor flung the bedspread aside and there sat one of those large Hershey kisses in a red box for Valentine’s Day—the holiday next week. “Get it now?” She lifted the chocolate and
tossed it to him.

  Smart girl. “Nice job. Where to next?”

  She scanned the paper. “Follow me.”

  He took up the rear without hardship, once again appreciating his view. She led him all around the house. They picked up a pair of fuzzy powder blue handcuffs, a black satin blindfold, and glow in the dark dice with some of his favorite words on them. Laughter and dirty remarks were shared as they crossed paths with others in a race against the clock.

  The one item everyone found? Candy condoms. Julia must have bought a hundred-piece bag.

  All this sexy treasure hunting had him noticing everything about his partner. The way she scrunched up her pert nose in concentration when she studied a clue. How her eyes flashed with deep fondness for Sophie whenever they passed one another. But best of all was how her entire face lit up when they found something before another team did.

  She was a competitor. Like his clients. Like him.

  “I’m thinking this means out front on the grass.” She pointed to the last clue on their sheet, her arm grazing his. “What do you think?”

  “Blades are green, violets are blue, I want to roll around here, naked with you.” Bryce shrugged. “That’s probably the worst rhyme I’ve ever read, but you haven’t been wrong yet.”

  “I know. Right?” She killed him with a smile and hurried out of the house.

  Stars littered the moonless sky. Waves crashing in the distance whispered in his ears, and the smell of the ocean and wet sand filled his nose. The tall iron streetlamp at the curb didn’t cast much light on the small front yard, so at a quick glance nothing on the grassy area caught his attention.

  “I don’t see anything,” Honor said. “Do you?” She sounded ready to give up and head back in.

  “Not yet, but keep looking.” He moved his focus from her long legs to the lawn.

  “What’s that noi—” With only the click of a timer to warn them, the sprinklers popped up and started spraying. Honor spun to frown at him like she had the worst luck in the world and this sort of thing happened all the time.