December 17
“So, spill it. What time did he leave?”
Molly grinned at Sue, who was perched on one of the stools in the kitchen. “Are you going to be disappointed if I tell you he left around midnight, after helping me frost brownies?”
“Only if you tell me that he didn’t kiss you or anything like that,” Sue said, picking a ripe raspberry from the bowl and popping it in her mouth. “Actually, I won’t be disappointed in you – I’ll be disappointed in him.” She cocked her head at Molly. “So, did he?”
“Well…” Molly said, pretending to concentrate on the frosting she was mixing up. Then she laughed. “Feel free to be disappointed in both of us, because he didn’t. Not a real kiss, that is. I got a very nice kiss on the forehead when he left.”
“What? The forehead?” Sue grabbed another berry and crunched viciously into it. “Bastard.”
“Because he didn’t kiss me?” Molly’s laughter rang out again over the carols playing on the kitchen’s CD player. “Really, Sue, you should be happy he’s a gentleman.”
Sue muttered something that Molly didn’t catch, then sighed. “I suppose you’re right, but dammit, I heard about your performance at the pond. You can’t get more romantic than that. Why didn’t he capitalize on that?”
“Probably because he’s smart enough to know that if he pushes me too far too fast, I’ll shove him off the boat,” Molly said. “You know that. I hate to be pushed like that. Drew’s a gentleman.”
“And you think he’s your secret admirer?”
“I think it’s a very good possibility,” Molly admitted.
“So what if he’s not?” Sue said. “Would you still choose him?”
The question hung in the air between them; Molly didn’t answer, because she wasn’t honestly certain of what she would do if Drew wasn’t SA. What if it was Luke? Or Tom? Or someone else she hadn’t considered? The problem was, every time she started to think like that, her stomach gave an odd little flip. “I don’t know,” she said finally. “Maybe I’m not in love with any of them. Maybe I’m just in love with the idea of a secret admirer. Gods, that would suck, wouldn’t it?”
And then she heard a cough, and both she and Sue looked up to see Luke standing in the doorway. She looked into his eyes and her stomach gave that little flip again, although this time, she wasn’t sure if it was pleasure at seeing him or embarrassment that he’d obviously overheard her. “Hey,” she said, blushing a bit.
Luke chuckled. “Am I welcome here, or intruding?”
“Not intruding.” Molly surrendered to her embarrassment. “Come on in before I stick my foot any further in my mouth.”
“You didn’t, you were being honest,” Luke said, coming in and snagging the other stool. He winked at Sue. “Besides, you didn’t say you weren’t interested. Just that you weren’t sure. Still gives us hope.”
“Are you admitting to something?” Sue demanded.
“Sure. Thinking Molly’s a gorgeous sexy lady.” Luke grinned. “That’s no secret.” When Sue pouted, he laughed. “You aren’t getting me to admit to anything else yet. This little play isn’t done yet, and if I reveal anything too early, I’ll blow the entire story.”
“Are you here to visit or to tease?” Molly asked him, bringing a tray of cooled cupcakes over to the island. She then filled the icing bag and began to pipe little red stars on top of the first cupcake.
“A little of both,” Luke admitted. “I wanted to stop in and see you, and I brought you a present.” He reached down into the bag at his feet and brought out a smallish box. It was about the size of a box one might give a mug or a tea cup in, and Molly’s eyes widened. Her fondness for mugs and cups was well-known. His next words, however, confused her. “I know you have a wreath, and a tree, but I really think you needed this as well. To round out your Christmas decorations.”
Molly and Sue exchanged dubious glances, but Molly put down her icing bag and picked up the box. It was lighter than she’d expected. Curiouser and curiouser. She opened the flap and lifted out…
“A kissing ball!” Sue said, clapping her hands. “Oh, Molly, you have to hang it up!”
“Here?” Molly shot Sue an amused look. “Aunt Marge might not like me letting folks kiss in the kitchen. Never mind what the health department would say.”
“Considering the Health Inspector knows you personally and knows how clean you keep this kitchen, I doubt it’s a problem,” Sue said. “Besides, it’s not like kissing is a dirty habit.”
“No, kissing is definitely not a dirty habit.” Luke took the kissing ball from Molly’s fingers, got up from the stool, walked around the island to stand next to her and held it over her head. “Is it?”
Molly forgot about the cupcakes waiting to be frosted, forgot about Sue sitting on the other side of the island, forgot about everything except the taste of Luke’s mouth on hers as he leaned down and kissed her. Aunt Marge could have marched Carter High’s jazz quartet through the kitchen and she wouldn’t have noticed. Time slowed and then stop as Luke showed her exactly what a gentle, thorough kiss could do to her.
Then he stepped back, handed her the kissing ball and, tipping his cap to both girls, grabbed his bag and left. He nodded to Aunt Marge as he passed her in the doorway.
“Molly?” Aunt Marge looked at her niece closely. “Are you okay?”
Her knees were buckling. Nodding dumbly, Molly sank down onto the stool she’d pushed aside earlier.
Sue laughed. “She’s just been well and truly kissed, Aunt Marge. Give her some time to recover.”
“Ah, he’s a good kisser, then?” Aunt Marge nodded in satisfaction. “Good. That’s important.” She laid down the red envelope she’d carried in and nodded again. “Very important.”