“Found anyone yet?” Haven asked. She twirled a long lock of pink hair around her finger.
Isabella made a face. “You really expect us to go through with it?”
Haven snorted. “Either it’s one of these jokers or each other.”
Daisy raised a hand. “I vote each other.”
“Oh come on! It’s New Year’s Eve. We have to find someone to kiss,” Haven said. “It’s a like a rule.”
For a moment, the image of Sebastian Romanov filled her head, all tall and lean, with his serious eyes and sexy mouth.
“Oooh, who are you thinking about, Daisy?” Isabella asked.
“Uh, no one.” She’d never told her friends about that really strange encounter with Sebastian. Or the fact she’d had dreams about the man. Erotic dreams that involved him, her, and a bowl of warm chocolate.
“Sure you’re not,” Haven said with a little laugh.
Searching for a way out of revealing all, Daisy grinned as a familiar face caught her attention. She waved enthusiastically at her cousin, Heath Ambrose. He waved back, and then ambled up to the bar.
“Let’s talk about you instead, Haven. Heath could be the one kissing you at—”
Haven shook her head, her silver eyes narrowing. “Not happening. Ever.”
Isabella placed a comforting hand over Haven’s. “It wouldn’t bother me if you did.”
“Seriously, Haven. Bella and Heath never dated. They kissed once, like in tenth grade or something. So, you’re in the clear,” Daisy pointed out.
“Exactly,” Isabella said. “And since I actually have date tonight—”
“Who hasn’t bothered to show up.” Haven tapped her phone’s screen. “He’s got fifteen minutes, lady.”
Isabella made a tsking noise. “Stop trying to change the subject. Besides, Peter’s on his way. He’ll be here in five minutes. So…”
The waitress dropped off their drinks, and Daisy picked up her bottle of beer, tipping it in Haven’s direction. “Looks like it’s just you and me, baby girl.”
But Haven wasn’t paying her any mind. She was too busy burning holes in the back of Heath’s shirt.
“Go ask him,” Daisy said, giving her friend’s shoulder a little shove. “You know you want to.” She motioned for Heath to come to their table.
Heath raised a glass in their direction and they all raised theirs right back. Well, everyone but Haven raised their glass. She turned up her nose and rolled her eyes.
“He has such an ego,” she griped as Heath started in their direction.
Daisy and Isabella exchanged glances, and then they both said, “Hello pot.”
Haven made a face, huffing as Heath joined him. “Don’t you have other things to do, like knitting a brain for the empty space between your ears?”
Heath smiled, slow and easy. “Knitting club’s on Wednesday nights, after church service. You interested in coming, baby doll?”
Haven flicked her eyes over him. “There’s nothing I’m interested in.” Then she stood, grabbed her phone, and walked away.
Heath sucked in some air through his teeth. “Ouch.”
Isabella gave him a sympathetic smile. “You know you shouldn’t have called her baby doll.”
“Yeah, I know it.” He shrugged. “But I figured I’d give her an actual reason to be rude to me.”
Daisy had no idea why Haven had a problem with Heath. Heath was a down-to-earth, nice guy, and she wasn’t just saying that because he was her cousin. He hadn’t let his fame as a major league catcher go to his head. Every chance he got, he came home and helped his parents on their farm. He volunteered at the Boys and Girls Club, funded a camp for kids whose parents couldn’t afford to send them, and a whole bunch of other projects.
Thing was—Heath was like that growing up too. Sure, he’d been a little cocky at times about his abilities, but Haven could hardly complain about that. The woman was practically a genius, who had no problem showing off her intelligence to anyone and everyone. She had been class valedictorian and had graduated from Duke with a degree in economics. Yet she had chosen to come home to run her grandparents’ Bed and Breakfast when their failing health had prevented them from keeping it up properly.
Not something anyone had expected from the girl who’d proclaimed Holland Springs wasn’t big enough for her. Maybe being around Heath forced Haven to eat crow, more often than she already did.
“Eight minutes to kissy face time,” Isabella announced, her face lighting up as her fiancé, Peter, joined them. “You’re here.”
Peter leaned down to kiss her friend on the forehead, and then he flashed a smile at Heath. “Aren’t you a little young to be out past eleven?”
“Shouldn’t you be in bed, old man?” Heath asked, with a shit-eating grin.
“Only if Isabella is with me,” Peter said. He held out his hand to Isabella. She took it, kissing Daisy on the cheek before she stood.
Heath’s jaw clenched and he muttered something intelligible under his breath. Maybe Heath wasn’t over Isabella like she’d thought he was.
“Don’t be alone at midnight,” her friend called out as she and her fiancé disappeared into the crowd.
Daisy nodded and then sighed thickly. “Awesome. I’m stuck with my cousin, on New Year’s Eve, and the ball’s getting ready to drop.”
Heath punched her lightly on the shoulder. “It’s not that bad. We can toast and hug, but I think someone else might want to get in on that.”
“What?” Daisy’s brow furrowed.
“Hi, honey,” a man said from behind.
“Glen,” she squeaked, turning around in her chair. “What are you doing here?” She wasn’t sure if she were happy or sad about seeing him. They’d broken up right after Thanksgiving, and the only time they talked was to arrange for their dog, Cici, to have visitation.
Heath grabbed his bottle of beer. “I’ll take that as my cue to leave.”
Daisy managed a faint good-bye. “I thought you didn’t like coming to places like this.”
Glen leaned down, his chocolate eyes all seductive. “It’s taken me some time, but I’ve come to the conclusion that wherever you are, is where I want to be. Even—” he made a face of disgust and she recoiled a little, “places like this. Besides, it’s not like you come here that often.” Actually she did. She, Haven, and Isabella had a weekly girls’ night out here, but apparently, that had escaped Glen’s notice.
“I think we owe it to ourselves to give our relationship one more try,” he added.
She looked at him skeptically, and he took her hand, kissing it softly. “I missed you, Daisy. Haven’t you missed me at all?”
Actually, she had. No matter his faults, she’d genuinely missed him. He’d been one of her best friends growing up, and she didn’t want to let go of that.
“Yes.”
“Give me another chance, honey. It’s almost a new year. Let me show you the new me.”
Caving, she stood and let Glen wrap his arms around her as the crowd began the final countdown. “Okay.”
Smiling, he lowered his mouth to hers right as the bar went crazy.
The smell of bacon frying woke Daisy. She sat up in bed and glanced around, just as Glen, wearing nothing but a pair of boxer briefs, walked into the room. He smiled at her, and her stomach dropped.
All at once, everything came back to her: the kiss, her drinking waaay more than she should have, the drive to her house, their clothes all tangled around them, his hands on her breasts, and the room spinning…then nothing.
“Did we spend the night together?” she asked. “I mean, did we have sex?”
He sat down beside her on the bed, taking her hand in his. “Well, one of us did.” He traced her lips with a finger. “I’ve missed these lips, and what they can do.”
“So…I—you…were the only one—”
Letting go of her hand, he held his own up. “Hey, I’m not turning down a blow job.”
“But you didn’t return the favor?”
“You fell asleep,” he said and her stomach roiled. He’d used her and she’d let him. “Don’t pout. I guess I could return the favor now.”
Warning bells sounded in her head at the words guess and favor. Loving one another this way shouldn’t be about favors. It should be mutual. “Way to make me feel all special, Glen.”
“I shouldn’t have to make you feel special.”
Her reply died on her lips when he pushed her back on the bed and tore the sheet away. Who was this guy? Glen had always been a weird mix of timid and always-on-top missionary-style type of guy. Or maybe she didn’t inspire no-holds-barred sex. Maybe all that came to mind with her was quiet, reasonable, and placid sex. Nothing to share with your girlfriends or have to take a couple of aspirin in the morning, because you were amazingly sore from the attention.
Apparently, only Haven had nights like that. Isabella was saving herself for marriage. So that left Daisy firmly in the middle and firmly on the boring side.
Gah.
His kissed a path down her stomach, ever closer to where she began to throb, and all feelings of unease and self-doubt began to dissolve like sugar in hot tea.
“You’ve never wanted to do this before,” she said, breathless.
“First time for everything,” he said, breath hot against her hipbone.
The timer dinged.
He shot up from bed and she sputtered a protest, “No—wait…where are you going?”
“The cinnamon rolls. I have to get them, or they’ll burn.” He kissed her on the forehead and looked into her eyes. She could have sworn she saw relief in them, but maybe that was just her own insecurities. “Don’t be mad. I made breakfast for you.” He practically ran from the room.
Anticipation turned to ash.
“I’d rather have something else right now,” she called after him, grabbing a pillowcase and biting it. This was dumb. She never should have let him come home with her. She should have stayed the hell away and taken Haven’s advice by finding a guy to kiss at midnight who wasn’t her ex. She tossed the defenseless pillow to the side.
But she was weak. And he was Glen. Her first everything.
A few minutes later, Glen walked into her bedroom again. This time he had a tray, loaded with plates and glasses of orange juice and water. A small rose bloom sat in a vase. It was nice he remembered she loved roses.
He set it across her lap and smiled like a little kid who’d finally tied his shoes all by himself. “Here you go.”
“Thank you.” She picked up a fork and looked at her plate.
“Eggs over-easy and bacon extra crisp, just like you like it.”
Oh God. She didn’t have the heart to tell him that the eggs weren’t done at all, or that the bacon was burnt. This was the first time he’d ever attempted to cook for her, and for someone who cooked for others all the time, it was the sweetest thing ever.
“Thanks for fixing me breakfast.” She leaned over and kissed him. No matter what, she’d choke down the bacon, and she could swallow the eggs whole, without actually having to taste them.
“I know last night happened a bit fast for us, but it’s not like we don’t know each other.
“Yeah” she said noncommittally. “Very true.”
“The timing’s perfect though, with my lease running out.”
She blinked at him. “Your lease?”
“Yep. So, when do you want me to move in, roomie?” Glen asked as she took her first bite of eggs.
Daisy gave him a faint smile, chewing slowly and carefully. If she thought really hard, she could vaguely remember a conversation about his lease being up and needing a place to stay.
“Take your time. I don’t have to be out of my apartment until tomorrow.”
This time she dropped her fork.
Flowers. He could send flowers.
Sebastian shook his head. “Too overdone.”
He clicked on the Bulgari website, searching their inventory of bracelets, rings and—ah, ha!—chopsticks. They were made of jade, decorated with platinum filigree and diamond accents. Perfect for her hair. The green would contrast nicely against the bright orange.
“Exclusively made for Bulgari by Sam Max. One pair only. Call for details.” He twisted his lips. “Don’t mind if I do.” Just as he picked up the phone to call, the door to his study opened and his cousin walked in.
“Bad time?” Alexander Romanov asked. As usual, his clothes were the very latest trend. At times Sebastian thought it a little much, but his version of being trendy was wearing a plaid tie instead of a striped one.
Closing his laptop and setting his phone down, Sebastian blew out an annoyed breath. “Yes.”
“Fantastic.” Alexander sat down in the nearest club chair and crossed a leg over his ankle. “We need to talk.”
“What could we possibly have to talk about?”
“No idea,” Alexander said cheerfully. “Rose was the one to tell me to come here in the first place.”
Sebastian leaned back in his office chair, steepling his hands together. “And you did as you were bid.”
Alexander shrugged. “I rather fancy having Rose and our daughter in my life.”
Trust Alexander not to be put out in the least by his insult. Very few things could ruffle the man, and try as he might, Sebastian wasn’t one of them. However, that didn’t mean he wouldn’t stop trying to get under his cousin’s skin. “Obviously you’ve come to thank me.”