Page 99 of Ransom

"And? What happened next?"

Heat creeps up my neck. "We might have kissed."

"Might have?" Maggie's eyebrows shoot up. "Either you did or you didn't."

"Fine. We did." I can still feel the press of his lips, the way his hands cupped my face. "It was..."

"Was what? Don't leave me hanging here."

"Different than when we were kids. More intense. Like touching a live wire."

"Well damn." Maggie fans herself. "Have you seen him? That silver at his temples? Those shoulders? Girl, if I wasn't already taken by death?—"

"Stop it." I shove her shoulder. "That's not funny."

"Who's being funny? I'm just saying, if I had a bucket list?—"

"Maggie Jones!"

"What? He got hot. Like, really hot. Distinguished daddy hot."

"I will push you off this porch."

She cackles. "Look at you getting all territorial. Someone's still got feelings."

"I do not?—"

"Please. You just about broke my arm when I mentioned his shoulders."

"Did not."

"Did too. Face it, Blair McKenna. You've still got it bad for Ransom Kyle."

I groan and drop my head in my hands. "This isn't happening."

"Oh, it's definitely happening. And from where I'm sitting, it's about damn time."

"You just finished telling me we were too intense together! You’re giving me fucking whiplash! What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means I watched you stew over that boy for years. And now he's back, looking like a whole snack?—"

"I'm going inside now."

"Running away just proves my point!" she calls after me as I stand.

"I'm not running. I'm preserving your life, because if you say 'snack' one more time?—"

"Fine, fine." She holds up her hands in surrender, but her eyes dance with mischief. "But admit it—the kiss was good."

I pause at the door, fighting a smile. "It was better than good."

"Ha! I knew it!"

"Shut up."

"Never." She grins. "Now help me up. My dying ass needs tea, and you need to tell me everything."

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