Page 2 of As Long As You Kiss Me

“Oh, really?” She kept the smile in place, but inside she was screaming. “What did you want to talk about?”

“You’re all I can think about anymore. I know I messed up big time when we were married, but I want to see if maybe we can patch things up again.”

Suddenly, Jackson turned to her like he’d just noticed her there for the first time. “Hey, Sully.” He wrapped her in his arms and pulled her into a hug. “How’ve you been? I’ve really missed you.”

She didn’t give him a chance to keep talking. Without stopping to think it through, she grabbed Jackson and planted a kiss right on his lips. She tasted sharp mint as she kissed him. His mouth was warm and soft and wonderful. Why hadn’t she ever tried this before? Kissing Jackson was the best idea she’d had in a long time. He didn’t seem to mind so much either. Still seated at the bar, kissed her back. She pulled away and looked into his bright blue eyes. She could see the question in them.

“What’s going on, Sully?” Mason said. “Are you dating him?”

She turned her face sharply to her ex. “Who I choose to date is none of your business, Mason.”

“I beg to differ. You can’t just throw away what we had. I was a big part of your life.” He put a hand on her arm and gripped a little too tightly.

“Let go of me!” She ripped her arm away.

Jackson stepped off his bar stool and towered over the shorter guy. “If you ever touch her again when she doesn’t want you to, you’ll regret it.” His tone could have cut through stone. “So I suggest you take a hike before I throw you out myself.”

Mason stared first at him and then at her, looking surprised, even shocked, and backed away, his hands up in defeat. “Hey, easy, man. I didn’t mean anything by it. But who do you think you are, anyway? You can’t throw me out of here.”

“Well, I can,” Dixie said from behind the bar. “If you’re causing problems for Sully, you aren’t welcome here.”

“Fine, I’m going. No need to get all upset about it.” He walked away, sulking, and relief and gratitude at Jackson’s help flowed through her.

When he was gone, Sully turned back to Jackson, ready to apologize. “Sorry to kiss you out of the blue like that. I just wasn’t expecting to see my ex there.”

“I have to admit, that was quite the greeting.” He rubbed his stubbled jaw, and his voice was husky, like he was remembering the kiss.

That made her cheeks get even hotter. “I actually meant to come say hi to you like a normal person, but then I saw Mason, and I panicked.”

“It wasn’t the most horrible way of saying hello, but I have to say, you caught me off guard.”

“Sully!” Aubrey came up to them. “What was that all about?”

“I was just saying hi to Jackson.”

“I’d say you were!”

Sully turned away from Aubrey. Maybe if she ignored her, she’d go away and stop embarrassing her. “So, Jackson, how have you been? I haven’t seen you since you got out of the military. It’s been about four or five years, hasn’t it?”

“Quit ignoring me.” Aubrey had her hands on her hips and a knowing smile on her lips. “I told you to come say hi to him, and you took that to a whole other level.”

“Shush, I’m talking to Jackson.” Sully couldn’t help but smile. Aubrey wouldn’t let it go, and it wasn’t like she could run too far from the inquisitive girl. They were roommates, after all.

Jackson laughed, a rich, hearty sound that sent a delicious chill down Sully’s spine and made unicorns dance inside her. “I’ve been great. I’m back in Maple Creek for good this time.”

“Wow. That’s awesome.” Sully twisted a strand of hair around her finger, something she did from time to time when she was nervous. “Where have you been all these years? I’d heard you got out of the military, but I don’t know much else.” Jackson was such a private guy, and since her brother wasn’t around anymore, it wasn’t like he was updating her on his old friend. And she’d tried stalking him on social media, because let’s face it, that was what you did when you had a massive crush on a guy, but he never posted on the accounts he had.

“I went to school, actually.” Jackson sipped his drink.

“Oh, that’s great.” Sully had gone to college herself to study business so she could eventually open the ice cream shop she had now.

“You two are just adorable together.” Aubrey put a hand on Sully’s arm.

“Don’t be silly, Aubrey. You know we’re not together,” Sully corrected her, shrugging off her hand.

But that didn’t faze Aubrey. “You seem like you are now.”

“You’re just as bad as your mom.” Aubrey’s mom, Mrs. Wheaton, was the biggest gossip in town. She was always trying to match people up, whether they wanted it or not.

---