Page 80 of Suits and Spark Plugs

“My middle name isn’t Magdalena, which you know,” I replied.

“You needed a middle name because I’ve never been more serious in my life. What happened?”

“He kissed my socks off is what happened.” I slammed dirty silverware into the busing bucket and moved to another booth.

Kelly hurried to catch up. “What?”

My face heated at the memory and I kept my head turned away from her prying eyes. “He showed up at my house, saw all my paintings, and then he kissed me senseless.”

“He saw your paintings?” When I chanced a look, her eyes were so wide I thought they’d pop right out of her skull. I was gratified by her dismay. “But, no one sees those. Blaine never even saw them.”

“Exactly. Then, when we were done kissing, he said we could be friends again.”

“No.” Kelly’s voice was a horrified whisper.

“Yes.”

“How was the kiss?”

A flush rose from my chest to my cheeks. “Remember how you said the painting of him looked like he could set someone on fire?” She nodded. “Well, you were right. It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced. It was how you kiss someone you really...well, you know. It wasn’t a kiss that said ‘hey pal, I’m glad we could share this laugh together.’ He made me feel things, things I did not want to feel.”

“And he just asked you to lunch.”

“Exactly. To lunch. How could he kiss me that way and then act like nothing had happened? It just proves everything we always thought about him. So now I have a great, super, totally fun lunch date with my new bestie on Monday. Which I’ll be canceling because I already have the first signs of strep throat.”

“Lunch is for friends.” Kelly’s voice still sounded shocked.

“That’s what you told me.”

“I can’t believe he’d kiss you and then tell you he wanted to be friends with you. That doesn’t seem like Connor.”

“Um, correction, that’s exactly the type of thing he does, which is what I’m trying to tell you. I was bamboozled just like all those other poor girls we watched him toy with.” I finished filling my bucket and headed into the kitchen with Kelly hot on my tail.

“No, he doesn’t do that anymore. I’ve been friends with him for a while now, and he’s never tried anything on me. I’ve never seen him around town with another woman or anything. I was starting to think he was committed to a life of celibacy.”

“A guy who looks and acts like him? No way.”

“I’m serious. You two have your wires crossed somehow. He doesn’t look at you like you’re his buddy.”

I handed Kelly a stack of plates to rinse and shook my head. “He made me feel things,” I grumbled, repeating it so she’d really understand. “Big things. Things I hadn’t felt with Blaine after months of dating.”

“This is bad.” Kelly’s lips pursed as she rinsed. “Really bad. Does he know he’s an idiot?”

“I doubt it.”

“I mean, youhavebeen really nice to him the past few days, so he has to know something’s wrong.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Yet, still, I get invited to lunch.”

“Liv, you have to talk to him.”

“No. No way. Last time we talked I ended up with the most scorching kiss of my life, and a new pal. I’m not doing it.”

“So whatareyou going to do?”

“I’m going to be his friend. I’m going to be such a friendly friend that he’ll grow tired of me and we’ll naturally move on from each other.”

“But you’re in love with him.” Kelly’s voice rose.

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