Page 2 of A Cowboy Sugar Cookie Kiss
“How many followers does the bakeshop have?” I’m teasing. Half the population in Whiskey Ridge Creek don’t have cell phones and the half that does is the youth who don’t care about a bakeshop.
“It’s quality over quantity.” My sister snaps a selfie of herself with the lodge’s sign hanging in the background. “Wait, is that Cole Gray?”
My heart stops beating. The room silences. All I hear is my thundering nerves pulsing through my body at lightning speed.
I knew there was a possibility I would bump into him. Alright, that’s a lie. It was pretty much fucking guaranteed since his granddad is also highly involved in the Sugar Cookie Fundraiser. But I thought it wouldn’t be until the day of the actual event. Where I would be able to avoid him. Or fake sick and not even attend. Because I can’t face Cole Gray. Not after what happened at last year’s event.
I grab my sister’s arm. “Where is he?” I duck down. Silly, since nothing conceals us.
“What are you doing?” My sister tries to pull free of my grasp. “Would you let go.”
“Where is Cole?” My feet begin to retract, and I’m pulling my sister with me.
“Maggie, stop.” She slaps me. “He’s over talking to—” She abruptly stops. “Why are you slinking away from him like you’re doing the walk of shame? And ... oh my god.” Her voice hikes up. “Did you fuck him?!”
Heads turn in our direction. Disapproving glares accompany them. Not the kind of promotional advertising we need for a fundraiser raising money for a toy drive.
“So, sorry.” I yank my sister behind the main exhibit of a life-size fox family sprawled out on a rocky hill that reaches the second floor. The woodland forest theme runs throughout the lodge.
“When? When did this happen?” My sister’s face is smack dab in front of me. So close, our noses almost touch. “Tell me everything.”
“No.” I push her away.
She laughs. An evil, unrestrained sound. “Letting my imagination run wild with possibilities will be so much worse than just telling me what actually happened.”
“How about you just help me to avoid him this week. Starting now.” I peek around the furry animals. Families crowd around the woodland display snapping pictures.
“It was at last year’s fundraiser.” My sister leans on the trunk of a fake tree decked out in twinkle lights and Christmas ornaments. “Which was hosted here. There’s also plenty of places to sneak off and have sex.”
“Can you not,” I grind out between gritted teeth.
I scan the entrance for Cole. His thick wavy dark hair. His cedar brown eyes. His bearded jawline. Not to mention, his demanding and generous lips that leaves a woman breathless and wanting a lot more. Damn it, my panties are wet just thinking about his amazing tongue and the amazing things it’s capable of, and—
“You wouldn’t be sneaking off because you’re a prude.” My sister continues to play the guessing game.
“I’m not a prude.” But she’s right. There would be no sneaking off with the grandson of our grandmother’s sworn enemy.
“Which means, it would’ve been somewhere you accidentally bumped into each other.” My sister is better at this game than she realizes.
I stretch around the stone hill until I can see the check-in counter. “Are you sure you actually saw him? I don’t see him anywhere. Maybe it wasn’t him.”
“Maybe you bumped into each other in a bathroom...”
Nope. I don’t answer out loud. I refuse to encourage her.
“Or the kitchen...”
Gross. No. That would break so many health code violations.
“I feel like you’d have been a bit buzzed. Even drunk to start banging someone let alone Cole Gray.”
They’d served champagne at the event and, of course, I had a glass or two. Who hadn’t?
I peek between fake branches at the gift shop. Flashing fox ears with a mini Santa hat seem to be a popular item. Kids and adults adorn the furry headbands.
“My final guess is, the drunken sex took place in the coat closet, after an angry wrestle of coats, with Cole Gray.” My sister announces it like we’re playing a game of Clue.
“Close. It was in the prize room after an argument about whose cookies were better. To be honest, neither cookies taste as good as your sister.” Cole’s deep rumble comes from behind me. “And nobody was drunk.”
