Page 81 of Bonfire and Bliss Bookstore

His brows knit together. “I would have driven you home.”

I shake my head. “It’s okay. She’s driving this way anyway and I figured—” I shrug my shoulders because I literally have no idea what to say.

“Yeah, okay. That’s fine. I—I guess we’re not gonna participate in the baking thing.”

Oh shit. “I can take it with me and finish it?”

He shakes his head quickly. “No, that’s okay. I don’t need the haircut.”

“That’s a good decision. Babs would definitely give you highlights and I’m a fan of the dark hair.”

Monty’s eyes raise and he gives me one of his signature slow smirks. “Oh yeah?”

I let out a breathy laugh. “Yeah. Anyway, I should—” I point toward the door.

Monty nods. God, we’re like awkward robots, nodding and shaking our heads, trying to be so agreeable. I want to shake us both. We’re that awful stereotypical couple in a fake dating romance who can’t get out of their own way. Communicate, I want to yell when I read it. But now that I’m in this exact position I don’t know how. I don’t know how to tell him that I really like him and I really loved today and I wish he wasn’t so against love because I think he’d be someone really easy to love. I think it’d be easy for us to love each other.

Which is crazy.

Do I hear myself?

Love!

We sleep together once and I’m already getting carried away.

“I’ll walk you out.”

I follow him toward the door, and when I see the headlights of Billie’s car I breathe a sigh of relief that we don’t have to do this awkward dance anymore. But before I can rush past him, Monty grabs my hand and tugs me back into his chest.

“Hey, Pen.”

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry about before.” His eyes roam over my face and he shrugs. “You were right about the whole love thing.”

I swallow, not sure what to say. On the one hand, I’m glad I understand a bit better why he’s so dead set against love. On the other hand, it feels insurmountable, and I’m not sure he wants to change. He told me not to try to fix him. And it’s not like he’s given me any reason to believe he wants something more. I’m the one who asked to change the parameters of our agreement. The least I can do is stop pushing him. “It’s okay. Thank you for today.” I offer him a smile and attempt to push him off with a little wave.

“Shouldn’t you kiss your book boyfriend goodbye?” His voice is husky, his green eyes teasing.

“Because Billie’s watching?” I ask, wanting to understand his motivation.

Monty’s head tips to the left. “Sure, we’ll go with that.” And then he wraps his fingers around my neck and drops his mouth to mine, kissing me in a way that feels anything but fake.

Chapter 25

Penny

“Well, that was hot,” Billie teases as I settle into the passenger seat.

Trying to hide my blush, and my huge smile, I keep my focus ahead of me. “Thanks for picking me up.”

She laughs lightly as she pulls away from Monty’s house.

“So I guess you don’t want to talk about the hot kiss?”

“I thought you were the nice one.”

Billie shakes her head, still grinning. “I am the nice one! You have a gorgeous man who can actually string more than a sentence together wrapping his fingers around your neck and kissing you senseless. All I’m doing is pointing out your good fortune. The question is, why are you being so cagey? I thought you were all about the spice of life, Penny Darling.”