Wicked Flirt

by Kylie Gilmore

  Lexi practically floated over to the bar in her giddy happy state. Her life had fallen into place in ways she’d never expected. She was getting married (!), she’d helped Lia reclaim her life, and her business was off to a flying start. The CFO at Red Arrow Marketing, Gina, was so happy with Lexi’s discretion regarding the men’s room incident that she’d spread the word through her contacts that Lexi could be depended upon with delicate situations. Lexi had already gotten calls from some very high-level people, who valued discretion in their party planners.

  Ellie was out of Marcus’s life, too, and that had been her decision. The day after Lexi had told Ellie how serious things were with her and Marcus, Ellie quit. Not only that, Ellie had moved out of Marcus’s rental and over to her friend’s place in Brooklyn. She must’ve realized it was time for her to move on from Marcus. Lexi felt a little bad about how that had left Marcus scrambling for a good replacement, but she couldn’t summon much warmth for the woman who’d crossed the line with her man.

  Marcus took a seat at the bar next to the guys, and Lexi excused herself to go congratulate Brandy. Hailey was with her mom. She’d planned tonight’s engagement party for her mom and Joe. Hailey didn’t have her constant companion, Rose, with her tonight because her mom was allergic. Too bad because Rose kept Hailey on an even keel for the most part, except when Josh was around. Polite but cool was the name of the game between Josh and Hailey now. It had been more than a month since the Hailey-Josh fallout, and neither of them would speak a word about the disastrous night when Hailey had gone to Josh’s place.

  Lexi reached Brandy and Hailey, the pair strikingly similar—same long strawberry blond hair, pale blue eyes, fair skin, and a preference for designer dresses.

  Hailey’s back was to Lexi, and she was speaking earnestly. “I’m glad you’re happy, Mom. Really.”

  Brandy took Hailey’s hands and squeezed. “He’s one of those rare men who believes in chivalry. He treats me like a queen! Opening doors, helping me into my chair, assisting with my coat, escorting me like this.” She released Hailey’s hands and crooked an elbow.

  “Josh does that too,” Lexi put in.

  Hailey whirled. “Hi.”

  “Hi!” She turned to Brandy. “Congratulations.”

  “You too,” Brandy said warmly. “Aren’t we so lucky to be brides? I feel like Joe would slay dragons for me. He’s a true man in every good sense of the word.” Brandy winked. “And an animal in bed.”

  Lexi laughed.

  “Mom, TMI!” Hailey protested.

  “I thought we could talk like friends now that you’re an adult,” Brandy said.

  “Yes, but not about that,” Hailey whispered. “How many times do I have to say it? Boundaries!”

  Her mom got dreamy. “He’s so in tune with my body.”

  Lexi considered bolting on the private conversation, but it was fascinating in a car-crash kind of way.

  “I can’t even…” Hailey took a deep breath and held up her palm. “Let’s please not talk about Mr. Campbell that way.”

  Brandy pouted. “Sorry. I don’t have close friends like you do to share with. Just the ladies from the shop and they’re so catty.”

  Hailey hugged her mom. “I’m so glad you’ve found happiness.”

  Brandy beamed. “Will you plan our wedding?”

  Hailey pulled back, her expression tight. “Of course.”

  “I want you to be my maid of honor.”

  Hailey pasted on her beauty-queen smile. Uh-oh. Stress level rising! “I would love that.”

  Her mom smiled and walked away.

  “You okay?” Lexi asked gently. It must suck for Hailey—the love-obsessed wedding planner—to have all of her friends and her mom planning weddings when she wasn’t even dating anyone.

  “Sure, sure,” Hailey said, patting her purse like she was looking for Rose. She suddenly seemed to remember that Rose was with a dog sitter, dropped her hand, and turned to Lexi. “Can I get you some champagne?” Ever the polite host.

  “Sure. We’ll both get some.”

  They walked over to the bar, and Josh greeted them with a polite but decidedly cool, “What can I get you ladies?”

  They ordered two champagnes. Josh served them up a few moments later and rested his elbows on the bar across from Hailey. “I’m best man. Looks like I’ll be your wedding escort again.”

  Hailey’s lower lip wobbled. Lexi froze. She’d only ever seen Hailey cry once after ending a long relationship. Normally nothing fazed her.

  “Don’t cry,” Josh said urgently.

  Hailey burst into tears.

  “Oh, Hailey,” Lexi said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “It’s okay. It’s an emotional time.”

  Josh appeared at Lexi’s side and took over, leading Hailey away. He parked Hailey in a back booth of the restaurant, her back to their group. Her shoulders moved up and down with her sobs. Josh dropped to his haunches, speaking quietly to her.

  Lexi had a quick conference with her friends over intervening. Josh was handing Hailey napkins from the dispenser now. She shook a napkin, talking to him and crying at the same time.

  Finally, they all turned to relationship counselor Sabrina for her expert opinion.

  “Let Josh do his thing,” Sabrina said. “She’s the last single woman in our group; even her mom beat her to it. Given how much she loves love—”

  “She calls herself the Love Junkie,” Mad put in.

  Sabrina went on. “This is a difficult adjustment. She just needs some time to process.”

  Hailey was shaking her head at something Josh was saying, her voice rising, but not enough to make out her words.

  “Should we go over there now?” Lexi asked.

  Marcus appeared at her side. “Rescue is his specialty. He’ll come through.”

  “Yeah, let it play out,” Mad said. “She’ll walk away if he’s not being helpful. Honestly Josh always comes through in difficult times. There’s no better person you want on your side.” Josh was Mad’s big brother, so she would know.

  They all watched as Josh guided Hailey toward the kitchen in the back of the restaurant, a hand on the small of her back. Hailey let her hair hang in her face, hiding her tears, her shoulders hunched. Maybe Josh was leading her to a more private space, or maybe they’d leave through the back exit.

  Mad stared after them. “She can’t leave. She’s the host of her mom’s party.”

  “Don’t you wonder what they’re saying?” Lexi asked.

  Mad twisted her lips to the side. “She’s saying her love life sucks.”

  Lexi added Josh’s side. “He’s saying don’t worry about it, so does mine.”

  Marcus chimed in. “Eventually they’ll draw the conclusion that solves both of their problems.”

  “Don’t be so sure,” Lexi and Mad said at the same time. Their friends were in agreement. It wasn’t a sure thing at all with those two.

  Marcus pulled Lexi close, his voice a husky rumble in her ear. “Thankfully, I got you locked down.”

  She looked up at him, smiling. “You do, huh?”

  He gave her his sexy half-smile. “I ruined you for other men.”

  She let out a swoony sigh. “You wrecked me. No one even comes close to Marcus Shepard.”

  “Damn right.”

  “You’re my forever love.”

  “Lexi, baby, you’re mine.”

  “For God’s sake,” Ben chimed in, appearing out of nowhere. “Go home and get all this mushy stuff out of your system. It’s nauseating.”

  Marcus narrowed his eyes. “Where’s Missy?” That was Ben’s fiancée.

  “She’ll be here soon,” Ben growled. Suddenly he pulled his phone from his pocket, beaming as he answered it. “Hi, honey, how was shopping? Did you find a baptism outfit for Leo? Uh-huh. I can’t wait to see…” Ben walked away, talking to his love, all sweetness. Leo was Missy’s nephew.

  Marcus and Lexi took one look at each other and cracked up.

  “
He’s cranky without his woman,” Marcus observed.

  Lexi made a whip sound that had Marcus grinning.

  Just then slow music started playing and Joe announced everyone should join him and Brandy in a dance. The high tables had been cleared near the bar area to make room.

  Marcus took her hand. “Looks like they’re playing our song.”

  She laughed and followed him the short distance to the dance floor. “You say every slow song is our song.”

  He pulled her close, holding her hand, his other hand resting lightly on her back. “That’s because I love dancing with you. I’m so lucky I found you.”

  “Me too,” she managed over the lump in her throat. “I can’t believe I once thought you were the kind of man I could easily resist. You’re way too tempting.”

  He leaned down to whisper, “You were just as tempting and I wanted in.”

  She smiled cheekily. “You sure got in.”

  He dipped his head and kissed her. “And I’m staying in.”

  After they’d put in their time—an hour plus of increasingly hotter dancing/foreplay—Marcus called it, cradling her jaw and kissing her. “Let’s go back home to continue the celebration.”

  Which meant sex. “Celebrate, celebrate, that’s all you want to do.”

  He winked. “You’ve given me a lot to celebrate.”

  “You give me a lot to celebrate too.”

  He stroked her cheek with his thumb, gazing into her eyes. “We’re talking about the same thing, right? Or is this a touchy-feely talk?”

  “You talk and I’ll touchy-feely.”

  His dark eyes danced with amusement and tender love. The best kind of mushy, heart-squeezing, forever love. He grabbed her in a bear hug, lifting her off the ground. She couldn’t stop smiling like a complete dope, crazy happy for her wonderful man.

  And then they walked hand in hand out the door for their very own Happy Ending.

  ~ ~ ~

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  Dear Readers,

  What the heck happened when Hailey went to Josh’s place that caused a permanent rift between the pair? Did Josh really come to her rescue during her breakdown? Find out in Josh and Hailey’s story, An Inconvenient Plan, book 10 in the Happy Endings Book Club series. Would you like an exclusive sneak peek at my next release? Just click to sign up for my newsletter and you’ll receive sneak peeks, excerpts, and subscriber-only giveaways. Join the club and get your happy ending!

  An Inconvenient Plan (Happy Endings Book Club #10)

  Hailey Adams’s strategy for a hugely successful wedding planning business is finally paying off, and now it’s time to focus on her own happy ending. After a stinging rejection from her sexy frenemy, Josh Campbell, a prince falls into her lap. And he’s a swoony, romantic contrast to the gruff bartender she can’t seem to quit.

  Josh’s plan to keep his distance from Hailey is derailed when competition shows up in the form of a playboy prince. It’s one damn inconvenience after another as Josh has to show up a prince, win over Hailey’s rat-dog who hates him, and get Hailey to stop fighting with him long enough to see they belong together. Impossible woman!

  Can these longtime frenemies let down their defenses in time to discover their own happy ending? Or will Hailey be swept off her feet by a fairy tale come true?

  Hailey practically floated down the sidewalk and across the street to Garner's Sports Bar & Grill. This turned out to be the most amazing day. And to think it happened the day after she hit an all-time low bawling her eyes out at her mom's engagement party. Welp, there was nowhere to go but up when you hit rock bottom like she had. Now she might have an amazing new client. Why, if this went well, maybe she'd plan more weddings for the royal family. According to her brief online search, there were six royal siblings besides the princess, all of them single. How cool would that be?

  She shook her head at herself. She never stopped dreaming. This wasn't even a sure thing yet. She opened the front door of Garner's and stepped inside, instantly warming in the familiar space. To the right was the restaurant area with several booths and tables, where a few young families were having dinner. Straight ahead was the long wrap-around dark cherrywood bar, which was empty. Josh stood behind it, leaning against the bar and watching the news on one of the TVs perched over the bar.

  “Hi, Josh!”

  His head swiveled toward hers. “You sound cheerful.”

  “I am.” She closed the distance, and Rose set off a warning growl. Rose hated Josh. Hailey had no idea why. Josh had never even touched Rose. Maybe it was because he growled back at Rose. “Settle,” she told Rose. And she did. Hailey had gone through an intensive training program with Rose, who was now certified as a therapy dog.

  “What's up?” He wore a black T-shirt with ripped jeans that molded to his tall muscular frame. His stubble was back too, a five o'clock shadow that always made him look a little dangerous, or maybe that was the edge to him hidden under a charming laidback persona. He was a former soldier, cool and calculating. She'd seen the cool calculation in his eyes the first time they'd met, though as she got to know him over the years, his dark eyes reflected other things too, sometimes sharp intelligence, sometimes a deep soulfulness bordering on sadness, but mostly good humor at her expense.

  She pulled out her phone, brought up the article, and showed him. “This.”

  He took her phone and read the Bride Special article, brows drawn together in concentration. Yup, it was all there in black and white. Josh secretly respected her. She wasn't just his personal entertainment system. She was so bowled over by what he'd done, calling her Queen of the Happy-Ever-After, and the subsequent outstanding turn of events, she blurted, “Why didn't you say queen of the happy ending? I did start the Happy Endings Book Club to help single women find their happy endings.”

  Josh's dark eyes sparked with amusement, and he smirked. “Ah, princess, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you do know what a happy ending is, right? You see the double meaning that could maybe leave the wrong impression?”

  She tensed. “Only in dirty minds like yours.”

  “In everyone's mind.”

  She lifted her chin. “I'm reclaiming it to be a happy thing.”

  He lifted one corner of his mouth in his smirkiest of smirks. “Sure, it can be real happy.”

  She huffed. “The joy kind of happy.” Rose started growling again.

  Josh growled back, and Rose barked ferociously. She shifted away from Josh and soothed Rose, rubbing her cheek against Rose's muzzle. Rose gave her a doggie kiss and settled into her purse for a nap. Hailey took a seat at the bar and carefully tucked Rose by her feet, out of sight of Josh to keep the growling and barking to a minimum. She rarely did that in a crowd at the bar, in case someone accidentally kicked Rose, but the bar area was empty at this time on a Monday.

  Josh set her phone on the bar. “I'll ask the editor to run a correction. You can be Queen of the Happy Ending if you want.”

  She tucked her phone away. “No, it's fine. Just wanted to point that out. Your way is okay too.”

  “Thanks, that's big of you.”

  “I actually thought the double entendre of happy ending was more clear than happy ever after.”

  Josh smiled widely, a genuine smile that lit up his face. He almost looked kind of…hot. Maybe this was the Josh her friends saw. “So you saw the double meaning this whole time?”

  She tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Of course. But isn't it what everyone wants? The great sex and the forever love?”

  He inclined his head. “Some people do.”

  “Everyone.”

  He crossed his arms, his black T-shirt pulling tight across wide shoulders and muscular biceps. “Nope.”

  “Definitely.” She tore her gaze away. Just because Josh had said a few nice things about her once didn't mean she should suddenly be…appreciating his muscular
build or his hot edginess. Would he be aggressive in the bedroom like her favorite erotic romance series, the Fierce Trilogy? She'd yet to experience that. She forced herself to focus on what Josh was saying, which was clearly an unromantic thing. He had the complete opposite outlook on life from her. They weren't compatible just like she'd always known.

  He lifted one shoulder in a careless shrug that indicated he didn't agree that everyone wanted great sex and the forever love, which was a completely guy way of saying he only wanted the sex.

  She tensed, irritated beyond reason with his careless shrug. Romance was important. It was the basis of her career, her lifestyle, and all of her friends' happy endings. Maybe he should take note that all of his brothers, sister, and even his dad had found their loves! Maybe if he wasn't so down on romance he would find love too. Of course, there was Clarissa. He must've done something right for the woman to stick around for two months.

  Take a breath. Josh always seemed to push her buttons. She never even knew she had buttons, until he started poking at her.

  He placed his palms on the bar and leaned into her personal space, his voice dropping to a husky whisper, “Some people might just want the happy ending sex.”

  A hot throb between her legs alarmed her. It was exactly what she'd suspected he'd say, but the way he said sex sounded so…well, it sounded like a hard fuck. The kind she fantasized about. She met his dark heated eyes and swallowed hard. Her voice came out in a croak. “Like you.”

  He straightened. “Jury's still out on that one.”

  She stared at him, wanting to know what exactly he meant by that, but knowing if she asked he'd say something teasing that set her off. She came here to thank him not engage in another fighting match. “Anyway, thanks for saying such nice things in that article. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be meeting with a prince on Friday to maybe plan a wedding for his sister.”