Forever Summer - Melody Grace Page 0,26

grinned down at her, and Evie pretended to roll her eyes.

“It almost makes up for the size of your ego,” she quipped back.

“I’m a gentleman, so I won’t comment any further on that.” He smiled, reaching down to brush a lock of hair from her eyes. His fingertips grazed her cheek, and Evie inhaled in a rush.

The way this man touched her … Even if it was all pretend, she didn’t care anymore. It had been so long since she’d felt like this.

Since she’d felt much of anything at all.

Would it really be so bad to enjoy it, just for tonight?

Evie felt a sudden flash of recklessness. She glanced across the room, where Marisa was still watching them. “You know, I’m not sure she believed you’re really serious about me,” she said, placing a palm on Noah’s chest.

“She didn’t?” Noah looked a little thrown.

Evie shook her head. “But I have an idea what might convince her …”

She couldn’t explain what made her lean up on her tiptoes and press her lips to his. She’d only had half a glass of wine, so there was no excuse for the breathless, dizzy feeling taking her over. None except the man right in front of her, his eyes distractingly blue, and his lips—

His lips.

Evie kissed him softly, and just like that, Marisa and the crowded bar melted away. Because Noah slid a hand around her waist, drew her close, and kissed her back like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Like he was made to send her pulse racing—and set her blood on fire.

Evie lost herself in the kiss. She arched into him as he eased her lips apart and slid his tongue into her mouth, and oh, she couldn’t get enough. It was intoxicating, the taste of him, salty and sweet, completely foreign. Her hands were in his hair, and his body was taut against hers, and when he finally drew back for air, Evie couldn’t remember ever not kissing him.

Then he slowly released her, and Evie realized that half the pub was staring at them.

Oh God. What had she done?

She took a breath, still reeling. But she refused to collapse into a babbling wreck—again!—so she just fixed Noah with a casual smile. “There, that’s done the trick, don’t you think?”

He stood there, open-mouthed.

Evie forced herself to sound cool and breezy. “But I better get going now. The construction guys arrive so early, and I’m a monster if I don’t get eight hours sleep.

“I could give you a ride—” Noah began to offer, but she shook her head.

“No need, I’m fine. Thanks for—”

The drink. The burger. Kissing her senseless?

“The fun,” Evie finished. She wanted to bolt, but something told her that would only set the gossips chattering even more. So with her last shred of self-control, she held her head high and sauntered casually towards the door, like nothing out of the ordinary had just happened.

Like she hadn’t just lost her mind and frenched Noah Montgomery in front of everyone.

As she crossed the room, Evie braced herself for the judgy looks. A small town like this was bound to have a few things to say about public displays of affection. But then she realized that nobody looked disapproving. In fact, an older woman in a brightly patterned caftan even gave her the thumbs-up as she passed.

“Way to go!” she mouthed, and Evie almost laughed in surprise.

Maybe she wouldn’t need to pin a scarlet letter to her chest, after all.

Mac and Poppy were staring at her with obvious glee from their corner. Evie waved. “Bye guys,” she called out. “See you around!”

“Oh, you will,” she heard Poppy say as she walked out the door. “We are definitely talking about this!”

Evie drifted back to the inn on a cloud of endorphins and giddy disbelief. Clearly, taking the plunge and buying this place had unleashed some kind of impulsive streak inside her. What would she do next: strip off all her clothes and waltz naked through the town square?

Maybe not.

She let herself into the house and practically floated up to her bedroom. What had gotten into her? She didn’t know, but it felt like she’d just gotten away with something delicious. She had a “get out of jail free” card, after all: the ruse. Noah couldn’t hold it against her, even if he hadn’t been passionately kissing her back.

And boy, could that man kiss …

Evie stripped off her jeans and blouse, still grinning ear to ear. She checked her phone and found a