A Toast to the Good Times - By Liz Reinhardt Page 0,52

kisses Mila way too close to the mouth. He goes back to the bar with a grin I’m sorely tempted to beat off his face.

“You both need to stop it,” Mila sighs. “I’ve decided that New Jersey, as gorgeous and welcoming as it is, is no place for romance. It’s too complicated here. Why is that?”

“Are you trying to say it’s less complicated in other states?” I ask, ringing my arms around her waist.

“Yeah.” Her voice is soft and her eyes, wide and green, are on me, shining then extinguishing, half-nervous, half-excited. “Why?”

“We are the most densely populated state in the nation. You know what that means. We’re used to being close to other people. That’s the key to romance.” I edge closer, she dodges back.

“Proximity?” She shakes her head. “No wonder you’re an opportunistic dater.”

She means for it to be funny. But neither one of us laughs.

“Hey. Stop saying that, okay?” I lean down and brush my lips over hers, softly.

I think about what Toni probably said to her.

I think about Reggie and Henry.

I think about my own fuck-up-and-run personal dating philosophy.

Then I just think about her. Having her in my arms, having the chance to maybe, possibly, make things right. Finally make things right.

I kiss her a little more, and she opens her lips to me.

“You stop,” she says, but her voice is dreamy.

“You mean I should stop kissing you here and get you on my futon?” I whisper. “And right now would be the best time, of course. Because I’d really like to get it on before we sleep. Santa skips the houses where kids are awake.”

She laughs, but it’s jangly. “Landry, I can’t just crash your parents’ house and stay over on Christmas. And I’m definitely not staying in your bed.”

I cup her face and rub my thumb over her bottom lip, loving the way she shivers in response. “You came out here, drove all those hours, on this night of all nights, and you’re not even gonna get the goods?”

She blushes and backs up, almost bumping into another slowly swaying couple. “Landry, I didn’t come here to sleep with you.”

“You did too,” I insist. The smile that tug-of-wars on her lips is equal parts embarrassed and excited. “You did because what we have is chemistry. Undeniable chemistry like I’ve never had with anyone else. If you have had it before, just don’t tell me, okay? So let’s see if it means anything, if it works out to be more than we think. If not, we know and we can move on, okay? But if we don’t do this, we’re never gonna know. It will make daily life together hellish.”

“And if we have sex and regret it?” she presses, her hands rubbing slowly up and down my back.

“Then it won’t be uncomfortable at all. It just won’t be. I know this seems like it came out of nowhere to you, but I had an epiphany. You’re the one, Mila. And if I can’t use my limited charm and sexy prowess and incredible work ethic to convince you that we should be together, I’m going to hole myself up in my bar, grow a long, scary beard, and grumble along with all my unsatisfied, miserable customers. But, before I throw out all my razors, be with me. Do this with me.”

She shakes her head a little, and I grab her hands.

“Listen, imagine we were on Serenity, okay? You’re like the hot cheerful fixer girl—”

“Kaylee.” Mila is trying hard not to smile, but just the mention of that show lights her up.

“Right! Okay, and I’m the doctor with the stick up his ass sometimes—”

“Simon.” She grins and grabs me by the shirt, tugging me closer.

“Right. Could you imagine the end of Serenity without the Simon and Kaylee romance having some resolution?” I’m reaching here. I’m pulling from deep down to find something, anything to sway her.

She stands on her toes and pulls my head down, until her mouth is level with my ear. “Will you talk nerdy to me if I sleep on the futon with you?”

“All night long. It’ll be like that episode where Mal tricks Simon into thinking Kaylee’s dead, and Simon goes nuts on him. But, you know, not that morbid. Was that too morbid?”

She’s so alive, her eyes bright, her hands running in a hot, frantic pace over me, her lips parted, and before I can blabber on about her favorite show or whatever she thinks is sexy, she pulls my lips down and