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what? That I'm going to turn you into a call girl and make you come like a freight train?"
    "Ben!" I sputtered.
    Alas, I had no snappy comeback for that.
    "So, for this call-girl game, do you have any preference on venue, customer, or price? Or do you want me to surprise you?"
    I was pretty sure that one of us would break eventually. It just wasn't going to be me. So I said two fateful words: "Surprise me."

Chapter Three

    The bell on the Sweet Shack's door jingled as I opened it, and the owner looked up from the countertop with a huge smile, as if he actually remembered me fondly in spite of the salt and sugar incident. Or the ceramic cups and saucers I accidentally smashed before he finally gave me the boot. "Why Becca Vincent, as I live and breathe…"
    "Hi, Gus," I said, a bit sheepishly.
    "Haven't seen you around these parts for a while. Are you finally home to stay?"
    Pulling my white woolen hat from my head, I tried to smooth my hair back into its trendy straight style. "Just came back to see my mom for the holidays."
    "How much longer until graduation?" Gus asked, wiping down the counter. "Your mom must be eager to have you back."
    Did anyone actually believe I was coming back to Geece Grove after college? This town wasn't going to be my final resting place, but I just said, "I've still got another year before graduation."
    "Did you hear? Ben White is back in one piece. Thank God."
    I smiled tightly, remembering that Gus was a veteran, and feeling shitty that I hadn't really worried about Ben. He'd always led such a charmed life, I guess I never considered that he might've come home from some dangerous foreign place in a body bag. And that horrified me more than a little. "Actually, Ben's meeting me here this morning for some of your famous white hot cocoa."
    Gus stopped wiping, flinging the towel over his shoulder to flash me an even wider grin. "You and Ben? Well, isn't that just the sweetest thing I've heard all Christmas! It's about time. I always hoped you two would get together—"
    "Oh, we're not together," I interrupted, swiftly. "Just having a hot beverage."
    Gus just shook his head as if he didn't believe me. "That boy has been sweet on you for as long as I can remember. The way he used to stop in here two, three times a day when you worked behind the counter. The big tips he used to leave for you…one of these days you ought to give him a chance."
    Seriously? It'd been bad enough when our moms were pushing us together. Now even Gus was trying to play matchmaker. And part of me wondered if Ben had arranged for that, too. The thought made me antsy. Especially when the bell jingled again and in walked a tall, dark, and buff santa named Ben, carrying a big silver box tied with an ostentatious red velvet bow.
    "Merry Christmas, Specialist," Gus said with a little salute.
    "Back atcha, Gus," Ben replied, then leaned forward to plant an audible smooch to my cheek. "Morning, Becca."
    Ug . A smooch. I'd been smooched in public by a guy wearing a black ski vest over red and white flannel. And I might've objected if it weren't for the fact that Ben smelled so great, and just the feel of his lips on my skin made me shiver.
    With one hand on the small of my back he guided me to a chair and called out our order. "Two white hot chocolates, Gus."
    Gus reached for the whipping cream and white chocolate chips. "Coming right up!"
    "Hungry, Becca?" Ben asked, mischief lighting in his eyes. "We can get breakfast. I dunno. Some fruit. Berries maybe."
    Oh, I was hungry. But not for food. "White hot cocoa and fruit ?"
    "Fruit's good for you," he asserted confidently. "Totally cancels out all the sugar and crap in the cocoa."
    "I heard that!" Gus groused from across the diner, just before the silence of the place was replaced by the laughter of a bunch of new customers flowing into the space.
    "For you," Ben said, sliding the box across the table to me.
    Crap . A Christmas present. And I didn't get him anything. Because, why would