Sugared (Misfit Brides #4) Read Online Free PDF Page B

work of clearing the table. Josh nodded to the booth they’d claimed in the corner. “Another round of Chandler’s Witbier on me.”
    Aiden snickered, bloody Irish bastard. Josh turned, and he froze. His muscles, his skin, his bones, even his heart. All froze. Solid.
    “Oh, Joshie-poo, there you are!”
    Before he could comprehend what he was seeing, Kimmie Elias stopped between him and the bar, a white Heaven’s Bakery box clutched in her hands, something he would’ve called panic on any other woman making her big blue eyes bluer and wider. “I meant to get you your cupcakes yesterday, but my cats hid my cake flour, and then I got called in for a last-minute rush order for eloping triplets— wow , that was something, even for Bliss—and my fortune cookie suggested Mondays were better cupcake delivery days than Sundays anyway, so here you go.” She shoved the cupcake box at him.
    Her frizzy, dark blond hair was clipped on the sides with butterfly hair thingies, her long lashes stuck together in odd black clumps, and the frilly white letters on her bright red shirt proclaimed her Cupcake Queen. She sucked half her lower lip into her mouth, then added, “Missed you, schmumpkins.” She went up on tiptoe and pecked his cheek.
    She smelled like Birdie’s peppermint pinwheel cookies.
    Like Christmas.
    He swallowed. He needed Kimmie’s cupcake recipes too badly to let himself get hit with memories and grief. He caught Kimmie’s wrist and turned his best I’m a handsome devil and you are the lucky lady who has my attention smile on her.
    If she wanted him to play her boyfriend, he’d play her boyfriend.
    Whatever it took to get those recipes. “Missed you more.” He set the cupcake box on the pool table. “Give us a real kiss, sweetheart.”
    Her back went stiff when he put his hand to it, and another flare of panic danced across her features, but then he saw the same spark he’d seen at the wedding the other day. That spark of her mother. The tilt of her chin, the square set to her shoulders, the stubborn angle of her pink lips.
    Josh knew exactly what Kimmie wanted, but she was outmatched if she wanted to play the seduction game.
    He wouldn’t lose to two small-town mini-mavens like Marilyn and Kimmie Elias. He’d given up losing almost twenty years ago.
    Josh angled his jaw to Kimmie’s. He felt her sharp inhale and the press of her plump breasts against his chest. Her hands settled on his shoulders and squeezed— don’t do it or go on, I dare you , Josh wasn’t sure.
    But he knew how to kiss a woman until she needed his kisses more than she needed to breathe. Until her bones melted. Until she gave him exactly what he wanted.
    He sucked Kimmie’s lower lip into his mouth.
    She squeaked, a mousy little sound that tasted like cherries.
    But she didn’t pull away.
    She didn’t return the kiss either.
    “Mm.” He scraped his teeth over her flesh, following it with a flick of his tongue.
    She jumped.
    Josh lifted his head and treated her to his best slow bedroom smile. He kept his hands splayed across her back and hips, his thumbs working lazy circles on her body. “Rough day, sugar?”
    Jagged red streaks raced up her cheeks. “I had a dream that dinosaurs made out of string cheese started the conga line at Knot Fest, but they melted halfway down The Aisle, which was actually on a boat somewhere in a parallel universe.”
    Aiden coughed.
    Kimmie’s thick lashes lowered. “Erm, that is, my day’s better now that I’m here with you.”
    Her girlfriend act was so bad, Josh almost felt sorry for her.
    But only almost. She was , after all, Marilyn Elias’s daughter.
    Weird as she might be.
    He kept his gaze trained on her. “Aiden, get your lazy ass to the bar and get the lady a glass of wine.” He winked at Kimmie. “You are staying for drinks, darling?”
    Aiden didn’t move.
    Kimmie squeaked again. “Can’t.”
    “Such a shame.” Thank God.
    She swatted his hand, which was drifting toward