Page 9 of Last Chance Seduction (Montgomery Ink Legacy #9)

“Honestly, I don’t know. Gia didn’t have anything to do with her father’s line of work or that estate, but I also don’t know what she might’ve told her father.

I didn’t realize it until later, but she was far more vindictive than I thought.

She liked to push the happiness of our relationship at the time in others faces.

And we didn’t end on the best of terms and when we saw each other afterward, she liked to show off the happiness she had with the other guy as if she hadn’t dug a hole in my chest.” I hadn’t meant to blurt all of that out, but apparently it had been at the surface.

Considering the amount of time I’d put into the proposal itself and getting ready for the upcoming bid retreat, I guess it made sense.

“Didn’t she cheat on you?”

“Yep,” I said, popping the P.

The little growl escaping her mouth was hot as hell. “Well, I can hate her for you if you’d like.”

“I truly appreciate that.” My lips lifted into a smile.

“At least my ex had the decency to move across the country.”

“Damn straight.” I shook my head. “I’m still sorry that Justin did that to you.”

“He doesn’t matter anymore. Seriously, there are way worse things going on in the world, and in our own lives. And we are headed to a Montgomery holiday party. Meaning there’s going to be wine, cheese, and probably a few stories to share. I’m glad your mom got me out of the house.”

“Make sure you tell her that. And that I didn’t have to drag you out here.”

“I’ll do that,” she said with a laugh, and we settled into the drive, speaking of work and things we had missed.

And in that instant, it didn’t feel as if any time had passed, but then again, so much had happened since.

The party was in full swing by the time we got there, as the Montgomerys liked to be early, rather than late.

My mom had only rolled her eyes when I handed over my cupcakes and wine but had been ecstatic when Mercy had shown up with a cheesecake.

“It’s not homemade, it’s from this little bakery.”

I frowned. “From Savannah’s?”

“Yes, do you know it?”

“It’s where I got the cupcakes.” I shook my head, my chest rumbling. “I usually go with a Montgomery place, but I knew they were all backed up with orders and I didn’t want to use the family privilege to cut in line.”

“Well, that’s interesting,” my mom said. I narrowed my gaze at her.

She just rolled her eyes and tugged Mercy away.

Taking her place, Dash came up to me, handing me a bottle of beer, and I moved into the party, finally relaxing after a long month of overtime and stress.

The Montgomerys tended to switch off where they had the main party every year.

This year it was with the Fort Collins branch, next year it would be with the Boulder branch.

We loved our holidays, and with snow on the mountains, the air crisp outside, but not so cold that you couldn’t enjoy it, it was that perfect time of year.

My family had gone all out with the decorations, and I knew my uncles and aunts had helped there.

Everything was covered in green and red and sparkles and just looked welcoming.

My cousins’ kids were roaming about, at least those who could walk.

The infants and toddlers were upstairs, already sleeping in the spare cribs that family had provided.

Nobody got rid of baby things in this family, because it could always be used for someone else. We Montgomerys liked to procreate.

I frowned at that, wondering when it would be my turn.

Forever the groomsman, never the groom.

Not that I would ever say that out loud.

Beer empty, I took a few drink orders from my family and headed into the kitchen to get something else. I bumped into someone as soon as I did and reached out and grabbed her elbow.

Mercy looked up at me then, eyes wide, and I swallowed hard, taking a quick step back once I found myself looking at her lips, and not into those beautiful eyes of hers.

Beautiful eyes? Well, it was time for me to go to water, and not that single beer.

“Having fun?” I asked before I cleared my throat since my voice was oddly scratchy.

“Yes. I’m honestly thankful to be out of the house. Thank you for driving me.”

I wouldn’t thank my mom later as I had a feeling she wasn’t entirely truthful about the setting up thing. Then again…maybe I should thank her. “No problem. You just let me know when you want to get home, okay?”

“No, you let me know. You’re the one driving and this is your family.”

“Mercy, I’m not going to force you to do anything that you don’t want to do,” I said, and I realized my voice was low, and I was hovering way too close.

I took another step back, and she frowned at me, before she blinked that look away so quickly that perhaps, I had seen something that wasn’t there.

“Anyway, I need to get drinks for the others, have fun, okay? Let me know if you need anything.”

“I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself. But thank you, Lex.”

I grinned at that. “You called me Lex.”

“I’ve called you Lex before.” She met my gaze. “I’m trying. Or I’m going to blame the wine,” she said, and that blush on her cheeks was so damn pretty, it reminded me of when we had been younger, and I had been the first one to see Mercy like that.

But then Justin had called dibs, and you didn’t cross the bro code when it came to dibs.

And how shitty was that?

I pulled my gaze away from her, grabbed a glass of water, and the beers, and scurried away. Scurried, because I was a damn menace. A coward.

I had nearly kissed Mercy.

Why the hell would I have done that?

I shook myself, handed the beers over to my cousins, and chugged half my water.

“You okay? You look a little flush, bro,” Dash said, and I cleared my throat.

“Nothing, I think I just need to go outside, get some air.”

“Okay. You want some company?” he asked, and I heard the sincerity in his tone.

“I’m good. Thanks.”

I drained my glass, set it on the table with the other empties, and went towards the back door so I could take a deep breath.

I didn’t know what was wrong with me, but there was no need for me to think of Mercy that way.

We were neighbors, friends. And she had enough on her plate rather than my mind going into a weird direction. Just because part of me wanted to settle down, didn’t mean I had to fall for the first woman who looked at me.

And even thinking about going in that direction was ridiculous. Because our history with each other was so entwined, that doing anything to jeopardize what we had had before, let alone what we were making now, would be insane.

I went past the couch and bumped into someone again. With so many people in this house, it wasn’t unheard of, but as I held onto Mercy’s arm again, I had to wonder what exactly the hell was going on.

She looked up at me then and smiled wide. “Are you really just going to knock me on the floor one day?”

“You’re just so little down there, I didn’t see you,” I tease.

She rolled her eyes. “Really? You’re going with a short joke? You used to do that all the time.”

“You’re like a foot shorter than me, pipsqueak.”

“You did not just call me pipsqueak.”

“What? You didn’t kick me last time I did.”

“Because we were like fifteen. And I was a teenage girl. I’m a woman now. I could kick your ass.”

Damn it, she was a woman.

And I could not blame those thoughts on the single beer I had.

“Look who’s under the mistletoe!” one of my annoying cousins called out.

I froze, my entire body stiffening as Mercy blinked up at me, eyes wide.

“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”

“I am so sorry,” I mumbled, though my heart couldn’t help but race. My hands went clammy, and I licked my lips. Damn it. I shouldn’t look or feel too eager.

Mercy just shook her head at me. “Can we run?”

“You would rather run and deal with the Montgomerys’ wrath and leers versus just kiss me quickly and getting it over with?” I asked, wondering if I should be hurt.

“I hate that logic.”

“Okay, so one, two, three?”

“You’re going to count down for this?” she asked, as everybody continued to chant for us to kiss.

“You know what, fine.” And with that, I leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers.

I meant to step back, to stop the kiss before it even started, but I didn’t. Instead, I parted my lips and swiped my tongue along hers. She tasted of wine, cupcakes, and Mercy.

Fuck.

And when I pulled back, and stared at her, everybody cheered, and I realized the drive home was going to be hell.

Because I had just kissed Mercy.

My former friend’s ex-fiancée.

And one of the first girls I had ever had a crush on.

Oh, and my new neighbor.

I guess hell had a new name. I guess hell had a new resident. And here I was, staking my claim.