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“I’m just flirting with you,” Darren said.
“This is not flirting. This is harassment,” Marley said.
“I just don’t understand why you won’t give me a chance. I’m a nice guy—”
“Clearly, because nice guys bruise the crap out of women’s arms just to get a point across.”
He released her, and threw up his hands. “Fine! I can take a hint.”
As he turned around, she couldn’t seem to stop running her mouth. “Obviously you can’t or you’d have stopped asking me out after I broke your nose in eighth grade.”
Darren mumbled something and slammed into the person coming down the aisle behind him.
“Watch it,” Darren snarled.
“Sorry, dude, my bad.”
Marley recognized Luke’s deep voice before she saw him standing there holding a bag of pork rinds. He was wearing a blue T-shirt, cargo shorts and sandals.
“You know the beach is hours away, right?” she said.
He gave her a look with one eyebrow raised. “But you got a river and besides, it’s hot outside.” He nodded toward the front door as it chimed, signaling Darren’s exit. “Friend of yours?”
“A nuisance actually.”
“Speaking of odd clothing choices…I thought you were a wedding planner? What’s with the prom dress? Costume party?”
Marley rolled her eyes. “I am twenty-eight years old. All of my friends are getting married right now, so I’m expected to be in the wedding. You know what they say, always a bridesmaid.”
Luke nodded. “Got it. So, you having a party or just a diabetic coma?”
“What, a girl can’t like junk food? We’ve got to all eat salads and carrot sticks?”
“Whoa, easy! You’ve got like fifty snack cakes in there. Being funny over here.”
Marley hated that he was so damn charming. “Well, I don’t find you funny at all.”
“No?” he said, a challenge in his voice.
“No.”
“Fine, just for that attitude”—before she could react, he’d snatched a package of chocolatey goodness from her basket—“I’m confiscating these Ho Hos.”
“Oh hell no,” Marley cried, jumping for the white package, which he now
held over his head. She tried to bring his arm down by hanging on it but he was too strong. “Give me the Ho Hos and no one gets hurt.”
“Nah, I’m gonna keep them. They will go great with my Funions.”
“Okay, that’s disgusting and it was the only pack left!” She pulled a clear package from her basket and tried to bargain. “Take the Twinkies. I have like six of them.”
Suddenly, he stepped into her, still holding her cakes above his head. “And what else?”
“Excuse me?”
“This is a ransom demand. I’ll release the Ho Hos in exchange for the Twinkies and…”
His gaze dropped to her mouth and suddenly, she was holding her breath, waiting for him to finish.
