Page 56 of Good at Being Bad (Rock Canyon, Idaho 8)

What if she hooked up with Mike and then broke his heart? The town would never forgive her.

Or he breaks mine.

“I think they’re leaving,” Mike said.

Ellie followed his gaze and saw that the two police officers were getting back into their car.

“Thank God,” Ellie said. “The last thing I want to do is explain to everyone who reads the paper what we were doing out here.”

“What? You’re not going to share the best kiss ever with Miss Know-It-All?”

“Who said it was my best?” she challenged.

“Ouch. Considering you were so into me we fell over into the fountain, I just assumed.”

“You think way too much of yourself. Besides, you were the one who swooned at the mere touch of my lips.”

Mike chuckled as he pointed at her, and then himself. “Pot, that would be you, meet kettle, me.”

Ellie’s lips twitched. “I’m factual about my looks, and my skill? And I’ve had a lot of practice kissing.”

“Again, you don’t pull any punches.”

“Besides, we just keep playing with fire and we both know this isn’t going to end well, right? I mean, you come from this perfect family and I am the youngest of ‘those Willis girls.’ My reputation’s so wrecked, Lindsey Lohan feels sorry for me. I am not someone a guy like you ends up with, and we should just admit it now before things get complicated.”

Mike stood there staring at her, and she shuffled her feet, waiting for him to say something, anything. To argue or agree or just change the subject.

“My parents are far from perfect,” Mike said.

; That was his response?

More than a little frustrated, Ellie said, “But I bet they expect you to find someone you can marry and pop out a bunch of kids with, right? Does my home life say that I’m ready for commitment or kids? I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready for that, but I do know that getting involved with a man that I don’t have the same goals or anything thing in common with is not going to go well.”

Mike stood there for a minute or two, and she wished he’d say anything. That she was crazy or he didn’t care, but he just headed back to his bike and put on his helmet.

“Come on. I’ll drive you home.”

Mike pulled up next to Ellie’s car and took of his helmet, although he didn’t turn around right away. Even when the bike dipped as she got off it, he stared forward, thinking of what he wanted to do or say. He wasn’t used to being bold and taking what he wanted. He was the cautious type that sat back and let things happen.

But Ellie had barreled into his life and changed all that.

He had never felt so bold or strong as he had the past few weeks. He liked the changes in him and they were all because of her.

She wasn’t wrong, though, and whenever he imagined what the future looked like with Ellie, he never got further than making love to her. He couldn’t imagine living with her, and she’d already told him she wasn’t even thinking of kids. Sure, he was only thirty-four, but he wanted them. He knew that. If she wasn’t sure, he couldn’t convince her and it wasn’t fair to try.

So who says you have to dwell on the future? Why can’t you just live for now?

Because the future was going to come sooner or later, and he didn’t want to waste his time on a relationship going nowhere. That was why he had changed—to find the girl he’d be with long-term. The rest of his life, even.

It didn’t make sense to be more than friends with Ellie, no matter how strong the chemistry was between them.

Mike followed her up the porch steps. He had every intention of telling her good night and walking away, but as she reached for the doorknob, he spun her back around. Cupping her face in his hands, he dipped his head and kissed her softly, longingly, increasing the pressure until she was leaning into him, her lips open under his.

Slowly, he pulled away, running his thumb across her mouth.

“We might not be right for each other in the long run,” he said, his eyes boring into hers, “but it doesn’t mean that we can’t be good for right now.”