Page 19 of The Replacement Fiance

But as Logan cups my face in his hands like he did when he kissed me on the bridge, I feel myself calm down. There's something about his touch that reminds me it's not all that bad, really. Okay, maybe pretending to be someone we're not is not exactly a good thing but the kiss that follows is. The touch of his warm lips on mine makes me want to forget everything else and wish we really were a couple.

Then as quickly as the kiss comes, it's gone.

"There you go," he murmurs, pulling away. "It's not so bad, is it?"

"No, it wasn't." I know I'm blushing, my family's cheers not helping at all. I've never been one to flaunt my relationships, and I'm definitely not flaunting one that's only going to last until the charade is over in two more days.

"We can always practice more later, when there's no audience," Logan whispers.

"I'd like that, yeah."

"You guys are just the cutest. Can I post this online?" Harper announces as she brings her camera toward her to check the image.

"Crap! We haven't told her that we don't want our stuff online, have we?" I ask and he shakes his head. "We better tell her now."

Logan takes my hand and we make our way toward Harper who's standing by the tree. Just like the kiss on the bridge, this one has left me feeling giddy, my stomach flipping nervously. Why does it feel as if I'm back in high school and my crush just kissed me? No, make thatwinkedat me since I never did anything exciting in high school. Probably the most exciting thing I ever did was play in the band and that was it.

But this isn't high school. I'm back home. And I'm staging a play in front of my family all because the man I once loved and my former best friend are spending Christmas next door.

"What do you think of this shot? I think it's perfect!" Harper thrusts the camera toward us before Logan and I can say anything. I see the camera display and it's Logan and me kissing under the mistletoe. I love the way she framed the shot and from the way Logan cups my face, you really couldn't even tell it's me.

"I love it, but I'd rather you not post that online," Logan says.

Harper looks up, surprised. "Oh. Okay."

"I'd love a copy, though. Can you send one to Mariah and she can send me a copy?"

"Sure!" Harper presses a few buttons on the screen. "Done."

Half an hour later, Emily and Brad bid everyone goodnight, a sleeping Jonathan drooling on Brad's shoulders, and Harper puts on her big white headphones, plops herself on the couch and begins editing her pictures. Mom and Dad have been busy arranging presents around the tree, probably putting Jonathan's presents where he can easily grab them in the morning.

Logan and I step out on to the porch to gaze at the moon, both of us wrapped in our jackets.

"I can't believe how quiet it is out here. Beautiful though... but quiet," he says, holding out his hand to catch a few snowflakes.

"Some nights, you can hear deer come up to the apple tree next to the house and munch away."

"Really?"

I point to the side of the house where an apple tree grows a few feet away. "Right over there. I used to watch them from my window. Hear them munch away."

"It's been so long since I've been back to Mount Baldy to remember how it feels like to live out in the boonies," he says. "Guess that makes me a city boy now."

I chuckle. "Yes, it does."

We go inside a few minutes later, the cold finally making its way through our jackets.

Ten minutes later, my parents follow us down the hall toward my old bedroom. Suddenly I stop and turn to face them. "Wait. Don't you want us to have separate bedrooms?"

Mom looks at me in surprise. "Why? You two are engaged."

"But the last time–"

"That was then, honey," Mom says. "This is now. You're both old enough to be in the same room. Or the same bed, for that matter."

"Mom!"

"You don't want to be in the same room?" Dad asks and I stare at him.

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