Page 33 of Wine Whiskey & Lipstick

“C’mon, Dillyn. It’s for a worthy cause.” Palmer pleaded as she pulled her toward the kissing booth.

“Nope. No way, I’m not putting my lips on a stranger. You know I’m a germaphobe.”

“First, they are not strangers per se. They are our neighbors, and it’s no tongue involved, and second, that’s a lie. You are not a germaphobe.” Palmer admonished her. “You should stop using that as an excuse not to do something.”

Cat waved a thin slip of paper in the air. “I’ve got my ticket. Never thought I would be attracted to a cowboy, but my goodness, they’re sexy. Wonder which one I’ll get.”

Dillyn shook her head. “I’m going to sit this one out and watch you two enjoy yourselves.”

Palmer turned to Cat. “If it’s Lucas, you better move on to the next guy.”

“Aren’t we territorial? He’s not even yours—yet.” Cat’s giggle was more like a purr, sexy, feminine, and feline.

Palmer wiggled her brows up and down. “Yetis the operative word.”

Dillyn shook her head. She found a bench and sat down. The lines for everything were much too long, but the kissing booths were insane. No way would she stand in that. Instead, Dillyn watched as her friends waited patiently for their turn. It was a spectacle. Seemingly, every woman in Summer, Tennessee wanted a chance to kiss the ten eligible bachelors on display. It was a round-robin of sorts. No one knew exactly who they would get until it was their turn for a kiss.

Some guys were really into it and were doing the absolute most. Cat finally made it up to the front. She was lucky the guy she was paired with wasn’t Lucas. Palmer truly had set her sights on him. She might just strangle Cat if she broke girl code and went after him. Cat would never do something like that, though. None of them would.

The second Cat handed in her ticket, her cowboy appeared. She thought he was kind of cute. He leaned in and planted one on her. Dillyn laughed at the ridiculousness of it. It happened so fast Cat was caught off guard. It only lasted a second, but it was clear from her facial expression that her kiss was a bust. There weren’t any sparks.

A roar of hoots and hollers went up from the crowd as they had for every person who was kissed. Cat smiled politely and started making her way back toward Dillyn.

“Was it everything you hoped it would be?” Dillyn asked when she made it.

“Shit. I don’t even know. It happened so fast I didn’t even realize I’d been kissed until it was over.” Cat folded her arms across her chest. “I think I want my money back, a do-over, or something.”

“Look,” Dillyn pointed. “Palmer is next. Mmm . . . she’s going to be so disappointed. That’s not Lucas.”

Palmer stood in line, trying to play it cool. She was hoping and praying that Lucas Cash would be her guy. Palmer glanced around to see all the other women standing in line. Selah wasn’t lying when she described the men to women ratio. They were all probably hoping Lucas would kiss them too. Finally, after what felt like forever, it was Palmer’s turn.

She stepped up to the booth.

Of course, it wasn’t him.

Palmer did her best not to show her disappointment and plastered on a big smile. The guy was cute. Not Lucas Cash cute.Oh well, maybe I’ll get to shoot my shot later on today.She extended her hand to give him her ticket in exchange for a kiss.

Out of nowhere, Lucas stepped into the booth. “Excuse me. I think I’ve got this one.” Keith Jones, a ranch hand who had been thanking his lucky stars that he’d get to kiss Palmer, begrudgingly moved over to another booth.

Lucas kept his eyes trained on her. “I hope you don’t mind?”

A hush fell over the group.

“Depends on how well you kiss,” Palmer said playfully. She handed him her ticket. He clasped her hand in his and slowly pulled Palmer forward, kissing her. Most of the kisses had lasted no more than three seconds, but Lucas lost count of time with Palmer.

Someone coughed several times, bringing Palmer and Lucas out of their haze. Lucas stepped back. A lopsided grin appeared on his face. His voice was deep. “Was that good enough for you?”

Palmer typically would have had a snappy comeback, but his kiss had knocked the wind out of her. She couldn’t form one coherent thought. Instead, she just smiled, turned, and walked away.

Dillyn and Cat glanced at each other.

She seemed to be mesmerized still when she returned to her friends. “That was the most intense kiss I’ve ever had.”

“Your turn!” Selah popped out of nowhere. She placed a ticket in the palm of Dillyn’s hands and started pushing her toward the booths.

Dillyn protested. “Oh, no, I’m not. I can’t.”

“It’s for a great cause.” Selah gently pushed and prodded.

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