Christopher chuckles and puts his beer down onto the ground. Everyone is laughing and joking as they take each other’s hands.

“As we wait for the full moon to come in, we are going to do two things,” the DJ calls.

Christopher and I laugh. This is ridiculous.

“We are going to count down, and then you are going to look the person in the eye. Tell them how many people you have slept with, and then you are going to tongue kiss them.”

The bar erupts with laughter.

What?

“Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.”

“How many people have you slept with?” the DJ cries.

Christopher’s eyes hold mine. “I don’t know.”

“One,” I whisper.

I take his face in my hands and kiss him. My tongue slowly slides through his big lips, and he kisses me back.

Slow and tender, and his eyes flutter closed.

Oh . . .

His arm snaps around my waist, and he drags me closer. The kiss deepens.

And as I hear cheering and laughing in the background . . . we keep kissing.

Just the right pressure and a little suction.

He pulls out of the kiss and stares at me. His forehead crinkles. “What was that?” he snaps.

“I kissed you.”

“One?”

Oh crap . . . that’s what he’s been thinking about the whole time?

Embarrassed, I nod.

“One?” He gasps.

“Uh-huh.”

He stares at me for a beat, and his arm snakes around me again, and he pulls me closer. “Come here,” he growls.

Shit.

“No.” I pull out of his arms. “I have to go.”

“Why?”

“Because you have to keep shooting those fish in barrels.” I shrug. “And I have to swim upstream.”

Chapter 6

CHRISTOPHER

I watch her walk off as she disappears through the crowd.

One.

One . . . how is it one? Nobody is one.

My tongue swipes over my bottom lip. It’s still buzzing from that hot fucking kiss.

Hmm . . .

That was unexpected. She isn’t even my type.

“Christo,” I hear someone call.

I turn to see Bernadette. Her arms are wide as she rushes for me. “You didn’t kiss me yet, darling.” She slides her arms around my behind as she pretends to hug me. “It’s the full moon.”

Ugh, this woman is like a rash.

“You weren’t near me.” I fake a smile as I peel her hands off my behind.

Go away.

“That doesn’t matter.” She laughs as she leans in for a kiss . . . I lean back and glance over to see Hayden being led to the dance floor by some guy.

She’s laughing, and he spins her around.

What?

“Kiss me.” Bernadette smiles dreamily up at me.

For fuck’s sake . . . not now, woman.

“No, no, no,” I reply. “We’re roommates,” I tell her. “No hanky-panky.”

I crane my neck to see what Hayden is doing. The guy is talking to her, and she’s laughing as she listens attentively in return.

Hmm . . .

Bernadette goes up on her toes and leans in for the kiss. “Stop.” I wince, annoyed. I push her off me and march toward the dance floor. I fake a smile to the guy and lean in to Hayden. “Can I have a word?”

“What about?” she says loudly, so the guy can hear.

Great.

“Bernadette, our roommate, has gone completely mad, and I need you over here for a moment to talk sense into her.”

“Oh . . .” Her face falls.

“I’ll wait here for you,” the guy says.

“That won’t be necessary,” I reply. I drag her to the bar.

She begins to look around. “Well, where is she?”

“Oh, look, she’s better now. Listen,” I blurt in a rush. “We have other things to discuss.”

She frowns.

“That kiss . . . now, that was unexpectedly hot, and we need to do it again so that I can fully gauge the situation.”

“So Bernadette hasn’t gone completely mad?” She frowns.

“Who gives a fuck? Listen . . . ,” I continue. “About that one-lover thing . . .”

“Are you serious?” she snaps.

“Deadly.” I put my arms around her and pull her close.

“Stop it.” She pushes me away. “I don’t want to kiss you.”

“What?” I gasp. “Why not?”

“Ew . . . you’re not my type.”

“Ew?” I widen my eyes. How rude. “What are you talking about? I’m everybody’s type.”

“Not mine.”

“You don’t even know your type yet. There was only one. Here, I’ll show you.” I reach for her again.

“I like blond, skinny, and sensitive.” She bats her eyelids to be a smart-ass.

The exact opposite of me.

I can’t help myself. I retaliate. “We do have some things in common. I like blonde, skinny, and horny.”

Ugh . . . stop talking, fool.

“Good for you.” She holds her arms out to the crowd. “There are plenty of them here. Go get one.”

What is this woman doing? Nobody has ever knocked me back before.

“Don’t you think we should explore that kiss a little further, do some investigative research?” I ask her.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I didn’t like it.”

“What?” I gasp. “That kiss was fucking hot, Grumps. What are you talking about?”

“Not for me. It was a bit sloppy, if I’m honest.”

I stare at her, horrified.

What do you mean?

“Well . . . that was all your fault,” I splutter. “You threw in the number one thing right before, and I was shell shocked, that’s all. I can do better.” I grab for her. “I’ll show you now.”

“Goodbye, Christopher.” She turns and walks back to that guy on the dance floor.

I stand still, outraged, my hands firmly planted on my hips.