Free Then Summer Came by C. R. Jennings Page B

he’d obviously missed me as much as I'd missed him and wasn't going to end our kiss, I squeezed him and gave him one more second of passion, and then I relaxed out of his arms reluctantly. 
    "Nice of you to show your face, Easton.  Finally ."  She sounded snide, but I knew she was only ribbing Derek. 
    I laughed and softly kissed his lips again.
    He opened his eyes.  "What was that for?" he asked, breathless. 
    My eyes locked with his immediately, and a wry grin spread across his lips.  My mouth fell open, and he blinked his big, brown eyes at me… Beck's big, brown eyes. 
    "Are you guys gonna speak to Jared, or not?" Emily asked, pulling at my arm. 
    I stared at Beck, dying to slug him in the shoulder or yell at him.  Who the hell did he think he was kissing me like that ?  I'd thought he was Derek, but he knew better.  He could've stopped what had just happened. 
    I could feel the fluttering in my stomach and tingling heat in my cheeks.  Why did he always have to find a way to embarrass me ?
    "Lissa?"  She sounded irritated. 
    I blinked blankly at Beck.  I couldn’t look away…I was just that shocked.
    He winked at me and slid his arm around my waist.  "Hey, man," he said turning us toward Emily and her date, "Jared, is it?"  He extended his hand to him and crushed me into his side. 
    Jared shook his hand, and Emily bounced like a giddy teenager, hugging close to her date's tire-sized bicep. 
    Jared held his hand out to me, offering an introduction. 
    "Lis?"  Beck nudged me, noticing I was just staring at Jared’s hand. 
    I played along.  "H-hi."  I cleared my throat.  "I'm Lissa." 
    Emily was staring at me as if she'd just been told I had the plague.  I didn't think I could tell her that I was so spaced out because I'd just had my tongue passionately crammed half way down my fiancé's brother's throat. 
    "Uh, excuse us," I said and turned into Beck, shoving him back toward the bar.  He shook his head comically at Emily and her date in a she’s-crazy manner.
    He backed up until he hit the wall.  He looked amused, which only made me madder.  I eyed his suit and realized that his undershirt was unbuttoned several buttons, he had no tie on, and his jacket was open and loose.  Why couldn’t he have been facing me a minute ago?  I would’ve known without a doubt that it wasn’t Derek.  Derek never wore a suit casually . 
    "What the hell was that?" I grilled him and punched at his shoulder. 
    He threw his hands up in surrender, but his grin was smug. 
    "Beck!" 
    "A damn good kiss you've been fending off for weeks?” he shrugged.  “I'm just guessing." 
    "You know I thought you were Derek!  Why didn't you push me away?  Why didn't you do something?" 
    "I’m sorry.  I don't make a habit of turning away beautiful women who jump my bones." 
    "I didn't…whatever, Beck!  You knew I thought you were Derek.”
    I spun away for him, but he grabbed my wrist and called after me.  "Hey!  We’ve been having a really good time. I wasn't trying to fuck it up.  Lissa, don't be pissed." 
    I scoffed. 
    "I know I rib you all the time, but I just like to fuck with Derek's girlfriends about the stupid twin shit.”
    “Well, I’m his fiancé!” I retorted. 
    “I know.”  He dropped my wrist.  “I really wouldn't ever try to get you to do something you didn't want to do." 
    "Except kiss you!" 
    "That was my bad,” he admitted with a shrug, “but in my defense, I said I wouldn't try to get you to do something you didn't want to do.  You wanted that…" 
    "No—" 
    " I'm just kidding , Lissa ! Come on."  He prodded me with his elbow.  "Let me buy you a drink." 
    “I don’t think so.”
    “One drink.”
    “Ugh,” I growled, and sat down on a stool.  "I'll have a scotch and a Mojito."  
    “Two it is!” he said slapping the bar countertop. 
    “Beck’s friends came up as the bartender was handing him our drinks.  He introduced me, and we sat and sipped our