Ludicrous [Ridiculous Spin-off]

Valentine's Teaser

"Valentine's Day is a holiday for greeting card companies and vapid commercialism." I cross my arms, leaning against the kitchen counter and daring her to contradict me.

Sophie scoffs, still leaning over the pink and red cookie, the decorating tip held in her hand with surgical precision. "In case you haven't noticed, Mr. Pessimist, I'm one of the people who benefit from your 'vapid commercialism.'"

"That's beside the point," I insist.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." She pauses, eyeing the cookie before poking the tip her tongue out of the corner of her mouth in concentration and resuming her work. For some reason, the tiny flash of pink makes my heart skip a beat. With a delicate motion, she finishes off the treat and makes a satisfied sound. "Here. Come try this for me."

"I'm not contributing to your vapid commercialism."

"Luke Saxon, you keep using those words. I do not think they mean what you think they mean," Sophie retorts, taking the cookie in hand and crossing the kitchen. She holds it out to me, but I keep my arms crossed and simply raise a brow at her. She raises hers right back. "Don't make me hold you down."

"You wish."

"Just try it."

"Sophie, it's frilly."

"It adds to the flavor. Baker's secret." She dips her head and grins at me. "I mean, unless you find your manhood being threatened by a frilly cookie."

"Shut up," I say, moving to snatch it from her hand. She holds it away, intent on keeping away the very thing she had just been convincing me to try. Maddening woman.

Suppose it runs in the family, that. I had dated her cousin once. Mallory Everton, her name was. That had certainly ended well. Not that it ever could have done anything besides ending. I didn't begrudge her that. It was that my brother, Lawrence, and her coworker and now-fiancé, Matt, had gotten dragged into the almost fatal mix that had caused so many problems.

I'm ejected from that train of thought by Sophie holding her stupid cookie to my lips, and I take it all in one bite just to stop her from teasing me with it anymore.

Her hand lingers for a moment before she brushes a crumb from my lips so lightly I almost think I imagined it. A second later she turns away, moving to the sink to wash her hands.

Maybe it's the time of year, however much I despise it. Maybe she put something in those cookies. I don't know.

I just know that that's the moment I realize.

Damn it, Luke, you're in love with her.

The thought stops me cold. I couldn't be in love with her. I don't fall in love. It's not something I do. The only person I ever loved was my brother. A psychopath. A dead psychopath, as of four months ago.

My mind races to fill itself with something else, and I hardly even realize my mouth is still full of cookie. "Tastes look sugar," I say through the crumbs.

"Oh, get over yourself." She turns her head, blonde ponytail whipping from one shoulder to the other as she fixes me with a glare.

Yeah.

I'm in love with her.

Ludicrous: Coming April 2017