Mistletoe Between Friends by Samantha Chase Page B

forced into the spotlight.
    â€œMistletoe,” she said as she pulled a sprig out of the square, gold box. “I know it usually gets hung during all of the hoopla, but after Cam and Lily’s story of how magical their mistletoe time was in New York, I wanted them to hang it and to see them kiss under it.”
    His mother was going to be the death of him. Before he could say or do anything, Lily spoke up. “Angela, you know Cam isn’t big on PDA. Don’t embarrass him, or I’ll never get him to do anything spontaneous again.” She said it lightly, like his reaction wasn’t a big deal, but Lily knew that if their families forced the issue, Cam would back out of the fake relationship out of sheer embarrassment.
    Then, much to her surprise, Cam stepped forward, took the mistletoe from his mother, and then winked at Lily. “C’mon,” he said, moving across the room to take her by the hand. “You know the drill. The mistletoe goes right in this doorway.” The archway was ten feet tall, and normally one of the men stood on a ladder to hang it. Lily let out a screech when Cam lifted her up and balanced her on his shoulder before handing her what she needed to hang it.
    â€œCam, let me down.” She giggled as the whole family formed a crowd behind them.
    â€œNuh-uh. Not until you hang the mistletoe,” he said teasingly, loving the happiness he heard in her voice again.
    â€œI can’t believe you are making me do this,” she said, but reached up and put the decoration in its proper place. “There. All done.”
    Cam maneuvered her so she was facing him as he slowly slid her body down the front of his. He was torturing himself and figured in for a penny, in for a pound. “You know what they’re waiting for,” he whispered with a wicked grin.
    Without a word, Lily looped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for the kiss she had been missing all day. This was no kiss between friends; it had the intimacy of lovers, and soon there were hoots and hollers behind them and a whistle or two. She smiled against Cam’s lips as she reluctantly pulled away. She hugged him as they faced their audience. “I guess he’s getting over his aversion to PDA,” she said with a laugh, and everyone joined in.
    The remainder of the night was uneventful and when it was time to say good night with the promise to do it all again on Sunday, Cam walked Lily out to her car. “Do you think they’ll think it’s weird we didn’t drive here together?” he asked, searching for something to say to take his mind off the kiss they’d shared.
    Lily shook her head. “We’re dating, Cam. That doesn’t mean we’re joined at the hip. They know we still have our own lives.”
    â€œI guess.” When they reached Lily’s car, he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do. She turned to face him and then looked behind him and chuckled. “What? What’s so funny?”
    â€œI don’t mean to put any pressure on you, but clearly we’re still this evening’s entertainment.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?” He started to turn around but Lily stopped him. “What? What’s going on?”
    She giggled. “They’re trying very hard to be discreet, but I can see them all peeping through the curtains to watch us say good night.”
    â€œWhy? What’s the big deal about us walking out to our cars?”
    Men were so clueless, Lily thought to herself and sighed. “They aren’t used to you being so…affectionate. They’re hoping to catch you kissing me again.”
    â€œSeriously?” The urge to look over his shoulder was strong but he held back, not wanting anyone to think he was doing this for show. Well, that was exactly why they were doing it, but there was no reason to give their families something to doubt already. Cam had seriously hoped to not have to be