“Darling! There you are!” Marian trilled, breaking through the press of the crowd and crossing the distance between her and the unwitting stranger in three quick strides. He looked reliable enough, if she was any judge of character. Then again, her apparent lack of said judgement was what had gotten her into this mess in the first place. Without glancing backward for her pursuers, Marian cupped the stranger’s rough chin in her rougher palm, ruddy lips mouthing the words ‘I’m sorry’ before capturing his for a kiss.
His gasp of surprise was a breathy flutter in her mouth, ale tinged but not entirely unpleasant. She slid her strong arms over his shoulders to keep him rooted before pulling back a fraction, her mouth still so close the pout of her bottom lip grazed his stubble as she whispered. “Are they gone?”
Marian Hawke 