It wasn't until nine o'clock when Trip showed up at work to surprise me.

It was a pretty slow night and I had just been daydreaming about him from behind my post at the front register. I was envisioning a Sixteen Candles-type scenario; Trip and me sitting on his dining room table, sharing our first kiss over my birthday cake.

And suddenly, poof! there he was, right there in the flesh.

He strolled in wearing black jeans, a gray jacket, and a shit-eating grin. "Happy birthday!"

I smiled ear-to-ear when I told him, "I knew you'd come."

He leaned his forearms against the counter I was standing behind. "So... Do I even need to ask?"

I dug underneath the shelf into my purse, coming up with my father's keys and jangling them in front of his eyes in answer.

"Awesome! You passed! I knew you would."

I couldn't keep the satisfaction from my voice when I replied, "Thanks. Even aced parallel parking."

"Thatta girl."

He reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a twin-pack of Twinkies. He tossed them on the counter saying, "I baked you a cake."

It was no Jake Ryan move, but it was close enough for me. "Oh, Trip!" I exaggerated. "You shouldn't have."

He snickered, "Don't pretend like Twinkies aren't your favorite. I went to a lot of trouble to get those for you."

He was right. I freakin' loved Twinkies.

"Well, I appreciate it," I said. "Thanks for the late night delivery."

He shrugged and offered sheepishly, "I just thought it would suck that you had to work on your birthday. Does it?"

I don't know how I managed to get the words out, but I leaned forward and replied, "Well, it did... until now."

He smirked and drummed the counter before saying, "Hey, I gotta go, but I'll see you at school tomorrow, right?"

"Yep. I'll be there."

He stood there for an extra second, just locked onto my eyes, and before I could ask him what was up, he leaned across the counter toward me. I was a statue as his hand slipped around my neck, his rough fingers at my nape, his knuckles brushing under my hair. As if that weren't thrilling enough, the next thing I registered was his face coming closer to mine before his lips offered a sweet, slow kiss on my cheek.

Just that small contact was like a lightning bolt through my body, a splash of ice water in my veins. I couldn't breathe very well at that second, but I managed to catch the warm scent of him, all sugary and soapy and sending shivers down my skin.

He pulled back, looking almost as stunned as I felt. "Happy birthday, Layla."

He regained his composure quickly enough, because his wide grin swiftly returned as he offered, "See you tomorrow."

I stared as he walked out the door, hating to see him go but loving the view as I watched him walk away.