Page 13 of Perfect Harmony

“Dude!” Lucas turned to Connor as Gracelaughed and brushed past him.

“I didn’t say anything,” Connor said innocently.

“Cold, man, real cold,” Lucas said with agrin before following Grace into the house. “Gracie, you can’t believe a wordhe says about me.”

“You okay?” Preacher’s voice was low.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Gideon gritted outbetween clenched teeth.

“You look like you’re about to have astroke,” Preacher said.

“I’m fine,” he said. “Just fine.”

* * *

Okay, so flirting a little with Lucas infront of Gideon was a shit thing to do. Grace could admit that. But she wasonly human, and it felt good to have Gideon see that someone found herattractive and desirable. Just because he didn’t want to touch her with a ten-footpole, didn’t mean other guys weren’t up to it.

The fact that she wasn’t interested inLucas as anything more than a friend was a slight problem, though.

“Do you know where they keep the garbagebags?” Lucas said.

“Yes,” Grace pointed to the cupboard abovethe fridge, “in that cupboard.”

“Perfect. So, this Kira and Connor thingis going really well, huh?” He grabbed a garbage bag and held it open for her.

“It is.” She dumped the paper plates shewas holding into the bag. “I’m happy for them.”

“I am too.” Lucas’s smile was genuine. “Connoris a great guy and he deserves a wonderful woman like Kira.”

“So, are you excited about moving back to asmall town or wishing the promotion was in New Cassel?” Grace said.

“I’m looking forward to being back in asmall town, even if it is Harmony Falls,” he said teasingly.

“Has your family disowned you for giving upyour status as a Willie and becoming a Harmonizer?”

He burst out laughing. “Oh God, I forgotall about those stupid high school nicknames.”

“Did you play baseball in high school?” Gracesaid.

“Didn’t everyone?”

“Were you at the championship game where wethrew wieners at the Willington crowd while chanting, ‘Eat our willies’?”

He leaned against the counter, morelaughter bellowing out. “Shit, yes. The next year we fought back by bringingharmonicas and loudly playing them every time a Harmony Falls player was up tobat.”

She joined him in laughing. “I rememberthat too. It was surprising just how loud hundreds of harmonicas could be.”

He held his stomach as he laughed harder,tears coming to his eyes. He really was very handsome, Grace decided. Handsomeand easy going and he didn’t seem to have a giant stick up his ass like acertain sheriff she knew. Maybe she should try dating him. It couldn’t hurt,right?

Maybe Lucas would be an amazing kisser andshe’d forget all about what it felt like to have Gideon’s mouth on hers, tohave his big hand cupping her breast, and his erection pushing against herhip.

Despite her exhaustion, her body wasalready reacting to just the memory of that night three years ago. Her nippleswere hardening in her bra and a familiar low throb was starting in her pelvis.She hadn’t been kissed or touched by a man since that night, and she needed tobe angry about that. Needed to really understand what a problem that was andhow she had to do something about it.

But she was too tired and too emotionallyunstable to dwell on exactly why, now that she’d had Gideon’s tongue in hermouth, she had precisely zero urge to kiss another man.

Nope, that was a conversation for when she’dhad some sleep.

“Hey, Grace?” Lucas had stopped laughing.

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