Page 14 of The Trouble With Attraction (Rock Canyon, Idaho 6)

Geez, you didn’t have to announce it over the loudspeaker. Bitch.

Gracie stepped into the booth, and applied a thick layer of chapstick, thinking if she saw one cold sore she was going to make a run for it.

As her first customer hesitated, Gracie waved at him with a resigned sigh. “Pucker up, buttercup, I don’t have all day.”

* * *

Eric had heard the announcement while covering Chase Trepasso’s booth, and waited impatiently for his friend to return. Chase had snuck off for some alone time with Katie Connors, and who knew when the two would be done making out. The temptation to go around the corner and pay for a kiss from Gracie was overwhelming. Sure, he might have told himself he would stay away, but that hadn’t stopped him from thinking about her until he fell asleep.

Having it bad for a girl like Gracie was going to screw him up if he didn’t get a handle on it. He’d thought about screwing her until she was out of his system, but that was harder said than done. And something told him that once he got a taste of her, it would only make things worse. Especially after their one and only kiss.

No, you need to just keep your distance and distract yourself.

But when Chase came back looking pleased with himself, a smear of red lipstick at the corner of his mouth from kissing Katie, all Eric’s good intentions went out the window.

“If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get one last kiss in with Gracie.”

Chase laughed, probably at Eric’s expense, but he didn’t care. Glancing at the time, he got in line behind six men, tempted to scare them off.

“Gentlemen, we are down to the last five minutes with the lovely Gracie. You better get those kisses in!”

Those five minutes ticked by like an hour as Eric watched Gracie close her eyes and press those sweet lips to one man after another, his fist clenched so hard they went numb.

Finally, the only thing that stood between him and Gracie was Carl Andrews.

Again.

His gaze clashed with Gracie’s over Carl’s shoulder, right before she planted a kiss on Carl that probably rocked the poor guy’s world. He saw her open her eyes, no doubt to see if he was watching.

“Alright, that’s enough of that.”

“Oh, I’m afraid Gracie’s time is up—

Eric sent Mrs. Andrews the stare of death and she snapped her mouth closed.

“I’m sure we can squeeze in one more kiss.”

Eric practically shoved Carl out of the way and laid down his dollar.

“I hope you’re going to give me my money’s worth,” Eric said.

“Gee, a whole dollar. That gets you a peck on the cheek.”

“Old Carl got quite a lot for a dollar.”

“I like Carl. You…not so much.”

“Is that a fact?” he asked.

Before she could say anything else, he bent down and cupped the back of her head with his palm, slipping his fingers into her short blond hair. As his mouth covered hers, he

tasted strawberries, mint, and Gracie as he slipped his tongue past the softness of her lips. He felt her tongue tangle with his and he wrapped his other arm around her waist, nearly bringing her over the counter of the kissing booth.

Her arms curved up over his shoulders, and it wasn’t until they almost tipped the whole booth over that Eric broke away from her, breathing hard.

Gracie’s eyes opened slowly and as the dazed green depths met his, he knew.

This was definitely not one-sided.

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