Page 3 of The Trouble With Attraction (Rock Canyon, Idaho 6)

“Okay, sissy-lala, first off, this is your dad’s bar; you pour drinks. Second, there was no assault. That was a tap, and if you tried to press charges, all the cops would laugh at you,” she said.

Eric didn’t even argue with her about the bar. Since his dad was semi-retired, he was doing a lot more than pouring books and since the family split the business four ways, he most definitely was an owner, but it wasn’t worth getting into now.

“Hey, I’ve got a dozen witnesses that will back my side.”

“Not once I offer them free coffee for life. Believe me, my coffee is like crack to this town and I am their supplier, which makes me all great and powerful like the fucking Wizard of Oz.”

Eric snorted, trying to smother a laugh. She was just so full of it.

“You have me there…oh, wait. I have beer. And chili fries.” An evil grin spread across his lips. “I win.”

“Fine, if you want to be a pussy about a little nudge, be my guest. Now get out of my way. I’m freezing in here.”

“You’ve got a dirty mouth for such a sweet looking woman,” he said.

“Too bad you’ll never know just how dirty I can get.”

The taunt slapped him across the face, dragging a ragged breath from him as heat surged through his body, pooling between his legs and making his cock stiffen as he pictured that glossy pink mouth saying all the things he’d only imagined.

“Is that a challenge, Gracie Lou?” His tone was dark, and he watched her green eyes flare wide. Was that apprehension or excitement he saw in the mossy depths?

“Don’t make me laugh.” But she wasn’t laughing, far from it. Her voice was husky and soft, and he wondered if he took her mouth now, would she fight him or kiss him back.

“What? If you feel nothing but disgust for me, then what would it hurt if I decided to devote all of my energy to making you get very-”

He stepped away from the door towards her, enjoying the way she backed up. Was it bad that he liked stalking her across the room like a wolf after a deer?

“- very dirty.”

Gracie was up against the shelf of produce now, and his put his arms up, hanging onto the metal shelves on either side of her.

“What do you think? Should I make it my mission to make you beg for me?”

His body hovered over hers, nearly touching and it was pure torture on his end. He wanted to press into her warmth to escape the cold.

The door opened behind Eric, and he turned his head. Too late, it gave Gracie the chance to escape.

She ducked under his arm and rushed to where his brother Grant stood in the doorway, his jaw wide open against his chest.

When she was a safe distance away, she faced him again, and he didn’t miss the fact that her nipples were hard and pressing against the front of her dress. Was that because of him or the cold?

“The next time you pull something like this, I’m going to take out your nut sack with my fingernails.”

She stomped past Grant, who looked from her to Eric, a stupid grin on his face. “Do I even want to ask?”

Chapter Two

A week later, Gracie smoothed down the skirt of her pink polka dot halter dress as she stood backstage at the Rock Canyon Annual Valentine’s Day Auction. When she’d volunteered her friend Ryan and herself, she never imagined she’d be this nervous. What if no one bid on her? Mike had already committed to bidding on Gemma Carlson, their other friend. Geez, she seemed to be the only one in this circle of friendship who didn’t have anyone specific that was planning on claiming her.

“Gracie McAllister!”

Gracie realized Buck Henderson was calling her onstage. Buck volunteered to host the auction every year and was a sweet man, wonderful really, and even his youngest son Grant was a good guy.

It was just Eric she had a problem with.

Gracie’s green eyes narrowed just thinking about the obnoxious bartender. God, he was a jackass! She still couldn’t get over that stunt he pulled in the cooler. Man, it made her blood boil.

That isn’t all it does though, if you’re being totally honest, huh?

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