Page 25 of The Trouble With Attraction (Rock Canyon, Idaho 6)

When they were completely alone in the bar, Gracie tried to break the spell. “Well, I just wanted to drop this by as a thank you, but I need to get back to work.”

Eric set the sandwich and drink on the bar, and took a step toward her. “Is that how we’re going to play this? You pretending you don’t know exactly what I mean?”

Gracie was tempted to run for the exit, but she wasn’t a coward. “Don’t Eric. We just started to get along. Don’t ruin it.”

He placed one of his hands on her arm, and even through the heavy down of her jacket she could feel the heat. “If you’d just admit you want me instead of fighting so hard against me, we wouldn’t have such a rough time together.”

“There have been plenty of chances over the last year where we could have started something, but every time something’s gotten in the way. Don’t you think it’s about time we realized that it’s just not meant to be and try being friends?”

Eric’s other hand came up to cup her jaw and she shivered against the rough skin of his palm on her face. “Friends, Gracie Lou? That’s really all you want us to be?”

“We haven’t been there yet. We’ve been enemies and nearly lovers and acquaintances. We’ve never tried just being friends.”

Eric tipped her chin up and the intensity in his dark gaze stole her breath. “Maybe because being friends with you feels like a lie.”

It would be so easy to let him kiss her. To forget everything she’d just said and give in to every want, every desire that vibrated through her body.

Except then they’d be right back to where they’d been last Valentine’s Day and Gracie was tired of the fighting. Of hating his guts.

“Right now, it’s all I’ve got to offer.”

Chapter Twelve

October

Eric had been a good guy for nearly eight months. Things had been friendly between Gracie and him, with no kissing attempts from him and no sidelong looks from her. They’d dated other people, and attended barbeques and parties with Gemma and Travis, and nothing.

But tonight, she had to go and wear that.

Music blasted loudly through the speakers as Everett Silverton and Eric made their way through the crowd. Eric had come with Everett to the Halloween Ball and the minute they reached the DJ booth, Eric had recognized Gracie in her little black cat costume, even with the black mask covering half her face. Her blond hair curled down past her shoulders now, and her glossy lips were curled up into a smile for Callie Jacobsen, who was inside the DJ booth.

Eric’s dick stiffened under his tore up jeans and it was suddenly sweltering beneath his Jason Hockey Mask.

He tipped it up and grinned at her. “What’s up, kitty-cat?”

Gracie’s cute little nose wrinkled, but he caught the twitching of her pink lips. She wanted to laugh.

“Hey Buffy, can I borrow your stake?” Gracie asked Callie. “I need to stab something undead.”

Eric could feel them falling back into their old pattern, but it felt good. He couldn’t help himself; that costume reminded him of the sexy eighteen-year-old girl he’d tried like hell to resist. It was as though he was getting a do-over of that night, and he didn’t plan to blow it.

“Gracie Lou, you know stabbing me is the last thing you want to do.”

Gracie huffed loudly, and gave Callie a wave, completely ignoring him. “I’ll see you later.”

Before she could get too far, Eric yelled, “Why do you fight the inevitable? You know you want to have adorable kittens with me, pussy cat!”

Several people who had heard him turned to see what was going on. Gracie turned to him with a grin.

And her middle finger up in the air, directed right at him.

Eric laughed as she walked away, her long black tail twitching with the sway of her hips.

He turned to Everett, still smiling. “That woman is secretly in love with me.”

“Must be some secret,” Everett said, shooting Callie a sidelong glance, and Eric knew what was coming. Eric had known that Everett only wanted to come to see Callie, and that he had no interest in hitting on girls in costumes with Eric.

“I’ll see you later, Eric. Okay?”

---