Page 76 of Good Girls Don't Kiss and Tell (Rock Canyon, Idaho 7)

All semblances of calm gone, her voice rose two octaves. “Believe me, I am wondering what in the hell was wrong with me to even agree to this crazy scheme.”

“Well, it’s too late to back out now!” he shouted.

Dog sat up, backing excitedly, and both of them jumped. Eric had actually forgotten he’d brought him to work with him, he’d been so chill.

Gracie looked over at him, and her face softened a bit. “Oh, you got him?”

“Yeah, they called me yesterday to come get him.” Eric almost added that he’d wanted to call her but had been too chicken shit to.

“That is so great. I am so glad.” Gracie cleared her throat as she faced him again. “I did have a little freak-out. I think I just got confused because all this started to feel too real, you know? I think it was a lapse, us taking the game past a mutually beneficial relationship to…”

“Hot, pulse-pounding, extremely satisfactory fucking?” He walked toward her with a grin that felt more like his jaw was going to break, uncrossing his arms so they hung by his sides. “But I’m just a lapse? ’Cause that’s not what you were saying when you were ripping my shirt off and shoving your tongue down my throat.”

Gracie’s face flamed, and she retorted, “Yeah, well, I was horny and you were there. But now that I’ve realized how complicated things can get, I’m thinking we should go back to keeping this professional.”

He was standing in front of her now, and she had to lift her face up to look at him. He reached out his big hand and cupped her chin, running his thumb along her soft cheek. He felt her shiver and smiled knowingly. “It’s like I keep telling you, Gracie Lou, it’s not all about you. Maybe I’m not ready to give up on having your sweet little body under me.”

She planted her hands on his chest and pushed. He barely stepped back, and she tried to push him again. “You’re a jackass! I’m not going to fall down at your feet like you’re God’s gift. If I say that this twisted friends-with-benefits shit ends now, I mean it.”

He grabbed her hands, fury churning in his gut. How dare she act as though that was all there was here. “Wouldn’t it be more like enemies with benefits? I think we dislike each other too often to be real friends.”

His words had been cutting, and he regretted them instantly. But he couldn’t call them back before she ripped her hands away. “You are so right. I was delusional to think that beneath all that macho bullshit was someone with an actual beating heart.”

“Oh, I’ve got a heart, all right, but there is no way I’d open it up to someone as self-centered as you.”

“You know what? Screw you and our deal. It’s off!” She turned to head for the door.

He caught her before she got far, and pulled her slight body tight against his tall frame.

She slammed her fist against his chest, her face a deep red. “Stay the fuck away from me.”

Eric saw the tears hanging on the edge of her bottom lid and knew he had put them there. He was being a jackass as much as she was being a stubborn little shit. If he’d just talked to her instead of pulling that underhanded crap with the column….

“I didn’t tell my mother anything about you except that I like you. That’s it.”

Her lower lip trembled, and he felt the tension in her body ease slightly. “Well, I don’t like you, so…”

Eric chuckled softly. “Oh, Gracie Lou, why do you gotta lie?”

Before she could give him a scathing comeback, his mouth was on hers, cutting off whatever she’d been about to say. He turned her around in his arms, deepening the kiss, his hands sliding down her back and grabbing her round little butt, lifting her against his body. She moaned into his mouth, and he backed her up toward the bar, growling in response.

He sat her up on the counter, running his hands up over her coat to unhook the buttons. He slid his hands in, over her small breasts, the hard nipples stabbing his palm as he continued a trail down to her waist.

Gracie ran her hands over his head, down his shoulders, and gripped his arms as she gave as good as she got. His body pressed between her legs, and she locked her ankles behind his back. All that was driving him was raw need and desire. He moved his hand up to tangle in her hair, his fingers massaging the back of her neck, and nearly crowed when he felt her melt against him. He took her surrender and ran with it, sliding his other hand up under her pink sweater and trailing his fingers over her skin. God, he had missed her. Her taste, her scent. Once he reached the mound of flesh, he squeezed it gently in his palm and she made a soft sound against his mouth. She reached down and pulled him closer by his belt, rubbing against him like a cat.

A loud cough didn’t even register in his one-track brain.

“Man, that is the hottest thing I’ve ever seen in this bar.”

Gracie pulled back, sucking air and looking horrified. Eric cursed and turned with a glare. “Get the fuck out of here, Grant!”

Grant threw up his hands. “Hey, sorry to interrupt, I just forgot my wallet.”

Gracie grabbed Eric’s wrist and yanked it away from her breast and out of her sweater. He didn’t even protest when she pushed him back and scrambled off the bar. She tried to smooth her hair, and wiped angrily at her mouth. Pointing her finger at him, she punctuated her words with a bite to her tone. “Stay away from me.”

“Not a chance, sweetie.” She ignored him as she hit Grant on the arm and marched past him.

Grant rubbed his arm with a hurt expression. “I don’t know why you’re mad at me! I saved you from my big brother’s nefarious intentions.” Grant got a feminine middle finger for his troubles

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