Page 84 of Good Girls Don't Kiss and Tell (Rock Canyon, Idaho 7)

A soft snore was his answer, and he carried her back to his bedroom, slipping her gently under the covers. He undressed quietly and reached out for her. She snuggled against him, and he was so tempted to say the words he’d been holding back all week, but he resisted. He needed to learn how to be patient.

* * *

Gracie woke up the next morning in Eric’s bed, wrapped up in a tangle of long arms and legs. She smiled at the familiar smell of his cologne and wiggled closer to him. She’d stayed late at Michael’s, talking about everything that had been going on with them, and when she’d left, all she could think of was being with Eric. She hadn’t realized she’d left her phone at The Local Bean until she’d reached into her purse to call Eric and let him know she was heading to his house. She hadn’t felt like going to the shop to get it and had continued out to his house to wait for him.

This week had flipped something inside her. When Eric had taken care of her without expecting anything in return, and after the way she’d behaved with him, she’d realized she needed to be better. To stop letting fear of being hurt determine the direction of her romantic life.

But was she ready to think about an actual relationship with Eric?

Little needles of jealously stabbed at her when she thought of another woman waking up with him every morning, making dinner with him until food was forgotten and all they hungered for was each other. Another woman who would call him on his bullshit and bear his children. Another woman who would kiss him fifty times a day and grow old with him.

The thought of Eric with anyone else made her ill, but no matter how much she cared, she wasn’t sure if they were right for each other. It had to go beyond just feelings and down to what they both wanted for the future. She had been too afraid to ask any heavy questions about kids, afraid he’d think she was trying to move fast. A month was not long to date someone, and definitely too soon to start talking about marriage.

Unless you know that person is the right one.

She frowned at herself. Romantic craziness got you into trouble, and that was trouble she didn’t need. They were happy right now. No sense in rocking the boat.

And her feelings for him were definitely different from anything she’d ever felt before. She just wasn’t sure yet what to do with them except to treat him with all the respect and care that he’d done for her. That was a good start.

She slipped out of his arms to make breakfast. Fuzz got up to go with her.

When she reached the door, his voice stopped her. “Where are you off to?”

She turned toward him. He looked blurry-eyed and ornery and sexy. She couldn’t stop the goofy smile that spread across her mouth. “I was going to make us food.”

He shook his head. “Forget it. You’ve been sick all week and don’t need to strain yourself. Come back to bed, and we’ll get donuts later.” He held his arms out. “Hurry up, woman, it’s freezing without you.”

“Well, gee, since you asked so nicely.” She walked back to the bed and crawled into his arms. His big hand played with her hair and ran down her back, over the cotton of his T-shirt.

“How was work?” she asked.

He shrugged. “It was work. People got drunk, acted stupid, and I called them a cab. What did you do yesterday? Somebody said they saw your car parked at Mike Stevens’s.”

She looked up to see his expression. His eyes were closed and his face was relaxed. “Yeah, I went there after I spent the afternoon with my mom. We exchanged Christmas gifts and talked.” Several moments ticked by before she prodded, “Who said they saw my car?”

“I don’t know. I think it was Kirsten.” His voice held something she couldn’t place.

She leaned up on an elbow and tried teasing. “Were you jealous?”

He opened his eyes and looked at her face so directly, she froze. “Yes.”

His answer startled her, and a tiny part of her was thrilled. “Why were you jealous? I told you that Mike and I are just friends and that’s all we’ll ever be.”

“I don’t know.” Eric ran his hand over his face with a groan. “Just thought maybe you might have changed your mind.”

“Not yet. I promise you’ll be the first to know if I do, though.” She said it lightly, adding a kiss to let him know she was kidding. It was so strange to think of this big, macho guy feeling so insecure. It was just another clue that what was between them had somehow become real. “So, what should we do today?”

The shadows left his eyes, and he wiggled his bushy black eyebrows. “I could think of a few things.”

She ran her hand over the soft down hair covering his scalp. She was surprised he was letting it grow.

“Oh yeah?” she purred. “Well, what are you waiting for?”

* * *

Eric held his breath as her lips trailed down his neck. Her hands were doing little circles over his body, and after weeks without her, his cock was ready to explode. He waited with bated breath while her hand slid over his stomach and under his boxers. He lifted his head to kiss her, playing softly over her lips. She responded briefly, kissing him back hard, but then pulled away to trail her mouth over his bared abdomen. She hovered over him, her breath warming the front of his boxers. She slipped her hands into the top and slid them down.

His cock sprang free, and Gracie’s hand wrapped around the base of him just before her mouth covered his tip.

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