Page 6 of Good Girls Don't Kiss and Tell (Rock Canyon, Idaho 7)

How did he know Darrin was supposed to come? Oh, Mike and his big mouth.

“Darrin had something come up, so we’re going to meet up later.”

Eric’s grin widened. “Got cold feet about meeting your friends, huh?”

Gracie was pretty sure that was exactly what had happened, but there was no way she’d admit it to Eric. “No, he’s very busy with lawyerly stuff.”

“Right.” Eric reached up and wrapped a blonde strand of her hair around his finger, making her heart skip several beats. “I gotta say, Gracie Lou, I do like your hair long.”

“I didn’t grow it for you.” Damn it, why did her voice have to sound so breathless?

“I know. I still like it, though.” He tugged on the length playfully. “You could say thank you when someone pays you a compliment.”

Regaining some of her sense, she said, “You didn’t. You told me you liked it, which isn’t really a compliment, it’s a fact. A compliment would be if you told me my hair was pretty.”

She didn’t get to hear his response before Gemma and Travis’s twelve-year-old son, Charlie, popped up at her side and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Aunt Gracie, can I have a piece of cake now?”

Big blue eyes with dark lashes stared into hers pitifully, and she knew exactly what he was doing. The kid had learned how to work her at an early age. Besides, she loved kids, especially this one.

She ruffled his brown curls, noticing that she had to reach up instead of down to do so. Pretty soon, he was going to be taller than her.

“No, but I can sneak you the first piece when we cut it.”

“Fine,” Charlie grumbled, and started to walk away.

Eric snatched him by the back of the collar so fast, Gracie gasped. He wrapped his arm around Charlie’s neck and gave him a noogie. “What the heck, man? No hi for me?”

Charlie struggled, laughing. “Sorry, Eric, I didn’t recognize you with the rat on your face.”

Gracie covered her mouth, trying to stifle her giggles.

“Why you little shit, I’ll teach you some manners! Travis! I’m going to beat your son!”

Gracie looked around Eric and Charlie to find Travis still on the couch, looking unconcerned for his son’s safety.

“Don’t mess with his face! We got family pictures later,” Gemma joked.

“Mom!” Eric’s other hand found Charlie’s ribs, and, despite the kid’s advanced age, Gracie knew how ticklish Charlie was.

He screamed and squealed desperately crying between breathless laughter, “Aunt Gracie! Help!”

The fun was contagious, and Gracie shrugged out of her jean jacket. “All right, that’s it. You unhand my godson, or I’m going to pluck all the hairs from your chinny chin chin.”

Eric’s dark eyes twinkled at her. “Bring it on, Blondie—ow!”

Gracie had grasped his beard in her hand and gave it a gentle tug. He quickly released Charlie, but before Gracie could escape, she found herself caught in Eric’s steely arms, pressed against his tall, hard body.

Her fingers fell away from his beard and rested against his chest. The air around them turned up to a hundred and three, and despite the heat, Gracie shivered.

“Caught you. Now you’re going to pay.”

* * *

Eric was breathing hard, aware of Gracie’s small, round breasts against the front of his body. Despite the fifteen inches that separated her five foot two to his six foot five, it seemed as though their mouths were much closer.

Eric realized he was bending over, about ready to lay one on Gracie in a room full of people, just as Charlie decided to launch himself onto his back. Charlie wrapped his arms and legs around Eric like a spider monkey and yelled in his ear, “Run, Aunt Gracie! I got him!”