I stood, tossing my bottle across the room and into the trash can by the kitchen. I’d had enough bullshit chatter and drunken laughter and was headed to my room when fingers closed around my wrist. When I turned I was surprised to see the blonde from the Chowder House, staring at me with a vixen smile and a mile of cleavage popping out of her shirt. Blouse. That word and that thought of Gracie made me smile, probably giving Blondie the wrong idea as she pushed closer, and her hand crept up my arm.
“I knew if I asked around I’d find you,” she said. She slid her body against mine, and I felt her breast brush my elbow. “You’re kinda hard to miss. Not too many guys look like you. Where ya goin’?”
I looked at her. Any other given day I would have given her a panty-dropper smile and said wherever you’re goin’, sweetheart. She was hot. Stacked. A little drunk. And more than willing. Any man’s dream.
I couldn’t believe it. I wasn’t interested. Yeah, I’d flirted a little at the restaurant, but that’d been for Gracie’s sake. I’d wanted her to feel at ease with me, not so guarded. I didn’t want to bang this drunk chick. I wanted to hole up in my room for the night, maybe send Gracie a text.
Text instead of sex. Sometime since yesterday I’d lost my fucking mind.
“Not tonight, sweetheart,” I said, and gently pushed the girl’s hands away.
She pouted her lips out and crossed her arms over her breasts. “But I drove all the way here.” I looked down at them. Yeah, I’d lost my fucking mind all right.
“Well, why don’t you go say hi to Josh Collins over there,” I said, and turned her in that direction, and pointed. “Big guy, Silverbacks cap on backward standing against the wall? Tell him I sent you over, yeah?”
The girl stared at Josh, turned, gave me a playful, if not drunken slap on the chest, and waved. “Okay, I’ll let you slide by this time. But just this once.” She sauntered off and made her way to Josh, who looked over her head and gave a nod of approval. That guy’s dick would rot off before graduation. But most said the same thing about mine. The difference was I knew Josh. His probably really would.
I made my way to the stairs and took them two at a time, reaching the second floor and my room without anyone else stopping me to talk game, sex, or beer. A fucking miracle. I locked the door, kicked off my boots, yanked off my jacket and pulled my tee shirt over my head. Then I grabbed my cell from the front pocket of my jeans and flopped onto my bed. I settled into the unmade covers and lay there in the dark, and the fluorescent light from my cell screen glared in my eyes. I tapped Gracie’s name and typed.
Me: Stop layin there thinking about me. You’ve got class in the mornin. Priorities, Sunshine.
I set my cell on my chest and stared in the dark at the ceiling. I couldn’t believe I’d slammed into her then … kissed her. When I’d told her it was spontaneous, that was the damn truth. I don’t know … I’d looked down at her, had pushed that hat off her face and … I just couldn’t fucking help myself. She’d tasted sweet. Warm. And it’d been too damn short of a kiss. It wasn’t the first time in my life I’d been compelled to kiss a total stranger. So why had it affected me the most?
My phone vibrated, and I lifted it. Just seeing her name on the screen made me smile like an idiot. Jesus, what had this quiet cowgirl with secrets done to me already? Should’ve snuck a pic of her earlier. Maybe she’d send me one. I blinked and read her text.
Gracie: My priorities are in order, thank you very much. I was just getting ready for bed. Haven’t you had enough of me for one night?
Me: Hardly. So tell me what spooked you in the restaurant, Gracie.
No one had ever accused me of being subtle. I just always found it better to get to the point, whether I’d known you ten years or one day. And the point was, whatever happened at the restaurant with Gracie bothered the hell out of me, and I wanted to know what was up. I waited, and thought maybe she wouldn’t answer me. Then, she did.
Gracie: You’re very pushy for a virtual stranger. Nothing spooked me. I was embarrassed by the enormous amount of soda that drowned me. Then I got a little dizzy in the bathroom. That’s all. But thank you for your concern.
Me: You didn’t look dizzy, Gracie. You looked scared shitless.
Gracie: Quite an imagination you got there, Southie. I kneed your family jewels within seconds of meeting you. Not the reaction of your average scaredy cat. Do you show this kind of heroic concern with all the girls?
Me: Guess you bring it out in me. Maybe you’re tougher than you look but I doubt it. Guess I’ll just have to keep an eye on you, Gracie.