2. Mack
CHAPTER 2
MACK
I ’ve known of Gracelyn for a long time. Her mom’s my neighbor and has been for the past decade, so of course I’ve seen her around.
But not like this.
Never like this.
Rosy cheeks, glossy lips, a nearly see-through white top and a slight tequila buzz. Her golden hair cascading over her shoulders in ringlets, wide blue eyes framed with thick lashes. She’s snack-sized, too, petite with curves for days.
Kissing her should feel wrong, on so many levels. She’s too young for me—shit, I met her before she could legally drink. Besides the whole next-door neighbor thing, she’s also friends with my best friend’s daughter.
His daughter .
Which probably makes me super creepy, I don’t know.
Except that’s not what this feels like at all.
Instead, that kiss a few moments ago felt natural. Like the universe set Gracelyn at this bar, her cute ass nestled in between my thighs, for a reason.
“So…” I lock eyes with her, a light pink flush creeping up her neck like a kudzu vine. “What was that?”
She takes a sip of her drink, those wide eyes darting around the room. Searching for Jamie, I assume.
“Long story, but the important detail here…” She leans in close, her face inches from mine. “The important thing to remember is Jamie Ware’s been my sworn mortal enemy since the fifth grade. I was on a first date tonight—it wasn’t going well, by the way—and the jerk bolted while I was in the restroom.”
She huffs out a quick breath, flipping her golden curls over her shoulder before forging on. “Jamie stalked me, wanting to meet my date. Because that’s the kind of asshole she is.”
“Ah. Your date bailed, so you needed a cover. Got it.” I swipe a hand over my jaw, surprised by the ripple of disappointment rolling through me.
“Yeah. Thanks for that. Put your beer on my tab. I owe you at least one.”
“Nah. I got it. Pretending to be your date wasn’t exactly a hardship.”
Her cheeks tinge a shade darker and she drops her eyes down to my mouth, then flicks them back up again quickly.
Damn.
Gracelyn’s all grown up and very much the kind of woman I go for. Soft curves and sass, with a tinkly laugh that sends all my blood rushing due south.
I should not get involved with her.
Horrible, terrible idea.
The only thing we probably have in common is our connection to the Carters. Coach Carter being my best friend and his daughter Sloane being Gracelyn’s.
A cheer breaks out at the bar and several guys around us high-five. UGA just scored a touchdown to beat USC.
“Go Dawgs!” Gracelyn whoops, pumping her fist into the air.
I stand corrected. Apparently, we have friends and football in common. The makings of a solid relationship.
“You’re a Georgia fan, too, huh?”
She grins, blonde curls bouncing over her shoulders. “Born this way, sorry.”
“No need to apologize. It’s my alma mater.”
“I know.”
I swallow hard, suddenly warm. The bar feels crowded now, and noisy. I very much want to leave—but not alone this time. I’ve had more fun in the last twenty minutes than I’ve had in a good, long while.
“Want to get outta here?” I cut my eyes at Gracelyn, surprised at how much I want her to say ‘yes.’
Gracelyn tips her head, blinking at me, and I hold my breath. Damn, I’m way more nervous than I should be. It’s not like I’m trying to take her home and get her naked or anything.
Not that I don’t want to. But between the age thing and the neighbor thing, a casual hookup seems like a real bad idea.
After a long minute, she nods. “Sure.”
Pulling a twenty out of my wallet, I toss the cash onto the bar and gesture to the bartender.
“See ya, Mack!” The bartender waves as I slide off the stool, my hand hovering over the sheer fabric covering Gracelyn’s lower back.
We weave through the crowd and I pull her closer to me, the seductive scent of some exotic floral perfume drifting off her skin. She smells like a mistake I’d very much like to make tonight.
Awful idea, Mack. She’s way too young. And that shit’s gonna be awkward in the morning.
I hold the door, admiring her perfect peach of an ass as she swishes past me in sky-high heels and makes her way out to the parking lot.
“Well, thanks for the drink.” She slides the tip of her tongue along her lower lip, drawing my attention straight to her mouth.
Look away. Don’t do anything stupid.
“I’m going to grab an Uber before it gets any later.” Fishing her cell out of her bag, her fingers tap on the screen.
“Don’t. I can give you a ride.”
Pausing, her crystal blue eyes fly to mine, pupils wide and dark in the pale glow of the streetlight. “You sure? I hate to put you out.”
“It’s fine. Probably not even out of my way.”
“I live in the townhouses near the high school.”
“See? That’s like a five-minute detour. C’mon.” I shove my hand in my jeans pocket and shuffle to my truck, unlocking the passenger side door for her.
“Wow. No key fob?” She cocks one brow up high, scrunching her nose.
“’Fraid not. This truck is old. Although I prefer ‘vintage.’ Sounds better.”
She giggles, the airy sound floating through the quiet lot.
“It’s cool, very classic. Love the baby blue color, too.” She lifts her foot to climb into the truck, struggling with the height and the tiny, pointy heel of her shoe.
Being a gentleman—and itching to touch her again—I slide in behind her. Gripping her at the waist to steady her, I guide her up and into the truck. I’m close enough to hear the hitch of her breath, her lips parting slightly. I grab the seatbelt and lean over, careful to avoid brushing any part of my arm against her voluptuous breasts.
“The seatbelt’s a little tricky.” I click the belt into place, winking, then pull back into my own space.
“Thanks.” Her voice comes out a husky whisper as I close the door behind her.
Hustling around to the driver’s side, I climb into the cab and crank the ignition, the floorboards rumbling with the effort. “This truck was my grandpa’s. My mom hates that I still drive it.”
“Why?” Gracelyn glances over at me, her smooth brow wrinkled in confusion.
“She claims it’s about the lack of safety features. Plus the toxic emissions and saving the environment, blah, blah, blah. But it’s really about status. She likes foreign cars. The more expensive, the better.”
“Oh.” Gracelyn’s pink lips form a perfect ‘O’ and I flash back to our kiss in the bar, wishing we were doing that again instead of jawing about my mother.
“Anyway—” I lean back against the broken-in leather seat, my arm resting on the metal sill of the window. “What’s the deal with Jamie? How’d she get to be enemy of the state?”
Gracelyn shakes her head, furrowing her brow.
“I told you. She’s an asshole. Always has been.”
“I’m gonna need examples.” I flick on my blinker and head in the direction of the high school.
“For starters, she tripped me on the bus in front of my crush. I fell and busted my knee. Bled all the way home.”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah. Then the next year, she spread a rumor that I had a pet chicken.”
I can’t hold back my chuckle at this. “A chicken? So what? Who cares that you had a chicken?”
“I know, it’s dumb. But I didn’t even have a chicken!” She throws her hands into the air. “Sloane told me to brush it off, but do you know how hard that was? Every time I walked into the cafeteria, someone would start clucking and crowing at me.”
“The horror,” I tease, sneaking at glance at her. She’s cute, all animated as she drops her face into her palms and groans.
“I know, right? Especially rough on chicken nugget day.”
I snicker. “Brutal.”
“Junior prom? That bitch wore the same exact dress as me. Like, how?” She almost smacks me in the face as she gestures wildly.
“Did you get your dress here in town? There aren’t a ton of shopping options.”
“No. That’s the crazy part. Sloane and I went over to the mall in Lightning Ridge to avoid that very scenario. Jamie had to stalk me to buy the same dress. Then the yearbook did a Who Wore it Better spread and guess who won?”
She smashes her mouth together in a thin, tight line.
“Guessing it wasn’t you.”
“Correct. Apparently, she’s a model now. Told everyone she was in Europe all last year. How can I compete with that?”
I stop at the red light, fingers thrumming on the steering wheel. “I’d say you’re winning.”
“Shut up!” She punches me lightly on the biceps and shakes her head. “Get outta town! You’re biased because I made a move on you. Or you need glasses. Because as much as I despise Jamie freaking Ware, I still freely admit that she’s attractive.”
I sneak a quick glance over at her. Moonlight bathes her face in a soft, white glow and I can’t remember the last time someone pretty as her sat in my passenger seat.
“She’s alright. Not really my type.”
Gracelyn cocks her head, blinking. “Really? Tall, willowy, and gorgeous doesn’t do it for you?”
“Meh.” I shrug.
“Do tell. What is your type then? Because I thought all guys loved that look.”
I suck my teeth, wondering exactly how honest I should be here. The events of the evening—coupled with a beer and the strong floral scent floating around in the truck cab—embolden me.
“Petite. Curvy.” I keep my eyes fixed on the road, the motor rumbling loudly in the stretch of silence. “Bold, with a big personality and a good sense of humor.”
“Huh. Jamie really isn’t your cup of tea then. All she’s got on that list is bold, but it’s more brash. Like a bad dye job. In my humble opinion, of course.”
I laugh at her analogy and she grins, teeth bright in the glow of the dash lights.
Before tonight, I hadn’t spent much time chatting with Gracelyn. I’m surprised at how easy it is, how natural it feels.
I make a right at the next light, turning into the townhome complex, and Gracelyn points at the third door from the left. “Well, this is me. Thanks for the ride.”
“No problem.”
I pull into an empty parking spot and cut the ignition. Gracelyn unbuckles her seatbelt and hops out before I can come around to get the door.
I hustle to her side and she swivels, blonde curls bobbing.
“You don’t have to walk me to the door or anything. I’m fine.” She waves her hand through the air, brushing off the gesture.
“Just to be on the safe side.” I keep pace with her, matching her strides until we’re standing on her welcome mat. She pulls the house key from her bag and slides it into the lock. I wait for her to go in, but she doesn’t turn the key. Instead, she spins around and takes one step forward. Now we’re toe to toe and she’s pressing her body close to mine. Rising, she winds her hands around my neck and scoots even closer. Her mouth hovers inches from me and our breathing syncs.
With a slight tilt of her head, she presses her lips to mine in a soft, sweet kiss. So light I’m not even sure we’re touching. Kind of like eating angel food cake. Heavenly air.
After a few long seconds, she breaks away, blue eyes glittering beneath the soft lamplight.
“Just wanted to test that out. See if it felt any different out here.”
I stare down at her. “Did it?”
“Yeah.” She nods, sucking at her lower lip. “It was better. Night, Mack.”
Then she spins and disappears into her house, leaving me standing there speechless.