Chapter Twelve
“Why is it people always ask questions they know they won’t like the answer to? It’s as though they forget the old adage, “Be careful what you wish for.” - Miss Know-It-All’s Gossip Column.
Gracie didn’t know why she’d brought that up, especially when she’d asked him to stay to make her feel better. Asking about his life as her nemesis…well, her other nemesis if she was counting Eric himself, seemed counterproductive to what she wanted.
“If it’s just going to piss you off…”
Gracie laid her head on his chest as if to prove how chill she was with his alter ego. “No, it won’t. I really want to understand why you decided to take on the guise of a woman in order to report about the goings-on of our idyllic little town.”
Eric sighed, the movement lifting her face up with the motion of his hard chest. She didn’t want to think about the few times she’d seen him shirtless and sexy as hell. That wasn’t what this arrangement was supposed to be about. She was already crossing the line tonight asking him to stay. Thinking about him in a smutty context was a big, fat no-no.
“At first, I think, it was just for fun. I would go home and write a biting paragraph or two about something I’d seen or heard. Then I bumped into Jim one day, and he said that the newspaper was having some trouble. I asked him if he’d ever considered taking on some racier columns, and he asked what I had in mind. That night, I sent him a column I wrote about Walt and Wayne falling ass over tea kettle and knocking themselves out. He said he’d laughed so hard, he almost choked. He agreed we’d try it out once and see how the town reacted.”
“And everyone went nuts for it,” Gracie said.
“Yeah, they did. It kept getting bigger and bigger. I helped Jim get the paper online, but they couldn’t get to the column without the secret password found in the print paper.”
“That was actually pretty genius, you know.”
She sensed his movement and heard the smile in his voice. “Did you just pay me a compliment?”
“Actually, it may have been a mini stroke. I think I threw up a bit.”
“Ah, that makes more sense.”
“Please, continue.”
“After that, I set up an email account and tip line and was shocked by how many pictures and tidbits came in. I started picking and choosing…”
“And you chose incidents between us a lot.”
Eric didn’t respond right away, and she wondered if he felt guilty for trashing her. “I actually got requests for gossip about us.”
Gracie’s head shot up. “Say what?”
“Yeah. People were actually rooting for us. They thought we were star-crossed lovers or some shit like that. We always sold more papers if word got around we were in it.”
“The folks in this town need to get a life. Star-crossed lovers. Blegh.”
She saw his grin flash in the dark. “For a woman bent on matchmaking everyone else, you really seem to lack a romantic side.”
It was true that she’d had a hand in more than a few of her friend’s love lives, but she didn’t get insanely invested. “I just think it’s ridiculous that someone would get so caught up in other people’s relationships. Are they really so bored that they have to be all up in everyone else’s business?”
Eric laughed. “Oh, come on. You can’t tell me that when the column wasn’t about us, you didn’t gobble it up like pie on Thanksgiving?”
“Pshaw, please. I mind my own—”
“Gemma and Travis. Ryan and Gregg. Callie and Everett—”
“Okay, okay, point taken.” She grunted as she laid her head back down and admitted grudgingly, “I may have enjoyed your column every once in a while.”
“Ah-ha! I knew it!”
She poked him in his ribs. “Doesn’t mean I forgive you for insinuating I sleep around.”
“I did not! I only said that you date a lot of guys.”
“Which people think means sleep with.”
“I can’t control what people think. And name one guy in this town, ages twenty-eight to thirty-five, that you haven’t been out with at least once.”
“That’s easy. I can name lots. Travis, Chase, Gabe—”
“Fine, but it’s no secret that you usually have a date every weekend and no guy sticks around too long.”
The conversation was slowly bringing her temper to the surface. “Women are allowed to date, and even have sex before marriage.”
“I’m just saying, instead of dating these pretty boy idiots, maybe you should just stay single until you find someone you really like.”
Gracie yanked on his beard. “Guess it’s a good thing we’re doing this fake relationship deal, huh? Gives me time to technically be single and find the right guy.”
Suddenly, Gracie found herself flat on her back with Eric’s shadow hovering over her.
“While we’re in this arrangement, there will be no dating other people.”
Her hands came up to land on his chest, pressing against the immovable wall of muscle.
“Yeah, I know. Otherwise people will know we’re faking it.”
“I just want to be sure.” She felt his fingers trail down the length of her cheek. “Besides, if Miss Know-It-All reported that the town’s favorite barista was stepping out on her bartender boyfriend, I’d have to kick the crap out of the guy.”
Gracie’s heart skipped at the growly, possessive tone. “What if I was dating John Cena?”
Eric moved, and she realized he’d flopped onto his back again. “I could take Cena with one arm behind my back.”
Gracie choked out a laugh. “Oh, right! He’d crush you in his bicep.”
“Jesus, woman, shut up and go to sleep. You’re getting on my last nerve.”
Gracie smiled in the dark. It was amazing that one man could bring her comfort, irritation, and laughter all in the span of minutes. He really wasn’t that bad.
Gracie rolled onto her side, and the smell of lavender baby shampoo hit her nostrils. The scent reminded her of Pip’s hair, and tears started falling again.
She had no idea how he’d heard her, but he rolled over and put his arm around her waist, kissing the back of her head.
“I could tell you about the time I hooked up with—”
“God, just shut up and hold me.”
His arm tightened around her. “Anything for you, Gracie Lou.”
* * *
The sound of the front door opening and closing woke Eric, who stared around at the canopy bed and pink frills in confusion.
Where in the hell…
He realized he must have fallen asleep with Gracie right about the time he heard footsteps coming down the hallway.
Mike’s voice carried through Gracie’s closed door, and Eric climbed off the bed to snag his boots. “Gracie? I’ve got your favorite donuts and am ready to drive you over to Gemma’s for some best friend bonding—”
The door opened, and Eric stood up with his boots in one hand. Mike’s gaze shifted from Eric to Gracie, who had finally woken up and was sitting up in bed.
“—time?” Mike finished.
“Mike! You know Eric, right?” Gracie said lamely.
Mike’s eyebrows shot halfway up his forehead. “Yeah, I know Eric. My question is…what’s going on?”
Gracie glance at Eric, and he waited for her to set their plan into motion. “What does it look like?”
“Like you and Eric hooked up.”
“Well, I mean…”
“We did,” Eric said, simply. “We’re hanging out.”
Mike didn’t look convinced. “Really? Then should I say congratulations?”
“Or you could step out and give us a minute to say good-bye properly.”
As if to press his point home, Eric sat down next to her, and cupped Gracie’s chin. He turned her face toward his and covered her mouth with his lips. Heat spread through his body, and his already stiff cock ached. He tried to tell his body this wasn’t real; this was about solidifying their ruse.
But when Gracie’s tongue pushed into his mouth and brushed his, he forgot about Mike and why he was kissing her in the first place. His hand moved around to the back of her neck, and he increased the pressure.
Vaguely, he heard Mike clear his throat and mumble something about waiting in the living room, but Eric didn’t give a shit where he went, as long as he left them alone.
When the door clicked shut, though, Gracie was the one to pull away, breathing hard.
“I think we more than convinced Mike,” she said.
She couldn’t have turned him off faster.
His hand dropped from the back of her head, and he looked away to concentrate on getting his boots on. Of course, she had just been participating for Mike’s benefit. It was what they were supposed to be doing.
So, why was he pissed?
“Yep. With ten days before your parents get here, we should have the whole town buzzing.”
“With a little help from Miss Know-It-All?” she asked.
He looked at her over his shoulder. “Oh, so you like her now?”
“No, but she’s useful.”
He finished tying his boots and stood up. “We have to give her something to report.”
“What do you suggest?” she asked.
He shrugged into his jacket on his way to the door. “I guess we’ll know it when the opportunity arises.”
He walked out of the bedroom door and headed into the living room, where Mike was waiting. He slowed his pace and stepped into Mike with a grin. The guy was a friend, but since staying over at Gracie’s wasn’t going to be a common occurrence, he couldn’t have him blowing the fact that they didn’t have a lot of sleepovers.
“Just letting you know, it’s probably a good idea to knock next time. Had you been ten minutes earlier, you would have caught a show.”
Mike made a face. “Shit, man, I didn’t need the imagery.”
“You’re welcome.”