by Codi Gary
Eric took a beer from the cooler in the back of Travis’s truck and popped the top. “Thank God I don’t have a girlfriend to answer to.”
“I think the hot sex we get to have makes up for it,” Gabe said.
Chase shot him a disgruntled look. “Speak for yourself. My wife’s body pillow is getting more action than me.”
All of the men chuckled, since Chase’s wife, Katie, was due the month before Gemma in January.
“And I get all the sex I want. With different women.”
A silver CRV pulled up the drive and past them, the driver waving at them. Eric recognized Gracie through the glass, and took a long pull from his beer. It was no secret that Gracie and he had been having a weird back and forth thing for almost two years now, but after he’d almost confessed how he really felt about her at the Halloween Ball two weeks ago and she’d walked away with some dork she’d met online, he was done.
For good this time.
“Guess Gracie’s new boyfriend bailed,” Mike said.
Eric raised an eyebrow. “Who? That lawyer?”
“How do you know about the lawyer?” Mike asked.
“I met him at the Halloween Ball.”
Mike ran a hand through his brown hair, ruffling the short strands. “Yeah, I guess she invited him and he said he would come. Must have gotten cold feet.”
“Or he’s bringing his own car in case he needs to escape,” Travis said.
Gabe tossed his beer can into the trash. “Now, who would want to escape all of this fun?”
Eric was contemplating a speedy exit himself when he heard his mother yelling his name.
The guys started heckling him about his mommy calling him and Eric flipped them the bird as he walked up the driveway to the house. He came up behind Gracie while she was head first in the back of her CRV, wearing lacy white dress, tights, and cowboy boots. Her blond hair traveled past her shoulders now, covering up the collar of her jean jacket and he had to admit that he liked it better than the shorter do she usually sported.
“Need some help?” he asked.
She jumped a mile in the air with a scream, and dropped the brightly wrapped package in her hands.
“Geez, do you have to sneak up on people? Do you understand that if I was holding Gemma and Travis’s cake, you would have been the reason it was smashed to bits?”
Eric held up his hands in surrender. “I was just offering to carry stuff in for you. No need to bite my head off.”
Gracie’s cheeks turned a deeper shade of cheek, and he hated that he noticed how it brought out the green of her eyes.
“I’m sorry. It’s been a rough day. I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”
Eric was surprised by her apology. Most of the time she would snap back at him, something snarky that would set his teeth on edge.
“It’s fine, we all have them. Do you want some help or what?”
“Sure, can you grab the presents while I get the cake?”
He reached past her to pick up the packages and their shoulders bumped. He was close enough to smell the fruity scent of her hair, and notice the shine in the blonde strands, almost as though she sprayed it with glitter.
“Are you having fun?” she asked abruptly.
Eric couldn’t stop his laugh. “At a baby shower? Sure, I’m having a blast.”
“Oh come on, it hasn’t even started, so it can’t be that bad.”
“All of my friends are wearing diapers that may or may not have fake poo in them on their shirts.”
Gracie juggled the plastic cake container into her arms, shaking her head. “It’s a game. Two of the diapers have a brown circle in them and if you have one of them, you get a prize. How is winning ever a bad thing?”
Eric closed her hatch for her. “This kind of thing is just not meant for me. You ladies would have more time sitting around giggling, and oohing and awing over baby clothes without us.”
“Oh, my God, how sexist are you? We don’t all do that.”
They walked into the house to find Gemma showing the ladies who were already there some of the things she’d bought for the baby. When she held up a matching set of white shoes, the whole room erupted with cooing sounds.
Eric turned to face her with a grin. “You were saying?”
* * *
Add GOOD GIRLS DON’T KISS AND TELL to your Goodreads shelf at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32862595-good-girls-don-t-kiss-and-tell
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Discover More by Codi Gary
Rock Canyon, Idaho Series
The Trouble With Sexy
Things Good Girls Don't Do
Good Girls Don't Date Rock Stars
Bad Girls Don't Marry Marines
Return of the Bad Girl
Bad For Me
The Loco, Texas Series
Crazy For You
Make Me Crazy
I Want Crazy
The Men in Uniform Series
I Need a Hero
One Lucky Hero
Hero of Mine
Holding Out for a Hero
Coming Soon: Hot Winter Nights Series by Codi Gary and James Patterson
A Bear Mountain Rescue Story
About the Author
An obsessive bookworm, Codi Gary likes to write sexy small-town contemporary romances with humor, grand gestures, and blush-worthy moments. When she's not writing, she can be found reading her favorite authors, squealing over her must-watch shows, and playing with her children. She lives in Idaho with her family. Codi is represented by Sarah E. Younger from the Nancy Yost Literary Agency. Codi loves hearing from readers, and to keep up with her news and releases, sign up for her newsletter at http://www.codigarysbooks.com/newsletter.html.