Up to Me (Shore Secrets) by Christi Barth

Author:Christi Barth [Barth, Christi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Carina Press
Published: 2014-06-22T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

For the one-zillionth time in the last eighteen hours, Gray called himself an idiot. He’d had a half-naked and more-than-willing Ella literally in the palm of his hand. Literally begging him to have sex. Something they both wanted, very much. Being a normal man with a healthy sex drive, Gray had never once before turned down sex from a beautiful and willing woman. But he’d discovered the ultimate cock block: his own conscience.

He parked the car in the gravel lot in front of Cosgrove General Store. And gave in to the urge to bang his head on the steering wheel a couple of times. Damn it, he’d been nothing but upfront about his intention to leave and not look back at the end of two weeks. That should’ve cleared the way for guilt-free sex. Gray got out and slammed the door. Opened it and slammed it again, harder. He’d paid for the insurance on the rental. He could stand out here all day slamming away his frustration out if he chose.

But then he felt a snuffling at the hem of his jeans. Looked down to discover Mitzi wagging her tail, which meant Dawn couldn’t be far.

“Nice to see you again, Gray. Is Ella treating you well up at the Manor?”

A flashback hit Gray of Ella, clutching him while thrusting her breasts through the water at his face. “She’s going above and beyond.”

Dawn clapped her hands to get Mitzi’s attention, then headed inside. “Good to know. She’s got hotels in her blood, you know. Treating people right is instinctual for her.”

Was it possible the woman knew what happened between them last night? And was taunting him? Or was he so swamped with sexual frustration that he was reading innuendo into perfectly innocent remarks? Either way, he needed a new topic. Gray followed her through the screen door. Unlocked, he noted. Her trust level was off the charts optimistic or naïve. Maybe both.

“I’m headed down to Watkins Glen today. This seemed like a good halfway point to grab some lunch.”

“I’ve got just the thing. Our special today’s a meatloaf sandwich.”

“Sounds perfect.”

He’d no sooner gotten a root beer out of the cooler and taken a seat on a stool then the door crashed open, followed by a heavy, hurried clomping of what sounded like boots. Sure enough, through the travel mug/shot glass aisle appeared Casey in her full ranger get-up. Cute, but not with the natural-disaster scowl on her face. “What’s going on? Is somebody dead? Eloping? Win the lottery?”

Gray slowly clapped. “Very dramatic entrance. Well done. But a simple hi, how’s your day going would’ve been enough to grab our attention.”

All but skidding to a halt, Casey gaped at him. “What are you doing here?”

She’d been a lot friendlier the last time they met. “Eating lunch,” he said, although that seemed as obvious as a Yankee fan at a Sox game, what with him sitting at the counter and it being straight up noon.

“I can’t believe Ella pulled you into this.” She shook her head as she sat down next to him.

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