Darcy looked up and shrugged. “He’s hard not to think about.”
“I can imagine.” Gracie tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “At poker night there were a couple times I thought you two might go at it right on the table.”
Darcy laughed. “He’s too proper for that now.”
Gracie rolled her eyes. “Do you honestly think he’s fooling anyone with that act?”
The fine hairs on the back of Darcy’s neck rose. “Isn’t he?”
Gracie huffed. “Oh please. That man has more sex appeal than he knows what to do with. Why do you think every single woman in a fifty-mile radius wants him?”
“Because he’s good-looking and in a position of power? Those are the classics, aren’t they?”
Gracie laughed. “They don’t hurt. But he’s got that way about him, doesn’t he? He just looks like he fucks dirty and mean.”
Darcy had been taking a sip of her soda and at Gracie’s words she started to choke, coughing and sputtering.
Gracie winked. “Tell me I’m not wrong?”
Darcy went hot remembering Griffin and sex, remembering the other night and how crazy he made her. She shrugged. “I haven’t slept with him in forever.”
“Maybe you should,” Gracie said, her tone sly.
“You’re a horrible influence.”
“I know, everyone says so.” Gracie leaned forward and put her elbows on the table. “Every single woman in town has been working on breaking him, but nobody has been able to manage it. I think he needs to be broken, and I think you’re the woman to do it.”
Darcy bit her bottom lip not wanting to think about Griffin in bed and thinking about it anyway. Her chest felt heavy with want, and she decided to admit the truth. At least to someone, and she could trust Gracie. Everyone knew she kept secrets. “As much as I’d like to, I can’t.”
“Why not?” Gracie asked, as though it was easy.
Darcy looked out the window and pressed her fingertips to her lips. “I don’t think I can and not fall right back in love with him.” Her eyes filled with tears, and she shook her head, feeling ridiculous. “How stupid is that?”
“Not stupid at all,” Gracie said, her voice lowered with sympathy. “I do understand.”
She looked back at the other woman. “He’s my weakness.”
Gracie nodded, her expression twisted and then flashed with guilt. “You’re probably not going to like this.”
“What?” Darcy said, her heart speeding up to a gallop in an instant.
Gracie handed her a napkin. “He’s coming this way.”
Darcy frantically wiped under her eyes. “What? Why?”
Gracie’s features turned chagrined. “Um, I’m sorry, but I kind of texted him and told him you were here.”
“You did? Why?”
“Because I asked her to.” Griffin’s voice filled her senses and sent a rush of goose bumps over her skin.
She turned and met his gaze. It had only been five days since she’d seen him, since he’d touched her, and it felt like an eternity. “Why would you do that?”
“I wanted to make a grand gesture.”
Her head hurt. She was so confused. “What are you talking about?”
“You’re not my dirty little secret, Darce.”