Page 66 of Good Girls Don't Kiss and Tell

“Belgian waffles.” She tipped her head back and pursed her lips for a kiss. He chuckled and obliged her before she turned back to her work.

A woman’s whiny voice came out of his stereo speakers, and Eric squeezed her. “You know, if you’re going to cook in my kitchen and use my stereo, the least you could do is not play chick music.”

She ignored his comment and started singing loudly again.

His hand came up and clamped over her mouth. “Okay, you can listen to the chick music, just don’t sing it.”

She extracted herself from his embrace to take the bowl over to the waffle maker, kicking him in the shin as she passed.

He was rubbing the abused area when he realized he didn’t have a waffle maker either. “Where did that come from?”

She closed the lid gently. “You didn’t have anything besides eggs, so I got up and went to the store. Then I stopped by my house for my waffle maker. You like waffles, don’t you?”

“Sure, love them, I’m just usually waking up for lunch, so I hardly eat them. What did your parents say when you swung by and didn’t invite them to breakfast?”

“They were already gone. They had plans with some friends in Twin Falls this morning.”

“Ah.” He looked at the counter and several grocery sacks scattered across it. “That looks like more than just waffle items.”

“Well, I figured since you were letting me crash here, I might as well contribute to your food stores.” She smiled. “Want some coffee?”

She had gone out to get stuff to make him breakfast and made him coffee? Most women he slept with wouldn’t have bothered.

Is that really all she is, though? Just another hookup?

As he watched her move around his kitchen, opening cupboards like she belonged there, he knew she wasn’t just a convenient fuck, but was too scared to analyze his feelings further.

“Do I have something on my face?” she asked.

He jumped at her question. “What?”

She was standing at the coffeepot, holding a cup in one hand and the pitcher in the other. “You didn’t answer. You want coffee or not?”

“Yeah, that would be great.”

She turned and poured him a cup, adding a little half-and-half just the way he liked it. He took the cup from her. “What are your plans for the day?”

“Well, if you’re not busy, my parents asked if we wanted to do the tree today and decorate it tonight. We have a whole ritual, so if it’s too much—”

“No, that sounds great. I’d like the chance to make up with your mother.” Actually, he was dreading it, but he found that he was willing to put himself in the most uncomfortable situations if it meant being with Gracie.

“I did that yesterday,” Gracie said.

“Did what?”

“Smoothed things over with my mother.”

“And? How did it go?”

“It was pretty great, actually.” She pulled the waffles out of the machine and placed them on a plate. “I feel like yesterday was fantastic, as far as everything coming up Gracie.”

“Oh yeah?” He grabbed the butter dish on the counter and a knife from the silverware drawer. He started buttering the stack of waffles as she made them, standing shoulder to shoulder with her. “And how about your new fake boyfriend? Everything great?”

Eric caught the small smirk she tried to hide. “It’s okay.”

Well that was a kick in the gut. “Just okay?”

She shrugged. “Sure. I’m having a good time. As far as fake boyfriends go, you’re doing much better than Brad Gilbert.”

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