against her. He wondered how proper she was in bed. Could he get her to say please and thank you? That sent a lick up his spine.
He was twisting everything she said around on her. Since he could see her house from the street, she had to laugh at him. He was flirting. She was sure of it. The same way the boys at school tortured the girls in the halls. That innocent, I'm not sure how to tell you I like you, so I'll be stupid flirting. It was nice. He seemed nice, and God was he nice to look at.
Grace knew Ethan wouldn't really go for a girl like her. He was from the city. She watched HBO, and no way did she measure up. He was out of her league, but here he was flirting. He must be bored.
"Grace, what's the deal with this place again?” Megan stopped in front of the Courthouse and shifted her weight to one hip.
"Yeah, Grace, what's the deal?” Ethan bumped her again. He wanted her attention.
"You've got to be kidding me? You don't remember the courthouse?” Grace shifted her gaze from a smiling Ethan to a frustrated Megan, who looked at the map now.
Megan shrugged.
"Oh good grief!” Grace snatched the map from Megan and started up the tale of the courthouse. It was a nice distraction. Chase, Ethan, even Megan seemed genuinely interested to hear it. That filled her with confidence she didn't realize until then she was missing.
Since everyone was interested and encouraging her, she went on to talk about the rest of the buildings. Before she realized it, there were about seven people tailing them to hear her talk.
She volunteered with her mother once upon a time to do the tours and such. It felt good to relive it. The high school kids, her students, rarely wanted to come take the tours, but the grade school kids loved it. It gave her hope for a fun school year ahead.
* * * *
Ethan looked her over with a new appreciation. Grace was smart, very educated and not just book smart. She was good with people. It didn't scare her to have a crowd of strangers around. She wasn't rude when the rough biker guy asked a question. She just answered. Grace was oblivious to his perusal of her though Ethan practically snarled at him for doing it.
He had never felt the need to protect a woman before, except family, and he had plenty of women in his family. Scaring off boyfriends for his cousins wasn't the same; it was fun. The sensation he felt when those men looked at Grace was different, more instinct, like a dog protecting property. It felt strange. Like she was his territory, he was two steps away from pissing a circle around her.
* * * *
Finally the tour was over, and Megan had to have ice cream. Ethan stood on the boardwalk again prying conversation out of Grace.
"You sure know how to draw a crowd, woman.” Ethan rocked back and forth like he was going to jump on her at any minute. He felt like he would jump on her at any minute.
"I used to volunteer.” Grace looked up at him, shielding her eyes from the sun.
He had a lot of energy. He watched her intently the whole tour. She couldn't think of anything but his eyes and those lips. She wondered how those lips would feel against her skin, how he would taste. She started to wonder if he would have the same energy in the bedroom. She needed to buy more batteries. “I have to put more sun-block on."
"Hand it.” Ethan held out his hand. Megan and Chase were leaning on the rail at the waterfront sharing a cone. Though Grace had no problem eating cookies for breakfast, she said she didn't want ice cream for lunch.
Grace looked for Megan, but she was consumed by Chase. Was he licking her? Damn their public displays.
"I can reach.” Grace fished in her purse and pulled out the tube. Wanting him to touch her and letting him was two different things. She squirted sun-block in her hand, and Ethan slapped his large hand over it scooping it up before she could protest.
"Turn around. I won't bite.” At least not yet.
She stood there looking at him for a moment then slowly turned
He was twisting everything she said around on her. Since he could see her house from the street, she had to laugh at him. He was flirting. She was sure of it. The same way the boys at school tortured the girls in the halls. That innocent, I'm not sure how to tell you I like you, so I'll be stupid flirting. It was nice. He seemed nice, and God was he nice to look at.
Grace knew Ethan wouldn't really go for a girl like her. He was from the city. She watched HBO, and no way did she measure up. He was out of her league, but here he was flirting. He must be bored.
"Grace, what's the deal with this place again?” Megan stopped in front of the Courthouse and shifted her weight to one hip.
"Yeah, Grace, what's the deal?” Ethan bumped her again. He wanted her attention.
"You've got to be kidding me? You don't remember the courthouse?” Grace shifted her gaze from a smiling Ethan to a frustrated Megan, who looked at the map now.
Megan shrugged.
"Oh good grief!” Grace snatched the map from Megan and started up the tale of the courthouse. It was a nice distraction. Chase, Ethan, even Megan seemed genuinely interested to hear it. That filled her with confidence she didn't realize until then she was missing.
Since everyone was interested and encouraging her, she went on to talk about the rest of the buildings. Before she realized it, there were about seven people tailing them to hear her talk.
She volunteered with her mother once upon a time to do the tours and such. It felt good to relive it. The high school kids, her students, rarely wanted to come take the tours, but the grade school kids loved it. It gave her hope for a fun school year ahead.
* * * *
Ethan looked her over with a new appreciation. Grace was smart, very educated and not just book smart. She was good with people. It didn't scare her to have a crowd of strangers around. She wasn't rude when the rough biker guy asked a question. She just answered. Grace was oblivious to his perusal of her though Ethan practically snarled at him for doing it.
He had never felt the need to protect a woman before, except family, and he had plenty of women in his family. Scaring off boyfriends for his cousins wasn't the same; it was fun. The sensation he felt when those men looked at Grace was different, more instinct, like a dog protecting property. It felt strange. Like she was his territory, he was two steps away from pissing a circle around her.
* * * *
Finally the tour was over, and Megan had to have ice cream. Ethan stood on the boardwalk again prying conversation out of Grace.
"You sure know how to draw a crowd, woman.” Ethan rocked back and forth like he was going to jump on her at any minute. He felt like he would jump on her at any minute.
"I used to volunteer.” Grace looked up at him, shielding her eyes from the sun.
He had a lot of energy. He watched her intently the whole tour. She couldn't think of anything but his eyes and those lips. She wondered how those lips would feel against her skin, how he would taste. She started to wonder if he would have the same energy in the bedroom. She needed to buy more batteries. “I have to put more sun-block on."
"Hand it.” Ethan held out his hand. Megan and Chase were leaning on the rail at the waterfront sharing a cone. Though Grace had no problem eating cookies for breakfast, she said she didn't want ice cream for lunch.
Grace looked for Megan, but she was consumed by Chase. Was he licking her? Damn their public displays.
"I can reach.” Grace fished in her purse and pulled out the tube. Wanting him to touch her and letting him was two different things. She squirted sun-block in her hand, and Ethan slapped his large hand over it scooping it up before she could protest.
"Turn around. I won't bite.” At least not yet.
She stood there looking at him for a moment then slowly turned
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