For the Love of Gracie by Amy K. Mcclung Read Free Book Online

slipped out the door so he could lock it, and smiled when my eyes met with Ashton's.  "You are stalking me!" I chuckled. 
    He grinned. "I was still in the neighborhood and didn’t like the idea of you walking to your car alone. Is that too creepy?" 
    I held up my forefinger and thumb about an inch apart. 
    His shoulders sagged. "Sorry, trying to be gallant for my friend." 
    I slid my arm through his. "It's very sweet. I was going to pick up dinner on the way home. Wanna grab a bite to eat with me?" 
    He led me to my car, his motorcycle was parked right next to it. "Where can we eat this late?"
    I licked my lips. "Let’s go to Steak N Shake." 
    He straddled his bike. "Wanna ride with me?" 
    I looked from my car to his bike. I really wanted to ride with him again, pressed up against his body, but that wasn’t a good idea. "I'll take my car so we don’t have to come back here." 
    Ashton led the way.  He was easy to keep up with because he drove like an old man, or he did that for my sake not knowing I had a lead foot. 
    We grabbed a t wo person booth in the back and ordered burgers and fries with milkshakes. "You're too sweet for coming to check on me tonight." 
    He took a sip of his shake and smiled at me. "I'm a bit of a worrier, ask Gavin."
    I pulled the straw out of my peanut butter banana shake, sucked all the liquid out of it and grabbed his cup shoving my straw inside to taste his chocolate covered strawberry shake. Instead of arguing, he followed my lead, stealing a taste of my shake. He picked up a napkin and wiped my chin from where I had dribbled from the straw. 
    I blushed. "Mmm, I should've gotten yours."
    He slid it to me. "Wanna switch?"
    We switched, and I moaned over the taste of the milkshake. 
    He shook his head. "Gracie, I think you're enjoying that a little too much."
    I grinned sheepishly. "Sorry.  I love ice cream."
    The waiter brought our food. 
    "Holy sh..seriously?" I exclaimed as I saw what Ashton had ordered. The burger had seven patties on it. I had no clue how he was going to get his mouth around it.  He had also ordered a large skillet of chili cheese fries to go with it. "You hungry, Ash?" 
    He shrugged. "I got the munchies, figured this will be a nice snack." We both started laughing. I grabbed my fork and liberated a few fries from his skillet. 
    "I have to see you put your mouth around that thing," I said.
    He smirked. "That's what he said." 
    I snorted with laughter and held my hand up for a high five.  He smacked my hand as he laughed with me. 
    His mouth stretched to its limit as he tried to shove the enormous burger in his mouth. My mouth fell open in shock when he took the first bite.  I said, "You're gonna need a bigger mouth, dude." 
    He started to choke as he laughed. 
    I gasped. "Are you ok?" 
    He nodded and held his finger up asking for a moment. "Don't make me laugh when I've got that much in my mouth," he said. 
    I winked. "That's what she said." 
    He held up his fist and I bumped it with mine.  "You're a lot of fun, Gracie." There was something about the way he said my name that made me want to swoon. 
    "You're pretty cool yourself." 
     
    The check came and he grabbed it first.
    "Let me get it," I said, continuing with, "I had a big tipper tonight." 
    He smiled at me. "You keep that. I needed a fun night tonight, let me treat you." 
    When we stepped outside I shivered. My light hooded sweatshirt was no match for the bitter cold wind tonight.  He removed his coat. I raised my hand up. "No, I'm fine you keep that." 
    He tilted his head, giving me a stern look. "You know what my momma would do if she saw me walking with a jacket on, letting the woman next to me freeze?  My momma raised me better than that, hun." He slid the jacket around my shoulders and rubbed my arms using friction to warm me.
    We stood next to my car for a moment. He stood in front of me as I leaned my back against the door.  Ashton leaned forward, his face only inches from