Free Now or Never by A.J. Bennett Page B

arms over her chest. “I never even said I liked the guy.”
    “Uh huh. Then why do you keep staring at him all googly-eyed?” Luna asked, crossing her arms to mimic Grayson.
    Grayson rolled her eyes. “I do not.”
    “Seriously, he’s not good for you.” Heather started taking out the contents of the bags as she spoke. “Every team party he brings a different girl. I don’t think he’s ever settled down.”
    “I told you they are all dogs.” Luna smirked. “I’m right once again.”
    Grayson was surprised to feel a bit of disappointment at the news. But she knew they were right. The last thing she needed was to start a relationship with someone, let alone a friend of her brother’s with a reputation for being a playboy. That would be weird in more ways than one.
    Mom came through the door. Her crazy curly hair looked alight like fire with the sun behind her. “There is way too much testosterone out there for me. Need any help in here?”
    Heather smiled warmly. “That would be great!”
    Grayson and Luna used that as their cue to escape back outside.
    Grayson spent the rest of the evening avoiding Derrick. She had succeeded, until she came out of the bathroom after dinner. She wasn’t paying attention and nearly slammed into him.
    He grabbed her to steady her. His hand on her arm caused her breath to catch in her throat, her skin warming beneath his touch. Instantly, she was annoyed. Why did he have such an effect on her? Heather’s warning echoed in her head.
    His stance was casual, but there was nothing casual about his smile. It was intimate, sensual and seductive. Jesus, he barely touched her and she felt as if an electrical charge had passed between them. The sexual tension was palpable.
    “Small world,” he said, dropping his hand after lingering longer than necessary.
    She was bewildered by this man and the sense of loss she felt when he removed his hand. “Very.”
    “You never called.” He was standing so close, his warm breath on her face, his smell intoxicating.
    She stepped back, needing to get away from him to get some air. She felt completely unbalanced around him. It was disturbing.
    In the back of her mind, she was appalled at her thoughts. She wanted to know what his lips would feel like on hers. A mental image of his hands on her bare skin, caressing her neck and moving slowly down to her breast flashed through her mind. Somehow she managed to speak. “You heard my brother. I’m off limits.”
    He gave her a crooked grin and his intense eyes bore into hers, causing her pulse to race. “I seldom follow rules.”
    “So I hear.” Her heart thumped loudly in her ears.
    Eyebrow raised, Derrick remarked, “Oh really? And just what have you heard exactly?”
    “Just that you’re quite the ladies’ man, and I should steer clear of your womanizing ways.”
    “Interesting. Well then, I won’t keep you.” He brushed past her and went into the bathroom, the door shutting smartly behind him.
    Grayson cringed. Well, that wasn’t what she expected. Grayson released a shaky breath. She was surprisingly annoyed that he hadn’t tried harder.
    Oh well, if he was going to give up that easily, he probably wasn’t worth her time or energy.

CHAPTER 13

    Grayson made it through an uneventful week functioning on automatic. She’d put in a few applications around town, but so far she hadn’t heard anything back. Her mother insisted she didn’t need to help with the bills, but Grayson felt like she was mooching off of her mom; she was too proud and loved her mother too much to use her like that. Hopefully, something would turn up soon so she could feel slightly more independent again.
    It’d been a week since her one-night stand, and Grayson was still surprised she’d gone through with it. She sat on the couch, surfing through the channels as she congratulated herself on escaping another night out on the town with her crazy sister. However, she spoke too soon—just before nine, the door