Free Fall From Grace by Christine Zolendz

are so beautiful
    To me
    Can't you see
    You're everything I hope for
    You're every, everything I need
    You are so beautiful to me
    Before I could even ask him to change the song, even though I had a strong feeling his whole playlist would be cheesy love songs, he leaned across the seat and kissed me.  I was completely taken off guard and I gasped.  He pulled me closer to him and let out a soft moan.  Give him a chance.
    “You are so beautiful to me,” he sung the words into my lips.  His tongue slipped into my mouth, while his hands deftly unzipped my jacket.
    He leaned into me harder and I fell back against the window.  His hot chapped lips traveled along my jaw, down my neck, lingering on my collarbone.  I tried to push him away from me, but his kisses never stopped.  His hands roamed all over me, lifting up my shirt, grabbing at me roughly with one hand, and ripping the button of my pants off with the other.  The button went sailing through the car, smacking against his windshield.  He tried to thrust his hand down the front of my pants.  Worst moves ever.
    Fast images flashed through my thoughts, someone smashing the car door open, screaming at Tucker to get off me; the one I’ve been looking for.  I wish.
    “Uh, Tucker.  Whoa.”  I whispered.
    He sat back immediately. “Grace, I’m, I’m sorry,” he stammered.  “I don’t know what came over me.”  He reached out and lifted my chin to look in my eyes.  “It’s just that you drive me crazy. You are so beautiful and I want to be with you.”  He grabbed the back of his neck and rubbed it.  “Grace, the way you were kissing me, I thought you wanted me too.”
    I sat up and fixed my shirt.  I watched as irritation settled around his eyes.  “I’m sorry, Tucker. This is just going too fast, that’s all.  I really am not the kind of girl who likes to get mauled over in a parked car,” I said.
    “I’m sorry. I just really wanted to be with you.  I wanted to be with you before one of the other guys got to you.  You’ve seen Shane look at you,” he said flatly.
    “Shane doesn’t want me. He just wants another hole he hasn’t stuck himself in yet.  Tucker, do you really think it would be okay to have sex with me in a car?  After knowing me for a whole…what…three days?  Is that what you think of me?”
    “Holy shit, Grace, no.  No way.  I’m so sorry.”  He flicked his hand through his hair and looked away.  “I just really like you a lot.  Please, give me another chance. Let me still take you out to dinner on Wednesday, and I promise I won’t try anything.”
    “No harm done.  Well, maybe just to my jeans, but sure, I’ll still have dinner with you.” I tried to give him a smile.
    “I just ruined my chances with you, didn’t I?” he whispered.
    I turned my gaze from him and looked straight ahead at the expanse of the beautiful twinkling city laid out before me.  How could I explain anything to him?
    “Look, Tucker, I just haven’t been with anyone for a long time, that’s all.  I’m rusty at this, and honestly, I kind of planned out my life without having any men involved in it,” I grimaced.
    “What?  Why?”
    “Let’s just say, I once had my heart ripped from my soul.  This isn’t easy for me,” I explained.
    Tucker shook his head in understanding.  “Sorry, Grace.  I’ll be much better behaved next time,” he smiled.  “I’ll take you home, okay?”
    Just like that, he pulled his little red jaguar out onto the street and sped towards the city.  To my surprise, he didn’t ask about my past or who broke my heart.  I was thankful for the reprieve, but couldn’t stop myself from thinking that he was selfish not to ask.  Tucker was all about himself.  He would be on his best behavior from now on, until he got what he wanted from me, whether it was just to sleep with me or make me the trophy wife to live in the house he planned to buy on Long Island, I didn’t know.  However, he was