Free Run to You by Rachel Lacey Page A

feel about steak?” he asked as she motioned him inside.
    “Love it.” She walked toward the kitchen to extract Lance from the pantry. “Let me just take Lance out quickly and then I’m ready.”
    There were some other benefits of a fake boyfriend, too. Like, she hadn’t had to worry about sexy underwear. And there were no pretenses. She could leave him standing in the kitchen while she took her dog out because he was definitely not expecting her to get cozy and make out with him before they left for dinner. And even better, there would be no awkward moment when he brought her home, deciding whether or not to invite him in.
    “Does Brad have anything to do with the reason you always keep your deadbolt locked?” Ethan asked as she locked the door behind them.
    She stiffened. “I’m from the city, remember?”
    “You didn’t answer my question.” The steely look in his eyes told her he’d already drawn his own conclusion.
    “I’ve always locked my doors. It’s a responsible thing to do.”
    Ethan stepped closer. “He hurt you, Gabby?”
    She flinched, and Ethan’s scowl darkened.
    “Godammit, if I ever lay eyes on him again—”
    “No!” She whirled away from the door, away from Ethan. “It wasn’t like that.” Not until the end anyway. “He just liked to have things his way. That’s all.”
    “If he so much as looks at you funny, I’m going to kick his ass.” Ethan’s eyes still snapped with anger.
    Gabby managed a smile as she walked toward his Jeep. “You’re awfully protective for a pretend boyfriend.” Ethan had a rough side to him, a quick temper, and she had no doubt he could kick Brad’s ass if he needed to. He’d probably handed out other ass-kickings in his lifetime. For some reason, that didn’t bother her a bit.
    “Any decent man would do the same,” he said.
    Was that true? She wasn’t sure. “I appreciate the sentiment, but believe it or not, I’m perfectly capable of kicking Brad’s ass myself should the need arise.”
    At that, Ethan grinned broadly. “I knew I liked you for a reason.”
    They kept the conversation casual on the drive to the restaurant. Ethan parked, and they strolled down Main Street hand in hand. Downtown Haven was so picturesque it belonged on a postcard. There were boutique stores for clothing, arts, crafts, jewelry, souvenirs, and even the most adorable bookstore. Ethan kept walking, leading her past the string of storefronts and around the corner onto Sullivan Street.
    He held the door open for her at the Skyline Grille. “You been here before?”
    She shook her head.
    “Well, since you’re stuck with me for the near future, the least I can do is show you around town. This place is great, and wait until you see the view.”
    She followed him inside, and the hostess led them upstairs to an outside deck overlooking the Smoky Mountains. It was even more spectacular than the view from her own back deck.
    “Wow,” she said as she took her seat. Their table was against the railing with uninterrupted views. In the distance, gauzy clouds wrapped around the mountaintops.
    “Told ya.” Ethan sat across from her, so handsome he was short-circuiting her brain just sitting there. He was awfully thoughtful and romantic even when he knew he didn’t stand a chance of seducing her. She could only imagine what he was like when he was actually dating someone. No wonder he had such a reputation with the women in town.
    “This is really nice, Ethan, but you don’t have to wine and dine me. We should probably just hang out with your grandmother.”
    “We’ll do that, too,” he said.
    “I’m going to her house tomorrow for book club.”
    “She’ll love that.” He smiled softly, looking out at the mountains beyond.
    She and Ethan chatted easily while they stuffed themselves on steak and potatoes. She drank two glasses of wine, which was not the best idea in retrospect because she was feeling rather silly and a whole lot flushed by the time they’d