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The three woaritas, which was served by Jax himself Tall, dark, and handsolass with a sht off a nun "Enjoy, ladies"

"He’s hot," Grace said, watching his ass as he walked off

"Yes," Mallory agreed "And very taken by one sweet Maddie Moore, who runs the B&B down the road" She lifted her glass "To leaving Chocolate-ville for Margarita-ville"

Grace lifted her glass "To new chapters"

Aht"

They all drank to that, until Grace suddenly choked

"What’s the hed and sputtered some more, then recovered, as in unison Amy and Mallory swiveled their heads to see what she’d been looking at

Two tables over sat three guys Three gorgeous guys Ty Garrison, Dr Josh Scott, and Forest Ranger Hot Buns, all focused in on the Chocoholics’ table, s they liked

Ty set down his drink and a Mallory from her chair and into his ar, hot, deep kiss on her Finally, when surely they had to be out of air, he pulled back "See you later," he said with a naughty suided Mallory carefully back to her chair as if she were a precious couys before Mallory recovered "He’sshell shocked "Can you believe it?"

Grace was fanning herself "Does he always kiss you like that?"

"That?" Mallory asked, still looking dazed "That was just the appetizer on the Ty menu of kisses"

"You are one lucky worinned "I aaze was still locked in on Matt He was as fixated on her

The music was loud, the sounds in the bar joyous and ra, and after a few uys lined up to ask Grace to dance, and someone asked Aer

She didn’t want to dance at all

What she wanted felt coht So she got up and walked to where Matt and Josh were sitting Both men smiled at her, but she had eyes only for Matt He was still in his uniforotten some sun today, but he looked weary to the bone

Clearly it’d been a long day

But there was soot to her He was so… real Everything he was, everything down to the bone, was genuine

And he’d co settled in her gut Disappointhts but couldn’t He wasn’t drinking; the only thing in front of him was a soda, no doubt his beloved Dr Pepper

Maybe he was still working…

Josh stood up and took her hand "You owe hed "I do not"

"Okay, I owe you a dance For all that great service you always give ave hi look She wasn’t known for her sweet smiles They all knew that she wasn’t known for her sweet anything

But he flashed her a grin and smoothly pulled her onto the dance floor before she could protest "Look at you," she said, surprised "You canwith the kind of abandon only a big white guy with absolutely no sense of shaain when he ainst hers, his hands on her hips "Josh," she said, srinned "Because it’s pissing off Matt"

She glanced over at Matt, still at the table, still nursing his soda, staring at the pisses Matt off," she said "He doesn’t let anything get to him"

Josh chuckled and leaned in closer "Don’t let his cool exterior fool you He lets plenty eat at hi it"

"Well, then you’re s for "

"Hmm," Josh said, noncommittally The music slowed, and he pulled her close so that she felt his chest ru now?" he asked

Aht of Matt, still slouched in his chair "Just watching"

"Watching, and getting more and more irritated with ht "He cares, A this why?"

"Because I’ ended, and Josh gave her a hug, and then ambled off toward the bar When she walked past Matt’s table to get to hers, he stood up

"Hey," she said, her heart taking a good hard leap just before she realized he wasn’t looking at her He was on his cell phone "Sorry," sheher it wasn’t her fault, but he didn’t stop Instead, he headed straight for the door

She stared after hiht, ht have also thought about stealing a kiss

Or two

Yeah, that’s what she really wanted She could admit it to herself She wanted his ar into hers,her feel like the only woman on earth, like only he could do

She wanted to taste hiers into his silky hair and feel his war her feel safe

And instead, he’d walked away froh she’d done just that too many times in her life to count, she hadn’t realized how bad it sucked to be on the receiving end until now

Chapter 17

Chocolate It isn’t just for breakfast anyht As he got behind the wheel of his truck, Josh opened the passenger door and took the shotgun position without a word

"Hell no," Matt said "You’re walking"