Inside Out by Grayson Cole Page A

to do or eat or watch. He wasn’t happy with Kim before, but was he now? Had they worked everything out? Did he love her? Tracey couldn’t stand the speculation. She had lost control.
    She closed her eyes and hummed but couldn’t distract herself. She opened her eyes again. They were standing in the long movie line. As he stood there, worry caused a tightness around his eyes. He couldn’t seem to decide whether he wanted to keep his hands inside or outside his pants pockets.
    When he rested his big warm hand on the crook of Kim’s neck, she did not move into his touch. Tracey wondered what sex was like between them, and she felt herself getting sick again. That one night she had barely been able to resist his touch.
    Then he walked toward Tracey, or rather in the direction of the concession stand. He had to pass her to get to it. She sank back into the bench and lowered her head, concentrating on the bushes and being part of them and hoping Garrett didn’t see her. He passed close enough for Tracey to smell his cologne, a scent that always reminded her of amaretto and incense. His brow was creased and he was chewing at his lower lip. He passed her again carrying sodas and Kim gave him a pretty smile when he handed her one.
    Moni approached with Gary, Lena, and Tam. “Tam, go buy the tickets and take your brother and sister to get something from the concession stand. Get me and Tracey some nachos.” She handed her oldest daughter some money, then sat next to Tracey.
    â€œSo, Trace, Alex told me you agreed to go to dinner with him tonight.”
    â€œYeah, but that’s because we were supposed to meet yesterday morning but he got tied up.”
    â€œUh-huh.”
    Tracey watched Garrett disappear into the theater. At least she knew where she stood with Alex, even if his interest in her was completely inappropriate. She decided she wanted to look hot when she went out with Alex.
    * * *
    â€œRachel’s sounds good to me. You ready?”
    â€œYeah,” Rett answered. “Let’s go.”
    When he and Kim arrived at the restaurant Rett requested a table. The thirty-minute wait marked the beginning of his irritation. Irritation amplified to something like rage when Tracey McAlpine brushed right past him. He turned to look at her and noticed her stop in her tracks. But she didn’t turn around. She just went on in with…with Alexander Burke! And not only was she out with that jackass, they walked up to the hostess and asked for a table and got one right away.
    Tracey wore a tight-fitting short black dress and looked like a guy’s first wet dream. Not the nicest analogy Rett could think of, but he was decidedly pissed she was with Burke and didn’t seem to have missed him at all. It had been more than three weeks since he’d seen her, since he’d talked to her, looked at her, touched her. And still , seeing her was like a guy’s first wet dream. A shock to the system, for sure, but something that felt so good. Damn, he was supposed to be getting over this. He was supposed to be getting over her.
    But she was so sexy . Before, when he saw her get all dressed up for that party, he’d thought she was gorgeous, but this? Her hair hung thick and straight, teasing her shoulders, which were bare in the sleeveless dress. Her breasts, her perfect breasts, were pushed up high, making two perfect semicircles just above a neckline that wasn’t real low, but was definitely low enough. Her legs were so long, so toned. His body tightened painfully when he thought about folding the long limbs around his waist. Why did his shy, reserved Tracey look like that? Why was she with Burke? Why did she look like that with Burke?
    â€œWhere are you?” Kim asked by his side.
    â€œI was just thinking about school, that’s all.”
    â€œOh.”
    Their table ended up being on the other side of the restaurant from Tracey and Burke, but Rett could still see