by Cat Miller
The announcer introduced her and Grace took the microphone. She wasn’t sure she could get through this particular song without crying now. Why had she let that man get under her skin again? Why?
The music started and Grace brought the microphone up to her mouth. She looked out over the crowd. She looked at the screen that displayed the lyrics, even though she knew every word by heart. She looked anywhere but in Jack’s direction while she sang, “Crazy, for thinking that my love could hold you. I’m crazy for tryin’. And crazy for cryin’. And I’m crazy for lovin’ you.”
Grace left the stage as the crowd applauded her performance and the next singers were called to the stage. She was relieved that neither Jack nor Rachel were anywhere in sight. Feeling exhausted, she grabbed her purse and said goodnight to Tony and Will. Of course, they both offered to take her back to the hotel, but Rachel wanted to walk. It wasn’t far and she needed to clear her head. When she reached the hotel she’d have her return flight to New York transferred to next available flight. Hopefully that would be first thing in the morning.
She took the side exit hoping to avoid running into Rachel and Jack out front but she saw them as soon as her feet hit the sidewalk. They were on the corner having a heated but whispered discussion. Grace turned toward the alley, hoping they wouldn’t notice her, but that was apparently too much to ask for.
“Grace! Where the fuck are you going?” Jack shouted at her back. Grace kept walking. She didn’t have anything to say to him. And he’d said plenty to her with the silence all week. She heard his pounding footsteps approaching but she kept walking around the corner.
“I’m talking to you!” Jack grabbed her arm and spun her around.
“Oh, you want to talk to me now? Well it’s too fucking late now! Where were you all week? Did you have something, or someone, better to do?” she practically screamed in his face. Fuck! She just had to blurt out her worst fear like that, didn’t she? That had been the thought keeping her up at night, the one where she knew Jack had better things to do and more satisfying people to spend his time with. Tears of shame and remembered rejection filled Grace’s eyes.
“What are you talking about? I wasn’t with anyone! If you must know, I was going insane with the need to see you. Grace, I just didn’t want to scare you away. I wanted you to have the time you needed to analyze the inner workings of Artifex without my interference.” He tried to comfort her. She just wanted to go to the hotel and pack her shit.
“That’s exactly what Rachel said you would say.” She tugged her arm free and walked away.
“We aren’t done here, Grace.” Jack followed her.
“What is your problem? Why are you even here? And why would you give a shit if I was dancing with Will?” She didn’t turn around. Christ! How long could this fucking alley be?
“You’re such a fucking coward.” He pulled her to a stop again and moved around to look down at her. She glared up at him.
What did he just call her? A fucking coward?
“So what, you’re just going to run? Just like when we left school. You fucking coward. You’re just going to disappear with no fucking reason. Rachel told me you know about Matthew. So now you’re just going to run. You don’t even have the balls to tell me you don’t want me because I was going to marry a man.” Jack looked disgusted.
Grace slapped him hard with her free hand. Son of a bitch! How could he do this to her? Why did she let him drive her to something as base and disgraceful as senseless violence for the second time in her life? The tears she’d been fighting spilled over her cheeks and all of the anger and fight bled away. Jack let go of her arm and backed up in shock.
“Don’t ever accuse me of anything as hateful as prejudice again. I’ve never given you reason to believe that was true,” she told him calmly.
“No? Then why did you leave me with no explanation after finally agreeing to be with me? The only reason I could see was that you finally saw me with another man. And that must have disgusted you,” he replied sadly.
“You’re partially correct, I did leave you after I saw you kissing Victor,” she said and Jack winced. “But it wasn’t because you were kissing a man. It was because someone was kissing my man. It didn’t matter to me that the person you kissed was a man, Jack. In my heart and mind you were mine. Jack Landry belonged to me and nobody else. But I wasn’t good enough for you. You still needed someone else to make you truly happy. I never blamed you for that, Jack. You never lied to me. I thought I could do it. I thought I could at least try to hold on until the day when I would be all you needed too. Then I saw you kissing Victor. And it destroyed me. I knew that one day I would grow so resentful of your needs that I would end up hating you. I never wanted to hate the only man I’ve ever loved, Jack. So I let you go. I just couldn't be second best, second in line, or in line at all. I just couldn’t share you. I just . . . I couldn’t.”
Jack stared at her dumbstruck. He blinked a few times and Grace could practically see things shifting and rearranging behind his eyes.
“You . . . you loved me?” he asked shakily. Grace just nodded. She could say the words aloud. Jack slowly moved toward her. “Gracie, I’m so sorry, baby. I just wasn’t . . .” His words trailed off. Grace didn’t need him to say it. She already knew he hadn’t been in love with her. She’d been the stereotypical needy female clinging to man who was only after pussy. Grace couldn’t stand the look of pity in his eyes. She wiped the proof of her weakness for Jack from her eyes.
“I’m sorry I hit you. If you want to rescind your offer of employment I totally understand. I have to get going now.” Grace needed to leave before she embarrassed herself any further.
“I thought you wanted to know why I was here tonight?” he asked and cautiously moved a little closer. He was probably afraid she’d hit him again. She didn’t answer, because what could she say? She did want to know but she was done clinging to her childish dreams.
“I went to the hotel to find you, because I couldn’t stay away any longer.” He took a step closer. “I followed you to the bar for the same reason.” He was right in her face now. “I acted like a possessive prick because you’re my girl, Grace, only mine.” He took her face in his hands and lowered his mouth to hers.
Grace was stunned. Jack kissed her slowly, deeply and she couldn’t turn away. She had to kiss him back with all of the pent up desire inside of her. He thought she was his? In Grace’s heart she’d always known she was his, but he hadn’t felt the same way. What was he saying now?
The kiss quickly grew from sweet to burning hot as their bodies came together and both of them let their hands wander. Grace ran her hands over his broad shoulders and around to his defined pecs. More than Jack’s shoulders had grown over the years. Christ. The man was solid under his clothing.
Jack wrapped one arm around her body and held her head still with the other hand in her hair while he ravaged her mouth. His tongue slid against hers and retreated in a thrusting motion that made her wish he was doing that to her pussy. His hand on her ass pressed her hips against his and she felt the impressive length of cock she’d been dreaming of for so long. Jack had ignited her passions against his car on Monday morning and Grace’s engine had been humming since then.
Jack moved them into the shadows of a doorway along the alley they stood in. Her short dress gave him easy access to the skin of her thighs and ass. He pressed her against the door. Both of Jack’s hands went to her ass and he lifted her slightly to press that hard length into the cleft of her heat. She gasped. With only her panties to shield her, Grace felt every little motion of his rotating hips against her clit.
“Fuck, Grace, how do you do this to me?” Jack reached between them to undo the fastening of his belt.
The haze of lust lifted a little. “Are you just going to fuck me here in the alley, Jack?”
Jack’s eyes flew to hers and his hands moved back to her face. He looked deeply into her eyes. There was a desperation there she’d never seen before. �
��No, baby, I’m going to make love to you . . . here in the alley. Will you give me that?” he asked with his heart in his eyes.
Grace’s heart squeezed, then it swelled to admit anything and everything Jack would give her. She remembered one night in the back of a bar when she’d asked him to let her make love to him. She’d asked him to give that to her. Grace nodded. Her throat was too full of emotion to get any words out.
“I loved you, too, Grace. I still love you,” he told her earnestly. “And I can’t wait another minute to have you again. It’s been too long and knowing you were within reach all week made me fucking crazy.” His mouth crashed into hers.
His words were banging around in her head. He loved her? He loved her. He did. Jack would never say that if he didn’t mean it. He just wouldn’t. So yes, he loved her. Grace tried to absorb that sentiment but it was just too huge. It would take her time to digest it. She didn’t want to waste another minute with Jack. Her hands went to work on his belt and fastenings of his pants. Jack pulled his shirt out of his pants and Grace freed his erection from his boxers. Jack was so hard and hot in her palm. She stroked his rod up and down slowly a few times.
“Ah, fuck. Baby, I hope you’re ready for me.” Jack’s hand cupped her ass and moved lower to test her readiness from behind. She knew she was already hot and wet from Jack’s desperate kisses. “Thank God!” he said and lifted her against him.
Jack’s hand disappeared between them and she felt him adjusting her panties. Then the heated skin of his cock was pressing into her body. He slid in slowly and held very still for a moment. He was panting hard against her neck and swearing. Grace used the leverage of her back against the door and her legs around him to slide up and down his length. They both groaned. It was so good just to be with him. It didn’t matter if it was against a door in an alley, on the hood of his car, in a chair in a bar, or in a bed. Being with Jack just felt right. He shuddered. She moved again. He cursed.
“I’m sorry, baby. This one is going to be hard and fast. I’ll make it up to you later,” he said but he still hadn’t moved.
So she ground herself down on him again. Fuck. She was already so close to coming just from him entering her. Her internal muscles rippled and she knew one good thrust would end her.
“Oh, damn, I have to,” he hissed and began to pound into her wet sheath. Grace started to come instantly. He fucked her hard and deep. Thrusting wildly and digging his fingers into her ass. One orgasm flowed into two and Grace held on mindlessly while Jack had his way with her.
“Grace, I’m coming. I’m so sorry. Oh, God, I’m coming!” He was apologizing and thanking God in turns. Jack stiffened and shouted. His body shook.
Grace held him tight and kissed his neck, his jaw, his lips, until he finally relaxed enough to set her feet on the ground. He stuffed his still semi-erect penis back into his pants and left his shirt hanging out. Grace watched him in a daze. He smiled down at Grace and bent to adjust her panties and straighten her new dress.
Jack took her hand and pulled her out of the shadows. “My car is around the corner. That wasn’t exactly the lovemaking I had in mind. I’m taking you home where I can devote the time and attention needed to do the job properly.”
Grace mutely followed with her fingers threaded through Jack’s. She was nearly running to keep up with him. He loved her. She had always loved him. And now they were together. Finally.
SEVEN
Jack parked the Mustang and came around to open her door. The ride to Jack’s home in an affluent suburban neighborhood had been for the most part silent. Grace was still absorbing the enormity of Jack giving her the words she’d dreamed of for so long. Jack seemed as nervous as the night they’d met, just before he’d confessed his bi-sexuality. Grace couldn’t help wondering if he had another big confession to make.
Jack surprised Grace again. She didn’t know why she expected him to live in a high-rise. His home was a boxy stone structure with large bay windows and a big front porch. Jack’s house was built in the 1900’s and was lovingly renovated to suit him. The lower level of the house was a red brick color, the upper level a contrasting slate grey. Inside the high ceilings, wood plank floors, and elegant, but masculine, furnishings made for a very cozy and inviting atmosphere. Jack stopped to place his keys and wallet in a tray on the entryway table. Grace remained near the door feeling unsure.
Jack remained there at the table with his back to her and his head down. Grace wondered if he was as elated, as uncertain, as terrified, as she was. She wanted to walk over and wrap her arms around him. She wanted to kiss him until she could make herself believe this was real and was really hers.
“I need to know if I’m too late,” he finally broke the silence. “I need you tell me the truth now, Grace.” He turned around but he wouldn’t meet her eyes. Instead he seemed to be inspecting her shoes.
Grace couldn’t stand the separation any longer. After having him in her arms she found not touching him was nearly painful. She wrapped her arms around his waist and inhaled deeply. He wore a different after shave than she remembered. It was a spicy, clean scent. Jack’s arms came around her and squeezed, holding her to his chest.
“Am I too late, Grace?”
“Too late for what?” She had no clue what he was talking about. She didn’t want to talk. She wanted to hold him, love him now. They could talk later. Jack used two fingers to lift her chin so she was looking up at him.
“Am I too late to win your heart? I need to know before this goes any further. All I want to do right now is take you upstairs, strip you down and love you until I can’t move. But if I’m too late . . . I just can’t.” Jack caressed her cheek and kissed her. His mouth was nearly reverent against hers. His lips moved slowly over hers. When he pulled away Grace was overwhelmed by the tenderness and sincerity shining in Jack’s eyes. She’d loved him for so long that this felt like a dream and any moment she would wake and return to her life without Jack.
“Jack, I’ve always loved you,” she confessed. Jack took a deep breath as if he’d been holding his breath for a long time. “Knowing that I could never be enough for you was and still is devastating to me. That never stopped my fool heart from hoping one day you’d change your mind and be mine, only mine.” She smiled at his shocked but relieved expression.
Jack took her hand in his and tugged her further into his home. Grace followed in a daze. They passed through his living room and she noticed a picture of Jack and Matthew on the mantel. She tried not to let that hurt her. What had she expected, that Jack would erase the man from his home? That wasn’t fair of her.
They reached the stairs and Jack continued up. Grace was enjoying the view of his fine ass in his slacks as he climbed the stairs ahead of her. At the top, he turned left and pulled her into a large bedroom. It was dark in the room but Grace could see the huge four poster bed on the far wall between two heavily curtained windows. Jack led her to an open door and flipped on the light to his master bath. The room was tiled entirely from floor to ceiling with large rectangular sandstone. The cream vanity boasted double sinks and Grace wondered how many times Jack and Matthew stood there side by side while they prepared for the day. Jack released her hand and moved to a bench on the right side of the door. He stripped off his jacket and tossed it along with his shirt over the cushioned bench. His shoes were kicked off and he sat to peel off his socks. The man was beautiful. The defined lines of his abs and the V of his muscles that pointed toward the prize she knew was hiding in his britches made her mouth water.
Grace watched him undress and fidgeted on her heels, not knowing what to do or how to feel about this turn of events. As much as she still loved this man, knowing he still had the power to break her was unsettling. She’d worked hard every day to forget him and move on, but it hadn’t worked. Now that she had a chance to be with Jack what would happen if he changed his mind? How would she go on if she lost him again? Grace didn’t believe she could do it again and keep her sanity.
Jack moved to the smoked glass shower stall and flipped on the water, adjusting the temperature and turned a knob that had water spraying from both ends of the shower. Grace’s belly tightened. She was going to shower with Jack. She would be permitted to run her hands over all of the thick muscles of his arms, shoulders, belly and lower. Her mouth watered again. She wanted to taste every square inch of his fit, tanned body.
Jack turned back to her with an angry expression on his face and prowled over to stand before her. Grace looked up into his now green hazel eyes and waited. She wasn’t sure what she was waiting for but it felt like something major was about to happen. Like after this moment nothing would ever be the same, and if she had any chance of escaping this fate she needed to leave now. She needed to turn and run before Jack consumed her again. But she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t leave. Because in her heart of hearts she’d rather have a short time with Jack and suffer the loss of him for the rest of her life, than never have this time with him and live the rest of her life wondering what could have been.
Jack finally broke the silence. “I’m not a jealous man, Grace. I never have been. You know that better than anyone.”
She grinned, “You didn’t like Luke.”
Jack’s nostrils flared. “That’s because Luke was in love with you. I hated him for that. He was a threat to the hold I had on you.”
Grace gasped. “Luke was not in love with me! He was a great friend, Jack. He helped me deal with the torment I felt over my insane need to trail you like a love sick idiot. He never, not even once, made a pass at me.” How in the world had Jack gotten the impression that Luke wanted her? Jack chuckled and reached out to play with the little cap sleeve of her dress.