Nodding, she fought back the tears. “Thanks, Mom. I needed to hear that.”
“Good.” There was relief in her voice. “Is the hotel you’re at in a good neighborhood? Is it safe? Have you bolted the door?”
She laughed softly and, in the distance, heard Finn was out of the shower. “Everything is fine here and I’m in a very good neighborhood, so please don’t worry. I promise to call and check in tomorrow, okay?”
“Yes, please do and be safe!”
“I will, Mom. I love you.”
“Love you too.”
Grace shut her phone down and placed it on the mattress beside her, her eyes stinging with unshed tears. “God, what a mess,” she whispered and suddenly wished she was at home with her folks. Right now, she could use one of her father’s famous hugs and a slice of her mother’s apple pie. The thought of food made her stomach lurch a bit, but it passed quickly.
The room was getting darker and when she looked toward the window, she saw the clouds moving in and knew they were in for some rain.
“Fits my mood,” she murmured, as the tears began to roll down her face. At the sound of a door opening, she quickly wiped them away as she sat up.
Finn stepped out of the bathroom in a pair of jeans and nothing else. His hair was damp, and even from across the room, she could see several droplets of water on his chest and had to fight the urge to get up and lick them.
Bad Grace!
“Bathroom’s all yours,” he said with an easy grin. “Water gets hot fast, so be careful, and the pressure is great.”
Before she gave in to the temptation to simply body slam him to the nearest bed and taste him, she grabbed her things and with a mumbled word of thanks, stepped into the steamy room and closed the door behind her.
It wasn’t like Finn wasn’t aware of how long some women took to get ready, but it seemed like Grace was taking an exorbitant amount of time in the shower. She hadn’t been that way this morning before they left Vegas, so he had to wonder what the deal was now.
Was she regretting the fact they were sharing a room tonight? Platonically? Hell, if he were honest, he could admit he kind of was. If things had gone as planned, he’d be in a room all by himself, wishing he could be with Grace but knowing it was for the best for them to be in separate rooms.
Yeah. That had to be what it was. She was just killing as much time as possible so they didn’t have to lie in separate beds, mere feet away, and pretend they hadn’t seen each other naked and touched every inch of each other only twenty-four hours ago.
Then he remembered the look on her face when he’d come out of the bathroom. She looked upset and on the verge of tears. He heard part of her conversation with her mother and he imagined she was a little emotional from that. He just wished she didn’t feel like she had to hide out in the bathroom instead of showing her feelings out here or even talking to him about them.
And why do you think that is?
Okay, fine. He hadn’t been the nicest guy in the world today, but they were over that, right? Everyone was entitled to a bit of a meltdown considering the circumstances, and he had his, and it was done. He was going to move on just like he always did, and…unfortunately, he had no idea how Grace handled bad days or bad situations.
Other than getting in an Uber and taking off in a wedding dress, that is.
A loud boom of thunder sounded and he jumped a little. They were getting one hell of a storm, and personally, he was glad they weren’t out there driving in it. Of course, they would have been about a hundred miles away by now, but still, he was happy to be off the road and relaxing in a room.
The curtains were drawn, and he had stripped out of his jeans and was currently under the sheets in just his boxers flipping through the channels. When Grace finally came out of the bathroom, he almost forgot how to breathe.
The electric blue nightshirt matched her eyes and barely covered her ass. She didn’t have on a stitch of makeup, her hair was damp, and she was quite possibly even sexier than she’d been last night in scraps of red silk.
She gave him a weak smile as she walked over to her bed to pull down the covers. When she bent over, he caught a glimpse of blue panties that matched her nightshirt, and he knew it wasn’t a deliberate move.
“Hey,” he said softly, reaching out a hand to her.
She stopped what she was doing and turned to look at him. “Hmm?”
Then he did something he had no intention of doing. He slid a little farther across the bed and gently tugged her toward him until she had one knee on the bed.
“Finn…”
But he was already shaking his head. “Come here.” She crawled onto the bed and positioned herself next to him until he could put his arms around her, and then he simply held her. “You just looked like you needed a hug.”
He thought he was doing a good thing, but she broke down sobbing in his arms.
So he held her a little tighter.
And she cried a little bit harder.
After a few minutes, she raised her head and looked at him. “How did you know?”
He could be honest, or he could try to make her laugh.
He decided to do both.
“Well, you looked a little sad after talking to your mom,” he began, “but then the four-hour shower really gave it away.”
She chuckled and wiped at her eyes. “Four hours? Exaggerate much?”
“I never exaggerate about time,” he corrected. “Inches, yes. Time, no.”
Then she really started to laugh, but she hugged him tightly. “Thank you. You have no idea how much I needed that.”
Finn realized there was a lot he didn’t know about Grace, but in the short time they’d spent together, he also knew he’d learned a lot. When she went to move out of his arms, he held her close. If she would have turned and asked him why he wasn’t letting her go, he wasn’t sure what he’d say, but luckily, she didn’t question him. They simply shifted and got a little more comfortable. “Seriously, are you okay?”
“Yeah, I think so. I’m probably going to be like this for a while–fine one minute, a weepy, sobbing mess the next.” She shook her head. “Be thankful you only have another couple of days of this to deal with.”
There were many things in this world that Finn was thankful for; saying goodbye to Grace wasn’t going to be one of them.
Guiding her head onto his shoulder, he felt her shuddery sigh. “Right before you came out of the bathroom earlier, I wished I was home with my parents. They always make me feel better. I’m the baby of the family and Mom was just reminding me of all the ways she and my dad would take care of me when I got home.”
There was sadness and longing in her voice and Finn reminded her of her options. “We can book you a flight right now,” he said quietly. “I’m sure there are flights out of here first thing in the morning. You could be home with them by lunchtime tomorrow.”
She was quiet for so long that Finn wasn’t sure she heard him, but when she pulled back and looked at him, he knew she had. He just couldn’t tell what she was thinking.
“Do you think I should?”
No fair, he thought. None of this was fair. How could he possibly meet a woman who was sweet and funny and sexy and attractive and completely annoying and have her here half-naked in his bed when he knew he was going to have to let her go? Everything was against them–everything. Between where they lived and the timing of when they met, it just didn’t make sense.
But man, oh man, did he want it to.
Swallowing hard, he struggled for the right words. “That’s not for me to decide, Grace. You need to do what’s right for you.”
Pushing away slightly, she growled, and he knew it was meant to show her frustration, but it just came out sounding kind of cute and really sexy.
Actually, she had made that sound a time or two last night while they were naked and sweaty and trying to consume each other.
Focus, dammit!
“If I knew what was right for me, I
wouldn’t be in this predicament right now, Finn! I think we can both agree that I suck at making decisions like this, so can you please not give me the politically correct answer and just tell me what I should do?”
“Grace, I…”
“You seem to enjoy being the boss, being the one in control, so can you please just…do that right now? Do I hop on a plane and go home, or do I take some time away from everything and try to get my head on straight for a few more days?”
Honestly, he had no idea which response she wanted from him, so he stayed quiet. When he didn’t respond, she pushed a little more. “Pretend I’m your brother! You obviously like telling him what to do! Only in this scenario, I’m the baby and the screwup! I’m the one who’s the drain on the family! So come on, what do I do?”
And for some reason, the comparison bothered him–really bothered him. “I’m not going to even try to compare you and Dave…”
“Why? Because I’m a woman?”
He rolled his eyes. “No, because you are not a screwup, Grace! You were in a shitty situation and you’re dealing with it. Dave makes every situation shitty and expects everyone else to deal with it and fix it, so…”
She jumped up and onto her knees. “Fine! So don’t fixate on the comparison! Fixate on helping me decide what I’m supposed to do! Again, am I supposed to book a flight home for tomorrow morning so I can be comforted by my family, or am I supposed to take this ride across the rest of the country and embrace the time to get my head together? There are only two choices here, Finn! Surely out of the two of us, you can pick the right option!”
It was on the tip of his tongue to throw a third option out there–to stay on this trip because she wanted to spend time with him and explore what was happening between them.
But he didn’t.
Tears welled up in her eyes and he forced himself to look away. It was a total dick move–he was pretty much being a coward–but this decision was no easier for him than it was for her. And if he said that to her–if he admitted he was struggling too–then where would they be? How could that possibly help anything?
He could feel her staring at him–waiting for an answer or at the very least, an acknowledgment of her question. So many thoughts swirled around in his mind, and for a long moment, fear held him paralyzed. Never in his life had he been faced with a predicament like this. The practical side of him said he should convince her to get on the first plane out in the morning and let that be it. But for the first time in his life, his heart was telling him to be reckless–that sometimes what seemed logical and practical wasn’t necessarily the right choice.
It was a hell of a situation to find himself in.
She shoved him hard, her voice laced with disgust. “Damn you.”
As she went to move off the bed, he decided to listen to his heart. He had nothing else to lose. He was done fighting how he felt. This might not solve anything, but he’d gain some peace of mind by getting it off his chest. Grabbing her arm, he tugged her close again, and Grace clumsily sprawled across his lap. “Don’t book a flight. Don’t go home yet. Stay with me, finish the drive with me.” He reached up and anchored a hand in her hair. “Sing to music I can’t stand, dance in your seat all you want and ask to stop at every tacky roadside attraction, just…don’t go.” He rested his forehead against hers. “Not yet.” He was breathless by the time he was done talking, and when he could finally breathe, he pulled back slightly and looked at her.
And saw her smile.
“You don’t want me to go.”
He shook his head. “I don’t want you to go.”
Her smile grew. “Tomorrow, can we listen to the hair bands of the eighties while we drive?” she asked, straightening and then crawling over him until she was straddling his lap. “I have a fantastic playlist with bands like Whitesnake, Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, and Poison.”
Finn’s hands moved down until they rested on her ass and he gently squeezed. “Do I have to headbang with you or can I just drive?”
“A little air guitar wouldn’t hurt.”
“I always envisioned myself more of a drummer.”
“That’ll work,” she said, her voice a little soft and husky. “You have really good hands. I think you’d make a great drummer.”
With a short laugh, he pulled her in close. “You think so, huh?”
Nodding, she replied, “I know so. Think you’ll be able to drum and drive?”
Now wasn’t the time to remind her–again–of the dangers of that sort of thing, so he simply said, “I think I can handle that.” Leaning in close, he was hoping to kiss her, but she reared back. “Grace?”
With a sexy grin, she pulled her nightshirt up and over her head, tossing it to the floor. “Think you can handle this too?”
His hands instantly moved to cup her breasts, and as he lowered his lips to them, he replied, “I’ll handle whatever it is you need me to, Grace.”
And he would.
7
They had just switched places in Amarillo when Finn realized this trip was good for him too. He was learning to compromise a little more, to be more flexible with his schedule, and to be spontaneous.
That last one wasn’t nearly as painful as he thought it would be.
They didn’t leave the hotel this morning at the time he had originally planned. Grace had started the day by making him laugh wearing a t-shirt that said “You Had Me at Tacos,” and they commiserated over how much they ate the night before. Once they stopped laughing, she had insisted on going for pancakes for breakfast. And he had to admit, he was glad they did that because the pancakes were delicious. And even though neither of them should have been hungry again between last night’s dinner and this morning’s breakfast, they had stopped to eat again here in Amarillo. She’d convinced him to stop at what he could only describe as a dive, but he had to admit the food–Texas barbecue–was awesome.
“You know,” he began, settling into the passenger seat, “I have us stopping in Oklahoma City for the night, but if you want to stop someplace else…”
Grace looked over at him and smiled happily. “That’s very sweet of you, but I was doing my research while you were driving, and now I’m looking forward to checking it out. Why? Was there someplace else you’d rather stop?”
“I’m so tired that I wouldn’t mind staying here in Amarillo,” he replied lightly, and he was only partially kidding. After Grace had crawled into his lap last night, they made love twice before dozing off. Then she woke him up around three in the morning and he made love to her again.
And again when the alarm went off at seven.
That, combined with their lack of sleep from the night before in Vegas, and he was lucky he could see straight.
Beside him, she chuckled softly. “I hate to say it, but we definitely need to sleep tonight.”
“Are you sure you’re okay to drive? Because if you’re too tired, we can totally find a place to stop now. Maybe even nap for a couple of hours and then drive through the night.”
She was quiet as she pulled out onto the highway. They drove less than a mile before she glanced over at him. “Here’s something you should know about me–I hate driving at night. Like seriously hate it. I will drive all day long, but once the sun goes down, I prefer not to be the designated driver. That’s why your schedule has worked so well.”
“Is there a reason for that–for why you don’t like driving at night?”
“Promise not to laugh?”
He nodded.
“I’m normally an early-to-bed kind of girl,” she said shyly. “All of my friends tease me and call me the eleven-thirty woman because I am never out later than that, and if I’m home, I’m always asleep by then.” Grinning at him, she added, “I know you wouldn’t know it based on the last couple of days, but…there it is.”
Was it wrong that her little fact only made her more attractive? Why? Because he was an early-to-bed kind of guy. Granted, his early mornings at the shop sort of dictated that, but sti
ll, Finn didn’t know too many people his age who had the same habit.
“See? No laughing,” he said.
“Well, I appreciate it. I get made fun of a lot because of it. When most of my friends are just heading out on a Friday night, I’m already in my jammies and curling up with a book.”
He really wouldn’t have pegged her for that, especially after their romp around Vegas. She seemed like…
Turning his head, Finn looked at her. “Did your feet really hurt in Vegas or were you really just looking to make it an early night?”
“You do realize it was almost two in the morning at that point, right?”
He nodded. “I know, but…still. Were you just tired?”
Her smile was back. “You really want to know?”
He nodded.
“The shoes were new and mildly uncomfortable, but my real reason for wanting to go back to the room was all about seducing you.” Now her grin was of pure satisfaction. “And it was better than I ever imagined.”
Groaning, Finn rested his head back against the seat. “I really wish you hadn’t told me that.”
“Why? I would have thought you’d appreciate the compliment.”
“Oh, I do. Believe me. But that’s not what I was talking about.”
“Then…why?”
“Because now I’m going to have to find out where the nearest hotel is for us to stop,” he said gruffly. “Knowing you did that for me? It’s a huge turn on and I’d like to properly thank you.”
Giggling, Grace sped up a bit and passed the slow-moving Ford in front of them and then whipped off the next exit. She looked over at him and winked. “I already saw the sign a minute ago and was thinking about surprising you again.”
This girl.
It was one in the afternoon, they had eaten before leaving Amarillo–all of fifteen minutes ago–and they were already stopping again. Normally, this sort of thing made Finn crazy. On the trip west with his brother, any time Dave tried to sway him from his schedule, Finn lectured on why it was important to stick to it.
Drive Me Crazy Page 11