“Rambling Rose,” Wiley said without hesitation. He knew what working at the hotel meant to Grace. Although Austin wasn’t far, he’d grown accustomed to being able to see her every night. He liked having dinner with her and hearing about her day and sharing the details of his. He’d always been serious and analytical, comfortable with seeing the world through his view alone. Her mind worked in a different way than his did, and it fascinated him.
“Okay, then.” Gavin nodded. “Let’s see what we can do to make this happen.”
Wiley released a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. Moving forward with a potential relocation to Texas permanently made him feel like he could take the next step with Grace with no reservations. And his body and his heart wanted that next step in equal measure.
Chapter Thirteen
Grace stared at her left ankle as if she’d never seen it before. The feeling of air on her skin after so long was both strange and exhilarating. Although her uninjured leg hadn’t gotten any exposure to the winter sun, the skin on her newly exposed leg looked particularly sallow and a bit pinched. It felt odd to be able to move her foot. Her entire body felt lighter without the weight of the cast.
“You’re sure it’s time?”
The orthopedic surgeon chuckled. “Normally my patients don’t second-guess me when I remove a cast. They’re too busy thanking me.”
She placed a hand over her face and gave him an embarrassed smile. “I’m sorry, Doctor. Of course I trust you. You’re the expert. It’s just such a surprise to have it happening earlier than I expected. Now I just need a shower and to shave my legs.”
“You’re young and healthy,” he said with a chuckle. “The body is a miraculous healer, and yours did an amazing job at it. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. You’ll still need to wear the walking boot for another month. Physical therapy is going to be critical to strengthen the ankle. I know you’ve gone back to work, which is fine, but I don’t want you to overdo it.”
“I won’t,” she promised. “I’ll be careful. I’m just so excited to not have to use the crutches or the scooter.”
“I’m happy to be able to help you.”
“What about driving?” Grace said, still marveling at the thrill of being able to return to a somewhat normal life.
“I would say take it slow.” The doctor typed in a few notes on his laptop as he spoke. “And no standard transmission. The boot and a clutch aren’t going to be a good mix. But if the car is an automatic, then I see no issue.”
“I get my life back,” Grace said on a happy sigh.
“Listen to your body,” he advised. “If you need to rest, do that. I mean it, Grace. I know that you’re driven and motivated. We want to see the progress you’ve made so far continue.”
“Got it. Thank you so much.”
They finished up the appointment, and she scheduled a follow-up with the desk. The boot was awkward, but not nearly as cumbersome as the cast had been. Grace smiled as she walked out to the reception area where her mother and brother were waiting.
“No more cast,” her mother said and enveloped Grace in a tight hug. “This is fantastic, Gracie.”
Jake playfully ruffled her hair. “I was getting ready to put a bell on your scooter. It slowed you down at bit.”
“No more time for slow,” she said, then glanced over her shoulder. She didn’t need the doctor to overhear her. Of course, she wasn’t going to push it, but Grace felt more than ready to get back to regular life. Especially when that involved taking her relationship with Wiley to the next level. “I even get to drive.”
“You behind the wheel is scary on a good day,” Jake said with a chuckle.
Grace narrowed her eyes. “Not helpful.”
They walked out into the medical center parking lot. “I need to stop at the grocery store on the way home,” Barbara said, turning to Grace. “Do you want to go with me? Or Jake can give you a ride to your apartment.”
“I’d like to get back,” Grace said. “Wiley is coming for dinner so—”
“Seriously?” Jake bit back a groan. “Isn’t it time to cut the cord with that guy? You’re basically healed. You don’t need him keeping tabs on you anymore.”
“Jake, be nice,” their mother said gently.
“Or just be quiet,” Grace added.
“I still don’t trust him.” Jake lowered his mirrored sunglasses to look at Grace. “I’m sure he’ll be doing a happy dance now that you don’t seem to have any long-term, potentially expensive injuries for his family to take care of.”
“Wiley has been kind to your sister.” Barbara smiled. “He’s a good friend.”
Jake sniffed but Grace held up a hand when he would have argued with their mother. “It’s my life, Jake. I get to live it how I see fit. Maybe I’ll go to the grocery store with Mom just so I don’t have to listen to you.”
“Come on, Gracie.” He looped an arm around her shoulder. “Let me drive you home. I won’t talk any more about the Fortunes.”
“Call if you need anything,” her mother said. “I expect you both at the house for Sunday supper.” She patted Grace’s arm. “Bring your Wiley if you’d like, sweetie. We can all get to know each other better.”
“Thanks, Mom. Love you.” Grace gave her mother a final hug, then followed Jake to his truck. She didn’t like the tense silence that had fallen between them. She and Jake had always been close, even more so when she returned home to help after his car accident.
“Will you give Wiley a chance?” she asked softly as her brother pulled out of the medical center parking lot.
“Is it actually serious between the two of you?”
She bit down on the inside of her cheek, unsure how to answer that question. From the standpoint of her heart, it certainly felt serious. Although it had only been a few weeks since they’d met, she could hardly imagine her life before Wiley or how she’d kept herself occupied. At the same time, she knew he was leaving, so it wouldn’t make sense to become too attached. The sharp ache in her heart told her it might be too late for that.
“I like him,” she said, because that was the truth without revealing too much. “I’m not expecting whatever is going on between us to continue after he leaves, although I wouldn’t be opposed to a long-distance relationship.”
“Really?” Jake’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel. “I know I’m rough on him, Grace, but it’s because I don’t want to see you get hurt.” He glanced over at her. “You didn’t talk much about the breakup with Craig, but it obviously was hard on you.”
She ran a finger along the seam of her jeans. “The hardest thing about Craig was that he cheated on me and humiliated me in front of everyone we worked with at Cowboy Country.”
“Snake,” Jake muttered. “I still wish you would have let me pay him a visit.”
“Stop trying to sound like you’re auditioning for a gangster movie,” she said with an affectionate chuckle. Although she and Jake might argue, there was no doubt her brother would do anything to protect her, and she appreciated his unwavering loyalty. “Wiley isn’t like Craig.”
“He’s an attorney,” Jake said with a derisive smirk. “If you look up the word in the dictionary, there might be a picture of a snake next to the definition.”
“You have to trust me. Wiley isn’t like that. He’s honorable. I might not be able to adequately explain our connection or how instantaneous it was, but I know it doesn’t have anything to do with my injury.” Her gut tightened as she remembered Jillian’s nasty comments about Wiley’s motivations for being with Grace. She tried to put her rival’s suspicions out of her head, chalking them up to jealousy or Jillian’s attempts to undermine Grace’s confidence.
“I do trust you. But the verdict’s still out on the Fortune.”
“Jake.” As he pulled in front of her apartment building, Grace reached across the console and flicked his arm t
he way she used to do when they were kids. “Come on. Even Dad had a civil conversation with him a few days ago.”
“I’m glad you’re happy, Gracie.” Her brother shrugged. “Can that be enough for now?”
“For now.” She opened the car door and climbed out.
“I’d ask if you need help, but I already know the answer. Call or text if that changes.”
“I will.” Grace turned. “You’re going to come to my event tomorrow, right?”
“The one where Fortunes will be crawling all over the place?” Jake grimaced.
“The one where you’ll be supporting your favorite sister,” Grace countered.
Jake gave a mock shudder but nodded. “I’ll be there.”
Grace waved as he pulled away, then headed upstairs. She wasn’t going to win any sprinting contests with the boot, but it was a lot easier to manage the staircase without crutches. She checked her watch as she let herself into her apartment. The doctor’s appointment had taken longer than she expected, so she only had an hour until Wiley was scheduled to arrive.
Her plan to go to the grocery store on her own for the first time since the accident so she could make him a proper home-cooked dinner would have to be saved for another night. Once again, she put aside thoughts of how few nights they might have left together. What would Wiley think if she proposed attempting to continue their relationship across the miles?
She got undressed, undid the Velcro straps on the walking boot and climbed into the shower as she considered that option. For her, a long-distance romance wouldn’t be enough, but she’d be willing to try. Anything so that Wiley could remain a part of her life. He seemed to truly enjoy Rambling Rose, and she knew he loved spending more time with his siblings, so maybe he’d be in favor of visiting Texas on a more regular basis.
Hope and trepidation battled silently inside her at the thought of what their future might hold.
Her phone pinged as she came out of the bathroom, a series of texts from Callum with a minor crisis regarding the setup for tomorrow’s event. Grace didn’t hesitate to begin making calls and sending off messages from her laptop to mitigate any potential issues. A few months ago, she wasn’t sure she would have had the confidence to take charge without an internal panic attack plaguing her. Her time in the training program and working toward the goal of the manager promotion had taught her a lot about herself and what she was capable of handling.
Unfortunately, when the knock sounded on her apartment door, Grace realized she’d lost track of time. Instead of putting on a nice outfit and hoping to impress Wiley before a potential next step in their relationship, she made her way to the door in a fuzzy polka-dot robe with her still-damp hair loose around her shoulders. She didn’t even bother to put on a dab of lip gloss. What was the point? She’d messed up this night before it even started.
* * *
Wiley sucked in a breath and tried to control his rapidly beating heart when Grace smiled at him as she opened the door to her apartment.
He wasn’t sure what he’d expected, but Grace in a soft bathrobe—and possibly nothing more—with her damp hair cascading over her shoulders and a pink glow tingeing her cheeks definitely was more than he bargained for.
“Sorry,” she said immediately, taking a step back to let him enter. “I had to take care of something for tomorrow and lost track of—”
She let out a small yelp when he scooped her into his arms, kicking shut the door with one foot. He claimed her mouth with an urgency he hadn’t realized he felt until that moment. The entire drive back from Austin, Wiley had been weighing in his mind the pros and cons of making a permanent move to Texas.
Was it too much? Too soon? Would he lose the independence and autonomy he’d carved out in his life like he was sculpting it from precious marble if he gave up his life in Chicago?
But seeing Grace made him understand in an instant that he wouldn’t be giving up anything. In fact, it felt like he’d be moving toward something, claiming a future he hadn’t imagined for himself. One that now felt like it was his destiny.
He wondered if the woman in his arms might be his destiny.
“You are beautiful,” he told her as he trailed kisses along her neck. She smelled clean, like soap and lemons, a combination that had his senses reeling.
“I didn’t even do my hair,” she said with a laugh that quickly turned into a moan as he nipped at the sensitive place under her earlobe.
“Your hair is perfect,” he said, sifting his fingers through the silky strands. “Tell me you aren’t wearing anything under this robe.”
He felt more than heard the hitch in her breath. “Nothing.”
“Thank God,” he murmured, then forced himself to pause. She wasn’t trying to seduce him, he knew, or be purposely tempting the way some women would. Wiley wanted her all the more because of it.
But he also wanted to respect a pace that made her comfortable. Until he talked to his boss back in Chicago and the senior partners from Gavin’s firm in Austin, he wasn’t ready to discuss a potential move with her. He had to make sure everything was going to work out before he made any commitments or promises to Grace.
A little voice niggled at the corner of his mind, one that warned him love wasn’t something he could control or put in a neat little box the way Wiley liked to do with the pieces of his life. But he shoved that warning into a dark corner. This was new territory for him, even being willing to consider a change in his life for another person. He wasn’t quite ready to make the jump without knowing he had a solid place to land on the other side.
He would give her at least that same consideration. “Do you want to talk about the issue for tomorrow?” he asked as he put her down, then gripped her arms and shifted her away from him. The robe had loosened as they’d embraced, and he tried not to look at the expanse of soft skin he could see in the deep vee where it gaped.
She gave him a strange look, although her eyes were still cloudy with desire. “I handled it.”
“Of course,” he agreed. “How is your ankle?” He leaned down to take in the black walking boot that covered her leg from midcalf to foot. “Your text said the doctor thinks everything is healing properly?”
“Properly,” she repeated, and he heard something in her tone that sounded like amusement. He couldn’t figure out what was funny about the struggle to be a gentleman instead of continuing to ravish her the way he wanted to.
“Are you hungry?” He glanced over her shoulder toward the kitchen. She’d mentioned making dinner, but by the looks of the clean counters it seemed as though they might be going out. That was fine. He could wait to kiss her—and more. He could wait as long as needed.
“Wiley.” She reached out and cupped his cheek in her palm. He leaned in, soothed as always by her touch. “Did you hear the part where I said I’m naked under my robe?”
He swallowed and locked his knees as his legs suddenly went weak. “Yes.”
“And your reaction is that you want to talk about the hotel event or my ankle or dinner?”
“I want to not take advantage of...” He licked his lips. “You lost track of time. The part about the robe...and you being...” Words abandoned him for a few moments as he struggled to retain control. “I don’t want to rush you, Grace.”
The corner of her mouth twitched, and he would have given anything to read her thoughts at the moment.
“I don’t want to rush, either.”
He felt his eyes go wide as she hooked her thumb in the robe’s thick sash and undid it.
“In fact...” Her smile widened. “I hope that what comes next takes us all night.” Then she pushed the robe off her shoulders.
* * *
Grace waited for Wiley’s reaction to her bold move with her heart practically beating out of her chest. She wasn’t normally one to make the first move—or any move—and certainly not to be assertive w
hen it came to intimacy.
Her ex-boyfriend had been her first and only partner, and their intimacy had always been more about his pleasure than hers. She figured that was simply how it worked for a woman like her. As Craig had told her when she confronted him about his cheating, there were women men dated because they made good girlfriends and women men wanted because they were desirable.
He’d left no question that Grace fell into the former category.
But she wanted more from Wiley—with Wiley. She wanted more from herself and was quickly learning that the best way to achieve what she wanted was to take risks.
Standing naked in front of a man who looked like he belonged in some sort of catalog for genetic lottery winners, the lower part of one leg still encased in an orthopedic boot, definitely felt like a risk.
One she realized was worth it when Wiley’s dark gaze traveled over her body, and his chest began to rise and fall in ragged breaths.
“I never expected...” He broke off, gave a small shake of his head and reached for her.
“Me, neither,” she said against his mouth as he drew her close, his warm hands splayed across her bare back and bottom.
He muttered a curse low in his throat as he lifted her into his arms. “I can’t wait,” he said. “I want you so badly, Grace. I’ve wanted you since that first moment I saw you at the hotel.”
She wrapped her arms tight around his neck, inhaling his scent as sensation swirled through her. She should feel vulnerable. After all, she was completely exposed while he remained fully dressed. But instead, she felt powerful in a way she didn’t recognize. Like she was finally claiming a part of herself that had been waiting for her to realize it was important.
Wiley gave her the confidence to step into the woman she was meant to be.
He paused when he came to the door of her bedroom.
“I want you, too,” she told him, brushing a kiss over his lips. “No more waiting, Wiley. We’re in this together.”
“Together,” he repeated on a rush of air.
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