A Promise Kept

by Anissa Garcia

  Grace nodded. “And you? You need someone good to you in the bedroom.”

  Her red-headed friend waved her hand in dismissal. “Any sex is better than no sex, I guess.”

  “Even when it’s bad?” Grace scrunched her face remembering some horrible make-out sessions, not to mention her first time. “Trust me, I’d love to forget Kyle ever happened.”

  “Sometimes it can be good, bad, or mediocre. I’ve just dealt with more mediocre than anything else.”

  “I’ll bet Josh has some endurance. He’s sexy.”

  “He’s okay.” Marla didn’t look at Grace and that was an instant giveaway.

  “Oh, come on, Marla. Give it up. You like him.”

  Marla made a face. “No, I don’t. He’s not my type. Besides, I’m pissed off at Ryan and hate all men, remember?”

  “Which you’ll change your mind about eventually.” Grace took time picking up jewelry and after glancing at the prices, immediately put the items back. “You had to have known about Ryan being a douche, Marla. We all said to be careful with him.”

  Marla picked up a necklace and decided on the purchase. “I saw warning signs, but ignored them, as I always do. Perhaps I’m hoping they’ll prove me wrong. Or I’m just a fucking nutcase who’s a hopeless romantic.”

  “Neither. You just haven’t met the right guy.”

  “Well, look who’s the optimist with love now.” Marla lifted her brow at Grace. “And the memoir? You let him read it?” Grace nodded. “That’s a huge deal. And the publishers?”

  “I haven’t heard anything. I don’t think I want it published anyway. It’s just so…”

  “Revealing?”

  “Yeah.” Grace waited for Marla to finish her purchase and they wandered outside again. The sun was beginning to fade and the temperature was dropping. Seemed a cold front was on the way and Grace hoped it would get chilly for Christmas.

  “I say let people read it, Grace. Your story’s a complicated one, but it’s unique. I’d tell your folks about it though.”

  “My mom keeps texting me. I think she found out who I’m dating. I wouldn’t doubt she disapproves.” Grace shook her head and finished her tea, throwing the cup into a recycle bin.

  “He’s Evan Matthews. I don’t see how she would.”

  They made their way into another store and began to roam through the clutter of clothing. “She’d find a way.”

  “So, what else did the publishers say? Seriously, Grace, you might need to get another marketing strategy for your books. They don’t seem to be doing shit for you.”

  Grace sighed knowing Marla was right. Years ago she had been so desperate for any type of acceptance from a publisher that she took what she could get. That had been a mistake. Her books weren’t getting promoted, she was constantly being pushed aside for bigger names, and the industry had gone through so many changes within the past few years, it was difficult for her to keep up.

  “I have one more contracted book in my Scandals of a Duke series, and then after that, they either decide to drop me or give me a new contract. The deal was shit from the start, and I’m not really sure what they’ll propose, but I guess we’ll find out. I’m sort of interested in doing contemporary. Maybe even self-publishing. I have a good following. I love them, and they keep me going.”

  “Well, that’s good. You’ll become a world-renowned author and marry Evan and have five babies.” Marla smiled as she took out a blouse and studied it.

  “Right, because it’s always been my dream to have five babies.” Grace rolled her eyes.

  “Well, you do want to get married someday, right Grace? Evan’s a good one to do that with. If you like that hunky, handsome, millionaire type.”

  Grace laughed as she ran through the clothing rack looking at t-shirts. “I’m just trying to get through this whole dating stage first. Everyone likes pushing us way ahead of where we are. I could’ve sworn his sister was already thinking we were meant to be.”

  “Well, aren’t you?” Marla smirked at her and put the blouse back. “His source said he was head-over-heels.”

  “So you saw that,” Grace laughed. “He does want me to go where he films next. It’s weird to be thinking that far ahead.” Gallivanting to God-knew-where while Evan filmed his movies was not how Grace imagined spending her time, not that she was complaining.

  “Well, you could write wherever you are.”

  Grace tried to focus on the present instead of worrying about the future, including what she would do with her property manager job. “I love this shirt.” Grace picked it up and Marla laughed. “What? I do.”

  “Of course you do. How many shirts do you need with Texas on them anyway? You have three others like that.”

  “This one says, ‘Born and Raised.’” Grace was getting it. Every now and then she let herself have the small luxury of something. She also found a present for Jaime and would work on Marla’s gift later. As for Evan, she had no clue what she would give the man who had it all.

  Grace’s breath shuddered along with Evan’s as he lifted her ankles up on his shoulders and surged inside her, unrelenting and fast. “I need you, give me everything, Gracie.”

  He drove deep into her, his body hot and damp as he hovered over, moving her legs aside and turning her onto her belly, continuing to claim her fully from behind. Grace could half hear her sobs escape her lips as she submitted. The feel of being so intimate, so vulnerable and surrendering to him, was overwhelming.

  It was all new, fresh, and extremely liberating. He rocked his hips against her in a glorious bliss that thrived all over her body. His pace increased as he leaned his chest against her back, one hand squeezing her breast as the other trailed down over the sensitive center of pleasure that begged to be touched.

  Grace’s hands fisted the sheets below her as she bit her trembling lip. The tension was climbing to the point of agonizing as her third orgasm of the night was on the brink. “Please, Evan, please…”

  He rolled his hips and took her higher until his body hit her just right and she screamed out as the wave took hold and then crashed. He persisted until her convulsions finished and then let himself go until he was spent. They melded into each other, sweat glistening as their limp bodies rested.

  “Fuck-wow,” Grace muttered breathlessly.

  Evan grinned and faced her, his hand running over her tangled locks. “Fuck-wow?”

  “Yeah, shit that was…fuck...”

  “I love that dirty mouth, sunshine.”

  “Mmm.” Grace closed her eyes, sated and glowing. She then watched him crawl back to her after he disposed of his condom. His muscular body snuggled beside her and she felt it was too good to be true. She’d wake up and he’d be gone. She set that aside and remembered the way he stormed into the house when she had texted him that Marla had left. He had walked in, demanded her to kiss him, then whispered how he wanted to take her, and he wouldn’t be as gentle as he was before. She was up to that challenge, and she’d just been served.

  “So that was the pissy aggression? I think you need to get pissed off more often.”

  “Don’t make me spank you, Gracie.”

  “I might like that,” Grace gasped as Evan rubbed his body against her. She arched back into him, feeling herself still pulsing from her last orgasm.

  “Already wanting more, doll?”

  “Always.”

  “Now you know how I feel. Sorry, but I gotta go. Zach and I need to spend boy-time together talking about our feelings all damn day long.” He moved away from her as she swung her hand out, slapping his chest.

  “Go have your boy-time then, Evan. I’ve got a vibrator to keep me company.” He grabbed her wrist as she sat up and attempted to leave the bed.

  He laughed as he tugged her to him. “I’m teasing, Gracie Lynn. And throw that thing away. Nobody gets to please you but me.”

  “You saying you’re jealous of a piece of equipment, Matthews?”

  “No, sugar, but I want every orgasm to
be mine. I’m a selfish asshole that way.”

  “No, you’re not, Evan.”

  He let his body lean over hers and she was once again drowning in a gaze of deep blue. They turned silent, reviewing each other, his nose gliding over hers. “Hi,” he whispered softly.

  “Hey.” She let out a breathy giggle as he rubbed against her, his lush lips curving up into a smile. Grace thought about his account of all her orgasms belonging to him and her mind began to wander. She had such limited practice, everything was so intense.

  “What’s going on, Gracie?”

  Grace shook her head. “Nothing.”

  “Nice try, baby cakes. Let’s do that again. What’s wrong?”

  “How do you know when something’s wrong?”

  A rough chuckle released from his throat. His fingertip ran over the space between her eyes. “You crinkle up right here when you’re worried or deep in thought.” His lips gently kissed the spot. “So, talk to me.”

  Her hands ran through his hair as he waited for her to speak. “I’m just curious, if you…if this feels as amazing for you as it does for me. I know you’ve had a lot of women, and I’m not sure if…” She could feel him shift, his expression turning concerned. Her eyes focused on his chest that pressed against hers. “If I’m pleasing you enough sexually. I know I’m not as skilled, and if you get bored you’ll tell me, right?”

  “Gracie,” his breath escaped his lungs and his eyes softened. “I’ve never felt this incredible in my life, sweetheart. I promise you, you’re perfect.” His hand caressed her cheek as he gave her a sweet kiss. “And we’re going to have fun experiencing new things together.” She gave a small smile. “I love you, Grace. Don’t doubt that. Please.”

  Her heart skipped a beat and she knew that even if she was accustomed to thinking the worst, she had to have faith in this man. She had already given all of herself over to him, and she couldn’t go back.

  “It’s almost midnight.” Evan glanced at the clock and shifted. The holiday season had approached, and he had decided to stay in Texas. He practically moved in with Grace in the weeks prior, so he bought a small tree and set it up near the large windows in her living room. She had a box of decorations in her garage that she brought up, and old Christmas records played as they decorated together.

  She looked at him and smiled. “Evan, thanks for a great Christmas.”

  “Presents?” He clapped his hands together, rubbing them as excitement beamed from his expression.

  She nodded as they sat near the lit tree. Evan grabbed a large rectangle-shaped box wrapped in shiny red paper and passed it to her. Grace let it rest on her legs as she handed him a Christmas-decorated bag with tissue paper.

  “You first.” He studied her hands as they gently tried to peel through the edges of the wrapping. He chuckled as he reached over and ripped part of it clear off. “Just go for it, doll.”

  “Hey! I liked the wrapping. I could’ve saved it.” She smirked as she then flew through the paper and ran her hands over a wooden chest. She unhinged the lid, opening the box, which revealed different compartments that housed oil paints, brushes, palette cups, painting knives and other tools. Grace felt prickling of tears begin, but composed herself. “Evan, this is so wonderful.”

  “I also bought you some more canvases and an easel, but those are in the spare room. You said you needed to replace some things, so I thought this was a good pick for you.”

  “It’s perfect.” She knew how pricey all the supplies were, and he had bought something for her that meant so much. “I feel like my gift isn’t as cool as this.”

  She watched as he tore through the tissue paper in the bag and saw his name engraved on a walnut desk wedge. He viewed Grace with a puzzled expression. “A name plaque?”

  Grace smiled. “For your new desk. In the garage.”

  His face broke into a grin so bright and big that Grace swore she saw the sun. “The desk? The desk we worked on together? Where we had our second kiss? That desk.”

  She nodded. “That desk. And it was our first kiss. The drunk one doesn’t count. Anyway, it’s yours, Evan.”

  He reached over, taking her mouth into his and holding her tightly to him. “That’s the most thoughtful thing I’ve ever gotten, Grace.”

  “You can’t mean that,” she giggled as he trailed his kisses down her neck.

  “Well, I say we go christen said desk, which will just enhance the thoughtfulness of the gift.”

  She laughed heartily as he continued the trek of his lips over her. “Desk sex will be new for me.”

  “For me too, sunshine,” he whispered in her ear.

  The thought of that made her blush and she shuddered in his arms. The phone chime interrupted their moment and Grace groaned. “It’s late.” She dug in her jeans pocket as Evan moved away from her. She looked at the screen and rolled her eyes. “It’s my mother.”

  “Maybe it’s an emergency.”

  She held out the phone for him to peer at the screen.

  Nancy: “Have a Merry Christmas, Grace.”

  She rolled her eyes and didn’t text back. “Never an emergency. Just letting me know she’s alive.” When she looked back at him, he gave her a disapproving countenance. “What, Evan?”

  “You could try a little harder with her.”

  “Why should I?”

  “Maybe she wants to know you better and you’re not letting her. She’s texted you several times and I’ve never seen you respond.”

  Grace sighed as she boosted herself from the floor with her wooden box of paints. She set it on the dining table and moved toward the kitchen to clean up. “I don’t know why it matters to you.”

  “Because what affects you affects me too, sweetheart.” He got up and followed her. She stood in front of the sink to wash the dishes, but he approached behind her and shut the water off, grabbed her hips and turned her around to face him. His voice lowered as he raised her chin. “Gracie, you gotta let this resentment go. It’s eating at you, baby.”

  She stared into his smoky blue eyes and gave a weak smile. “I have my friends. I have you. I have Nathan’s memory. That’s more than enough for me.”

  A temperate look crossed his face, and his voice conveyed care. “It would have been nice to know him. To know your family.”

  “You and Nathan would’ve gotten along really well.”

  He paused in contemplation before asking. “Why don’t you have any family photos up?”

  Grace shook her head, unable to fully explain the depth of her pain. “It’s too hard, Evan. It just reminds me of all I lost.”

  He wrapped his arms around her tightly, letting her body crush against his. The feel of being with him made her feel comforted and safe. She wished she could bottle the sensation and keep it forever. She might’ve lost her family, but she was gaining so much with Evan. More than she ever imagined.

  “Merry Christmas, sweetheart,” he whispered quietly against her.

  The beginning of the year proved to be a busy one. With Evan’s full filming schedule for the month and award season approaching, he knew time with Grace would be limited. She had been so overwhelmed with trying to meet her deadline for her next book, working with the Home Owners Association, and other paperwork that the little time they had together was filled with quick lovemaking that Evan wished would last all day.

  Tonight he made it a point to have time set aside. He needed to talk with her, and she had promised she’d meet her word count for the day. He had Zach order from a local pasta place and Evan set the food on the dining table as Grace sat on the couch typing up the last of the pages she needed to hit.

  “You almost done, babe?” He served wine as her fingers flew over the keyboard.

  “Shh. Just give me a few.” Minutes passed and she sighed as she closed her laptop. “Okay, done for the night.”

  “Is Lady Emilia gonna ask Duke Ellington about the affair with Lady Mary?” He handed her a glass of red.

  She pushed off the
couch and stretched. “You’ll have to wait and see. Sometimes I think you’re worse than my followers.”

  “We can’t help it if we’re fangirls,” he joked at her as they clinked their glasses together and sipped on the wine. “So, the Golden Globes are coming up in a few weeks. I’ll have to go to L.A. for it.”

  She nodded. “You’re a presenter?”

  “Yeah. I don’t always enjoy those things, but with the last movie out this year, they’re starting the promotion process early. Would you want to go with me?”

  Grace almost choked on the sip she had just taken from her drink. “You want me to go to the Golden Globes with you?”

  “Of course, I wouldn’t want you going with Chris Pine. You’re mine now, Captain Kirk.” He winked at her, giving a small kiss.

  “I don’t know.” She never wanted to be thrust in the strange limelight. It seemed so formal. So official. “Walking a red carpet? That’s…scary.”

  “It’s not too bad. You could see my house. I’ll get Zach to set up something with a stylist for you to get a dress. You might even revel in getting pampered.” They moved toward the table and enjoyed dinner, but he wouldn’t pressure her to go and told her to think it over.

  The night progressed and Evan sat in bed while Grace took a shower. He needed to read through another script that Zach had given him. He had yet to find what he wanted to direct. As he reached for the script on the nightstand, her phone chimed beside him.

  He glanced at the message that came in on the screen and saw a text. He scanned the contents and froze, wondering how long Grace had kept important information from him. She came out of the bathroom smiling, freshly showered with her wavy hair draped over her shoulders.

  “Grace.” He held out her phone. “You have a text message from Alan.” She stopped in her tracks, her brown eyes widening in fright. “He’s your agent, right? When were you going to tell me about this?”

  She gulped and moved forward, snatching the device from his hands, her expression turning suspicious. “You’re snooping on me?”