A Risk Worth Taking

by Melissa Klein

  “Pinching pennies is one of my many talents,” she said. A necessary one considering she wasn’t rich as sexy King Midas sitting across from her.

  His finger brushed across the back of her hand. “Among others,” he said, his voice low and seductive. Then he shifted around in his seat. Once he’d gotten comfortable, he took a sip from his drink. “I want to thank you again for pitching in with the Help and Hope Foundation. Between the picnic and the new corporate sponsors, you’ve been working like a fiend. You’re going to leave a vacuum when you go to London.”

  “I’m glad this opportunity came along,” she said, her chest growing tight as she recalled the countdown Ms. Griffin had included in her email.

  “When did you decide about the teacher exchange program? You didn’t mention it when we were in Turks and Caicos.”

  “It wasn’t until after the wedding.” Her gaze darted up to him. “In fact, you should get credit for me making the decision.”

  “How’s that?”

  “You asked me to go scuba diving with you and I said I’d be too scared to do it.”

  The corners of his mouth turned up. “I remember. You got mad and told me to stop bullying you.”

  Abby shook her head. “You weren’t bullying me, just offering me a challenge.” She’d been so mad with herself for missing out on an opportunity to do something different that she’d almost signed up for scuba classes her gym offered.

  Then she’d run across a flier stuck to the bulletin board in the teachers’ lounge. She’d gotten her application in just under the wire. “After years of doing the same thing, I’m ready to shake things up a little. I saw the program not only as a professional challenge but a personal one as well.”

  “I don’t deserve credit for you taking that step.” He winked. “You’re braver than you think.”

  “Maybe,” she said, feeling warm with his praise. “Are you ready to go?”

  “How many more stores?” he asked, rocking the male stereotypical attitude on shopping.

  “What happened to ‘I’ll hold your purse’?”

  He leaned in and whispered. “That was when I thought there was a chance to see you naked.”

  She rolled her eyes. “One more here at the Avenues, and then we tackle the hardware store.”

  Grant picked up the pace as they cleared the coffee shop. “Come on then. I actually like hardware stores.”

  “You’ll really like this place. I’ve been going to Milton Hardware since I bought my house. I’m practically an employee,” she explained.

  Two stores down from their bath store destination, a display outside Mayer’s jewelry store stopped her forward momentum. “Oh look, aquamarines,” she breathed, touching the glass display case. “So pretty.”

  Grant quirked an eyebrow. “You like them?”

  Were they back to this again? She cut her eyes at him in warning, to which he quickly raised his hands in surrender. “I do,” she answered, her voice filled with humor at his antics.

  “Your birthstone?”

  She stepped away from the display. “The last birthday cake Chris made for me had so many candles on it that it looked like the burning of Atlanta.” Abby fixed him with one of her famous quelling looks. “Don’t laugh. It’s true.”

  He looked at her in mock horror. “Not for all the motorcycles in the world.”

  The buzz of his phone cut off their laughter, and as he reached for it she pointed to the bedding store. He nodded, thumbing toward the parking lot and they went their separate ways.

  Knowing exactly what she wanted, she made it through the store in near record time, meeting Grant just as he was coming in. “All done,” she announced.

  “Excellent,” he said, rubbing his hands together. “One more store and we can call this day a success.”

  ****

  Grant used to like hardware stores. He could get lost for hours checking out the newest power tools and barbeque grills. As he stood next to Abby in Milton Hardware, he decided not anymore, now he hated them. Thanks to the fucker standing behind the paint counter. The one who couldn’t get the lid back on the paint can for staring at her breasts.

  “So what room are you painting this girly shade of purple?” the guy with Henry stitched on his shirt asked.

  Hardware Henry couldn’t have been any more obvious with his leering if he’d had cartoon eyes bugging out of his head. Grant wanted to adjust where the guy’s gaze landed with a fist to the jaw. Instead, he wrapped an arm around Abby’s shoulders to pull her in close.

  Her brow furrowed, Abby cut her eyes at him, before answering. “I’m redoing Jackson’s bedroom. I’ll be having some people stay in my home this summer and they have two little girls. I thought they might like this color.”

  The explanation pulled Grant from his plans for teaching Hardware Henry some manners. He wanted to talk her out of going, but knew he had no right. They hadn’t even talked about being exclusive, much less what they’d do when she left. From his side of the paint counter, Grant knew what he wanted from the relationship. He wanted to throw Abby over his shoulder and bolt out of the store. Grant sucked in a breath, trying to get a handle on his inner caveman. But Hardware Henry was triggering all kinds of possessive instincts.

  “Here you go, Abby. I threw in a plastic drop cloth and a couple extra paint stirrers for you,” he said, touching her hand as he passed the supplies to her.

  “Awww, Henry. You didn’t have to do that,” she drawled. “You spoil me.”

  Through his testosterone fog, he noted Abby had quickly snatched her hand away. But Hardware Henry seemed set on acting completely clueless. “Anything for you, sweetheart.” His lips formed a leering smile as he addressed Abby’s chest. “If you have any problems, feel free to call here at the store. I’d be glad to come lend a hand.”

  Abby’s broad smile evaporated. “Thanks, but I think I can handle it.”

  The fucker opened his mouth like he was going to hit her up with another round of being helpful. Grant was all over it and leaning over the counter he put it in terms even an idiot could understand. “The lady said she could handle it.”

  Hardware Henry took a big step backwards. “Sure, right,” he stuttered. “Austin can check you out up front.”

  Grant steered Abby toward the front of the store, his hand resting at the small of her back. But, as they reached the front of the store, Grant saw his trials weren’t over. The barely out of his teens guy behind the counter took one look at Abby and brightened like he’d just seen his first sports car. “Hi, Abby, I haven’t seen you here in a while.”

  “Shame on me, huh.” Abby cocked her head, studying the young guy. “Are you growing a beard or did you lose your razor?” she teased.

  The kid turned bright red from the collar of his shirt to the scalp beneath his brush cut. “Just decided not to shave during my break from school.”

  “Adds five years to you,” she said, nodding. Then she turned to Grant. “Austin attends Lee Military College.” She looked back at the young guy who was still blushing as he bagged Abby’s purchases. “Majoring in political science, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he answered, eyes ping ponging between she and Grant. Then as Grant made eye contact, the kid looked down and away. That’s right, little man. As much as Grant wanted to cut the kid some slack, he’d run out of understanding and was past ready to get the hell out of the leech-infested place. “Are we done here?” Grant asked, snatching the bags off the counter.

  Abby shot him a look that probably caused miscreant ten-year-olds to quake in their sneakers, a look Grant completely earned. “Very done.”

  His hand firmly around her waist, Grant led them out of the store. God, this had been a long fucking day. His palms itched to take Abby in his arms and tell her how crazy he was about her. No, crazy didn’t quite get it. He’d left crazy a long time ago. Grant thought back to the only other serious relationship he’d had. The one that resulted in his beautiful daughter, but thanks in no smal
l part to him had blown up in his face.

  Grant slammed the trunk closed and raked his fingers threw his hair. He wanted this thing with Abby to go somewhere, but he if wanted it, he was going to have to drop the steamer trunks worth of baggage he was humping. The memory of walking in on his wife flashed in his head. Whatever it took, he’d do just about anything to never have a repeat of that.

  He reached for the ignition. “Would you like me to pick us up some lunch before we head back to your place?” Gunning the engine, he pulled out of the Milton Hardware like he’d just boosted the thing, like if he drove fast enough he could outrun the past.

  Abby drummed her fingers against the door handle. “No, just take me home.”

  While moving the sedan through Sunday afternoon traffic, he cut his eyes at her. “You’re awfully quiet.”

  She chuffed, thinking he really didn’t want her talking right now. After another few minutes of silence, during which the thrumming in her head only got louder, she had to let some of her anger out. Either that or her head was going to explode. “You know, I wasn’t planning on running off with Henry.”

  He nodded but didn’t offer an explanation.

  Abby rolled her eyes. “Your hands were all over me the whole time we were in his department. Same goes for the Austin in check out. If you’d felt me up any more, we’d have gotten kicked out.”

  She didn’t mind public displays of affection as long as they were for the right reasons. Marking his territory wasn’t a valid reason.

  He scowled at her from beneath hooded eyes that turned the color of midnight. “They were undressing you with their eyes.”

  Abby barked a laugh but not because she thought anything about the situation was humorous. “They were flirting. I’m a very good customer. That’s all. I’m not interested in them.”

  “All you would have had to do was crook your finger and both those men would have been all over you like a bad suit. You have the same effect on me.”

  His comment might have made her hot and bothered if she wasn’t mad as hell at him. “And you think I’m just going to have sex with the first guy who winks at me or gives me an extra paint stick.” She was really feeling a head of steam rolling. “Is it my moral character in question here or womankind universally?”

  Grant steered the car into a grocery store parking lot. After killing the engine, he let out a breath. “Fuck. This is so not how I saw this day going. I don’t want to fight with you again.”

  She jutted out her chin. “That won’t be a problem. I don’t appreciate that you’ve felt the need to stake your claim.”

  Faster than she could track, he had her seatbelt off and was tugging her across the center console and into his lap. She really wanted to dig in her heels. Now was not the time to manhandle her.

  He cupped her face gently in his huge hands. Below the three worry lines creasing his forehead, his crystal blue eyes were pleading. “I have some bad history with infidelity, so I’m probably hypersensitive about flirting and shit like that.”

  Her anger melted. “Is that why you asked if Chris and I were a couple?

  He nodded, closing his eyes. When he opened them after a couple seconds, they were the color of the sea after a storm. “Listen, don’t judge Heather because what happened was my fault too. She had an affair after we had Grace. In retrospect if I’d paid more attention to her, she wouldn’t have sought comfort with someone else. She needed something and I wasn’t giving it to her. She found someone who would.”

  That explained a truckload of his behavior. It also put her in a bind. Did she want to risk reciprocating with her own truth? She took a deep breath, hoping he’d offer her the same level of understanding as he did his ex-wife. “I can’t judge Heather because I’ve been there and done that.”

  His eyes widened as if she’d slapped him, but he needed to hear this. She twined her fingers with his. “Jackson’s father was one of my dance instructors at Julliard. I knew he was married, but I believed him when he told me he was divorcing his wife.” She closed her eyes as the memory of that ugly, but long ago scene played in her mind. “He started singing a different tune when I told him he’d gotten me pregnant.” She opened her eyes to Grant’s compassionate face.

  “That’s different. You were young, and he took advantage of your innocence. Heather knew what she was doing.”

  She shook her head. “Emotions can really cloud people’s judgment and experience doesn’t always help. If it did, it would have helped me tune into the fact that the last guy I dated wasn’t being honest with me.”

  “Married?”

  “Believe me, the second I found out, I sent his sorry behind packing. My integrity is an important part of who I am.” She clinched his fingers, willing him to believe. “As long as I’m with you, there will only be you.”

  Grant let out a breath. “Now it’s you who knows the exact thing to say.” Then he grinned down at her. “That goes for me as well. Now that we’ve got that settled, can I buy the car to make up for my stupidity?”

  “No, but you can take me back to your place, and I’ll let you find another way of making this up to me.”

  Chapter 13

  “I feel sure this day has turned out to be far more of an adventure than you expected. Why don’t you close your eyes and relax for a few minutes.”

  It would take more than soft music and a warm behind for her to relax. Grant pulled onto Georgia 400 and they rode the dozen miles between the mall and his place in silence.

  Things changed once he had them inside the gatehouse. Before she could take more than a step inside, he took her hard against the nearest wall. “God, I need you,” he growled, pressing his mouth against hers. “I need to know we’re okay, to hold on to you.”

  She breathed in deeply, willing herself to forget the past couple hours. The scent of sandalwood filled her head and the rasp of his whiskers against her skin brought back luscious memories of yesterday. Putting their issues aside proved harder than Grant’s firm embrace.

  “Me too,” she said, feeling the weight of the past pressing against her. The future wasn’t feather light either. She clenched her fist by her side as he continued to feather kisses down to her collarbone.

  He pulled back to look at her. His mouth turned up in a grin that revealed one of his dimples. “I think what you need is a glass of wine and a back rub.”

  She leaned into his body, determined not to let their problems steal what she had right in front of her. “That sounds wonderful. When you’ve got my shoulders down from around my ears, then you can have your wicked way with me.”

  Grant guided her over to his sofa then began tugging off her flats. He finished by drawing her legs up so she was reclining and handed her the remote. “Why don’t you pick us out a movie for later while I open a bottle of wine?”

  Abby flipped through the choices available on his on-line account as she scanned his living room. When she’d been there the night before, she’d been too preoccupied with his ministrations to notice much about the cottage. The best thing she decided after checking out the huge wall mounted monitor and ugly recliner was the soft leather sofa she was curled up on. She pulled a chocolate-colored blanket off the back of the sofa and sank deeper into its softness.

  After a few minutes he returned, a pair of large wine glasses cupped in one hand. He handed one to her before slipping under the blanket and waggled his eyebrows. “Relaxed yet?”

  “Getting there.” Abby brought the glass to her lips to hide her silly grin. Against his charm, she was a crayon left in the sun. She took another sip then set her glass on the coffee table. “Which would you prefer, action or comedy?” she asked, figured one of the two categories was a good bet.

  He took the remote and clicked on the first choice he came to, a documentary on ancient Egypt. Then his hands tunneled under the blanket to travel the length of her body. “Doesn’t matter, the movie is just an excuse to make out for a couple hours.” He pressed her down to the sofa with his b
ody and began torturing her earlobe with tiny nibbles.

  With every inch of her skin between her neck and her shoulders attended to, he kissed his way across her cheek. As his lips touched hers, his kisses became urgent, conveying his desire for her better than the sweetest words. He licked at the seam of her mouth and she eagerly opened for him. His tongue caressed her own, igniting a firestorm of lust that threatened to consume her.

  Finally, she could take no more and pushed against his shoulder. Her breaths came in hectic pants, making her feel as though she’d been dancing for hours instead of only their tongues doing the tango. “What are we, a couple teenagers?”

  He sat up, pulling her with him. “I feel like one when I’m with you. Now that I’ve finally gotten to make love to you, it’s all I think of.” He took her hand, pressing it against the front of his jeans. “See what you do to me.”

  She traced the outline of his length. “I’m glad I have that effect on you.” Mirroring his demonstration, she slid his hand under the collar of her blouse so he could feel her heart pounding. “Since this is what you do to me.”

  The corners of his mouth turned up. “I was beginning to think I was never going to get past your defenses. The Pentagon could take lessons from you.”

  He looked at her from beneath hooded eyes as he slid his palm down to capture her breast. His cobalt blue eyes and the feel of his fingers against her sensitive flesh set off a chain reaction. Her nipples pebbled, desire uncurled in her belly, and moisture pooled between her legs. Abby shook her head. “I can’t seem to remember why I ever thought this was a bad idea.”

  Grant leaned in till their foreheads met. His voice was a deep purr. “I know I promised you a back rub, but I have a better idea.” He combed his fingers through her hair then stood. “I’ll just be a couple minutes.”

  The sound of water piqued her curiosity and had her on her feet. She followed her ears through his bedroom till she found him in a white-tiled bath. The marble countertops and double sink barely registered in light of the Olympic sized bathtub.