Embracing Her Heart

by Melissa Foster

  “Let’s go!” Brindle grabbed Morgyn’s hand, dragging her off the bank. “Come on, Grace!”

  Reed’s attention homed in on Grace as she backed toward the woods. He remembered skinny-dipping with her in this very creek when they were alone at night, and it saddened him to see her trying to escape the fun.

  “Woo-hoo!” A guy sprinted past and into the water. A group of women shrieked as he splashed them.

  Seconds later the creek was full, leaving only a few stragglers on the banks. Reed tugged off his boots and socks, then closed the distance between him and Grace.

  “Reed?” Her eyes widened as he reached for her arm. “No!”

  “You’re not in the city anymore, Grace.” He hoisted her into his arms and she pushed at his chest. “It’s time to have some fun.”

  “Put me down! What the hell do you think you’re doing?” She fought and kicked as he neared the edge of the creek. “My shoes! My dress!”

  He flipped her sandals off and they tumbled to the dirt. “I can take your dress off, too, if you’d like.” He laughed, lost in the feel of having her back in his arms.

  “Put. Me. Down!” she demanded.

  He ignored her pleas. She flailed and struggled to no avail as everyone around them laughed and splashed. “Stop fighting me, Gracie. You won’t win.”

  She screamed and pleaded, and as he waded into deeper water, her arms and legs wrapped around him. Damn, she felt incredible, bringing back more sinful memories. Memories he’d like to relive.

  “No! Please! Stop!” Her hair blew around her face, and she had a wild, sexy look in her eyes.

  “With you hanging on to me like this? Not a chance in hell.” Cold water inched up his waist and over her hips. He gripped her thighs, feeling their warmth against his palms.

  “Reed!”

  She began climbing him like a tree to keep from getting wet, which only made him laugh and hold on tighter. Her lips were a whisper away. He was sure he’d died and gone to heaven. The hell with what happened all those years go. The heat in her eyes held him captive as she crushed her sweet softness against him, her body contradicting the anger in her voice. The rest of the party faded away, until there was nothing but the warmth of Grace’s breath on his cheeks, the look of longing in her eyes, and the feel of her hands pressing into the back of his neck as he lowered his lips to hers, taking the kiss he’d spent years missing.

  GRACE WAS LOST in a sea of steamy sensations. Reed’s mouth was as possessive and demanding as she’d remembered. He tasted of beer and potent male, an intoxicating combination underscored by the hard press of his chest against hers. One rough hand moved along her thigh, then cupped her ass so firmly, her entire body clenched with desire. His other arm circled her body like a seat belt, keeping her close as his fingers threaded into her hair and then fisted tight. She’d forgotten the sting of that grip, but her body hadn’t. Ripples of lust slithered through her, and her hips rocked forward. His scruff abraded her cheeks as he angled her face to the exact place he wanted and took the kiss deeper. Even through their clothes and the cold water splashing her skin, heat blazed between them.

  Grace buried her hands in his hair, meeting every luscious stroke of his tongue with an eagerness of her own. Reed didn’t just kiss. He took and consumed. Every move brought a tightening of his arms, making it hard to breathe—and oh, that was glorious! This was the element that was missing from every single kiss she’d ever had after leaving Oak Falls. This intensity, the way his biceps pulsed against her and his body anchored her.

  “Grace…”

  His gravelly voice trailed off, but that didn’t keep it from winding through her like liquid fire. “Reed—” His name slipped from her lips, hungry and needy. Her eyes flew open. “Reed! Oh shit! No, no, no.” She struggled to free herself, but his grip was too tight.

  “Calm down,” he said.

  “Don’t tell me to calm down! We kissed!” Oh God! What was she thinking?

  “Several times in fact,” he said all too smugly, and flashed that boyish, lopsided smile that made her heart flip-flop. “We haven’t lost it, Gracie. Our kisses could start a firestorm.”

  “Don’t talk about it!” Firestorm? They could cause an earthquake! She pushed on his shoulders, trying not to get sidetracked by the endearment he’d used, which made her heart tumble. She had to get away from him before any other organs became reckless. All around them people laughed and splashed. She was glad to see Brindle and Morgyn too preoccupied with Trace and his friends to have noticed her momentary indiscretion.

  “Admit it. Our kisses are fucking hot, Grace.” Reed tightened his grip on her, a challenge simmering in his eyes.

  “Fine. Our kisses are still hot.” More like toe-curling. “Now will you let me down?”

  “You sure you want me to?” He waggled his brows.

  No—and that’s a problem. “Yes, please. Now.”

  He slowly lowered her until her thighs skimmed the frigid water. She squealed and scrambled back up his body, clinging to him like her life depended on it.

  A deep laugh rumbled up Reed’s chest, and he held on tight, his hands splayed across her soaking-wet panties. Like one of Pavlov’s dogs, her sex clenched with anticipation, and she groaned.

  “Reed, please!” She pointed to the grass and saw Sable standing on the banks, watching them with an amused expression. Damn it. She’d never hear the end of this.

  He carried her out of the water and set her feet on the grass. Grace wrapped her arms around herself to ward off the cold as she scanned the ground for her sandals. Her heart was beating so hard she was sure he could hear it.

  “Gracie.” He reached for her hand. His gaze was softer now, and his smile less challenging, tempered even.

  “It’s Grace,” she said, shivering.

  “You’ll always be Gracie to me.”

  Was he purposely trying to turn her insides into pretzels? She never should have come out tonight. “That was part of our problem,” she said before she could stop herself. “I’m not small-town Gracie anymore, Reed.”

  His eyes turned serious. “I know. You’re an award-winning playwright and producer, and I’m happy for you.”

  She lowered her gaze, feeling stupid for making such a point about her name, and when she looked up again, she was bowled over by how much she wanted to say to him. But she had no idea how, or where, to start. How could she ask him why he’d told her he’d never even consider leaving his family and then done so only a few weeks later? She couldn’t, that’s how.

  Instead she said, “Thank you, but it sounds more glamorous than it is.”

  “Can we talk? Sit by the fire, dry off for a bit?”

  “Talk? Or are you going to try to put those weapons on me again?”

  “Weapons?” He arched a brow.

  She had to laugh at his confused expression. “Your lips. They’re like crack. No, worse than crack. They’re like a sip of beer to an alcoholic. One sip leads to a shot, which leads to a glass, then a bottle, and the next thing you know, I’m passed out in your bed—”

  He stepped closer, the heat in his eyes stealing her voice. His wet jeans grazed her thighs, wreaking havoc with more than her voice. She took a step back, but his hand swept around her waist, keeping her close. “I’ll keep my lips to myself. We’ve got a decade of bad feelings between us, Gracie, and a few kisses sent me right back to where we were all those years ago. I’m pretty sure you were right there with me.”

  She opened her mouth to deny it but realized it would be an outright lie.

  “I’m going to be working at your parents’ house for a while. All I’m asking is to clear the air.”

  “It’s a bad idea,” she said too quickly. “I mean…It’s a good idea to clear the air, but no more kisses.”

  “No more kisses,” he agreed, though his arrogant smile told her he didn’t believe she wanted that rule.

  “No touching, either.” She peeled his hand from around her waist.

  He
held both hands up, his amused smile making him even more handsome. “No touching. Anything else?”

  “It would be great if you could stop breathing. It hinders my ability to think rationally.”

  That earned another sexy laugh. “No can do, Gracie. Fair warning, I might use that to my advantage.”

  “I’d expect nothing less,” she said with a smile. She’d wondered over the years if she’d exaggerated or romanticized his personality, but she hadn’t. He was still as honest and affable as ever.

  “Do I get to make rules, too?” he asked.

  Save for his demanding kisses, Reed had never been one to ask anything from her. They’d seen each other only when they could steal away undetected. Sable had covered for her after she’d caught Grace sneaking out one night and learned of their secret relationship, but still, it had never been enough time. She’d always wanted more, but she’d been afraid of the grief she’d get from her friends if they knew she was dating the rival quarterback. Grace had complained more about their lack of time together than Reed had. Now it all seemed so silly, but back then the rivalry between schools had felt like a black cloud hanging over them.

  She figured she owed him a rule or two and said, “Go for it.”

  “No hiding from the truth.” He held her steady gaze. “That’s all I ask. We did so much hiding when we were kids. I just want to lay it all out in the open.”

  Could she do that? Tell him how hurt she’d been when he’d left town, when she knew she’d already made her choice and had no right to be hurt?

  “What do you say, Grace? The ball is in your court.”

  The last time she’d held the ball she’d walked off the court and had regretted it ever since—despite knowing she’d done the right thing for herself at the time. She was older now, and she knew better than to start something that would end in heartache. Surely they could handle being friends.

  “Okay,” she said, earning another panty-melting smile. Down, girl.

  Reed retrieved her sandals and his boots, and as they made their way toward the bonfire, she was glad she was soaking wet, because she was playing with fire. She needed all the help she could get to douse the flames.

  Chapter Five

  THE HEAT OF the fire warmed Grace, but she was still shivering, and she knew it had more to do with nerves than cold as she stood in the wet grass beside Reed. Even the heavy musk of burning wood wasn’t enough to erase Reed’s alluring scent. If confidence and loyalty had a scent, it would smell like Reed. The thought was odd, given how badly he’d hurt her by leaving town, but it was there in her head, as real as the man standing beside her. He looked like a million bucks in drenched denim and soaked cotton, while her sisters had made fun of her city dress—a simple princess-waisted summer dress with diamond patterns and an A-line skirt—amplifying her insecurities about not fitting in with the country setting.

  “Sorry I startled you this morning,” Reed said as he stepped closer, his arm brushing hers.

  Had he always insisted on standing so close? It wasn’t exactly awkward standing there with him, but it wasn’t completely comfortable, either. She didn’t know how to react to the tingling his touch sparked, or where to start in the whole coming-clean process. But she didn’t like anyone knowing she wasn’t in complete control and said, “It’s okay. Sorry if I was bitchy, but nobody warned me you were here.”

  “Who could have warned you? Nobody knew about us back then except my aunt and uncle.” He glanced at the people climbing out of the creek. “It’s like we were some kind of dirty little secret.”

  She swallowed hard against the truth. “We were a secret, but not dirty. Just young and stupid. Sable and Sophie knew. They both covered for me sometimes, remember? But I think Sable gets a kick out of shocking me.”

  He laughed softly, eyeing her rebellious sister, who was playing the guitar across the lawn. “I had forgotten about Sable knowing. I guess we don’t owe her one anymore.” His gaze swept down Grace’s body, and an appreciative smile lifted his lips. “You look incredible tonight.”

  “Thanks, but according to Brindle and Morgyn, my dress looks matronly.” She tugged at the wet material clinging to her legs. “It’s perfect for a summer party in the city, but I sort of stick out like a sore thumb here.”

  “That was always part of our problem.” His expression turned solemn. “You were never supposed to fit in or look like everyone else, but you thought you were. You thought being different was a bad thing, when really, you were meant to stand out. You outshone everyone back then, Grace. And you did the right thing, breaking things off with me and leaving town to follow your dreams. I was just too young and blinded by my feelings to see it.”

  The sincerity in his voice cut through her like a knife, but the old hurt rolled in again and came out without warning. “I didn’t want to end things with you, but you said you’d never leave Meadowside.” And then you did. She swallowed those words, but holding them in made her feel like a bomb ready to explode, and she started breathing harder. “I can’t do this here.”

  “No hiding from the truth, remember?”

  She lowered her voice to a harsh whisper as partygoers began gathering around the fire. “I’m not hiding, but I’m not going to air our dirty laundry around all these gossip mongers.”

  He put a hand on her lower back, guiding her away from the bonfire. “Then let’s do it in private.”

  Unsure if she wanted to lay her heart on the line after all, she glanced up the hill toward the parking area and considered leaving, but how could she? She’d ridden over with Sable, and her sister would need her truck to get herself and all her gear home.

  “Come on,” he said, urging her toward the hill with his hand on her back again. “I’ve got a jacket in my truck you can use to keep warm, and we’ll find someplace private to talk.”

  Her pulse quickened at the idea of being alone with him, even though she knew once they started talking, her hurt wouldn’t allow for any line crossing. “You’re soaked. Maybe we should do this another time.”

  “I’m fine, and we’re doing this now,” he said sternly.

  “When did you get so pushy?”

  His eyes narrowed. “Since kissing the woman who still sets my world on fire after a freaking decade.”

  There was no mistaking the authority in his tone, and Lord help her, because all her loneliest parts were waving surrender flags. “I have to tell Sable I’m getting a ride home.”

  She headed for Sable, and he moved with her. “Reed. I can do this alone.”

  “Right. Sorry.” He shook his head as if he hadn’t realized he’d been following her and crossed his arms, watching as she slipped her feet into her sandals and headed for Sable.

  She felt the heat of his gaze blazing a trail behind her and Sable’s hawklike focus on her up ahead. By the time she reached Sable, she was annoyed about being caught in a web of inspection.

  Sable stopped playing her guitar and called out, “You leaving with Reed?” so loud that everyone around her looked over.

  Great. Grace would probably be the talk of the town at Gossip Central, aka Stardust Café, tomorrow. She made a point of answering loud enough for everyone to hear. “He’s just driving me home. I’ll see you there.”

  Or maybe she was really trying to deliver that message to herself. As she made her way back to Reed, every step brought a thrum of anticipation followed by a pang of anxiety.

  Reed fell into step beside her.

  “It’s like you’re ready to step into the shoes we filled all those years ago,” she said, even though she didn’t know if that was true. She needed boundaries, more rules, or something. Feeling out his intentions gave her a modicum of control. “I outgrew those shoes. I’m sure you did, too.”

  “I don’t want to fill those old shoes, Grace,” he said as she slowed her pace. “I’m just not afraid to admit that I still feel something for you, and I don’t want to pretend otherwise.”

  She stopped walking and studied his
face for a moment. He was dead serious.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  “I honestly have no idea, but I have a feeling we need to find out.”

  He cocked a grin and returned his hand to her lower back as they ascended the hill, as if he already knew the answer, sending her stomach into knots again.

  “That’s what you said the first time I convinced you to meet me after school,” he reminded her. “Remember?”

  Yeah, she remembered all right. They’d seen each other at football games, and she’d ended up searching for him when their teams went head-to-head. Then she’d seen him in town at the public library, where she used to hang out with Sophie. He’d asked her to meet him there after school one day, and that had been the start of it all.

  “I’m going to take that smile as a yes,” he said as he opened the door to his truck and retrieved the jacket he’d promised. He held it up, and then his expression became pinched and he tossed it behind the front seat. “Hold on.”

  “What’s wrong with that jacket?”

  He ignored her question and dug around back there, pulling out a navy hooded sweatshirt. He helped her put it on, and the smile that crept across his lips as the soft cotton tumbled down her hips was one of sheer pleasure.

  “That’s better, Gracie. Just like the old days.”

  “In the old days my clothes wouldn’t be wet.”

  He helped her into the truck and said, “At least not the clothes anyone else saw.”

  He closed the door and sauntered around the truck to the driver’s side as if he hadn’t nearly made her swallow her tongue.

  REED WAS FUCKED. Royally screwed. He put on the heat in the cab of the truck for Grace, but he was sweating like a bulldog. She’d always heated him up from the inside out, but now that they’d kissed, he couldn’t stop thinking about doing it again. They had things to work out, but man…

  He tried to focus on the road, but he couldn’t think past Grace being beside him again. Had she always been there, even in her absence? Was that why he’d never fallen for anyone else?