by Helen Lacey
As it turned out she woke up at nine the following morning, feeling sluggish and stiff, no doubt a legacy from the aerobic workout she’d had between the sheets with Grady the previous afternoon. She dressed, grabbed her keys and headed into town to see Aunt Violet. But as she walked down the hospital corridor, she was stunned to see Rex coming out of her aunt’s room.
He nodded but immediately looked uncomfortable. “Miss Ellis.”
“Hello,” she said, remembering that the last time they’d spoken had been at the renaming day, while they’d danced. And again, there was something about Rex that unsettled her. Not exactly in a bad way...it was something almost inexplicable. She couldn’t define it. Couldn’t make sense of it, either. And wasn’t sure she wanted to. “Are you visiting my aunt?”
He held his hat tight against his chest and nodded. “Just payin’ my respects.”
Marissa met his brown-eyed gaze. “I wasn’t aware you were that well acquainted,” she said and then remembered how Aunt Violet had seemed disapproving when Marissa had mentioned how Rex had helped in her yard a couple of weeks earlier. “But you do know each other?”
“A little,” he replied. “Well, I’ll be seein’ you.”
He began to walk away but she said his name. “Rex...is there something going on I should know about?”
“Nothin’, miss,” he said, his eyes crinkling in the corners. “You take care.”
He walked off and Marissa waited until he’d disappeared around the corner before she headed into her aunt’s room. Violet was sitting in a chair by the window, her leg propped up. And she was frowning, as though she was seriously unhappy.
“Rex Travers was just here,” Marissa said as she walked into the room. “Why?”
Violet shrugged. “You’ll have to ask him.”
“I did,” Marissa said and sat in the chair opposite. “He said he was paying his respects.”
“So, there you have it,” her aunt said and grabbed a magazine from the coffee table beside her chair. “I hear Grady’s little girl was unwell?”
“Yes,” Marissa replied. “But I believe she’s coming home from the hospital today.”
Violet’s expression softened. “You were with him at the hospital?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
Her aunt sighed. “Are you getting involved there?”
Marissa shrugged. She didn’t know what she was...at least, not to Grady. He’d sent her away. They’d made love, they’d connected in the most intimate way possible...and then he sent her home. It hurt so much she ached inside. “Maybe.”
Violet smiled gently. “Just be careful. Three little girls will be a hard situation to walk away from if it doesn’t work out.”
Her stomach rolled over. The memory of Tina calling her Momma was impossible to forget. “I’ll be careful. I promise.”
She left the hospital after lunch, picked up a few groceries and got home around two. Once she put away her shopping, she changed into old jeans and a T-shirt, took some time feeding and brushing down Ebony and then spent an hour clearing out the first of the old greenhouses. She hauled old vines into piles out front and pulled out endless feet of plastic hose line that had been set up as a watering system.
It was after four when she took a break and was walking out of the greenhouse when she spotted a vehicle pulling up outside the house. Grady’s pickup. She watched as he got out and headed up to the house. He knocked and waited on the porch and then headed back down the steps after a couple of minutes. It took him about ten seconds to scan the surroundings and see her by the greenhouse.
He strode across the yard and came to a halt about five feet in front of her. He looked so good. So familiar. But he looked tired, too. Like a man with a lot on his mind. His gaze was blistering, his hands tightly clenched. Twenty-four hours earlier she’d been making love with him. Now there was so much angst between them she could barely breathe. And then he spoke.
“We need to talk.”
Chapter Ten
She had dirt on her face, she was frowning and she looked as if he was the last person she wanted to see...but still, Grady thought he’d never seen a more beautiful woman in his life. And she was glaring at him—her brown eyes were deep and rich and filled with fire.
She dropped the small pitchfork in her hand. “You didn’t want to talk last night.”
“Last night?” he echoed and stepped closer.
“You sent me packing.”
Grady frowned. “Don’t be ridiculous. I asked my brother to take you home because you looked exhausted.”
Her hands came to her hips. “So now I’m ridiculous? Admit it, you asked your brother to take me home because you didn’t want to deal with what happened between us. And then when Tina called me—”
“I asked Brant to take you home because I was concerned about you,” he said, cutting her off, frustrated. “And as for not wanting to deal with what happened...which I assume you mean the fact that we made love yesterday, I absolutely want to deal with it, Marissa. In fact, I want to talk about it this very minute and work out what the hell we’re supposed to do now.”
She flinched and Grady took a hesitant step forward. Her chest heaved. Her eyes were boring into him. She looked beautiful and sexy, and all he wanted to do was haul her into his arms and kiss her provocative and tempting mouth.
“And as for what Tina said...” His words trailed off for a moment. “She’s never had a mother. She’s never felt that bond or that connection. Other than my own mother, you’re the only woman she’s spent considerable time with, so I’m not surprised she’s latched on to you. But I’m sorry if it upset you.”
She inhaled heavily, as if she had the weight of the world on her shoulders, and he fought the urge to take her into his arms. “It didn’t upset me. I thought it upset you.”
“Why would you think that?”
She shrugged. “Because...because things have changed so much. And because it would make it seem like I was replacing Liz, somehow. And I’m not,” she added quickly. “I couldn’t. I wouldn’t.”
What did she mean? That she didn’t want to be around his daughters? Or him?
“I’m not looking to replace Liz,” he said soberly. “Not in my eyes or in my kids’ eyes. But you’re right, things have changed and we can never go back to how things were. And frankly, I don’t want to. So how about we just see where it goes from here?”
Her head tilted. “Is this about you wanting to date me again?”
“Why not?” he shot back. “You’re not seeing anyone else, are you?”
“Well...no. But—”
“Neither am I,” he said, cutting her off again. “So, why don’t we date?”
“Are you crazy?” She shook her head. “What would people say?”
“What people?”
She flapped her arms. “I don’t know, people. Like the O’Sullivans, for instance.”
“I couldn’t care less what the O’Sullivans think of me.”
“Come on, Grady,” she said with a groan. “You know that’s not entirely true. And if we started dating, they’d be all over it like white on rice.”
He laughed. Sometimes she had a flair for the dramatic. “I think that’s overreacting.”
She shook her head. “People would... People might think that we’ve been seeing one another the whole time.”
“The whole time?” He stopped and thought about what she meant. “Hang on...are you saying you’re worried people might say we were having an affair while Liz was alive?”
“Yes,” she said tightly. “Exactly.”
“Well, that’s ludicrous, Marissa. No one would believe it.”
“Wouldn’t they? I think they would. And the O’Sullivans hate you enough already without adding fuel to the fire.”
; “Why this sudden concern for my reputation?” he asked. “Or is it a convenient way of avoiding the inevitable?”
“Inevitable?”
“Yeah,” he said and grabbed her hand. “You and me. Inevitable.”
“Nothing is inevitable,” she shot back. “I’m not going to date you, Grady.”
“You know,” he said and caressed her fingertips, “lovers tend to date one another.”
She pulled her hand away and stepped back. “I’m not going to be your lover, either.”
“It’s too late for that. We’re already lovers, Marissa,” he said softly. “And that first time...it was incredible.”
He saw her cheeks spot with color, and it made him smile. After everything, she could still blush. “It was a mistake.”
Grady sighed. There was enough finality in her voice that he figured he needed another angle. “The girls want to see you. Why don’t you come to the ranch tomorrow afternoon and we’ll drive into town for a pizza.”
She frowned. “That sounds like a date.”
He shrugged, feigning innocence. “No. If it was a date, I’d take you somewhere much swankier than JoJo’s Pizza Parlor. I’d take you to dinner and then dancing and then we’d probably make out for a bit in the parking lot and then I would take you home and make love to you slowly all night long.”
Just the idea of it sent blood rushing to his groin. “But since it’s only to be JoJo’s Pizza Parlor, you’ll have three chaperones and will be perfectly safe. See you tomorrow, around five,” he said and turned before she had opportunity to refuse.
* * *
She should have simply stayed home. But the idea of disappointing Breanna, Milly and Tina was too much to bear. She dressed in her favorite jeans, a hot-pink shirt, a white sweater and her fancy boots. She left her hair loose, didn’t bother with her contact lenses and headed off at ten minutes to five.
The baby was getting bathed when she arrived, so Breanna and Milly let her in. When she stuck her head around the bathroom door, she saw Grady kneeling on the floor, covered in water and bubbles, and a wailing Tina clearly not happy about getting her hair washed. Her sisters were laughing from the doorway as Grady pulled the toddler from the tub and wrapped her in a towel.
He looked up and smiled when he saw her, and her heart just about burst through her chest. Boy, he sure had a killer smile. And he looked sexy as sin with his hair and shirt wet.
And then I would take you home and make love to you slowly all night long...
A girl could melt hearing words like that. She’d tried not to think about it...and had failed big-time.
Tina held out her arms when she saw Marissa. “Shall I take over?” she asked.
“She’s all yours,” he said with a grin and passed Tina over. “She’s been acting up all afternoon. And asking for you.”
“She looks so much better,” Marissa said as she was covered in butterfly kisses from the toddler.
“Yes. She’s almost her usual self. A bit cranky still,” he said and touched his daughter’s head gently. “But getting better all the time. Her clothes are on her bed.” He looked down at his wet shirt and jeans. “I’ll just get changed.”
Marissa spent a fun ten minutes getting Tina ready. Breanna and Milly were already dressed, so they came into the room and chatted as she got their sister into her clothes and shoes. Grady appeared in the doorway a little while later, dressed in dark jeans and a pale blue chambray shirt that showed off every asset he possessed. The girls were racing around begging for pizza, Tina was demanding she take her favorite stuffed animal and Marissa could only look into Grady’s eyes.
“Ready to go?” he asked.
She nodded and hauled Tina onto her hip, then grabbed her tote, which she’d left by the front door.
When they arrived at JoJo’s, they were seated almost immediately. The restaurant was a popular one for families, with its long tables and red-checked cloths. Ordering was fun and after much pleading he relented and ordered small sodas for Breanna and Milly and large ones for himself and Marissa. The kids munched on the tiny bread sticks in the center of the table while they waited for their food.
“You know,” he said once their drinks had arrived and the girls’ attention was taken over with their soda and the bread, “you look cute in glasses.”
Marissa touched the frames. “Do I look smarter?”
“You’re the smartest woman I’ve ever met.”
She laughed. “Then you haven’t met many women.”
“I’ve met enough,” he said so softly, so silkily that her cheeks flared with heat.
She didn’t want to think about him and other women. “Well...thanks for the compliment. I’m giving my imperfect vision a break from contact lenses for a day or so.”
“There’s nothing imperfect about you, Marissa.”
It was a good line. He could flirt with the best of them, that was for certain. She laughed softly. “Maybe it’s you who needs glasses.”
He chuckled. “I see just fine. So, have you decided to buy the farm from your aunt?”
She shrugged loosely. “I’m not sure. Maybe... I mean, it was my home for a long time after my mother died. And since it used to be a working vegetable farm, I could think about growing something. But if I did, I’d need to research about local growers and potential markets. I have a long way to go, of course, since I know nothing about growing vegetables.” She smiled and shrugged. “So I consider myself a work in progress.”
He stared at her. “Do you miss it?” he asked suddenly. “Your old life? Your career?”
Her mouth twisted thoughtfully. “Less than I imagined I would. I certainly don’t miss the life,” she added. “I mean, I had a few friends in New York, but most of them stayed friendly with my ex-husband. As for the work, I enjoyed it well enough and I always considered I was good at it. But it was never a real calling. It was something I did after college.”
“You switched majors midway through college. Why?”
She shrugged again. “I guess I didn’t think I could make a living out of my craft. I mean, I love potting, I love creating pieces and seeing the stages from clay to the final result...but Aunt Violet always wanted me to do something else and I—”
“What did you want to do?”
“Honestly,” she said on a sigh, “I think I always believed I’d work for a few years and then get married and have a family. That just wasn’t the way it turned out.”
“It’s not too late, though,” he said quietly, his gaze narrowing. “You’re only thirty-two.”
She shrugged. “I guess.”
She was dying inside. She didn’t want to talk to Grady about marriage and babies. He wanted to date her. That was all. Nothing more. Dating and sex. It was as bad as friends with benefits. What she dreamed of...what she wanted...was romance. The whole sappy, romantic fairy tale. She wanted it all...flowers, chocolate, wooing...a real, bona fide courtship. One that ended in an even sappier marriage proposal. Simon’s proposal had been swift and serious and as if he was closing a business deal. There certainly hadn’t been any flowers or wooing involved. They’d married in a swift civil ceremony with only Liz and Grady and a few friends as witnesses, and she’d worn a sensible cream dress. No flowers or confetti, that was for certain. Those kinds of trappings were ridiculous, according to her ex-husband. Next time—if she had a next time—she wanted things to be different.
It sounded foolish just thinking about it. But the heart wanted what the heart wanted.
Their pizzas arrived and she was glad for the reprieve. The girls ate with gusto and she laughed at how much sauce Milly got on her face and in her lap. Breanna proudly consumed two large pieces and Tina picked the cheese off her piece and tossed the pepperoni at her father. It was a fun evening for Marissa, even though she felt the underlying thread
of tension between herself and Grady. Which she figured couldn’t be helped. They’d crossed a line by sleeping together. There was no going back from sex. It was done. All she had to do was find a way to forget about it and move on.
“Great.”
Grady’s voice cut through her thought. “What is it?” she asked.
He slanted his gaze toward the front of the restaurant. “Liam O’Sullivan.”
Marissa glanced around and spotted the eldest O’Sullivan son waiting by the front counter, obviously picking up takeout. He was watching them and frowning, and by his expression, clearly making a judgment.
“Oh, God,” she said in a low voice so the girls couldn’t hear. “I’m sorry, Grady. You know what he’s going to think, that this is a date, and he’ll probably go and tell—”
“It is a date,” he said, cutting her off. “And he can tell whoever he likes.”
Marissa’s eyes widened. “You don’t care.”
Grady shook his head. “Not one bit.”
* * *
By the time they got back to the ranch, it was nearly eight-thirty. The girls were all sleepy, and while Grady put Tina down for the night she stayed with Breanna and Milly while they swapped their clothes for pajamas and hopped into bed. She read them a story and then another and waited on the small seat by Milly’s bed for Grady to come back to tuck them in. When he came into the room and sat on the edge of Breanna’s bed, Marissa excused herself and walked out, lingering in the hall outside.
“Daddy?” she heard his daughter speak.
“Yes, Breanna?”
“Milly and I have been thinking.”
Milly giggled at the sound of her name and it made Marissa smile.
“Thinking about what?” Grady asked.
Breanna, so serious and sometimes stern, spoke quietly. “That we’d like to have a new mommy,” she announced, so serenely innocent it tugged at Marissa’s heart.
Grady cleared his throat a little. “Well, honey, I—”