by Lea Hart
“What in the world?” She slipped her glasses off and stared at Grady with a less than friendly smile.
“Approach slowly and start groveling,” Lance instructed him. “This isn’t how women like to meet new people.”
“I tried to call you and let you know, but you didn’t answer your phone.” He heard Kyle whistle under his breath as Sara sat up in the float. He threw an elbow back and prayed like hell he inflicted some damage.
“Did you think of asking me first?” She scrambled out of her float and swam to the side of the pool. “You’ve wasted the time of these nice men. I have a perfectly adequate system in place.”
As she started to emerge from the pool, he barked, “Everyone turn around.” Every sexy curve Sara possessed was on full display. The little red scraps of nylon left nothing to the imagination. He grabbed a towel out of the basket and tried to wrap it around her. “Here, honey. Let’s get you covered up.”
She swatted him away and slid her hands onto her hips. “It’s a little too late for that.” She waved to the guys and smiled. “Good morning. I’m sorry you all came over for nothing. I can make some coffee and breakfast.”
Dane ambled over and leaned in for a hug. Grady’s large arm blocked him and he chuckled. “Sorry I couldn’t make it last Monday. I got caught up at work and didn’t get out in time.”
“Well, the ladies hope to see you this Monday. They like to look at your pretty face.”
“He’s probably going to be busy,” Grady responded. He tried to offer her a towel again, because clearly the breeze that had kicked up made her cold. None of his friends needed to see it, so he wrapped his arm and the towel around her and mean-mugged his friends.
When she finally took the towel and wrapped it around her body, he took a calming breath. “Honey, let me introduce you to my soon-to-be ex-friends, Lance and Kyle.”
Sara stepped forward, shook each man’s hand, and smiled. “Nice to meet you.”
Grady slipped his arm around her shoulder and tried to give her a kiss. When she ducked away, he knew she was pissed. “I just want to make sure that you’re secure. We’re going to install some things that are going to ensure your safety.”
“A call, Grady. That’s all it would’ve taken.”
“Yeah,” Dane agreed. “Women like to have a say in their lives. Even I know that.”
“Not helping,” Grady responded. “I did call you and there was no answer.”
“I’m going in and grabbing a shower, and then I’ll make some waffles.” She gave Grady one last disapproving glance and then walked into the house.
“Shit,” Grady said.
“Yep. That about sums it up,” Kyle added. “I’m going to start grabbing stuff from the truck. We can start on the outside.”
“Thanks, man,” Grady answered.
“You should go in and grovel,” Dane said. “By the looks of it, it’s going to take a lot, and you should get started as soon as you can.”
Without another word, Grady entered the house and called for Sara. He spotted her in the kitchen and stood still. If she was going to explode, he wanted to be ready. “I’m sorry.”
“When I lost control of my life, I didn’t know it was coming, so I had no way to prepare. The only thing that lets me hold on to my sanity is the illusion that I have some say about how I live my life.”
Taking slow steps, he approached. “I screwed up. I have all of these crazy overprotective feelings, and the only thing that I know how to do is make you as safe as I can.”
“Seven days. That’s all it’s been.”
“What do you mean?”
“You and I have been talking for seven days. I’ve been dealing with this for over a year.” Looking around, she lifted her arms. “I’ve somehow managed to survive without your help. I’m not an idiot.”
Taking a risk, he let his hand glide up her arm. “I won’t be able to breathe if I think that you’re in danger. Please let me protect you.”
Her head lifted, and she gazed into his eyes. “I avoided going into WITSEC because I didn’t want someone telling me what to do. I will disappear before I have to live my life by someone else’s rules.”
“Understood.”
“I appreciate your concern, but I’m fine. If things get really bad, Sammy will have me out of here within a couple of hours. No one will find me and I’ll be safe.”
“Give me a chance, Sara. I can keep you a lot safer than the FBI.” When her eyes grew large, he knew he had screwed up.
Pushing her finger into his chest, she made him step back. “All you had to do was ask.”
He grabbed her finger and placed it against his lips. Kissing it gently, he stared into her eyes. “I can’t help myself. Something about you has me all tied up.”
“I’m going to tie you up, all right.”
Pressing his lips together, he let out a small laugh. “You can do whatever you feel is necessary.”
“Are you picturing me naked?”
“Uh…well, yes. Yes, I am.”
“Thought so.”
Holding her close, he pressed a kiss against her cheek. “I’m not going to lie. I picture you naked a lot.”
“Unfortunately, I’ve been picturing you naked as well.”
When she wrapped her arms around his waist and held him tightly, he about lost his control. “So, you want me?”
“I’m a healthy twenty-eight-year-old woman. Of course I want you. I would have to be half-dead not to want you. Your picture is probably next to the definition of sexy man in the dictionary. I mean…look at you.”
“So, you’re mad at me but you still want me?”
“Yes. We’re a horrible idea. But that doesn’t seem to be stopping me.”
“Why is it a horrible idea? There is nothing about the two of us naked and sweaty together that is bad. In fact, it’s so right that it’s scary.”
“Which is my point.”
Scratching his head, he let out a breath. “I’m totally lost.”
“If we sleep together…”
“When we sleep together,” he corrected her.
“If it happens, then it will probably be so mind-blowingly fantastic that I’ll never want to stop. In fact, I may try to come up with ways to keep you locked in my bedroom, so that I can have my way with you. But that will never work out, because I have some people who would like to see me dead. And if I have you tied to my bed, then they’ll want you dead as well. Which I’m pretty sure is the definition of bad manners.”
“So, it’s bad manners to want me so badly that you would put me in harm’s way?”
“Exactly. I knew you’d understand.”
The fact that he had no blood left in his brain made this whole conversation difficult to follow. But he understood that she didn’t want him to be in danger, which was very sweet. Ridiculous, but sweet. It told him more about her than anything else. She had a big, squishy heart, and it was opening to him. He figured once that he was fully lodged in there, she would never let him go. Which was what he wanted. “Honey, you know that I’m pretty good at protecting people. I’m not worried about the goons that are after you. Not to dismiss your concerns, but it’s kind of like a picnic to me. It might be embarrassing how easy it’s going to be.”
“For your information, the Outfit is on the FBI’s top fifteen list of most dangerous criminal groups. There’s nothing about this that’s going to be easy.”
“Well, it’s not going to be hard.” Tightening his hold, he ran his nose along her neck and had no idea when the smell of coconut became an aphrodisiac. She shivered in his arms, and he tightened his grip. There wasn’t much separating them, and there was no mistaking how much their conversation was affecting him. When she shifted her hips, he felt her go still. Watching her eyes darken and her face flush only made his condition worse. “Like I said, I’m ready, willing, and able.”
Leaning her head against his chest, she let out a strangled groan. “I’m so ready that I may combust.”
“It’s always a choice,” she replied.
“Not when it comes to you.” Reluctantly he lifted his mouth away and pressed her head against his shoulder. All he wanted was Sara tucked safely against his side with her warm body curled against his. He would do whatever was necessary to make that a reality.
Pushing away, she studied him. “Just because I want you doesn’t mean that I forgive you for showing up unannounced with your friends.” She turned toward her bedroom. “I’m going to take a shower.”
Watching her heart-shaped ass walk away was torture. “We’ll get started outside.” He watched her wave to him and then close her door. Damn, he was cooked.
***
Warm air blew against his face as he climbed down from the roof. The dark storm clouds gathering told him they’d have a thunderstorm by lunchtime. It might be enough to give them a small break in the heat.
Dane came around the corner with a cup of coffee in his hand. “Sara has breakfast ready, and she wants us to come in and eat.”
“Thanks. I have everything set on the roof.” He gathered his tool belt and followed Dane to the back door. “How much is left?”
“I think we’re finished. Nick and Richard put in a decent system, so there wasn’t a lot we had to add. She’s secure.”
“Thanks for coming over this morning. I appreciate it.”
“It’s what we do, brother.”
They both entered the house, and Grady watched Sara joke around with Lance and Kyle. Why was she so relaxed and easygoing with other men and so guarded with him? Dane clapped him on the back and laughed.
“What’s so funny?”
“You. You’re giving them both death glares. She doesn’t have any feelings for them. That’s why she’s relaxed. She acts the same way with me.”
“I guess you’re right.” He walked over to the sink, washed his hands, and wondered when his sanity was going to return. Sara stepped up next to him and handed him a towel. “Thanks, honey.”
“Come on. Everyone is hungry.” She kissed his arm and then walked away.
That small kiss meant everything to him. The fact that she did it in front of everyone suggested that they had a chance. The table was loaded with waffles, bacon, and fruit as well as scrambled eggs. “Thanks, honey, for feeding us.”
She held up a mug of coffee and cleared her throat. “Thank you all for coming and working on the house this morning. I appreciate it.”
The guys smiled and then started digging into the food. Grady slid his hand under the table and pressed it against her leg. When she turned to him, he winked. “Thanks for cooking.”
“Anytime.” She covered his hand and took another sip of coffee.
“So, is everyone going over to Joel and Vivi’s tomorrow?” Grady asked.
“Definitely,” Kyle responded. “Vivi puts on an amazing party.”
Lance snorted. “You’re just hoping that TT is going to be there.”
“So? Nothing wrong in wanting to hang out with a beautiful woman.”
Grady noticed that Sara was lost. “TT is Vivi and Ronnie’s youngest sister. Our man Kyle here has a little crush. But he hasn’t done anything about it.”
“Because Joel will string him up if he thinks that Kyle isn’t serious. Not to mention the two older brothers,” Dane added.
Sara gave Kyle a sympathetic smile. “You just follow your heart. If you’re following another body part, just be careful. It sounds like quite a few men have some skin in the game, so you don’t want to mislead her.”
Lance nodded in agreement. “That’s good advice.”
The table grew quiet as the men ate. “What are we doing for the Fourth of July?” Grady took Sara’s hand and smiled into her eyes. He was going to operate on the assumption that they would spend their free time together, and he hoped like hell that she would feel the same way. “We could go over to the McDades’ for a while if you want. The twins are my godchildren, so it might be fun for you to meet them.”
“That sounds great, but I promised Gladys and Agnes that I would drive them over to the center for the party. They plan on whooping it up, so they don’t want to drive.”
“Well, we can drop them off and then go to the McDades’.”
“Okay, that should work.”
He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “You’re going to have fun.”
“Just stay away from Nana Boo and Aunt Lolly. Those two have a dedication to meddling that can’t be denied.” Dane shook his head and shuddered. “I, for one, do not enjoy it.”
“Are they worse than Gladys and Agnes?” Grady asked.
Dane tipped back in his chair and thought about it. “No. Let’s make sure they never meet each other. No one would survive if that happened.”
“I’m looking forward to it. I haven’t been to a party in ages,” Sara said.
“The first of many,” Grady responded. First he was going to make sure that she was safe, and then he was going to take her out and make sure she had some fun. He was fairly certain that she had put her life on hold, and it was time to change that. Tomorrow would be the first step.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Monday
The rain beat against the window, and Sara snuggled under the sheet. It was early, and she saw no reason to jump out of bed and start the day. Hopefully the storm would pass through quickly, because she loved fireworks and would hate to see them canceled.
As she stretched out, she realized having Grady in her life was going to make hiding from the mob difficult. He didn’t seem like a man who was going to take a wait-and-see attitude. He was probably more of a hunt-them-down-and-wipe-them-out type. Either scenario sucked, because she had no desire to put him or herself in more danger. Pulling the sheet over her head, she tried to come up with a solution to get Grady less interested in her predicament.
The sound of her phone ringing jarred the quiet in the room. Groaning, she slid her hand out and grabbed the phone. Pulling it under the covers, she answered, “It’s too early to call.”
“Honey, I’m right outside your door. I wanted to let you know that I’m coming in. I didn’t want you to be scared when you heard the front door open.”
“Grady?”
“Of course it’s me. Who the hell else calls you honey and has this number?”
“Do you want the short list or the long one?”
“Ha, ha. I’m coming in.”
“I’m still in bed. Come back later on.”
“Now, why would I do that?”
She heard his laughter as he ended the call. That was a ballsy move. Even for him. She popped out of bed and ran to the bathroom. He’d better walk slowly, because she had to take care of a few things before she saw him.
“Sara, I’m coming in.”
“Go make some coffee,” she called from the bathroom.
“Okay.”
She let out a sigh of relief and went about her business. She was about to walk out the door but caught sight of her hair. Mushing it down on top, she wondered if he would scream when he saw her. Shrugging, she stepped out and saw him lying in bed with his hands behind his head. “Are you comfortable?”
He patted the mattress and wiggled his eyebrows. “The bed’s still warm. Come back in and let’s smooch.”
“It’s not even seven. What are you doing here?”
“It’s raining, so I thought we could hang out.”
Lifting the sheets and blankets, she crawled back into bed. When she got herself situated, she felt Grady wrap himself around her. He slipped one arm under her head and wrapped the other one over her waist. “You do know that this isn’t normal. Showing up before seven in the morning and crawling into bed is not considered good manners.”
He fitted his body around her and kissed her neck. “I was never interested in normal.” He tightened his hold and dra
gged his mouth along her skin. “Admit it. This feels freaking great.”
Patting his arm, she had to agree. “I guess this isn’t half bad.” He ran his mouth along her neck, and she felt her muscles relax. When he kissed her behind her ear, she turned into melted butter. “Are you making a move on me?”
“Always. There will never be a time that I won’t be moving in on you.”
“Huh. Well, I suppose there’s some value in your honesty.” Kissing his arm, she snuggled in closer. The moment she moved, she felt exactly how true his words were. “So…I was thinking.”
“About what?”
“The high school puts on a terrific fireworks show, and we can see it from the backyard. I was wondering if you wanted to watch them with me after the party.”
“Of course I would.”
“I’ve always wanted to have sex under the stars, and I was thinking that if we did it tonight in the backyard, then the fireworks would make it really special.”
A loud intake of breath was all she heard in response. Patting his arm, she wondered if he was horrified by her idea. It was a very bold move, putting it out there like that, but she wasn’t sure how much time she had left. All she wanted to do was make some memories with him. To soak up as much as she could before it was too late. If she was going to die, then she wanted to live as much as she could before it happened.
“You don’t have to answer me now. Think about it and let me know when you’re ready.”
“Sara, you have to know how much I want to be with you. In every way.” He unwound his arms and lifted himself above her. “The only question is, how in the hell am I supposed to make it through the day?” He kissed her gently and shifted his hips. “Maybe we should start now and work up to the fireworks.”
He moved his hand, caught the back of her neck, and drew her in close enough to steal her breath with a hot kiss. All of her nerve endings lit up like the Las Vegas Strip. One kiss from him and she was ready to welcome him into her body. “It’s not that long to wait.”