by April King
“Is he okay?” she asked, genuinely concerned.
“Yes, except for a shiner. And maybe an unforgettable hangover he’ll have in the morning. I’m certain he’ll manage.”
She stepped into his arms, pressing her body against his. Through the flimsy fabric, he was able to feel every curve of her voluptuous body. Heat warmed his midsection. He drank in the sight of her. His stomach did somersaults when she smiled up at him. Did she know what she was doing to him? The torment? The anguish? Hadn’t anyone ever told her not to play with fire?
A sexy gaze in her eyes tempted him, teased him, challenged him. She placed his hands on the small of her back and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her skin felt soft to his touch, and he relished being able to have her in his arms again. She was taking control, leading him to the flames of desire, where his senses warmed and the ashes of the day’s events faded into the fire. Slowly, she brought her face closer to his, until their lips connected. Her mouth claimed his, scattering his thoughts. His heart pounded in his chest. He struggled to catch his breath, which Grace had seized with her kiss.
She kissed him long and hard, working his mouth expertly. Pure and sweet torture, he suffered when her tongue slipped between his parted lips. He choked back a groan. She blew his mind. His pulsing erection protruded into her midsection. Boldly, she inched closer, pressing her body firmly against his stiff manhood. His muscles clenched. He had no idea how long he could fight the urge to slice through her soft, velvety skin with his rigid shaft. Her breasts heaved, and grazed is chest with her taut nipples. Heady with excitement, his hands skimmed down her waist and over her hips, longing to slip underneath her dress and explore the fertile valley between her thighs. Grudgingly, he got a grip and came up for air. “Have mercy,” he sighed, huskily. “What brought that on?”
Her eyes lingered on his lips. He fought to ignore the tingle that skipped along his spine. Ribbons of fire flowed in his stomach. Fireworks of passion crackled in his mind. Finally, their eyes collided like two bright meteors, showering the atmosphere with bits and pieces of their turbo-charged sexual attraction. Passion threaded her voice. “Do I need a reason to kiss my man?”
Shock almost sent Tanner tumbling to the floor. He studied her face, searching for a trace of humor and found only sincerity. Since when had he become her man? Not that he minded. To hear her say the words with such conviction confounded him, and delighted him. The evening had definitely taken a turn for the better. Although, he always knew Grace and he would eventually end up together. He just figured it would require a little more wooing, coaxing and kissing on his part. Lorilee already had sketches of her wedding dress prepared. Grace McGregor. Yep, he really liked the sound of that. But he needed to dig for more information before he allowed his heart to believe his ears. “Grace?”
Her gaze softened. “Yes?”
“Are you sure it’s not just a strong physical attractive you feel for me?” Hope was diluted with doubt. The question hung in the air as she hesitated to give him an answer. He reached for her hands, deciding to provide her with comfort and support. Instead, a chemical reaction occurred when he touched her complete with sparks. A spontaneous combustion which couldn’t be contained, prevented or extinguished. There was no denying the magnitude of their sexual attraction. But Tanner needed more. He wanted to move forward with their relationship, dating her exclusively. Monday through Sunday, he wanted his schedule filled meeting Grace’s wants, needs and expectations.
She squeezed his hands tightly. Fear flickered in her eyes. Her bottom lip slipped between her teeth. Then, just as quickly as those negative emotions appeared, they disappeared. An iron clad determination formed in her eyes. “Hear me loud and clear. Tanner McGregor, I’m madly, truly, and proudly in love with you.” She exhaled loudly. Relief washed over her face. It had taken a lot of courage to open up, and let her guard down emotionally.
Instantly, he pulled her into his arms and embraced her. He tilted her up her chin and brought his lips crashing down upon hers. Relentlessly, he smothered her mouth, face and neck with kisses. Fully aware he was displaying public affection that was better suited for a private room, he lavished her freely. For the rest of his life, her declaration of love would echo in his heart, the treasure chest which housed his most prized possessions and keepsakes. Months of constantly dreaming about her would be replaced by reality of him licking her body from head to toe, until she screamed his name.
“Babe, you’ve just given me the best gift,” he said, his lips hovered over hers, prepared to descend at any moment.
“We are the best gift to each other,” she said. “Before you entered my life, my confidence was low. Almost nonexistent. You helped me believe in myself, and love. Your strength and affection brought me out of a deep funk. It opened doors that I thought would be closed forever.”
His heart warmed, watching her eyes glitter with what could only be called happiness. He wanted to give her more. The sun. The stars. The moon. All that and then some.
She was a kindhearted, honest, desirable woman. Her soft side melted his heart. Her strong side kept him in check. Unlike previous women, Grace hadn’t asked him for a dime, or anything else. She stood on her own two feet. But Tanner intended to spoil her, whether she liked it or not. He kissed her gingerly on the mouth. His body instantly reacted to her velvety lips. His groin tightened.
A sharp ache sliced through him, shredding his will. His focus. His wits. In other words he was ready to explode. Patience wasn’t a quality he lacked, but he was tired of waiting. He wanted Grace now. Nothing was capable of changing his mind. He leaned closer and whispered in her ear, “We need to celebrate.”
“Celebrate?” she asked. “Well, there’s plenty of champagne available on the center table.”
Tanner shook his head. “This calls for a proper celebration. The party I have in mind doesn’t include lights, clothes, guests or words. And it is invitation only,” he said in a deep and sexy timbre.
“I see.” Her heavy-lidded gaze locked with his “Are you inviting me?”
Without a word, he grabbed her hand and practically dragged her towards the exit. Anticipation gripped his senses. Bedding Grace was on his mind. He intended to make love to her all night, and most of the next morning.
“Wait,” she said, stopping in her tracks. “I can’t leave now.”
“Why not?” His cool demeanor masked the irritation he felt.
“Helloooo,” she said, waving her hand in the air. “In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a crowd in here. I can’t just throw them out.”
“Uh-huh,” he said, running a strong hand down his chin, instead of his aching crotch, which was in desperate of Grace’s attention.
The wheels of his mind turned. He needed a solution. Quick. Jagged lines of anger creased his forehead. Perspiration beaded his brow. He kicked at an imaginary object on the floor. Come on, buddy, think. A light bulb went off in his head. He snapped his fingers, deciding to toss his idea Grace’s way. “Let Ava close up.”
“I don’t know,” she said, fidgeting with a gold bracelet on her slender wrist.
“You trust her, don’t you?”
“With my life.”
“Then, let’s go.” He felt her hesitate. Pride took a backseat to desire. He did the only thing left to do—begged. “I really, really need you. I haven’t been able to get you off of my mind since that first night we kissed. And now I know you feel the same way about me, I’m ready to lose myself in you.”
“Just like that,” she said.
“Just like that,” he echoed.
She arched a brow. Sensually and seductively, her eyes rolled over his fit physique, letting him know she liked what she saw. She pivoted on her heel, speaking over her shoulder. “Don’t move a muscle. I’ll see what I can work out.”
You do that.
He watched her sashay in the direction of Ava. With her hips, she put on a show for his viewing pleasure. From side to side they swayed, swathed in a
silken pool, which swirled with her erotic, rhythmic exhibition. Mind-numbing lustful thoughts temporarily blurred his vision. The flow of blood to his lower half momentarily ceased. He considered himself a strong man. No one could convince him otherwise. But at that moment, in that building, he resembled Goliath toppled by David. He’d fallen for Grace in more ways than one. Her eyes, lips, body, heart and spirit captivated him. Left him speechless. Stole his breath. Blindsided him. And he wouldn’t change a thing.
Before he knew it, Grace returned. A brilliant smile curled her lips. The devil danced in her eyes. “Your place or mine?”
Passed the point of conversation, Tanner simply said, “It doesn’t matter. We’re hopping in whoever’s car is closest to the door.”
“Since my place is not too far from here, we can go there.”
“Then, let’s get this show on the road.”
She jerked forward, clicking her heels as she stumbled behind Tanner. Hell bent on getting her alone and stripping her naked, he’d seized her hand and tugged her out the door as fast as he could. Rounding the corner, his eyes immediately spotted his BMW. Flip-flops of elation occurred in his stomach. Digging into his pocket, he retrieved his car keys and unlocked his doors by using the remote key fob. He and Grace were just a few feet away from his car when a gold Lexus with tinted windows pulled up very quickly behind his car and blocked him in.
Great.
Okay. He was faced with a dilemma. Did he kick the crap out of the jerk’s car parked behind his, or did he act like he had some sense and suggest they take Grace’s car? He decided to take the route that wouldn’t land him in jail. Grace was way ahead of him. Already, she had removed her car keys from her purse.
“I parked further back by that silver SUV.”
His eyes followed the direction of her extended finger. He nodded and placed his hand on the small of her back. “Slowly, but surely we’re getting there.”
“Tanner,” someone called his name.
He halted. Ice trickled through his veins. He recognized that voice. Hoped he would never hear it again. Deceptively sugarcoated with sweetness, it chilled the warm air. Inhaling deeply, he shut his eyes and counted to ten. One Mississippi…two Mississippi…. His eyes opened and merged with Grace’s. Traces of support, worry and confusion flickered in her black pearls. Tanner sensed her mixed emotions. Frustration slithered through him like a rattlesnake, waiting to strike and poison him with more dangerous feelings. Bracing himself, he prepared to face his ultimate nightmare, while he stood beside his supreme fantasy. He nudged Grace. She held her breath. Together, they turned and looked at Sheila. Neither was ready for what came next.
Sheila wore a slinky pink halter top, skinny jeans and silver high heels. In her arms, she carried a beautiful baby girl, the spitting image of her, wearing a yellow ribbon in her hair. The baby cuddled a small stuffed elephant. “Hello, Tanner. I’ve missed you.”
A beast charged inside him, stomping on his nerves, gnawing him in the gut. Sheila’s presence overwhelmed him. Brought up painful emotions. They quickly submerged after he snatched a view of Grace out the corner of his eyes. “Sheila, what in the hell are you doing here?”
She perfected an innocent expression. “I’m waiting for you to take me home. Take us home. Ariel, say hello to your daddy.”
His mouth fell wide open. A throbbing sensation formed at his temples. Disbelief trapped him, rendered him motionless. Grace’s anguished cry pierced his ears like a shotgun blast and ripped into his heart like a sword. Covering her mouth with a shaky hand, she ran through the parking towards her car. “Grace, wait!”
She jumped into her car and started the engine. He banged on the window, asking her to roll it down. Staring straight ahead, she ignored his pleas. She revved the engine and sped away down the street, leaving a cloud of dust in his face.
This is not how the night was supposed to end.
Chapter 9
The clock struck midnight. Silence filled Tanner’s bedroom like an uninvited, but well-mannered guest. Sleep escaped him. Dressed only in black silk pajama pants, he stretched across his bed and flopped on his back. Locking his hands behind his head, he stared up at the ceiling. Questions he couldn’t answer burdened his mind. Where was Grace? What was she doing? Did she miss him? Would he ever see her again, or was it the end of the road for them?
“What a night,” he muttered to himself.
Closing his eyes, he tried to thwart the vision of Grace’s pained expression from his memory and the echo of her heartrending cry from his ears. All a result of Sheila’s actions. Unsuccessful in his attempt to obstruct thorny thoughts, he suffered being emotionally stung quietly. Sheila had appeared out of thin air and hit Grace and him with a ton of bricks by claiming he was the father of her child. She had blindsided them good. Just when they had gotten comfortable, she came along and knocked them off of cloud nine. Just when Grace had let down her guard. Completely.
He opened his eyes and rolled over onto his side. The space beside him was empty. Had the night gone differently, Grace would have been relaxing, laughing and moaning in his bed. But she was elsewhere, while Sheila and Ariel rested together in one of the extra bedrooms down the hall. Guilt weighed him down. His hands had been tied. Sheila had told him she and Ariel had no money and no place to go. He couldn’t allow Ariel to be homeless because of her mother.
According to Sheila, her husband Carl, the man she’d had an affair with while she had promised to wed Tanner, had kicked her and the baby out on the street. Supposedly, she had confessed to Carl that she was still in love with Tanner. Throwing salt on his wound, she also told him Tanner was Ariel’s biological father.
Carl may have bought her story. Tanner knew better. He recalled seeing Sheila buy feminine products two weeks before he called the wedding off. Furthermore, after learning of her infidelity, he had refused to touch her. Even though so much time had passed, he still didn’t desire her in any way. She hadn’t changed one bit. He saw through her damsel-in-distress routine. He sensed she was lying about what really occurred between Carl and her. But he had no proof. However, he refused to punish Ariel because Sheila was a conniving witch.
And a bad mother.
Shortly after they had arrived at his house, Sheila basically ignored Ariel. The woman had placed her adorable baby girl in a portable rocker on the living room floor with a stuffed animal. Several times Ariel tried to get Sheila’s attention. First, she cooed and talked in a baby language any mother could understand. But Sheila had played deaf and ignorant to her daughter’s sounds. Even when Ariel began to cry and reach for her, Sheila remained unmoved. She had been too busy trying to capture Tanner’s attention. Preoccupied with attempting to stoke the flames of a fire that had long ago died inside of him caused her to appear desperate. Pathetic. How could he get her to realize he was no longer blinded by her light?
Ariel was a different story.
She stole his heart quickly. Witnessing Sheila’s neglect absolutely turned his stomach. Instead of exploding and losing his cool, he picked up Ariel. The moment she looked at him with her soft brown eyes and smiled, he was a goner. He melted like a marshmallow where he stood, squishy as her tummy, which he tickled. Bubbly laughter spilled from her tiny lips. Her chubby cheeks inflated and made her resemble a chipmunk. And so Tanner christened her with a new nickname. “Hey, there, Chipmunk,” he said chuckling.
“Chipmunk?” Sheila had sniffed, seething with jealousy.
He’d cut his eyes at her, wishing a super ultra magnifying glass was nearby. With his naked eye alone, he hadn’t been able to see whatever it was that attracted him to her in the first. Her face was pretty, but not the prettiest. Her legs were long, but he’d seen longer. That smile of hers dimmed in comparison to others, especially Grace’s. Black magic must have been involved. Or temporary insanity on his part. In any event, he was glad he’d regained his senses as far as Sheila was concerned. She was glass and he saw right through her. Black colored her heart. Whenever s
he was around, he felt a chill in the air. He was glad she had cheated on him while they had been engaged. Marrying her would’ve been a huge mistake. Their marriage would’ve been worse than four seasons of winter—always cold, always bleak, always fruitless.
Thanks, but no thanks.
Instead of a frigid Siberian climate, he preferred being surrounded by Hawaii’s warm climate and golden rays of sun, which was everything Grace brought to his life. She was paradise. Beautiful. Tranquil. Unforgettable. The sound of her voice was refreshing. It streamed through him like water. Her laughter was an exotic tune that renewed his spirit. From head to toe, her enchanting kisses rejuvenated him. Her body was an island retreat, taking him away from all his worries and cares. She gave him freedom. And like freedom, paradise was hard to give up.
He needed Grace.
He had the feeling she needed him, too. Her lips didn’t lie. Tonight, she’d kissed him with a mighty passion, revealing a plethora of emotions she couldn’t put into words. Tanner had tasted and felt all she wanted him to know. He realized she was past the point of hiding her affection for him. Done denying there was a special bond between them, she stepped up to the plate. Boldly, she had offered him the best gift he could’ve ever hoped to receive. Herself. A total package filled with emotional and physical treasures. Exactly what he wanted.
But he lost paradise this evening.
There was no law preventing him from regaining it. He had come too far with Grace to turn back now. Not only had he invested his time, but also his heart, which he had signed, sealed and delivered to her the moment they met in her office. Sheila’s infidelity wasn’t the only reason he couldn’t marry her. Meeting Grace had a lot to do with his decision. His father had always told him he would know his queen when he saw her. Sheila had attracted him to her with her model looks, but her devious behavior led him to the door of his future wife.