by April King
“You need love, too,” Kevin said. He leaned back, but not too much. “Grace, you’re sweet as honey and I know some man is helplessly drawn to you. It’s only natural. However, you compare him and every man you meet to me. You constantly doubt his intentions. This man is probably everything you’ve dreamed of and then some. Because of your trust issues, you won’t allow him to get too close. Am I right?”
Grace swallowed hard. Suddenly, her throat went dry. Her hands were clammy. Vivid images of Tanner flashed in her mind and she shuddered. He looked nothing like Kevin, sounded nothing like Kevin and loved nothing like him either. Tanner McGregor was his own man. His magic was rare. But she’d pushed him away time after time. Challenging him and doubting him, she’d shoved him five steps back with every step he took forward. Yep, her actions sounded bad and looked even worse on paper. Kevin was spot on. She gazed at him and answered, “Yes.”
He sighed. “I hate seeing a good woman go bad. The only thing worse is the man who caused her to go in that direction.”
“I agree.”
Kevin tugged on his shirt, which bunched around his midsection. Fits of silent giggles erupted in Grace. Mr. Six-pack had a small keg. Never in a million years had she pictured Kevin would one day look so…so homely. Nor would she have guessed he’d be a changed man on the inside. He used to be so shallow. The nice guy role he’d played while courting her hadn’t lasted long after they tied the knot. His attitude, his words and touch had become caustic. Sitting before her, he appeared to be a totally different person. His manner was affable. She could actually stomach his presence. The hurt she’d felt was no longer there, wrenching her heart.
His cell phone rang. He flipped it opened and looked at the number. A smile as brilliant as a meteor blazed across his face. “It’s Josephine.”
Grace sat quietly. She listened to her ex-husband give his fiancée the details about their little meeting. His laughter tinkled like wooden chimes as they spoke. The sight fascinated her. A look of unabashed love was written on his face. It was a look she had never seen when they were married. Had his affection for her ever extended beyond like? Had he ever made her lose her breath with a kiss? A passionate gaze? A tender touch? These were questions she should’ve asked herself a long time ago.
The call ended. Kevin held the phone in the palm of his hands gingerly, not wanting to let it go. “Jo said to tell you hi.”
Grace asked him to relay the same greeting from her the next time they spoke. “Wow. So this is how a man looks when he finds his true love.”
He blushed. “I guess so.” He dipped his head slightly and his facial features softened. “You and I weren’t meant to be. But I know you’re king is out there somewhere, waiting with open arms for you accept his love.”
Grace cocked a brow. “Really?”
“You betcha.”
*
Tanner slowed his car, but didn’t stop as he approached Grace’s house. Hot air filled his lungs when he viewed her on the porch in a pair of gray pants that accentuated her bottom half in a most appealing fashion. She was engrossed in a conversation with a dorky-looking dude. They appeared to be very familiar with one another. He almost exploded in his car when she touched the man lightly on the arm.
He rubbed his chin in agitation. Funny, Ava hadn’t informed him Grace had met someone new online. After he popped up at the restaurant, Grace probably decided not to tell Ava about her little rendezvous. Should he interrupt their comfy conversation? Did he dare snatch Grace off her own front porch and declare war on the grinning fool beside her?
Let her come to you. Lorilee’s words echoed in his ears. He tried to tune out her advice. But words crashed against his ears like ocean waves. They shook his foundation. Had the time come for him to take heed of his sister’s suggestion? Did she know best at this point? Besides, hadn’t he chased Grace enough? If the woman didn’t know how much he loved and needed her by now, then she’d never have a clue. Of course, he was willing to go to hell and back for Grace. He just wanted to make sure his efforts weren’t in vain.
It really irked him to realize he wasn’t in control anymore. If their relationship was to come to fruition, Grace would have to make the next move. He didn’t want to consider the possibility that her next move might be to get on with her life.
“Ba-ba-ba,” Ariel said, sitting in her car seat. She waved her stuffed animal over her head and chortled.
Tanner chuckled. Ariel didn’t require much to make her smile. The child found her own form of entertainment. She was oblivious to his black mood, which was a good thing. His problems shouldn’t disrupt her happiness. However, he was really looking forward to having Grace meet her. There was no doubt in his mind they would be friends. They had a lot in common. Both were easy on the eyes and easy to love.
He stepped on the gas, swallowing his pride as he eased down the road. Through the rear view mirror, he saw Grace exchange a hug with the man. Their embrace lasted a second longer than he deemed necessary. A fist tightened around his chest. Driving away made him feel like a quitter. A loser. What else could he do? Grace hadn’t been impressed with the previous stunt he pulled by showing up uninvited at the restaurant. Face it, he had crossed the line one too many times. He couldn’t afford to press his luck.
“I guess it’s just you and me, kiddo,” he said to Ariel, turning the corner.
Her little fist shot into the air. She wiggled in her seat with a joy he didn’t understand, but certainly appreciated.
At least someone wanted him around.
*
Grace plucked the ruffles cascading down the front of her sleeveless shirt with shaky fingers. Trepidation stampeded through her like wild horses. Was her brain clicking on all cylinders, or had it malfunctioned on the drive from her house to Tanner’s, where she stood on the porch, chewing her bottom lip?
Two hours after Kevin had gone she pulled a batch of chocolate chip cookies from the oven. While they cooled, she freshened up and changed into a pink shorts set and ran a flat iron over her hair. She wanted to project flirty femininity, showcasing her sturdy limbs in shorts that stopped mid-thigh. Bubble-gum colored nail polish made her toes pop. Fun and free, she intended let her guard down and enjoy Tanner’s and Ariel’s company.
Kevin had inspired a bold streak to develop inside her. All his talk about kings and queens and soul mates had gotten her considering endless possibilities of heavenly bliss with Tanner. Pretty pictures had been drafted in her mind that she couldn’t erase. They grew bigger and bolder and broader with each passing minute, consuming her thoughts. She knew she was in deep trouble when she embraced the visions twittering in her head. Somehow, trouble seemed like a good idea and worth her time.
She kicked her fears to the curb, hell-bent on taking life by the horns. Too much time had passed and she refused to wait another second. Besides, she couldn’t come up with even one good reason not to take a chance on the most handsome man she’d ever set eyes on.
Ringing the doorbell, Grace braced herself. Unlike previous times, she hadn’t rehearsed a speech. The new woman she had become favored impromptu speeches, which hinted at being more genuine in nature. Windmills of excitement rotated in her stomach as she lifted her finger to ring the doorbell. After the deed was done, she squeezed her eyes shut and waited with baited breath for the man who had altered the course of her life with his magic to open the door. Time seemed to move at a snail’s pace. Inklings of doubt began to suffocate her positive thoughts again. Before any real damage could be done, she heard the door knob twist and hinges squeak. She opened her eyes.
Tanner stood in the doorway, holding Ariel. “Grace.”
“Hi-eey!” the friendly child squealed.
Warmth filled her heart. “Hey, pretty girl,” she said.
Tanner’s gaze locked with hers. The earth seemed to tilt. She suddenly felt unsteady on her feet. He looked like a box of chocolates. Scrumptious. Irresistible. She cleared her throat. “Hello, Tanner. May I come in?”
Instead of answering, he smiled and moved aside.
She stepped inside. Taking a look around, she noticed slight changes. Plastic toys and a tiny rocking horse now sat in the middle of the floor. Baby bottles covered the coffee table, as well as Disney movies. It was evident Tanner had spent plenty of time showering Ariel with attention.
“Sorry about the mess,” he said.
“No,” Grace protested, “This looks…wonderful.”
Actually, it was perfect. Touching. What she witnessed in his home was a man who cared deeply for an innocent child, who’d been abandoned by her mother. Ribbons of admiration coiled around her heart. At that moment, Tanner looked good to her. Damn good.
“What’s in the basket?”
“Oh,” she said with a grin, “these are homemade cookies for Ariel. I also have a Winnie the Pooh bear. You said she liked stuffed animals.”
“Look, Chipmunk,” Tanner said, pointing at the items Grace held. “You’ve got gifts.”
Ariel chortled and clapped her chubby hands.
He bounced her in his arms and kissed her forehead gently. This simple act triggered a fit of giggles gurgling from her tiny lips.
The sight was saccharine sweet and too much for Grace. Her insides went all soft and gooey like toasted marshmallows. Ariel looked safe and secure and overjoyed in his arms. She pinched his nose and was tickled pink when he gave her nose a playful tweak in return. They were a pair. Tanner’s magic had brought golden rays of sunshine to the adorable toddler’s broken world.
Grace reflected for a moment. Not too long ago, she’d been sifting through several online profiles, seeking a man who could stimulate her physically and mentally. A man with integrity, compassion, intelligence and a face to die for. A man who would make great husband and father. A man with the power to make her laugh and weak in the knees. The epitome of a true king. After all her searching and hoping and wishing, she’d found him.
Kevin had been right. Ava had been on point, as well as Tanner. Everyone around her had been able to see what she couldn’t. For too long, she’d been shackled to the past and the ache that had bruised her heart. Pain had blinded her to Tanner’s value. Luckily, she recognized he was worthy of her love and trust. More importantly, she was worthy of his.
She wanted him. She needed to share his world. There was nothing about him that she would deny. And she was willing and determined to freely give him all of her.
It was nothing short of a miracle the day he walked into her life. She always believed miracles were for other people. Just like love and happiness.
In her mind, all things seemed possible now. Amazing what love could do.
With pride seeping through her pores, she intended to believe in magic.
Tanner’s magic.
*
“Sleep tight, Chipmunk,” Grace said, hugging Ariel tenderly.
Tanner eased the tiny tot into his arms and disappeared down the hall to put her to bed. Grace sat alone on the comfortable sofa, biting her thumb nail. She was in dangerous territory. All evening the air had been charged with sexual tension. It electrified the entire room and energized her body with teeny needles of vibration. More than once, heat waves of desires had drained her senses of reason after Tanner’s hand had barely skimmed her thigh, while reaching for one Ariel’s toys. Her breath wavered and her heart faltered when he boldly fixed his gaze upon her breasts and let it linger there, until he’d had his fill. Then, his eyes slipped down her body and settled on the valley between her legs. He had the nerve to openly gawk. That could have been his hands touring her hypersensitive turf. Or worse, his mouth.
She counted her blessings since she had been able to maintain a hard-edged outer shell during her misery, while she had melted like butter on the inside. With a sigh, she ran her hands up and down her arms slowly. Not that she was cold. Quite the contrary. Warm rays zipped through her. Tangled in the web of clear-cut emotional responses to Tanner’s tangible and intangible forces, she felt doomed. He was like a whisper she wanted to capture in the palm of her hands, the gleam in a child’s eyes she longed to use as a nightlight. A hankering had developed deep inside her, strong and real, she was literally moved.
Games over. Mysteries uncovered. Feelings revealed. Grace leveled with herself. This was where she wanted to be. This house, this man and this child were her dream. Being with them made her believe she had finally found the missing pieces to the puzzle of her life. She peered at her surroundings for the hundredth time and calculated the situation in her head. It all added up. Her plus them equaled total happiness.
She only hoped Tanner agreed with her computation.
Instead of mentally bloviating, she told herself to get up and leave. Take the memories of this perfect day with her and tuck them away in a sacred place when she arrived home. However, her body refused to budge.
Tanner returned and slid beside her. Air whooshed out of her lungs when his thigh touched hers. She crossed her legs nervously, as if that would create a barrier. He had no intentions of hindering his movements as he inched nearer. A devilish glint flickered in his honey-colored eyes. Except for her rapidly beating heart, the room was silent. The single lamp provided a dim glow. Ideal for making out.
Watch it, girl.
She was warning the wrong person. Tanner brought his hand to her face and dared to graze her cheek with a feathery lightness. She leaned into his touch, increasing the contact, which she craved like oxygen. A whimper lodged in her throat, threatening to escape free from her lips. She held it at bay. Her mind tried to avoid concentrating on the pulsating ache wrecking havoc between her thighs. The man had rattled her senses, yet again. It didn’t matter. She was where she belonged.
“Grace,” he whispered huskily.
She shivered. His warm breath washed over her and raised the hairs on the back of neck. Goose bumps dotted her upper arms. All hope vanished. She was lost in his very essence. Unable to tackle her emotions, she resisted the urge to gaze at Tanner for fear he’d see her risen nature. But temptation made her its slave and she succumbed to its wishes.
Lifting her eyes to his face proved to be difficult, but necessary. Her gaze clashed with his like a powerful Titan. The effects of the collision reverberated throughout her body, causing her to tremble. Passion swelled in his eyes. It beckoned her with uncontainable energy. She felt roped and tied by its force. She fancied herself being swayed by his magic. She surrendered to it eagerly and wondered where it would lead her.
She didn’t have to wonder long.
Tanner’s mouth covered hers in an instant. He took her breath away. But she didn’t care if she ever breathed again as long as she could dwell in this space and time. His mouth plundered hers, exploring and tasting like a hunger lion. Teasing and titillating, his tongue did major damage to her senses and self-control after it forced an entry into her mouth. Holy moly, she thought, folding in his arms weakly, clinging to a wing and a prayer that she’d be able to regain her equilibrium.
Grace was swept away on a magical cloud, rooted in the moment. Tanner tamed her lips with masterful kisses, which left every inch of her mouth probed and conquered. Muffled moans of pleasure gushed from deep in her throat as her mouth widened in order to intensify the tantalizing experience. Her feminine juices flowed, scorching hot and mind-crippling. Grace’s whole body gave a sharp jolt as pleasure surged through her veins, driving his essence deeper into her.
Tanner’s kiss was generous and liberal and outright wicked. She was fascinated with how willingly and eagerly her body responded to every flick of his tongue. His mouth mated with hers passionately and completely. Frantically, she countered his movements with fervent ones of her own, which ignited a series of gruff groans from Tanner. She drowned in the delicious sounds. It was music to her ears since raw physical attraction inundated every note. Only he could make her feel this way.
To her great dismay, he broke their passionate lip lock.
His head was positioned inches away from her
face. He searched her eyes. In a low and serious voice, he asked, “Do you love me?”
Grace returned his steadfast gaze. Her pulse escalated. She inhaled deeply. The truth was evident as the air she breathed, the water she drank. He had put her on the spot. There was no escaping now. All exits had been sealed off. Do or die. Emotions were at stake, potent and valid. She puckered her glossed lips and said the only words she could say, “I love you with all my heart.”
That was all Tanner needed to hear. He lifted Grace into his arms as he stood up and headed to his bedroom, which he pushed open with his foot. The windows were wide open and the sheer curtains billowed as a gentle breeze swept through them. Cool air blended with their heated bodies. He crossed the room and stopped at the foot of his massive bed, placing her on top of it ever so gently. To his great surprise, Grace sat up, getting eye level with him. With one hand, she grabbed the back of his head and brought his mouth to hers and crushed his lips with a succulent and ravenous, which she poured her heart into. He let loose a guttural groan when she pressed her hips against his erection and began to grind. Her need was intense. She wasn’t able to focus on anything but him.
“I want you right now. I can’t wait another minute.” The tone of her voice reflected the strong yearning and desire that had drop-kicked her in the pit of her stomach.
Tanner sensed her desperation as the same emotion gripped him like a vice. “Babe, you don’t have to wait anymore. I got you and I intend to take care of every inch of your sexy body.”
In a flurry of wild and passionate kisses, their hands attacked each other’s clothes. A sexual beast had inhabited their bodies and it was hungry, seeking flesh to appease its appetite. Raw, moist, and hot flesh. Their most primitive desires had taken control. Neither dared to fight its power. The reward of surrendering was just too sweet. Tanner planted a string of sizzling kisses along her neck and shoulders, while his fingers worked on unfastening the buttons of her flirty shirt. He tossed the article of clothing aside and marveled at her breasts, which peeked at him through a black lace bra. He drew a hard breath. “Oh, my.”