The Hero I Need: A Small Town Romance

by Snow, Nicole

  When I can remember my own name, I open my eyes as his fingers drift away, loving the insane, raw twinkle in his eyes.

  “On your knees,” he whispers, helping me down.

  My desire has no brakes.

  None.

  I feel like I’m out of my own body, watching this amazing scene as I fall down in devotion, wrapping my fingers around his shaft, pumping slowly up and down. Then my mouth goes down, slowly at first, tonguing his earthy length and loving how his whole body pulses.

  “There. We. Fucking. Go. Good girl,” he growls, sending a shiver up my spine.

  He’s never ordered me around quite like this, and it’s so hot it’s a struggle to focus.

  Normally, he holds back until he’s inside me, covered with a condom.

  Not today.

  I want to see Grady completely let go.

  So I take him with my lips, my tongue, my fingers, caressing those balls that never seem empty.

  I take him with licks, with hungry pressure, with a slow corkscrew twist downward and an urgent flick of my tongue up, stopping under his crown.

  I take him like I’m honestly addicted to his taste, his masculinity and pine-like scents and dark things of the forest.

  And let’s face it, I am.

  I’m so helplessly addicted to this man, and I worship every single inch of him like he deserves.

  I’m rewarded with a low, savage grinding noise in his throat as he throws his head back.

  “Shit! Willow. I—”

  I only answer by coaxing him harder, fisting his cock faster, a wanton moan of delight vibrating against his dick.

  Come on, Grady. We’re in this together. Let me have it.

  “I can’t fucking hold it...” he growls again.

  Yeah, me neither.

  I don’t care how ridiculous it sounds. I feel another O closing in. I’m shaking from holding it back.

  “Willow—damn!” His body goes rigid, turning to granite, and his cock jolts like moving steel in my hand.

  Holy hell.

  I reach one hand between my legs. My climax hits at the same time he starts pouring in my mouth. His magnificent head swells again and again, a dam breaking, ropes of Grady’s release spilling against my greedy tongue, more than I can possibly swallow in one go.

  We come together so hard it hurts.

  Him in one long spasm and more guttural, cursing breaths than I can count.

  Me in this otherworldly current spiking through me, this struggle to contain him, to serve him, to love him—dammit, I said it, love—and then floating down into each other.

  We’re both gasping, fighting for every breath as we keep the momentum going until our bodies just can’t anymore.

  I lean forward, still wiping my mouth.

  Grady caresses my face, brings me in for a kiss, and shows me just how much he’d enjoyed himself.

  “You know...we can still put that condom to good use,” I whisper.

  Yes, I’m insatiable, and proud of it.

  Mainly because my appetite is all thanks to him.

  “You better believe it, minx.” He slides his finger in and out of me again as soon as I’m back on his lap. “My cock’s always in the mood for round two, three, four, and seven.”

  Oof.

  The best part is he’s barely exaggerating.

  I love the way he talks about it like we can never get enough.

  “You’re in luck, mister. As long as it’s with you, I think I could go a hundred times in a week and still be ready for one more round,” I whisper.

  Then his lips are on mine again, smiling and taking charge, claiming what will always be his, no matter what happens next.

  16

  The Cat’s Meow (Grady)

  She lights me on fire every damn day.

  Willow is a living, breathing wisp of inferno that crawls up under my skin, smelts my blood, and leaves me aching for her burn.

  Aching for more no matter how many times we wind up kissing, fucking, and rubbing our souls raw.

  I grab the condom package, fully ready for round two, when we both freeze at an unexpected chiming sound.

  “Was that the doorbell?” she asks.

  Shit.

  Unfortunately for my dick, she’s right.

  “Did you lock the doors?” She jumps off my lap.

  Double shit.

  “No,” I grunt, right behind her as we scramble to get our clothes back on.

  “Knock! Knock!” A high, squeaky voice calls out.

  More reason for me to seize up again.

  Willow grabs my arm.

  “Who is it?” she whispers.

  “That’s Linda goddamn Wood,” I snarl between teeth clenched tight.

  I was stupid enough to let my guard down when I shouldn’t. Linda hasn’t backed off chasing my ass with cupid’s archery set for the better part of a year, ever since she decided I’d make a nice catch. I don’t want to be caught by her in any way.

  “Grady? Grady McKnight, I know you’re here!” Linda calls again, her voice a permanent shriek on chalkboard.

  I finish zipping up my jeans with such force I could’ve done damage if I’d still been hard. Then I grab my shirt and jab it on over my head.

  The humor shining in Willow’s eyes has me shaking my head. I wish it were funny.

  “I’ll wait here,” she says, sitting down in the chair we’ve just had so much fun on.

  I grab at her arm. “Oh, no, you won’t. You’re gonna help me.”

  “But I’m not supposed to be seen!” she hisses. “Remember?”

  “Yeah, Linda Wood isn’t an exotic beast trader and you’re just my nanny. Remember?” I throw back, hiding a smile behind my beard.

  That’s the part I’ve hated about all of this.

  Keeping her as hidden as Bruce.

  I get that we have to be careful, but I want to show her off and hope it’s like flashing a cross at a vampire.

  Hell, I want this whole thing done and over so we can get back to that second round before my balls turn into overgrown blueberries and fall right off.

  I don’t just mean the sex, either.

  Every moment with Willow feels precious, fragile as blown glass, and impossible to put into words. Even harder to make sense of when I know it shouldn’t be that way.

  Oh, but fuck, it is.

  It’s exactly that way.

  I’m hoping against hope and good sense there’s some way I can talk Willow back to Dallas when all this crap with the dirty animal sanctuary ends. The girls have asked me more times than I can count if she could stay even after Aunt Faye comes home.

  There’s a picture on the front of our fridge by my little artist, Avery. She’s captured all four of us in surprisingly good detail for a ten-year-old, including a flash of Bruce sticking his face out of the barn’s open door. Best Summer Ever for the Fam! is written across the top.

  Proof positive Willow’s not just a nanny and not just a heaping mess for me to clean up.

  She’s the woman in my life Linda Wood will never be.

  “Quit stalling, sweetheart,” I tell Willow, tugging at her arm. “I’m not going up there to face her unarmed.”

  “Why?” She grins.

  “She’s a barn cat looking to get her hooks in,” I bite off.

  “Oh, right. You are afraid of big cats. And lice.” Her smart-ass smile makes me want to bite that lip.

  Her teasing makes me grin, but I hold it back and give her a glare.

  “Not the nice kind of cat,” I tell her.

  “Okay, fiiine. I guess if you really need me...who am I to leave you hanging?”

  We climb the stairs and find Linda next to the kitchen, snooping. She’s peeking in the door of Willow’s room.

  Her blond hair is tucked under a red cowboy hat with matching boots, very high white shorts, and a red fringed button-up shirt.

  “Linda,” I snap, giving her my coldest January tone.

  She spins around with an utterly car
nivorous smile.

  “Oh, there you are!” She beams. “I saw the girls with Hank a little while ago and I couldn’t believe you weren’t with them at the rodeo.”

  I clamp my back teeth together to keep from asking her to button her damn shirt the rest of the way up. I’m about as interested in ogling her goods as a corpse needs to breathe.

  “So you thought you’d drive out here and stomp around my home, huh? Uninvited?” I’m usually not this hostile, but I’ve had my fill of her shitty flirt-ambushes this past year.

  “I mean, I...I rang the doorbell,” she says, batting her lashes with a woebegone frown.

  “We were in the basement.” I reach behind me and pull Willow into the room next to me. “Lotta hard work being bent over, rearranging furniture.”

  I let the innuendo carpet bomb her.

  “Willow.” Linda’s lips pucker as she looks Willow up and down. “Yes, that’s the name Avery and Sawyer mentioned. I was having a hard time remembering exactly what type of tree it was. I was thinking pine or spruce—or maybe dogwood.”

  The rattle on this snake.

  I clench my jaw harder.

  “Yeah, yeah, I get that a lot,” Willow says with an easy laugh. “And you must be Hailey’s mom, right? The girls mentioned her.”

  I bite back a grin at how she doesn’t include the word you.

  Linda pats at her chest lightly with one hand. “Oh, I’m sure they have. They’re my little darlings. They’ve been in Hailey’s class for years.” After a fake giggle, Linda levels a nasty glare on Willow. “So you’re the new nanny?”

  “She is. Not that it’s any of your business,” I answer. “What is it you wanted?”

  Her smile sinks and worry fills her eyes.

  “Oh, nothing much. I’ve just been worried about you, Grady.” She saunters toward me, heels clicking on the tile. “You and the girls, cooped up all alone with poor Faye gone. She’s such a dear, going to care for her friend. But it isn’t fair that a wonderful man like you should lose your right hand and be stuck here all alone.”

  Perish the fucking thought.

  “We aren’t alone,” I growl back. “Faye’s absence is the reason I hired—”

  She lays her hand on my arm, cutting me off mid-sentence.

  “You shouldn’t have. Your aunt was adamant about me helping you while she was gone. I know that you know that.”

  I jerk myself away from her, turning to guide Willow away from the doorway. “And I know you’re well aware I told you I didn’t need your help.”

  “Well, you know how Faye feels about strangers around the kids. Why, how the whole town feels about strangers lately. They’ve brought us nothing but trouble. First that poor girl our movie star married, Grace, and then those men after Faulk—”

  “Save your breath, I was right in the thick of both situations.”

  Her eyes swell. “You certainly were. Did you see the papers after that big bust with Faulkner, Tory, and the goats? They’re starting to call your crew the Knights of Dallas, our own hunky protectors. We got so lucky with you hometown heroes.”

  Yeah, fuck, how could I forget?

  The fact that I’m the last real single guy left who moonlights as an ass-kicker was like waving red meat in front of a tiger. But I’d rather be toe to toe with Bruce any day than a tigress like Linda Wood.

  I take a deep breath for control.

  “Willow isn’t a stranger. She’s doing a great job around here, and she’ll continue. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’ve got some supper to fix. I’m looking to finish our hard, sweaty work in the basement before the girls get home.”

  Willow inhales sharply, no doubt swallowing a laugh.

  The dagger look Linda throws at Willow has me wanting to toss the intruder out on her ass.

  I haven’t removed my hand from Willow’s back.

  In fact, I step even closer to her side.

  “Really, Grady?” Linda pauses for ten brutal seconds, her nose turned up, and then speedwalks to the kitchen door. “I’m disappointed in you. I would’ve thought a man of your caliber wouldn’t expose his daughters to this girl.”

  Now it’s my turn to crank the evil eye on full force.

  “What is it you think I’m exposing them to?” I ask. “Protecting them from someone like you?”

  “From me? Well, I never!” Huffing, she marches out of the kitchen, clucking her tongue.

  “Bye, Linda,” I grind out.

  She storms through my living room, and I follow with Willow’s hand in mine, making sure she gets out. I’ll let the way she slams my door go.

  It’s relief enough knowing she’s finally taken the hint. I’m not fucking interested.

  I’d said it before, but never so forcefully, much less shown her there’s another woman I actually like in the picture.

  This time, I doubt she’ll be back.

  Thank God.

  The tires on her truck kick up gravel as she spins the vehicle around, making her exit.

  “Grady...are you sure that was wise?” Willow asks.

  She’s at my side now, staring out the front window.

  “Was what wise?”

  “Making her believe there’s more going on between us than there is.”

  Laughing, I turn and grasp her hips, pulling her close. “You tell me. How much more is actually going on?”

  She slaps at my chest, a sunshine smile turning up her lips.

  “You know what I mean. I’m not talking about our fun...”

  “I do. Just like I know you’re reason number one she came barreling at us, ready to run you off like the screeching barn cat she is.”

  “Hey, it’s you she wants, not me.”

  “I’m not up for grabs, and you aren’t here to be attacked,” I tell her, running my hand along the back of her neck. “Let her obsess over another dude now.”

  Willow glances out the window.

  “I’m surprised you never gave her a chance. She’s a pretty woman.”

  I snort. “Is she? I couldn’t see past her ten layers of makeup.”

  “But you saw how her shirt was unbuttoned, right? Just enough to show some cleav.”

  “Cleavage? Hell, it was down far enough to see her belly button,” I joke, running my hands up her sides and using my thumb to caress her tits.

  I’m not having her doubt whose melons I’m interested in for a nanosecond.

  “Besides, the only reason I noticed is because you were stuck on my mind, and I was pretty damn steamed over what she interrupted,” I say.

  She leans forward and lays her head against my chest.

  “You’re sweet. But sometimes I wonder if maybe we shouldn’t—”

  Her phone rings, stopping her from saying more.

  Good.

  Because my gut said I wasn’t gonna like what was hovering on her lips one bit.

  She pulls the phone out of her back pocket, looks at the screen, and hands it off.

  “It’s Faulk.”

  “What’s up?” I answer her phone.

  “Hey, Grady. I called your phone first, but you didn’t pick up.”

  “Left it downstairs,” I reply, my dick warming when I remember why.

  “What happened with the cameras?” Faulk asks.

  “We saw the whole thing. Bordell, the conservation creep. He found all but one and put them out of commission. Only camera left is the unit that’s obscured by the grass, but it’s better than nothing.”

  “Fuck.” Faulk curses beneath his breath. “I think they’re on to us. One of my guys just pinged me. Willow’s accounts are being closed down left and right, and there’s some mighty odd movements happening at the sanctuary right now. Unmarked cube trucks. The Feds won’t wait much longer before barging into this. If they do, it could be too late.”

  Dammit.

  My head starts pounding like a construction site.

  Faulk has a guy watching the sanctuary in Minot, and if he thinks it’ll be too late, it damn well could be and
the Fosses will never be caught. Leaving Willow hanging out to dry, under the gun for their bullshit, at least the financial crimes.

  “Bruce is still here,” I say. “The place in Wyoming can’t take him yet.”

  “We have to get that cat out of there, Grady. The FBI will probably come roaming around in a few days—maybe less—but there’s reason to believe the Fosses have heard about the tiger sighting near your house. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be pulling the plug on their offshore accounts...”

  Fuck!

  I feel like the ground caves out from under me.

  Drake’s online cover-up wasn’t fast enough. I knew it’d be difficult to scrub the tiger speculation totally off social media, and now it’s evidently caught up with us.

  My brain trips over the conundrum of how the hell we’re gonna get out of this. It’s hardly as simple as he makes it sound.

  Get Bruce out of here, call in the FBI to bust the Fosses, and then what?

  Expect Willow to just hunker down here as a live-in nanny and my play thing?

  Christ, what if Linda was right?

  What have I been exposing my daughters to? Giving them false hope?

  How did things get this convoluted? This out of hand?

  “...tomorrow morning at your place,” Faulk is saying, something I didn’t catch. “I’ll pull everybody together then.”

  “Yeah. Got it.” I hadn’t heard what he’d said before, yet I agree. “All right. Eight?”

  “Yes. See you then.”

  I click off.

  “What’s happening?” Willow asks as I pass her the phone.

  Besides the tragic death of my hard-on, I think it’s a disaster.

  I have the girls to think about. Their future. Their safety and security.

  Like it or lump it, I have to stop thinking with my dick and start using my brain.

  “I’ll fill you in on the way to the bar.”

  “The bar? Why?”

  “Because I need a beer. You could use one, too. Everyone in town’s at the rodeo, so it’ll be nice and quiet with just the two of us. We’ll eat there.”

  “Grady—”

  “I’ll explain everything.” I head for the stairs. “Be right back, I need my phone.”