Saving Grace

by JL Hallow

  “OD Green. Super manly. Can I guess yours?” He asked.

  “Sure, but I don’t think you’ll get it right.”

  Gabe smirked. “I disagree. I’m going to say blue because your comforter is blue, your pots and pans set is blue, and most of the jewelry you wear is some shade of blue.” He said with a shrug.

  Grace blinked, staring at him. When she didn’t say anything after a few seconds, he couldn’t help but laugh. “Am I right?” He knew he was, he just wanted to hear her say it out loud.

  “Yeah…yeah you are.” She admitted.

  “I know.” He said with a shrug.

  ~

  Two hours and forty-seven minutes later, Grace was slapping on a coat of paint to the final section of the wall. She was ready to call it quits, her right arm aching from the painting, using muscles she didn’t use often. But the finished product would be so worth it.

  Stepping back to admire her work, Grace rubbed an itch on her cheek with the back of her hand, smearing paint on her skin in the process. Her smile turned to a frown as she huffed. “Well, the walls look good but my face…”

  “Also looks good.” Gabe finished for her.

  Grace rolled her eyes but her smile came back immediately. “Yeah, okay.”

  “I’m serious, Grace.”

  Grace stepped toward him, armed with a still wet paint brush. “So am I.” Coming up on her tiptoes, she swiped the tip of Gabe’s nose with the paint brush and laughed.

  Gabe’s eyes widened. “Well now, that was just rude.” Stepping forward, he grabbed for waist, pulling her closer as his other hand lunged for the brush. “Can’t be trusted with that anymore.”

  Her giggle filled the bathroom as she fought to keep the paint brush from him. But it was no use, her short arms were no match for his much longer ones. Gabe plucked the brush from her with ease. Her hands went up in the universal sign of surrender. “Okay, okay, you win!” She giggled.

  “Oh? I do?” He pulled her closer and Grace let out a little squeak of surprise, her hands moving to his chest. He seized her moment of distraction and smeared a small splash of paint on her cheek with a grin. “Now I think I definitely do.”

  Grace’s fingers tightened on his shirt. Without warning, she leaned up and kissed him, catching him by surprise. Before Gabe could react, Grace released him and wiggled out of his loose hold. Her cheeks blushed a deep red as she scooted around him and made a beeline for the door.

  “I guess I should get dinner started.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two: On Fire

  Grace and Gabe, one week prior.

  Grace walked into the house and dropped her keys on the table next to the door with a sigh. Next, she kicked off her sneakers and stripped off the heavy feather down coat, hanging it on the hook behind the door. January winters in the North were no joke. It could be thirty-two and snowing one day, and negative twenty-five with the windchill the next. It was brutal, really. And she wasn’t built for the cold.

  Grace could see the small kitchen from where she was standing, it was just past the dining room. The whole area had been an open floor plan, no walls. She smiled when she saw Gabe standing at the stove, a dish towel slung over his right shoulder. He looked like he belonged there in her kitchen. She stood there for a moment, simply watching with a soft smile until he noticed her.

  “Hey, welcome back.”

  “Hi. Whatever you’re cooking smells delicious.”

  “Nothing special.” He said with a shrug. “Just some chicken and roasted potatoes with a garlic sauce.”

  “Oh yeah, nothing special.” She said with a roll of her eyes, a smile quickly following.

  “You get Victoria to Caroline’s alright?” He asked, glancing up.

  Gia appeared from the living room a moment later, greeting Grace with a wag as she bumped against her leg. “Yes, without a hitch. The roads aren’t even a little bit icy. She’s excited to see their girls. They don’t get to have many sleepovers so when they do, they’re ecstatic. We should make more time for that, it makes her so happy. I have enough space here now, plus the guest room if they don’t want to sandwich into her room and I’m sure Mike and Caroline would enjoy a break every so often…maybe we could switch off weekends…” Grace was rambling.

  These were things she couldn’t do with Aaron around. Mike and Caroline didn’t trust the girls to stay at their house and quite honestly, she didn’t blame them for that. Had their positions been reversed, she would have felt the same way. But this house? This place was safe, and maybe there was a chance her daughter could have her friends over.

  “I can practically see the steam coming out of your ears…what are you thinking about over there?” Gabe asked with a raised eyebrow.

  “Just thinking that it’s nice to finally have a safe place to live. Happy my daughter can have friends now without their parents being terrified to leave them in my care…” Grace moved around the counter and came up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

  She turned her head, resting her cheek against his back as one of his hands moved to rest on top of hers. “It’s nice to see you in my kitchen like this…almost like you belong here.” She murmured against his back.

  Gabe let out a laugh, abandoning the food on the stove after he turned it to simmer. He placed the towel on the counter and turned around in her arms, this time placing his hands at her hips to keep her close. “Almost?” He questioned.

  Grace felt her heart rate tick up, a sly smile taking over. “Yeah, almost. Got an objection to that?”

  A low grumble of protest echoed out of him as he dipped down to kiss her. “Yeah, I’ve got a few.” He growled as he pulled away ever so slightly.

  Her lips found his, small hands gripping the front of his shirt and tugging him closer. “That so?”

  Gabe flipped them around, shifting them to pin her against the counter to the right of the stove. One hand darted out to turn the burner off then to the handle of the pan to move the food to another burner as his other hand moved to cup her cheek. His lips were on hers again, deepening the kiss. “You’re incredibly sassy tonight.” He pointed out.

  Her fingertips trailed down the front of his shirt, stopping at his belt buckle as she cocked her head ever so slightly. “Do you have a problem with that?”

  In a quick motion, Gabe’s hands moved to her ass and slid lower, hoisting her up and guiding her legs around his waist. He held her tight as he moved away from the counter and headed toward the living room. It was the cut through to get to the stairs that led to the bedroom. As much as he wanted to wine and dine her, he also had no problem taking advantage of the time they had alone. “You’re going to find out.”

  “Where are we going?” She giggled. “What about dinner?”

  “Forget dinner.” Gabe growled. “I’m skipping straight to dessert.”

  Grace couldn’t help but laugh. “So cheesy.” She mumbled before she dipped down to kiss his neck.

  Those gentle, teasing kisses earned a strangled moan from him. He started to move faster, quickly making his way through the living room and getting to the stairs in record time. His grip on her tightened as he ascended up the stairs.

  Grace’s kisses turned to taunting nips, aiding in Gabe losing his focus by the time he got to the top of the steps. He paused long enough to pin her against the wall, demanding a kiss before they reached the bedroom. His tongue dove in and tangled with hers as he gave her ass a firm squeeze. All he could think about was how long it would take to get her out of those clothes. Too much time. Entirely too much.

  Breaking away from the kiss, Grace smirked. “How long are you going to make me wait?” She was taunting him, poking every button he possessed.

  “All night if you keep it up.” He shot back.

  He relented quickly, abandoning their position at the wall and travelling a little further down the hall to Grace’s room. He nudged the door open with his foot and headed straight for the bed. He set her down on the edge gently and stepped back,
his hands already moving to the hem of his shirt. He had it up and over his head, and on the floor before she could process what was happening.

  Light green eyes roamed his chest, taking in every ridge of his muscles. She felt the heat of arousal surge through her as her hand moved to his belt. She hooked a finger around the thick leather, giving it a tug to get him to step closer. He obeyed with zero protest. Grace’s nimble fingers worked the buckle free, then the button, but she lingered at the zipper. Her gaze flicked up to meet his, a teasing smirk on her lips.

  She was met with fire. Pure, lust-filled fire as she watched his jaw clench. She was moving entirely too slow for his liking. “Grace…” Her name was a growl as his frustration grew, cock straining against his jeans. “Please.”

  “Since you asked so nicely…”

  Her words earned a hiss as she slid the zipper down, yanking his jeans to the ground. Before she continued and stripped him of his boxers, she leaned back to remove her shirt. It hit the floor with his. Grace’s arm twisted behind her back, finding the clasp of her navy blue bra and releasing it to free her breasts.

  Her attention focused back on Gabe, finger’s immediately locking onto his boxers. In a firm tug, she guided them to the floor. His length sprang free, her hand quick to wrap around it. A moment later her mouth was on the tip, tongue flicking against it.

  Gabe let out a moan. This certainly wasn’t where he saw things going. He had every intention of skipping the foreplay and… “Ah, fuck.” All it took was her mouth sliding along his shaft a few times before he had to stop her.

  When she reluctantly released him, he guided her back onto the bed and made quick work of her jeans. The grey lace panties she had below them earned another growl of approval. Gabe’s fingers snagged the waistline of her panties, slowly sliding them down her smooth legs as he leaned down to kiss the inside of her thigh.

  Her breath hitched, hips arching. She wanted to feel his mouth elsewhere. Gabe chuckled, tossing her panties to the side before he straightened himself and nudged his way between her thighs. Her legs spread easily for him, a moan of her own escaping when she felt him press against her slit.

  “Please…” She wasn’t one for begging, but she was burning with a need only he could cool.

  Gabe complied, gently entering her. His groan sounded through the room as her tightness gripped him. “Grace…” Her name was practically a snarl as he sank in deeper, his hands tugging her closer to the edge of the mattress and further onto him.

  Her head tilted back as she moaned. “Harder.”

  It was a demand.

  A demand he readily obeyed. His hands held firm on her hips as his thrusts grew in intensity; deeper, harder, just like she had requested. His gaze traveled to her bare breasts and a moment later, he leaned forward to take one into his mouth. His tongue flicked out against her nipple then she felt the sharp nip of his teeth tugging.

  Grace squirmed below him, her hands moving to his back. Without thinking, her nails dug into him, scoring his back as he fucked her. The action spurred his aggression and his thrusts became relentless. Gabe released her breast, righting himself to get a better hold on her. Her hands grabbed for the sheets, fingers tangled in the fabric.

  “Gabe, please!” Her moans had turned to pleas, begging him to bring her to the orgasm she desperately sought.

  His hand slipped from her hip, thumb dipping into her slit to find her clit. He stroked it gently, a direct contrast to rough thrusts and it was all she needed. Grace cried out as her orgasm rocked through her, hitting her in waves as she clutched him. Gabe’s eyes closed, thrusts slowing as he fought back his own.

  Not even a moment after she was finished, he pulled out and aimed for her stomach. He covered it with cum, grunting when the last of it hit her delicate skin. He took a moment to admire the mess they had made before he moved to get a towel from the laundry basket. When he returned, he wiped her stomach clean and tossed the towel back into the basket. Leaning down, he placed a kiss on her forehead.

  “Dinner’s going to get cold.” He remarked with a smirk.

  “Worth it.” She murmured, snuggling into the blanket. “Do I have to get up?”

  “If you ask nicely, I’ll bring your plate up.”

  Grace pushed herself up onto her elbows, grinning up at him. “Can you pleaaaaaaase bring my plate up here so I can enjoy whatever five-star meal you’ve prepared in the comfort of my bed?”

  “Five-star? Wow, you’re really pushing it there. I guess since you asked soooo nicely…” He stole another kiss before stepping away from the bed.

  Gabe snagged his boxers from the floor and stepped into them. “I’ll be back in a few.”

  Chapter Thirty-Three: Hope

  Greg and Grace, rescued

  Grace could feel time slowing as the temperatures dropped further. The snow had started to dissipate, slowing from blizzard conditions, to a flurry and then to almost nothing. “It looks like it’s stopping,” she noted. “Look.” She pointed toward the sky. “Looks like the sun might even try and show its face for a little while.”

  Greg shook his head and laughed. “You’re awful optimistic but I doubt it, the sky still looks pretty grey to me.”

  “I was trying to be positive here,” she grunted. Her positivity took a turn and she let out a heavy sigh. “Do you think anyone will come soon? We’re a ways off the road but maybe they’ll see the damage, right?”

  “Depends on how much snow has fallen but yeah…I think they’ll come eventually. Just be patient. This is a main road, someone will pass through eventually. Be it a plow guy or another person, someone will get us.”

  “I think I’ve been pretty patient. As patient as I can be,” she muttered miserably. “I should have been at court by now…they’ll think I’m a no-show. That’s going to look terrible. I’m also starting to get cold. That’ll only get worse.” Grace noted.

  “I’m sure that given the weather, they’ve probably closed the courthouse down. I bet if our phones worked, they would have called by now. The state likes to close down, especially when the weather gets as bad as it is,” he said with a shrug.

  “Maybe I should take a walk up the hill and try and get up there…” Grace started.

  “If you have a concussion, that’s probably a bad idea. I certainly can’t with my leg. Also your wrist…what if you slip? Can you even balance with one hand?” Greg pointed out.

  Grace shrugged. “I don’t know but I’m pretty sure it’s worth a shot at this point. I can get up there for a little bit and then hope a car comes by to flag someone down. Maybe we’ll get lucky and they can either call for help or head back to town and get us help.”

  “And if a car doesn’t come? It’s safer to hold tight. The temperatures are going to drop fast now that the snow has stopped…”

  “Greg, I’ve got a jacket and I’ll bring the blanket from my truck too if I must. If I start getting too cold, I’ll come back to the car. I promise.”

  Despite the stern look she got from him, she opened the car door anyway. “Twenty minutes. I’ll be back in twenty minutes.” She said, sliding out of the car.

  “You don’t have anything to tell the time…” He protested, genuinely worried for her safety.

  “Greg, I’ll be fine. I’ll bring my phone. Someone has to get help and I’m the one that has two working legs. Sit tight. I’ll be alright.” Really, it was about survival.

  From where their vehicles were, she wasn’t entirely sure someone could even see them from the road. They couldn’t see up the hill and she wasn’t going to risk no one finding them before nightfall. It was too dangerous this time of year.

  Before he could protest further, Grace closed the car door before too much cold air drafted in, and started around the front of the car. Light eyes flashed up, sizing up the steepness of the hill she was about to climb. It wasn’t too bad and it looked like there were a decent amount of trees to use as handholds. The slick, wet snow was going to be the issue. She wasn’t wearing
hiking boots or even sneakers. Nice dress flats had been her shoe of choice when darting out the front door that morning.

  Excellent choice, really. She was going to freeze as soon as the snow got into her shoes. And it inevitably would. She pushed that thought to the side and started forward once again. With her good hand, she reached forward and used a tree to steady herself. As she predicted, the deep snow invaded her shoes, soaking her feet. Perhaps this was a bad idea.

  She continued up the hill, slow and steady as she tried to ignore the throbbing in her head. Each time a wave of dizziness washed over her, she reached out to keep herself upright. Her trek was slow, slower than she thought, but keeping her eyes down instead of focusing on how far away the road was seemed to help.

  The triumph that surged through her when she reached the road had made the climb worth it. Grace inched her way over to one of the guardrails and took a seat on the edge of it, fighting to catch her breath. The cold burned her lungs and made her head swim. The damage the two vehicles had made in the guardrail was quite clear, but even from her position up on the top of the hill, it was difficult to see the cars. Especially hers, it landed even further back than Greg’s. At least five more inches of snow had accumulated since the crash.

  Grace scanned the road, the snow had been packed down by tire marks. Cars had passed that they couldn’t hear, cars that clearly hadn’t noticed the crash. But she couldn’t blame them, the snow had been falling so fast and so thick she imagined it was hard to see more than a few inches in front of them. Now that it had stopped? She prayed a plow would come through soon. Prayed they would notice the damage or notice her sitting there on the guard rail.

  ~

  Grace was positive at least twenty minutes had passed, at least. She was also positive Greg was getting nervous and ready to try getting out of the car himself. But she had to stay up here for just a little while longer. Her feet were frozen, even after she had stripped her shoes and shaken the snow from them, and she could barely feel her fingers. But what was another ten or fifteen minutes? She could hold out and wait for a little longer.