by Jodi Vaughn
“Actually, Grace just bought a house here. She’s shopping for furniture.” Sloan slid his hand to Grace’s lower back while keeping his gaze locked on Felicia. The protective gesture tugged at Grace’s heart.
Felicia’s eyes narrowed. “Really? I haven’t heard. I just got back from my trip. I guess I’ll have to get caught up on the latest gossip.”
“Didn’t know you left,” Sloan said dryly.
Grace chuckled before she could catch herself.
Felicia shot her a glare.
“We need to get going. Goodbye, Felicia.” Sloan guided Grace away without waiting for Felicia to respond.
“That’s your ex?” Grace mumbled and snuck a glance over her shoulder.
“I can’t believe I almost married that woman.”
“Me either. You two are totally different.”
“She wasn’t always like that. Growing up she was very outgoing and kind. That’s what drew me to her. After we got engaged things begin to change. She wanted things I couldn’t give her: expensive trips and designer clothes.”
“I’m sorry.” It hurt when someone you loved didn’t love you back.
“Don’t be. It was the first warning sign of the end of our relationship. Allison tried to tell me that Felicia was changing, but I didn’t listen. I was forced to face the truth when I found out about the affair.”
“Sometimes we don’t want to face the truth even though it’s staring us in the face.” She glanced away. “It’s very hard to admit that we were wrong about someone.” A lump formed in the back of her throat.
“Some of us are more hardheaded than the rest.” He chuckled. “That’s life. We live and we learn.”
Grace looked away, her throat tightening. “I guess we do.”
***
“Well, here we are.” Sloan stopped in her driveway and turned off the engine. Allison had called and let them know she was tied up and couldn’t get back to the sale. They’d spent the rest of the day shopping and loading his truck down with items. It was now well after dark, but the lonely porch light cast a soft comforting glow across the yard.
“I really appreciate you sticking around. I can’t believe how much stuff I was able to find.” She smiled, her eyes twinkling like stars against the cab light.
Something in his chest tightened. It had been a while since a woman had affected him with just a smile.
“Not a problem. Glad to help.”
They got out of the truck and walked around to the bed. He eased the tailgate down and climbed in and picked up a chair.
“Here, hand it to me.” Grace held out her hands.
He shook his head. “It’s too heavy.” He hopped out of the truck and carried the chair toward the house. “Come, unlock the door.” He called over his shoulder.
She hurried behind him and dug a key out of her purse. Unlocking the door, she walked into the living room. “Put it in front of the fireplace.”
He headed back to the truck just in time to see Grace trying to lift an end table.
“What are you doing? You’re going to hurt yourself.” He wrapped his hands across her waist and moved her out of the way. He picked up the table and started for the house and stopped. He turned just as she reached for another chair. “Grace, I’m serious. Stop. Just come show me where you want this stuff.”
“Fine.” She jumped down from the truck bed.
He was once again mesmerized by her long legs in tight jeans. The way she moved was naturally graceful, she was so in tune to her body. She definitely moved like a dancer.
After unloading the rest of the furniture, Sloan walked into the empty dining room. “You still need to get some furniture for this room.”
She shook her head. “I’m not putting furniture in here. I’m turning this room into a dance area.” She ran her hand across the yellow painted walls. “I’m hoping to find some mirrors that can line this wall and maybe put up a ballet barre. I was thinking maybe I could start teaching dance lessons here.”
“I don’t think you need to do that. The high school dance team’s instructor left and they are having trouble finding a replacement. Maybe you should apply there first.”
Her eyes widened and then she looked away. “I don’t know much about that kind of dance.”
“I thought you said you could teach all kinds.”
She jerked her head up. “I can. It’s just teaching a dance team routine is different than teaching ballet.” She headed toward the foyer and lingered by the front door. “Thank you again for all your help today.”
The mood shifted so fast, he almost got whiplash. He followed her to the door and hesitated. He didn’t want to leave, not yet. This was the first day in a long time he’d enjoyed being with someone else. He’d noticed the townspeople casting curious stares in their direction as they walked from tent to tent. He’d also noticed how many looks of appreciation he’d gotten from the majority of the town’s male population.
He stopped in front of her. “Have you gotten a chance to walk down to your pond?”
“No. I’ve been too busy with the house. I was going to walk down today if I got back before dark. I’ll go tomorrow.”
“Come on.” He grabbed her hand and led her out the door.
“But it’s dark.”
“I’ve got a flashlight in my truck.” He was halfway across the yard with her in tow. “You never know what you might see at night. You might see a deer or raccoon.”
“Or bear.” She tightened her grip on his hand.
“We don’t get a lot of bears out here. I think you’re pretty safe.” He held the light near the ground as they entered the woods.
A wide trail, big enough for them to walk side by side, wound through the canopy of lush green trees and ferns. The occasional drone of the bullfrog and the click of the cicada echoed in the darkness.
They broke through the woods and into the clearing.
Moonlight spilled across the water like milk. Two geese rested quietly atop their watery nest, each with its beak tucked under its wing.
“It’s beautiful,” she whispered.
“Yes, it is.” He gazed at her profile illuminated by the moonlight. Her face was animated as she took in the scene. He’d grown up here and it didn’t really seem special until tonight. Being with her made it special.
He laced his fingers through hers and looked back at the pond. Somehow, tonight the moon seemed fuller, the trees seemed greener and the darkness seemed magical.
“Do those geese live here?”
He chortled. “Yes. At least until they get bored and move on to another pond.”
She looked up at him. “Is there any way I can make sure they don’t leave?”
“No, not really. You could come down here every day and put some bread out. They might be more likely to stay if you kept them fed.”
She glanced back at the water and pointed. “What’s that in the water? A turtle?”
He shone the light across the pond’s surface. The beam of light landed on the creature gliding through the water at a zigzag pace.
“That would be a snake.”
Grace screamed and leaped into his arms. The flashlight tumbled to the ground. She let out another scream as she tried to crawl up his body. She wrapped her legs around his waist, while her arms circled his neck like a python.
“Grace, you’re going to have to loosen your grip.” He wheezed through his constricted throat.
“No.” She buried her face in his neck.
“You’re going to have to stand up so I can get the flashlight.”
She shook her head against his neck. If he could breathe, he wouldn’t mind how nice her body felt pressed up against his.
“I can’t get back to the house without a light.”
“Use your phone.”
“What?” His fingers eased between her arm and his neck and he pulled. He managed to suck in a deep breath.
“Use your flashlight app on your phone.” Her lips brushed against his neck.
His body heated.
He reached in his back jeans pocket and fished out his phone. Turning on his flashlight app, he held it out in front of them.
“I’m guessing you want me to carry you back to the house.”
“Yes. I might step on the snake.”
He laughed. “All right but you’ve got to loosen you grip or I’m going to pass out.”
She loosened her hold as she kept her face buried in the crook of his neck. He placed one hand under her butt and the other held out the phone, lighting the path back to the house. The gentle bounce of her body made him ache in places he long thought dead. He stifled a groan.
If he didn’t get her back to the house and get her off him she was going to have a nice hard surprise poking her in the stomach.
The path finally gave way to the yard. He shoved the phone back in his pocket. He held her tight until he walked around to the front of the house.
She pulled back to look at him and grimaced. “I’m sorry. You can put me down now.”
He didn’t want to let her go. She felt so good in his arms. Too damn good.
He walked to the front steps and stopped. Slowly, he let her slide down, every inch of their bodies pressing together like an intimate caress.
When her feet touched the step, she looked at him, her cheeks pink with embarrassment.
His fingers caressed her cheek and her lips parted. He’d never wanted to kiss someone as badly as he wanted to kiss Grace in this moment. Slowly he dipped his head. Her eyes never left his.
She was soft and warm and he immediately wanted more, but knew he had to take things slow. He’d seen enough women who’d been hurt to know that someone had destroyed Grace’s trust in men. And when he learned the guy’s name, he was going to hunt the bastard down and make him pay.
Right now, all he wanted to do was make her feel safe with him. If that meant reining in his lust, then so be it.
Sloan moved his lips over hers in a slow sweet dance. When she didn’t pull away, he deepened the kiss. Ever so slowly, he let his tongue tease until she was digging her fingers into his arms and pulling him closer.
Her fingers slid up his shoulders and wound in his hair.
She tasted sexy and sweet and he thought he would die from the pleasure of kissing her. His heart thudded in his chest with each stroke of her tongue, as his blood heated a thousand degrees.
His hands slid down to her tight ass and he pulled her closer. She arched against him, pressing her amazing body into his. His fingers threaded through her silky hair as the kiss turned urgent.
Her breathing increased. She loosened her grip and pushed against him. When he pulled away, her eyes took on the look of an animal cornered.
“What’s wrong, Grace” He cupped her cheek. She flinched.
She placed her hands on his chest and took a step back, sucking in deep breaths. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.”
“Didn’t mean to do what? Kiss me? Or flinch?”
She looked away and pressed her hand over her heart. “Both.”
“Grace . . .” He took a step forward.
She held out her hand and backed away, stopping him from coming closer. “I think I gave you the wrong impression.”
“The only impression I got was that you liked me kissing you. Was I wrong?”
She blushed. She liked it as much as he did.
“Okay, so what’s the problem?”
She shook her head and looked away. “I didn’t come here looking for a relationship.”
“Neither did I.”
“You don’t understand. I am not in a place in my life right now to be in a relationship.”
“Kissing doesn’t a relationship make.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I’m not that girl either. I don’t jump into bed with every guy I meet.”
“I didn’t say you were. I just . . .” He ran his hand through his hair, frustrated that he couldn’t find the right words.
“I’m sorry. It’s late and I’m tired.” She climbed the steps and turned. “I really do appreciate everything you did today. Thank you.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but she hurried into the house and slammed the door. Guess that was his cue to leave.
Running his hand across the back of his neck, he cursed as he walked back to the truck. What the hell was wrong with him? He’d known from the start that Grace wasn’t interested in getting too close to people. She was a woman who’d been hurt and needed time to heal. A relationship was the last thing he wanted to jump into. He was busy enough with work. That was the reason Felicia said she’d cheated on him, because he was never there for her.
“Fuck it.” He cranked the truck and slammed it into reverse. Backing out of the driveway, he kept his eyes on the upstairs window of the house. Her silhouette appeared, outlining her curves as she reached over her head and pulled off her shirt.
Sloan slammed on the brakes. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the view as she bent, shoving her jeans down her long legs. His cocked twitched.
His hand eased between his legs and then he froze.
What the fuck was he doing?
Grace had such a hold on him, he was willing to masturbate while watching her undress and break the law in the process. He wouldn’t have hesitated to arrest someone for being a peeping tom.
He slammed his foot on the gas and peeled out away from the house.
Chapter Five
Grace stifled her yawn with the back of her hand as she drove to the bank. Her lack of sleep over the weekend was showing and she blamed it all on Sloan Jackson. When she slept, she dreamed of Sloan. When she was awake, Sloan was on her mind.
She’d liked kissing Michael until he’d turned in a monster. She’d been too quick to fall in love and she couldn’t afford to repeat her mistake.
She grimaced every time she thought about Sloan. She’d messed up big time. She let herself fall into that scorching kiss, and it threatened to burn her alive.
It probably didn’t help matters that she’d wrapped her legs around his waist when that damn snake charged her. She nodded. It was that snake’s fault that kiss had even happened in the first place.
She pulled her car into the first available parking space at First National of Cloverton.
The fragrant pink azalea bushes lining the flowerbeds of the small town bank made her smile. It was like she’d stepped into a real life Mayberry.
She walked through the doors and made eye contact with one of the two bank officers.
“Miss Witherspoon. What can I help you with today? Perhaps a checking account?” Mrs. Hogard, an older lady with her hair tied neatly in a French twist and wearing a black shift dress, gave her a polite smile.
She held out her key and let it dangle in the air. “I need to open my safe deposit box.”
Since she’d moved to Cloverton, Grace had managed to secure a safe deposit box to keep the rest of her cash. She kept enough cash on hand for food and gas and utilities. Living out in the country and being so isolated made her an easy target for a robbery.
“If you’ll just follow me.”
Grace followed Mrs. Hogard past the three tellers to the vault.
“Did you get a lot of good items at the sale this past weekend?” The woman slid her a knowing look. “Heard you had some company with you.”
Grace pressed her lips together in a thin line. It didn’t take long for word to spread in Cloverton that Sloan had been with her. It was reason to stay away from him.
“I found a lot of items at the sale.” She stopped as Mrs. Hogard pulled her box out from the wall.
“Word is that our handsome police officer was with you. They say you two looked very cozy.”
Grace gaped at the older woman. “We were just walking together. He was kind enough to help me load some things in his truck. That’s all.”
Mrs. Hogard’s face fell. “I was hoping you might be the one for Sloan.” Her lips pressed into a tight line. “After what that two timing Felicia
did, he deserves a good girl.”
Her stomach clenched. A good girl. That was so far from what she really was. If only Mrs. Hogard knew the truth.
“Sorry to disappoint you; we’re just friends.”
Mrs. Hogard nodded. “Just let me know if you need anything, dear.” She left Grace alone in the cold vault with her deposit box.
She slid her key into the box and waited for the click of the tumblers. The cool air of the air conditioning vent spilled onto her arms and made her skin goose pimple.
She lifted the lid. She cast a quick glance at the door before picking up a stack of one hundred dollar bills. This was all she had left after she’d paid for her house in cash. Her father’s attorney had made the arrangements for her so there wouldn’t be a paper trail.
She quickly calculated the rest of her money.
Ten thousand dollars.
She had a cushion, but she knew eventually it was going to run out.
Sloan had mentioned a dance instructor job at the high school. Maybe because she’d be teaching after school they wouldn’t need all the proper paper work. It was a small town and people did things differently in a small town, didn’t they?
She counted out a few hundred-dollar bills and locked the box. After she ran by the gas station she’d get directions to the high school.
***
“You going to eat that or daydream all day?”
Sloan looked up as his friend and fellow officer, Mitch Woods, slid into the seat across from him. He had hoped to eat his lunch in peace in the break room. Now that Mitch was here, he knew that wasn’t going to happen.
“I’m eating.” He grabbed the sandwich and took a bite.
Mitch snagged Sloan’s bag of chips and grinned. “Tell me about this new chick in town. Heard she’s hot.”
Sloan narrowed his eyes. The last person he wanted to talk about was Grace. He’d been thinking about her too much as it was. Even in his sleep he was thinking about her.
“She’s not your type.” Sloan gave his friend a hard look. He’d been friends with Mitch for years. Mitch was the town bad boy who’d hooked up with every available woman around. With dark hair and dark eyes and a personality that oozed charm, he’d managed to sleep with half the town’s female population. Every woman, with the exception of Allison, was in danger with Mitch’s smooth charm and good looks. Sloan had made it clear, many years ago, that his sister was off limits to Mitch.
