by Jodi Vaughn
Propping up on an elbow, he gazed down at her. He kissed her, this time, slow and thorough, like he was stealing her soul from her body.
“I wanted to go slow with you.”
She grinned. “I’m not complaining.”
“Yes, well, a promise is a promise.” He placed her thumb in his mouth and sucked.
Her eyes fluttered closed as his cock hardened inside her. She gasped with pleasure as he began to once again move deep within her.
Sometime after midnight, after endless hours of making love, he pulled her into the safety of his arms. As she drifted off to sleep, she heard him whisper.
“You’re safe with me, Grace.”
***
The next morning, Sloan got up early and headed over to his house to shower and change before work. He kissed her and told her he’d call her later that day. Exhausted from their sexual marathon, Grace had gone back to sleep.
Her ringing cell phone had her patting the nightstand while trying to open her eyes.
She grimaced at the screen.
“Hello?”
“Get your lazy butt out of bed and get dressed.”
“Who is this?”
“Tabitha. Allison and I are on our way over to pick you up.”
“For what? What time is it?” Grace squinted toward the sun-filled window and groaned. She threw the covers back and made her way to the kitchen to make coffee.
“It’s eight o’clock and we are headed to Nashville for a little shopping excursion. You’re coming so don’t even try to make up an excuse why you can’t go.”
She held the coffeepot under the stream of water.
“What’s that sound? It better be a shower running,” Tabitha said.
“It’s water for my coffee. And are you always this bossy?”
“Forget the coffee, we’ll swing by the coffee shop and grab you some. Get in the shower. And to answer your question, yes, I’m always this bossy.”
Grace heard Allison snicker in the background.
Grace headed for the bathroom. “Fine. I’m getting in the shower now. How much time do I have to get ready?”
“Thirty minutes. Don’t dress fancy. We’re both wearing jeans.”
“Perfect.” That was the majority of her limited wardrobe. “Don’t forget the coffee.” Grace hung up and turned the shower on.
***
“Grace, you didn’t buy anything.” Allison pouted as she looked down at her four bags she was carrying as they ambled down the sidewalk in downtown Nashville.
“Yeah, I did.” Grace licked the side of the pistachio ice cream cone before it could drip on her fingers.
Allison sighed. “I meant clothes. I’ve bought stuff in every store we stepped into and you haven’t bought one thing. You’re making me feel guilty.”
“Don’t feel guilty. I’m just trying to save my money to put back into fixing up my house.” She took another swipe at her ice cream.
“Now I really feel guilty,” Allison sighed.
“Allison, stop it. Stop doing all that second guessing.” Tabitha slung her shopping bag of shoes over her shoulder like a jacket.
“I can’t help it. It’s how I am.”
“I know what you need. You need a night of wild sex with some stranger.” Tabitha looked her friend dead in the eye.
Allison stopped in her tracks and gasped. “Are you crazy? I don’t do one-night stands. What if he’s a serial killer or wants to tie me up and spank me?”
Grace laughed. She couldn’t help it. The look on Allison’s face was priceless.
“I’m completely serious.” Allison propped her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at Grace.
“I don’t think those are the kinds of one-night stands Tabitha meant.” Grace cut her eyes at Tabitha. “It’s not is it?”
“Of course not. I just want to see Allison relax and have that look of a satisfied woman.” Tabitha winked. “The look you have.”
Grace felt the heat rush to her face.
“What are you talking about?” Allison cocked her head.
“I’m talking about Sloan and Grace getting it on.”
“I never said that.” Grace’s eyes widened.
“You didn’t have to. You’ve been smiling and humming since we picked you up.”
“That doesn’t mean anything.” Grace shoved the ice cream in her mouth and look away.
“The numerous condom wrappers I found in your trash can suggest otherwise.”
“I’m never letting you use my bathroom again.” Grace glared.
“You and Sloan?” Allison grimaced.
“Me and Sloan.” She held her breath, unsure of Allison’s reaction.
A slow smile crossed Allison’s face and she nodded. “I’m glad he has you, Grace. He deserves someone wonderful.”
Grace’s gut twisted. Sloan did deserve someone wonderful. The problem was, she wasn’t wonderful. She still hadn’t told him the truth about her past.
“So you’re not mad about me and your brother?”
“No, of course not.” Allison’s smile faded. “There is one rule though.”
“What’s that?”
“No talking about your sex life. It would scar me for life.” Allison shivered and walked into the next store.
Tabitha smirked. “Tell me. Is hot cop as good as I think he is? Did he ‘serve’ you well?”
Grace grinned. “Oh, yeah. He served me five times last night.”
Tabitha pouted. “You are one lucky bitch.”
Grace smiled. “Yes, I know.”
Chapter Eight
Sloan had just showered and dressed when there was a knock at his front door. He glanced at the clock on his microwave. Grace shouldn’t be here for another thirty minutes, unless Allison was driving like a bat out of hell again.
He grabbed two beers out of the refrigerator and headed to the door. After last night he was eager to get Grace in his arms again.
His smile slid off his face as he opened the door.
“What are you doing here?”
Felicia, dressed in a tight black skirt and red sleeveless shirt, stood with her arms crossed over her chest. “Nice to see you too, Sloan. Aren’t you going to invite me in?”
“No.” He shut the door, but she stuck her high heeled shoe in the way before he could get it fully closed. “What do you want?”
She pushed her way inside. Her gaze landed on the beer. “I don’t usually drink beer, but I’ll take whatever you’re offering.” She took the bottle out of his hand.
He snorted when she took a big drink and grimaced. He’d known she wouldn’t like it. Felicia was a hard-core wine drinker.
She cleared her throat. “I need to talk to you.” She headed toward his living room and sunk into the oversized leather sofa that she hated so much. She curled her lip as she took in the masculine décor of leather furniture and a big screen TV.
“Fine. Talk.” He sat in his favorite recliner and sighed. The sooner she said what she needed to say the sooner she’d leave.
“I want you to do a background check on Grace.”
“Excuse me?”
“I know you think I’m just being petty.”
“No, you’re being jealous. You can’t stand the fact that I’ve moved on and no longer think about you.”
Her face tightened.
He didn’t care that he’d hurt her feelings. He was tired of living in the shadow of their dead relationship. He had a life now, a life with Grace.
“You also don’t like the fact that people in town are accepting her as their own. You’d be surprised at how many people tell me every day how much they like her.” He took a long drink of his beer and stood. “It seems the town that was once so loyal to you has found a new darling.”
The front door shut and he turned.
“Sloan, did you not hear me knocking?” Grace entered the living room and froze. Her gaze landed on Felicia who slowly stood and faced her.
“Grace, I wasn’t expectin
g you until later.”
“I see that.” Her face paled a few shades as hurt flashed through her eyes. “I got you this in Nashville.” She set the brightly decorated box on the end table and hurried out the door.
“Grace, wait!” He sprinted across the yard and caught her before she made it to her car. “Look at me. It’s not what you think it is.”
She arched her brow and snorted. “Really? ’Cause it looked a lot like you and your ex were having a beer and getting friendly.”
“And you’d be wrong.” He turned and shot a glare at Felicia who’d followed them outside. “Felicia was just leaving, weren’t you?” Grace tried to wriggle out of his arms. He tightened his hold.
Felicia shrugged. “Fine.” She walked past them and slid into her Mercedes. She rolled down her window before she drove away. “Sloan, you really should take my advice.”
“Don’t come back, Felicia. You aren’t welcome.” Sloan glared.
She spun tires as she sped down the driveway, leaving a trail of dust in her retreat.
“Aren’t you going to ask me why she was here?” He loosened his grip on her and stepped back.
“It’s really none of my business. One night of good sex does not a relationship make.”
“One night of amazing sex.” He took a step toward her. “You have to admit that it was amazing sex.”
She shot daggers at him with her angry gaze. She looked so damn beautiful standing there in tight jeans and a green shirt that showed off her lean body. Even mad as a hornet, she was making him hard.
“Aren’t you going to ask why she was here?”
She clenched her hands into fists yet said nothing.
“I’m going to tell you anyway. She came by here to cause trouble between us. She’s jealous of you and can’t stand it.”
“Why would she be jealous of me?”
“Because she knows I’m falling in love with you.” He stepped closer and wrapped his hands around her waist. “It seems you have the one thing she can’t have.”
“What’s that?” Her eyes widened.
He nodded. “You have my heart. I’ve never given a woman my heart before, not like this.”
Her body relaxed into his and her mouth parted in surprise.
When she kissed him back, his heart soared. He tangled his fingers in her silky hair, pulling her closer. He could kiss her for hours and never get enough of her.
They broke the kiss and came up for air. He caressed her cheek and she leaned into his touch.
“You brought me a gift?”
She shrugged. “It’s just a box of pralines. Allison said they were your favorite.”
“Thank you, sweetheart. I love pralines. But right now, there’s something I want more than pralines.”
Her liquid gaze heated at the endearment. He pulled her into chest, his erection poking into her stomach.
“Oh, yeah?” She reached between them and grabbed his cock.
He hissed. He unzipped her jeans and shoved them down.
“We’re outside.” She panted.
“It’s night. We’re out in the middle of nowhere.”
“There are animals.” She met his hungry kiss with the same urgency.
He shoved his jeans down and kicked them off. “Let them watch.” He picked her up, his hands cupping her small ass. Her legs wound around him as she kissed him hard.
“I need you now.” Without breaking the kiss, he backed her up against the large oak tree that stood in the center of his yard.
She gasped as he thrust inside her. Her wet heat cradled him, squeezing him like a vise.
She arched against him, making him drive himself faster until they were both panting. She dug her nails into his shoulders and moaned. He covered her mouth with his, swallowing her cries of pleasure and finding his own release in a lust-induced frenzy.
They stood there like that, her legs still around his waist, for what seemed like forever.
Slowly he let her slide to the ground, his hands at her waist.
“I love you, Grace. I don’t expect you to say it back, not now. I just needed to get those words out.”
She touched his cheek and gazed up at him with such tenderness. He knew even if she couldn’t say the words, not yet, that she meant them as well.
***
Over the next three weeks, Grace and Sloan settled into a routine. When they weren’t working, they were sharing dinners and making love.
She winced every time she thought about how she hadn’t told Sloan she loved him. She did love him, more than she’d loved anyone before. Once she uttered those words, the responsibility about telling him the truth would come with it. She wasn’t sure she was ready for that. Most of all, she was afraid she’d lose Sloan.
The next few weeks flew by, and the dance team routines grew more complicated. Grace had wanted to challenge the girls because she saw real talent. Her most gifted dancer was Melanie. She didn’t want Melanie to let a man dictate to her what she should and should not be doing. What worried her the most was Melanie ending up in a situation like hers.
She’d tried to talk a few more times after practice, and every time Melanie denied that Chris was abusive to her.
Grace had brought the subject up again with Sloan. He had agreed to look into the quarterback’s behavior. She knew Sloan wanted her to talk to him about her own history. Every time she thought she was going to be brave and tell him, she ended up chickening out.
She needed to find the right time and now was not it.
***
Sloan slammed his office door shut and fell into his chair. He growled as Mitch let himself in and helped himself to the chair on the other side of the desk.
“What do you want?”
“I want to know what the fuck happened between you and the police chief. I heard you two yelling in his office. Hell, I think half the town did.” Mitch leaned back into the chair and propped his boot up on Sloan’s desk.
Sloan knocked his foot off.
Mitch sighed. “Look man, you can’t go around investigating the high school quarterback without having someone file a complaint about him.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” He ran his fingers through his hair.
Mitch shook his head. “That kid’s dad is on his way to being the next senator in the state. Unless someone has filed a complaint, you need to let it go. You don’t need to lose your job over gossip.”
“I’ve got a gut feeling.”
Mitch nodded. They both knew in their line of work gut feelings were usually right.
“Then go about it the right way. Get a complaint before you put a tail on the kid and wait for him to mess up.” Mitch cocked his head. “How the hell did the chief know you put a tail on him anyway?”
“The kid called in an unmarked cop car that was at practice. Chris called the cops saying he thought he had a stalker.”
“What an arrogant dick.”
“You have no idea.” Sloan narrowed his eyes. “That’s not the worst part. The kid’s dad came in and complained about how he was hearing Grace ask a lot of questions about Chris in town and how she’s accusing him of being abusive.”
Mitch froze. “Is he abusive? Did he hurt Grace?”
“If he did I would kill him.” He pointed his finger at Mitch. He was telling the honest truth.
“I’d help you hide the body.”
“The father has threatened a lawsuit against the police force and Grace if she doesn’t stop with her accusations.”
“Damn. What are you going to do?”
“I’ve got to go talk to her. I’ll head over there as soon as I get off work.”
Mitch reached for the doorknob. “Sloan, what made Grace think Chris was being abusive to Melanie?”
“Long sleeves and yoga pants in the middle of southern summer.”
“Do you find it a little odd that Grace knows what to look for in abuse?”
“Don’t, Mitch.”
“Look man, I like Grace just li
ke the rest of the town. I think she’s good for you. But if you two aren’t honest with each other, there is no way in hell you’re going to make it as a couple.” Mitch closed the door behind him.
Sloan pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. The more he watched Chris, the more he was sure that Grace was right. He also knew in a southern town this size sports were a religion. One way or another, this whole thing was about to get messy.
***
Grace arrived at the football field in a bad mood. She’d spent last night arguing with Sloan. He’d told her about the threats that Chris’s father made and how the town was now in an uproar with her accusations. Although he seemed to believe her and said he would continue to watch Chris, he couldn’t do anything unless Melanie filed a police report.
Her heart sunk. She knew that Melanie was too scared to do that.
She’d even had some of the dance moms call her and tell her to stop stirring up false accusations against the quarterback. She wondered if any of the dancers were even going to show up for practice.
After an hour passed and no one was at the field she began to pack up her things. She’d gotten her answer. This was her only income and she’d managed to lose that too.
“Grace?”
She turned at the sound of Melanie’s voice.
“Did no one show up?” Melanie wore shorts and a T-shirt.
Grace’s gaze swept the girl’s body, seeking the bruises, but she saw none. “I guess they didn’t feel like practicing.”
Melanie shook her head. “No, this is my fault. The girls wanted to come, but their moms made them stay home.”
“How is it your fault?” She gave Melanie her full attention.
“You’re doing this because of me.” She cleared her throat. “Please Grace, stop trying to help me. It’s just going to . . .”
“Make things worse.” Grace finished the sentence. The hair on the back of her neck stood at attention and she couldn’t suppress the shiver that crept across her spine. She crossed her arms and looked at the young girl. “Melanie, I know you’re afraid. I can help you.”
“No, you can’t. No one can.” A single tear slid down Melanie’s cheek.
“Melanie!” Chris strode across the football field quickly closing the distance between them.
