He pulled down the covers and placed her on the bed with exquisite care.
But when he reached for the strap of her boot, she placed her hand over his.
“You have too many clothes on,” she told him with a smile.
“Easily remedied.” He stood without hesitation, loosened his tie and then unbuttoned his shirt, pausing halfway through. “My fingers are shaking,” he told her with an almost shy smile. “That’s what you do to me.”
Heat infused every part of her body at the thought of having an effect on this man.
Then her chest tightened as he continued to divest himself of his clothes, and Grace realized that they were truly taking the next step in their relationship. Sex meant something to her, and a moment of panic broke through the desire filling her brain, at the realization that she was embarking on this act with a man who might willingly walk away from her.
As he sat on the edge of the bed and placed a gentle hand on her booted leg, she realized it didn’t matter. She might want more than they’d agreed to at the beginning of their time together, but she had to believe that he wanted it, too.
There might not be words yet, but the tenderness of his touch and the intensity of his gaze on hers were enough to make her trust that she was choosing the right path.
He undid the straps of the boot and slipped it off her leg. “Is this okay?” he asked softly, then bent to place a soft kiss on the top of her knee. “I don’t want to hurt you, Grace. I’d never purposely hurt you.”
“It’s fine,” she said, surprised when emotion clogged her throat. She didn’t want to read more into his words. She knew he wouldn’t hurt her deliberately, but she also understood that didn’t mean she wouldn’t end up with a broken heart.
But as his hand moved across her skin and he kissed a path up her body, nothing else mattered. He lavished attention on all the most sensitive parts of her, like he wanted to memorize her with his tongue and fingers.
“Stay still, sweetheart,” he whispered against her. “We’re going to be gentle with your ankle.”
Gentle was the last thing on Grace’s mind, but she did her best not to writhe under his kisses. It felt as though he was undoing her, desire thrumming through her like the crest of a wave. The pressure built inside her as he continued to explore her body, and minutes—or hours—later he drove her to the edge and over, and a cry broke from her lips.
Still it wasn’t enough. As mind-blowing as her release had been, she wanted more. She wanted all of him. It might only be for now, the time he was in town, but Grace wouldn’t consider that. All she knew was at this moment, they were meant to be together.
“Now, Wiley,” she said. “I need you now.”
“I’m here,” he told her, and captured her mouth.
“More.”
He pulled away and reached for his wallet on her nightstand and pulled out a condom. A few moments later he was poised between her legs, and Grace had never wanted anything more than she wanted this man inside her.
His hands were braced on either side of her head and he entered her in one long stroke. She breathed him in and then lifted her head to kiss him, needing to be joined with him as much as she could manage.
Her eyes drifted closed as the rhythm of their kiss synced with the motion of their bodies. They moved together like they were built for each other, and in some ways Grace wondered if that were the truth. Had she been made for this man? Had everything that had come before led to the moment when their eyes met across that crowded party?
Because she’d never been certain what her place in the world was, but there was no doubt she’d found where she belonged in Wiley Fortune’s arms.
He whispered little nothings into her ear between kisses, his hands holding her like she was the most precious thing in the world to him. Passion skyrocketed inside her until it felt like electricity coursed through her veins. She wasn’t certain how much more pleasure she could take. The depth of it was like nothing she’d ever experienced.
And then she fell over the cliff she’d been racing toward, her body dissolving as if it were made of champagne bubbles fizzing into the air. Her body tightened around Wiley and a few seconds later, he cried out her name.
It was the most amazing thing she’d ever heard. They might not have made promises to each other with words, but Grace had no doubt that his body had just pledged something to her that guaranteed she would never be the same.
Chapter Fourteen
“The timing couldn’t be worse,” Wiley muttered as he packed his suitcase the following morning.
Megan flopped onto his bed in the suite where he was staying at the ranch. He’d been as skeptical about the property as he had about his siblings settling in Rambling Rose when he’d first come to Texas. The idea of his brothers and sisters living together seemed like a recipe for disaster to Wiley, who had far too many memories of their bustling house growing up and never being able to get a moment’s peace.
But the arrangement worked—surprisingly—in large part because the setup of the house allowed whoever was living there to have their own private space while still being under the same roof. He’d enjoyed reconnecting with his siblings on a daily basis, sharing coffee in the morning and whatever was on the menu for dinner.
The ranch employed a caretaker, who took care of most things, including meals, although Nicole and Megan took their turns in the kitchen because they found great pleasure in feeding the people they loved.
Wiley wondered if his memories of childhood weren’t exactly accurate. Had he been the only one to feel stifled by their crowded, sometimes overbearing family? Or had he just been so committed to finding his own way and establishing an identity away from his successful stepfather and the rest of the family that he’d gone too far in the other direction?
“You’ll be back for the grand opening though?” she asked, her tone sympathetic.
“Yes.” He zipped shut the suitcase. “Well before that, I hope. I’m not sure exactly how the other associate botched the contract negotiations so badly. I’d given him everything he needed. Landing this client should have been a slam dunk.”
“Obviously, your coworker doesn’t have your level of skill,” Megan said without a trace of sarcasm or irony. That was the other nice thing about family—even if they argued and teased, when the chips were down they had his back without question.
Right now he needed all the support he could get. He’d set his phone to silent when he and Grace went to bed last night and had woken this morning to a barrage of angry texts and messages from the firm’s senior partner. Wiley had been leading a team over the last six months to land one of the biggest clients in their history. His extended stay in Texas had complicated the process, but he’d been diligent about conveying information to the associate who was the local point of contact in Chicago with their potential client. Much of Wiley’s remote working had centered on this deal, which was set to close in two days. For some reason the client had pulled out without warning and no one at the firm could get a straight answer as to why.
He’d tried to convince his boss that he could handle the emergency from Texas, but the man gave him no choice. Hence, he was booked on a flight leaving early that afternoon.
Leaving today meant he’d miss Grace’s preopening event, and he wanted to be there to watch her shine.
There had barely been time to say goodbye to her before he’d had to bolt from her apartment that morning, leaving her sleepy and rumpled in the bed. He couldn’t believe how amazing it felt to finally make love to her, and he would have been happy to spend all weekend with her.
Wiley almost never spent extended periods of time with the women he dated, but as with everything, Grace broke the rules he’d set for relationships. He wanted her more for it.
He hadn’t known when he’d left her that the work emergency was so dire that he’d be flying back to Chica
go, and he wished he’d had time to call and explain it to her.
“I appreciate your vote of confidence,” he said to his sister. “Just make sure to give my note to Grace, okay? I’m sure I’ll talk to her before the reception, but I want her to have it.”
Megan sat up on the bed and plucked the thin envelope from the nightstand. “I’d ask if you were with Grace last night, but she’s staying at her parents’, and I figure you’ve outgrown sneaking out of your girlfriends’ windows so angry dads don’t catch you.”
He snorted. “Grace moved back to her apartment.”
“Ah.” Megan gave him a knowing smile.
“There’s no ‘ah,’” he muttered. “But I have to go. Just give her the note.”
“I’ll walk you out.”
“No need.”
“Sure there is.” She followed him out of the room toward the front of the house. Everyone else was going about their daily business, so at least Wiley only had one sister to deal with. But one was more than enough. “You like Grace.”
He tried to ignore the way his heart began to beat a staccato rhythm in his chest, telling him in no uncertain terms that he more than liked Grace.
“Everyone likes Grace. Don’t you have somewhere to be?”
“Not at the moment. It’s okay to fall for a woman, Wiley. Especially one as sweet as Grace Williams. You were bound to find the right one at some point. I think it’s wonderful that you’ve found her in Rambling Rose.”
He’d just gotten to the front door but paused with his hand on the knob. “It’s not wonderful. I’m leaving before her big event today, and I’m going back to Chicago for good once the hotel opens.” He wasn’t ready to reveal his meeting with Gavin. What if things didn’t work out and he disappointed his siblings as well as Grace? He looked toward his sister, figuring her pained expression mirrored his. “Tell me how that’s anything but the opposite of wonderful.”
“Oh, Wi.”
“Why?” he repeated, purposely misinterpreting her shortening of his name. “That’s exactly what I’m wondering at the moment.”
“You know Chicago isn’t the only city that employs attorneys,” Megan told him, her voice gentle. “Even towns like Rambling Rose have need of them. You’ve done so much to help at the hotel so—”
“My time here is temporary.” He walked out of the house and squinted against the bright light of morning. “Grace and I both know it. Hell, it’s what we agreed to in the first place. I’m not even sure she’d want me for longer.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Women fall all over themselves for you. They always have.”
He hit the button on the key fob to open the trunk. “Grace doesn’t.” He couldn’t help the smile that tugged at his lips thinking about the way she didn’t let him off the hook about anything. “She’s stronger than people give her credit for,” he said as he stowed the suitcase. It was the same thing he’d told Callum and Nicole, but he’d never get sick of saying it. “Independent, too. She’s already told me she wants to focus on her career.”
“Here’s a pro tip.” Megan placed a hand on his arm. “Women can have careers and successful relationships. Look at Stephanie and Ashley. Don’t sell Grace short.”
“I’m not.” He opened the door to the car. “I just told you I thought she was strong.”
“And don’t use her strength and independence as an excuse.”
Wiley shook his head. “Since when did my baby sisters grow up and get so smart?”
“We’ve always been smart.” Megan rolled her eyes. “Me in particular.”
“I’ve got to go. Give Grace the note and please tell her I’ll be thinking of her. I’ll call as soon as I can.”
“Have a safe trip.” She blew him a kiss. “We’ll expect you back here as soon as you can make it.”
* * *
Grace smiled as another coworker came up and congratulated her on the success of the local business owners’ reception. There was no doubt she’d exceeded everyone’s expectations. She gave partial credit to the beautiful weekend weather. It was unseasonably warm for the last weekend of January, even by Texas standards, with temperatures hovering in the low seventies and a cloudless blue sky above them. Although the trees planted around the hotel’s pool held no leaves, they’d been strung with party lights, giving the impression of stars twinkling when they caught the sunlight.
The other businesses owned by the Fortunes had come out in force, from Stephanie giving information on local rescue animals to the spa staff doing five-minute chair massages and offering samples of the products they used with their clients.
There had been a steady stream of local business owners who’d meandered through the booths and demonstration tents that she’d had set up along the patio’s perimeter. Jillian and Jay had done a great job with the photos of the hotel’s interior they’d displayed on easels. According to Jay, they’d taken over two dozen reservations for the special local employee weekend Grace had arranged, and even more people had filled out tickets for the raffle to win a romantic dinner for two at Roja. Every business owner she’d invited had agreed to be part of their local partnership.
Grace had no doubt this gesture of good will would go a long way to encouraging Rambling Rose business owners to feel a sense of pride in the hotel once it opened, which would be key to making sure that out-of-town guests had an unforgettable experience during their stay in town.
She was also happy that no one had asked her specifically about the rumor of sabotage that had initially swirled around the balcony collapse. Grace did her best to reassure people that the accident hadn’t been as bad as some wanted to believe and that she’d healed without any lingering issues.
The only thing that marred her happiness was that Wiley wasn’t there with her. She’d received a voice message and text from him earlier explaining that the work emergency that had forced him to rush from her apartment early this morning had turned into something even bigger and he had to return to Chicago for a few days.
The timing couldn’t have been worse, and not just because it meant he was missing today’s preopening reception. Last night had been one of the most amazing in Grace’s life. She’d felt so close to Wiley, like their connection would last beyond his stay in town. For him to leave the way he did... Well, she didn’t want to read anything into it but couldn’t seem to stop herself.
He’d seemed to enjoy himself as much as she had, but in truth Grace didn’t really have the experience to judge that. Was their night together a onetime thing of finally being able to scratch an itch that had plagued them both? Or could it be more? Was it the start to the next step in their relationship that she desperately wanted?
“You don’t look like someone who is basking in the glow of her success.”
Grace turned to find her friend Collin standing next to her. “You came,” she said, and reached out to hug him. “What do you think?”
He glanced around, lifting his sunglasses from his nose so she could see his dark gaze. “I think the Fortunes are lucky to have you working for them,” he said. “Everyone I’ve talked to is suddenly huge fans of the hotel.”
“Were people not fans before today?” The suggestion genuinely confused Grace. She thought the locals had overcome their concerns about the hotel when the Fortunes had changed plans based on community feedback.
“No one was talking too publicly about your accident,” he said gently. “But it’s a small town. People were still talking. I get the sense that the local business leaders now see that the hotel won’t just be good for the Fortunes. The fact that you’re here looking happy and toeing the Fortune line gives them a lot more confidence that everything’s well with the construction.”
“It is,” she assured him. “They still don’t exactly know why the balcony collapsed. But from now on, it’s going to be all good news coming from the hotel.”
“L
ike you earning the general manager position,” Collin said with a wink. “No one can hold a candle to the partnerships you’re creating here, Grace.”
Pride bloomed in her chest at her old friend’s compliment. “Do you think so?” she asked, biting down on her lower lip. “I really want that job.”
“You’re going to get it.” He nudged her shoulder. “I have a feeling about it.”
She laughed. “Then I’m going to trust your feeling. We’ll have to celebrate when you come back to town.”
He crossed his arms over his broad chest. “I’m not sure your special Fortune friend would want you and me celebrating together. I could tell Wiley wasn’t a fan of our friendship.”
“That’s not true,” she argued, although she remembered Wiley’s reaction to finding Collin sitting with her on her parents’ porch. At the time, she’d been charmed by the fact that he might be jealous of her childhood friend. She’d wanted to believe it meant he didn’t like the thought of her dating other men. Not that she and Collin were dating, but that wasn’t outside the realm of possibility.
“So where is your new man?” Collin made a show of glancing around. “It seems like I can’t trip without falling over a Fortune at this event, but I haven’t seen Wiley.”
“He’s not my man,” Grace clarified. “We’re friends.”
Collin lifted a brow. “Like you and I are friends?”
“Not exactly.” She did her best not to squirm. “But he’s not here. He had to fly back to Chicago for work.”
“With no warning?”
“It was an emergency.”
“Must have been important if he took off the morning of your moment in the spotlight.”
“This partnership plan isn’t about me,” Grace said, forcing a neutral tone. She wasn’t about to let anyone know that it hurt that Wiley wasn’t here. “The point was to draw positive attention to the hotel. We did that. Joint effort.”
“Grace.” Collin gave her a gentle elbow jab. “We’ve been friends for a long time. You don’t have to pretend with me.”
Her Texas New Year's Wish Page 16
