“There is no worming out of anything because it’s not happening. Why can’t anyone understand that?” I huff.
“Because we’re intrusive and slightly inappropriate at times,” Claire jokes.
“So you’re trying to force me to stay with him by making me homeless?”
“Don’t be so melodramatic. If he can’t convince you to stay with him, you can sleep at my place,” she adds.
“Or mine. I have a guest room,” Mathis offers.
“Or stay with us,” Bizzy says.
“How about I move into a hotel for the next five days? Or sleep on the floor?” I throw my hands in the air. “That seems like the most logical idea if you guys are seriously taking my bed apart.”
“You want to see Nick go crazy, you try moving into a hotel. You want to sleep on your floor, he’ll be right beside you. He’s pretty determined about this, Grace.” Shaw’s voice is gentle and kind. There’s worry written all over his face. “Please don’t leave with all this uncertainty between you two. It’s killing him inside.”
“Guys, I know he’s your brother and friend, but you can’t understand what happened. He made his point clear.”
“He didn’t mean a word he said, and you know it,” Claire reminds me. “Nick was put in a bad position, and he reacted stupidly. Men do it. No one regrets it more than him. He loves you deeply, and he’s desperate to show you.”
“He’s beating himself up with regret, Grace,” Bizzy says softly. “He needs your forgiveness.”
“I forgave him. He apologized, and I accepted. We had a nice dinner last night, where he explained his position, and I told him I understood. End of story. Now he’s trying to dictate my life.”
“No, he’s trying to show you how sorry he is, and he wants to spend as much time with you as possible before you leave.”
Suddenly, it hits me, and Logan’s words replay in my mind. “That’s why you insisted on helping me finish packing, isn’t it? Because Nick asked you to?”
Claire catches on first and hisses. “Fucking Logan! Wipe those thoughts out of your head right now, Grace. We are your friends, too. It was my and Bizzy’s idea to help you pack because it seemed like a good way to spend time with you before you leave for a few months. And it opens up some free time for you to spend with Nick before you go. This whole thing is a cluster-fuck.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to argue, but I’m mentally exhausted with everything going on. Because now, I’m the one lying to everyone. Pretending that I’m still going to Seattle was the easiest way to leave things.
But spending time with Nick is going to make leaving so much harder. There’s no way I can explain this to the four people standing in front of me without giving away my secret, so I decide to let it go and stop questioning their motives.
“Where is Nick? He’s so adamant about spending time together, why isn’t he here?” I ask no one in particular.
“He had an important meeting,” Shaw tells me, his golden eyes shining brightly.
“Everything okay?”
“Yes, he’s meeting with Shannon Rails. He’s going to politely ask her to remove that video from her blog.”
“Will she?”
“We don’t know. It could go either way, but if she won’t, we’ll get creative.”
The image of the blonde in Nick’s arms pops into my head, and I wince.
“Did Nick tell you that Bizzy almost ripped that girl apart?” Claire asks me.
“He mentioned something like that.”
“Well, Shannon conveniently edited that part of the video out. It was the best part of the day.”
“Hardly,” Shaw mutters under his breath, and I catch him eyeing Bizzy unhappily. When his eyes drop to her stomach, I suck in a quiet breath.
No one else seems to notice, but her hand covers her lower abdomen, and I know. She spots me gawking, and her eyes grow wide.
I give her a small headshake and see the relief on her face. It takes all I have to stay standing without jumping for joy. She’s been very open about her dream to have a baby with Shaw. Not knowing if she could get pregnant has been on her mind for a while.
Seeing this silent interaction between her and Shaw makes my chest feel like bursting.
Bizzy’s pregnant…
I lock eyes with her and try to communicate without words how happy I am for her. She returns a small smile and winks.
My heart swells with happiness at the same time my throat starts to close painfully. I’m going to miss it. I’m going to miss every part of it.
Because when I saw that video…
When I found those emails…
When I figured out what Logan and Nick were doing…
I didn’t act rationally. I didn’t give anyone time to explain or apologize like my grandpa suggested. Instead, I called AIT and asked for reconsideration. Then I jumped on the first opportunity they offered.
Which means I’m leaving in five days… and not returning for a year.
“Nick, where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise.” He repeats the same words he’s told me each time I’ve asked.
He lifts our joined hands and kisses the back of mine, not taking his eyes off the road. I stay quiet as we drive, staring out the window and thinking about the day. Bizzy accidentally let it slip about their meeting at Shaw’s office, but none of them would share with me exactly what they discussed.
I was extremely uneasy about the whole thing but finally let it go and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon, trying to soak up as many memories as possible. When Nick arrived, I didn’t even argue with him when he announced we were leaving. There was no use. It was hard enough to get him to leave me at my apartment after dinner last night.
“Sweet Peach?” He squeezes my hand, bringing me out of my thoughts.
“Hmm?”
“I think I lost you to Grace Space again.”
“Sorry, I’ve got a lot on my mind.”
“How were the interviews this morning?”
“They went well. I like the second girl we interviewed. Logan seems to agree. I believe he’s checking references tomorrow. If anything, Mom has agreed to stay for a few weeks to help out until he can get settled without me.”
“My mom’s going to help, too.”
“She is?”
“Sure, she’s excited, and she has the time. I think she called Logan this afternoon while you were packing.”
“Nick, I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but isn’t that weird?”
“Why would it be weird?”
So many reasons come to mind, but none of them are spoken when he makes a turn, and I realize where we are. “Oh my God, are we—?”
He gives me a boyish smile, parking in a reserved spot. “We are,” he confirms.
“How did this happen? I thought you were banned.”
“Shaw took pity on me. Well, that and I got Bizzy involved.”
He gets out of the truck, goes to the back, and opens the liftgate, grabbing two overnight bags.
“Are we spending the night?” I ask stupidly.
He doesn’t answer, just walks to my door. He takes my hand and leads me to a beautiful boat docked at the end. I giggle when I see the name Benn Bizzy painted on the side. I’ve heard a lot about this boat over the last few months.
As soon as we step on, he drops our bags and takes me in his arms, hugging me close. “I know you are hesitant to stay at my place, so Shaw agreed to let us use his boat the next two nights. Maybe by the time I leave for Denver, you’ll feel comfortable staying in my condo.”
“Two nights?” My voice squeaks at the question. It was bad enough knowing he’d arranged for me to stay with him. But on this boat, I’m trapped. Even though it’s large, it’s still close quarters. Too close.
“Yes, two nights. We’re going away.”
“Going away? I can’t go away.”
“Sure you can. Logan’s handling everything at the gallery. Your apartment is taken care of. Th
is gives us tonight, tomorrow, and tomorrow night together alone. I need this time with you.”
Now, panic starts to set in. This is not good. It’s only going to make it harder for a clean break when I leave. My defenses will be shattered, along with my battered heart.
“Nick, this isn’t a good idea. I’ll agree to stay with you at your condo, but we can’t go away.”
“It’s done.” He kisses along my hairline, and my heart starts to beat faster.
“What about the movers? They’ll be there tomorrow according to Shaw.”
“I asked Gail to reschedule for Saturday afternoon, so you could be there.”
“Nick, I have far too much going on right now. It’s irresponsible.”
He leans back and bends a bit, bringing his face eye level to mine. “Grace, we need this. I can’t let you go away with the way things are between us.”
“I told you, I forgive you.”
“You lied. You’re still lying.”
“Don’t you have football stuff to do?”
“It’s taken care of.”
“Nick, please. We can’t.” I’m prepared to beg.
His hands move to my head, his fingertips sifting through my hair and forcing me to keep my face to him.
“Grace, I fucked up, and I know it. I’m sorry for that. But you aren’t leaving Miami with any doubts of how much I love you. It was an act, a charade. It was all lies. Not one word that came out of my mouth that morning was the truth. You are everything to me. If I could go back in time, I’d change everything.”
Hearing his confession breaks the last remaining pieces of my heart. It’s the validation I’ve been praying for, but it’s too late.
“Nick, we can’t be together while I’m gone. Regardless of your reasons, I now agree with you. We should take a step back and see what happens when I return.”
“Not fucking happening. You’re mine, Grace, and when you step foot on that plane, you’ll still be mine. Seattle isn’t that far. As soon as the season is over, I’m coming to you, and until then, I’ll pay for you to fly home every free day you have.”
Pain shoots down my side, and my knees give out. I double over, falling into him. He catches me easily, sliding an arm under my legs and lifting me. He carries me inside and sits, cradling me in his lap as I concentrate on not hyperventilating.
“Baby, I’ll buy a plane if I have to. Nothing is going to keep me away from you.”
This is it. I have to tell him about my change of plans and my rash decision that will likely end any chance of a continuing relationship.
“Nick?” I take a deep breath and raise my face back to his. He’s looking at me with such love and concern, I know I’ve made a huge mistake. “I need to talk to you about my trip.”
“Not tonight. Maybe not tomorrow either. This is our time.”
I lose my courage and nod, agreeing because I’m a coward.
“Give me this, Grace. Please?”
“Okay, Nick.”
Internally, I’m at war with myself, but I’m giving in. Because when he finds out what I’ve been hiding, he’s likely never to speak to me again.
Chapter 29
Nick
It’s all wrong.
My stomach and chest both tighten at the same time, forcing me to balance against the railing. The sun beats down as I stare out onto the horizon and think about the woman asleep inside the cabin who’s emotionally unrecognizable to me.
Grace is quiet, closed off, hesitant to give me any type of clue what’s happening in her head. Maybe it was selfish of me to try to whisk her away for this time alone. She’s uprooting her entire life in a few days, and I basically stole her from her responsibilities.
If I was a better man, I’d go inside and pack our things then take her back to Miami.
But I’m not a better man. I’m a bastard, and I’m stealing every minute I can with her.
Last night didn’t go exactly as planned. I don’t know what I expected, but her falling asleep against my chest fully clothed was not it. Every primal instinct in my body was telling me to rip her clothes off and worship her body until she was thoroughly convinced of my feelings.
Instead, I changed her into her pajamas and slid into bed next to her, never letting go. When the sun started rising, I slipped out quietly and guided us out of the marina.
“Hey.” Grace’s sleepy voice comes from behind me.
I twist to find her standing in the doorway, watching me with uncertainty. She’s so fucking beautiful my heart hurts.
“Come here, Grace.” I open my arms, and she comes with no hesitation.
She buries her face into my chest. “Sorry, I fell asleep.”
“Don’t be.”
“Where are we?”
“About twenty miles north of Miami.”
“I can’t believe I slept through us leaving.”
“You must have been exhausted.”
“Yeah, I guess,” is all she says, snuggling in deeper to my chest.
She lifts her face to mine, and I lay my forehead against hers, inhaling deeply. She smells exactly like I remember in the morning. The hint of mint from our toothpaste, the smell of her lotions mixed with her shampoo… It all surrounds me, and I lock the memory away.
“God, I’ve missed this,” I tell her.
“Me too.”
She tilts her face and rises on her toes, brushing her lips across mine. My hands slide down her back, gripping her hips and urging her up. She gives a little gasp, her legs wrapping around my waist. My tongue slips inside her mouth, and I groan at the first taste of her. She gives me full access, opening wider and touching the tip of her tongue to mine.
Familiarity hovers over me. This is us.
My insides light on fire, igniting for her. I try to go slow, but as if she feels me holding back, she deepens the kiss, gliding her hands up my chest and neck until she’s cupping my cheeks. Her mouth moves urgently against mine, her thighs tightening as she crawls further up my body.
This is unlike any kiss I’ve ever shared with Grace. Desperation and urgency pour from both of us as I grasp her hips tighter then slide my hands to her ass. She moans into my mouth, rocking into me at the same time. My dick throbs, pressing painfully against the waistband of my pants.
She shifts, grinding on me until I’m forced to break away from her mouth and growl against her lips. “Grace, you have to stop.”
She ignores me, her teeth nipping my lower lip then skimming across my jawline. “I don’t want to stop,” she murmurs. “What I want is you. Make me forget it all, Nick… all the hurt and heartache.”
Ice runs through my veins, the self-hatred returning. I tense, breaking us apart until I can see her face. She braces on my shoulders and looks at me in confusion.
“I love you.”
Her eyes start to shine, darting to the side to avoid mine.
“Tell me you know I love you.”
She bites on her lower lip as it starts to quiver.
“Tell me, Grace. Yell at me, scream, do anything you need to do. But tell me you believe me when I say I love you.”
Her body trembles, but she stays quiet.
Actions, Nick. Take action. My subconscious screams at me until my feet start moving.
I walk us back into the cabin to the bedroom and lay her down, still attached to me. Her eyes finally come back to mine, and I see a level of hurt that causes my heart to slam in my chest.
I brace on my knees and break away enough to slide her shirt over her head. She lays still as my eyes roam her trembling body. My mouth grazes over her lips before moving lower to kiss every inch of exposed skin. Her hands go to my head when I gently suck one of her nipples into my mouth, twirling my tongue in the way I know she loves.
Her calf slides around my thigh, her back arching into me. She lets out a husky whimper when I move to her other nipple, sucking harder. Slowly, I go lower, using my tongue and lips to kiss down her stomach until I reach her hipbones. She lifts up, help
ing me slide her panties off, until she lies below me completely naked.
My mouth waters to taste her, lick her until she’s screaming my name, but I remind myself we have all day. Right now is about so much more than carnal pleasure.
With one movement, I rip my pants off and crawl back up her body. She drops one knee to the side, right as my cock rubs against her wet heat. I swallow hard and lock eyes with her as I slip inside. She gives me another whimper as she stretches with each inch. Her eyes roll back when I sink in as deep as possible.
My mouth skims the column of her throat, kissing until I reach the sensitive skin below her ear.
“I love you, Grace Monroe, more than anything,” I tell her over and over again.
She lets out a choked sob, her arms circling my shoulders, and I start to move, rocking in and out of her gently. Her body responds to mine like always, sucking me in, sending a fiery thrill through my veins. But it’s not enough. I need more.
My hands slide under her back, scooping her up and leaning back, so she has no choice but to wrap around me fully. Her chest slams against mine, and I feel her heart racing to the same beat. With one hand, I grip the back of her neck tenderly and tip her face to mine. There are unshed tears in her eyes, and she rolls her hips with mine.
“Tell me you believe me.”
“I believe you.” Her voice cracks, but she doesn’t break eye contact. “And I love you, too.”
My own emotions threaten to erupt as relief washes through me. “I’m going to love you forever, Grace, and never, ever betray you again.”
A flash of something crosses her face, but she drops her mouth to mine before I can question her.
Whatever it is doesn’t matter, because she’s back in my arms.
“Want to tell me how you pulled this off in less than twenty-four hours?” Grace pops a grape into her mouth, watching me from the couch.
“I had lots and lots of help.”
“Does this have anything to do with your secret meeting in Shaw’s office yesterday?” She raises an eyebrow expectantly, waiting.
Sexy Six Page 26
