Unexpected Hero (Buttermilk Valley Book 1)

by Rhonda Lee Carver

“I’m always here to offer a pep talk. Enjoy your GI Joe viewing.” Jerika winked and was gone.

  Grace shook her head and smiled. She loved her friend dearly, but some of her ideas were far-fetched. Grace wasn’t in any hurry to move on, especially in the direction Jerika was forcing her in. Looking was one thing, maybe even having a fantasy or two wasn’t a sin, but sleeping with the help was crossing a line no matter how good he looked with or without his shirt on.

  As if she couldn’t help herself, she turned to the window and peered out. Gunnar was using a large mallet to pound a metal stake into the ground. With each movement his muscles tightened and the sweat glistened on his tanned body. The waist of his worn jeans hung low on his hips showing off toned obliques and a strip of dark hair leading to…a place where she had no business. Sure, he was sexy, no doubt, and could kiss like a pro, but Grace wasn’t interested in finding out how he was in bed. It took her long enough to convince herself and Daxton that they worked just fine as a twosome. As long as she had her son, she didn’t need anyone else.

  Sure, the nights did get lonely. She did miss being held.

  Didn’t most people strive to find someone to laugh with? To talk to or just to sit with on the porch, watching the sun sink low in the sky. A father figure who would toss the ball with Daxton.

  Gunnar wasn’t that person though. She didn’t see him in the same light as Jerika did. He was an employee and things could get sticky. Grace could lose her help on the farm. Anyway, he was just passing through. Not to mention, he didn’t seem like a family man, no matter how good he was with Daxton.

  She just wished the butterflies wouldn’t awaken every time he was close.

  ****

  Gunnar tapped on the window pane on the back door and noticed Grace coming through the kitchen. She opened the door and offered him a smile that was warm and welcoming. He never smiled much, but he dug deep and pulled one out. A woman like Grace deserved a smile—and many other things he didn’t allow his brain to ponder.

  They hadn’t talked much since she’d cut his hair. Daxton had brought his dinner out to him for the last two nights. They’d sit and talk and Gunnar enjoyed the little fellow’s company. However, Gunnar couldn’t deny that Grace was avoiding him. So when she called out to him earlier while he was passing by the house and asked if he’d stop over to help with her plumbing issue later, he’d been surprised.

  “Come in. Thank you for this. Darn plumbing is on the fritz again.” She stepped back so that he could pass. She closed the door with her foot and he got a long look at her toes. Her toenails were now painted a bright purple. He liked the color and thought it suited her personality.

  Shifting in his work boots, he pushed his hands into his pockets. He was usually calm and collected but something about being in the same room with Grace made him a little nervous. “Well, I’m good with pipes.” Realizing what he’d said, he bit his tongue. How could he lose his mind so easily?

  Her eyes twinkled and one corner of her mouth lifted. “I hope so because I’ve tried everything and I can’t seem to get the pipe unclogged. I called a plumber, but after five it’s double the service call fee.”

  “I haven’t come empty handed.” He held up the sewer snake tool he’d found in the shed. “This works miracles.”

  Her eyes brightened. “I’ve never seen it before, but I’ll give it a thumbs up, as long as it helps me flush my toilet. I have a suspicion that Daxton dropped a toy in again.”

  “No worries. I’ll take care of things, Grace.” Her name and his promise fell off his lips as if they belonged there. The look of surprise in her expression didn’t go unnoticed—maybe glad someone came along and took care of the issue for her.

  “Come into the kitchen.” She motioned for him to follow and he watched the gentle sway of her hips under the soft, flowered sundress. His fingers tingled in a deep need to touch. Her hair was brushed out in silken waves, hanging down her bare shoulders. Did she get it trimmed? Maybe colored? It looked different, not in a drastic way, but enough that it shimmered in the light.

  He started to ask when the sound of feet coming down the hall brought Gunnar’s attention to the fact that they weren’t alone.

  Daxton rushed into the room, coming to a sliding halt on the polished floor, smiling as he held up the baseball and mitt. “Hey, Gunnar. Wanna play?”

  “How about later after I check out the plumbing?”

  “Okay.” He rushed through the kitchen, letting the screen door slam behind him.

  “He has a lot of energy.” Grace laughed.

  “Most kids do.”

  “How about you, Gunnar? What were you like as a kid?”

  “My dad threatened me with a switch more times than I can count.”

  “But it never got that far?”

  He shrugged. “He had a lot of patience.”

  “I’ll start dinner while you’re working in the bathroom. Anyone who works on plumbing deserves a good supper as payment.” She pointed him down the hall. “I’ll show you around.”

  She led the way and again he was drawn to the rhythmic sway of her hips, like a pendulum, pulling him into her web. He wanted to plunge his body deep, touch and explore, and then immediately chastised himself for having the dirty thoughts. She wasn’t the type of woman a man could take to bed without promises. He’d never made any promises, never liked to, but suddenly he found himself in a position that left him willing to walk the fine line—whatever line that would be,

  The bathroom was like any other bathroom—but this happened to be Grace’s bathroom. The walls were painted a sky blue, a flowered shower curtain hung around the antique tub with a matching rug on the floor. He took a long inhale and her wildflower scent filled his lungs. He’d never get enough of that scent. The shelves were lined with feminine products—yet not as many as he’d seen in other bathrooms. Grace had a tall container of lotion, citrus face wash, and a small perfume bottle. He had a strong urge to pick up the bottle and smell it, but he didn’t. That could be crossing a line.

  “Here it is.” She circled her arms in the air. They were both in the small space and if he moved two inches, he’d certainly rub against her. It wasn’t a bad idea. Her eyes twinkled and his gut twisted. “I guess I should leave you to it.”

  “I guess so.”

  She licked her bottom lip. Jesus Christ. He needed saved. His zipper stretched and there was no hiding.

  “Gunnar…” His name dripped off her lips like honey.

  He wasn’t sure who moved first, but they came together, bodies pressing together. He opened her lips with his tongue, tasting her, taking in her sweet treasure. He moved his fingers into her hair, pulling her head slightly back so he could dip his mouth to the silken line of her throat. He licked and nibbled, her breathing became wild and he could feel her pulse under his lips.

  Placing his hands on her bottom, he easily lifted her and set her onto the edge of the sink, shifting his body between her thighs. Her warmth spread through his clothes, heating his cock. He gyrated his hips, showing her how turned on he was. With his foot, he pushed the door shut, just as he found the hem of her dress, dragging it upward on her soft, toned legs.

  He’d dreamed of this moment…had jacked off to the image of her, but never had he thought he’d get this close. The dewy moist heat of her inner thighs drew him in and he slid the tips of his fingers along the lacey seam of her panties. Her juices moistened his knuckles and he became so hard, he knew when he released he’d blow like a steam engine.

  “Grace?” He couldn’t speak, and thankfully she understood.

  Her fingers dropped to his belt, tugging at the leather, the buckle dinged as it loosened. His button was undone, his zipper down, and his cock was in her hand and she was thrusting her fingers along his length.

  “Fuck,” he whispered against her chest. He dragged down the top, exposing her beautiful breasts and large, pale pink nipples. He suckled one hard nub deep into his mouth while caressing the other. He wanted to taste
every inch, explore her like an expensive, rare jewel, but she wasn’t having it. She slid her hips forward and guided the tip of him to her core. Her legs were wide, her knees tight at his sides, her toes positioned on his hips. She leaned back as a welcome to thrust deep and hard.

  He wanted to drive into her with all the force of a man who had been starving, but he slowed himself. He took over the driving, slid his tip down her wet seam, using her juices as lubricant, he slid into her. She was tight and hot, almost pushing him over the edge of no return. He managed to pull himself back, yet her fingernails digging into his arms and the squeezing of her rippled muscles became a leash of desire, leading him, bursting through every boundary he’d placed upon himself. He pounded into her and she buried her mouth against his shoulder, biting him…to keep from screaming? She met his thrusts, rhythm by rhythm, as together they found quick release.

  She shifted, pushing at his chest and he reluctantly slid himself from her opening. She slid off the sink, adjusted her clothing, her bottom lip trembling. Her fingers shook and her eyes were wildly dark. Her lips and cheeks were pink. Her hair hung in waves—combed by his needy fingers.

  “I didn’t mean for this to happen. Wait, yes I did. I can’t deny that I was caught up in the moment.”

  “So was I.”

  “I better go.”

  He nodded, but she didn’t see it because she was already gone.

  Damn! What had he done?

  Fixing his jeans and belt, he washed his hands and splashed cold water onto his face. Things wouldn’t be the same. There was no going back. He’d just had a quickie. In the bathroom. With Grace.

  Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! He was in deep.

  Once he could move without breaking his dick in half, he crouched beside the tub and stopped dead. He noticed a red, lacey bra hanging on the grip bar. He’d seen lingerie before so he wasn’t sure why sweat beaded on his brow and his pants became too small again. He could go another round. Adjusting himself, he swore he’d have a bruised dick before this was all said and done.

  He blew out a long breath. Grace deserved better than a man like him. After all, he’d never stack up to Trace. He should move on before things became crazy—or crazier.

  In the meantime, he’d get her drain working…

  Chapter Six

  Grace stood leaning against the counter, still trembling from what had happened. She’d let herself slip into an erotic web, following a need she’d never known before and yet, there were no regrets. In fact, she couldn’t be more pleased. After she’d walked from the bathroom to the kitchen, she’d slowly recovered, reeling from an orgasm unlike any she’d ever experienced.

  She wrapped her brain around the events. She just had sex. In the bathroom. And it felt heavenly.

  Staring at the ingredients spread out on the island, she picked up her knife and started cutting tomatoes. She caught a glance of her reflection in the glass of the hutch. Wow…she wore some smile. It looked good on her. She would have to find a way to wear this expression more often.

  When Gunnar came out of the bathroom, she brought her chin up, watching him stroll toward her. He was sweating, his shirt plastered to his skin and her core fluttered, remembering how they’d connected. Not just connected but that was the quickest orgasm she’d ever had. Her mind was racing and her heart hadn’t slowed. She wanted more and knew she could be in serious trouble.

  He met her gaze and she swallowed against the sudden constriction. Yeah, that was a new look, one that made tingles erupt throughout her body. He wanted more too.

  She put the knife down and turned all of her attention on him, needing transparency. She’d never been good at hiding her emotions and now wasn’t the time to start. “I don’t want things to be awkward between us.”

  He rubbed his jaw. “What did we just share, Grace?”

  “I-I don’t know.”

  “I’m wondering if it’s best I got back on the road.”

  “Do you have someplace to go?”

  He shrugged. “Nowhere.”

  “This wasn’t what I expected, after what happened.” She pointed a finger toward the hallway.

  “I only want what’s best.”

  Was there a catch to his voice? “I realize we can’t pretend it…us…didn’t happen. It’s my fault. I reacted out of loneliness. Promise me, don’t be rash. We can work through this.”

  He opened his mouth but the squeaking of the screen door kept him from speaking. Daxton poked his head in. “Are you done, Gunnar?”

  “Yes, buddy. I’ll come out.”

  Grace concentrated on something, but nothing, on the counter. Once she was alone, she closed her eyes and gained her equilibrium. She didn’t want Gunnar to leave.

  Later, after Grace had finished preparing spaghetti pie, she placed the casserole dish into the oven and set the timer. She grabbed two glasses of freshly made sweet tea, inhaled bravery, and walked out onto the porch. Daxton and Gunnar were tossing the baseball back and forth while the dog paced, looking like she anxiously waited for them to let her join in.

  Daxton rewarded Jessa by tossing the ball out into the field. “Go get it, girl!”

  Grace laughed when the dog galloped across the yard, tail blowing in the wind and ears perked in attention. She was getting up in age, but she still liked to play. Grace also noticed Daxton’s genuine smile, flushed cheeks, and sweat-plastered hair. He was enjoying himself. Her little man liked having a man, a buddy, around the house. Gunnar always took the time to interact with the boy. She noticed they’d become closer.

  “I’m going to take a break, Daxton.” Gunnar came toward the porch.

  “I thought you could use a glass of tea.” She handed him one glass, their fingers touching.

  He took it and drank half of it. Wiping the back of his hand across his mouth, he smiled. “That hit the spot.”

  She had a feeling he wasn’t talking about the tea.

  “You certainly deserve it.” Realizing the insinuation in her own words, she added, “Fixing the plumbing then playing with Daxton while I finished up in the kitchen. By the way, thank you.”

  “You don’t owe me anything.” His eyes sparkled. “I enjoy tossing the ball back and forth. Daxton’s a great kid.”

  “He likes you.”

  “I’m glad.”

  She stepped across the porch, the cool wooden planks feeling good against her bare feet. “Come on up and have a seat. The temperature has lowered and the breeze feels nice.” Eventually they’d have to talk about what occurred.

  “Sure.” He took the seat next to her.

  The shade on the porch felt nice, just as she’d promised. “You’ve been doing a great job around here.” She spotted Daxton in the distance laughing at Jessa who followed the flying baseball. Grace smiled, her chest filling with happiness. “He’ll sleep like a baby tonight.”

  “And so will I,” he said.

  Her knees shook. “About earlier—” She kept her voice low.

  “I overstepped a boundary. I’m sorry.”

  She hadn’t expected that. “Do you regret it?”

  He blinked. “Not at all. Never.”

  “I have something to ask.” She turned her body toward him, feeling like the time was right to talk about the things that had been weighing on her shoulders. “I was awake the other night when you came home. I saw that Darcy England dropped you off. It’s none of my business, but I was just curious…” Just because Grace and Gunnar had sex didn’t give her some tie to him, yet she thought she deserved to know what his relationship was with Darcy.

  He smiled. “If you’re asking if anything happened, no it didn’t. I couldn’t sleep so I walked into town and grabbed a snack at the diner. She just gave me a ride. It had started raining and, although I won’t melt, I didn’t look forward to getting soaked.”

  “I guess I shouldn’t have mentioned it.” She tugged a strand of hair behind her ear, realizing how relieved she felt.

  “She mentioned you might take a shotgun a
fter her if you saw her in the driveway.”

  She scrutinized him. His expression remained blank. “Did she tell you why?”

  He shook his head. “Nope, not really, and I didn’t ask.”

  She reached for her glass and took a long drink, the ice had melted some. She turned her attention to the fluffy white clouds rolling through the bright blue sky. “It’s nothing, and I assure you, she’s exaggerating about the shotgun.”

  “Must be something, though, for you to ask,” he said. She squinted. “Sorry. You don’t have to explain.”

  “Most people around here like to talk, especially about things they know little about. But to make a long story short, Darcy was Trace’s first love.” Gunnar didn’t say a word, but picked up his glass and emptied it. “I don’t think she ever got over the fact that he married me instead of her.”

  “Or maybe that you and your husband had a great life together. Something that she’d always wanted.” He didn’t look at her, but kept his gaze glued forward. “Trace did well for himself.”

  She dissected his words, her heart pounding her ribs. “I do believe a lot of men would argue. Isn’t Darcy what most men desire?”

  He looked at her, his eyes mesmerizing. “I can only answer for myself and I’m not most men.”

  “Are you saying you haven’t noticed that her breasts reside in two counties?” She lifted a brow, nibbling at her bottom lip thoughtfully.

  One corner of his mouth tugged, the only sign of his inner thoughts. “I think you have the wrong idea of what most men want. What good is a shell if it’s empty inside? We eat pie for the filling no matter how pretty or golden brown the crust is.”

  Grace tucked her legs up under her. “So you did notice she has more curves than an hourglass?”

  “I am a man.”

  She appreciated his honesty. “I see your point though.” She set her glass next to his on the small, glass table. “I don’t have anything against Darcy. Truth is, Trace was a great catch.”

  “He did get you, after all.”

  She shrugged. “From Martha’s point of view, Trace got the short end of the stick.”