“I don’t want to use you,” she whispered, her breathing ramping up.
“You know I would help you no matter the feelings between us.”
She nodded. “Right now, if you don’t kiss me, I might die.”
“Well, we can’t have that.” I was so damn hard, it was painful. I cupped her face in my hands, brushing my lips over hers, and an electrical charge gripped every part of me.
I’d never felt like this with another woman in my life. I’d never been in love, either, though.
Regardless, as I searched the depths of her sparkling eyes, I knew there would be no turning back if I kissed her.
“Dad?” Fran called.
I jumped away, and Grace giggled.
“What’s going on?” Fran asked.
Because of the bulge in my pants, I had to walk away from my daughter, thinking of blood and guts to shake off the lust coursing through me.
“Dad, are you okay?”
“Your dad is fine,” Grace said with a laugh in her voice.
“Were you two kissing?” A giddiness dripped from Fran’s question.
“Brian, Fran and I will meet you inside,” Grace said.
Thank fuck.By the time I reached the edge of the building, my erection was gone.
As I went inside, I came to two decisions. I owed it to Duke to tell him how I felt about his sister, regardless of whether she and I built a relationship. And I would go slow with Grace, taking her on proper dates that didn’t involve the bedroom out of the gate. She deserved to be pampered like a queen.
17
GRACE
“Iwould love to see you and my dad together,” Fran said as we approached our table in front of the stage. “You two deserve happiness.”
I squeezed her hand. “Maybe one day, you will get your wish. Right now, this night is all about you.”
I couldn’t assure her that Brian and I would be an item. Despite our feelings for each other, it was too early for that, and until Brian could conquer his demons about my brother and the bro code, nothing would happen between us.
Nora stole Fran’s attention, and the two began chatting as they sat down. I slid into a chair, leaving the one between Fran and me empty for Brian.
I was giddy inside that he and I had broken the tension between us. Any apprehension I’d had about attending the banquet had vanished. But I had to temper my emotions and not get ahead of myself. For one, I didn’t want to get hurt—and I also couldn’t rush into a relationship. Not that Brian would hurt me, but I didn’t exactly have a stellar record with men.
As for Brian, he was a ladies’ man. During the time he’d worked for the cartel, he was a player, according to Duke. Andas long as I’d known Brian, he’d never settled down or fallen in love.
I knew he hadn’t wanted a serious relationship when he worked for the cartel. He followed Duke’s motto that love got a person killed.Argh!I was so tired of hearing that line that I felt ill. But it was a reality, and if Brian was doing business with the cartel again, then he could very well not want me around, afraid I would end up in a car crusher like I had when a deranged enemy of Duke’s had kidnapped me.
Fran placed a hand on my leg, zapping the haze I was in. “You look perplexed. Are you thinking of my dad? Where is he?” She glanced around.
A drone of voices buzzed. People laughed. Others were in deep conversation. Waiters and waitresses were at the ready to serve dinner.
I spotted Brian talking to an older woman by the door.
“Oh, he’s talking to Dean Foster,” Fran said. “By the way, my dad called off the bodyguard. He was just being paranoid.”
I wouldn’t tell her Brian had met with a cartel boss, but it was good to hear that Brian didn’t consider the man I’d seen in his condo a threat to Fran.
