By the time I stroll back into the bedroom, with only a towel slung low on my hips, she’s sitting on the edge of the bed wearing a sexy as hell silky top and boxers that show off her curves and legs like she’s a lingerie model. The relief from my hasty jack-off five minutes ago vanishes. I grab her hand and pull her to her feet.
She wraps her arms around me, and the heat of her body, combined with the cool of the silk, short-circuits my brain. I kiss her like I’m starving, and have already inched the narrow strap of her top over her shoulder when my cell buzzes.
I swear violently, and she goes rigid. I nibble her throat until her muscles relax and then pull back. Hardest thing I’ve ever done. Especially when I see her sleepy-eyedtake-me-nowgaze.
“Hold that thought.” I crawl across the bed and snatch up my cell. Seeing Grace again made me forget about church, but I’m not late so why would one of my brothers be texting me?
They’re not. It’s a message from Kat.
U staying in bed all day or what
I glare at the screen, but the moment’s gone. In a way it’s a good thing. How did I forget the reason why I’d left Grace in bed in the first place?
She clears her throat, and I look at her as I make my way to the closet. She gives me a real weird smile.
“Well, thank you for having me. I mean—for letting me stay the night.” Her face goes pink, the way it has a couple of other times when she’s said something cute, and I laugh. She doesn’t appear to find it funny, though, since she folds her arms and looks everywhere in the room but at me.
“Having you”— I emphasize the words and she kind of winces—“was a real pleasure, princess.”
“Likewise.” She gives a strange little nod and then appears fascinated by the way I’m tugging on my jeans. “So, anyway. If I could just use your shower again that would be great.”
I frown as I pull on a T-shirt. Is she asking me a question? “Sure you can use the shower. You know where it is.”
“Yes, but…” She shakes her head and takes a deep breath. “Never mind. I just want to say I really enjoyed last night. I’m glad I walked into Odin’s and met you.”
There’s been a couple of chicks I’ve picked up in the past who went all psycho on my ass the following morning, thinking we had something special between us. I don’t get that vibe from Grace. Sounds more as though she’s saying some kind of classy good-bye.
I don’t know why that pisses me off.
“You leaving?” I grab my cut from the closet so she doesn’t get the wrong idea and think I want her to stay or some shit like that. Except I haven’t had enough of her yet. So technically I guess that means I don’t want her to go.
“That was the plan. My cell’s charged now.”
I eye her from across the room. Before our shower fun, I called a brother and we put one of our prospects on night duty to make sure Grace’s car didn’t end up as scrap metal. Theplan,as I recall, involved me fixing her car today.
“You changed your mind about wanting me to take a look at your Merc?” Why the fuck am I pushing it? If I’m that crazy for pussy I can get some at the club after church.
“Oh.” She raises her eyebrows as though I’ve surprised her. “I didn’t think you meant it. Would you really not mind taking a look? I’m happy to pay for your time.”
That’s the second time she’s offered to pay me for services rendered. On the other hand, she’s just asked me to look at her car. My irritation at the way she seems to think I want money before I’d help her fades.
“I don’t say something if I don’t mean it.” I shove my cell into my pocket. “You need to be anywhere today?”
She holds my gaze, and a small smile plays around her lips. “Are you asking me to stay?”
I shrug, partly to show her I don’t give a shit whether she stays or goes, but mostly to hide the fact this is new territory for me. If a chick hangs around without demanding anything, a casual hookup can sometimes result in a replay. Or five. But I’ve never invited any of them to stay at my place.
“I’m sorry.” She doesn’t sound at all sorry, and my hackles rise. “I don’t want to intrude, or jump to conclusions. If you want me to stay another night I’d love to, but if not, that’s cool. I just don’t want to play guessing games.”
It’s not often—make that never—that a woman leaves me speechless, but Grace comes damn close. I grin, can’t help it, because the hottest chick I’ve ever fucked is happy to stay another night, no strings attached.
“Stay,” I tell her. “We’ve unfinished business.”
…
After checking her car is still in one piece, I ride to the clubhouse. It’s not that far from where I grew up and still live, although still on the wrong side of town as far as Grace is concerned. The two-story building is set well back from the road with a fair bit of land surrounding it, and has been a part of my family since my grandfather’s time.
Yeah, I’m a third generation Viking Bastard and proud of it.
