“We’re going to eat.We’re going to think.Sitting here, getting aggravated does nothing but help him out.He wants you off-kilter.Why else would he show his hand?”Callum pulled her off the bed.“Either way, we won’t figure it out in here.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Theydidn’tfigureitout, but Grace was eventually convinced that Callum should update Dean and Vivian about Dominic’s phone call.They were tracking her phone calls already, and if they didn’t report his call in, they’d wonder why she had gone radio silent.
Other than that, Grace didn’t know what to make of dinner.Talking out Dominic’s motives had zapped the energy from her, and worse, Callum had turned to stone after she had accused his teammates of treachery.
She did what she knew best.Run and hide.That was what she was good at.At least when she ran away this time, she figured he understood she needed space.Grace hadn’t exactly been smooth with her claim of the sudden onset of a headache.
And he had let her go.
Grace showered and slipped under the covers.Falling asleep would be impossible.New houses always had their own sounds to get used to.It was one of the things she realized while moving often.She cataloged what she heard.The house settled.The air conditioning clicked.Callum’s footsteps paced the living room and kitchen.He went outside.His truck door opened and closed, and the pacing returned in the living room, then tracked down the hall.
He stopped outside the bedroom door and knocked quietly as he entered, whispering, “Are you asleep?”
“Trying.”Facing the wall, she imagined what he looked like at the threshold of the bedroom door.Large.Powerful.Decisive.That would have been her best guess until she heard Callum let out a long breath.
He stepped in.The door clicked shut behind him, and she heard him pull his shirt over his head.Her pulse picked up.His zipper slid down, and the sound of fabric falling to the floor jump-started her heart.
“You sleep in more clothes than I do.”He eased the comforter back and climbed into her bed without a moment of hesitation, a big spoon to her little one.“How’s your headache?”
“I didn’t really have one.Just… a mess of thoughts.What are you doing?”It was far too early for bed, and he wasn’t making a move on her.
Callum snuggled close as though he’d lain in bed with her time and time again.His hand rested on her hip.His fingers flexed.“What kind of thoughts?”
She should face him, but every muscle protested turning in his arms.If she turned around and saw an expiration date on them, the fantasy would be over.Just another second to savor his warmth and strength.God, she’d gone her whole life wondering what this might feel like.
Just another second…
Grace memorized the feel of his arms, the weight of his hand on her hip.She committed all of it to memory and pulled away from his hold, forcing herself to face Callum and reality.She turned in his arms.Their eyes locked.“I thought you were mad at me.”
“Why would I be mad at you?The world, yeah.It never stops.But you?I won’t make you guess, Grace.If I have something to say, I’ll say it.I expect the same from you.”
Her stomach flipped.His stormy eyes didn’t blink, and in the most unnerving, soul-baring way, he searched her face, gaze wandering from her eyes to her mouth and drifting back again in the laziest sweep she’d ever seen.She was sure a man had never ever studied her before, just as she was certain no man could make her feel like she was drowning in him with a simple look.“I’ll try.”
Two fingers caressed her cheek and tucked her hair back.“Okay for the time being.”
He always seemed to look into the future, when she had no practice with anything except what was immediately in front of her.“Are you going to tell Hayden about us?”
A crackle and spark danced in his stormy eyes.“Why wouldn’t I?”
“You didn’t before.”
He skimmed fingertips along her jawline.“I had to get my head out of my ass.Didn’t I?”
She laughed.
“There’s that beautiful grin.”He rested his heavy-muscled arm over her and cupped the back of her head.“We have a lot going on, but you and me?Don’t worry about that.”He smoothed his hand over her arm, killing the downward spiral of uncertainty, and tucked her head to his.“There you go.”Their foreheads touched.“Just like that.”
“You worried,” she whispered, “that I fell for you because I’m the damsel.But what if you’re only here because you like to save the day?”
“I do like to save the day.”He grinned.“But you’re more than that.”
She nodded.
“Grace.”His fingers threaded into her hair and softly stroked the back of her head.“Are you okay?”
“I haven’t been in years.”
