Grant gritted his teeth until his jaw hurt.It didn’t help that she wore tight jeans and a large grey t-shirt.She probably thought it hid her figure, but the shirt’s fabric outlined her breasts when she moved.Her hair was loose and in wild disarray down around her shoulders, and she looked sexy as hell.Even the pink socks turned him on.He’d bet money she had no idea how attractive she looked.
“How long are you home from college, Joey?”
“Just another week.Maybe I could get a pizza for us one night.As a thank you.”
Jennifer softened.“That’s very sweet, Joey, but you don’t have to do that.”
“Besides, she’ll be busy,” Grant growled behind the man.
Startled, the man spun around, dropping the jar of peanut butter.Jennifer and Joey stood frozen as the jar rolled across the floor.The young man took a protective step toward Jennifer.
“Jennifer, who the hell is that?”Joey’s voice hissed in a whisper over his shoulder.He was rigid with apprehension and protectiveness.
Jennifer rolled her eyes before she threw a quick glare at Grant.
“Joey, please meet Mr.Batali.Grant, this is my neighbor’s son, Joey.”She sighed when both men stood silently and stared at each other.
Grant took a step toward the young man with his hand out.
“It’s nice to meet a friend of Jennifer’s.”His tone was mildly authoritative but slightly amusing.Inside, this ate at him.His teeth gritted in agitation.He didn’t like that this guy was young and handsome.With stylish blond hair and bright green eyes, and damn, he even had dimples.He was tall but still a few inches shorter than Grant, and his younger body showed a lot of muscle definition.He wore his jeans tight, and the arms ripped off the t-shirt, which showed everyone he knew he looked good and wanted to show it off.
Grant couldn’t remember ever being called cute.He had always been big and dark in hair and eyes.His persona had always been rough and hard for most people to deal with.Where the kid was young and light, Grant was older and dark.
Joey straightened and tried to look taller.
“It’s nice to meet you, too, sir,” he said bravely with a slight edge of insolence before raising a hand to grasp Grant’s.
Both men stood in Jennifer’s little living room and continued to stare at each other for several moments.Grant noticed the perplexed look on her face and knew she had no idea what was happening between the two men.
She looked from one to the other.Jennifer moved between them only to have Grant wrap an arm around her waist to anchor her to his side.
“As I was saying, Jennifer will be busy for a long while.”He grunted when Jen jabbed an elbow into his side.Grant looked down at Jen and raised an eyebrow.“Isn’t that right, baby?”
Grant knew she caught the way his body tightened the longer she stayed quiet.
She stared up at him wide-eyed.“Yes,” she whispered.She tore her gaze from Grant after he relaxed.“I’m sorry, Joey.Maybe you, your mom, and I can go out for pizza when you come home for your next vacation?”
“Yeah, sure,” Joey said dejectedly as he bent to pick up the jar.He walked to the door that still stood open.“See you later, Jennifer.”He ignored Grant, let himself out, and closed the door behind him.
She glanced up at Grant and noticed a muscle in his jaw tick.
“Why are you mad?”
His gaze slashed to hers.Where to start, he thought.“How often does that boy come here?”
Jennifer frowned, bewildered.“I don’t know.Maybe once or twice when he’s home from college.But he and his mom have only lived here a little over a year.Why?”
He tightened his arm to pull her in front of him.His other hand slid under her chin.
“Because that boy wants in your panties badly.”
She jerked back and stared up at him with wide, shocked eyes.“What!God, Grant, he’s just a kid.”
“He’s a young man, and I’m telling you, I know what it’s like to be his age.I’d have been all over it if I had a beautiful neighbor like you.”
She wrinkled her nose.“He does not feel like that toward me.That’s gross.I’m like eight years older than him.”
“I’m a guy.I know exactly what is going through his head.You’re twenty-seven?”
