Page 31 of Graciously His

“I’ve got enough of your medical history to make a case against your mother, so let’s not pretend I’ve crossed a new line here. If it makes you feel better about Dr Gowan, she didn’t let me share the files themselves without your consent, so she’s got nothing beyond what I’ve told her. You get to fill her in this afternoon.”

“What makes you think I’m interested?”

“You’re not interested in talking to a doctor who’ll actually listen?” I scoff. “You’re going to take the call, Grace. We both know it.”

She scoffs right back at me. “Are you going to hold me down and force my eyes open? Because it sounds like Dr Gowan won’t stand for your crap, Nate.”

Damn it.

I knew my tactics last night were dangerous, but there was no choice. It was either make her mine completely, or risk partial submission, which could have let her slip away.

And she enjoyed submitting to me…

I step around the stool, taking advantage of our height difference to loom over her. Grace’s pupils dilate as she maintains eye contact. Shep whines.

“Outside,” I snap at the corso, and he leaves, the electric slider letting him out.

“No, don’t punish Shep.”

She bites her lip, trying to look away. I grip her chin, keeping her eyes on me.

“He’s got a job to do.” I shift my hand to cup her cheek, loving the way she can’t help but lean into the caress. Just how little did Nick touch his wife? I discard the question, and pursue what’s important. “Just like I have a job to do. Right here and now, it’s time to take care of you. That means setting up an appointment with a doctor who’ll succeed where the medical system failed. Eileen has managed dozens of cases like yours with good results. And, no matter what you might think of me, she’ll be your doctor. I might be the one paying her, but her loyalty will be to you, one hundred percent guaranteed.” I run my fingers through her hair. “So, what do you say, Grace? Want to talk to someone who’ll finally believe you?”

Giving her a moment, I take the cold pack and press it to her left eye. She smells like me, like the cologne lingering on the button-up shirt. I run my free hand down her back as I switch the gel pack to her other eye. She gives a quiet sob, drawing a little closer.

“I’m so—” she hitches.

“What are you, love?” I kiss the curve of her cheek.

“I’m so messed up. And he’s… he’s gone and—”

“I’m here,” I tell her, kissing her jaw next. I press her back against the island, my body pinning her gently in place. “I’m here with you, Grace. I’m going to fix everything, one layer at a time, starting with getting you the right doctor.”

“This,” she whispers, trying to pull away, “will never be anything other than messed up.”

“You keep telling yourself that.”

Taking her hand, I walk her back to the bedroom, where I show her the section of the walk-in closet that was built for her.

She shakes her head. “Of course you’ve got clothes for me.”

“Of course.”

My phone rings, Derek’s name flashing across the screen.

“The office?” Grace asks with a tiny smirk.

“I’ve got to take this,” I say, already marshalling myself to give Dare shit for bugging me when I told him not to.

“I wondered about your new crypto wallet,” she murmurs, turning her attention to the clothes, and putting together an outfit seemingly at random. I bought it all to match anyway. “Take the call, Nate. I’ll have a quick shower on my own. If that’s permitted, of course.”

She says the last with a flash of defiance that makes me want to pin her against the wall. I stare her down instead, watching as her cheeks redden slowly.

Gorgeous.

“Ten minutes, Grace. Take advantage.”

I head to my office, putting my phone to my ear. I don’t bother with a greeting. “What the fuck, Dare?”