Page 11 of His Saving Grace

He closed his eyes and could still see the stricken look on Jake’s face. Could still feel the tears Jake had spilled onto his shirt during their goodbye. Could still feel the weight of his decision pressing down on him.

He hadn’t been here to see any of them graduate. To answer the questions they were too scared or embarrassed to ask their parents. To talk about girls or cars or life. To be there when they needed him, for anything and everything. West Point and then the military were a huge commitment, and he’d only gotten a chance to see his family a handful of times over the years.

Although, if he was honest, he hadn’t made the effort he should have. He’d held on to his anger and resentment and let it color his judgment about… well, everything. He hadn’t thought about the consequences of his actions, or how many regrets came shackled to his stupid, stubborn pride.

The gate on the fence around the pool rattled and his attention was drawn back to the mysterious woman living in the guest house. He was determined to find out what made her so skittish. For his mother’s sake.

Yeah, keep telling yourself that. It has nothing to do with the fact you’re attracted to her, or anything. Your motives are perfectly altruistic.

Squashing that thought before it led down a dark and dangerous path he wasn’t willing to explore, he sipped of his coffee and focused on what was happening in front of him.

Grace walked to the edge of the water and slipped out of the robe. Like every other day, she wore a black one-piece bathing suit. Modest and plain, and yet it hugged her curves to perfection.

Not that he was looking… much. He was a man, after all. A man who hadn’t been with anyone in a long time—which was far too depressing to think about. Of course, he’d notice.

She reached up and leaned back in a stretch, thrusting her breasts forward.

He whimpered. Thankfully, he was far enough away for her not to hear the pathetic noise.

She gave a little hop, and then dove into the pool, all grace and beauty. She glided under the water for a few yards and then broke the surface. Her arm arced over her body and she shot forward through the water.

He watched, almost mesmerized, as she traveled from one end of the pool to the other. She did one of those fancy flips at the end of the pool and headed back in the other direction. Over and over and over again. Back and forth. Back and forth.

The sun slowly rose above the horizon, its rays morphing from pink and orange to yellow. After what had to be an hour, she finally stopped. She planted her feet on the bottom of the pool and stood up. The water hit just below her breasts. She sank back below the surface and then came up to float on her back.

She stared up at the sky, her hands gliding across the top of the water. Her dark hair fanned out in a rippling cloud around her. She was a mermaid. Or maybe a siren, sent to tease and torment, distracting him, so he didn’t see the rocks before he crashed and burned.

She stood again, the water churning around her. Wrung the excess water from her hair, then walked to the ladder. She climbed out, and he couldn’t help but admire her toned, tanned legs. She wasn’t exceptionally tall, five-foot-five or so, but her legs were long and lean. Bending over to pick up the towel, she gave him a perfect view of her ass. His fingers itched to have it in his hands. Yeah, it’d been way too long since he’d been with someone.

She rubbed the towel briskly over her body and then wrapped it around her head, turban style. Slipped on her robe. Sliding her flip-flops back onto her feet, she turned and headed back to the guest house.

“I was going to ask what you were doing out here all alone, but I see it now.”

Mason whipped his head around at Jake’s amused voice. He’d been so engrossed in Grace that he hadn’t heard the back door. Jake came to stand next to him.

Mason scowled, tearing his gaze from his brother. Grace closed the door of the guest house behind her. He turned back to Jake, annoyance at being interrupted—and caught spying—trickling through him. “It’s nothing like that. I was out here enjoying a cup of coffee, is all.” As if to prove his point, he lifted the cup of now cold coffee in his hand and waved it in front of Jake’s face.

“Whatever you say, big brother.” A wide grin broke out on Jake’s face, and he slid his gaze to the closed guest house door.

Mason could see the wheels turning in his little brother’s head, and he didn’t like it one bit. He knew exactly what kind of lecherous thoughts swirled through Jake’s brain. He fought the urge to smack the stupid smile off his brother’s face.

Like you weren’t just imagining peeling her out of that bathing suit.

Mason blinked hard, trying to dispel both the image now floating around in his head along with his own X-rated thoughts. What he was thinking—or not thinking, as the case may be—was not the issue here. The issue was his perverted little brother and what he was thinking.

Jake clapped Mason on the shoulder. “Why don’t we go for a ride?”

Mason lifted his leg and swung them both back over the railing. His bad leg protested, sending sparks of pain skittering down to his ankle. He winced. His new position put him face to face with his brother. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Jake cocked his head. “When was the last time you were on a horse?”

Mason rubbed his fingers against his chin. Honestly, he couldn’t remember.

Jake tsked. “Well, that will absolutely not do, Major Callahan. Come on, I think I’ve got a nice tame filly for you.” He punched Mason in the shoulder.

“Very funny.” Mason stood. At six-foot-three, he was slightly taller than Jake, who was about six one. The twins were slightly shorter, coming in at about six feet even. The only one who topped him was Owen, who was about an inch taller.

His leg protested having his weight on it after being prone for so long, but he shook the discomfort off. “It would be a good way to get a lay of the land, though.”