Page 47 of Saving Grace

“Yup, every Sunday.”

Her eyes widen as her brows lower. “Then why is this the first one we’ve been to?”

I run a hand behind my neck.Because I’m a selfish ass who couldn’t be bothered to show up for my family.

“I told Ma I wasn’t up to them. Honest to god, the last thing I felt like was being around all this happiness when I couldn’t get out of my own angry way.”

She slaps my arm. “Mackinlay!”

“Hey, we’re here, aren’t we?”

“I could have come without you, if I’d known.”

“Guess you could’ve. Ma would have liked that...” I sway on my feet a little. “But?—”

“What?” She tilts her head, brown hair slipping over her shoulders. The V-neck shirt she has on over her jeans has my head utterly messed up.

“I like our bubble, Grace. At home. Where there’s no expectation, and it’s comfortable. Safe.”

She bites her bottom lip and moves closer. Peaches and vanilla shroud me. “Oh, I have expectations of you, Mack.”

Her gaze wanders over my face, settling on my mouth before she snaps her eyes back up. I swallow as the blood pumps faster through my veins, heart thundering behind my rib cage as her hand comes to rest over it.

“I do have expectations. I expect you to do your physio three times a day. To eat every last mouthful of the healthy food I make you. To let the sunshine touch your skin at least once a day. And I expect you to make afullrecovery.”

She pushes up on her tiptoes and plants a soft kiss to my stubbled cheek. Stunned, I move on my feet and turn to watch her as she walks back to the house, her long hair bouncing around her shoulders and down her back. On long legs thathave my cock harder than humanly possible, she sways, the tilt carrying on her hips and ass like temptation personified.

When she reaches the screen door and glances back, there’s something in her eyes I haven’t seen before.

Fire.

My heart crawls into my throat, and my cock twitches. My head is spinning.

Four hours and three whiskeys later, Grace is behind the wheel of my Chevy as we head for home along the gravel road. She hasn’t said a word since we climbed up into the truck. Despite the effects of being around my family and the vibrant conversation, merriment, and alcohol, my mind is stuck in a loop.

Grace’s hand on my chest.

Her words, hope and confidence in me rolled into one.

The way my body responds to being in the same space as her. That look in her eyes before she went inside at lunch. This thing in my head, the chemistry that has had me on edge for weeks, isn’t just me. It’s not one-sided.

Grace glances at me with a shy smile. “You’re quiet.”

“Pot, kettle, Gracie.”

She scoffs a laugh and slows the truck as we turn into the ranch driveway. She’s good at driving it. I don’t know why she thought she couldn’t do it.

“I don’t think I could eat another thing after today. I can make you a coffee or some tea, if you like.”

Her words are a reminder she’s still my employee. I’m still her boss. She is still waiting on me. I should let the chemistry fizzle out.

“I’m okay, thanks. Gonna do some physio and some weights and take a shower.”

Something like hurt flashes through her eyes as she sends her gaze out the windshield.

“Sure.” She parks the Chevy inside the barn and kills the engine. Hopping out, she wanders to my door and leans on the open window. “I’m going to go for a walk, then. Mind taking my stuff in?”

“Okay. Keep an eye out for snakes.”

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