Page 58 of Forbidden Kisses
“Oh?”
“Yeah. I was thinking.”
“Be careful,” she said, smoothing her hands over his expansive chest, unable to help herself. “Thinking can get you in trouble.”
“Right. But Ithinkyou’ll like these thoughts of mine. My place tonight. I’ll cook you dinner.”
Her lips parted. “I, um…” She’d just made plans with her mother. But Jack thought she’d been with her mother last night instead of with Garrison Tomlin. This was kind of…a perfect predicament. “How about you come to my place and I’ll makeyoudinner?” she asked, doing exactly what she’d warned him against. She was thinking and it just might get her in trouble. But if Jack sat down with her mom tonight, he’d see she wasn’t the evil ex-stepmother he thought her to be.
Jack stood. “You have a look in your eyes.”
She lowered her gaze guiltily. “You got me. I think it’s extra sexy when the woman cooks for the man.”
As if she’d short-circuited everything inside him—sex apparently did that to men—he smiled. “Is that right? Well, then I’d be happy to come to your place tonight.”
She felt like twirling around in her office chair. The two people she loved the most in the world would be seated at the same dinner table.
Love?No. No, that wasn’t how she felt about Jack.
Was it?
—
Jack sang along with Marvin Gaye as he drove to Grace’s apartment later that night.
“Let’s get it on. Ahhhh, baby. Let’s get it on.”
He’d been alternating fantasizing about getting his hands on Grace andgettin’ it onall afternoon.
He parked in the back of her complex’s parking lot—just in case Noah paid her another brotherly visit—and climbed the steps. He should’ve brought flowers. Although he wasn’t sure if Grace was the kind of woman to even want flowers. He’d bring some next time and see. He wanted to know every little thing about her.
A shot of adrenaline ran through him as he rang the bell. As soon as the door opened, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Grace’s waist. “Hey, gorgeous,” he whispered in her ear.
“Gorgeous?” She laughed nervously and pulled away a little quickly for his taste. Almost as if someone else was in the room watching them.
Jack looked around, his gaze landing on an older version of Grace. The intruder had long dark hair with some gray threaded through. Her skin was pale and wrinkled versus Grace’s smoother complexion. The woman had brown eyes that were not as large or as full of life.
“Jack, I invited my mother to dinner tonight, too.”
He nodded slowly, processing this change of plans. “I see that.”
“Hello, Jack,” Tammy Donner said, her voice a little shakier than he remembered, but fifteen years had passed since the last time they’d spoken. “I didn’t expect to find you kissing my daughter tonight.”
“I didn’t expect to be kissing her in front of you,” he said, disappointment crushing him.
“Is there something you want to tell me, Grace?” Tammy asked.
Grace sucked in a breath. She wrung her hands nervously and her gaze skittered around restlessly. He wanted to reach out and comfort her, but he also wanted to lay into her. What she’d done tonight wasn’t fair. If he was going to have dinner with Tammy Donner, it would be by choice. He hadn’t chosen this. He wouldn’t choose this. At least not tonight.
“I made your favorite,” Grace said, putting on an exaggerated smile. “As promised.”
“This is more than you promised,” he said. “I’m not staying.”
“Jack.” Grace reached for his arm. “Please.” Her eyes pleaded with him. The same eyes as her mother, but different. There was so much love in Grace’s eyes. So much heart, toughened by an unfair world. “I know I should have told you,” she said quietly while her mother still sat on the couch, “but you never would’ve said yes. And I need this. Just dinner, that’s all. Please.”
He focused on the woman in front of him. He never wanted to disappoint her. He had feelings for her, and not the kind that one harbored for a sister. He felt a whole hell of a lot more than sisterly love for Grace. He looked at her mother and back, nodded, and against his better judgment shut the front door behind him.
“Okay,” he said.
