Page 24 of Sweet Temptation (Men of Honor 2)
“She is not my fucking type! I like fucking cupcakes!”
A small laugh escapes me but quickly turns into a sob. I drop my head and cover my face with my hands.
Sawyer comes to stand in front of me; his big, warm hands encircle my wrists.
“Look at me, Grace,” he demands softly, pulling my hands away. He cups my face, forcing my gaze to his. “It-didn’t-mean-anything. I know you don’t understand that, but it’s the fucking truth.”
I stare into his warm green eyes that shine with regret and sincerity. I desperately want to believe him, a part of me does, but the pain from last night is too fresh.
His jaw clenches, “I’m sorry she came in here this morning. She was fucking mad at me and took it out on you.”
I sniffle, “It’s not your fault she’s so darn mean. Besides, Kayla put her in her place real good. Told her if she didn’t leave she was gonna rip her fake boobs off and beat the shit out of her with them.”
He chuckles, “That girl is real hard not to like. Even when she’s calling me ‘a fucking douche bag’.”
I smile sadly, picturing Kayla laying into him when she saw him outside. “Yeah, she’s pretty amazin’. I have some real good friends.”
He rests his forehead against mine and his gaze darkens with regret again. “I’m going to be one of those people again, Grace. I know it’s going to take time for you to trust me, but I’ll make this up to you, I swear it.”
I swallow thickly and don’t say anythin’. His green gaze zeroes in on my mouth, and some major hot tension fills the air around us. “Sawyer Evans, if you put those lips anywhere near mine, after you just had them on someone else, I will punch you in the throat.”
He lets out a half-laugh, half-groan. The needful sound hits me right between the legs. He begins draggin’ his nose across the side of my cheek, his lips almost brushing but not quite. My heart rate spikes to a whole new level, my breathing turning shallow and quick. His arms encircle my waist, pulling me against his hard body. I feel his erection against my stomach, and holy moly what a big erection it is. He continues dragging his nose across my face until his mouth hits my ear. “I won’t kiss you until you ask me to, Cupcake. And I fucking promise you will, because I know you feel this too, Grace, I know it’s not just me.”
“Grace?”
I suck in a startled breath and jump back from Sawyer.
“Oh shoot!” Shelly says while coverin’ her eyes, as if Sawyer and I are naked. “I’m so sorry to interrupt. I’m having some problems with the register, uh, whenever you’re done can you help me?”
“No problem, Shelly, you didn’t interrupt. I’ll be right out.”
“Okay thanks,” she scurries out with her hand coverin’ half her face.
“I need to go,” I whisper and begin to walk away.
“Grace?” Stopping, I take a deep breath and turn back to him. “I’m going to prove to you how much I like cupcakes.”
I shake my head but can’t hide the small smile that graces my lips. “Bye, Sexy Sawyer.”
I walk away feeling a little more light-hearted, thinkin’ there might be hope yet for Sawyer and I to fix our friendship. As for anythin’ else, well… that I’m not so sure about.
Later that evenin’, when I’m taking the trash out back, a loud whimpering snags my attention.
“Hello?”
At the sound of my voice the cry becomes louder and more desperate. Dropping the garbage bags by the bin I listen carefully and follow the heart breakin’ sound.
Turning the corner I gasp, “Chuckie?” I rush over to the chocolate lab that’s lying on his side, with his leg twisted at a weird angle. The spotlight from the building shines directly on him, showing small blood patches on his nose, as if his skin has been rubbed raw.
“Oh no, baby, what happened?”
Chuckie whines, as if tryin’ to answer me, “It’s okay, honey, I’m gonna help you.”
Shoot what am I going to do? I have no car and Mac already left…
Sawyer.
I grab my cell out of my front pocket, and with blurry vision I scroll through my contacts till I see Sawyer’s name.
He answers on the second ring. “Well hello, Cupcake, this is a pleasant surprise.”
“Sawyer,” I choke out.
“Grace? What’s wrong?”
“I need your help. It’s Chuckie; he’s hurt real bad. He needs a doctor, and I don’t know how to get him there. He can’t walk.”
“Where are you?”
“I’m out back behind the diner.”
“I’ll be right there.”
“Thank you.”
Sawyer disconnects and I put a gentle hand on the side of Chuckie’s neck. “It’s all right, boy, Sawyer’s comin’; he’ll help us.”
His painful whimper breaks my heart. I bury my face in his neck and hug him gently. Stale cigarette smoke fills my nostrils. Barely two minutes later an engine comes roarin’ down the back alley. Headlights flash beside Chuckie and I when Sawyer puts his truck in park.
Chuckie’s cryin’ turns frantic when Sawyer comes runnin’ over. “It’s okay, boy, Sawyer won’t hurt you,” I say soothingly.
Sawyer kneels down beside me. When he takes in Chuckie’s state his eyes fill with rage and his jaw clenches.
“He’s hurt real bad, Sawyer. I think his leg is broken, and somethin’ is wrong with his nose,” I explain on a small sob.
He puts a comforting arm around my shoulder and kisses the side of my head. “It’ll be okay, Grace. We’ll help him.”
Within minutes Sawyer has made a makeshift splint for Chuckie’s leg, somethin’ I would have never known to do. The whole time the sweet dog whimpered in pain, I hugged him and told him everything would be okay. I just pray I was tellin’ him the truth.
Grace and I are sitting in the waiting room at the animal hospital, waiting on word about Chuckie. I keep a reassuring hand on her back, and even though I know now is not the time I can’t seem to keep my dick down. Her goddamn cupcake smell floods my senses, and when she let her long wavy blond hair out of her ponytail… Fuck! I want to wrap the silky strands around my fist and kiss the fucking sadness off her beautiful face.
