Now and Forever (14 page)

No.

For whatever reason, he had always been extremely literate as far as being able to read Grace.
Her mood.
Her thoughts.
Her touch.
By no means was she an open book. Part of her story still remained a mystery to him. He was a patient man. However long it took, he would get to know every chapter and verse of her story. He intended to become a major character in her narrative. Together, their lives would create a romantic tale so fascinating, so magical that future generations would be inspired by their love.

Grace snuggled into him, breathing lightly.

Tanner tightened his embrace. “You feel so good in my arms.”

She pulled back and flashed a mega-watt smile. Genuine affection for him sparkled in her eyes. “It feels like they were meant for me.”

Exactly.

An insatiable need to hear more revelations from her sweet lips gnawed at him. He ached to discover how special he made her feel. His ears yearned to be caressed by her breath as she penetrated them with heartfelt sentiments. A declaration saturated with honest overtures of strong fondness wasn’t too much to ask. Or was it? In a voice masked with a casual tone,

Tanner asked, “Did your ex-husband have the same affect on you?”

Grace’s body stiffened in his arms. Sirens went off in his head. Had he gone too far? The need to know her innermost thoughts and feelings had seduced him into diving in the deep end of the pool, which contained the swarthy details about Grace’s marriage to Kevin. He had sabotaged her belief in real love. Battered and bruised had been Ava’s description of Grace’s heart condition. Ava had spilled the beans to him days ago. He a hunch she wanted to shut him out—run far away from him and her memories of her former relationship with Kevin. So why had he even dared to broach the subject?
Gluttony.
Plain and simple.

*

Grace pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. Mentally, she wanted to flee from Tanner and his boulder-sized question, which threatened to roll over and flatten her spirits. What on earth had possessed him to delve into the topic of her hurtful past? A thick layer of ice blanketed the warm and cozy feelings that had swaddled her, chilling her to the bones. Hadn’t their evening flowed as smooth as silk? Nothing heavy had been laid out on the table for her to digest. Now he had her thinking about a time she wanted to forget.
Needed to forget.

Tanner forced her to face the truth again. This time she wasn’t going to be a coward. Shy away. What’s done is done. There’s no magic trick that can undo the past. Despite the huge knot in her stomach, she put on a brave face. “No one has ever made me feel the way I feel when I’m in your arms—in your presence. I used to pretend what Kevin and I shared was special. But my unbreakable dream, and heart, had been broken.”

Deep concern clouded his face. “Sweetheart, you don’t have to say another word.”

She held up a hand. “Let me finish. Even though I knew in my heart Kevin and I weren’t soul mates, I married him and stayed with him longer than I should’ve because I didn’t want to end up like my mother. There, I’ve said it. Are you happy?”

His warm eyes bore into her. Barely above a whisper,
he
said, “No, not if you’re sad.”

She stifled a low, gut-wrenching sob. “Sadness would be a blessing at this point. I feel foolish. Growing up, I watched my mother go from one man to the next. Her relationships never lasted longer than a year.”

“Where’s your father?

She shrugged. “Who knows? He knocked my mother up while he was engaged to her best friend. According to Mama, he had promised to marry her instead. Obviously, he lied. I’ve only seen him three times in my life.”

He ran a shaky hand down her face. “I’m sorry.”

She lifted her eyes to the ceiling. He bottom lip quivered. Tears misted her eyes. “My mother used to tell me that men viewed women as sex objects. Once a man had his way with a woman, he would toss her aside like an old newspaper. I tried to prove her wrong by marrying Kevin. For two years I succeeded.”

His jaws clenched. “I’m a jerk. I had no right to stir up painful memories.”

She grabbed a strand of her own hair and twisted it around her finger. Words spilled from her mouth. “After I caught Kevin having an affair with his secretary, my world fell apart. I realized my mother had been right. I guess I’m destined to be like her.”

His voice softened. “Is that the reason you’ve been so determined to sleep with me? You think I would be content to have a little fun with you in the sack and act like we never met once the thrill is gone?”

She lowered her eyes and nodded.
“Precisely.
I am my mother’s daughter.”

An angry sound suddenly filled the room. A guttural growl had escaped his lips. Anger flared in his eyes. His mouth was distorted into a venomous snarl. He eased from under her and stood. His fingers raked through his hair. She watched him pace the floor. Then, he stormed into the kitchen.

Good.

She swiped a tear from her cheek with the back of her hand.
So much for bravery.
She drew her knees up under her chin and hugged them. Now that he knew the Michaels women weren’t lucky in love he could begin his search for greener pastures with a clear conscience. And she could get a head start on being the proverbial spinster. A houseful of cats would keep her company. At least cats wouldn’t break her heart.

A sense of relief washed over her. The present silence allowed her thoughts to flow freely. Believing she had found her new beginning in Tanner was nonsense. Grown women and fairy tales don’t mix. As long as she readjusted her focus and concentrated on lowering her already low expectations, better days were ahead.

What time was it? Her hand reached for her wrist. A warm sensation skated up her arm when she touched the sleeve of her shirt. It was Tanner’s. Unable to resist, she brought the garment to her nose and sniffed.
Figured.
Traces of his rich, masculine and sexy scent entered her nostrils. Sensual thoughts stampeded through her mind like untamed horses. The temperature in the room shot up a few thousand degrees when she recalled the wondrous and wicked way his tongue had teased her flesh. Her throat went dry. An old and familiar ache took root between her legs. Right then and there she almost exploded.

Grace closed her eyes and regrouped. It wasn’t the time to get hot and bothered. The last thing she needed to do was throw herself at Tanner.
Again.
Maybe he didn’t want to deal with her anyway after their little heart to heart conversation. So, why was she still sitting on his sofa?

She didn’t want to leave.

Unlike Kevin, he made her laugh. He also caused her to go weak in the knees. She enjoyed his company.
           
He was easy on the eyes. When she talked, he actually listened, instead of tuning her out. Plus, Tanner was a great cook.
Romantic.
Generous.
Intelligent.
A good catch.

He hadn’t tried to force her into a relationship. What would be the harm in sharing a good conversation, a good meal, or a good and long, wet kiss with him once in a while? There would be no hard feelings in the end.

Tanner returned with two cans of beer. He tossed one to her and sank into a chair. Anxiously, she popped the top. She downed the beer in one gulp and placed the empty can on an end table.

“Damn,” Tanner said.

“I was thirsty.”

Ignoring his own drink, he inquired, “Is it safe to assume that every man you meet has to live in the shadow of this Kevin character, including me?”

Uncertainty assailed her. “Yes…no…I don’t know.”

“You sounded quite sure a minute ago,” he said, taking a swig of beer. “The funny part is that you don’t expect anyone to measure up to him, but down. I refuse to do either.”

She leveled her gaze at him. “I didn’t ask you to.”

“I could pound that guy senseless. You’re not only my queen, but a queen.
Period.”
He brought the can to his lips and finished off his drink. “You deserve nothing but the best and I’m the best man for you. Together, we will prove your mother wrong.”

She tried to reason with him. “But Tanner.”

“End of discussion.” He stood and walked toward her. Bending, he scooped her in his arms. He landed a passionate kiss on her soft lips. Fueled by a burning desire, his mouth ravaged hers. Tantalizing and hypnotizing, her feminine scent made his head whirl. She wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. When she pressed her body harder against his, he groaned. He pulled away, fighting to catch his breath. “This is how it’s supposed to be.”

“Shut up and kiss me,” she said.

He did as he was told.

 
She welcomed his tongue in her mouth as electric jolts of pleasure bombarded her body. Would she ever get enough of kissing him? Was there a possibility that she lose the thrill of feeling his hands, his mouth, or his body on hers? Goodness, he felt…good. Tomorrow was too far away to be concerned with. Right here, right now was perfect. She felt him begin to walk. Reluctantly, she broke free of his kiss. “Where are we going?”

A wicked grin crossed his lips. In a sexy drawl, he said, “To take a shower.”

Her heart skipped a beat. Sweet panic gripped her. For a fleeting moment, she got lost in an erotic fantasy involving whip cream. Then, she trembled with excitement as glorious memories of the night in her bathroom surfaced. Her mouth watered. Mischief gleamed in her eyes. “Will it resemble the bath we took together?”

“Wait and see.”

One thing for sure, it wouldn’t be a cold shower. Boy, she was in big trouble. Then again, who cared?

Chapter 8

This is will be a night of surprises.

The turnout for the fashion show was good. Last time Grace checked, Ava was backstage with her professional stylists and make-up artists, adding the finishing touches to the models, while
Lorilee
fussed over their wardrobes.

She kept her eyes fixed on the front door expectantly. Heather’s parents would arrive any minute to take her home. They had phoned Grace earlier, saying they would drop by the charity event for that sole reason once their plane landed. Putting her investigative skills to use, Grace had found Heather’s family. Needless to say, Mr. and Mrs. Hendrix were anxious to reunite with their daughter. In order to make sure Heather was around when they arrived, Grace had kept this information from her. However, Grace knew she done had the right thing. It was for the best. She needed to be with her family. And Grace yearned to be with Tanner. He hadn’t arrived.

An entire week had passed since their sexy romp in his shower. That night, he had lathered up every nook and cranny of her body with meticulous precision. His magic tricks and special brand of love potion had held her spellbound and speechless. Days later, she experienced serious withdrawal symptoms. Mentally and physically, she was addicted to him. Her restraint had worn thin. Her simmering attraction for him had finally reached its boiling point. She was his for the taking.

During restless nights alone in her bed, she’d had time to reflect upon the past months. She realized the highlight of those days had been the hours spent with Tanner. They’d shared long walks, talks and kisses. How many times had he left her panting and whimpering for more of his touch?
Too many to count.
What other man had merciless plundered her lips and body with his mouth, until she was breathless? No other man. Who would have her love and devotion forever? Tanner.

The sexual tension between them was enough to feed off of. It had pulled and pushed her toward him from the beginning. She’d been burned by the flames of her own desire more than once. Strong urges to feel his warmth swimming deep inside her had caused massive damage to her senses. Heart and soul, she needed him. Mind and body, she craved him. Mind, body, heart and soul she loved him.

She was ready to test the water. If necessary, she’d wade in it. On a number of different occasions, he’d told her they were destined to be together. After listening carefully to her heart, she believed him.
Finally, no more denial.
No more fighting the feeling. He was her man and she was his woman. Nothing would change that fact.

Where was he?

“Grace.”

She was jostled from her thoughts. She glanced up to find a very tall and very polished Diesel standing before her. “What’s up?”

“Could you tell me where I can find Tanner? He’s been missing in action since I got here.”

She shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

He hitched a brow. “I thought you two were attached at the hip.”

More like the heart
. Speaking of attached, she noticed he was alone. A little over a week ago, Tanner and she had gone on a double-date with him to a Mexican restaurant. Diesel had been accompanied by a plastic-looking female with a bubbly personality and watermelon-sized breasts. After she had downed a few margaritas, the woman shamelessly flirted with every man in sight, except for Tanner. Good thing. Grace would’ve clipped her claws had she put one paw on
her
man. “Where’s Rabbit?”