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He would protect them from everything. Even themselves.
Chapter Nine
Grim stood over Nicole, brushing back her hair. “It’sjust a meal. They aren’t scary. I promise.”
“I don’t know that it’s appropriate for me to meet yourparents. And I’m not dressed for it. I’m dressed like I’m going out tobreakfast with hopes of being asked to stay to work for the lunch rush.” Shelooked adorable in her jeans and shirt, her hair now pulled back in a ponytail.She looked young and sweet, and now that he knew how well her ass took an analplug, she was even more beautiful than she’d been before.
He was in a romantic mood. Though he was afraid Josh wasgoing to fuck everything up. He’d understood Josh wasn’t merely running intotown to grab some beer. They’d talked briefly today about visiting the autoshop to see what was up with her car. They’d discussed trying to fix the carthemselves and hoping they could still convince her to hang around with them orat least let them come with her to Austin for a while.
And they’d talked about quietly sabotaging her efforts toget her car fixed. Not a fair thing to do, but he didn’t believe she really hada job.
He’d been thinking about it all afternoon. Nic was her ownperson and had every right to make her own decisions, and he and Josh werebeing what Livie liked to call alpha holes.
But damn it, he wasn’t going to let her go when he genuinelybelieved he was good for her. She’d fallen asleep wrapped in his ropes andclung to him. She’d kissed him like he was everything she wanted.
“I think you look beautiful,” he said, lowering his head tohers and breathing her in. She smelled like his soap, and it did something forhim.
Her hands came up to run along his neck. “Thank you but I’mstill not sure I should walk into your parents’ house looking like this. Richpeople have expectations.”
Now they were getting somewhere. Josh had mentioned she’dgone stiff when she’d realized how wealthy his family was. “They’re not likethat. I assure you Sam will be in jeans and a T-shirt, and Jack will either bein the same or a Western shirt. They don’t dress for dinner. We always haveSunday dinner all together, and Josh and I want you to get to know our family.”
“But I won’t be here for long. I have to go to Austin.”
“Austin’s only a couple of hours away,” Grim replied. “Idon’t understand why you moving means this has to end.”
“Somehow I don’t think you’ll want to spend all your timedriving,” she said. “Besides, I’ll be working so I won’t be able to dropeverything to see you.”
“I would respect your work. And I don’t mind a drive,” heinsisted. “What I do mind is the thought of not seeing you again. I know it’sfast, but I feel something with you I’ve never felt with a woman.”
Her arms tightened around him. “I feel the same about youand Josh. But I have to go to Austin. I can’t back out of my job. It’simportant to me.”
“Which is why I’ll drive to Austin,” he promised. “It’s notfar away. Didn’t you say you were off this weekend?”
She nodded. “Yes, but I sometimes hang around in caseChrista needs me, or I’ll try to work out at The Barn.”
“Come to the club with me and Josh.” He knew he should talkit over with Josh, but they were going to Subversion, and he couldn’t see themplaying with anyone except Nicole. If she wasn’t there, he didn’t see a pointin going. “If you don’t want to go, we’ll stay here with you.”
“I don’t want to ruin your plans.”
“Baby, we made plans to go to the club a long time before wemet you. It’s a lifestyle club, so we go there to let off some steam.” He wastrying to be delicate, but he wanted to make one thing plain to her. “I’m notinterested in letting off steam with anyone but you. So if you can’t come,there’s no reason for us to go. It’s two days, Nicole. Two days out of time.Two days where we get to lock out the world and be who we are. I want those twodays with you.”
She reached up to run her hand over his cheek. “I want it,too. Yes, I can go. But it’s probably the only time. I have to concentrate onwork soon.”
He stared at her, taking in how her eyes had flecks of goldand her hair had deep tones of brown. He wanted her to trust him. “Is theresomething you want to tell me?”
She took a long breath, and when she brought her head up,there was a smile on her face. One he didn’t trust. “Not at all, and you’reright. I’m being inflexible. There’s no real reason this has to be completelyover, though I don’t know how well I’ll do long distance.”
Was she placating him? “If there’s something you need totell me, I’ll listen, and you should understand I won’t judge you.”
Her face flushed but she shook her head and stepped back.“I’m an open book. I’m not interesting, as your parents are apparently about todiscover. I’m afraid I mostly can talk about the café and cleaning things. I’vegotten good at cleaning things.”
He hated that she put some space between them, hated how shewas smiling at him but he could see he’d upset her calm.
She seemed to shake it off, and she glanced in the mirror.“I wish I had some lip gloss. Where did I leave my purse?”
Shit. She might figure out something was missing. He’d seenJosh steal her keys. He wasn’t sure if he was going to look through her car orher motel room, but he knew she would notice if those keys weren’t in her bag.
Where the hell was Josh?
