Page 20 of His Saving Grace

Mason snorted, as if he found the idea funny. He watched them, his gaze flicking from Simon to stick on Grace. His blue eyes were shadowed in the low light, but as she got closer, she saw pain and sadness in their depths. He propped his elbow on the bar and leaned his head against his raised fist. His eyes narrowed, suspicion turning his eyes an icy blue. “Why are you two together?”

Grace wanted to look away, to yank her gaze from his, to turn and walk away and not look back. But she couldn’t. It was as if she’d been tied to a stake in the ground. She should be annoyed at the question. It was none of his business why she and Simon were together.

But she couldn’t bring herself to be annoyed. He was hurting and lashing out. And a stupid part of her wanted to soothe him. She was an idiot.

Simon ignored the question and shoved his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. “Let’s go, Mase.” His words dripped with annoyance. Apparently, he didn’t feel the same sympathy toward his brother. Grace should really take lessons.

“Yeah,” Mason said on a sigh. “That’s a good idea.” He slid off the stool and would have toppled over backwards if Simon hadn’t stepped forward and grabbed him. “Thanks.” Mason patted his brother on the arm.

Simon shook his head and positioned them so he could wrap an arm around Mason and make sure he remained upright. He turned them toward the door. Mason’s gaze landed on her again and a slow smile stretched across his handsome face. “Hi, Grace.”

“Hi.” She gave him a little wave from where she stood, out of the way, next to the bar. You’re an idiot. Yes, she was, but it was too late to take it back now.

Simon’s phone rang and he cursed. He leaned Mason up against the bar and reached into his pocket. He shoved his finger against the answer button and lifted the phone to his ear. “Yeah.” He turned away from them.

Mason’s new position put him right in front of her. A wall of heat and muscle. One that smelled like aftershave and alcohol and that dark, musky scent that was all him. The kind of scent that made her want to bury her face against his chest and just breathe it in until she was dizzy and drunk.

She curled her hands into fists at her sides to stop from reaching for him. His gaze zeroed in on the movement and then traveled back up to her face. A lazy smile played across his lips. Almost as if he was reading her mind.

He shuffled closer and his heat wrapped around her, like a warm, toasty blanket on a cold, rainy night. She shivered, the contrast between him and the cool air of the bar wreaking havoc with her body.

She lifted her gaze to his handsome face. His sinfully long, dark lashes framed his beautiful eyes, highlighting the clear blue. The sadness and suspicion were gone now, heat and hunger taking their place, turning his eyes a dark, almost sapphire. She swallowed and swiped her tongue across her lower lip.

His gaze fixated on her mouth, and his pupils expanded. He leaned forward. He was going to kiss her. The breath got stuck in her lungs.

His face inched closer, and heady anticipation battled with common sense. This was a huge mistake. She needed to stop it before it even got started. It didn’t matter how badly she wanted it to happen.

No, no, you don’t want this. This can’t happen. Stop it, now, before you get hurt.

She lifted her hands, meaning to push him away. But they had a mind of their own and spread across the wall of muscle he called a chest. The heat from his body seared her palms through the fabric of his t-shirt and the desire to feel his bare skin against hers wound through her, pulling tight, low in her belly. She leaned forward.

“Right now? Dammit.”

Simon’s words cut through the spell and Grace realized what the hell she was about to do. Her spine stiffened and she pulled back, dropping her hands back to her sides. She took a step backwards, bumping into the bar stool behind her.

Mason, not expecting her about face, stumbled. He grabbed the bar, but it didn’t stop his forward momentum, and he wavered on his feet. Without thinking, Grace reached forward and planted her hand on his chest again. He lifted his free hand and placed it over hers, trapping it against his body.

His heart thudded against her fingers. She stared up at him, his handsome features obliterating everything else around her. Her gaze caught on his lips and she wanted to kiss him, feel his mouth against hers. Taste and tease him.

God, she was so screwed.

Simon stalked toward them, still on the phone. He glanced at her hand on Mason’s chest and the hint of a frown creased his brow. She tore her hand out from under Mason’s, suddenly feeling guilty. Like she’d been caught doing something she shouldn’t have been. Maybe because you shouldn’t be touching Mason? Or thinking about kissing him?

“Yeah, yeah, I can be there in like fifteen minutes.” Simon ended his call and shoved the phone back in his pocket.

“Sorry, Grace.” Simon turned to her. “There’s an emergency with one of the heifers over at the McPherson place, and I’ve got to go. You’re going to have to take Mason home.”

She swallowed, Simon’s words bouncing around her brain but not quite registering. Her gaze darted to Mason. He gave her another of his beautiful grins. Even all drunk and disheveled, he managed to take her breath away.

Simon took up his place beside Mason and managed to shuffle the two of them out the door. Grace pulled up the rear. They made their way to Mason’s truck.

Simon leaned his inebriated brother against the passenger side of Mason’s pickup. “I don’t have time for this.” Simon backed away from them. “I’ve got to go. You guys be careful.”

He hurried around to his truck, pulled open the door, and climbed inside. Within seconds, he was pulling out of the parking lot.