Page 36 of His Saving Grace

Chapter 8

Gracewasburningup, even though the air conditioning blasted through the guest house. What had she been thinking?

That was the problem. She hadn’t been thinking. At least not with the smart part of her brain.

Oh, God, she’d not only confessed how badly she was attracted to him, she’d followed it up with an amazing kiss.

A hot kiss. A scorching kiss. A dangerous kiss.

She could still feel his lips pressed against hers, his heat of his hands on her, the taste of his tongue in her mouth. And he’d tasted incredible, a mixture of spicy heat and dark sweetness, like bittersweet chocolate mixed with bourbon. An addicting combination.

She paced the length of her small living room, frustration galloping through her. Frustration that had a lot less to do with her confined space and a lot more to do with the ache between her thighs. She groaned and Bella, who was curled up on the couch, lifted her head.

Nope, she was not thinking about thighs or lips or how badly she ached. The kiss had been a mistake. One she would absolutely not be repeating. It was too late to pretend she wasn’t attracted to him, but that didn’t mean she had to act on her feelings. There was too much at stake. She couldn’t let her guard down. Mason was a distraction she couldn’t afford.

Maybe she should take Bella for a walk. Get some fresh air, clear her head. Although they’d already been out this morning, another walk would do them both good. It had worked wonders the morning after she’d woken up in Mason’s bed. She’d decided to avoid him that morning, and she’d accomplished that plan remarkably well. For two whole weeks.

She flopped onto the couch next to the dog. She was such an idiot.

A knock sounded on the guesthouse door. Bella let out a sharp bark. The combination sent Grace’s heart flopping around in her chest. She stared at the door, her mind whirling, trying to remember if she’d locked it in her hurry to get inside. Sweat made her palms clammy and she rubbed them on her pants.

Another softer knock. “Grace, it’s Mason. Please open up.”

She closed her eyes and sighed. The relief at knowing who was on the other side of the door was short-lived. Because, of course, it was Mason, and of course, he wanted to discuss what happened. Why couldn’t he be like every other man she’d ever met and refuse to communicate? Damn him and his incredibly attractive qualities.

Her heart pounding for an entirely different reason, she stood, told Bella to stay, and walked to the door. She peered out the peephole.

Mason stood on her porch. His hair was tousled, like he’d run his fingers through it, and… was that a cut on his lip? Curiosity nudged her other feelings aside, and she pulled open the door.

He leaned with his hands on either side of the doorjamb, his head down, the fading sunlight wrapping around him, making him glow. Like a fallen angel, come for repentance.

She was in so much trouble.

He lifted his head and his gaze found hers, something unreadable glowing in his deep blue eyes. And yes, there was a cut on his lip, and the shadow of a bruise on his cheek.

“What on Earth?” She cupped his jaw, turning his head slightly so she could get a better look.

“Jake and I had a little talk about the proper time and place for things.”

She felt one side of her mouth quirk up. Yeah, she could guess what their little talk consisted of. Flying fists. “You didn’t hurt him, did you?”

Tension crawled into his neck and shoulders, and he pulled his face away from her fingers. “Have a soft spot for my brother, do you?” Icicles dangled from the words, his blue eyes turning frosty at the edges.

Did she detect a touch of jealousy? And why did that thrill her?

She sucked her lips between her teeth to stop from smiling. Tapping her finger against her chin, she pretended to think about it for a few seconds. “Well, he has always been super nice to me…”

The frown that crossed Mason’s features was so fierce, she was afraid for Jake’s life for a second.

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding.” She stroked his arm, keeping her touch light, teasing. Her fingers tingled at the contact. The tension in him loosened. “I’m not interested in Jake.”

His muscles visibly unclenched, but he didn’t move. The air around them crackled with tension, although she couldn’t tell if it was good or bad. Whatever it was, it made her skin prickle in a not unpleasant way.

“Come on.” She jerked her head toward the living room and then turned and headed through the house. She couldn’t leave him all bruised and bleeding on her doorstep. That was the only reason she was doing this. “Let’s get some ice for that face of yours.”

She could feel him right behind her. His heat and his scent wrapped around her, making the back of her neck prickle. Her lips tingled, ready for another kiss.

No, she was not doing this. That kiss was a mistake. A wonderful, beautiful, terrible mistake.