Gracie tucked a wayward lock of hair behind her ear and attempted to explain. “Her kids are grown, on their own and thriving. Her husband is gone. Her job is finished. That’s a lot to take in, Wade. Maybe she just needs a new purpose.”
He studied her, not speaking. Gracie was terribly afraid she’d overstepped the bounds of their relationship.
“I see what you mean,” he said at last. “Stil , I have no idea what would make her feel needed.”
Gracie stood and brought their plates to the sink, mul ing over the idea. When she turned around and leaned against the counter, she said,
“There’s always charity work. She’s a nurse; maybe she could be of some use at the women’s shelter downtown. The way you talk about her, I think she’d make a great counselor.”
Wade left his chair and came toward her. He tucked his hands in the front pockets of his jeans, his expression pensive. “Helping women who’ve been in abusive relationships?”
“Think about it for a second. From what you tel me, she has a great sense of self-worth. A lot of women could real y benefit from talking with a woman like that.”
He smiled, then took her face between his large hands. “You’re amazing.” He dipped his head and kissed her. It was light and fleeting, and she wanted so much more. “I’m going to talk to Mom about this. I think she’l love the idea.”
“I’m glad I could help.” Gracie didn’t say it aloud, but she was grateful that she could do something for him for a change.
His finger feathered over her bottom lip. Gracie melted. “You make me lose my mind,” she softly admitted. “I can’t seem to think straight around you.” He touched his lips to hers again. Soft, coasting back and forth with barely-there strokes. When his tongue darted out, a shiver of excitement raced the length of her spine. He was doing it to her once more. To be in his presence was to be a living, breathing flame of desire and need. When he pul ed back and stared at her, a frown marring his brow, Gracie worried she’d somehow disappointed him.
“I want to take you somewhere today.”
Gracie thought of her destroyed apartment and wanted to groan. She had a ton to do. For once in her life, Gracie didn’t want to be the responsible one. “Where do you want to take me?”
Wade winked, and her bones liquefied. “I want to take you to the shooting range. I want to show you how to handle a gun.”
His life as a PI fascinated her, but she wasn’t comfortable with guns. “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.”
“I have a .38 caliber Ruger. It wil be a nice size for you. Easy to handle. Give it a try, baby. Please?”
“This is because of my stalker.”
His expression hardened. “Damn straight. To tel the truth, I’d rather you were licensed to carry, but until we can get that taken care of, I’d feel better if you at least knew a little more about guns.” He glanced down at her cast and frowned. “You can’t shoot, not with your wrist fractured, but I can show you a few things.”
She pushed out of his arms and moved away from the sink. “It’s not going to come to that, Wade. It won’t.” Even as she said the words, she knew she was fooling herself.
He took a step toward her. She took a step away. He sighed and pushed his fingers through his thick, dark hair. “Hopeful y not, but I want you safe, Gracie. That’s my first priority here.”
She could feel herself caving, and it pushed her frustration level to an al -time high. “You’re very pushy, do you know that?”
“Determined, baby, just determined,” Wade growled, as he came closer. Gracie moved away. He chuckled and stalked her around the kitchen. “I wil catch you, and when I do I’l have to punish you.”
Gracie had no idea what he had in mind, but knowing Wade it would be the sort of punishment she’d only read about in her romance books
—and secretly craved. “Stay away from me, you perv.” She darted toward the stairs and heard him coming up behind her. She was going to let him catch her, but that didn’t mean she had to make it easy on him.
“Never.”
Gracie heard the dark, sexy tone and felt hot breath against her ear. As she reached the first step leading to the upstairs loft, Gracie glanced around her shoulder and yelped when she came face-to-face with an extremely turned on dark-haired hunk. Her hunk. He grinned and wrapped his hands around her waist, lifting her easily into the air. “Time for your punishment, sweetheart.”
She laughed as he cradled her in his arms and took her up the stairs. “Think you’re man enough, do you?”
“You’re my woman,”
he murmured. “I’l always see to your wants, your needs.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck, but as his words sank in, she tensed. The first thing that popped into her mind came tumbling out of her mouth. “Why would you say that? It’s only been a few days, Wade.”
His gaze on her intensified; his arms tightened a fraction. “I don’t give a damn. You’re mine.”