She frowned, unable to think straight. His heat and woodsy male scent fil ed her senses, blocking out al rational thought. “Don’t, Wade. It’s too much, too fast.”
He stopped on the upstairs landing and stared down at her. “Don’t you know that time doesn’t matter? I’ve dated other women, Gracie. Some of those relationships went on for several years at a time. I’ve never felt the type of connection with any of them that I feel with you.” He paused, and Gracie held her breath, afraid of what he might say next. “Can you honestly tel me this is just sex to you? That you don’t feel something for me?”
Gracie had no words. Only feelings. In truth, she felt too much. Gracie was terrified she was fal ing in love with Wade. “It’s not just sex,” she admitted, her voice not quite steady.
“I’ve been attracted to you for a long time, but somewhere along the line, I admit, it became more.” His lips curved upward, a sure sign she’d just given the devil his due. Gracie smacked his chest. “Don’t smile. I’m not saying that’s a good thing. I don’t know how to trust a man. What’s more, relationships boggle me.”
“This is new territory for me, too. We can figure it out together. Just know that the instant you took that nightgown off in your apartment and showed me those pretty piercings, you became mine.”
Gracie wanted to hear him tel her he loved her. That his heart, his soul, belonged to her. At the same time, a part of her wasn’t ready for that monumental step. She was very much afraid she might never be ready. For now, Gracie vowed, she would enjoy the beauty of having Wade want her as badly as she wanted him.
Once Gracie and Wade were in his room, their lips met again. Gracie’s fears drifted away. Al that mattered was Wade and this moment.
It was an hour’s drive to the shooting range, and by the time they arrived Gracie was nervous as hel . How had she let him talk her into handling a gun? Wade parked his truck and turned off the engine. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and as always his strength calmed her. It was a little scary how easily he did that.
“Ready?”
Gracie looked out the windshield at the large, tan building that housed the shooting range. It was intimidating as hel . “Not real y.”
He squeezed her shoulder. “It’s going to be fine. Trust me.”
“If you say so.” She kept her reservations to herself as she unbuckled her seat belt and turned toward him.
“I do.” Gently, Wade kissed her; the tender brush of his lips nearly had her forgetting where they were. Nearly. He opened his door and stepped out, and Gracie distracted herself by watching him make his way around the front of the truck. His powerful body the stuff of fantasies.
Her mind flashed back to the hour they’d spent in his bed after lunch. He’d teased her to a fever pitch, then very skil ful y showed her just how stimulating a spanking could be. Already she wanted him to do it again.
Now, dressed in a black T-shirt, a black leather jacket, and a pair of worn jeans, Wade looked good enough to eat. Damn, would she ever get enough of him? The way he affected her, it was downright mind-blowing. She’d never been so starved for a man before, and yet just watching Wade walk had her pussy creaming.
Wade pul ed her door open and wrapped his hands around her waist, helping her to the ground. She waited as he pushed the seat up and took out a large black case tucked behind. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know what it contained.
They both signed in, but Gracie also had to fil out some paperwork since she wasn’t a member. She noticed how wel Wade knew his way around the place. He spoke to the guys working there as if they were old friends. After paying, Wade opened the large black bag he carried and brought out two sets of safety goggles and earmuffs. He handed one set to her. “Put those on.”
Gracie didn’t have to be asked twice. After they both had the protective gear in place, Wade pushed open a door that led outside. Confused, Gracie grabbed his arm. He arched a brow and mouthed the word “what.” She pointed to his earmuffs. He got the message and pul ed them away from his head. Gracie did the same. “What’s wrong, baby? Stil having second thoughts?”
“No, but why are we going outside? I thought we’d be shooting inside.”
He nodded. “We wil , but first I wanted to get some quick practice in using the rifle. I’m a little rusty.”
She so didn’t like the sound of that. “Rusty as in shoot a toe off rusty?”
He laughed. “Have a little faith, sweetheart.”
Faith, trust, what was the difference? She was terrible at both. She placed the earmuffs back over her ears and nodded.
He winked and led the way outside. “The range sits in a val ey,” he yel ed in order to be heard over the earmuffs. “The hil s provide protection when shooting at the targets.” He took her over to a long, narrow table where several people, men and women both, were already practicing.
Wade handed her a long scope, but Gracie had no idea what to do with the thing.
As if understanding her predicament, Wade shouted, “The target is four hundred yards away. You’l need that if you want to see where the bul et hits.”
Gracie held the scope to her right eye and waited.
Wade loaded the rifle with bul ets that were obscenely long as he took up position behind the table. He placed the gun on something that looked like a beanbag. After adjusting the bag a few times while he stared down the scope on the top of the rifle, Wade pul ed the trigger.
Gracie jumped.
Wade looked up at her and frowned. “I should have warned you,” he yel ed. “Even with the ear protection it can be startling.”