miss?”
Jacob gave him a weird look. Grace gave him a knowing smile. Kyle tried not to run in retreat.
“I was just saying I’ll be back Friday night. Call if you need anything. Don’t do anything—” he glanced at Grace, then back at Kyle “—stupid.” He grimaced. “I gotta go.” He kissed Grace on the cheek, whispered something in her ear that made her laugh.
And then Kyle and Grace were alone.
Such a bad idea. Kyle gave half a thought to running after Jacob. They could cancel the trip. MC Restorations was doing all right. They didn’t need to expand to the western part of the state.
Kyle sighed. Didn’t need to expand, but damn he wanted to. He gave Grace a wary glance. “Would you be opposed to a trip to the gym?” Who cared what happened last time? Physical release was the only thing he’d found that effectively kept his mind off Grace.
She smiled. The kind of smile someone flashes before they upend your life entirely. Which she was doing a hell of a job at anyway. “I have a better idea.”
“That is highly, highly doubtful.”
Her low, sultry laugh made him want to smile and flee at the same time. But he stood his ground because he was not afraid of Grace.
She took a step toward him. He took a step back.
Okay, yes, he was definitely scared of Grace.
“Let’s go for a hike.”
She blinked up at him innocently. Except he had a hard time believing anything she suggested was innocent. “A hike?”
“Yeah. I’ve been wanting to check out Langly Falls Park for ages, but I haven’t made it over there yet. We can stop and get some sandwiches and eat dinner out there. I’ve spent too much time inside lately. I want to picnic in the middle of a bunch of trees, listen to a creek and pretend the rest of it doesn’t exist.” Her expression dulled momentarily, and then she brightened like the flip of a switch. “I’ll keep my hands to myself,” she said, waggling her fingers at him. “Promise.”
Yes, he could understand that. In the middle of a forest, it was easy to feel like the outside world couldn’t get you. The problem was, while she might keep her promise to keep her hands to herself, he was a little worried about his own resolve.
“All right,” Kyle muttered. What choice did he have anyway? For the next three days, he was in charge of her. She wouldn’t like him thinking of it like that, but if he reminded himself he was responsible for her safety and well-being, maybe he could remember that touching her in any way, shape or form was 100 percent off-limits.
Kyle had spent the past ten years denying himself many an impulse. Grace was a larger challenge than avoiding an argument or indulging in too much to drink, but that didn’t mean he was going to crack. Kyle was very used to not getting what the impulsive part of his brain wanted.
And let’s face it, this wasn’t so much about what his brain wanted.
“We can even go skinny-dipping if you want.”
“Grace.”
She laughed and patted him on the shoulder as she passed. “What? I was only suggesting it for exercise. Go change. We’ve only got a couple hours before it’s dark.”
Kyle did as he was instructed because it was easier. If he went along with things, was his usual bland self, everything would be fine. Grace was too colorful to find him interesting, especially if he amped up the boring businessman routine instead of that of the guy who’d experienced a similar trauma. The guy who understood, who felt compelled to commiserate, comfort, protect.
If he shut that guy up, everything would be fine. He could talk about the cost efficiency versus aesthetic appeal when it came to restoring houses, or he could discuss profit margins and growth plans, or even the anniversary party MC was planning for next week.
If he talked about all the little details that made even Jacob’s eyes glaze over, everything would be fine.
He could handle being alone with Grace McKnight for three days. Sure he could.
* * *
G RACE
Jacob gave him a weird look. Grace gave him a knowing smile. Kyle tried not to run in retreat.
“I was just saying I’ll be back Friday night. Call if you need anything. Don’t do anything—” he glanced at Grace, then back at Kyle “—stupid.” He grimaced. “I gotta go.” He kissed Grace on the cheek, whispered something in her ear that made her laugh.
And then Kyle and Grace were alone.
Such a bad idea. Kyle gave half a thought to running after Jacob. They could cancel the trip. MC Restorations was doing all right. They didn’t need to expand to the western part of the state.
Kyle sighed. Didn’t need to expand, but damn he wanted to. He gave Grace a wary glance. “Would you be opposed to a trip to the gym?” Who cared what happened last time? Physical release was the only thing he’d found that effectively kept his mind off Grace.
She smiled. The kind of smile someone flashes before they upend your life entirely. Which she was doing a hell of a job at anyway. “I have a better idea.”
“That is highly, highly doubtful.”
Her low, sultry laugh made him want to smile and flee at the same time. But he stood his ground because he was not afraid of Grace.
She took a step toward him. He took a step back.
Okay, yes, he was definitely scared of Grace.
“Let’s go for a hike.”
She blinked up at him innocently. Except he had a hard time believing anything she suggested was innocent. “A hike?”
“Yeah. I’ve been wanting to check out Langly Falls Park for ages, but I haven’t made it over there yet. We can stop and get some sandwiches and eat dinner out there. I’ve spent too much time inside lately. I want to picnic in the middle of a bunch of trees, listen to a creek and pretend the rest of it doesn’t exist.” Her expression dulled momentarily, and then she brightened like the flip of a switch. “I’ll keep my hands to myself,” she said, waggling her fingers at him. “Promise.”
Yes, he could understand that. In the middle of a forest, it was easy to feel like the outside world couldn’t get you. The problem was, while she might keep her promise to keep her hands to herself, he was a little worried about his own resolve.
“All right,” Kyle muttered. What choice did he have anyway? For the next three days, he was in charge of her. She wouldn’t like him thinking of it like that, but if he reminded himself he was responsible for her safety and well-being, maybe he could remember that touching her in any way, shape or form was 100 percent off-limits.
Kyle had spent the past ten years denying himself many an impulse. Grace was a larger challenge than avoiding an argument or indulging in too much to drink, but that didn’t mean he was going to crack. Kyle was very used to not getting what the impulsive part of his brain wanted.
And let’s face it, this wasn’t so much about what his brain wanted.
“We can even go skinny-dipping if you want.”
“Grace.”
She laughed and patted him on the shoulder as she passed. “What? I was only suggesting it for exercise. Go change. We’ve only got a couple hours before it’s dark.”
Kyle did as he was instructed because it was easier. If he went along with things, was his usual bland self, everything would be fine. Grace was too colorful to find him interesting, especially if he amped up the boring businessman routine instead of that of the guy who’d experienced a similar trauma. The guy who understood, who felt compelled to commiserate, comfort, protect.
If he shut that guy up, everything would be fine. He could talk about the cost efficiency versus aesthetic appeal when it came to restoring houses, or he could discuss profit margins and growth plans, or even the anniversary party MC was planning for next week.
If he talked about all the little details that made even Jacob’s eyes glaze over, everything would be fine.
He could handle being alone with Grace McKnight for three days. Sure he could.
* * *
G RACE
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