Sweet Something (Sweet #1) (9 page)

“The pie is perfect, Betsy. I’m just not in the mood tonight, I guess.”

“Ok, spill it! I have known you since you were a little girl, and you have never turned down peach cobbler, or even left a crumb. Did Denny go and screw something up again? I swear, that man needs to be hit over the head with a cast-iron skillet,” said Betsy, with both her hands on her hips as she eyed Grace, trying to figure out what was going on with her.

“It’s not Denny, although he could use a good knocking over the head. It’s really nothing chocolate and ice cream can’t fix; you always told me that. Remember?”

“Oh hell, scoot over dear,” she said, sliding in next to Grace. “Katie, bring us the biggest brownie we have with two scoops of vanilla ice cream!” Betsy shouted to the other waitress behind the counter. “Tell me what’s going on, and what the trouble is.”

“Is it that obvious? I must look like the most pathetic person in here right now!”

“Gracie, sweetheart, this is a small town. Most people know your business before you even know it. And you do not look pathetic. You are a wonderful, beautiful young woman who any man would be lucky to have. You just have to learn to open up that sweet little heart of yours and forget about Denny Marshall. That man is a nuisance to society, and to women’s hearts. He was in here a couple nights ago going on and on about some hot little thing he brought home from the bar. I was just about ready to whack him over the head with my coffee pot.”

Grace sighed and sank further down into the booth letting her head fall back against the wall as she thought about Tyler.

“I opened my heart, and look what it got me. I am sitting here, turning down a delicious peach cobbler, and I am soaking wet. Why do I always manage to go through these things as a storm is coming in?”

Just then, Katie brought over the quick fixer-upper of broken hearts; a huge brownie with dripping vanilla ice cream, and two spoons. “There is more where this came from if you need to drown yourself deeper in chocolate heaven ladies,” Katie said before walking away.

The first bite was always her favorite. A little part of her felt a moment of happiness when she put the piece of brownie into her mouth. “This really is good. I think I feel better already,” she said with a mouth full of brownie and ice cream.

“I told you! This cures a broken heart better than whiskey. You never have to worry about the hangover. So, who is this man, and what did he do that has you sitting here devouring a brownie like it’s the first meal you have eaten in a week?”

      “I can’t help it, you know. I love your brownies. His name is Tyler, and he’s new in town. From the first night we met, I felt like he was different. Something kept drawing me to him, even after I told myself to not even think about it. I let myself open up to him like I haven’t done with anyone since Denny. I thought we had something special. Of course, I was wrong, because I found him kissing his fiancé this morning.”

“Wait a second! Are you talking about Tyler Reese? The cutie who moved here from California? The one who fixed Carl’s car the other day?” Betsy asked, grabbing another scoop of ice cream.

“The one and only. He probably won’t be in town much longer since he obviously made up with his fiancé. They are probably planning their honeymoon right now, or practicing for it on his kitchen table.” The thought was enough to make her want to throw up as she pushed the brownie and ice cream away. “I don’t even think a brownie and ice cream are going to cure me this time, Betsy. I just have to face the fact I’m going to be the old cat lady,” she said with a sigh.

“You don’t really think that, do you? I don’t believe for one second you will not find love. To be honest with you, Tyler doesn’t look like a man who is planning his honeymoon on the kitchen table right now. He looks like a deer caught in the headlights right about now,” Betsy said as she watched Tyler walk through the door.

      “I am pretty sure he is having crazy make up sex on some surface in his home right now . . . with Missy.”

“You might want to open your eyes dear. The man is making his way over here right now, and he does not look happy.” She nudged Grace on the knee, getting her attention.

CHAPTER TWELVE

“Where the hell have you been all day? I have been looking for you everywhere! Why did you just leave like that?” He stood there looking at Grace and felt all the worry drain from his body. He spent the last hour driving all over town hoping to find her. It was only by luck, when he made a wrong turn, that he saw her car in the diner parking lot.

“Why would you be looking for me? Shouldn’t you be packing up your things to go back home with your fiancé?  You two did seem kind of . . . ‘busy’ this morning.”

“I think I will leave you two alone to discuss this,” Betsy said, sliding out from the booth leaving Tyler and Grace alone.

“We don’t have anything to discuss, and I was just leaving actually.” Grabbing her purse and keys, she slid out of the booth and past Tyler without saying a word. The rain was still coming down pretty hard as she ran to her car.

“Please tell me you are going after her to tell her you are madly in love with her. No man goes out of his way in this weather to chase after a woman he is not in love with,” Katie said, leaning over the counter and looking out the window at Grace running out into the stormy night.

“There was a reason I never liked small towns,” he said, looking back at Katie before going after Grace.

  Her clothes were already wet from running into the diner earlier when the rain started. But now, standing in the rain, trying to get her door open, only soaked them more.
Out of all the days luck was not on my side,
she thought as she pulled on the door. It wouldn’t open.

“Grace, wait!” Tyler shouted over the rain as he ran toward her. “Please talk to me! Let me explain it to you. It’s not what you think.”

“Leave me alone, Tyler.” She gave the door one last pull and it swung open knocking her back into his arms.

“Are you alright?” He turned her around to face him, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist, pulling her close to his body. She was wet and cold from the pouring rain, but she felt like the best thing in the world to him. He wanted to hold her all day. He missed the way she felt against him, and the way she looked at him, like he meant something to her.

“I’m fine! Now let go of me already!” She tried to free herself from his arms, but deep down, she wanted to lose herself in them all over again. That wasn’t going to happen; at least not right now.

“I am not letting you go, and I’m not giving you the opportunity to run off on me again. We need to talk Grace.  We can talk out here in the pouring rain, or go back into the diner, or you can let me take you home so we can talk after you have put on some dry clothes. But we
are
talking,” he said, as the rain came down hard around them, leaving them both soaked. He rubbed his hands over his face and pushed his wet hair out of his eyes. “What’s it going to be Grace? I will stand here all night if I have to,” he said. His voice was hoarse and rough.

  She stood there in his arms, looking up into his eyes, and felt her heart jump. In his arms, she felt safe. Even in the cold rain she felt warm inside as he tightened his grip on her, holding her close.

“Why aren’t you at home with your fiancé? Shouldn’t you be packing your things to go back to California?

“I don’t have a fiancé. She came here looking for me. I did not and
do not
want anything to do with her. Look at me,” he said, as he tipped her head up so he could look into her eyes. He wanted to make her see he was being honest with her. He pushed her up against the car door and looked straight into her eyes. “I do not want Missy. I want you. I have spent the past three hours in this storm looking for you because I was worried about you. I care about
you
Grace. I enjoy spending time with you. You do things to me and make me feel things  no other woman has ever made me feel. I want you,” he said, all the while never taking his eyes off of her. “Did you hear me? I want you and no one else!” he shouted over the hammering rain. He could see the tears shimmering in her eyes as he slid his hand across her cheek, pulling her closer. “Did you hear what I said?”

He whispered this time as his lips brushed against hers, and she nodded her head. “Good,” he said, and then kissed her.

He leaned into her body, bringing his hand to the back of her neck and pulled her closer as they kissed. The rain was falling around them, dripping down their bodies as her fingers wound themselves into his hair, tugging gently and causing him to moan. Lightning flashed across the skies, lighting up the entire town. She jumped at the loud boom that followed. They kissed for another second before he broke their kiss apart, leaning his forehead on hers and dropping his arms to his side before taking her hand in his.

“Come on, let’s get out of this storm.” He tugged her hand, pulling her away from her car and toward him as they ran to his car and out of the rain. Tyler got Grace home as fast as he could.

“Grace! You had me so worried!” Paige came running toward her sister, throwing her arms around her. “Are you ok? You are soaking wet.”

“I’m fine, really. You didn’t have to worry about me. Remember, it’s my job to worry about you. I am the big sister.”

“I don’t care how old you are! You scared the shit out of me Grace. I was so worried, and I almost kicked your boyfriend in the balls. Lucky for him and his balls he found you,” she said, eyeing Tyler over her shoulder.

“I am fine Paige. I just need to get out of these wet clothes. I am freezing.”

“Ok, if you need to talk, I am here for you. You know that, right?”

“I know that, but right now I just want to get out of these clothes and lay down in my bed. I am exhausted.”

Her clothes were cold as ice as she peeled them off, tossing them into a wet pile on the floor. She shivered and rubbed her hands up and down her arms, trying to warm herself as she found some dry clothes and put them on before slipping into her bed. The dry clothes against her skin felt good, and she felt the tension in her body slowly start to leave as she pulled the covers up to her neck to keep her warm. Her body relaxed into the warmth of her bed as she fought to keep her eyes open. But then, a knock on the door pulled Grace out of her sleep.

“Can I come in, Grace?” Tyler pushed the door open and walked into the room.

“Tyler . . .”

“Don’t tell me to leave, because I’m not going to. I am not going anywhere. If you don’t want to talk to me right now, that’s fine. I’ll go back out there and talk to Paige although she is kind of freaking me out with wanting to harm my balls. But I’m willing to take the chance for you.” His lips tightened into a grin as he moved toward her bed.

“You should really go home and change Tyler. Your clothes are soaked. You must be freezing.”

“I don’t give a shit about being cold right now. I want to talk to you about this morning.” His eyes found themselves locked on the soft skin of her neck where he kissed and licked the night before. He took a deep breath as he remembered all the places he kissed on her body that night.

“You can’t stay in those clothes. You are going to get sick!” She sighed at the sight of him standing in front of her. He looked so sexy even though his clothes were soaked from the rain, and his hair was a spiky mess. She wanted nothing more than to take those clothes off him and make them both warm with each other’s body heat. The thought sent a shiver down her spine. Her eyes roamed down his body. His jeans were plastered to his legs, and his long sleeved shirt clung to his body. She could easily see every ripple and tight muscle underneath his clothes. She licked her lips and let her eyes wander down the rest of his body.

“Why are you looking at me like that, Grace?”

    “Like what?” she said, as her eyes still took in the sight of him.

“Like you are picturing me naked right now, and are waiting for me to take my clothes off and get in bed with you to warm you up.”

She shook her head and smiled. “I really don’t have a clue what you are talking about. I was not looking at anything.” 

“Are you going to let me stand here in these wet clothes, or are you going to invite me into your bed so I can

keep you warm?” He raised an eyebrow at her, waiting for her response.

She grinned and pulled the covers down, patting the bed, inviting him to keep her warm.

“It’s about damn time. You would let a man freeze to death, wouldn’t you?” He tore his clothes off, leaving them on the floor next to the bed. He stood there in navy blue briefs with his hands on his hips watching Grace watch him.

“Get in bed Tyler before I make you suffer the wrath of Paige,” she said laughing.

“Oh hell no! I would rather go stand outside in my underwear and freeze my ass off before having to deal with Paige!”

He got in bed, pulling the covers over him, and turned toward Grace. He could feel the warmth coming off her body as he moved closer to her, resting his hand on her hip. “I want you to know I meant what I told you earlier. I want you, and no one else. My past with Missy is my past, and that’s it. It’s over, and my life is here now. I would like to have you in my life.”

    Pulling her closer, and kissing her on the forehead, he whispered, “Why did you leave this morning anyway? I woke up and you were gone. I was coming to look for you when she showed up.”

“I didn’t want to wake you up. You looked so cute sleeping. Autumn called me because she needed a ride to work. I slipped out hoping you would still be asleep when I got back. Things didn’t turn out that way though,” she said, with a sigh.

“You should have woken me up. I would have gone with you, and we could have had breakfast together. I had spent all day looking for you. That reminds me, I haven’t eaten anything today. Breakfast with you would have been nice.” His hands moved from her hip to her thigh, rubbing and feeling her soft skin. “Grace, tell me I am not the only one feeling things here. I need to hear you say it.”

Searching his eyes for the truth in his words, Grace found herself letting her walls come down around her heart as she got lost in the intense desire.  The heartache that once held her back was now slipping away, and she was ready to start over. She was ready to love again, and to feel loved. “You are not the only one feeling things, Tyler. The things I am feeling for you . . . I haven’t felt them in a very long time,” she whispered.

If there was any space between them before, it was gone as he pulled her up against his body.

“Tyler, you are freezing!” She gasped.

“Maybe you should take your clothes off and warm me up. I hear getting naked and using body heat is a great way to warm someone up,” he said as his lips found the soft skin of her neck and began leaving trails of kisses all over it. “Yep, I am definitely feeling warm now.”

        His body slid over hers as his lips were on their own personal journey down her neck. His hands moved down her legs, grabbing one leg and wrapping it around his waist as his lips found hers and began kissing her slowly. He had a way with her when he kissed her. It felt as if he was leaving her feeling vulnerable. She would do anything for this man that was healing her broken heart . . . one kiss at a time. His kisses warmed her, and fueled the flame of desire that was coursing through her body as he started peeling away the layers of clothing. Leaving her naked and warm against his body as he showed her just how much he needed and wanted her, Grace let herself go and surrendered to the moment.