Page 9 of Guarding Grace (Hawk Security #2)

Grace

Dinner with Terry? That sounded good.

I laid my head against his chest as he carried me.

Of course I’d always found Terry attractive. What woman with a pulse wouldn’t? It had only been his less-than-winning personality that had kept me from angling for a date with the man.

Maybe that’s why I’d had a recurring dream that Terry hit his head or something, changed into charming Terry, and asked me out. And here I was, in his arms. It felt right.

He reached my floor and strode to my door.

“What’s going on?” Millie demanded. Of course her door was still open to the hall.

Terry turned so I could see her.

“I took a fall, and he’s helping me,” I assured her. No way was I telling her Terry was about to take a knife to my ass cheek.

“Terry Goodwin, ma’am, ex-LAPD and a friend of her brother.”

I noticed he didn’t claim to be my friend.

Millie looked over her glasses at us. “I can call an ambulance, if you need one.”

“No need. I just need to rest a bit.”

“Key?” Terry asked .

I pulled it out, and we probably looked hilarious as he leaned over so I could reach the lock.

“Nice to meet you,” he told Millie as we slid inside. He kicked the door closed.

Clyde ran up to us.

“Trip me and you’ll regret it, cat,” Terry warned.

Clyde took the hint and bolted for the bedroom.

At my pathetic excuse for a couch, Terry set me on my feet, which caused Bonnie to jump down and run to join Clyde under the bed.

Terry pointed to the cushions. “Pull your pants down and lie on your stomach.”

“Yes, sir.” I saluted. “Are you sure you don’t want me completely naked?”

A sly grin took over his face. “Want, yes. Need, no. Strip down as far as you feel like.”

Normally callous Terry had somehow morphed into joking Terry. After coming to my rescue twice in twenty-four hours, insisting on taking care of me, and now joking about wanting me naked, it seemed the surprisingly nice Disneyland side of him had resurfaced.

“Really?” I shimmied my pants down a few inches, adding a wide smile—a genuine one because I liked this side of him. Disneyland had been a wonderful day.

“Don’t be a tease. Lie down.”

Had it been a joke or not that he wanted to see me naked? Facing him, I impulsively pushed my pants down a few more inches. “Or what?”

His jaw clenched, and his eyes flared. Had I just waved a red flag in front of the bull? Yes, and I’d gotten to him.

“A nice girl like you shouldn’t want to find out,” he growled.

He’d never before referred to me as nice . He turned away. Yes, the nice Disneyland Terry was back. There was an actual gentleman hidden in there somewhere.

“Do you have any super glue?” he asked, still turned away.

I waited a few seconds to see if he’d turn back for the view he’d said he wanted. I found his question odd. “Sure. Top drawer to the right of the fridge.” Come on, turn around. Show me you’re human, dammit.

He cast a quick glance my way. “You best get on the couch now.”

Feeling I’d won this round, I flopped down on the couch, getting a few cat hairs in my mouth in the process. I wiped them away.

He strode into the kitchen. “I’ll also need alcohol, antiseptic ointment, Band-Aids, and a razor.”

“You won’t need the razor. I don’t have a hairy butt. ”

He didn’t laugh.

“Okay. Razors are in the top left drawer in the bathroom. First aid stuff is one drawer lower, and isopropyl is under the sink.”

When he returned, I added, “Knives are two drawers to the left of the fridge.” My own words made me cringe.

The idea of intentionally getting cut made me want to puke.

At least this would be happening behind me, and I wouldn’t be able to see the blood.

Just thinking the word blood made my vision constrict for a moment.

Terry returned and, with a snap, broke open the head of the razor. “A razor blade is sharper and will hurt less.” He pulled needle-nose pliers from his pocket and settled on the couch by my knees.

I shifted to the side, feeling suddenly self-conscious about my naked butt. Was I really going to let him slice me with a razor blade? “Maybe I should go to the hospital for this…”

“I have three words for you: cops and Elliot.”

That was no choice at all. “Okay. You promise it won’t hurt?” Elliot was so going to pay for this.

“I said less. Now hold still. The alcohol may sting a bit.”

I braced, and when he dabbed it on, I felt only a tiny twinge. So far, so good. “You’re sure you know what you’re doing?”

“Cops and Elliot.”

“Okay. Let’s do this thing.”

“I’m going to use a little local anesthetic.” He pinched my ass.

I felt a bigger sting and two more pricks.

“Now we wait for it to take effect.”

“Not long, I hope.” I certainly wouldn’t make it as a stripper, feeling this vulnerable with only my bare butt hanging out. “How’s it look?”

He laughed. “ Everything looks pretty good from here.”

Vulnerability shifted to a tingle of excitement as I read meaning into his words. How had I gone from hating being around him to being excited that he enjoyed looking at my bare ass? My heart pounded in my ears as time slipped by quietly.

“That should be long enough,” he finally said. “Does this hurt?”

I felt only slight pressure and shook my head.

“Okay then. Hold still, and I promise you my best work.”

I clamped my eyes shut when he picked up the razor blade. After some pressure, I felt a tug. “Are we done yet?”

“Got it. Wanna see?”

I dared to open my eyes. “No thanks.” When I started to move, he held me down again.

“Hold still. It’ll only take a minute to finish up. I’m going to close the wound with super glue, and you’ll be as good as new in no time, as long as you don’t scratch at it.”

I laughed. “Got it. No ass scratching.” Yes, I had changed, too. Last week, suggesting that I scratched my ass would have earned Terry a slap instead of a laugh.

I stayed silent, feeling surprising tingles as he worked on me, and I imagined his fingers sliding beyond the Taser site. I’d spent many a night imagining his hands on me, but never like this.

“All done.” He gave me a light pat on the backside, and my fantasy evaporated.

“That was fast.” I felt him lift off the couch.

“You can pull up your pants now.”

When I rolled over and stood, I felt somewhat lightheaded.

He turned away to give me privacy.

As I pulled up the bottoms of the tracksuit, the bloody gauze and razor blade caught my eye. My traitorous brain imagined the blade cutting into me—big mistake. Darkness pushed in from the fringes of my vision.

Terry

I heard the same long sigh as last night. Dread filled me as I spun. This time I was fast enough and got to her just as she wobbled.

She went limp in my arms.

With a sigh, I supported her head, relieved that I’d been quick enough to catch her.

We were standing next to her coffee table, which had a very unforgiving marble top.

If she’d hit her head on the edge of that, it might have been catastrophic.

I kissed her hair and tried to remember how long last night’s episode had lasted.

Long enough that holding her upright like this wasn’t a good solution, I decided.

A phone rang behind me—her cell phone.

I ignored it and twisted to settle slowly back down on the couch. I landed with her on top of me. The weight of her head on my chest made the rapid beat of my heart obvious. Yes, she’d scared the shit out of me again.

Then, my mind wandered to her breasts pressed against me, a reminder that I’d failed at my vow to keep distance between us and avoid the temptation of touching her. Should I have laid her on the couch rather than cradling her on top of me? Maybe .

I was failing at my responsibility to take care of her. I hadn’t protected her from the attack outside the restaurant last night, even though I’d been warned she was in danger. And I’d let her get away from me this morning to see her dipshit cousin and almost lost her again.

“I’ve got you, Grace.” I kissed her hair. “You’re safe with me.”

She didn’t stir, still a limp weight on top of me.

I draped an arm around her. Having Grace pressed against me felt even more right than I’d imagined it would. Fate had intervened, and now staying close was the only way to keep her safe.

She stirred and lifted her head, her eyes blinking up at me. “What?—”

“You fainted again,” I answered.

She sighed heavily. “I’m not going back to the hospital.”

“No need. I caught you this time.”

She closed her eyes and snuggled into me. “Thank you.” Then her eyes popped open. Seeming to realize her position, she lifted up somewhat. “How long have I been like this?”

“Not long.” I removed my arm.

“I’m scared.”

“Don’t worry. Nobody’s getting to you. I’ll do anything and everything to keep you safe.”

She brushed a finger down my nose and settled back against me. “Why? Because I’m Pete’s little sister?”

“That’s part of it.” I settled my arm around her.

“What’s the rest of it?” she asked.

“Nothing much,” I hedged.

“You promised to always tell me the truth.” She stroked her hand over my chest. “What’s the rest of it?”

Long ago, I had promised to always tell her the truth, a promise I now regretted. “And I want to keep this curvy little body intact.”

“But you don’t even like me.”

“I never disliked you.”

That was my most dangerous truth, the one I’d always kept hidden. I was no saint. Like all men, I had the occasional secret desire to reach for the forbidden fruit, the fantasy I only indulged in the dark of the night—she was that fantasy for me.

“Bullshit. Except for the day we spent at Disneyland, you’ve never acted like it. Remember that day?”

Of course I remembered it. It had been the one day I’d had a cover story to enjoy being with her and ditch my asshole persona. After that, it had been right back to being Mr. Crabby to keep her away. “I remember. ”

“Well then, Terrence, why have you always treated me so shitty? Tell me, what have I done to deserve it?”

I hated anyone using my full legal name. It seemed pretentious.