Prologue
Two months earlier . . .
Gracie couldn’t take her eyes off the man leaning against her desk. His dark, wavy brown hair and easy smile sent a shiver of awareness down her spine. He was large, with wel -sculpted, drool-worthy arms. Arms that would hold a woman tight. And he was looking at her as if he’d struck gold.
“I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced. I’m Wade Harrison, Cherry’s friend, and you are?”
God, his voice was just as yummy as the rest of him. Deep, a little gravel y, as if he’d just gotten out of bed. It took her a few seconds before she could answer without stuttering. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Gracie Baron, Cherry’s new receptionist.”
He held out his hand. Gracie promptly dropped the pen she’d been using and let him take hold of her. The cal oused, firm feel of him against her skin nearly had her creaming in her panties. He dipped his head and kissed her knuckles. A light brush of his lips and she was ready to surrender.
He winked as he let go of her. She missed his warmth, but forced herself to pick up the pen again.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Gracie.” He looked down her body, his progress hindered by the desk, then snared her in his dark chocolate gaze as he asked, “So, what do you do when you aren’t answering the phone and setting up appointments here at Serene Comfort?”
“I have another job. I’m an administrative assistant.”
His brows shot up. “You work two jobs?”
She thought of her dad’s utility bil s, which were overdue to be paid, again. “Yeah, I need the money to help support my dad.”
He straightened and crossed his arms over his chest. “A devoted daughter, huh?”
She stiffened at the term. “Yeah, you could say that, I guess.”
More like doormat, she thought bitterly. What was the use in complaining? Nothing was ever going to change. Her father would always drink away his Social Security check and cal her in a panic because they were about to evict him for not paying the rent. She was tired of being the fal guy, but she couldn’t bring herself to leave him to his own devices. He was her father, after al .
“Do you have a significant other to keep you company when you aren’t working, Gracie?”
The way he said her name made her think of silk sheets and candlelight. It was a nice image. Then reality intruded when she thought of his question. “I’m not seeing anyone right now. To tel the truth, I’m not sure when I’d even have the time.”
His grin widened. “How about I take you to dinner Friday night? I’d like to get to know you better.”
It was like dangling an ice cream cone in front of a five-year-old; Gracie’s mouth practical y watered at the thought of spending time alone with the delicious man. “I’d real y—” A strange tinkling sound interrupted her. She glanced over at the computer and cringed. An e-mail, and she recognized the name in the “from” column. Her creepy secret admirer, reminding her that while she might not have a husband, she did have a man in her life. The fact that she didn’t want said man didn’t seem to matter to the jerk. Who the hel was she kidding? How could she possibly spend time with Wade when she had an alcoholic father to take care of and a weirdo stalking her via the Internet? Add in two jobs, and you have a woman with zero energy left over for leisure time.
“Earth to Gracie.”
“Oh, sorry. I’m . . . I’m sorry, but I’m not in a good place right now. Can I have a rain check?”
He placed his hands on the edge of her desk and leaned forward until only a few inches of air separated them. “I can be very patient, Ms.
Baron.”
The determination in his gaze sent a rush of adrenaline through her body. Why did she suddenly feel as if her days were numbered?
1
Present day
“If you’d give me a valid reason why you won’t go out with me, I’d leave you alone. Instead, al I get are snarls. Snarls aren’t valid, Gracie.”
“I said no, which should be enough. Actual y, it is for most guys. You’re just mad because every other woman you proposition fawns al over you like you’re a bar of chocolate or something. It makes me want to puke.”
Wade tried to contain his grin. It wasn’t easy with Gracie’s description of him. “A bar of chocolate, huh? I don’t suppose you have a sweet tooth, do you?”
Her frown turned into a vicious smile. “I’m al ergic to chocolate. In fact, just the sight of it makes me irrational, and I get this insane urge to take a hammer and crush it into oblivion.”
Wade grabbed his chest, feigning hurt. “Ouch. You’re one scary lady.”
She sat up a little straighter in her chair and turned her attention back to her monitor. “Exactly. So, go find a cute little bunny to warm your bed; I’m real y not interested, Wade.”
Wade braced his palms on Gracie’s desk and leaned forward. “A piece of fluff can’t even begin to satisfy me. Not when I have my sights set on a curvy redhead with a wicked temper.”
“Wade, stop bothering my employee.”
He turned his head at the feminine voice. Cherry DuBois, soon to be Cherry Ricci when she married the big Italian from the financial consulting business next door. Wade watched Cherry walk toward him, a to-go cup in one hand and a cel phone in the other. Her purposeful strides exuded confidence. He smiled, proud of the woman he’d been friends with for years. After her first husband had asked for a divorce, Cherry had crumpled a little. But making her massage therapy business, Serene Comfort, a success had helped her to see she didn’t need a man like Brody in her life. Meeting Dante had done the rest. The man acted as if Cherry hung the moon. If Wade were honest with himself, he’d admit to feeling a twinge of envy for the happy couple.
“I came to take you to lunch,” he explained, “but you’d already slipped out. So, I asked Ms. Persnickety here.”
“Dante and I grabbed lunch at home. You should’ve cal ed. I could’ve made other plans.”
Wade turned, leaned against Gracie’s desk, and crossed his arms over his chest. “You would’ve dropped Dante for me, huh?”