Tempting Grace (Vaughn)

“Start talking,” she demanded.

Shit, he’d wanted to find out more about her. He’d been sure he could beat her. Next time, he vowed.

“Let’s see… I have a fondness for motorcycles. I always have. I have two that I keep at my brother’s place. I can’t stand movies with sad endings. They’re a complete waste of time to me. Also, my mom has always wanted to go to Ireland, so my brother and I are pitching in and sending my parents there for their wedding anniversary next year.”

“Ah, that’s so sweet,” she said, her face softening. “I bet she’ll be thrilled.”

“She’ll probably get on us for spending so much money, but, yeah, she’ll be pleased as hell too.”

“Okay, my turn to deal.” Grace scooped up the cards and started to shuffle. He’d seen her at work before, but her skill with a deck never failed to impress him. She dealt five cards each, then placed the deck in the center. He looked at his hand and had to stifle a grin. “I’ll stay.”

No expression from Grace as she picked up her cards and tossed one down and picked a new one up from the deck. She looked at him, and he laid his cards out face up. “Three aces.”

Grace showed her

hand. “That beats my lousy pair of fours.”

“Three things. Start talking.”

“I’m not that exciting, but okay. I collect snow globes. All sizes. Expensive ones, cheap ones. I just love snow globes. I enjoy old black and white movies. In fact, Bette Davis is my favorite actress. Third fact. I hate food that’s yellow. Corn, squash, bananas, I can’t stand any of them.”

He laughed. “What do you have against the color yellow?”

She played with the cards, shuffling in various ways. “I don’t know, it’s the strangest thing. I’ve just always hated yellow food.”

Jackson held out his hand. “Give them over, my turn to deal.” She placed the cards in his hand. Their fingers touched. Sparks jumped between them. “One more hand to break the tie,” he murmured.

She cleared her throat and took a sip of her wine. “Just don’t pout when I win.”

Jackson dealt the cards. They both seemed to be on pins and needles, as if this last hand meant more to them both than merely breaking a tie. Or maybe he was just reading more into their game than what was there.

Grace threw away two cards, and he dealt her two more. He tossed down two of his own cards and took two more off the top of the deck. He watched as she showed her hand. Damn, a flush. He showed his own and growled, “Two pair. You win.”

“Come on, I get three more Jackson facts.”

“Yeah, yeah. Well, I’m a black belt in Karate. The only books I ever read are business related, though that dirty book in your apartment has me thinking I’ve been missing out on a lot.”

“It’s not dirty, it’s romance.”

He took a sip of his wine, draining the glass. “Last thing. I watch you walk when we’re at the office. Not a day goes by that I don’t stare at your ass.”

Grace shook her head. “I’m not sure that qualifies as a fact.”

He leaned across the table and whispered, “Do you care?”

Suddenly she stood and moved toward him, her steps precise. He couldn’t read her mood now. “Not really,” she stated, her voice so low he barely heard her.

Jackson stood too. His fingers stroked the baby-soft skin of her cheek. “What do you want?” Her mesmerizing gaze drifted over him, teasing him to full alert status. “Gracie?”

“This,” she whispered, before rising to her toes and pressing her lips to his. She was gentle, shy, as if unsure what to do with him. When her tongue slid over his bottom lip in a curious perusal, he gave up any pretense at control. He enfolded her in his arms, pulling her against his body, fitting her curves to him. He thrust his pelvis against her lower abs, saying without words what he would demand from her if she continued her little game. She moaned against his mouth and dug her fingers into his hair, then brought one leg up to wrap around his waist. Jackson cupped her ass and lifted her off the floor, forcing her to clutch onto him with both legs.

He pried his lips from hers and gave her one last chance to walk away. “Be sure, baby. Be damned sure this is what you want.”

Her breath came out in pants as she said, “You left me. I needed you, and you left me.”

“Never again,” he promised as he strode across the room. “I swear it.”

“I’ll knee you in the balls if you ever do that again, Jackson.”