Amazing Grace (The American Soldier Collection 3)

Grace had put on a green tank top and khaki shorts along with a pair of white sneakers. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail then applied a little lip gloss to her lips and some light makeup to her eyes. When she was satisfied with her appearance, she puttered around the house a bit and became bored. She hadn’t thought about work at all and hadn’t remained in contact with her boss about her scheduled trip to Milan in another two weeks, and she was panicking. She opened up her laptop, plugging the wire into the phone jack to take a look at her e-mails.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Duke asked her as he rushed across the room, grabbing the laptop out of her hands.

“Duke, what’s wrong with you? I was just checking my e-mail messages,” she replied, shocked by his abruptness and anger.

“Did you go online yet? Did you open up any e-mail’s?” He opened the laptop and saw the power wasn’t even on yet.

Duke looked at her in a dead stare. It gave her the chills to see him like this, so fierce and concerned. What was the big deal? Then he appeared as if he felt bad for raising his voice and overreacting.

“I’m sorry, Grace, but you can’t use your laptop. You can’t open your e-mails. Not on this house line. You need a secure line. We can’t take any chances. Remember, the killer is not stupid.”

Duke still showed the anger in his voice.

“You really think he could track me down like that? Through my e-mail?”

“Remember, he’s crazy, not stupid,” Duke replied then ran his fingers through his hair. He seemed extra uptight. She didn’t want to add to his anxiety. Whatever else was going on with him?

“You’re right, Duke. I’m sorry. I just didn’t think. It won’t happen again.” She stood up from the bed and tried to take the laptop away from him.

He held it there a moment and their eyes met.

“I believe that my brother told you it’s our way only,” he added in the same stern voice, wanting her to know how serious he was.

She let go of the laptop.

“Damn it, Duke, I said I’m sorry. I will have to check my e-mails and get in touch with my boss. I have a photo shoot in less than three weeks. I need the itinerary and I have a few other people I need to contact,” she told him as she stepped back.

“You’re not going to contact anyone, Grace, until we have a secure line. We’re not taking any unnecessary chances. Your life, your profession is officially on hold,” he told her with his face red with frustration. He was getting angrier with her.

“I have to contact my boss and the magazine I’ll be working for or I could lose this job,” she told him, not backing down from a fight. She wouldn’t allow anyone to talk to her this way. Attraction or not, she would stand her ground.

“If the killer finds out where you are or where

you’re headed, then you won’t make the photo shoot because you’ll be dead,” Duke said in a strong, harsh voice as he looked into her eyes then lightly dropped her laptop down on the bed.

Grace turned away from him, taking a deep breath and wanting to punch the man behind her. God, he made her so mad. He really got under her skin. The way he just spoke to her, controlling her, she wasn’t used to that and she hated it as she released a long breath and tried to control her anger.

Duke called her name.

“Look at me, Grace.” She slowly turned toward the commanding voice.

“Why don’t you understand the danger you’re in? I know you know the details of these murders and what the killer did to his victims. God, I want to shake you, you’ve got me so angry.”

He pulled her closer and stared down into her eyes. Duke was ginormous. He was so much taller than her and big like his brothers. She swallowed hard. She knew that there was more to his upset. God, she had heard the details about the bodies, about what the killer had done. She swallowed hard. “I’m sorry, Duke. I feel so out of control of my life right now. I’m trying to hold on to what I have, in hopes that there’s a future for me, with my profession, with my family.”

“And what about us?” he asked, shocking her and sending her head in a whirlwind of emotions. She was going to respond but she didn’t have an answer. Instead he swept down covering her mouth with his as he lifted her up against his chest. She kissed him back, ran her fingers through his hair, absorbing his strength and his masculinity as he held her so easily against him.

That kiss grew deeper as she straddled his waist and he lowered her to the bed. His weight, the thickness of his body pressed her deep against the soft mattress and comforter.

Pulling from her mouth, he trailed kisses against her throat, eliciting moans of pleasure from her lips. God, he made her feel so wild and needy.

“Oh God, Duke, you’re so big and strong, I love the way you feel crushing me with your body. This is crazy.”

He lifted up, taking her comment to heart and taking off some of his weight. He rested on his left elbow and forearm. “Crazy? You got that right, Grace. You drive me crazy. You get under my skin and make me want things and need things I’ve never wanted or felt before.”

He was so damn serious, and before she could respond, he lifted up, undid her shorts, pulled them down her thighs and tossed them onto the rug. He divested her of her tank top and bra then pulled off his clothing so quickly she hadn’t had time to absorb every bit of beauty before her.

“You’re mine, always.” He spread her thighs, aligned his cock with her pussy, and shoved into her. She gripped his shoulders, felt his need, the desperation to consummate their affection, their bond as one. Their gazes locked and he gripped her hands then placed them above her head in a controlling and dominantly sexy fashion that had her creaming and moaning for more.