Falling for Grace (Four Winds) (6 page)

Looking down at her wide eyes, he saw her irises darken to a molten cobalt color, and her nostrils flared.  Probably because he stank, he told himself before letting go. 

Flashing a grin, he said, "Sorry.  Wasn't paying attention to where I was going."  Grace stood there, staring at his chest, biting her lip.  "You okay?"  He prodded her.

Her eyes snapped up to his face, and she breathed out, "Yeah.  Sorry," before turning and fleeing to her own room.

The physical reactions of his body took a little while to settle.  Rafe had changed shirts and gone back outside to put the chicken on the grill before his heart rate was back to normal.  He wondered, yet again, about his physical body.  Did everybody have these sorts of reactions?  Was it normal?  Was this a reaction specific to humans, or did other animals have these types of things happen to them when they ran across potential mates?

By the time he'd finished dinner, Rafe was feeling back to normal.  And then, they all crowded around the tiny kitchen table, and he found his leg pressed against Grace's.  Warmth radiated from her skin, and her bare leg was making it extremely hard to focus on conversation.  He listened vaguely as the girls shared stories about their day, concentrating on eating his food without choking.  There was an uncomfortable lump in his throat that made swallowing difficult, but he was trying to manage.

"Rafe!"  Nicole's shrill voice in his ear and an elbow in his ribs jolted him from his difficulty.  He looked at her, startled.

"What?"

She laughed at him.  "I was telling them how you used your mojo on those guys today.  And you're not even paying attention.  Dweeb."

"Sorry.  It really wasn't anything.  Just the right place at the right time."

She turned to Bree.  "He got a free meal out of it and a desert.  And my undying gratitude."

Grace snorted.  "That's saying something."

Nicole nodded, pointing her fork at Grace, "Damn straight.  If I had my way, I would have kicked their asses out, and then gotten fired.  He saved my job."

Bree snickered.  "You're definitely a keeper, Rafe.  You cook, save Nicole's job, and you don't play the bongos."

Grace laughed out loud, and the sound sent a shiver up Rafe's spine.  "Oh God, I'd almost forgotten about Bongo guy!"

"How could you forget Bongo guy?  He was insane."  Nicole's wrath was back.  "That idiot kept me up for a week straight.  Oh my God.  What a fuck-tard."

"Do I want to know?" Rafe enquired.

Grace nudged his knee with hers under the table.  "No, you don't.  Really."

The deliberate contact from her sent a cloud of buzzing in his ears, so that he almost didn't hear what she said next. "Besides, you're way better looking than him."

Bree agreed, "Yeah, and you smell better too."

"Definitely," Grace added.

Rafe could feel the heat rise on his cheeks.  This was almost too much.  He tried to flirt his way out of his embarrassment.  He waggled his eyebrows and planted a lecherous smile on his face.  "Ladies, stop.  I'd hate to have to show each of you what I'm capable of…"  The statement was met with a sharp intake of breath from Grace and cackling laughter from Bree and Nicole.

He looked at Grace from under lowered eyelids and saw her blushing, staring at her plate.  Had he offended her?

"Sorry.  I was joking."

Nicole was still laughing.  "Don't be sorry, Rafe.  You're totally hot and allowed to flirt with each of us.  I'll allow it."  She raised her glass to him, and he scanned the faces at the table.  Bree was smiling broadly, nodding.  Grace still looked uncomfortable, but was also smiling, albeit a little sheepishly.

A knock sounded at the door, and Grace got up to answer it, leaving his leg feeling cold.

When Brad followed her back into the kitchen, Rafe felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.  It was obvious that Brad adored Grace, his eyes never leaving her, as she spoke.

"We're going to the beach party that the Sylvan girls are throwing.  Who's coming with us?"

Rafe jumped at his opportunity to spend more time with Grace, even if Brad was there too.  "I'd love to go.  I've never been to a beach party before."  He felt a slight sense of pleasure at Brad's face falling perceptibly.

"Jeez, I wish I could, but I've got to open tomorrow.  You guys have fun!"  Bree, ever cheerful, bowed out gracefully.

Nicole, not so much.  "Shit!  Why do people party on a Wednesday?  That sucks.  I've got to open tomorrow, too.  There's no way I'm working with those assholes hung-over."

Feeling awkward, Rafe looked at Grace.  "I guess that makes me the third wheel.  Are you guys sure you don't want to rescind the invitation?" 

Brad looked as if he was going to do just that, but Grace beat him to the punch.  "Of course not, Rafe.  Come on!"  She grabbed his arm to lead him out the door.

"Um, should I change?  Is this okay for a beach party?"

She appraised him from head to toe.  "You look great.  Don't worry about it."

Brad grumbled something, as he followed them outside, and Rafe felt jubilant.

Chapter Eight

Brad was quiet most of the way to the party, and Grace knew it was because he was mad that Rafe was with them. 
Well, that's too damn bad
, she thought to herself. 
He needs to just get over himself.  It's not like we're serious or anything.
  She propped her leg on the dashboard and drummed along with the song playing, trying to get in the mood to party.  Truth was, she'd prefer to stay home with Rafe, but that would probably make Brad even snittier.

She liked Rafe.  Right now, with Brad pouting like he was, she liked him better than her own boyfriend.  Grace couldn't deny he was definitely good looking.  Earlier today, when she'd run into him on the way out of the bathroom, she'd thought some inappropriate thoughts about him.  His eyes were so green, and his chest was so muscly, and his sweat smelled so good.

And he had a nice smile.  He was always smiling, and Grace had to admit she liked that, even if she didn't quite trust it.  Someone who smiled that much must be hiding something, right?  But his smile made her feel all warm and mushy inside.

And she liked that.

The party had been going on for a while by the time they got there and threw themselves into it.  There was a radio playing loud dance music from the speakers of a car and a bonfire was roaring.  Lots of people were dancing with glow sticks and necklaces, while others stood in clumps in the periphery, watching the dancers and talking.  Brad brought Grace a beer from the keg, Rafe declining, going off in search of water somewhere.

"That guy never drinks?  Weird."  Brad made the off-handed comment with scorn in his voice.

"I think it's nice to stick to your principles.  I'm not sure if it's that, though.  I think he's just a health-nut."

"So, what's he like to live with?"  His voice was cool, testing her.

She wasn't playing his games.  "He's alright.  He's a good cook, quiet at night, doesn't get in the way, funny.  Today, he helped Nicole throw some high punks out of Yaga's."

"Fucking hero."

"What's your problem?  He's just a guy who moved in with us.  We've been needing a roommate, and now we have one.  No big deal, Brad." 

"Whatever."  Brad emptied his cup quickly, going back for more, leaving Grace alone on the beach.

She watched him move through the crowd around the fire and wondered if he'd been drinking before he picked her up.  She hadn't noticed him being unsteady before, but he sure was now.  He staggered on his feet, stumbling into people as he made his way back to the keg.

Grace sighed and sat on a log, watching him.  He was nice and all, but what in the world was she doing with him?  Having fun?  He was being snarky about Rafe, which was rude, and she didn't like rudeness.  He was still her friend though, maybe she could talk to Brad and make him stop being an ass.

Or maybe it was time to break up with him.

She watched him talk to a group of girls by the keg, laughing at something one of them said, laying his hand on one girl's back.  She rolled her eyes.  Was he trying to make her jealous now?  Irritation roiled in her gut, as she fought the urge to walk over to him and tell him to go ahead and fuck other girls, she was done.  But she realized that she didn't really even care that much. 

So what if he cheated?  She wasn't emotionally invested in Brad.  She made it a point to not do that with guys, and she hadn't done it with him.  He was fun to be around, most of the time.  Now, if the fun was gone, it was time to move on.

Drinking deeply from her cup, she sat on a log to watch him.  He was attractive, built nicely with strong shoulders and long limbs.  He wasn't as tall or broad as Rafe and his hair was lighter.  But Brad had a nice smile, which he was using on the group of girls she watched him flirt with.

Making a disgusted noise in the back of her throat, she didn't immediately notice when someone sat on the log next to her.

"Do you need another drink?"  She looked over to see Rafe sitting there, half his face alight with flames from the bonfire, casting interesting shadows on the other half.

She shook her head and looked back over at Brad.  His eyes followed hers.

"Is something wrong?"

She shook her head again, and stretched out her legs in front of her, scooting down onto the sand to lean her back against the log.  "No.  He's just playing games with me, and I'm irritated."

She could hear the ever-present smile in his voice.  "Why is he playing games?"

Grace turned her face towards Rafe, who had scooted down too.  He was sitting next to her so she didn't have to crane her neck.  Remembering his leg against hers at the dinner table earlier, her belly did a little flip.

"He doesn't like you, much."

"Really?"  His tone was innocent, but Grace thought she heard a note of triumph there, as well.  His green eyes flashed, and she wondered what he was thinking. 

Turning her face back towards the fire, she said, "He's jealous of you living with us.  He'd rather us have a nice, quiet, female roommate."

"Ah…I can't say I blame him."

"Why?  Are you going to try to put the moves on us?"

His smile turned mischievous, but he didn't say anything.  Grace watched Brad, and saw him look over the fire at her.  Seeing her with Rafe, he turned to the girl next to him, and whispered something in her ear.  Grace saw her giggle, and wrap an arm around Brad's bicep.  She snorted to herself.  Brad was putting the moves on that girl, and she suddenly wished something would happen with Rafe, right here.  But that would be playing along with Brad, playing right into his own petty fears. 

"Aren't you bothered?"

She shrugged.  "Not as much as I should be, I suppose.  But I'm honestly not."

His voice lowered, so she could barely hear him.  "You want to get back at him?"

She looked at Rafe, and there was desire in his eyes, magnified by the shadow play from the fire.

"No.  I don't play that way."

"No flirting with other guys because he's flirting with girls?  At a party he came to with you?"

"No.  I don't do that.  If I wanted someone else, I would break up with him and be with the other person.  There's no need to cheat."

"What if he cheats?"

She shrugged.  "Same thing, I guess.  We break up.  I don't play those games."

"What if you loved him?"

Rafe's smile was contagious.  This wasn't really a smiley conversation, but his ever present grin was there, splitting his face, and she couldn't help but smile back.

"But, I don't.  So there's no issue.  He knows that."

They sat in silence for a little while, before he broke it.  "So, tell me about Grace.  Are you going to lifeguard forever?"

She leaned back, welcoming the change in conversation.  "No, I'm working on a degree in marine anthropology.  But I can't afford school full-time all year.  I'm taking a break for the summer, to work and save up."

"Marine anthropology?  What do you do with that sort of degree?"

"Not sure.  Write papers, teach, lifeguard?"  She laughed.

"So you like it?"  He seemed genuinely interested.

"The studies are fascinating.  There's something so basic and predictable about man's ego when it comes to Mother Nature." 

"So, no treasure hunting on the open-sea?"

"Maybe, but I'm more interested in ship-wrecks.  Of course, there's not a lot of money out there for people looking to study sunken ships."

She watched Brad fill up his cup once again with beer, and stumble back into the crowd of girls.  He put his arm around the shoulders of the one that had stroked his bicep earlier, and leaned toward her ear again.  Disgusted, she turned away from him completely and faced Rafe.

Who was staring at her.

The intensity of his eyes made her stomach flutter with heat, and she wondered what it was about him that made her feel like this?  Why didn't she just break up with Brad, instead of getting so frustrated with him, and starting something with Rafe, like she'd said?  He looked like something with him would be interesting…

Except that she could tell he was intense, maybe too intense for her.  Starting something with him wouldn't be a casual thing, no matter how carefree he seemed.  The emotions he evoked in her were too powerful.  She knew that a relationship with him would be extreme, passionate, life-changing.  He didn't seem like the type to do anything half-way.  Starting something with Rafe would be a mistake.

As she watched him, Rafe moved closer to her and lifted a hand to smooth her hair across her forehead.  She saw heat in his eyes, tinged with desperation and it scared her.  She knew that if she did anything with him, she could never come back from it.  He would be her Carl. 

She stood abruptly, dusting sand from her shorts.  "I'm not feeling this party.  You ready to go home?"  Turning to Brad, she saw he had sat down in the sand, with the girl in his lap.  Grace sighed.  "I'll go get Brad."

Rafe followed her silently, for which she was glad.  She didn't want to talk to him anymore right now.  She was afraid of what she might say.

When she got to Brad, she saw he was drunk.  He was probably sitting because he couldn't stand on his own anymore.  She swallowed a snort, and pulled him up by the arm, dumping the girl out of his lap. 

"Come on, Brad.  We're taking you home."  His gaze landed on her, and he smiled a goofy smile, before sinking back down to the sand.

"Grashe!  So nishe of you to join ush."  He patted the sand next to him, "Shit?"

She shook her head, "No we're going home.  Come on."  She tugged his arm again.  Brad looked like he was trying to get up, but kept falling back into the sand.  Rafe came and grabbed his arm.

"Come on, man.  It's time to go."  Brad grabbed Rafe's forearm, and Rafe grabbed back, pulling him to his feet.  Rafe and Grace pulled and stumbled their way to Brad's car.  Rafe wrestled the keys from him before stuffing Brad into the front passenger seat.  Grace heard him mumble "fucking hero" before she got into the back.

Rafe was an incredibly careful driver, and Grace wondered if he was like that with everything.  Did the guy never take chances?  He didn't eat fried foods, didn't drink, drove like an old lady.  What else did he do carefully?

Brad turned in his seat so he was facing Grace, and she was surprised to see tears in his eyes.

"I'm shorry, Grashe.  Nothing happened."

"I know, Brad.  You're drunk.  We'll talk about it tomorrow.  Okay?"

"I wazh trying to make you jealoush, Grace."

She sighed, "I know, Brad."

"Cuz of him."

She rolled her eyes.  He was talking as if Rafe wasn't sitting right next to him.

"You're being rude."

Brad turned to Rafe.  "Shorry man, but she's my girl."

Rafe kept his eyes on the road and continued driving carefully.  "I know, man.  I'm not trying to horn in on your girl."

"Why not?  She's fucking gorgeous."

Grace saw Rafe's knuckles whiten on the steering wheel.  "Yes, she is."  Rafe said quietly.

"And she'sh awesome.  And she'sh mine."  Brad practically growled this last part.

"I know that, man.  I'm not trying anything with her.  I was just sitting next to her, while you went off and left her alone."

Grace was getting pissed.  "And she's right back here; you guys can quit talking like I can't hear you."

Rafe's eyes met hers briefly in the rear-view mirror while Brad mumbled a quick apology.

"I did, didn't I?  I left you alone sho that Mr. Hero here could work his mojo on you."

"Brad, stop.  We'll talk about it tomorrow."

"I want to talk now."

She sighed.  This was not a conversation she wanted to have in front of Rafe.  At all.  "Okay.  Talk."

Brad's eyes were watery, and Grace wasn't sure if it was from drinking so much or because he was getting ready to cry. 

"I don't like him living with you, Grace."

"Then give me three hundred and fifty dollars a month and he's out of here."

Rafe looked thunderstruck.  "What?"  His eyes in the mirror were wide, and the green irises blazed so brightly that Grace had to look away.