In It to Win It (25 page)

“
What’d you do this week?” Nate asked, still in his interrogation mode.

Grayson gave Nate the short version, the very short version of events. He’d leave most of the story for Jane to tell.

Nate narrowed his eyes. “Did you make her cry?”

“
Maybe.” Grayson could hear the irritation in his voice and willed his blood to cool.

Nate cracked his knuckles, glaring at Grayson. Grayson glared right back. Nate’s macho-man shit was getting old. Fast.

Grayson was just about to insist that Nate lose the attitude or get the hell out when Jane said his name. Grayson didn’t take his eyes from Nate’s. The two of them locked in some kind of tractor-beam stare-down.

Jane’s hand slipped around his waist, leaning into him but Grayson refused to break the challenge in Nate’s stare. Nate cried uncle first when Roxie called his name. He blinked and looked up at her, repentant.

Grayson bent to kiss Jane on the top of the head, her hair soft tickling his lips, and whispered, “Call off your guard dog.”

She giggled a little. But before he could get offended she leaned up on her toes and kissed his cheek. “Nate. Roxie,” Jane said, “a lot has happened this week. I don’t know exactly where to begin to tell you about it. And maybe I shouldn’t tell you about it at all, except that you both should know that Grayson and I … I mean, me and Grayson … We…” She shook her head, rubbing at her forehead with her fingertips.

“
Is it that hard to tell them you love me?” Grayson snapped, insulted. His short, clipped words had more to do with Nate than with Jane. He was just about to apologize when Jane went up on her toes again. This time her lips met his. He hadn’t expected a kiss at all, and certainly hadn’t expected the long, leisurely caress of her mouth. When she drew back she smiled, her eyes were soft with desire.

Without breaking their gaze, Jane told their audience, “I love him. I am crazy in love with Grayson Pierce.”

Roxie gasped then squealed and clapped her hands together once. “That is so awesome!”

“
Jane?” Nate asked.

“
It’s okay, Nate. I don’t need a bodyguard, at least not against Grayson. I appreciate your concern. You’re a great friend. The big brother I never had. I need you to cut Grayson a break. Because I love him.”

“
What about
him
?” Nate jerked his head in Grayson’s direction. “He love you back?”

Grayson wasn’t normally a wear-your-feelings-on-your-sleeve kinda guy, but it seemed like the moment to lay his cards on the table. He kissed Jane on the forehead. “I have loved Jane since I figured out what true love was. Maybe even before that. It just took me too damned long to convince her of it. She won’t ever wonder again.”

Nate stood, crossing the room to stand directly in front of Grayson and Jane. He looked from Jane to Grayson and nodded, then stuck out his hand. “I’m glad.”

Grayson gripped his hand, squeezing a little harder than necessary. Nate grinned and his grasp tightened. He yanked, pulling Grayson closer, and whispered, “You’re whipped, man.” His eyes darted to Roxie and he grinned. “Welcome to the club.”

ONCE NATE WAS CONVINCED THAT GRAYSON wasn’t out to break Jane’s heart, he went outside to get the camera and tripod from the back of his 4-Runner. He got everything set up. “Okay, let’s do this.”

Jane settled in a recliner and Grayson took another. She asked. He answered. That was how things went for about the next twenty minutes. Nate unclipped the camera and glanced at Jane.

“
What do you want for b-roll?” Nate asked, camera on his shoulder.

“
What do you want us to show everybody?” she asked Grayson.

Grayson shrugged. “Believe it or not this is my first real interview. I’ve never allowed a reporter in my home. What kinds of things do you usually show?”

She looked from the cozy room with its masculine appeal and immensely decorated tree to the beams across the ceiling to the stairs where the railing was covered in garland.

“
We could make every woman drool by showing where you sleep,” she said with a laugh.

He laughed and lifted his shoulder again. “Whatever.”

Nate headed toward the stairs. Grayson took Jane’s hand and they followed him. She hadn’t even realized her hands were cold until his warm one encased hers. “You know,” he whispered into her ear, “there’s never been another woman in that bed.”

His words surprised her and the emotion must have shown on her face. He kissed the top of her head as they started up the stairs. “There will never be another. You’re it for me, Janie.”

She smiled up at him. She stopped on a step and put her hand on his chest, making him stop one step down. They were nearly eye-to-eye and she kissed the tip of his nose. “You’re it for me too, Grayson.”

He wrapped his arms around her and rested his forehead against her breasts. She listened to him breathe and the thumping of her own heart for what seemed like an eternity. It must have seemed like forever to Nate too, because he cleared his throat from the top of the stairs.

“
I hate to interrupt.” He cleared his throat again. “I doubt you’d be real happy about me just poking around your house. You wanna show me what you two lovebirds want to put on TV?”

The tour of the upstairs was quick and didn’t include the room where Gracie was sawing logs. They trudged down the stairs where Roxie was seated in a recliner. She stood and came over. “Did you guys get everything you needed? It’s started snowing and, if we’re gonna make it home, we’d better get on the road.”

By the look on his face, Nate was giving Jane the final say. She’d wanted to get more footage; maybe Grayson with the horses or riding his ATV or just … she didn’t know. There was no doubt she could make the story with what they had, but she wanted more.

“
We’re gonna have to stay a little longer,” Nate told Roxie. “It’ll be okay. We’ve got four-wheel-drive.”

“
You’re welcome to stay here,” Jane said, feeling a bit guilty for Nate’s decision. As soon as the words were out of her mouth she realized two things: Nate could read her like a book and she’d just invited people to stay in a home where she didn’t pay the mortgage.

Before she could retract the invitation Grayson put his hand on the small of her back and said, “Stay. The roads are going to be hell. It’s only supposed to get worse in the next few hours and it’s supposed to clear out by tomorrow afternoon. You can leave then.”

Roxie needed convincing. “I don’t know. We don’t want to impose.”

“
You’re not,” Jane said. “You can use the room where Gracie’s sleeping. It’s not like I’ve been using it anyway.” She felt her cheeks blush.

Nate chuckled, not missing a thing. He stepped next to Roxie and put his arm around her waist. It was obvious that Roxie didn’t want to stay and even more obvious that Nate could read her easier than he could read Jane.

“
We appreciate the offer,” Nate said, “but we’re gonna head out anyway. We’ve been away from home for long enough. Gracie doesn’t sleep well when she’s not in her own bed and it’s taking its toll.”

“
I guess I can understand that,” Jane said, both bummed and relieved. She’d just gotten Grayson to herself and she wasn’t ready to share him yet. “Can I keep the camera to get some more for the story?”

“
You’ll be back on Monday?”

“
Yep.”

Nate tipped his head and shrugged an enormous shoulder. “I guess that would be okay. I’ll pick you up Monday morning.”

It only took a few minutes for Nate and Roxie to gather everything they’d come with—sans the camera. Grayson stood at Jane’s back, his body heat warming her. They waved from the porch until they couldn’t see the vehicle anymore. He turned Jane in his arms and took her face between his hands, kissing her soundly.

He pulled back so that they could breathe and ushered her inside. “I have to admit that I’m not upset they left.”

“
Me either. The invitation just kind of flew out of my mouth before my brain could stop it. Are you mad that I extended your hospitality without asking first?”

“
Not at all. My home is your home. In fact I have something for you.” He reached into his pocket.

“
Another surprise?” She laughed softly.

“
I hope it’s something you’ll use … a lot.” He held up a key in front of her eyes and for a moment she couldn’t breathe. “I wanted to make this more romantic.”

She felt tears sting her eyes and blinked. “This is perfectly romantic.”

“
Are you okay having a key to my place on your key ring?”

“
As long as you’re okay with tampons under your bathroom sink.”

Her comment stunned him, she could tell. His lip quirked like he wanted to laugh but the mortification in his eyes made her wonder if he was going to snatch the key back and push her out into the coming snowstorm.

“
Um, I guess that comes with the territory.”

“
Yep. Are you okay with feminine products in your house?”

He smiled then. “As long as you don’t expect me to buy them.”

THE NEXT MORNING SUNSHINE STREAKED through the slits in the blinds. Jane wondered how much snow had come down last night and how hard it was going to be to get off Grayson’s property. His roads weren’t paved, just hard packed dirt and a layer of cinders. Now they would be covered with snow and mud.

She knew the moment he awoke because his fingers started to move ever so slowly, teasingly over her skin. They moved up and down her arm. His lips kissed the nape of her neck and goose bumps spread over her body.

He chuckled softly. “Good morning.”

“
Morning,” she sighed, rolling onto her back.

His tortuous strokes then moved to her stomach, making a trail up around her nipple before his hand closed and kneaded her breast.

“
I’ve been thinking,” he said as his palm moved up to cradle her face.

“
You didn’t hurt yourself, did you?” She giggled when he jabbed a finger into her side.

He kissed her, gentle at first then more determined, like he was branding her. “I can’t live without you,” he said breathlessly.

“
Well, it’s a good thing you don’t have to.” She was a little breathless herself. “I’m not going anywhere. Er … I guess I am. But I’m just going home. My heart is yours.”

“
That’s the problem. Not your heart, your leaving. I hate the idea of you leaving, even if it is only to go back to your job.”

“
I’m not quitting my job,” she said adamantly.

He popped himself up on an elbow and looked down at her, his fingers continuing their unconscious movements. “I’m not asking you to. What I’m proposing—” He grinned when she scowled. “—is that I come with you. Would you mind having my toothbrush on your bathroom counter?”

Wow! She’d never imagined having this conversation. As much as she disliked the idea of leaving Grayson’s sanctuary, she hadn’t wanted to play the part of needy girlfriend and ask him to drop his life and follow her just so that he can hold the couch down while she went about doing her thing.

“
Jane?” She could hear the doubt in his voice and hated that she’d made even a moment of uncertainty creep into his mind.

“
I’m okay.” Tipping her head, she kissed him. “I can’t think of a better place for your toothbrush.”

“
Phew.” He made a dramatic point of sweeping his hand over his forehead.

She laughed. “As much as I’d love to make love this morning, I have to pack and get ready. I’m not even sure I can get my car out of your driveway.”

“
I’ve got a tow chain and a winch. We can get it out.”

She looked at him skeptically.

“
Worst case scenario, we leave it here,” he announced like it was the most obvious answer to the problem.

Jane didn’t like that idea. At all. She needed her car. Her brows furrowed and she clamped her top teeth down on her bottom lip.

His right brow arched and he smirked. His hand smoothed her hair back from her forehead and he leaned down to kiss it. “Worst case scenario, we’ll leave your car here …
and
you can drive the Jeep. I’ll take the truck. You’ll have a set of wheels to escape if you need some time away from me.”

“
It’s not that I anticipate needing time away from you. I’ll need a way to get to work and—”

“
Didn’t Nate volunteer to pick you up?”

She frowned and narrowed her eyes at him. “That’s not an everyday occurrence. He just needs to pick his
camera
up from me Monday morning. Since I’ll have … Ugh!” She yanked the sheets back and instantly regretted the action when cold air doused her naked body. Since she’d already started the whole dramatic exit thing … well, hell.

“
Why are we even having this conversation?” she snapped. “I want my car … because it’s my car.” She stomped across the room, making sure that her feet made noise as they slapped against the hard wood floor. She wasn’t really mad and she was acting like a child. In fact, she was a little embarrassed by her actions.

When he whistled and started in with the catcalls she laughed and turned her head to blow him a kiss.