A Risk Worth Taking (11 page)

Abby sensed they’d only declared a truce and she made a move for the car before he changed his mind. He stilled her hand as she reached for the door handle. “At least let me do this much for you.” His voice came out dark and slow like molasses on a January morning.

Yes indeed, he could be mighty persuasive.
She nodded, finding words impossible with his hand skating the length of her back as he eased her inside.

Persuasive or not, she couldn’t let him swoop in and start fixing all her problems any more than she could let herself grow accustomed to his help. Since childhood, her only safety net was careful planning and cautious decisions.

“Where are we headed next?” Grant asked. Tension tightened his jaw, making his smile strained.

“The Avenues,” she answered, hoping the next leg of their shopping misadventures would be riddled with fewer emotional potholes.

An hour and four stores later, Abby handed off the shopping bag to Grant as they left Party Place. She’d given up trying to carry her own packages, figuring she’d won the battle over the car so she could let him have his way about who carried her packages.

As they stepped onto the cobblestone sidewalk of the open air mall, he pointed to a coffee shop with his chin. “What you say we take a break?”

She checked the people milling around. With churches letting out shortly, the place was going to become a zoo. “We’ve only been at it an hour,” she responded.

He pointed to the incline of stores ahead. “Your Sherpa needs a break before we attack the summit.”

“A short one, but then we press on to the end.”

Grant guided them passed the open patio filled with Sunday shoppers to a quiet corner inside. “I’ll order you something if you want to wait here,” he said, placing her bags in a chair.

“Skinny latte,” she answered. Her cheeks ached from smiling. Since leaving the car dealership, Grant had gone out of his way to ease the tension between them. Besides making her laugh at his corny jokes, he’d been careful to keep his public displays of affection to sly touches.

She appreciated his keeping their relationship low key, but she missed his touch. In a short time she’d come to crave the way his callouses abraded her skin. Her fingers brushed the place on her neck where he’d nipped her, her sensitive skin remembering the searing touch of his mouth.
Maybe if they hurried through the next two stops they could be at his place soon.
“That sneaky rat,” she breathed, realizing his hands-off tactic was working in his favor.

He arched an eyebrow as he handed her the coffee. “Everything okay?” he asked.

She patted her cheek. “Of course,” she answered, blushing further realizing that he’d managed to get her hot and bothered without even being present.

“Before I forget,” he said pulling the folded receipts from his coat pocket. “Let me give you these.” He gestured to the one from the catering supply store. “The kids are going to love the inflatable jump house and slide at the family day picnic, and I was really impressed with the deal you wrangled on the supplies.”

“Pinching pennies is one of my many talents,” she said. A necessary one considering she wasn’t rich as sexy King Midas sitting across from her.

His finger brushed across the back of her hand. “Among others,” he said, his voice low and seductive. Then he shifted around in his seat. Once he’d gotten comfortable, he took a sip from his drink. “I want to thank you again for pitching in with the Help and Hope Foundation. Between the picnic and the new corporate sponsors, you’ve been working like a fiend. You’re going to leave a vacuum when you go to London.”

“I’m glad this opportunity came along,” she said, her chest growing tight as she recalled the countdown Ms. Griffin had included in her email.

“When did you decide about the teacher exchange program? You didn’t mention it when we were in Turks and Caicos.”

“It wasn’t until after the wedding.” Her gaze darted up to him. “In fact, you should get credit for me making the decision.”

“How’s that?”

“You asked me to go scuba diving with you and I said I’d be too scared to do it.”

The corners of his mouth turned up. “I remember. You got mad and told me to stop bullying you.”

Abby shook her head. “You weren’t bullying me, just offering me a challenge.” She’d been so mad with herself for missing out on an opportunity to do something different that she’d almost signed up for scuba classes her gym offered.

Then she’d run across a flier stuck to the bulletin board in the teachers’ lounge. She’d gotten her application in just under the wire. “After years of doing the same thing, I’m ready to shake things up a little. I saw the program not only as a professional challenge but a personal one as well.”

“I don’t deserve credit for you taking that step.” He winked. “You’re braver than you think.”

“Maybe,” she said, feeling warm with his praise. “Are you ready to go?”

“How many more stores?” he asked, rocking the male stereotypical attitude on shopping.

“What happened to ‘I’ll hold your purse’?”

He leaned in and whispered. “That was when I thought there was a chance to see you naked.”

She rolled her eyes. “One more here at the Avenues, and then we tackle the hardware store.”

Grant picked up the pace as they cleared the coffee shop. “Come on then. I actually like hardware stores.”

“You’ll really like this place. I’ve been going to Milton Hardware since I bought my house. I’m practically an employee,” she explained.

Two stores down from their bath store destination, a display outside Mayer’s jewelry store stopped her forward momentum. “Oh look, aquamarines,” she breathed, touching the glass display case. “So pretty.”

Grant quirked an eyebrow. “You like them?”

Were they back to this again?
She cut her eyes at him in warning, to which he quickly raised his hands in surrender. “I do,” she answered, her voice filled with humor at his antics.

“Your birthstone?”

She stepped away from the display. “The last birthday cake Chris made for me had so many candles on it that it looked like the burning of Atlanta.” Abby fixed him with one of her famous quelling looks. “Don’t laugh. It’s true.”

He looked at her in mock horror. “Not for all the motorcycles in the world.”

The buzz of his phone cut off their laughter, and as he reached for it she pointed to the bedding store. He nodded, thumbing toward the parking lot and they went their separate ways.

Knowing exactly what she wanted, she made it through the store in near record time, meeting Grant just as he was coming in. “All done,” she announced.

“Excellent,” he said, rubbing his hands together. “One more store and we can call this day a success.”

****

Grant used to like hardware stores. He could get lost for hours checking out the newest power tools and barbeque grills. As he stood next to Abby in Milton Hardware, he decided not anymore, now he hated them. Thanks to the fucker standing behind the paint counter. The one who couldn’t get the lid back on the paint can for staring at her breasts.

“So what room are you painting this girly shade of purple?” the guy with Henry stitched on his shirt asked.

Hardware Henry couldn’t have been any more obvious with his leering if he’d had cartoon eyes bugging out of his head. Grant wanted to adjust where the guy’s gaze landed with a fist to the jaw. Instead, he wrapped an arm around Abby’s shoulders to pull her in close.

Her brow furrowed, Abby cut her eyes at him, before answering. “I’m redoing Jackson’s bedroom. I’ll be having some people stay in my home this summer and they have two little girls. I thought they might like this color.”

The explanation pulled Grant from his plans for teaching Hardware Henry some manners. He wanted to talk her out of going, but knew he had no right. They hadn’t even talked about being exclusive, much less what they’d do when she left. From his side of the paint counter, Grant knew what he wanted from the relationship. He wanted to throw Abby over his shoulder and bolt out of the store. Grant sucked in a breath, trying to get a handle on his inner caveman. But Hardware Henry was triggering all kinds of possessive instincts.

“Here you go, Abby. I threw in a plastic drop cloth and a couple extra paint stirrers for you,” he said, touching her hand as he passed the supplies to her.

“Awww, Henry. You didn’t have to do that,” she drawled. “You spoil me.”

Through his testosterone fog, he noted Abby had quickly snatched her hand away. But Hardware Henry seemed set on acting completely clueless. “Anything for you, sweetheart.” His lips formed a leering smile as he addressed Abby’s chest. “If you have any problems, feel free to call here at the store. I’d be glad to come lend a hand.”

Abby’s broad smile evaporated. “Thanks, but I think I can handle it.”

The fucker opened his mouth like he was going to hit her up with another round of being helpful. Grant was all over it and leaning over the counter he put it in terms even an idiot could understand. “The lady said she could handle it.”

Hardware Henry took a big step backwards. “Sure, right,” he stuttered. “Austin can check you out up front.”

Grant steered Abby toward the front of the store, his hand resting at the small of her back. But, as they reached the front of the store, Grant saw his trials weren’t over. The barely out of his teens guy behind the counter took one look at Abby and brightened like he’d just seen his first sports car. “Hi, Abby, I haven’t seen you here in a while.”

“Shame on me, huh.” Abby cocked her head, studying the young guy. “Are you growing a beard or did you lose your razor?” she teased.

The kid turned bright red from the collar of his shirt to the scalp beneath his brush cut. “Just decided not to shave during my break from school.”

“Adds five years to you,” she said, nodding. Then she turned to Grant. “Austin attends Lee Military College.” She looked back at the young guy who was still blushing as he bagged Abby’s purchases. “Majoring in political science, isn’t it?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he answered, eyes ping ponging between she and Grant. Then as Grant made eye contact, the kid looked down and away.
That’s right, little man.
As much as Grant wanted to cut the kid some slack, he’d run out of understanding and was past ready to get the hell out of the leech-infested place. “Are we done here?” Grant asked, snatching the bags off the counter.

Abby shot him a look that probably caused miscreant ten-year-olds to quake in their sneakers, a look Grant completely earned. “Very done.”

His hand firmly around her waist, Grant led them out of the store.
God, this had been a long fucking day.
His palms itched to take Abby in his arms and tell her how crazy he was about her. No, crazy didn’t quite get it. He’d left crazy a long time ago. Grant thought back to the only other serious relationship he’d had. The one that resulted in his beautiful daughter, but thanks in no small part to him had blown up in his face.

Grant slammed the trunk closed and raked his fingers threw his hair. He wanted this thing with Abby to go somewhere, but he if wanted it, he was going to have to drop the steamer trunks worth of baggage he was humping. The memory of walking in on his wife flashed in his head. Whatever it took, he’d do just about anything to never have a repeat of that.

He reached for the ignition. “Would you like me to pick us up some lunch before we head back to your place?” Gunning the engine, he pulled out of the Milton Hardware like he’d just boosted the thing, like if he drove fast enough he could outrun the past.

Abby drummed her fingers against the door handle. “No, just take me home.”

While moving the sedan through Sunday afternoon traffic, he cut his eyes at her. “You’re awfully quiet.”

She chuffed, thinking he really didn’t want her talking right now. After another few minutes of silence, during which the thrumming in her head only got louder, she had to let some of her anger out. Either that or her head was going to explode. “You know, I wasn’t planning on running off with Henry.”

He nodded but didn’t offer an explanation.

Abby rolled her eyes. “Your hands were all over me the whole time we were in his department. Same goes for the Austin in check out. If you’d felt me up any more, we’d have gotten kicked out.”

She didn’t mind public displays of affection as long as they were for the right reasons. Marking his territory wasn’t a valid reason.

He scowled at her from beneath hooded eyes that turned the color of midnight. “They were undressing you with their eyes.”

Abby barked a laugh but not because she thought anything about the situation was humorous. “They were flirting. I’m a very good customer. That’s all. I’m not interested in them.”

“All you would have had to do was crook your finger and both those men would have been all over you like a bad suit. You have the same effect on me.”

His comment might have made her hot and bothered if she wasn’t mad as hell at him. “And you think I’m just going to have sex with the first guy who winks at me or gives me an extra paint stick.” She was really feeling a head of steam rolling. “Is it my moral character in question here or womankind universally?”

Grant steered the car into a grocery store parking lot. After killing the engine, he let out a breath. “Fuck. This is so not how I saw this day going. I don’t want to fight with you again.”

She jutted out her chin. “That won’t be a problem. I don’t appreciate that you’ve felt the need to stake your claim.”

Faster than she could track, he had her seatbelt off and was tugging her across the center console and into his lap. She really wanted to dig in her heels. Now was not the time to manhandle her.

He cupped her face gently in his huge hands. Below the three worry lines creasing his forehead, his crystal blue eyes were pleading. “I have some bad history with infidelity, so I’m probably hypersensitive about flirting and shit like that.”

Her anger melted. “Is that why you asked if Chris and I were a couple?