The Mind (The Reluctant Romantics #1.5) (7 page)

“Grant, what in the hell are you doing!” I heard him chuckle as the heat began to blow on my face and was instantly drenched in sweat. The blood in my head began to boil as he turned on the radio, ignoring my fervent pleas to turn on the air. I leaned in to change the air myself and he swatted my hand away with a scolding “No!”

After another minute of melting into his leather seat, I look at him incredulously.

“What?” He was laughing hysterically at my reaction until I started to open my door at a stop light. He reached over and pulled the door closed, still smiling as he consoled me. “Okay, baby...now it gets wonderful.”

He turned on the air conditioner and the ice-cold air hit me and took away my itch to escape the truck. He turned onto the highway, hitting the gas hard and cracked his windows, allowing the heat to make its way out the window.

“Ahhh.” I sank in my seat enjoying the comfort of the air. Still a bit furious with his bullshit stunt I looked over at him as he continued to laugh silently.

“You’re a mean bastard,” I said with a grudging smile.

He turned to me with what I knew now was his signature wink. “You’re it for me, Rose.”

“Back to this again, huh? Stop being such a moron.”

“I’ll prove it.”

“Okay, Grant, just take me to study.”

After my statement, I realized that I had left the book I needed
and
my tablet back at my apartment. How in the hell had I managed that after protesting so profusely!? I’d left the one thing I needed the most. I demanded he take me back but he refused, stating I needed a break.

“You want me to be in this
fling
with you and you are ruining it already by keeping me from my books!” I saw him flinch at the word fling and felt guilty at my word choice.

“You need this. Give me one day. I didn’t forget your books, you did.”

“You’re right, you didn’t but, Grant—”

“But shit, shut up and have fun with me, Rose.” He pulled up to a gas station and jumped out of the truck to escape my reply. I laughed at his boldness. This guy clearly didn’t have a clue who he was talking to. When he emerged from the store, his eyes found mine through the windshield and I could see they were asking me, not telling me. When he opened the door and made himself comfortable, I let him off the hook.

“Fine,” I said when he started the truck.

He leaned in and gave me a soft kiss. “Thanks, you won’t regret it.”

I reasoned my way into a day of fun with the most amazing sex partner and super sexy man I’d ever met. I took in his features as he smiled heavily all the way to the gate of his land. I hadn’t noticed it on our first night but the gate ran in a great length across a number of different pastures. It was way more than I had seen on our previous trip. There were fields and fields of undeveloped land and we were completely secluded. Trees lined the outer banks of the gate and only a few were visible within them. We pulled up to the most shaded area and I saw the pond a great distance ahead of us.

“How much do you own?”

“All of it. As far as you can see.”

“It’s amazing.”

“Glad you like it because we’re going to build our house today, Rose.”

“What? I’m not qualified to do that!”

“Neither am I. We’re just daydreaming here.” He jumped out of the truck again before I could say another word but caught my eyes before he closed the door.

Looking around at the property, I saw the happiness cover his features as he unpacked his truck and took out a huge yellow island-sized float then hooked it up to a small air pump.

“Do you need any help?” I asked as he smoothed out the wrinkled edges of the float.

“Nope, I’ve got this. Make yourself comfortable,” he said, dumping ice into a cooler packed with beer.

“I have no suit.”

He didn’t hesitate before gracing me with his dimple. “Your bra and panties will do.”

“You could have asked me to bring one,” I said grudgingly.

“I hadn’t planned on it being this easy, but you surprised me again.”

“Well, to hell with your presumptions, Grant. I’d be more comfortable in a suit,” I ranted, growing impatient with his ready-made plans. I was becoming a sucker for him more and more by the minute.

“Oh, baby, you’re making me hard.” He teased as he eyed me over the enormous and growing float.

“You are
crazy
!” I declared with the lift of my voice.

“Crazy about the most beautiful woman in Texas.”

“Hardly.” I rolled my eyes and absently ran my hand through the rat’s nest on top of my head, trying to separate my curls.

“I’ve searched for you high and low.”

“Liar, you were with that girl when you met me.”

“I was with that girl for a good six months before I met you.” Shock washed over me as I realized this was all getting to be too much.

“You dumped your long-time girlfriend!”

“Yes, my plan was to break up with her. I went there for that purpose and I saw you. It was fate, if you ask me. And six months is not long-term and doesn’t even compare to the time we will be sharing.”

“It’s just so easy, huh? Move on to the next one? What does that say about you?” I put my hands on my hips, thinking of my old hurt caused by David and how easily he had pushed me aside after five long years together.

“It says I knew I was wasting my time with her. Stop being so dramatic. She and I were just another in between. You know what those are? The ‘in betweens’ to get to the good one.”

“Wow, poor girl. She must be heartbroken.”

“She wasn’t happy, but I don’t think she was completely faithful, either.”

“What do you mean?”

“I told you my schedule is crazy.”

“Yeah, so?”

“Well, last time I showed up late at her house, I found men’s boxers and an electric razor. She claimed her father left them when he visited. I seriously doubt her dad wears Armani boxers. Even if he did, why in the hell would he leave them at his daughter’s apartment? It was going nowhere. I wanted to end it then, but I got called back to Tennessee because of an emergency so I waited until I could come down again. I’m not the type of guy that can do that shit by phone or text. It’s just not me.”

“So why were you at our lecture?”

“She was nervous. She’d heard about what a hardass the doctor was and she wanted me there. I had no intention of staying until I saw you.” He popped a beer and hung his head as he looked at me. “Rose, listen to me, hear me. It’s over with her and you have no reason to feel guilty, and I sure as hell don’t. My heart wasn’t in it.” He turned on his portable speaker and I heard country music reverberate across the pond.

“Oh, hell no. Better find something else,” I said with a laugh. When it came to music, I was a snob of sorts, and country was out of the question.

“It’s my taste and I love it. Get used to it.”

“I most certainly will not!” I stated as he gave me a wink as he closed the cap to the now full float before tossing it onto the ground. “You are involved with a true Texan, kid. Deal with it.”

I rolled my eyes as he took a bag of weed from his pocket and began to roll a joint on the hood of his car. I looked around us as if the police would be running up on us at any minute.

I lifted my brow at his new chore. “Don’t expect me to smoke that with you, stoner cowboy.”

“It might do you a world of wonder...Doctor.”

“I’ve tried it. Not for me. No one smokes pot past the age of twenty-five anymore, Grant.”

His brow crested high at my statement. “Bullshit.”

“Look, I don’t condemn or condone, okay. Do what you want.” I circled around the huge float between us then grabbed a beer, downing it in seconds.

He eyed me as he twisted the last of his joint. “Like I said, it’s my only vice, aside from my newly formed addiction of living between your thighs. So, if it bothers you that much, I won’t.”

“No, it really doesn’t,” I replied before I quirked a grin up at him. “Do your thing.”

He stripped down to his briefs and I felt my body grow weak at the sight of him. He was perfectly built. He had a long torso and I could see every single muscle etched into him. His broad chest was sprinkled with dark hair, a string of tree branch tattoos that cascaded down his right forearm, and a wicked looking Cheshire cat on his shoulder. I loved tracing those branches as he hovered over me.

“Strip, beautiful. You’re safe here. There’s no one around.” He gave me a wicked grin that rivaled the cat on his arm before his next offering. “I bought sunblock. It’s in the bag in the front seat.” He took off with the float and placed it on the shallow bank in the water. I grabbed the bag from the seat, smiling as I noticed the rest of its contents. I opened the box, tucked two condoms into the padding of my bra, and hid the rest in the cab of the truck. Safe was an illusion with Grant around. The man had one hell of a sexual appetite.

Who’s got the power now, Tarzan? Jane does, that’s who.

I took off my clothes, thankful to be at least matching in my hot pink bra and panty set. I covered my body in the sunblock and whipped my head down when I felt Grant rubbing the excess onto my legs.

“Rose,” he breathed out heavily, looking up at me, his eyes asking me...
something.

“Grant,” I whispered breathlessly as he kneeled before me. His blue eyes looked up at me with so much need I was instantly raw. The look he gave me was sincere and desperate.

He licked me through my panties and I began panting as I felt the tug coming for me. “I crave this now,” he said, moving my panties to the side and flicking his tongue across my waiting center. “Licking—” flick “—you—” flick “—I could dine on this alone and sustain—” flick, flick, flick. I put my hands on his shoulders, letting him have his way. He slipped his fingers inside me gently while remaining on his knees. I felt his tongue explore me at my entrance where it met his fingers and leaned into his kiss. He only toyed with me, leaving me close to the edge but never pushing me over.

“It’s you.” He lifted off his knees and planted a gentle kiss on my lips then backed away, paralyzing me with his eyes but gripping me to him. “It’s definitely you.” I felt the words hit me deep and closed my eyes in unison with him as our lips met in a soft kiss. He dipped his tongue in, coaxing mine into a dizzying dance, and I felt a moan escape my throat. He pulled away again and my heart skipped, on the verge of believing that he did feel for me. I pulled him to me and jumped up to wrap my legs around him. He caught me and cupped my ass, holding me tightly to him as he searched my eyes. I leaned in slowly, kissed him this time with my own brand of gentleness, and watched his amazed expression when I pulled away. My lips shook again, very much like they did before our first kiss, and I heard my heart pounding in my ears. It was an addictive rush, more than just attraction, more than what I’d labeled this whole situation. It was just...
more
. I went in again, unable to get enough. They were nothing like the kisses we had shared last night. It was...different. I dropped my legs as he pulled me into him again. It was if we were fighting without saying a word. His kiss ran through me, weakening my knees, and they buckled as he gripped me tighter, letting me know he had me. And with that kiss, he did.

He pulled back, but kept my gaze and I stumbled forward into his chest. He smiled and nodded his head as if to confirm what had just happened. I simply stood looking up at him with fresh eyes while my heart banged against my chest.

“Ready to have some fun?”

I nodded in bewilderment as he scooped me up into both arms and sat me in the huge float at the edge of the pond. He pulled the cooler in and grabbed a few towels.

I sat in a daze, staring at him as he paddled us to the center of the pond.

I can’t love him already, and he can’t love me. That’s insane.

No way. He can’t love me. This can’t be real. I dismissed it all, chalking it up to being
without
for way too long. I wouldn’t go another year without sex. Apparently, it made a person delusional.

“Is it as pretty in the day as it is at night, Rose?” I nodded furiously, not taking my eyes off of him. He chuckled in delight and surprise as we both realized I was in no way referring to the land. His hair was perfectly straight but was so thick it feathered on each side of his chin as he tilted his head while rowing the small plastic paddles, leading us further into the pond. He pulled in the ores and plucked a beer from the cooler as I sat back, taking in the sun. I smiled and closed my eyes, thankful for being forced to have a day off.

“Tell me what you want, Rose.”

“Another beer,” I chuckled, holding my hand out and meeting his gaze.

“I’m serious. What do you see happening...you know, in the future?” He lit his joint and began smoking it as casually as one would smoke a cigarette. I laughed as he coughed through his first drag.

“It’s really hard to take you seriously when you’re smoking that stuff.”

“It’s not mind altering, baby. It relaxes me, I...um, need this more than you could ever know.” He paused briefly before he looked up, admitting, “I’m afraid to hit the bottle when I need to relax or take the edge off. My father...well, he was a real bastard when he was on the bottle, and I don’t want to end up like him. I don’t want to depend on anything, really, but it’s just been so fucking hard these last few years...just...hard.” His face went a little dark so I gave him an honest answer and a subject change.

“My sister and I want to start our own practice.”

He smirked a little, seemingly happy with my reply. “What else,” he prodded, tapping his ash into the water.

“I haven’t thought that far ahead.”

“Bullshit.” He coughed again, and I could clearly see the hard line in his shoulders disappear.

“Wow, that must be some good stuff.”

“It is.” He nodded. “Tell me what you want.”

“I want the life of an accomplished surgeon.”

“You can do that all on your own.”

“I don’t need anything else.” I was tempted to tell him then that I was a born romantic, and that I wanted a fairytale romance that led to a happy ending with beautiful children and toasts on every anniversary, and then some. But as many premature overtures as he’d made, I still didn’t feel comfortable confessing it to him...yet.