The Dom Who Loved Me (Masters and Mercenaries #1)(14)

“Matt…”

He put a finger over her lip. “Hush. I just asked you to think about it. Can you do that?”

Grace nodded. She doubted she would be able to think about anything else.





Chapter Four


Grace set her laptop bag at her feet as she scooted into the booth at O’Hagen’s. The small pub was half a block away from the office, making it the perfect place to end the very long and frustrating day. When Adam had shown up at her desk at four, she’d leapt at the chance to spend a little time with him and Jake.

“Hey, do you want me to move that over here?” Adam asked, indicating the heavy bag.

Grace shook her head. “No. It’s fine. I like to keep it close. It’s kind of got my whole life in it. I never let that sucker out of my sight.”

Adam leaned back, his masculine beauty a study in negligent grace. “I bet it’s not your whole life, sweetheart.”

She sank into the comfortable booth, every muscle in her body relaxing after a taxing day. She needed this. She needed to sit and talk to friends and drink a glass of wine. It reminded her that she really did have a life. “You would be surprised. My kids are in college. I live alone. Work is pretty much my life.”

And she’d been all right with that for the last few years. After her husband died, sinking into work and family had been comforting. But lately, she’d felt how alone she was. Watching Adam and Jake connect was a bittersweet reminder of how much she’d missed having a man in her life.

“Two Cosmos.” Jake smiled down at Grace as he passed her a frosty pink drink. He set one in front of Adam as well. Grace noted that Jake already had a beer sitting in front of his seat.

“Seriously?” Adam asked, staring at the drink.

Jake grinned at his new boyfriend. They were so cute together. “I remember you talking about how much you loved Cosmos. And I know Grace likes them. Look at how cute she looks with a pink drink in her hand. Very festive.”

Grace took a sip. She really did love Cosmos.

Adam reached out for his. “Nice beer you have there, Jake.”

Jake slid into the booth next to Adam. He picked up his beer and tipped it toward his partner. “I’m not as urbane as you, love. I’m afraid I’m still a country boy at heart. I just love a nice, cold beer.”

Adam’s eyes narrowed briefly and then he smiled that sweet, smooth smile Grace was coming to love. His shoulders came up in a negligent shrug. “Well, it’s your ruggedness I find truly attractive.” He turned to Grace. “Although softness is infinitely appealing, too.”

She rolled her eyes as she took another sip of her icy cold drink. Adam was a ridiculous flirt. He seemed to prefer to flirt with women though, she’d noticed. She supposed women were safe to flirt with. Jake didn’t seem at all jealous as Adam’s hand found hers across the table and entwined their fingers together. Adam really was a tactile person. He was always hugging her and taking her hand.

“I’m not so soft, you know,” Grace countered. “Just today, I had to put a man in his place.”

She grinned, thinking about it. Sean Johansson had tried to maneuver her into spending the afternoon with him. He’d had all kinds of excuses for why she should sit in on the meeting between him and Matt. She had only really needed one reason to not sit close to Sean. Last night’s episode with Matt had her thinking. She had to keep Sean at arm’s length. He was too tempting. If she let herself go along with his playful flirtation, she was going to end up the laughingstock of the office.

“I heard that big blond guy was hitting on you pretty hard,” Jake said. He’d taken off his tie and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his immaculate dress shirt, showing off several inches of tan, muscular skin. No wonder Adam was so into him.

Grace waved off his words with the hand Adam wasn’t holding. “He’s a man after a good deal. I think he’s figured out the way to the boss’s heart is through his admin.”

“Then why was Kayla playing admin today?” Adam asked.

That had been her solution. Kayla had been more than amenable. Sean had told her that he required someone to take notes and type them up so he would have a hard copy of all the meeting’s high points. Grace had given him Kayla, who was more than happy to stare at the gorgeous man all day long. Grace had beaten a hasty retreat, holing up in the supply closet doing an inventory that wasn’t really due for another two weeks and that should have been handled by someone else.

She’d run like the coward she was, and she wasn’t ashamed. “I had some other things to do. Kayla didn’t mind.”

Adam chuckled a bit. “Give him hell, sweetheart. Don’t you let that big bastard charm you. I know the type.”

“Really?” Jake asked, staring pointedly at Adam.

“I do. He looks like the ‘love ’em and leave ’em’ type. He’s not right for our Grace.” Adam’s hand stroked across hers sweetly. “Grace needs someone different. She needs someone who’s in it for the long haul.”

A long shadow fell over the table. “What are we hauling? Dare I take a wild guess?”

Grace pulled her hand back from Adam’s. Sean stood at the head of their table, his jacket held over one shoulder. Like Jake, he’d ditched the tie and looked gorgeous and casual. He stared down at Adam, a fierce frown on his face.