Fall From Grace(87)

“Hi,” he said with his cheeks turning brighter. “I’m Blake, Tucker’s cousin.”

I froze, unable to speak.  I held his gaze. It was all I could do to keep myself composed and not throw myself at him.  I hoped no one noticed how fast my heart was pounding against my chest or how my hands clammed up and balled into fists, trying to hold myself back from reaching out to touch him.

Tucker shot up and leaned into the space between Blake and me, folding his arms.  His face was tight and possessive.  “Thanks cuz, but I don’t want to be responsible for your brand new truck,” he said eyeing Blake.  “Besides, Grace doesn’t even know you, so I don’t think she’d be that comfortable driving with you, since her feelings for her safety have been questioned lately.”  Crap, I hated lawyers.  It would look completely horrible for me to drive with someone I just met, but I needed to be alone with him somehow.  I needed him to know who I really was.  Finally.  He had to be Shamsiel!

Blake pushed himself off the counter and looked down at Tucker as if he was trying to scare him.  I could smell the testosterone in the air.  Everyone in the kitchen had stopped talking and watched the exchange between them.

Shane jumped off the counter and strolled passed us as if nothing was going on.  When he reached where I stood, he turned to Tucker and Blake, who were standing toe to toe with each other fists clenched.  “Wow, this is like mating season at the zoo.  Why don’t I go with Grace later after she picks up what she needs?  After all, everyone knows there will never be anything between Grace and me.  Ever.”  He emphasized the word ever and looked at me through his icy blue eyes

Shane’s words seemed to do something to Blake, because he seemed even angrier, but he backed off Tucker all the same.

Blake stepped towards Shane, but Shane sidestepped him and ignored the advance.  Shane just walked closer to me and gently escorted me out of the kitchen and back down the hallway to his room, “You have a strong effect on people, don’t you?”

I could still barely speak.  I just stood in the center of his room and stared at the door.  My mind tried to formulate coherent thoughts, but I was just grasping for straws. I couldn’t think logically, because all I could see in my mind were those ancient blue eyes.

Lea walked in Shane’s room and jolted me back to reality.  She shot me a wide-eyed look that expressed her concern about what had just happened.  “What in the world was that about?”

Forgetting Shane was in the room with us, I grabbed at her hands, my heart beating wildly.  “Did you see the color of his eyes?”

She gave me a perplexed look.  I heard Shane behind us stop what he was doing and he turned to listen.  I glanced at him and just shrugged my shoulders like nothing mattered.  I leaned in close to Lea and whispered softly, hoping Shane couldn’t hear, “He has the exact color that I’ve been looking for.”

Lea’s eyes danced with understanding, “Are you effing serious?  Are you positive?”  She started pacing and dancing around.

“What are you two whispering about? What have you been looking for?” Conner asked walking in.  He nodded to Shane after, “Someone has got to talk to Tucker, he’s obsessed.  And did you see him and Blake? Dude, I thought it was going to come to blows.”

Shane said nothing; he just stared at me, waiting for me to say something.  I let go of Lea and tried to act calm and restrained.  “I just think that everyone is a bit nervous and out of sorts because of what’s going on, that’s all.  Everyone’s on edge, so we definitely should get out of the city and up to Tucker’s as soon as we can.  It’ll make everyone relax and we won’t have to look over our shoulders for a while.”  I watched Shane for a reaction.