Hooked (Viking Bastards MC #1)(29)

“Don’t leave on my account.” Grace tries to stand up, but I’m not having that and tighten my hold on her. I don’t care what she wears on the beach, she’s not giving my brother an eyeful of her gorgeous body poured into that corset. He can see enough as it is.

“See you around.” The expression on his face doesn’t give anything away, and not until the front door bangs behind him does Grace sag against me.

“Ugh. That was so embarrassing.”

I stroke her back, hiding my grin, because she’s so cute when she gets flustered. “No, it wasn’t.”

She pulls upright. “How can you say that? It was excruciating.”

“I’ll put a Do Not Disturb sign on the front door next time you’re here. How’s that?”

“Very subtle.”

“I’ll fix an inside bolt on the door. Then when we get down and dirty we’ll know for sure we won’t be interrupted.” I leer at her, and she groans. I’m only half kidding about the deadbolt. It’s never bothered me before the way Gage wanders in and out of the apartment as though he still lives here, but that was before Grace.

It takes a couple of seconds before that thought fully penetrates. Before Grace? This is just a casual thing. Why am I planning ahead?

I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. She’s here now, and that’s all I need.





Chapter Eleven


Zach


It’s early Thursday evening, and I’m standing on the forecourt with Cade when Kat strolls home. I break off from checking out his bike. “Hey, Kat.”

She gives us a bored glance. “What?”

“Grace’s coming over. Can you sort something out to eat?”

She frowns. “Why’s she coming over tonight? You only ever hook up on weekends.”

Can’t deny that. For the last three weekends she’s stayed over either one or two nights, but she called earlier and asked if it was okay to get together tonight. Why would I say no to that kind of offer?

“You got a problem with it?” They seem to get on all right, and my sister’s even stopped making cracks about how she can never get to sleep when Grace is here.

She shrugs. “Whatever. Cade, you’re staying. I’m not going to be the only one trying to eat while those two are being disgusting with each other.”

“Are you cooking?” Cade sounds dubious about the whole thing, and I laugh since it’s obvious his reply depends on whether my sister plans on doing anything in the kitchen. He’s known her long enough, I’m surprised he even has to ask.

She gives him a death glare. “No, I’m not. Takeout tacos or fried chicken. Take your pick.”

Kat’s not been gone long when Grace arrives. As Cade silently checks out her car, she comes toward me with a smile that always makes me want to grab her and never let her go.

To hell with it. Cade’s never given me a hard time about the way Grace nearly passed out when I took her for her tat, or the way I held her afterward. And even if he had, I don’t care anymore. Grace is mine, and if anyone has a problem with that, I’m happy to set them straight with the help of my fists.

I pull her close and kiss her like we haven’t seen in each in years instead of four days. Considering I was never a great one for kissing before I met her, I’m sure making up for it now.

She pulls back, looking a little flustered, and glances at Cade. “Hi.”

“Hey.” He even gives her a brief smile. “Had any trouble with the tat?”

“It’s been great. No problems at all.”

I’m still holding her hand as they pass a few more comments, and it’s weird. Not Grace being friendly and polite, because that’s just the kind of girl she is. It’s Cade. He’s treating her as though she’s Kat, or Ty’s kid sister Savannah, not a hot chick who shares my bed.

My fingers tighten around hers. Cade’s accepted her as part of my life, and I don’t even know how I feel about it. I enjoy hooking up with her and we’re great together. Hell, we even text each other, and I’m not just talking about sexting. I’ve never thought any more about what we have because it’s nothing serious.

How can it be serious when she’s from Malibu?

I’ve no idea where I’m going with this, and it’s starting to freak me out, so I shove it to the back of my mind. Why ruin a good thing by over thinking it?

…

A couple of hours later, the four of us are in the living room drinking beer and hanging out as if this is something we do all the time. Truth is, I expected Cade to leave as soon as we’d eaten, but he looks set for the night, sprawled on one of the armchairs with his legs stretched out.

Grace is curled up on the sofa next to me and my arm’s draped around her shoulders. And while I can’t wait to get her to bed, I’m in no hurry to drag her there right now, in front of my sister and Cade, like I would with any other chick.

Which is crazy, as I want Grace more than any other woman I’ve ever met, but I know her, and she’ll go red and stress that they’ll hear everything we do. It’s like no one has sex in her world, or if they do it’s all done in secret with the lights out.

But that’s okay. She’s not going anywhere tonight. And the strange thing is I’m enjoying this evening, as much as if I was hanging with a couple of my brothers instead of my girl.