Her Rocky Mountain Protector Read online

  “No, I got him.” He took the handkerchief from his pocket, and gave it to the boy. “You finished?”

  Zack managed a weak nod. “Yeah, I want to go to bed.”

  “You got it.” Grady picked up his bundle and headed for the house. He carried him down the hall and into his bedroom. Placing him on the bunk bed, he stepped away and let Gina tend to her son.

  Gina managed to help Zack into clean pajamas, get his mouth washed out and put him back into the bunk. She checked the window as she’d done every night since the kidnapping. It was starting to rain. A flash of lightning lit up the sky, reminding her that it was spring in Colorado.

  “Are you going to be okay?” she asked her son.

  He nodded. “I think I ate too much stuff at Aunt Lori’s house.”

  She brushed back his hair. “Well, I’ll be close by.”

  He snuggled under the blanket as the rain outside grew more intense, pounding against the roof. She kissed her son’s head and realized he was already asleep.

  She walked down the hall and into the kitchen, stopping suddenly when she saw Grady standing at the sink with his broad back to her as he washed up. In only his white T-shirt, she watched his toned muscles work across his broad shoulders and back as he washed up. Her gaze lowered to those killer black jeans that emphasized his narrow waist and hips.

  She released a breath to calm her heart rate, glanced at his nice burgundy Western shirt wadded up on the table.

  “I’m sorry. Is your shirt ruined?”

  He turned around. “No, it just needs to be laundered.”

  She walked up to him. “Then I’ll do it. That and apologize for Zack getting sick all over you.”

  “Believe me this hasn’t been the first time. Through the years, I’ve held many a recruit’s head over a latrine. Listening to them bellyache was a lot worse.”

  She couldn’t get over this man. He took everything in his stride. “Well, as Zack’s mother, I thank you for all your help.”

  The tension in the room was evident. Was he remembering earlier? Their kiss?

  “I checked on Bandit, too,” Grady told her. “He’s fine, but I didn’t know if he should stay in the utility room, or go to Zack’s room.”

  “I’ve been trying to keep him on the porch.”

  “Good idea.” He leaned back against the sink. “I should leave.”

  “But it’s raining so hard.”

  His gaze remained on her. “If I don’t, Gina—”

  Suddenly lightning flashed and a loud crash of thunder sounded, then the lights flickered and went out. “Oh, no.” Instinctively, Gina started to go check on her child, but Grady stopped her.

  “Bad idea to go running off without a flashlight.” He felt his breath against her ear. “You have one?”

  She couldn’t think momentarily with him close, and touching her. “There’s one in the drawer, the top one on the left.”

  He reached over her and his warmth seeped into her. It felt so good. Really good.

  He pulled out the flashlight and turned it on. “I’ll check on the boy. You stay put.”

  Once Grady left, Gina pulled herself together and found candles and matches. She lit them and had several arranged around the kitchen by the time Grady came back.

  “Zack’s sound asleep.” He paused. “Looks like you’re prepared.”

  For some things. She wasn’t prepared for her feelings for him. “It’s hard to tell how long the electricity will be out.” She was chattering away aimlessly.

  “Good idea,” he told her as he made his way across the room.

  Her pulse pounded in her ears, drowning out even the sound of the hard rain. She saw the smile he offered and it made her heart soar. So many emotions, she wanted to run, but she also wanted this man. “I know they might not be safe, but as long as we watch them, it should be okay.”

  “I’m afraid I’ll be distracted,” he said just as his head descended, then his lips touched hers. She sighed as the kiss deepened. She melted into him and let the sensations take over.

  Grady felt an overwhelming desire as Gina moved against him. He couldn’t stop feasting on her delicious mouth if his life depended on it. One kiss, two kisses weren’t enough.

  He tore his mouth away, then bent down and lifted Gina onto the counter. The soft glow of the candlelight only added to the intimacy.

  He began raining kissing along her face to her ear. “You know where this is leading, don’t you?”

  She looked into his eyes and gave a nod.

  “We need to slow down, Gina.” He blew out a breath, not wanting to do anything to frighten her. “This is going too fast.”

  Gina wasn’t sure if she knew what she was doing. She only knew that she wanted this man. “You make me feel things, Grady. Things I’ve never felt before.”

  Her hands moved up his chest over his T-shirt. She wanted so badly to touch his skin. She went to the hem of the shirt and slipped her hands underneath. The heat nearly burned through her as her fingertips made contact with his flat stomach.

  For the first time she wasn’t afraid of taking this next step...not with Grady. She tugged the shirt higher and leaned down to place a kiss against his skin. She felt the shiver along with his groan.

  “Damn, Gina. If you are planning to drive me over the edge...”

  Her own hands were trembling as she cupped his face. She leaned forward and placed a kiss against his lips. “I thought that was the point.”

  She went back for another kiss. She pulled the shirt higher and went for the center of his chest. Even in the candlelight, she could see the long puckered scar on his left side. It had to run from under his arm nearly to his waist.

  “Oh, Grady,” she cried on a whisper, feeling tears fill her eyes.

  He quickly jerked down his shirt and stepped back. “Sorry, I should have warned you. It’s pretty ugly.”

  “I’m not upset about what it looks like. Just the pain you must have endured.”

  He shook his head. She could see he was shutting down. “It was a long time ago.” He released a breath and stepped back from her. She missed his warmth.

  She got off the counter. “Grady...”

  He didn’t react to his name as he stood at the window. His broad shoulders were stiff, his back straight. She started toward him, but stopped, knowing the mood had changed. “Grady, I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”

  “I don’t have to look very far to be reminded of what happened that day.”

  She didn’t know what to say to that, but she didn’t have to—he made the choice for her.

  “The rain has let up. I need to go.”

  She followed after him. “Grady, don’t go.”

  He stopped at the door, but didn’t turn around. “Gina, I’m not the man you need to teach you about anything. You’ll need to find someone else for your next lesson.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  THE next day was Saturday and with Zack in tow, Gina went into the shop. While she’d felt lousy about how the date had turned out, something good had happened. Her son woke up this morning feeling great. He was also talking nonstop about Grady.

  Since she hadn’t slept much last night, she didn’t feel much like conversing at all. She just wished she understood what had happened between her and Grady.

  “Mom,” Zack called to her. “Can I take Bandit for a walk?”

  “Yes, but don’t leave the block. Check back in twenty minutes.” Old habits die hard. There was a time she wouldn’t have let Zack out of her sight. Now, with Eric in jail, she knew they were safe. Plus she knew the town was filled with people who looked out for one another.

  She closed the front door and turned her Open sign around and walked to the counter. Once again, her thoughts wandered back to Gra
dy. After he had pulled back and walked out her door last night, she should have come to her senses. Besides, he wasn’t going to be around much longer. How many times had he told her that? So maybe ending her crazy idea was for the best. Problem was, she wasn’t interested in any man but Grady Fletcher.

  The door of the shop opened and Lori walked in. “Hey, Gina,” she called.

  Her older sister was wearing a pair of black stretchy pants and a long pink polo shirt that showed off her blossoming pregnancy.

  Gina went to greet her. “Lori. What brings you in?”

  She hugged her. “I wanted to check on Zack. If he still wasn’t feeling good, I’d take him off your hands. But since I ran into that happy kid outside, I see there’s no reason. Cassie’s helping him walk Bandit.” She smiled. “Now we can talk.” Her sister placed her hands on her hips. “So spill it. Is Grady Fletcher a good kisser?”

  Gina felt her emotions churning inside. She shrugged as the bell over the shop door jingled and a woman walked in. Gina started to go to her, but Marie stopped her as she came in from the back and went to greet the customer.

  “Come on.” Lori took Gina by the arm and they headed toward the back for privacy. “You’re not getting away with not telling me about your date.”

  Gina shrugged. “There’s not much to tell. We had a nice dinner in Durango at Francisco’s. He had steak and I had—”

  “Stop,” her sister said. “I don’t need to know the menu. I saw how the man looked at you when you both came by the house to pick up Zack. So you can’t tell me that he didn’t kiss you once all night?”

  “I didn’t say that.” Tears welled in her eyes. “I just don’t think he wants to kiss me again. Ever.”

  Gina told her sister about what happened when they got back to the house.

  “He might be insecure about the scar,” Lori tried to assure her. “Does it bother you?”

  Gina shook her head. “Of course not. We all have our scars.” Gina couldn’t stop the flood of awful memories of her marriage. Would she ever forget the things that Eric had done to her? Probably not, but she wanted to replace bad times with new, happy ones.

  Lori drew her attention back. “Oh, honey, I wish I could have been there to help you more. To stop Eric.”

  “You were there for me, Lori.”

  Lori hugged her sister. “Well, I’m so proud of you. And thanks to your support group you’re doing a lot better. If you ever need help getting to your meetings, just call me.”

  Gina smiled. “Thank you. You’ve always been there for me. It’s time I do things for myself.”

  “Yes, it is. And I think Grady Fletcher is just the man who can be a positive force in your life.”

  “I think Grady has his own demons.” She released a breath, knowing it was more than his physical scars. She’d seen the pain in his eyes.

  Lori studied her. “You care about him a lot, don’t you?”

  She sighed. “I never planned to let it happen, but I can’t seem to get him out of my head. He could break my heart, Lori.”

  “There’s always that risk, sis. But if you don’t go after what you want then you’ll never know how wonderful it could be.”

  “Spoken like a happily married woman.”

  Lori grinned. “Yeah, I am. And I want you to find happiness, too. You and Zack deserve that.”

  Yes, they did. She thought about the mess she’d made of everything last night. “I’m not very good at this dating.”

  “While you’re figuring it out, how about if I take Zack home with me this afternoon while you work, then you can come by the house for supper?”

  Gina had a funny feeling her sister was cooking up more than food. “You don’t need to do that.”

  “I do, since I need a favor from you.” She reached inside her oversize bag and pulled out a manila envelope. “These are papers for Joe Fletcher to sign. Would you give them to Grady so he can take them to him?”

  Gina froze. Go see Grady? “Why don’t you just take them to Shady Haven?”

  “Because Joe asked me to give them to Grady first, so he can look them over.”

  “Why don’t you have one of the bank employees do it?”

  “I thought you were a bank employee.”

  “Come on, Lori. I’ve only staged a few bank-owned houses to sell.”

  Her sister shrugged. “Close enough.” She walked to the door. “I’ll go round up the kids and the dog. See you later.” She paused at the door. “And take your time.”

  Great. Gina watched her sister leave. What was she going to do now? It would be a little too obvious when she showed up on Grady’s doorstep.

  Her assistant called to her. Marie walked over with a smile as the customer walked out the door. “You won’t believe this. I just sold the Mersman pedestal table and the sideboard cabinet.” She held up the credit card receipt so Gina could see the large amount charged. “Full price. She’s even paying for us to deliver to Durango.”

  Gina glanced over the amount. “That’s like two weeks’ worth of sales.”

  “I know,” Marie agreed.

  Gina hated that Grady’s things were disappearing from the store. “Maybe you should call Grady and let him know.”

  Marie shook her head. “I think for half of this amount, you need to give the news to him in person.”

  * * *

  “Where’s that pretty Gina?” Joe Fletcher asked when Grady sat at the table at Shady Haven. The day was turning out to be nice so he’d wheeled his grandfather outside into the sunshine.

  “I guess she’s at her store, working.”

  The old man studied him and leaned down to give some attention to Scout. “You’d be wise to spend a lot of time with her before another man steals your claim.”

  Here we go again. “I have no claim on Gina.”

  “But you should, son. She’s a keeper. I heard she’s got a boy about eight.”

  Grady nodded. “His name is Zack. I found him in your mine, remember?”

  “That’s what I mean.” Fletch raised an arthritic hand. “That young boy needs someone like you in his life.”

  Grady already knew the kid could use a father figure. “I’m not a family man.”

  “Says who? That ex-wife of yours? Look, Grady, I’m not an expert by any means, but—”

  Grady interrupted. “But you’re going to tell me anyway.”

  His grandfather glared at him. “Like I was sayin’, I think you’ve had to take the blame for a lot of things that weren’t your fault. Good Lord, son, you were off fighting a war, defending our freedom.”

  Grady had known before he’d left on his last deployment his marriage had been on shaky ground. So the pregnancy had been a shock, but he still had wanted to be there for his child. That was what he had trouble dealing with. “Look, Granddad, could we change the subject? Talking about it isn’t going to change anything.”

  The old man studied him for a long time, then said, “Maybe it will. I’ve decided to stay here to live.”

  “At Shady Haven?” Grady asked.

  His grandfather nodded. “They have apartments for seniors.”

  “Why? Isn’t your hip healing correctly?”

  “My hip is better than ever, and I’ve started therapy. It’s not a walk in the park, but I’m handling it.”

  Grady was relieved.

  “Once I’m on my feet, I’ll be able to take care of myself. And here there are plenty of people my own age to keep me company.”

  Grady still wasn’t buying this. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

  Fletch nodded. “Yep, I’m too old to live up on that damn mountain.”

  “But you love it there.”

  A tired-looking Fletch turned to him. “I realized something, son. I was damn lo
nely.”

  That suddenly made Grady realize he’d neglected the one person who cared about him. “Granddad, I had no idea.”

  “No, son. I didn’t even realize it myself until I came here and made some friends. We have a lot in common.” He blew out a breath. “Besides, you’ll be leaving soon, right?”

  Now that his grandfather wouldn’t be alone or lonely anymore, that would make his decision easier. Grady thought about Gina. How much he wanted her, but he knew in his heart, he wasn’t the right man for her.

  He nodded slowly. “What do you plan to do with the cabin and your properties?”

  Fletch shrugged. “That’s not my worry anymore. I’ve signed most everything over to you.”

  * * *

  Gina wanted to turn around several times during her drive up the mountain. Once she saw Grady’s truck, she knew there was no going back, especially when the man came walking out from behind the cabin. He was in his usual uniform, jeans and a black Henley T-shirt that made his shoulders look massive and his arms incredibly large. He had a towel draped over his shoulder, his hair was slicked back. He must have been in the shower.

  God help her, she thought as she got out of her car and walked up the path.

  He looked concerned. “Gina, is there something wrong?”

  “No.” She put on a smile, seeing the droplets of water in his hair. “Sorry, didn’t mean to disturb you.”

  He shrugged. “Since my shower is outside, I grab it during the warmest part of the day.

  The picture of Grady with water sliding over his naked body flashed in her head. Her breathing grew labored.

  “Gina, what brings you out here?”

  She shook away the thought. “Marie sold the pedestal table and sideboard.” She reached into her purse and realized her hands were a little shaky. She managed to take out the envelope with the check inside. “Here’s your share of the sale.”

  Grady didn’t take what she offered, but instead said, “Please, come in.”

  She walked up the steps and into the cabin, noticing right away how he’d kept the place clean and organized. She set her purse down on the kitchen table. She needed to make this quick and leave. “We got full price for both items.”