Grace was so furious with herself she felt like spitting.
The near torrential rainfall didn’t slow her down as she
splashed her way up the sidewalk to Noah’s building, her
every step punctuated by a passionate rage. Eight days.
Eight hellish days she’d been away, probably when Noah had
needed her most. She’d expected to come home to a list of
things yet to be done for the wedding, because Agatha did
love to give her lists.
Instead, she’d come home to the tail end of an uproar.
She swiped away a tear of fury that mingled with the rain
dripping down her cheek. It was always that way. Hurt her,
insult her, and she was fine. She’d summon up calm dignity
and deal with it. But let her get really mad, and look
out – she cried like a baby.
Damn her car for breaking down, damn Agatha for being a
hardheaded matriarch, and damn everyone for ever doubting
him.
Poor Noah. Poor honorable, loyal Noah.
He needed her.
Spurred on by her convictions, Grace hurried on. She
slipped as she jerked the foyer door open and bounded
inside onto slick marble tile. She’d have landed on her
well padded behind if it wasn’t for Graham, the doorman,
catching her arm and wrestling her upright.
“Here now!” Graham said in some surprise, maintaining his
hold on her arm as Grace started to dart past.
It took him a moment to recognize her with her hair
hanging in long sodden ropes in her face and her clothes
saturated through and through, making them baggier than
usual. When he did recognize her, his old eyes widened.
“Ms. Jenkins! What in the world are you doing out in this
storm?”
Grace forced herself to slow down. “Sorry Graham. Is Noah
in?”
“Yes ma’am. He’s with his brother.”
Thank God. Grace would have rather had her visit with Noah
in private, without Ben’s audience, but at least Noah was
home. Besides, she should have known Ben would be close at
hand. He very much respected his brother, and always
offered unconditional support.
Grace was relieved that Noah hadn’t been all alone during
the ordeal.
“My stupid car broke down a few blocks from here,” she
told Graham. “I’ll call triple A from Noah’s.”
“Should I announce you?”
Noah had a standing rule that his family was always
welcome. Grace was in no way blood family, but as his
grandmother’s personal secretary, Noah granted her the
same importance. She’d known Noah for three years. She’d
loved him just about that long.
Not that she would ever tell anyone, especially not Noah.
“No, I’ll go on up. But thanks.”
The doorman shook his head as she turned away, probably
thinking she had less sense than a turkey to go running
through the stormy weather. But she simply hadn’t
possessed the patience to wait in her car for a cab. A
little rain wouldn’t melt her, and since hearing what
Agatha had done yesterday, how she’d treated Noah because
of the breakup, Grace had been filled with a driving
urgency to reach him, to let him know that at least one
person still... what? Still believed in him, still trusted
in his innate honor?
The elevator moved so slowly, Grace couldn’t stop tapping
her foot, which jiggled drips of rainwater from her body
onto the elevator floor. She now stood in a puddle.
The second the doors opened, she leaped out then had to
leap back in when she realized it was the wrong floor. The
woman getting on gave her a funny look, but said nothing,
even when she had to step around the soggy carpeting.
Grace chewed her thumbnail. It was a disgusting habit – as
Agatha had often told her – but she couldn’t seem to help
herself.
This time she checked the floor before getting off. Every
step she took caused her feet to squish inside her pumps
and left damp tracks across the carpeting. When she
reached Noah’s door, she drew a deep breath to fortify
herself, pushed her long wet hair behind her ears, and
rapped sharply.
Nothing.
She knocked again, and even pushed the doorbell a few
times, but still there was no answer. Refusing to give up,
Grace tried the door and found it unlocked. She crept
inside, calling out, “Noah?” but no one answered. And then
she heard the voices coming from the balcony.
Grace hurried through the apartment, noticing empty beer
bottles everywhere, as well as pizza boxes and chip bags
thrown about. A mostly empty, dried up container of sour
cream and chive dip was half tucked into the sofa cushions.
The cleaning lady would have a fit.
Grace wondered if Noah had thrown a party, if he actually
celebrated the breakup. It seemed unlikely. For many years
now everyone had expected him and Kara to marry, and then
be blissfully happy in their picture perfect lives. The
breakup had naturally thrown everyone for a loop, Grace
especially.
She finally located him.
Noah sat on the covered balcony with his brother, and
together they made such an impressive sight they stole
Grace’s breath. Oh boy, there were some outstanding genes
running through those two. No wonder Agatha had put her
pride aside and sought out her deceased son’s illegitimate
offspring. Noah was a man to make anyone proud.
The two brothers were talking, oblivious to Grace’s
presence, and she studied them. Their large bare feet were
propped on the edge of the railing, getting rained on.
Both of them lounged back in chairs, Ben with his tilted
on the back legs.
Noah had a long necked bottle of beer dangling between his
fingers, his other hand resting limply on his hard
abdomen. He wore faded jeans, a gray sweatshirt with the
sleeves cut off, and nothing else. His silky, coal black
hair was rumpled, his face shadowed with beard stubble.
His entire body bespoke weariness.
He was the sexiest, most appealing man she’d ever known.
Even from where Grace stood, she could see the lush length
of Noah’s sooty lashes, sinfully long, too extravagant for
a man. They lent a striking contrast to an otherwise hard-
edged presence.
Grace sighed.
“To hell with all of ‘em,” Ben said. His words were
slurred and thick and angry.
Grace tucked in her chin. Uh oh. Ben sounded... drunk.
Really drunk.
Like Noah, he seldom imbibed so then this must be a...
commiseration-drinking binge? She didn’t really know men
well enough to know what their habits might be, but it
seemed feasible.
She looked behind her and this time counted the empty beer
bottles littering the apartment. Oh Lord! They must have
been at it since last night. Had Noah contacted Ben
directly after leaving Agatha’s? Had they been drinking
ever since?
Wide eyed, Grace turned back to the brothers.
Noah too, sounded slurred when he said, “It took them all
by surprise, that’s all.”
“Yeah, so they jump to the conclusion that you’re a
heartbreaker. The asses.”
“Heartbreaker?” Noah made a sound that wasn’t quite a
laugh, wasn’t quite a curse. “Oh, they had better
descriptions than that, believe me. You’d think I jilted
her at the altar the way they went on.”
Grace swallowed her choking pain and renewed annoyance.
Agatha had told her all about the awful meeting at her
house with Noah summoned in to face Kara, along with her
mother and father and Agatha herself. He’d stood alone
against them, bearing their insults and their blame
without defending himself – the same way he’d faced the
world most of his life.
They’d jointly called him to account and when Noah had
refused to explain why he’d ended the engagement, Agatha
had claimed to disown him.
No. Grace curled her arms around the ache in her stomach,
the pain in her heart. She would never let that happen.
Noah was a part of the family now and he’d damn well stay
a part. She’d make Agatha relent. As her personal
secretary, she carried some clout.
At least she hoped she did.
“It’s situations like this,” Ben explained, waving his
beer for emphasis, “why I don’t submit to her fucking
blood tests.”
Noah slanted his younger brother a look. “You know she has
to be careful, Ben. In her heart, Agatha knows you’re
family, but she’s stubborn and cautious.”
“She should take my mother’s word for it.”
“Yeah. But it would damage her pride to do that.”
“And to hell with anyone else’s pride? Is that it?”
Noah shrugged. “Agatha has more pride than most.”
“Ha! She’s a – ”
“Careful.” Noah narrowed his eyes. “I’m madder than hell
at her right now, too, but she’s still my grandmother,
your grandmother.”
“Not that she’ll admit.”
Noah ignored that to add, “Just as you’re my brother.”
“Half brother.” Ben lifted the beer and guzzled down the
remainder, then belched.
“Whole, half, who gives a rat’s ass? You’re my brother and
regardless of any damn blood test, we both know it.”
Grace’s heart expanded in her chest, her throat clogged
with emotion. Yes, Ben was Noah’s brother, and Agatha’s
grandson. It was there in the shiny black hair he shared
with Noah, in the broad shouldered physique, the olive
skin tone.
At six feet, four inches, Noah was as impressively tall as
his father had been. Ben stood six feet even, but he
carried himself the same and their sexy, teasing smiles
were identical.
Only the eyes were different. Noah had pale, striking blue
eyes that could be either as cold as ice, or hot enough to
singe your soul. Ben’s eyes were just the opposite, as
black as a sinner’s and equally as wicked. He looked at
women and they blushed and stammered in reaction.
Agatha’s son had fathered two sons by two different women,
and he hadn’t acknowledged either of them. Likely Agatha
wouldn’t have either if her son hadn’t died, leaving her
all alone with no other family. But fifteen years ago the
private detective she’d hired had found Noah, and now
Agatha loved him. Grace was sure of that much, even if
Agatha never admitted it. Despite the current disharmony,
Noah was her pride and joy.
Though Agatha had been fully appeased with locating one
grandson to fill the void in her personal and business
life, the detective had also found Ben before the search
could be cancelled.
From the first day when Ben had been an irreverent
fourteen-year-old rascal, he and Agatha had rubbed each
other the wrong way. But Grace knew that eventually Agatha
would accept him. How could she not when Ben was so like
Noah in the most important ways, proving he was her own
flesh and blood?
Problem was, Agatha ruled with an iron fist and often
placed her pride above everything else. Ben was his own
boss, refusing to submit to the whims of an old woman.
Secretly, Grace enjoyed Ben’s rebellion. He infuriated
Agatha, which kept her on her toes and sharp-witted.
“We need more beer,” Noah announced, and dropped his empty
bottle with a clank onto the balcony’s stone floor.
More beer!
“You’ll have to get it,” Ben said without moving. “I can
barely feel my legs.”
“Wimp.” Noah started to rise with a lusty groan.
“No.” Grace stepped forward, drawing the attention of both
men. They slued around in their chairs and stared at her
in muddled surprise.
“Hey,” Noah said. Then with some confusion: “Where’d you
come from?”
“The front door wasn’t locked.”
“It wasn’t?”
Disapproving, Grace said, “I think you’ve both had quite
enough to drink.”
The two men shared a look, and Ben grinned. “Ah Gracie,
did someone try to drown you, sweetheart?”
“Ha - ha.” She made a face at Ben. He was forever teasing,
and usually she liked it. “No, I got caught in the rain.”
Self conscious, she pushed her hair behind her ears again.
Her sweater stuck to her breasts and her back and her long
skirt clung to her plump thighs, her belly. “My stupid car
broke down,” she explained, while trying to make herself
less noticeable.
Noah straightened, then came to his feet with stiff-legged
purpose. “Why the hell didn’t you call me? I’d have picked
you up.”
He swayed and Grace lifted a brow. “In your condition? I
do believe that’s not only dangerous, but illegal.”
He cupped her chin and leaned closer. “I’d have called a
cab for you.”
Just that simple touch on her chin and Grace’s heart was
ready to pop. With a shuddering breath, she lifted away
from him and busied herself by picking up empty bottles.
All around them, the storm raged, spraying into the
balcony every so often, lighting the early evening sky
with a brilliant display of electrical energy. The thunder
rolled almost continually, rattling the windows, vibrating
the floor, which explained why they hadn’t heard her knock.
“It doesn’t matter,” Grace remarked when both men
continued to watch her, putting her on edge. “I’m here
now.”
She started back into the apartment, aware of them
tottering along behind her. “Besides, I was in a hurry.”
Ben propped himself up against a wall. He, too, had on
jeans, now wet to the knees, and a polo shirt that fit his
broad chest perfectly. His face, throat, and brawny arms
were tanned, testifying to the amount of time he spent
outdoors and near the pool.
“Yeah?” he asked. “How come?”
Distracted, Grace asked, “How come what?”
“How come you were in such an all-fire hurry?”
The reason for her visit flooded back on Grace and she
gasped, almost dropping the bottles. Noah relieved her of
several and plopped them onto the dinette table. “Grace?
You okay?”
“Ohmigod,” she said, and turned to Noah, grasping his
sweatshirt with both hands, holding onto him while she
stared up into his handsome face. “I almost forgot when I
saw you both sitting out there, looking so cute in your
drunken revelry.”
Ben chuckled, muttering, “Cute,” under his breath, but
Noah shook his head. “Quit pulling on my clothes and tell
me what you forgot.”
“Almost forgot.” Then Grace softened with emotion. “Oh,
Noah. I am so, so sorry.”
He and Ben shared another look, this one of concern and
male speculation. “For what, exactly?”
“For what? For what’s happened, that’s what!” Her hands,
curled in his shirt, thumped against his chest in
emphasis. “For how Agatha jumped to the wrong conclusions
and how everyone is acting and – ”
Noah pressed two big warm fingers against her lips, making
her toes curl inside her waterlogged shoes, and her belly
curl in sensual delight. “What conclusion did Agatha jump
to? And how in hell do you think everyone is treating me?”
His fingers were still over her mouth and Grace swallowed
hard, then reached for his thick wrist and gently drew his
hand down. Oh Lord, the man made her shake with... with
all kinds of things.
“Agatha wrongly assumed you were to blame for the breakup.
And from what she told me, Miss Callen’s family was no
better.” Grace’s temper ignited anew at her own reminder
of how he’d been treated. “You’d think none of them knew
you at all!”
Ben pushed away from the wall. His walk was only slightly
steadier than the moment before. “You’re saying you don’t
blame him?”
Grace whirled on him. “Ben Badwin! You should certainly
know better!”
“Hey – ” He held up both hands, on the verge of
laughter. “ - I didn’t say I blamed him.”
“Well, I would hope not.”
Noah crossed his arms and propped his hip against the
dinette table. He still wavered a little, rocking back and
forth. “So who do you blame?”
“Why... no one.” Grace flapped a hand. “Oh, I heard all
about Kara weeping and being devastated and all that.
Agatha said you’ve humiliated her in front of all of
Gillespe by crying off after all the arrangements had been
made, and that Kara’s emotionally crushed and may never
recover. And I feel horrible for her, I really do.”
Ben laughed again.
“But I know you both must have had your own reasons. At
the very least, I know you wouldn’t have crushed her
unless you had no other choice.”
Grace squealed when Ben slipped his thick arms around her
from behind and lifted her off her feet in a crushing hug.
He treated her weight as negligible, and the thought
occurred to Grace that for a man of Ben’s size, it might
be.
And Noah was even bigger!
Ben’s bear hug so surprised her, Grace’s arms and legs
sort of stuck straight out, like a strangled starfish
trying to gain balance.
Rainwater squished out of her clothing, then trickled down
her body and onto Ben. He put a smacking kiss on the side
of her neck, immobilizing Grace with the impulsiveness of
it. She could count on one hand the number of times a
gorgeous man had kissed her neck.
Heck, she could count with one finger because this time
was a first.
Noah continued to study her, scrutinizing her every
reaction, which made Ben’s behavior inconsequential. She
began to burn, and knew she had to gain control of the
situation.
She cast a wary glance at Ben, who, although he released
her, continued to grin like a rogue. She looked back at
Noah, and way up, to see his expression. His muscled arms
were crossed over his chest, his intense blue eyes
narrowed, watchful. He looked bemused and something else,
perhaps... tender.
“I’d have been here sooner,” Grace told him in a croak,
trying to recollect herself. “But I was out of town.”
“I remember,” Noah murmured, still holding her fixed in
his gaze. “Agatha had you doing some head hunting, didn’t
she?”
“Yes, for a new chef she’d heard about. He agreed to her
terms and she, ah, hired him. He starts right away.”
“Great.”
Noah sounded more disgusted than enthused. It had been
Noah’s job for years now to do all the hiring. Agatha’s
interference often resulted in difficulties that Noah had
to deal with.
Grace didn’t want him sidetracked with worries about that
now. “But that’s not important.”
“No? What is important?”
Grace chewed her lips, trying to decipher Noah’s mood. He
had the most stony, unreadable expression when he chose,
and he’d just gone into full conceal mode. He appeared
relaxed, unconcerned, no more than curious.
But oh, those silvery blue eyes of his, shadowed by his
long thick lashes, continued to burn. And she felt the
heat right down to the core of her being. She glanced at
Ben, but he just winked, his own brown eyes alight with
mischief.
“It’s important,” Grace said, “that you know everyone
doesn’t blame you.”
“But everyone does.”
“Not me.”
Ben again laced his arms around her and propped his chin
on her crown. “Why is that, sugar?”
Oh, please, Grace thought in a bit of a panic, Ben didn’t
really think she could talk with him lined up behind her
and Noah in front of her? She felt surrounded by
testosterone, hemmed in by machismo. Impossible.
It was distracting enough that Ben had a body like a steel
statue and was sexy to boot. It was doubly bad that he
touched her in ways she’d never been touched before. It
more than rattled her.
But while Ben could unsettle her with his dynamic
presence, he’d never excited her emotions the way Noah
did, never made her alternately hot and cold and so
physically aware.
Yet, there Noah stood a mere foot in front of her, bare
feet braced apart, dark hair damp from the humidity, eyes
as hot as a blue flame. Grace’s heart pattered and she
wondered that Ben didn’t feel it.
Then Noah slanted his brother an amused look. “You’re
going to make her faint, Ben.”
“That right?” Ben peeked over her shoulder to see Grace’s
face. She could feel his breath on her cheek. “You feelin’
faint, honey?”
“I, uh...”
“Knock it off, Ben.” Noah watched her as if he knew what
she felt and even while he smiled at her predicament, he
wanted to protect her.
Grace drew a shuddering breath. “I’m, uh, not used to guys
touching me.”
Noah’s eyes glittered. “Huh. Now there’s a confession.”
Before Grace could recover from the suggestion in Noah’s
tone, Ben saved her by pretending to be shocked. He said,
very theatrically, “No! I won’t believe it, Gracie.”
Grace didn’t mind Ben poking fun. Almost every other
twenty-five year old woman she knew had left virginity far
behind.
Without looking at Noah, she said, “Afraid so.” Then, to
try to relieve the tensions, she added, “At least, not big
gorgeous sexy guys like yourself.”
“You hittin’ on me?” Ben asked with a teasing grin. He
could be such a charming scamp.
“No,” Grace assured him, “because I’d have no idea what to
do with you.”
He laughed and shook his head, then touched her cheek
before moving away. “She’s all yours, Noah.”
Noah smiled.
Seeing that smile, Grace gulped.
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