Grace Anne - By Kathi S. Barton Page 0,20

to her.”

The phone was suddenly on the small end table and she was being lifted against Michael’s body. His mouth seemed to be everywhere. Before she could catch her breath or even try to stop him, she was pressed against the wall and Michael was nipping at her ear.

“It’s your brother. He wants to speak to you.” He licked along the column of her throat. “I need to get you out of this room or we’ll never leave it. Talk to him and I’ll be in the kitchen with ice packs on my nuts.”

She giggled and he kissed her quickly. He stepped away only to return and yank her to him and kiss her again. He was stalking away from her when he barked “phone” at her. Grace picked up the phone to hear her brother talking to Alyssa.

“…thinks he is to tell me that he is going to kiss her… No, I didn’t catch his name. That’s a good idea, that way I can hunt him down and castrate him. Lousy bastard. Gracie,” he shouted, and had her jerking the phone from her ear.

“I’m right here. Damn it, Cain, what the hell was that for? Now I’ll probably have permanent hearing loss.” She grinned when he growled. “If you only called to be nasty to me then I don’t care to—”

“Who was that man and what is he doing answering your phone? I demand that you tell me—” Before Grace could blast her brother, she could hear Alyssa talking in the background and she didn’t sound any happier. When she got on the phone next, Grace was still steaming.

“He’s a bully,” she told Alyssa. “And nosey. Why does he think it’s any of his business what I do in my own home? He does know he’s not my dad, right?”

“Yes, I’m sure he does. Or at least he’ll have a better understanding once I get off here.” Alyssa laughed. “He loves you and worries. He wants you here with the rest of them.”

Grace felt her heart ache with the knowledge that she couldn’t. Not now. She sat down and fingered the bra that Michael had torn from her last night and tossed it in the trash when her body reacted to that.

“I have a business to run. And…why did he call anyway? You’re all married now so that can’t be it. I already know that Lilliane is pregnant and that Sin and Payton are adopting another child. Is it Quinn now, or you who is pregnant?”

“No, though, I think maybe Jazzie is about to bust with the news that they are. He wants you to come home next weekend. All of us are getting together for dinner at our house and he wanted you there.” There was a very long pause before she spoke again. “You can even bring home the man that has Cain all worked up. Does he get you all worked up too?”

Grace flushed. “Yes, he does. Though it’s none of your business. He’s just…” She wasn’t sure what he was, but she didn’t want to tell her sister-in-law that. “He’s a fling.”

Alyssa laughed and Grace started to say something when she looked up and saw Michael standing in the doorway. He looked like every woman’s dream of a handsome prince and bad boy all in one.

“Then all the more reason to bring him here. I’m sure Cain will have a cow about it, but right now I think he’d rather have you here.”

Grace didn’t think getting Michael involved with her family was a good idea. He might have been able to handle them, but he had a son, and Trace couldn’t. She told Alyssa that she’d think about it and call her later. She hung up before she could say any more.

Chapter 7

“Your brother is worried I’m some sort of monster,” Michael told her softly. “He was upset that I was in your bedroom. How did he know where I was?”

“This phone only rings in here. Cain has always been overly protective of us girls.” She reached down, pulled off the one sock, and tossed the pair of them on the bed. “You need to go. I don’t…I don’t want you here anymore.”

He didn’t move, but she could see his body stiffening. His cell phone going off made her wish whoever it was would leave them alone and take him away at the same time. He didn’t move to answer it.

“That might be important. Shouldn’t you answer it?” She waited for an answer and, when