Grace Anne - By Kathi S. Barton Page 0,37

I’m rooting for him.”

Michael was still smiling when he pulled up in front of the Main Paws Veterinary twenty minutes later. He stepped inside just in time to hear a shrill whistle and a little boy crying.

Before he could step in and fix it Grace started barking orders like a drill sergeant. “You, I want you to stop yelling at the top of your lungs and sit still. You’re making matters worse by caterwauling like a cat with his tail under a rocker.”

The woman with the furry piece of fluff in her hands stopped shouting. Grace turned to the nurse standing there and started on her. “Take that…what the hell is that anyway?”

“It’s a gecko, miss. And I don’t appreciate you taking over like you own the place. The doctor will be—”

“Happier if he doesn’t have to bail you out of jail for causing a riot. Take that lizard in the back and see if it needs stitches. Why you don’t have a leash law in here is beyond me.” Grace turned to the little boy who was sobbing in his mother’s lap. “You should be whipped. And don’t you dare try to tell me that you didn’t throw that cat on top of the gecko on purpose. I saw you. And if he needs therapy after this, I’m going to make sure you get the bills. Poor thing will probably lose all his scales by the next full moon.”

“I don’t believe gecko have scales, honey,” Michael said to her when she looked at him. “And therapy? The poor thing will probably need years of it when this is over.”

“He called you,” she said with a glare, and he nodded. “Why? No, don’t tell me, he thought that you’d not turn him down bringing the puppy home if he could show you that he was injured. Well, he’s fine. He needs a good home and if you can’t provide it for him, I’ll take him to my nephew. Connor will love him.”

Michael wanted to pull her to him and kiss her senseless, but thought she’d hit him. And as much as he wanted her right now, he didn’t want her to hurt him in front of a room full of witnesses. He braced his arms over his chest so he couldn’t touch her and smiled. “He can keep the dog. I’ve wanted to get him one for weeks now. As for your nephew, I’d love to meet him.” He stepped closer, unable to help himself. “You are the reason I’m here.”

~~~

Grace tried to get out of going back to his house with him after they left the vet. Trace was so happy about getting to keep the little dog that she’d let her better judgment get away from her. She was in his limo again and speeding across town in less time than she could have arranged it.

“I’m going to have to have a cab take me back home tonight, so will you lend me enough money to pay for the ride?”

Michael simply grinned.

“I have an early meeting in the morning so I have to leave by eight to get back in time to get to bed early.”

“I’ll make sure you get back in time for your meeting tomorrow. I have a meeting too and we can share the ride in.” He leaned back on the seat, entirely too full of himself. “You should bring some clothes to leave at the house so you can have something to change into when you’re here.”

“I’m not spending the night. I told you, we can’t see each other anymore. You need to purchase the building so that I can get on with my life.” She looked over at Trace and realized he’d fallen asleep. “You can’t keep coming around like you’re…like we’re seeing each other.”

“But we are. A lot less than I would like, but we are seeing each other.” He pulled her to him. “Like right now, for example. I’d very much like to see what you have on under this pretty blouse. Are you wearing one of those skimpy little pieces of lace like you had on this weekend?”

Her body seemed to have a mind of its own where he was concerned. While she was trying to tell it to back off and stop it, it was leaning over him and running its hands through his hair. She tried to tell her mouth to back the fuck up, but it was covering his with its own. Grace moaned when he cupped