Chapter Six
“Joey, I’m on the phone, so just come in.
The peanut butter is on the counter,” Jennifer said over her shoulder without looking when she heard a knock early that evening.
She returned to her conversation with her friend.
“Tessa, listen to me. Stop. It doesn’t bother me.
Madlyn has never really liked me. I know that.
We go out together with you... Do you really think we’d go out together without you?
No, we wouldn’t.” She paused to listen to Tessa.
“But it doesn’t—” Jennifer listened again as she looked out her living room sliding-door window to the backyard.
Jennifer turned to smile at Joey, and her body jerked and froze. “Ah, Tessa, I’ve got to go ... yes.” She paused as her eyes stayed frozen on the man inside the door. “Yes, no, it’s nothing. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?” She disconnected the call.
Her gaze roamed down his body and took in his tight black t-shirt that molded to his chest, black leather jacket, and faded jeans and boots.
In a suit, he was amazingly handsome. In casual clothes, he was devastating.
His thick, dark hair, usually in perfect order, was a little messed up and gave him a more laid-back, devilish appearance.
Jennifer looked down at her ratty jeans and big grey t-shirt with, “Dear math, solve your own problems,” spread across the front and pink socks, for God’s sake. She knew her hair was free of the clip she’d put in that morning and streamed in a tousled mess down her back.
****
Grant
Grant watched from across the small room. It would only take maybe five steps to get to her, but he was afraid to touch her right now. He wanted so badly to shake her. He took a deep breath, leaned against the wall by the door, and crossed his massive arms over his chest.
“We’ve got a few problems, sweetheart.”
A tremor shook her at the tone of his voice. He talked so smoothly, but right now, it had a hard edge to it.
“Hi,” was all she could say. He could tell she was shocked at seeing him in her living room.
Grant inclined his head. “Hi yourself.”
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“We had a date, remember?”
“But I thought...”
“I know what you thought. I’m sorry. I know I hurt your feelings. I knew if we kept talking, we’d either keep arguing or I’d have you pinned against my desk. Can you guess which one I’d vote for?”
Jennifer wrapped her arms around her waist. “Um, yes.” She shook her head hastily. “I mean, no...”
He eyed her as she stood with her back against the slider doors, as the early evening muted light came through.
The soft light made her look like an angel, encompassing her tiny figure.
A quick grin crossed his face at the thought of her as one.
Probably not, he thought, angels don’t argue with everything.
“Now, let’s get back to the problems we seem to have. ”
“What problems?” She frowned at his arrogance.
“First and foremost is the fact you left your door unlocked, and you didn’t check to make sure of who it was.”
“But—”
He quickly held up a hand. “But nothing.” He crossed his arms over his chest again. “Jen, were you one hundred percent sure of who was on the other side of the door?”
“But...”
“Jennifer! There are no buts. It’s a yes or no.”
Her chin tilted up. “Well, no. But I don’t see how it’s any of your business.”
His eyes narrowed at her belligerent tone. “I’m making it my business.”
Jennifer gritted her teeth and stomped her little foot in frustration, which he found adorable.
“You can’t—” she started.
“I am,” he interrupted.
A growl rumbled up her throat, but it ceased abruptly when someone knocked at her door. They stared at each other for a long, intense moment.
“Come in,” she yelled as she cocked an eyebrow at him in defiance. A shiver ran down her spine at the livid look he threw her before the door opened.
“Hi, Jennifer.”
Grant stepped out from behind the door to stand behind the younger man. Grant could tell by the sound of the new man’s voice and his lanky build that he was very young.
“Hi, Joey. The peanut butter is on the counter.” When the boy turned, she glared over the boy’s shoulder at Grant, but smiled when the boy turned back.
Grant became irritated at the sweet smile she gave the boy. She had yet to look at Grant like that. But then, most of the time they’d spent together had been arguing.
Joey stepped toward Jennifer. “I can’t thank you enough, Jennifer. You have saved me once again.”
“It’s no bother, Joey. I’m always glad to help.”
Grant gritted his teeth until his jaw hurt.
It didn’t help that she wore tight jeans and a large grey t-shirt.
She probably thought it hid her figure, but the shirt’s fabric outlined her breasts when she moved.
Her hair was loose and in wild disarray down around her shoulders, and she looked sexy as hell.
Even the pink socks turned him on. He’d bet money she had no idea how attractive she looked.
“How long are you home from college, Joey?”
“Just another week. Maybe I could get a pizza for us one night. As a thank you.”
Jennifer softened. “That’s very sweet, Joey, but you don’t have to do that.”
“Besides, she’ll be busy,” Grant growled behind the man.
Startled, the man spun around, dropping the jar of peanut butter. Jennifer and Joey stood frozen as the jar rolled across the floor. The young man took a protective step toward Jennifer.
“Jennifer, who the hell is that?” Joey’s voice hissed in a whisper over his shoulder. He was rigid with apprehension and protectiveness.
Jennifer rolled her eyes before she threw a quick glare at Grant.
“Joey, please meet Mr. Batali. Grant, this is my neighbor’s son, Joey.” She sighed when both men stood silently and stared at each other.
Grant took a step toward the young man with his hand out.
“It’s nice to meet a friend of Jennifer’s.
” His tone was mildly authoritative but slightly amusing.
Inside, this ate at him. His teeth gritted in agitation.
He didn’t like that this guy was young and handsome.
With stylish blond hair and bright green eyes, and damn, he even had dimples.
He was tall but still a few inches shorter than Grant, and his younger body showed a lot of muscle definition.
He wore his jeans tight, and the arms ripped off the t-shirt, which showed everyone he knew he looked good and wanted to show it off.
Grant couldn’t remember ever being called cute. He had always been big and dark in hair and eyes. His persona had always been rough and hard for most people to deal with. Where the kid was young and light, Grant was older and dark.
Joey straightened and tried to look taller.
“It’s nice to meet you, too, sir,” he said bravely with a slight edge of insolence before raising a hand to grasp Grant’s.
Both men stood in Jennifer’s little living room and continued to stare at each other for several moments. Grant noticed the perplexed look on her face and knew she had no idea what was happening between the two men.
She looked from one to the other. Jennifer moved between them only to have Grant wrap an arm around her waist to anchor her to his side.
“As I was saying, Jennifer will be busy for a long while.” He grunted when Jen jabbed an elbow into his side. Grant looked down at Jen and raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t that right, baby?”
Grant knew she caught the way his body tightened the longer she stayed quiet.
She stared up at him wide-eyed. “Yes,” she whispered. She tore her gaze from Grant after he relaxed. “I’m sorry, Joey. Maybe you, your mom, and I can go out for pizza when you come home for your next vacation?”
“Yeah, sure,” Joey said dejectedly as he bent to pick up the jar. He walked to the door that still stood open. “See you later, Jennifer.” He ignored Grant, let himself out, and closed the door behind him.
She glanced up at Grant and noticed a muscle in his jaw tick.
“Why are you mad?”
His gaze slashed to hers. Where to start, he thought. “How often does that boy come here?”
Jennifer frowned, bewildered. “I don’t know. Maybe once or twice when he’s home from college. But he and his mom have only lived here a little over a year. Why?”
He tightened his arm to pull her in front of him. His other hand slid under her chin.
“Because that boy wants in your panties badly.”
She jerked back and stared up at him with wide, shocked eyes. “What! God, Grant, he’s just a kid.”
“He’s a young man, and I’m telling you, I know what it’s like to be his age. I’d have been all over it if I had a beautiful neighbor like you.”
She wrinkled her nose. “He does not feel like that toward me. That’s gross. I’m like eight years older than him.”
“I’m a guy. I know exactly what is going through his head. You’re twenty-seven?”
She nodded.
“I’m thirty-six. I’m nine years older than you. Is that gross?”
“That old?” She laughed when he scowled and squeezed her. “No, for some reason, that doesn’t sound as weird. Maybe it’s because, in this case, the man’s older. Or we’re just older?” She shrugged.
They stared at each other for a moment before Grant bent and pressed his lips against hers. When she didn’t pull back from him, he deepened the kiss. He slid one hand under the weight of her hair to cup the back of her head. The kiss steadily grew heated.
Jennifer’s eyes slowly closed as streaks of lava raced through her veins and made it hard to breathe. Her world condensed to just Grant and how he was making her feel.
He pulled back and studied the woman in his arms. She lay against him so sweetly, so trustingly. He was all hard needs and ice, while she was pure softness and warmth.