Page 31 of Paths
I’m shocked at his words, by his confession, really. I thought he was probably in some sort of accident. “Why did you tell me?”
He shrugs. “I show you mine—you show me yours.”
I ignore his tit-for-tat expectation, and ask, “What do you do for a living?”
He shakes his head. “I’m retired from that. I’m taking some time off for a while, but now I work for Crew—we specialize in intelligence. We train and contract with those we used to work with. I used to be a contractor, but I’m done working in the field.”
“Like what? What kind of jobs did you contract for?” I ask, wondering what he possibly could have done that got him captured, beaten, and from the sounds of it, almost killed.
“Security. I told you what I could … and I did it because I want you to trust me. I can’t expect anything of you if I don’t share first. Now, tell me why you’re running.”
My fingers flex on his skin, and in turn, his muscles contract, either from my touch or the electro therapy. Whichever it is, it feels good. But instead of telling him what he wants, I slide one hand off his chest and reach for the dial, turning off the machine.
Looking back to him, I say quietly, “You’re done. It’s time for Wii games.”
“I promise I’ll find out one way or another, but I’d rather hear it from you. You might as well tell me.”
“You don’t want to be bothered with my problems, trust me,” I tell him the truth, trying to put him off.
“I’m feeling a little used, you know.” A small smirk appears on his face and he lowers his voice and he pulls me in even tighter. “You throw yourself in my arms, kissing me for your own benefit? That stings, baby.”
I know he’s teasing but he’s right, so I press against his chest to move away, but he wants none of it. His arms constrict, keeping me close.
“I apologized for that,” I remind him.
One of his hands on my back moves up, and pulls my face into the side of his. His clean-shaven cheek brushes mine and I scarcely feel the tip of his nose run up the side of my ear, making me shiver. “You didn’t feel sorry when I had you in my arms. In fact, you felt the very opposite of sorry.” His tongue flicks my earlobe once. “It felt right—felt like you’ve been there forever.”
“Grady,” I whisper on an exhale. Damn if he isn’t right again. I’ve never felt anything so good, so natural as being kissed by Grady. Even if he doesn’t know he’s only the second man ever to lay a hand on me. I never remember feeling this way with Weston, even in the beginning when I was caught in his snare and could pretend it was good.
When Grady’s lips hit the sensitive skin below my ear, my breath catches, and I slide my hands up his thick, corded neck. I’m not sure if I’m trying to push him away, pull him to me, or simply hang on.
“I need to get back to the residents,” I mutter as best I can, but his hand comes to my hair and he gently pulls my head back to gain access to my neck. I exhale and sound breathy as his tongue traces my collar bone. “I can’t get off schedule or it breaks into their lunch. Wii games are important for their circulation.”
His head comes up and he runs light kisses over my sensitive skin as he murmurs, “I’ve never played Wii before.”
“It’s fun,” I breathe and swallow hard. “The ladies like bowling and Foxy likes to hula-hoop.”
That’s when I lose his lips. He pulls back just enough for me to tip my head and look into his eyes where I find him frowning. “You are not hula-hooping with Foxy.”
His words, but even more his expression, are laced with a possessiveness that snap me out of my Grady-haze created by his lips on my body. I’m not sure if it’s because his expression is created by jealousy over an elderly man, but I find it funny instead of irritating. What it isn’t, is scary, like it became with Weston.
For some reason, I do something I’ve never done before, because I wouldn’t dare try to egg on Weston. I’m not sure if it’s my many months of new-found freedom or if it’s just Grady, but I can’t help but grin and taunt him. “I always hula-hoop with Foxy. It’s our thing.”
He narrows his eyes and his hands squeeze my waist. Even though my experience is limited to Weston, for some reason I knew it was safe and I was right, because I know he’s not serious when he says, “If you’re gonna fucking hula-hoop with anyone, it’s gonna be me.”
“I don’t know.” I let my eyes wander to his bare chest and let my hands run down his smooth skin, covered with a light smattering of hair. “You’ve clearly got it going on with the ladies, as Foxy would say. I’m not sure I’ll get a turn, they all seem to be vying for your attention.”
“Foxy’s a dirty old man,” he states.
“Maybe.” I look back to my hands as I keep speaking. “I guess we’ll just have to see who gets to hula-hoop with whom.”
With that, I grab an adhesive electrode in each hand, yanking hard and fast.
“Dammit,” he jerks, letting go of my hips.
I take a step back, but reach for the rest of the stickers, ripping quickly, but he’s expecting it this time. “I’ve got a date with Foxy, we need to get moving. Get dressed, Grady.”
A sexy smile spreads across his face and his dark blue eyes heat. “Someday, Maya, I’m gonna get you back for all the pain. I’m looking forward to it.”
