The bonus story to If Only’s Only for the Moment, 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬 𝗜𝗙 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗬, is coming to my newsletter on NOVEMBER 15TH! Have you signed up yet? You can only read Nick and Grace if you’re on my list, so sign up here: https://www.subscribepage.com/n9q8y6 . And in the meantime, here’s a refresher on the beginning of their story!
Nick & Grace: The Beginning
Nick held his breath as he walked through the door of the mansion, every sense straining, wanting, needing to see the woman he’d traveled across the world just to meet. His job was to protect his friend and client, Isaac Anschau, from harm, but that wasn’t why he’d dropped to his knees and given thanks when Isaac told him they were visiting Australia. No, it had all been about Grace.
His Grace.
“What in the world happened to you?”
Nick’s gut tightened at the lyrical voice even though it wasn’t directed at him. He knew that voice, had heard it hundreds of times over the phone, had replayed the memories in his dreams. His Grace.
But it was Isaac who gathered Grace’s petite frame into his arms, blocking Nick from getting a proper look. “How you doing, Grace?”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
Nick recognized the stubborn tone too. When she wanted something, Grace could be as stubborn as a dog with a bone. That was exactly how she’d gotten her lifelong friend back to his home country when he’d refused to visit for five years.
“Later, okay?” Isaac answered, releasing Grace. Still blocking Nick’s view.
Move the fuck out of the way, boss.
Isaac did, shifting to the side to introduce his girlfriend, Kennedy O’Connell. And giving Nick his first glimpse of Grace in person. He’d known from pictures that she was petite, maybe a handful of inches over five feet. Much, much smaller than his six-four. But he hadn’t realized how delicate she would be, like a fairy. Or, with the mischief sparkling in those eyes as she bantered with Isaac, a wood nymph. Something with wings.
How would she fit in his arms? Beneath him? He broke out in a sweat just thinking about it.
Grace directed Isaac to his bedroom so he could get out of his wet clothes. “Just don’t linger.”
Nick couldn’t help it; a snort escaped. “If Ken is going with him, the lingering is guaranteed.”
At the sound of his voice, Grace leaned a bit to see around Isaac, her gaze colliding with Nick’s—and kicking every last bit of breath out of his lungs.
A pink flush crept up her cheeks. “Nick.”
He grinned. “In the flesh. Finally.”
And the wait, as much as it had itched under his skin for far too long, had definitely been worth it. Grace was a fucking dream standing before him, just like he’d known she would be. Years he’d dreamed about her, imagining what it would be like to be in the same room, to see her, hold her. Right now, this moment—his dreams hadn’t even come close.
He was vaguely aware of Isaac and Kennedy heading upstairs. Very vaguely. Every ounce of attention was centered on the woman in front of him, the shy awareness in her eyes, the way she gripped her hands in front of her as if she was holding herself back. He didn’t want her to hold back. He opened his arms. “Come here, angel.”
The next moment he was pulling her against him—and oh God, did she feel good. When she whispered his name, he knew she felt it too.
Her body molded to his perfectly, and he gave himself a moment to revel in the feel of her in his arms. When things south started to revel a bit too much, he stepped back. They had time. He had time to give her, to prove he was who she needed. By the time he got on a plane to escort Isaac back to the States, she would be his and they’d be planning the future.
“Show me to my room?” he asked. If his voice was a little rough, well, he couldn’t help it. Grace did that to him.
Grace stared up at him a moment, emotion swirling in her eyes. “Aren’t you going to kiss me, Nick?”
A jolt shot through him, half surprise, half lust. “What?”
The ring of Grace’s laughter sent a flutter through his chest, right where she laid her palm. Warmth seeped into him at her touch.
“I know you, Nick. We may not have met in person, but I know you. Being all chivalrous and ‘give her some time.’” She shook her head, the scent of sun and coconut rising from her hair to fill his senses. “Stop protecting me. I’ve waited too long for this moment.”
Nick closed his eye tight. How could he have ever believed that Grace would let him ease her into anything? A chuckle escaped as he opened his eyes to stare down into her gorgeous blue gaze. “You never do anything halfway, do you?”
“Me?” Grace moved closer, her body brushing his again, setting his senses on fire. “I should bloody well hope not.”
Spearing his fingers into the silky fall of her hair, he cradled her head, tilting it at just the right angle. Grace went up on her toes, anticipation lighting her eyes and quickening her breath. And as Nick lowered his head, his lips meeting hers, he knew without a doubt, just as he’d known everything else when it came to Grace, that this would be the last first kiss he would ever have.
*
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