Free Falling for Grace (Four Winds) by Anne Conley Page A

huff at him, annoyed with his easy-going attitude.  She tried not to think about his words. 
    They walked along in silence, until Rafe broke it.  “You broke up with him?  Really?”
    She nodded, but didn’t say anything out loud.  She didn’t really want to tell Rafe that the main reason she’d gotten so mad at Brad tonight was because he’d been so nasty about Rafe.  And Grace didn’t want to encourage him.
    Grace was pretty sure she didn't have many defenses against this guy, if he tried something she would be putty in his enormous, tanned, gorgeous hands.
    They walked along in silence, Grace lost in her thoughts of Brad and his inadequacies.  She had initially agreed to date him because he was okay looking and nice most of the time.  She really didn't like beautiful men.  Her mom's boyfriend was beautiful, and look where her mom was.  Still working two jobs to make sure he had enough beer for his buddies. 
    Tonight though, Brad had really surprised her.  He'd never done anything like that before, and she wasn't sure what to make of it.  He was so transparent.  He was jealous of Rafe, but there wasn't really anything to be jealous of, was there? 
    She turned her head and looked up at his profile in the moonlight.  His hair was pulled back into his ponytail, but there were a few wisps that she wished she could finger.  Strong jaw, prominent Adam's apple that for some reason was fascinating to her, biceps bigger around than her calves, tapered waist, and those eyes.  She noticed those last, as he turned and caught her staring.
    The green of his eyes reminded her of safety and peace.  She couldn't put her finger on what it was, exactly.  But every time she sank into the depth of his eyes, she felt a serenity that she didn't want to abandon.
    Maybe Brad should be jealous, she thought to herself as Rafe's eyes took on a predatory gleam.  He crooked his arm out to her, and reluctantly, she gripped the inside of his elbow, allowing herself the pleasant tingle associated with touching him.   He rested his other hand on top of hers, and Grace couldn't stop the rush of heat flowing through her body, stealing the air in her lungs.  Suddenly it was difficult to breathe.
    She looked down at his hand resting on hers and noticed the veins running just under the skin.  His fingers were long and thick, making her wonder about other parts of his anatomy.  Yeah, she knew that doing anything with Rafe would be anything but casual.  It would be wild, full of frenetic energy that she wasn't sure she could handle.  Grace shook her head to clear the suddenly erotic images.
    "Nice night out, isn't it?"  There was a chuckle in his voice, as if he had seen her thoughts, and she blushed furiously.
    "Uh…yeah.  It is."  She forced her gaze upwards to look at the rare vision of stars in the sky.  "We don't usually see this many stars.  That's kind of odd."
    The air around them crackled as they walked home, and Grace could only attribute it to this man next to her.  She felt pulled to him in a way she didn't understand.  She only knew that it meant he would change her.
    Irrevocably.
    She quickened her steps in an effort to get home faster and go to her room and snuggle under the covers behind her closed door.  Away from Rafe.  She wished she hadn't invited him to come tonight.  If he hadn't have come, Brad wouldn't have been such an asshole.  If Brad hadn't been such an asshole, they wouldn't be here together.  Alone.  Alone together.
    Shit.
    She was panting and out of breath by the time they'd gotten home, but she dislodged herself from Rafe's arm and rushed up the steps to the front door anyway.  Rafe was at her heels.
    "Grace.  Wait a minute."
    She turned to him and saw his eyes blaze a trail across her face.  "I'm sorry."
    "For what?"
    "For coming tonight.  If I hadn't come along, Brad wouldn't have gotten jealous.  I should have bowed out when the girls did.  Tonight being so horrible was all my