Grace Under Fire

Chapter 16

Grace lay in bed, shamelessly naked, waiting eagerly for Jed. The steady, uninterrupted rhythm of her daily existence had blown up in her face when she'd received the letter from Jaron Vaden. Now, the man was dead. Brutally murdered and deposited at her front gate as a warning. Her life was out of control and she was reeling from the aftershocks. For four years she had clung to the memory of her husband, loving him, grieving for him, needing him every day. She had been empty inside for such a long time, the loss of her family leaving her adrift, emotionally unconnected to anything other than anguish. She had clung to Sheffield Media, Inc. as if it were her only lifeline. Indeed, it had been her one reason for living.

But everything had changed when Jed Tyree walked off the plane from Atlanta a few days ago. Had it really been less than week since his arrival? Odd that it seemed she'd known him for years. Laverna would say the feeling came from the fact that Grace and Jed had known each other in another life and were simply reconnecting in this one. Although a devout Christian all her life, Laverna dabbled in the supernatural, a trait not uncommon for many Louisiana natives whose roots went generations deep in bayou soil. Grace wasn't a believer in reincarnation, yet she couldn't truthfully say she was a disbeliever. She did know one thing for sure-Jed Tyree was no stranger to her heart.

When Jed emerged from the bathroom, his fist closed tightly over a couple of square packets, Grace suddenly felt shy, but she forced herself not to reach for the sheet to cover herself.

"Lady, you're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," he told her as he stopped in the middle of the bedroom and stared at her.

"You look pretty darn good yourself."

Oh, yes, pretty dam good, indeed. Drop-dead gorgeous might better describe the naked man standing before her. Tall, muscular, not an ounce of fat on his hard, lean torso. The type of man a woman dreamed of having for a lover.

"Like what you see?" he asked, a cocky grin curving his lips.

She stared directly at his rock-solid erection. "I like what I see very much."

"I'm thinking this time should be fast, to give us both some much-needed relief," Jed said as he walked over and laid one of the condom packets on the nightstand. "And then later, we'll take it slow and easy… and make it last." He ripped open the packet in his hand.

Flushed with excitement, Grace watched as he sheathed his sex. Her femininity tightened and released, throbbing, sending sexual longing through her whole body. What was it about Jed that made her want him all the time? She was aching so much she didn't think she could stand it another minute. Getting up on her knees, she crawled to the edge of the bed and reached out for him. She grasped his hands and tried to drag him into bed with her.

"Eager, aren't you, Blondie?" His voice was husky, exuding a mixture of amusement and desire.

"Didn't you say we'd do it fast this time?" She yanked on his hands. "Let's see some action, big boy." Her gaze settled on his impressive erection.

Jed grinned. "You want action?"

He reversed roles by grabbing her and flipping her around so that her back faced him.

When she yelped in surprise, he slid her to the edge of the bed and pressed his sex against her buttocks. His arms went around her waist, clenching her tightly. As she rested back against him, letting her body melt into his, he kissed her neck. One hand slid down her belly and covered her mound. She rubbed against him, slowly, sensuously. He groaned. She sighed. When he nudged her thighs apart, she cooperated fully, giving him full access. Two fingers glided inside her moist feminine lips and across her sensitive nub. She whimpered when he eased his fingers inside her and brought his thumb down to caress her intimately. She rode his hand, undulating against the friction as he petted her.

While she lay back against him, one of his hands worked magic between her legs and the other rose to her left breast, cupped it, lifted it, then stroked the tight, tender nipple. She cried out when hot, clawing sensation shot from her breast to her core, then rippled along her nerve endings. She was on the verge of climaxing. So close she could do nothing to prolong the pleasure. Giving her simultaneous attention above and below her waist, Jed bit her neck with tender passion. And Grace unraveled, coming apart like a tightly wound ball of yarn. She whimpered as Jed manipulated her body so that those orgasmic sensations continued… on and on, until finally he'd drained every ounce of sexual tension from her body.

Or so she thought…

Suddenly, Jed dragged her backward so her knees rested on the edge of the bed. Before she realized his intent, he positioned himself to align his body to hers, then he took her from behind, ramming himself to the hilt inside her wet, welcoming depths. When he jackhammered into her, she clutched the bedspread and braced herself for the onslaught. His big hands held her hips, keeping her in place. Unbelievably, her body responded, awakening anew to a hunger she had thought already appeased.

With one hand on Grace's hip, holding her steady as he thrust in and out, Jed slipped his other hand between her thighs. He increased the speed of his lunges and his fingers stroked repeatedly until she heard him groan and knew he had reached his limit. His release came quickly, wildly, and the last few thrusts jolted her with the force of a body slam. But what she felt-all she felt-was fulfillment claiming her once again. Within seconds after Jed came, she did, too. A second time.

He toppled her into bed, the two of them still joined, his sex still hard and hot between her legs. He nuzzled her neck.

"I'd like to stay this way until we fall asleep," he whispered hoarsely. "But…" He pulled out of her, got up, then leaned over to kiss her before he headed for the bathroom.

Grace felt lost without him. She wanted him back in her arms, back in her body. Now.

In the sweet, dark hours of predawn, it was easy to believe that nothing and no one existed outside this room. The whole world had shrunk to encompass this sixteen-by-sixteen bedroom, this big oak bed and the man who had given her unparalleled pleasure.

Gone only a couple of minutes, Jed came out of the bathroom carrying a damp washcloth. When he sat on the bed, he spread her legs apart and cleaned her, then planted a kiss just below her navel. Before she could say thank you, he left her again. But within seconds he reemerged from the bathroom.

"You're not leaving to go back to your room, are you?"he asked as he stood by the bed.

"Not unless you want me to." Her heartbeat hummed inside her head.

Jed lay down beside her and pulled her into his arms. He kissed her temple and said, "What I want is you to stay right here, as close to me as you can get."

"That's what I want, too."

She cuddled against him, feeling more alive in her sated, drowsy state than she'd ever felt in her entire life. And in that moment she knew-she couldn't deny it any longer, at least not to herself. She was in love with Jed Tyree. Head over heels, madly, passionately in love.

Jim Kelly sat alone in his room in the Fortier house gazing out the window at the dawn sky. He couldn't sleep, couldn't even rest. He'd wanted to do more to help Charmaine Fortier after the sheriff had informed them of her brother's death. But he couldn't go to her, couldn't stay with her without arousing suspicion.

He had been part of the Louisiana Mafia for nearly two years, his credentials forged, his identity falsified. He'd been able to stay in contact with the Bureau without any problems, up until six months ago when he'd been assigned to Booth Fortier's inner circle of bodyguards. A real stroke of luck, but with definite drawbacks. With his movements restricted, his every waking hour spent with others, he had little or no opportunity to even make a phone call or mail a letter. He was determined to do nothing to jeopardize his position, because when the time came, his firsthand knowledge of Fortier and the syndicate he ruled would prove invaluable. He'd managed to make a few phone calls when he was away from the house, but he'd been tied to his bodyguard duties twenty-four-seven for months now. All he could do was wait for the Bureau to come to him. And he knew they would. Moran would send in an agent-whether Federal or independent-to make contact. They'd have to let him know when they were ready to strike, ready to bring Fortier and his crime empire down.

But lately things here had gotten really complicated. Ever since he'd moved into Fortier's private residence, he had suspected that Booth abused his wife. Now he knew it for sure. The most recent beating had left Charmaine horribly battered. Jim wondered how her brother had been able to stand by all these years and watch Booth use her like a punching bag. Then again maybe he did understand, After all, what had he done to help her? But he couldn't help her-not yet. He didn't dare do anything to jeopardize his undercover work. More than his life or Charmaine's depended on the success of his mission, He couldn't take the chance Jaron Vaden had taken-taken and lost. But when the operation came to a close, when Fortier was arrested, Jim intended to make sure Charmaine was protected.

Jed kissed Grace's shoulder, then ran his tongue up her neck to her ear. She roused from sleep and moaned softly. His open palm skimmed over her belly, past her navel and covered her mound. She turned and draped her arm across his chest, pressing her body to his side.

"What time is it?" she asked, her eyes still closed.

"Almost daylight." He lifted himself over her just enough to kiss her lips.

Her eyelids flew open instantly. He was nose-to-nose with her, smiling seductively.

"Did you wake me for a reason?" she asked, humor in her voice.

He bent his head over and caught one peaked nipple in his mouth. He nipped, then sucked, and followed up by laving it with his tongue. While her hips arched, he moved to the other breast, then lifted his head and said, "Why waste time sleeping when we can be making love?"

She flung her arm around his neck and brought his mouth back down to hers. "My sentiments exactly." She kissed him.

They were as wild for each other this time as the first time. No slow loving. No lingering foreplay. But Grace didn't care. They tossed and tumbled on the bed, touching and tasting, hungry for sex. Jed donned another condom and took the dominant position. He grasped her hips, lifting her to meet his first deep, powerful thrust. He filled her completely-her body, her mind, her heart,

Jed showered and dressed. All the while, Grace slept. As he eased his Beretta into its holster, he turned toward the bed and looked at her. He was about as hung up on her as a guy could be. And as much as he'd like to tell himself that it was just the great sex, he knew better. Yeah, the sex was incredible, but that was only part of it. He cared about Grace in a way he'd never cared about another woman. He wanted to please her, make her happy. And he wanted her to be proud of him, needed her to think well of him,

You damn idiot, he told himself. You've gone and screwed up big time. You've let yourself get emotionally involved with a woman who is bound to hate you once she discovers you're Booth Fortier's nephew. Why the hell didn't you just tell her the truth? If you had, you could have saved yourself and her a whole lot of heartache.

Although he'd told Grace he'd come from a family of criminals and she hadn't judged him or condemned him, he couldn't count on her understanding when she learned that he was the nephew of the man responsible for her father's and husband's deaths. Would she ever be able to look at him again and not think about the fact that he was the nephew of the man who had taken away those she had loved the most dearly, including her precious unborn child?

His instinct was to kiss her goodbye before he left, but he squelched that desire. He removed his jacket from the hanger, put it on and quietly left the room. When he got downstairs, he found Dom and Kate had already arrived and were sharing coffee in the kitchen.

"Is Miss Grace not up?" Laverna asked, her wise old eyes studying Jed speculatively.

"She's sleeping in this morning. Don't disturb her." Jed turned to Kate. "Call her office and tell Elsa that Grace is taking the morning off."

Kate nodded.

"Do they know you're coming?" Dom asked quietly as he walked up beside Jed.

Jed shook his head. "That would eliminate the element of surprise. I plan to just show up."

"And you think they'll invite you in?"

"I know they will," Jed replied. "Booth will be curious as hell about why I'm paying him a visit." Jed caught both Laverna and Nolan looking at him curiously. "Yes, Miss Grace knows my plans. She knows I'm going to see Booth Fortier this morning. "

Laverna looked away hurriedly. Nolan cleared his throat, then said, "I'm sure you're doing what you think is best for Miss Grace."

Laverna handed Jed a cup of coffee-just the way he liked it. Black. "Thanks," Jed said.

Dom placed his hand on Jed's shoulder. "Why don't I walk you out? It'll give us a chance to go over a few things."

Jed nodded, took several quick sips of the hot coffee, then set the cup on the table. "I'm trusting you and Kate to take care of Grace."

Dom followed Jed out into the hall. "Moran called me. He said he'd tried to reach you, but your cell phone was off."

Jed cursed under his breath. "I didn't recharge the battery last night. I forgot." He tapped the phone he'd left on inside his coat pocket.

Dom gave Jed a speculative glance, but made no comment, although Jed figured Dom suspected why he'd forgotten to recharge his phone battery. After all, Dom had been the one who'd gotten the condoms for him.

"I got distracted," Jed admitted.

"It happens." Dom whipped his phone from his pocket and handed it to Jed. "Swap phones with me. You need to call Moran on your way to Beaulac."

The men exchanged phones, then once they were outside near the rental car Kate had driven over for Jed this morning, Dom recited Moran's number.

"Good luck," Dom said.

"Keep watch over Grace."

"You know we will. Stop worrying. The way you're acting, you'd think she was your-" Dom grinned, then grimaced. "Holy shi- What am I saying? I realize she's not just a client to you."

"Yeah, yeah. I know I've screwed up. But save the name-calling. I've already called myself every name in the book. And don't think I don't know how she'll react when she finds out that Booth is my uncle."

"She's a smart lady. Give her time and she'll understand. She won't blame you for the things your uncle has done."

"I just hope you're right."

Jed opened the car door, slid behind the wheel, started the engine and drove away. When he reached the gates at the end of the long drive, they already stood open. Nolan's doing, no doubt. He pulled the car just beyond the gates, then punched in Moran's number on Dom's phone and waited. On the second ring, Moran answered.

"Jed Tyree here. I'm leaving Belle Foret right now. I should be in Beaulac in about forty-five minutes."

"Our agent's name is Jim Kelly," Moran said. "He's been undercover for two years. Fortier and everyone in the syndicate know him as Ronnie Martine. He's been Charmaine Fortier's personal bodyguard for six months."