All I Ever Wanted(54)

Grady inhaled a deep breath, knowing they were right. "Okay," he said, and then stood up. "But when I find out who splashed me in the face, I'm gonna kick his ass."

"It was Jimmy," Jesse said, but Grady knew damned well it had been the other twin.

On the drive over to the beach house, Grady decided he needed to stop for flowers. His arrival at the Main Street florist caused a bit of a stir. The recent media coverage and a visit from Entertainment Tonight had renewed the interest in what had become a rather quiet life for the Heart brothers in Sea Breeze. But now, instead of autographs, people wanted selfies. Lots of selfies.


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Although Grady wasn't really in the mood, he posed for several cell phone cameras before escaping with a big bouquet of red roses.

When Arabella failed to answer the front door, he walked around to the deck. She stood at the railing with her back to him. Her hair blew in the breeze, and she tugged a hair tie from her wrist. He had to grin, remembering how she could lose a million hair ties in one day. She swore there was a planet Hair Tie where all the lost ones lived in peace and harmony. Orbiting Planet Hair Tie was the Hair Clip Moon; planet Hair Tie itself revolved around the Sun of Socks. The Milky Way of lost items.

During the few days without her, he'd had to rely on random memories, often of heart-pounding moments like this one, right now. She'd changed physically over the years, her voice huskier, her body curvier, her hair longer, but if anything, she was more beautiful, more alluring. Her quirky sense of humor remained intact, along with her determination and work ethic. She was right. She'd made her own way in life, and he could see how giving up her independence, leaning on someone, could be both a blessing and frightening at the same time.

He watched as she captured her long tresses with both hands and quickly twisted a lopsided bun at the top of her head with nimble fingers. Those fingers had explored every inch of his body.

Grady watched her shoulders rise and fall as if she was deep in thought. Oh, how he wished he could read her mind. She wore faded, worn jeans and an oversize dark-blue sweater, making her appear even more petite than usual. And more vulnerable. He smiled when he noticed her feet were bare. Shedding her shoes and bra were always the first things she did when entering the house. He knew so much about her, but there was still so much more to explore.

Arabella leaned forward and grabbed the railing, tilting her head down as if wrestling with her thoughts. And then she raised her arms above her and stretched, making the big sweater slip over one slender shoulder. Grady felt his blood stir. She could arouse him with a look, a smile . . . just standing there. He longed to walk up behind her, wrap his arms around her, and kiss her bare shoulder, inhale her floral scent, and make sweet love to her all afternoon and into the night.

Grady stood silently and gazed at her for a few heart-pounding moments, soaking up more of her beauty into his memory bank. He noticed a delicate wineglass perched on the wide wooden railing. She picked it up, took a small sip from it, and then sighed. When she tilted her face to the sunlight he walked closer. The sound of his shoes on the deck drew her attention and she turned around. Her eyes widened, either at seeing him or the flowers, or both.

"Hello," Grady said, and extended the bouquet toward her. 

"Thank you," she said simply without a smile, but the slight tremble in her voice gave her emotion away. "What are they for?" She put her nose into the petals and then looked at him in question.

"Nothing in particular." Grady cleared his throat and leaned against the railing. "I just wanted to see you smile," he said, and she did, but it was a soft, almost sad curve of her lips. "I've missed you these past few days."

Arabella nodded slowly, swallowed, and looked at him with stormy eyes. "It was your choice to stay away from me."

"I needed some time, Arabella. I wasn't angry . . . just . . ." He shoved fingers in his hair. "I don't even know how to explain it. I guess it was just that things could have been different, and I'm finding that hard to get over."

"I can understand." Arabella placed the flowers on the nearby table and then took a sip of her wine.

"Talk to me. What were you thinking about while looking out over the sea?"

"Lots of things, but mostly about you."

"Good things?" he asked lightly.

Arabella chuckled softly. "You were the wild one, the bad boy of the famous Heartbeat boy band when I came on the scene. I told myself, warned myself not to get involved with you or I'd just get my heart broken. Falling in love with a boy-band heartthrob was something I needed to avoid." She paused and then tilted her head. "But you captured my heart and then you changed your wild ways . . . for me."