Grady walked her out to her car, cautioning her to wait until he could follow. The ride back to Sophie’s house was long – and silent. She’d tried listening to the radio, the nonstop series of love songs clouding her mind to the point where she’d turned the dial all the way down and erased the sounds.
She was a mess.
Sexual attraction and basic need were starting to turn her into a ball of hormones she was having trouble controlling. She wasn’t used to the feeling and, when she tried to get a grasp on the emotions bubbling beneath her usually staid surface, her mind zipped in thirty different directions.
Grady Hardy is not an option for me!
Sophie shook her head defiantly. She was convinced watching James and Mandy together had corrupted her heart, made her weak. She just needed some sleep, some time to regroup. The truth was, even if she gave in to her needs and pulled Grady into her bed, she would never have what James and Mandy made look so easy.
Grady wasn’t built that way either. He didn’t want the relationship his brother made look so simple to the outside world. Why am I torturing myself like this?
When Sophie parked in front of her house, she took a few seconds to catch her breath. She was home. She was safe. Her bed was less than a hundred feet away. If she could make it inside of the house she would be able to burrow under the comforter and approach tomorrow with a clear head.
Sophie jumped out of her car and moved toward the front door of her house, door key already in hand. She ignored the sound of Grady’s voice behind her. She couldn’t understand what he was saying, the blood rushing through her ear canal serving as a deterrent.
She jerked when she felt a hand on her arm. She glanced around, realizing Grady had jumped out of his truck – leaving the ignition running – and chased her to the door.
“What are you doing?”
Grady’s face was a mask of unexpressed emotion. “What are you doing?”
“Going to bed.”
Grady’s hand didn’t move from her arm as he straightened, looking left and right. “I … .”
“I need to go to bed,” Sophie said, fighting the urge to grab his face and press her lips against his. “I’m tired.”
GRADY was stymied. Somewhere between Hardy Brothers Security and Sophie’s home, this beautiful woman seemed to have lost her shit.
He didn’t know why.
Well, that’s not true. He had a feeling he knew why. It was the same reason he felt like his insides were trying to make their way to the outside of his skin. She wanted him.
Unfortunately, for him, want had somehow turned to need without his realization. Need was coursing through his body, though. Need was propelling him. Need was … overtaking him.
“Let me walk you inside.” His voice was hoarse.
“I’m fine.”
“I’ll walk you inside.”
“I’m not a child,” Sophie argued. “I can walk myself inside.” She was adamant.
She wrenched her arm away from him and moved toward the door.
Let her go. She wants to go. You want to let her go.
He couldn’t let her go. Grady grabbed her arm again, forcefully pulling her to him. She opened her mouth – some mean admonishment on her lips – but Grady didn’t let her utter it.
His mouth covered hers, instinct taking over. Her lips were firm, unmoving at that first explosive contact. Then she sighed, parting her lips so his tongue could enter her warm orifice. The kiss was hot, full of desire, and Grady sank into it.
It was like coming home.
First kisses were supposed to be awkward, uncomfortable, full of fumbling and searching. There was none of that here. Sophie’s hands moved up Grady’s shoulders, rubbing them lightly before moving higher, finally settling into his hair. They gripped him desperately, pulling his mouth harder against hers.
Grady’s arms encircled Sophie’s narrow waist, pulling her body flush against his, and allowing him to grind his erection against her before he registered what was happening. His mind was busy. He needed to get her into the house, up that short set up stairs, and naked. His truck was still running … but … screw it. He’d call Finn for a jump and can of gas in the morning. He needed to get Sophie inside. And he needed to do it in the next three minutes or he was going to explode in his own pants.
Sophie was making mewling sounds in the base of her throat, grunting as their tongues tangled and her lips furiously made contact with his. He wrapped his arm around her waist, lifting her against him as he tried to grab the key from her hand.
Sophie let him take it, clearly focused on their passion. After three tries, Grady realized he would never be able to get the key in the lock without looking at it. He reluctantly pulled his mouth from hers and focused on the lock.