The Seduction Vow (7 page)

Sorry I didn’t get back to you. Tough week.
Get together this weekend? I’ll make dinner.

He responded almost
immediately.
I have gigs Fri. and Sat.
What about Sun.?

Sun. good.

What should she cook? Nothing with garlic or
onions. What should she wear? No outfit with a lot of layers to
take off. Was it better to keep things casual or should she set the
scene for seduction with candles, low lighting, and obvious
expectation in the air? A few candles. Enough to say “Isn’t this
intimate?” but not enough to declare “We’re throwing down before
this night is over.” Next she fretted about what music to play to
set the mood and finally decided she couldn’t go wrong with light
jazz.

She wasn’t going to wear a too-tight,
boob-baring top like the one Tara had lent her when they went
dancing. She searched her closet and ended up shopping for two
hours to pick out a simple top and skirt. Red was her color, since
it complemented her tan skin and dark hair. She chose a plain black
skirt with a little flare and a scoop-neck tee. Trying on the
outfit at home, it didn’t seem sexy enough after all, but maybe the
wispy lingerie she’d bought would make the point. When she mentally
went through the evening, she wasn’t sure at what point she’d have
a chance to change into them.

She also bought condoms. As she opened the
box to put a few in her nightstand, her heart thundered. She
recalled Neal’s kisses and the heat of his body pressing her
against the side of the car. A few more seconds and doing it in the
backseat wouldn’t have been out of the question.

She smoothed her hand over
her quilt and envisioned them naked in her bed, hands free to roam
anywhere. What would his lean body look like,
feel
like under her hands? His
mouth… Oh God, just the thought of his mouth on her breasts, her
belly, her sex, made her quiver. Heat and chills raced through her.
This was really going to happen.

Graci had all of Saturday and most of Sunday
to work herself into a nervous frenzy about the dinner and what
might happen after it. By the time Neal rang her doorbell that
evening, the beginnings of a headache throbbed in her temples. She
almost wished the night was over.

When she opened the door, the tension in her
neck eased, but drew tighter in other parts of her body as lust
kicked in. Apparently this was Neal “dressed up” and, oh God, was
he hot in a simple gray Henley shirt that hugged his torso and
black jeans that made his legs even longer. He might even have done
something with his hair, though it was hard to tell since it was
still tousled and begged to have someone’s fingers combed through
it.

He smiled at her, freezing her with his laser
eyes. “Hi.”

She’d stood there staring a fraction too long
and quickly moved aside. “Come on in. I’m glad you’re here.”

“
Me too.”

He stepped inside, and she was suddenly very
glad she wasn’t still in her old apartment. Too many memories of
Joey there. In this new place, Neal was her first real guest. Tara
and Corinne didn’t count.

“
Mm. Smells delicious.” He
looked around. “Your place is nice.”

“
It’s tiny. But it’s all I
can afford for now. I had to break the lease on my last apartment,
which wasn’t great for my finances. I couldn’t stay there after—”
She stopped, realizing she was heading into Joey territory. The
last thing she wanted was to be the woman who whined about her ex
or her money issues, especially when she was trying to be
seductive.

She changed the subject. “How were your gigs
this weekend?”

“
Good crowd Saturday, but
Friday’s was dead. Hardly anybody there, and those that were
weren’t into it. Happens sometimes. You get used to it.” He offered
her the plastic bag he carried. “I brought ice-cream cake, since
you said you like it.”

“
Thank you. That’s so
sweet.”

He’d paid attention to something she’d
mentioned at the café. That was a good sign.

She carried the bag into the kitchenette and
put the dessert in the freezer. “Can I get you a beer?”

After Graci handed him one, they both sat on
the couch in the living room, approximately three steps away from
the kitchen.

The easy rapport they’d had the other day,
talking for hours in that café, seemed hard to reach now that she
had sex on the brain. The heat of Neal’s body so near hers, the
light scent of some aftershave or body spray, and, of course, those
crazy eyes, overwhelmed her senses, making it difficult to think
straight.

“
It must be amazing to play
your music for a crowd,” she said at last. “I can’t imagine having
the bravery it takes to perform in front of people. Like Tara’s
acting. She really bares herself—literally, in one of her roles. It
must be terrifying and exhilarating.”

“
So that’s why karaoke is
on your list. It’s a challenge for you,” he said. “Then that’ll be
our next date. Check off another box.”

Next date.
She smiled at the suggestion that he wanted to
see more of her.

“
Trust me, people would be
happier if I didn’t sing. But I’m going to do it.”

“
You’re brave.” He tipped
his head a little, regarding her. “Maybe braver than you’ve given
yourself credit for. This guy broke your heart, what, a few weeks
ago? And look at you rising above it.”

She smiled, embarrassed yet pleased at the
compliment.

Neal reached out and tucked back a strand of
hair, fingers lingering on the curve of her ear. “Anyway, you
should sing not to prove a point but for the joy of it. Everybody
should sing, even if they can’t carry a tune. It’s good for the
soul. That’s what I tell my kids.”

“
What age do you work
with?” She turned more toward him, and her bare knee brushed the
denim of his jeans. Crazy hot vibrations rippled through her at the
slight touch. Another enticing whiff of whatever scent he wore set
her mouth watering. She inhaled deeply.

“
Our team splits up to
cover different middle and high schools every day. Since we can’t
cut into the regular curriculum, our class is an after school or
free period elective.”

“
Do you have a lot of
participation?”

“
At first no kid wanted to
sign up to do something when they could do nothing. But word of
mouth spread, and the program caught on. There’s usually a dozen
kids who show up for one of my classes.”

“
Very cool. I had no idea a
program like this existed.”

“
It’s pretty new. I don’t
know if the funding will last, but so far my paychecks haven’t
bounced, so…”

He smiled, and Graci smiled back. Such a
thoughtful man. A man with ideals, who actually followed through on
them. The inspirational sort of person Neal was attracted her more
than ever, but also scared her. Could she have casual sex with a
guy she liked so much? He was supposed to be a transition guy, an
experiment, not a person she cared for too deeply. This wasn’t the
time in her life for that.

Graci shrugged off her niggling worries as
she invited Neal to come sit at the little table she’d set for two.
Serving the meal she’d made, it belatedly occurred to her she
should’ve found out how he felt about fish. “Hope you like
salmon.”

“
Looks great.”

She poured two glasses of wine, then picked
at her food. Impossible to rouse an appetite when she was so
nervous about the next portion of the evening. Besides which, the
fish was so awfully bland. Should’ve used some garlic after
all.

If Neal found the dish as tasteless as she
did, he gave no sign as he dug in.

“
So, when am I going to get
to see these quilts of yours?” he asked. “I thought you might have
some displayed on your wall. I have an aunt who does
that.”

“
I hung a few in my old
place. I haven’t gotten around to decorating here yet.
Anyway, I think I might switch things up, buy some art prints or
something. I don’t want this apartment to look anything like the
last one. I need a fresh start.”

He nodded. “After Jennie, I wanted nothing
familiar around to remind me of her. But don’t delete all the
photos. Later you might wish you hadn’t. You can’t just erase those
years. It was your life.”

“
I suppose, but right now I
can’t imagine ever wanting to be reminded of all the time I wasted
on him. I’ve deleted snaps of Joey from my phone and considered
scrubbing every image stored on my computer. At first I was sad,
but now I’m just angry.”

“
I understand how hard it
is to trust again after someone does a number on you like
that.”

The sympathy in Neal’s voice that might have
triggered more tears not too long ago caused a surge of anger in
her tonight at the thought of the prime years of her life when she
should have been out meeting new people and trying new things.

“
I’m almost as mad at
myself for living in delusion, for devoting myself to a
make-believe future with him while he was…doing the things he did.
So dumb.”

“
He cheated on you,” Neal
said.

She nodded. “Did yours?”

“
No. She just left when I
needed her most. You should be angry. Get it all out. Because the
sooner you can work through it, the sooner you can really begin to
take back your life. Maybe add kickboxing to that list of
yours.”

Graci smiled at that. “Well, I’m starting
cake decorating this week, but I’m sure I can work in krav maga or
some other fighting class into my schedule.”

She gave up on the fish and
set down her fork, wiping a hand over her face. “Sheesh. I
did
not
mean to
go there. You see what you’ve gotten into, hanging out with a fresh
dumpee?”

He grinned. “I don’t mind it. The positive
outweighs the negative. You’re really cute.”

Her ears burned at the compliment. “You’re
pretty cute too, but I’m sure you know that.”

His eyes widened. “Why would I?”

“
Because, look at you, with
the eyes and the tattoos and that sexy hair and playing in a band.
You probably have women crawling all over you.”

“
Not so much. You think
my
hair
is sexy?”
His eyes twinkled at her, and the bit of fish she’d managed to
swallow came back to life and did a flip in her stomach.

“
Well, yeah.” Now not only
her ears were flaming. She dipped her head to try to hide her pink
cheeks.

“
I think
this
is sexy.” Neal
pushed aside his plate, leaned across the table and put the tip of
his finger on her lower lip. “The way it pouts just a little all
the time.” His voice deepened. “And the way you dip your head like
that when you’re embarrassed. Super cute.”

He traced her lip lightly before taking his
hand away. Her lips buzzed as if he’d already kissed her. Her body
vibrated in excitement and anticipation. She was ready to leap up
from her chair and drag him out of his. This would be so easy and
so right.

Neal gazed at her, his hands clasped together
on the table in front of him as if that was the only way he could
keep from reaching for her. “I want you, and I’m pretty sure you
feel the same. But you’re hurting and lonely right now. I don’t
want to end up doing something you might regret later.”

Graci listened and really heard him. He was
giving her an out. This could remain a simple friendship, or they
could take the next step. It was truly up to her.

“
If you really want to see
one of my quilts, there’s one on my bed,” she finally answered.
Then she lifted her chin and looked him square in the eyes. “I
really want you to see it.”

The furrow in his brow smoothed and a slow
smile crept across his mouth. “I would absolutely love to see
it.”

Chapter Six

Breathless and lightheaded,
Graci led the way to her bedroom, approximately ten steps from the
kitchenette. The hairs on her body were little antennae tuned in to
Neal’s presence beside her. Signals pinged through her nervous
system and woke up every cell. Charged with energy and ready,
oh
so
ready, she
was poised like a runner on a starting line. The tight buds of her
nipples ached to be plucked, and her underwear dampened from the
clenching of her pussy. She craved Neal inside her, on top of her.
Here. Now. It was about to happen.

Graci stopped beside her bed and stared at
the rose quilt with blind eyes.

“
That’s beautiful. It
really is like stained glass.” Neal stood on the other side of the
bed. He stroked a hand over the bits and pieces of color she’d
painstakingly assembled. “This must have taken hours.”

“
Quite a few.”

“
How often do you make
one?”

“
It depends on the size. A
couple of large quilts a year, but I also make small ones for
Children’s Hope, a charity that provides comfort items like stuffed
animals to kids in crisis.”

“
Very cool.” He traced the
complex shape of one of the roses.

She shrugged. “I don’t know how much it
really helps when a kid’s house has burned down or Protective
Services is removing them from their home.”

“
Hey, every act of kindness
matters. It’s just important to do what we can.” His smile was too
sweet and sexy as hell.

He grasped one side of the quilt and Graci
took the other. Together they drew it back, folded it, and removed
it from the bed, a simple act that signified so much.