Crash and Burn (2 page)

“What’s going on?” Grace asked, positive she didn’t wanted to leave the seclusion of her car. She nodded at the truck.

Divina made an unladylike snort. “Stone’s people are moving his stuff in.” She made air quotes around the word
people
.

“I thought you were getting the marriage annulled.”

“So did I. Stone wants to give the marriage thing a try. He sees it as some kind of game.”

“What does Hank think?” Grace asked, the sides of her mouth turning up.

Hank came up behind Divina. “Hank thinks this is the most ridiculous thing he’s ever seen. This Stone guy, what kind of a name is that? He took advantage of a drunk, weak moment and married my fiancee. It’s unacceptable. Now he’s moving into my house, or at least his people,” he said, using air quotes exactly like Divina, “are moving into the house. He doesn’t even have the decency to show up.”

Grace didn’t answer for a moment as she considered driving off without an added word, but she couldn’t let her father down.

“Hi, Hank. Good to see you,” Grace said, trying to ignore his presence, which wasn’t too hard.

She’d never been a huge Hank fan. Hank was dull. He was a plain executive pencil pusher. He was one pocket protector away from being a full-fledged geek. Grace figured Divina only stayed with him because she could tell him what to do. He was also a whiner, which made Grace crazy. Grown men shouldn’t whine when they didn’t get their way. His sandy blond hair was tousled like he’d been running his hands through it repeatedly, his tie was loosened and the top button on his short-sleeved shirt was undone.

“I’m only here to make sure no one gets killed. I don’t care one whit about Stone Adams or racecar drivers in general.” A small fib about the last part didn’t really count. It was for dramatic effect anyway.

A roaring engine and a screech of tires startled her. She jerked her head up to check the rearview mirror in time to see a black, slick sports car hit the straightaway at eighty. As it passed her car, it took the turn into the driveway on two wheels.

Divina harrumphed. “That’s him. That’s my new husband.”

Grace watched the driver unfold himself from the car and turn toward them. Brown hair the color of melted chocolate, mirrored, expensive sunglasses, black t-shirt and tight jeans gave him the perfect look for the bad boy of the Eastern racing circuit. She sucked in a breath. Her heart seemed to stop for a minute, before kicking into a faster rate.

Divina sighed, her chest heaving.

Hank growled low in his throat.

Grace’s gaze was glued to Divina’s new husband. He was so much better looking in person. He walked with a confident swagger, making her knees go weak. Good thing she was sitting down. She sucked in another breath. Divina’s usually bad taste in men obviously didn’t carry over when she was drunk. The local papers hadn’t done him justice with their photos.

Divina walked to the front of Grace’s car and stopped him with a hand on his chest before he got too close to Hank. Grace grinned through the window of her Toyota Corolla. People paid good money to watch drama like this.

“What’s with the moving truck? I thought we were getting the marriage annulled?” Divina whined.

“I’ve decided to give this marriage gig a try.” Stone stepped around her with his hand outstretched toward Hank. “Hi. I’m Stone Adams. You are?”

“I’m Hank, Divina’s fiance.”

Stone’s eyebrows went up, registering surprise, then he slid his head toward Divina. “Really?”

He was cool, calm and collected. If Grace had missed the eyebrow raise, she would have guessed he already knew about Hank.

Divina gasped and sighed. A common occurrence, Grace noticed. “Yes. Really. This is why we can’t stay married.” Divina pointed between herself and Hank. “We’re getting married in less than two months.”

Stone leaned in to Divina. Grace couldn’t see their faces anymore, but from the look on Hank’s face, Stone wasn’t playing fair.

“Get your lips off her,” Hank said, taking a step forward.

“She’s my wife. I’m allowed,” Stone said.

“Grace! Now’s a good time to interfere!” Divina called.

She thought about it for a moment. What could it hurt? This was why she was here, to keep the three of them from killing one another. She slid out of the driver’s seat and looked over the roof of the car at the threesome. All of them turned to stare at her. She rubbed her hand over her face and smoothed out her chestnut hair. She didn’t like the way they were watching her.

“How about if we start with introductions? For example, ‘Hi. I’m Grace, Divina’s younger sister. I have a master’s degree in social work, and I’m not happy about being here.’ Go, Divina.”

Divina rolled her big blue eyes. She may not have liked Grace’s tactics, but she did respond to them. Years of practice, Grace figured. “You know me and how I feel about this.”

“I’m Hank. I own this house with Divina. We’re engaged and will be married soon. I’m an accountant and a brown belt in karate.”

Grace and Stone chuckled at the same time. Their gaze met over the car, or they would have if Stone hadn’t been wearing his sunglasses. She’d never even seen his eyes, but she already felt them boring through her, reading her soul. He spoke first, breaking the spell he’d woven around her.

“I’m Stone Adams. I’m a racecar driver. Divina and I got married two days ago in Vegas and it’s legal and binding. I’m now moving in to my wife’s house and into her bedroom. Let’s see... Anything else? Nope. That’s it for now. It’s nice to meet all of you.” He tilted his head back toward Grace.

She wanted to smile, something to let him know she was on his side, but she didn’t. The blood rushing to dormant parts of her anatomy rendered her unable to think of anything. He was railroading her sister and she only processed how blazing hot he was.

Divina took off, storming into the house with Hank right behind her, chewing her ear off. Grace couldn’t hear what he was staying, but she was sure it wasn’t complementary to Stone Adams. Bending into the car, Grace popped the trunk so she could get her suitcase.

As for the rest of the boxes crammed into her car, she’d drop them off at home sometime this week, but for now she just wanted to lie down in peace. As she reached for the handle of the luggage, a large, powerful hand settled on hers.

“Let me get that for you,” he said, his warm breath tickling her neck where her hair was pushed back over her shoulder.

“I can do it.”

“So can I. You are my new sister-in-law. The least I can do is carry in your bag.”

Grace rocked back on her heels, trying to put some distance between them without being too obvious. He was taller than she was at five-nine. He had at least six or more inches on her. He also smelled heavenly. She couldn’t place the scent, and wasn’t even sure he was wearing cologne. She sucked in a breath and let it out inch by inch, savoring the fragrance.

“I’m your sister-in-law,” she said, parroting him. “Sister-in-law. I’ve never been a sister-in-law.” She was a bit breathless.

He picked up the bag like it weighed nothing and shut the trunk. “Shall we?” He swept an arm toward the house.

She stepped in front of him, brushing past, unintentionally touching his arm with hers. She jumped back as if she’d touched a hot stove. He grinned at her and started for the house.

“Wait, don’t you have a bag?” she asked.

“I don’t need it right now and I sleep naked, so I won’t need my jammies,” he said with a wry smile and a raised eyebrow.

He was baiting her on purpose and, damn it, it was working. In a house with four people, three of them having the potential to be intimately involved, he was pretty cocky sleeping naked…with…her…sister, she reminded herself.

As good looking as he was and as much as he made her stomach flip flop, he was still off-limits.

Chapter 2

The phone rang as Stone and Grace entered the front hallway. “Are you going to answer that?” Grace called to Divina. The phone stopped ringing immediately. After a moment, Divina stood at the top of the stairs.

“It’s for you, Stone. Some woman.” She held out the cordless phone, but didn’t move off the landing. Stone took the steps two at a time.

Grace watched his backside with interest. Great interest. She wanted to let out a huge sigh, but didn’t. Instead she clenched her thighs together and shook her head to clear it.

Divina called down to her. “You’re in the guest room at the top of the stairs next to the bathroom.”

Stone came back down the staircase cradling the receiver between his cheek and shoulder listening to whoever was on the other end of the line.

Grace picked up the suitcase from where he’d set it at the bottom of the stairs and started up. He threw his arm into her path to stop her. “Wait,” he mouthed.

She gave him a mock salute. She didn’t like being ordered around and liked it even less coming from her new brother-in-law. Who made him king of the castle? She listened to Stone talk. It was one of his female fans, no doubt.

“Yes. I’m married. No, we aren’t doing interviews at this time. We’re enjoying our honeymoon at home. No, no. I’ll be at the track on Saturday. I can speak with you then. Thank you.” He hung up.

“Adoring fan?” Grace asked.

“Media.”

Grace’s face fell. The media. It had never occurred to her how famous Stone was in many circles, and which meant the media would be excited about the story of his marriage and his new living arrangements. She slapped her palm to her forehead in a “duh” move. She was in trouble.

It wasn’t that she didn’t like the local rags. She just didn’t want to be
in
them. Divina’s new marriage would make one heck of a story. If Hank thought he could lash out at Stone Adams for marrying his bride, he might be willing to discuss the whole sordid mess.

“I’ll carry that.” Stone reached for her suitcase.

“I’m perfectly able to carry my own bag,” she snapped. “I’ve been doing it for twenty-six years all by myself.”

He took a step back, hands raised. “Be my guest. I was only trying to help.” He scooted by her and raced up the stairs, leaving her staring up at his tight butt, and this time she
did
sigh.

* * * *

Stone knew he was asking for trouble. He’d been one of the most desirable bachelors for the last two years. He had a reputation for being a party animal who was never seen with the same girl twice. Pictures of him with various women graced the papers week after week and even made it into national magazines every so often. He was billed as the new up-and-comer. However, his biggest sponsors, a family-owned company of environmentally friendly children’s products, didn’t like this kind of publicity. They had urged him to cut down to one woman a week, or try keeping the same woman for a whole month. They were considering taking legal action against him, so his manager told him. Stone had rolled his eyes dramatically, but he couldn’t forget the conversation because losing his sponsor mid-season was not something he could afford.

A media frenzy would take place once word got out that he was now the hottest
married man
in New York State. He’d gone to Vegas to get away before starting his hunt for a Mrs. Adams. His manager had said he ought to consider getting hitched because of the bad press he’d been getting recently. Stone Adams was the bad boy of the area racing circuit, woman chaser of the Western World and a few other names his manager refused to repeat.

“Get married. Settle down,” he’d said. “Don’t blow your chances with Halkins Industries. They want a driver who’s more...wholesome.”

So Stone, being the dutiful client, went to Vegas to blow off steam before settling down with a wife. However, when the opportunity to get hitched had presented itself in Vegas, he couldn’t be blamed for taking it. Divina was a beautiful woman...a little flaky, but easy on the eyes and agreeable. She’d approached him.

He smiled at the memory. She’d had more than a bit to drink and was lost in the maze of casinos. He’d had enough to not be thinking quite so clearly. She’d been alone, friendly and needed a safe place to stay. After they talked and got to know one another, they decided to get married. It was a spur of the moment decision, but Divina had been all for it. There had never been any mention of a fiance, and she’d passed out before they consummated their marriage.

Hank was an unpleasant surprise. Then Divina’s sister showing up had only added fuel to the fire. He wondered about Grace. Younger sister running to the rescue of her big sis. How unusual. Grace wasn’t the beauty Divina was, but she radiated confidence and inner charm. He was going to enjoy sparring with her. He cringed to think about his manager finding out he was living with his wife, her fiance and his new sister-in-law. To say nothing of the sponsor going ape-shit on him. He shook his head.

“Stone! Dinner’s ready!” Divina’s shrill voice wafted up from the kitchen. “Get down here or it’ll be over and you’ll go hungry. I didn’t do all this work for nothing,” Divina yelled.

He shoved his feet into his old sneakers worn from more than a year of use. He probably could use a new pair. He’d taken them off to nap in his new bedroom and new bed. The queen-sized bed was fluffy and loaded with decorative pillows. One nightstand was covered with a lace doily and had little figurines on it. Stone walked to the other side and set up, brushing aside Hank’s ordered stuff to make room for his watch and pocket change.