Five Days Grace (11 page)

He got to that spot on the road where he could usually count on getting a cell signal, pulled out a pay-as-you-go phone, which could in no way be connected to him, and dialed his commanding officer, who was almost always in the office at that hour.

"Sir, Lieutenant Commander Shaw. Good morning."

"Yes, it is," the captain answered, "How are you?"

"Better, Sir."

"Glad to hear it. What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if you have any additional information about the source of the threats made against me."

"We're working on it, Commander. It might be a while, so I'd feel better if you stayed lost, since we know the threats came from within a few miles of the base."

"Yes, sir."

Aidan and his CO had worked together for years. Aidan knew when to ask questions and when not to, and his CO knew how to make things happen that might not be strictly according to Navy rules and regs, but needed to be done. So Aidan hadn't asked a lot of questions when a trio of threats against him had surfaced and his CO had notified Aidan and his doctor that it would be better if Aidan weren't around for a while, even if it meant leaving the rehab facility early. Aidan suspected his CO had pretty much fabricated the threat to get Aidan out of the hospital before he got any crazier than he already was, and maybe save Aidan's career.

But Grace was here now, and Aidan wouldn't take a chance with her safety.

"The thing is, Sir, there was an incident here yesterday. I thought someone was breaking in, and I pulled a weapon on her before I figured out... Well, it wasn't a break-in. I just need to know if I should be worried about anyone tracking me down here."

"I can't see that happening, Commander. I'm fairly certain we know the source of the threat, and he's right here, near the base and under surveillance. We just don't have the evidence yet to pick him up, but we will. Although there's a lot going on right now, so it could be a while before we wrap this up. A month? Maybe six weeks? How does that sound?"

Like Aidan might have his head on straight by then, which was, no doubt, the captain's real question.

"That sounds fine, Sir."

"Good. You really do sound better, Aidan. Had me worried for a while."

He took a breath, knowing if he got his career back, he'd have this man to thank for it. "This place is both quiet and private. I'm very glad to be here, Sir."

"Good. Relax. I wouldn't worry at all about anyone finding you there."

"Thank you, sir. Very much."

Okay, it was exactly what he'd thought. A chance to get away, think, recover, figure out what he was going to do from here, what he wanted.

And he'd met Grace.

Life looked so much better since then.

He hoped by the time he and the dog got back to the cabin, she would still be curled up asleep in their makeshift bed.

Chapter 6

Grace came awake slowly, her whole body deliciously warm and comfortable. It took her a moment to figure out where she was and what she'd done—spent the night in the arms of a kind-hearted stranger.

For a minute, she couldn't actually believe she had. She hadn't just ended up here stranded by the storm, but literally slept in his arms.

She was embarrassed to have confessed to that simple need to have someone hold her while she slept, but she couldn't bring herself to regret it. It had felt too good, and it seemed a good night's sleep could transform the whole world into a better place.

Wrapped up in her blankets beside the roaring fire, she stretched slowly in the recliner, not wanting to leave her little nest. She couldn't help but wish he were still with her, even if things might have been awkward between them in the light of day. More importantly, for the first time in a long, long time, she felt eager for whatever possibilities the day would bring.

And wasn't that a ridiculous thing to feel? Foolishly flattered by the attentions of a kind, compelling man? Stupidly infatuated with him after knowing him less than a day.
Her?
A woman who'd spent the last seven and a half months trying to figure out how she could have been so wrong about the man she'd married? After all, a woman had to hope she'd at least learn from her mistakes.

So, what was she doing feeling so happy this morning?

She made herself climb out of the recliner, then found his note. She hoped he hadn't taken the dog too far, considering the man had an open incision in his side, although he wouldn't appreciate her pointing that out to him.

After putting away all the bedding, plus the mattress she hadn't used, she went into the bathroom, where she borrowed some of Aidan's toothpaste and finger-brushed her teeth, tried to tame her hair, splashed water on her face. She wasn't going to shower until she had clothes of her own to put on.

First, she wanted coffee, which she ended up taking out onto the screened porch along with one of the blankets she'd just folded, because it was sunny but cool that pretty September morning. She sat down on a homemade thing she suspected doubled as a sofa by day and a bed by night, with another one of those thick, foam mattresses. Wrapped up in her blanket, she sipped her coffee, planning to give herself a stern lecture on being careful and remembering all she'd learned recently about love and men and promises.

But the beauty of the morning distracted her. The sun was coming up over the far side of the lake, lighting a shimmering trail across the water. Raindrops, or maybe dew drops, glistened off the trees. Fall color was near its full glory, crimson reds, fiery oranges and dark, bold yellows. Birds sounded like they were throwing a raucous party somewhere, and the air was so fresh and clean and cool, it felt like a treat just to be alive and breathing this morning. For the first time since Luc died, she believed she was going to survive this. Not just survive, but that she would go on living, and one day be happy again.

She teared up a bit, with happy tears, then thought of her family, whom she loved dearly. They were the rock-solid foundation upon which she depended, despite feeling smothered by them at times lately. If they simply heard her voice this morning, they would start to believe, too, that she was going to be okay, she thought, and wouldn't that be a treat?

Picking up her phone, she found three missed calls and three corresponding messages. Mom, Dad, Emma. Checking in. Hope the drive wasn't too bad in the storm. Hope it's not too awful at Ellen's. Call if you need us. Love you.

She clicked a few buttons to dial her parents' home. Her father answered.

"Hi Daddy," she said, because she still called him that sometimes, when she was thinking about how much she adored him.

"Grace." He sounded surprised, pleasantly so. "You're up early, baby girl."

"I am." She grinned.

"Bad night? Get any sleep?"

"Actually, I did. I slept really well. I just went to bed insanely early, so I got up early, too."

He was quiet for a moment. "You sound different, Grace, almost happy."

"It's a beautiful morning here, one of the prettiest I've seen in a long time. Or maybe I just haven't noticed in a while."

Again, he got quiet, finally asked, "What's going on, Grace?"

"I just wanted to say good morning, and that I love you."

"I love you, too, baby girl."

She would have said more, but right then, the screen door opened and Tink came bounding inside. His tail wagging furiously, he planted big, wet, muddy paws on the front edge of the makeshift sofa and rose up until he was practically nose-to-nose with her, maybe trying to lick her face.

Grace laughed at the overenthusiastic greeting and knew she had to get off the phone quickly, because she was supposed to be at her in-laws and they didn't have a dog. "Tell Mom I'll call her later, okay? Bye, Dad."

* * *

Okay...
Dad.

Aidan thought his heart stopped for a second when he heard her say
I love you
, in that adoring tone of voice.

But
I love you, Dad
?

That he could handle.

He literally couldn't wait to see her this morning, awake and on a brand new day. It had been all he could do to stay away long enough to do two laps around the lake and check briefly on Maeve's cabin.

Finally, he was back, and there she was, curled up in a blanket, sitting on the sofa on the porch on a perfect fall morning, sunlight leaving her practically glowing. She had a pretty smile on her face, some color in her cheeks and all that glorious, golden hair.

Christ,
she was beautiful.

Just insanely beautiful in a way that had him fumbling for even the most mundane of things to say, like...
Hi
or
Good morning
. Words simply would not come out of his mouth.

The cabin wasn't well lit, was even worse on a gloomy day or at night, and now, seeing her in the full light of day...

Men probably made fools of themselves all the time over her.

Fortunately for him, he had a moment to try to pull himself together while she fussed over the dog, petting his giant head, lighting up even more at the sight of him. Aidan was jealous of the damned dog. He wanted her face to light up at the sight of him. He wanted to have the right to rush to her, get that close and be greeted with a look of pure joy.

"Hi," she said finally, a bit shyly, glancing at him.

"Hi," he managed.

Then he remembered his wayward hand on her breast. He still had to apologize, and it wasn't something he could do while staring at her and remembering how insanely soft and perfect her breast had felt in his hand. The sincerity level would plummet, especially if he looked like he was not just thinking about it, but had enjoyed the hell out of it, while he apologized.

"Grace, about this morning..." He wasn't even certain she'd remember. She'd been sleepy, too. But if she did remember..."I was completely out of line. I'm sorry."

She looked puzzled. "Was there something I missed?"

"The hand?" He held it out, kind of in the shape it would have if it were still curled around her breast. The moment he realized it, his hand dropped like a stone.

"Oh, that." A bit more color bloomed in her pretty cheeks. "I wasn't sure if it actually happened."

"It did."

"Well." She shrugged, smiled. "It wasn't exactly a tragedy."

"No, not that. I'd just hate for you to think I deliberately took advantage of the situation."

"No, Aidan. Never." She let him off the hook completely. "I think the rule is, if you were at least half-asleep, it doesn't really count."

"I was at least half-asleep." When it started. But then he'd woken up, and there he'd been, with his hand under her shirt, the warm curve of that perfect breast in his hand, and he remembered that with startling clarity.

She laughed a bit. "You look so uncomfortable. I'm not that fragile, either, Aidan. Please don't think of me that way."

"I don't. I just..." Wanted to take care of her, slay dragons for her. Erase every memory she had of her idiot husband, and then make any other problems she might have simply vanish.

That was what he wanted.

After not even a day.

"Forget it," she said.

"Well, that's not so easy," he admitted.

And wasn't that the perfect thing to say?

He winced. "I just keep making it worse, don't I?"

She laughed again. "If it helps, I could say I really loved sleeping with you."

"Yeah. Me, too. I really loved sleeping with you." He grinned back at her. "Honestly, Grace, I haven't slept that well in months. I felt so good when I woke up this morning."

"Me, too. It doesn't seem possible that one night's sleep could make that much of a difference but..."

The whole world looked different.

He waited, gave her time, but she didn't say that, and he didn't either. He really didn't want to completely freak her out. And yet, right now, he would have given his right arm to kiss her.

Really kiss her.

Just once.

Because he felt alive again.