So Sensitive (20 page)

Wade handed her a long scope, but Gracie had no idea what to do with the thing.

As if understanding her predicament, Wade shouted, “The target is four hundred yards away. You’l need that if you want to see where the bul et hits.”

Gracie held the scope to her right eye and waited.

Wade loaded the rifle with bul ets that were obscenely long as he took up position behind the table. He placed the gun on something that looked like a beanbag. After adjusting the bag a few times while he stared down the scope on the top of the rifle, Wade pul ed the trigger.

Gracie jumped.

Wade looked up at her and frowned. “I should have warned you,” he yel ed. “Even with the ear protection it can be startling.”

Gracie waited for her heart to stop sprinting before yel ing, “I thought I was ready for it since other guns are going off, but I guess not.”

Wade reached out and stroked her arm, soothing her frazzled nerves instantly. “Look into your spotting scope, sweetheart.”

Gracie put it to her eye. It took her a second, but she final y found Wade’s target. “Wow, you’re good,” she cal ed out. The bul et hadn’t hit the center but the next ring out. She raised her eyes to his to find him grinning down at her. “What?”

center but the next ring out. She raised her eyes to his to find him grinning down at her. “What?”

Wade placed his palm beneath her chin and gently tugged her toward him. “I am
very
good.”

He’d said the words close to her ear, his hot breath fanning the flames of her desire. When he touched his lips to hers, disarming her completely, she had to force herself not to lean into his body. Ah, if only they were alone. Unfortunately they weren’t. As she glanced around she noticed a few of the women checking Wade out. From head to toe. The twinge of jealousy skating down her spine took her by surprise.

She pul ed away, and Wade’s eyebrows shot up in silent inquiry.

She indicated their very public surroundings with a wave of her hand. “Behave,” she mouthed. Not exactly the reason she’d pul ed back, but he didn’t have to know that.

He didn’t speak, simply stroked his thumb back and forth over her bottom lip. Gracie was hard-pressed to keep from moaning. When Wade resumed target practice, Gracie sighed in relief. Much more of his feathery touches, and she would’ve been dragging him off to his truck.

The remainder of their time outside was spent in silence. Gracie was suitably impressed with Wade’s marksmanship. She should’ve known he would handle a rifle like a pro. After al , the man was damn good with his hands. Careful and precise. And while she wasn’t a gun enthusiast, she could see Wade took it al very seriously. He took his time, shooting the gun repeatedly.

By the time they made their way to the indoor range, Gracie wasn’t nearly as nervous. Maybe it was because Wade made her feel safe, or maybe it was because the .38 caliber Ruger was so much smal er than the daunting rifle he’d used. She didn’t know. Either way, handling the smal gun wasn’t nearly as difficult as she’d expected.

Wade careful y walked her through the entire process. He demonstrated everything from where the safety was to how to load the clip. He showed her how to chamber a round and shoot. He even instructed her on how to check to see if the gun was loaded. She couldn’t do much with her cast, of course, but simply becoming familiar with the firearm, the weight and feel, was one step closer to feeling less vulnerable.

Somehow Wade had known that Gracie needed that smal measure of comfort.

How was it possible he knew her so wel in such a short time? She’d spent her entire life careful y keeping men at arm’s length. Without her even realizing it, Gracie had somehow let Wade around her defenses. He made her want more. A deeper connection. A life ful of love and laughter . . . with him.

And that sent fear through her like nothing else.

19

“I
can’t believe you cal ed
everyone
to help clean, Wade. You real y shouldn’t have done that.”

“The more help we can get, the faster it’l go.” Wade picked up one of her torn books and careful y placed it on the pile with the rest of them.

He wasn’t throwing them out, not until he had a chance to write down the title and author of each book destroyed. “Besides, that’s what friends are for. To lend a hand when needed. Might as wel get used to it, Gracie.”

Wade watched Gracie stare out the front window. He fol owed her line of sight and noticed Cherry and Dante pul ing into Gracie’s apartment complex. Wade went to the door and opened it for them.

“Cherry’s my friend,” Gracie said, her voice a little too shaky for his peace of mind, “but your brother and sister and Jonas, they’ve only just met me.” She turned to him. “Why would they want to help clean up this mess?”

She was truly baffled, and it broke his heart. He closed the distance between them and took hold of her shoulders and noticed that her eyes were fil ed with tears. How she managed to keep them from fal ing down her cheeks was beyond him. The woman had strength and pride in spades. “Because you’re a sweet, loving, gentle person, sweetheart.” She started to speak, but he wouldn’t hear more protests. “You didn’t deserve what this asshole did to you. Stop acting as if you have to bear this burden alone. You aren’t alone, not anymore.”

“He’s right.”

They both turned. Cherry stood in the doorway, her arms ful of cleaning supplies. He could’ve kissed her right then and there. “You aren’t alone. Besides we both know you’d do it for any one of us.”

Gracie nodded. “Of course I would.”

Cherry grinned. “Good, it’s settled then. Where do I start?”

Dante came through the door then, carrying several empty boxes. “I thought Gracie might want to store any valuables that managed to escape the destruction. Until this is al over with, I mean.”

Gracie pushed a lock of hair behind her ear and said, “I didn’t even think of that. Good idea.”

“Come on, you can start on the kitchen.” Wade led Cherry to the other room. “Most of the dishes are broken. Be careful where you step.”

Cherry dropped her supplies on the table and glanced around. “Wow, he real y did a number on this place, huh?”

Wade felt his anger rise. The son of a bitch would pay. “Her bedroom is even worse. Panties, nightgowns, makeup, it’s al ruined.”

Cherry visibly shuddered. “I can’t imagine how she must feel. It’s such a horrible invasion of privacy.”

“Once things are in order, she’l feel better.” He hoped like hel that was the case anyway.

Cherry cocked her head to the side, no doubt seeing more than he wanted her to see. Their long-standing friendship meant they could read each other like a book most of the time. “How are you holding up?”

He clenched his fists at his sides, feet braced shoulder-width apart. “I want the bastard, Cherry. Dead or alive, it doesn’t matter.”

“Careful,” she warned. “The soldier in you is showing through.”

“If this was an op, I would make sure he never hurt another woman again. He would simply disappear, and Gracie would be safe.”

Cherry stepped forward and placed her hand on his forearm. He figured the gesture was meant to soothe him, but the only thing that would do that was seeing Gracie’s stalker behind bars . . . or dead. Preferably the latter. “This isn’t an op, though. You aren’t in the army anymore, Wade. You have to play this right. Let the police do their job.”

“They haven’t done shit so far. I’m tired of them dicking around. He’s out there somewhere, watching her, waiting. What wil he do next, Cherry?”

“It won’t matter, because you’l be there. You wouldn’t let anything happen to her.”

Her conviction brought him down a notch. “Damn straight. He won’t come within a hundred feet of her.”

“You real y care about her that much?”

Wade pushed his hands in his pockets. Suddenly he felt like a little kid again, shy and uncertain. “I care.”

“She’s lucky to have you in her corner, Wade. You’re a good man.”

He smiled. “So you no longer think I’m taking advantage of her?”

She rol ed her eyes and waved a hand in the air. “Gracie can take care of herself. I was stupid to think otherwise.”

He denied that with a shake of his head. “She’s more vulnerable than you think. This has real y taken a tol . I’m worried about her, Cherry.”

“She’s not had the easiest life, Wade. She’s withstood a lot. And now she has someone standing with her. That’s more than she’s ever had before.”

“Thanks, Cherry. Your friendship means a lot, to both of us.”

“You’ve been there for me too, Wade. I’m glad to repay the favor.”

“Wade?” He turned at the sound of Gracie’s soft voice. “I hate to interrupt, but your brother and sister are here. Jonas too.”

Wade strode across the kitchen and took Gracie in his arms, needing the connection to keep his sanity. If he let go of his control now, he wouldn’t stop until the sick asshole was in the ground. “In a few hours your apartment wil be livable once again. Once it is, we’re going to start the process of making it safe.”

She groaned. “A security system.”

“Yep. Jonas is going to instal it, along with a few other little gadgets. You won’t be staying here, though. Not until this is al over. If you have a problem with that, we may as wel deal with it now.”

She shook her head and looked up at him. “I don’t want to be here. Not now that he’s . . . touched everything. Al I want is to get it cleaned up.

Soon my lease wil be up, and then I’m leaving here for good.”

“Leaving?”

She pushed out of his arms; that determined look she always got when she was readying for battle came over her face. “I’l find a new apartment. I can’t stay here now.”

“You could move in with me. Make it permanent.” Damn, he liked that idea. A lot.

Gracie bit her lip and glanced quickly at Cherry. “We should talk about this later, Wade.”

He heard Jonas arguing with Deanna in the other room and wanted to curse. “You’re right. We’ve got things to do here.” He could tel she was relieved, maybe a little too relieved. His chest tightened. Didn’t she like the idea of living with him? Was he moving too fast? A commotion in the other room splintered his thoughts.

Taking Gracie’s hand in his, Wade steered them out of the kitchen. “Come on. We’d better separate my sister from Jonas before she hurts him.”

“They don’t get along?”

“More like she purposely tries to rile him. She gets a kick out of driving the man crazy. I never could figure those two out.”

As they entered the living room he spotted the pair of antagonists immediately. Jonas looked ready to spit nails, and Deanna was grinning like the cat that had just spied the canary. “What’s the problem with you two this time?”

“Your sister is the devil; that’s what the problem is.”

Deanna laughed, and even Wade had to admit that it sounded just a little evil. “You just aren’t used to women tel ing you no,” she said.

Wade stepped forward, his gaze locking on Jonas. “What the hel did you ask her?”

Jonas crossed his arms over his chest and started to speak, but Deanna talked right over him. “He asked me on a date. I turned him down.”

Wade saw red. “You aren’t dating my sister, Phoenix. So forget it.”

Dean, who’d been deep in conversation on his cel phone, chose that moment to end the cal . “You have the hots for Dee?”

Jonas held his hands up, as if in surrender. It wouldn’t do him any good, because Wade was going to kil him. “Did you two miss the part where she turned me down?”

“I heard,” Wade growled, “but why’d you ask in the first place?”

Deanna stepped in front of Jonas, her protective stance shocking everyone in the room to silence. The heat in Jonas’s eyes as he stared at the back of Deanna’s head was unmistakable. Forget death, Wade would castrate him instead.

“You act like I’m some ugly, little trol .” Deanna pointed a finger first at Wade, then at Dean. “Did it ever occur to you two morons that maybe I’m a big girl and can speak for myself?”

“No,” Dean and Wade said in unison.

Deanna stepped forward, her anger palpable. “Wel , guess what? I’l date whomever I choose. Neither of you have any say in it whatsoever.”

Wade tried for calm. The last thing he wanted was Deanna with her back up. She gave
stubborn
new meaning when she set her mind to something. “You’re our baby sister, honey,” Wade said, his voice gentle. “Jonas knows he shouldn’t have asked you out.”

“What you real y mean is that he shouldn’t have thought of me as a woman.”

Great, now he’d hurt her feelings. Wade felt like he’d fal en down the damn rabbit hole. “That’s not the way I meant it. He’s my partner and my friend, which makes you off-limits. There’s a code here.” Wade glared at Jonas. “Tel her you know that, Phoenix.”

Jonas slumped. His entire demeanor baffled Wade. He’d never seen his friend so defeated before. “Yeah, sisters are off-limits.”

Deanna swung around. “You’re taking their side?”

Jonas reached toward her. Deanna moved out of reach. His gaze hardened. “I’m not taking anyone’s side, Deanna. But Wade’s right. If I had a sister . . . Wel , let’s just say I see your brother’s point.”

Deanna was quiet a moment; everyone in the room seemed to hold his or her breath. “Then I was right to turn you down,” she said, her voice not quite as firm as before. Wade didn’t like that. Deanna was a fighter. She’d always had the backbone to go against anyone and win. Right now she looked . . . crushed. The whole situation was bizarre as hel .

Crazier stil , Jonas paled. The man Wade had watched take down drug lords in foreign countries without so much as breaking a sweat looked visibly shaken. “Deanna, don’t.”

Deanna waved a hand in the air. “Never mind. At any rate, we’re not here to debate my personal life. We’re here to help Gracie get her apartment back in order. I say we get to it.” With that, she headed for the kitchen.

Jonas watched her until she disappeared, then he cursed and walked out the front door. Wade looked over at his brother, wondering what the hel they’d just done. Dean just shook his head, every bit as confused.