Falling For Grace

“For me to do what, Mr. Barrett?” she prompted.

He heaved out a disgusted breath. Then biting back the words he really wanted to say, he said, “Last night I didn’t tell you, but I plan to be here for the next few days.”

He hadn’t really told her anything about himself last night, Grace thought. But then, she hadn’t exactly stuck around to ask him. She’d found the man more than disturbing and this evening the feeling hadn’t lessened—in fact, it had intensified.

She couldn’t be certain about his age, but he appeared to be somewhere around thirty-eight or forty. That prime age when a man just can’t look any better. And this man was definitely at his peak, Grace decided.

He had the lean, muscled body of an athlete. His rough-hewn features, coupled with his thick mane of hair and cool gray eyes made him one of the most striking men she’d ever seen in her life.

“Really? So you’ve bought the bungalow from Trent?”

It wasn’t like the boy to lie, Jack thought. At least, he didn’t think so. But then he had to remind himself the Trent he remembered being around had been a teenager. Maybe he’d changed since then. Or maybe this woman was subtly trying to draw information from Jack.

“The place belongs to me now,” he said evasively.

Once again he could see a shadow of disappointment cloud her green eyes.

“I see,” she said quietly. “So that means…”

“Means what?” he urged.

She shook her head, then forced a wan smile to her face. “Nothing.”

For the first time in his life Jack was at a loss for words, making him glad his associates weren’t around to see him. He’d tackled hundreds of hostile witnesses, wrangled words with some of the most formidable judges in the country and never lost his ability to lead the conversation to where he wanted it to go.

But with this woman, words failed him. All he could do was stare and think. And feel things he shouldn’t be feeling. What in the hell was the matter with him, anyway?

“Look, Miss Holliday, I came to Biloxi for some peace and quiet. I didn’t expect to find this.” He jerked his head backward toward Albert and his screeching instrument.

His clipped statement appeared to take her aback and for a moment Jack thought he saw a wounded look in her eyes, as though it pained her that he was being unfriendly. But, hell, that was a crazy notion. She didn’t even know him. It couldn’t matter to her whether he was Mr. Nice or a real jerk.

She folded her arms beneath her breasts. The movement made the mound of baby she was carrying even more evident to his gaze. “Surely Trent told you about me.”

His eyes narrowed. “What about you?” he asked carefully.

She frowned as though she considered his question inane. “That I was a music teacher, of course. And that you might encounter…well that some of the music might spill over onto your place from time to time.”

The idea that she called these boys’ squawking efforts “music” made him want to laugh out loud. But at the same time he’d been expecting her to come out with something much more personal about Trent. The fact that she hadn’t, disappointed Jack greatly. He was anxious to get to the truth. And even more eager to get away from this woman. She bothered him in ways he couldn’t begin to understand.

“Actually, he didn’t tell me anything. I…purchased the property through a Realtor,” he lied. “Yesterday was my first day to ever step foot on the place.”

Her expression said only a fool would buy a piece of property without looking at it first. And it dawned on him that she didn’t have any idea he had money to burn. The amount he’d paid for this little spot on the beach had been insignificant to him.

“Why?”

Jack frowned. “What do you mean, why?”

“Why did you buy this place without looking it over first?”

Impatient with her question and even more with himself because he found her so damned intriguing, he asked sharply, “Do you think that really concerns you?”

She took a seat on the edge of one of the chairs and crossed her sandaled feet. Jack’s gaze was instantly drawn to her toenails, which were painted a rich, lusty red. How the hell she managed to reach them, he didn’t know. But then, maybe she had a man who’d been glad to paint them for her. The idea grated on him far worse than the sound of Albert’s resined bow.

“No. It really doesn’t concern me at all, Mr. Barrett. Just as my music students don’t concern you.”

Slowly he folded his arms against his chest. “I’m sorry, but that’s where you’re wrong. And as for calling that—” he gestured back over his shoulder toward Albert “—‘music’, I think you need to have your ears tested.”

She cast him a too sweet smile. “If you’re bothered by the music, perhaps you should go inside.”

The grin he shot back at her was anything but sincere. “Why don’t you go inside?” he suggested.

Straightening her shoulders, she stared him in the eye. This man was way too arrogant for his own good, she decided. “For one, my air conditioner is not working. It’s hot inside. Two, I want to get the children accustomed to playing out of doors. Since they’ll be putting on an outdoor concert this fall for one of the local elementary schools.”

He snorted with mocking disbelief. “Concert! For the past two hours I haven’t heard one decent note from these kids!”

Her lips compressed to a flat line, she rose to her feet. “Will you kindly lower your voice? I don’t want Albert to hear you.”

“Well, I’ve been hearing him for the past thirty minutes. How much longer is this going to go on?”

Grace took in a long breath and let it out slowly as she tried to compose herself. Of course, anyone who wasn’t used to being around beginning music students, especially violin students, weren’t prepared for the noise, but this man didn’t have to be so rude and insensitive about it all.

“What do you do for a living, Mr. Barrett?”

“I’m a lawyer. What has that got to do with anything?”

It figured, Grace thought. He seemed awfully good at asking personal questions. “Did you go into the courtroom without training?”

He glowered and she quickly answered for him.

“Don’t bother telling me. We both know you had years of it. And even then you weren’t an expert. You had to learn. Just like Albert and the rest of my students. And if you do happen to stick around until this fall, I’ll show you what I mean.”

He’d angered her, Jack realized. Her breasts were heaving up and down in short spurts. The color along her angled cheekbones had deepened to the shade of rich wine. Sparks lit her green eyes and the odd thought struck Jack that he wished he were as alive as this woman standing in front of him. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt as much passion as he saw on her face.

“I’m sure I won’t be here this fall, Miss Holliday. Like I told you earlier, I’m only staying…a few days.”

She studied him keenly, making Jack wonder what she saw when she looked at him. An old man? A pesky neighbor? Or was she looking at him in a more personal way?

Hell, Jack, since when did you ever care how a woman looked at you.

Not since his wife, and she’d divorced him years ago.

“What about your family? Are they not staying here with you, too?” she asked.

“No. I don’t have a family.”

“Oh.” The news left Grace feeling strangely warm and disturbed. At his age she’d expected him to have a family. If not with him, then tucked safely away somewhere. Now that she knew he didn’t have a wife or children, she felt even more threatened by his powerful presence. “I’m sorry,” she added.

He stopped short of releasing a mocking laugh. “Sorry? Look, this is the way I want to be. Free. Single. I’m as happy as a hog in a watermelon patch.”