Chapter 6
Grace didn’t know if she was baiting the tiger, but from the look on Tobias’s face when he found her in the church, she got her answer. She knew this journey wasn’t going to be easy. His family had told her so many times. However, they did give her carte blanche to do what she thought was best where Tobias was concerned and having him attend church, any church was a start.
She knew from Bridget’s letters, that Tobias was raised in the church growing up. It was when he became a teenager that he stopped going. For that matter, it was when all his brothers stopped going. Talking with the wives and Mrs. Shenandoah, she realized that none of the men went to church. So, Grace thought that maybe, if she could get Tobias into one, he might find a reason to stay. It wasn’t hard, and she didn’t have to manipulate him in any way.
She just didn’t tell him where they were going.
“Tobias, please sit over here. You can put the Elizabeth between us.” Grace asked hoping that that having him sit in the front of the church, in the middle of the pew, would stop him from escaping the moment he found a chance.
“Why am I here?” Tobias asked, shuffling the baby and himself into the pew.
“Because it’s Sunday.”
“I know it’s Sunday,” he said gruffly. “But why am I here?”
“I thought you wouldn’t mind helping me with Elizabeth. There is a lot of stuff that your daughter needs when we take her out in public.” Grace informed him.
“But why? Why bring her out at all? It’s Sunday.”
“I know it’s Sunday.”
“But why?” he asked again.
Grace was about to respond when thankfully the service started. She had managed to surpass the first hurdle. She got Tobias into a church and by some miracle from God, he stayed.
However, the ride home was a quiet one, and though Tobias stayed for the whole service, she was surprised that when the preacher asked for all the congregation to stand and pray Tobias did as instructed. She even heard him say amen at the end. Of course, that was the last thing she heard him say.
By the time they made it home, Tobias quickly removed the now wailing Elizabeth from the car and stormed into the house. Grace followed quietly watching, as Tobias placed the car seat on the kitchen counter, walked straight to the fridge, grab a cold beer and headed for the living room. From there, he plopped down on the couch, reached for the television remote and turned on the TV.
Figuring it was best to let him cool down a bit, Grace attended to Elizabeth and within a half of an hour, she had her changed, fed and asleep. Returning to the kitchen, she noticed three empty beer bottles on the counter. Not saying a word, she picked them up and threw them away.
She heard the front doorbell ring, and seeing as Tobias was still on the couch, she made her way to the door to open it. Smiling, she was greeted by five men, all carrying beer with them. “Hi, I’m Grace Thomas, Elizabeth’s nanny.”
The first man was tall and handsome with his dark red hair, “I’m Seth Johnson, I work with Tobias. I am head of Tobias’s IT department.”
“Nice to meet you, please come in,” Grace said stepping to the side.
“I’m Gilbert Winters, I am head of Tobias’s legal team. I make sure he doesn’t break the law.”
“That’s very good of you. Does he try to break the law, often?” she asked.
“Only when it’s in his best interest.”
Grace laughed and welcomed Gilbert into the home. He wasn’t a tall man, but still, she had to look up to see his eyes.
“I’m Brad Roberts. I went to college with Tobias, though he dropped out and I received my degree in electrical engineering. I am head of Tobias’s engineering department.”
“I too went to college. I went to Texas A&M. Where did you go?”
“The University of Southern California.”
“Ah, a Trojan.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Please come in.”
“I’m Richard Zimmerman, ma’am. I am head of Tobias’s marketing department. Nice to meet you.”
“Happy to meet you too, and you are,” she asked the last man standing at the door.
“I am Peter Wilcox. I’m Tobias’s neighbor. I live two houses down. I work in real estate.”
“Oh, someone from the neighborhood. I am so happy to meet you. I was hoping to have a barbeque soon, so I could get to know everyone. What is your wife’s name? Maybe we could get together and plan something.”
“I’m not married ma’am, but I am on the market and always looking.” The handsome man winked, and Grace blushed.
“Well, gentlemen, Tobias is in the living room. Please make yourselves at home. I will bring lunch out in about an hour.”
Grace watched as all five men filed into the living room, shouting and greeting Tobias. When she looked at Tobias, she noticed that his mood changed instantly, and soon all the men were drinking and shouting as they watched a football game on the largest TV she had ever seen.
As she went about making lunch for everyone, Grace wasn’t sure that Tobias liked her all that much. Of course, she couldn’t blame him. He was roped into hiring her, yet now that she thought about it, she wasn’t even sure he did hire her. Then there was the way she was taking care of Elizabeth. Maybe he wanted to do more for his daughter. She did just jump right in and take over Elizabeth’s care. He did work all the time and Sunday it seemed was his only day free to spend time with her. That was probably why he kept insisting it was Sunday earlier this morning. That had to be, he missed his daughter. He probably also helped Bridget out when he was home. Since she had arrived, everything was done. Tobias didn’t have to do anything. She had taken away his chance at helping with the chores and raising his daughter.
Smiling, Grace knew exactly what she was going to do.
After making sure the food was prepped and ready, Grace called for Tobias. She knew from the time, that Elizabeth would be getting up soon for a bottle and change. So, just to help him out, she made sure everything he would need would be in his sight.
“Yeah,” Tobias said entering the kitchen. Once again, he placed an empty beer bottle on the counter and reached into the fridge for another.
“Everything is ready. I want to apologize for this morning. I didn’t know. I will be more considerate of your feelings in the future.”
“Uh, thanks,” Tobias replied unsurely.
“Katarina has invited me over to meet her family.” She announced without fanfare. She didn’t want to make too much out of it, just in case, he felt obligated to go. After all, Katarina and Tobias did hit it off this morning at church. After the service was over, they did talk for a while.
“Okay,” he muttered, placing his cold beer on the counter.
“I will be back in…”
“What?”
“I’m leaving.”
“With the baby?” He asked, shocked.
“No.”
“Who is going to take care of her?”
“You are.”
“But that’s what you are here for!”
“Tobias, I will only be gone for an hour, two at the most,” Grace said seeing the excitement on his face. She knew then, that she was doing the right thing. With her purse and keys in hand, she headed for the door. “I have been monopolizing all the time with Elizabeth and I am sorry for that. I understand now that’s what you were trying to tell me this morning. You wanted some alone time with her on your only day off. I get it. I really do. Most first-time fathers, prefer to leave the infants with the mothers, but not you. I knew you would be different. I knew you would want to take care of your daughter and you have every right too. I have left my cell number on the fridge if you need anything. Have fun!” Grace said as she walked out the door.
Tobias didn’t know whether to scream or cry. She left. She just smiled and walked out the door as if everything was perfectly peachy. He had no clue as to what she was talking about. He was pissed about going to church on his only day off, not missing spending time with his daughter. Besides, he had absolutely no clue whatsoever when it came to babies, let alone what to do with one once it awakened. Looking at the baby monitor on the counter, he quickly sent up a prayer that his daughter stayed asleep until Grace returned. In the meantime, he knew if that was going to happen, he needed his friends to shut the hell up!
Rushing into the living room, he grabbed the remote and muted the television.
“What the hell, man!” Brad shouted, reaching for the remote.
“Yeah, we can’t hear the game!” Richard added.
“Shut it!” Tobias shouted, then grimaced looking towards the stairs. When he heard silence, he sighed and whispered, “Grace just left me with the kid. It’s asleep and we are going to make sure it stays that way.”
“Dude, it’s a baby. It’s going to wake up eventually,”
“I know that, but if we are really quiet, maybe it won’t.”
“First off, stop calling your daughter it. It’s not nice. Second, give me that damn remote, I want to hear the commentary.”
“No, I know enough to never wake a sleeping baby.”
“She isn’t my baby. Turn up the TV, Tobias, Jacksonville just scored another touchdown!”
At that precise moment, the cries of his daughter permeated the living room. Sighing, Tobias threw the remote on the couch and begrudgingly walked up the stairs as if he was walking to his death. By the time he reached his daughter's room, she was squalling loudly. Picking her up, Tobias cringed, when he felt her wet cloths.
“Okay, this can’t be that hard. If my brothers can do this, so can I. It’s just a diaper, right?” he asked his daughter who was still crying.
Carefully placing her on the changing table, he clumsily removed her sleeper. Left with only the soiled diaper on, he cautiously removed the tabs and pulled off the diaper.
“Oh My God!” Tobias shouted, covering his nose, taking a step back. “What the hell did you eat!” There was no way a small thing like his daughter, could create such a disgusting mess. It wasn’t feasibly possible. She must be sick or something, Tobias thought, trying to figure out how he was going to get her clean. Seeing the baby wipes next to the changing table, he took the lid off and grabbed a handful. However, the moment he placed the wipes on her tiny bottom, his daughter screamed bloody murder.
“What the hell are you doing to that baby!” Tobias heard Brad shout from the living room. “We can hear her over the game! People in Canada can hear her!”
“You come do this, then. It’s nasty!” Tobias yelled back. When he didn’t get a response, he went back to the task at hand. Realizing the wipes must have been too cold, he tried putting some of them under his armpits to warm them up. He instantly yelped, throwing the freezing things on the ground. “Sweet baby Jesus, that shit is cold!”
Looking around the room, he couldn’t find anything to clean his daughter. So, doing the only thing he could think of, he grabbed her under the arms, held her at arm’s length and walked her into his bathroom. Standing there, with his daughter crying in his hands, he needed a place to put her until he could get the water started. Seeing something that would work, Tobias put her on the shower mat next to his walk-in shower. Turning on the water, he bent down and picked up his daughter again, only to realize she had now gotten poop on his rug. “Damn it,” he cursed, thinking it was one more thing he was going to have to clean up. Figuring he’d take care of that later, he entered to shower, and sighed. “This isn’t going to work.”
Heading towards his bed, he placed his daughter down on top of his comforter and quickly removed his clothes. Once naked, he grabbed his daughter, and silently cursed himself, realizing what he’d just done. “Well, that’s another mess I get to clean up.”
By the time he made it into the shower, his daughter soiled his shower mat, his comforter and peed on him and his carpet. So much for a relaxing Sunday in front of the television watching football. Instead, he stood under the shower heads, with his daughter in his arms, getting them both clean.
It seemed as if his daughter loved taking showers because she was blissfully sleeping once again in his arms. Too afraid to move, Tobias found a comfortable place on the shower floor and let the hot water rush over them, soothing them both as he too, soon fell asleep.
He had no idea how long he was in the shower, nor did he care when he heard her soft angelic voice whispered through the raindrops. “Tobias, are you okay? The house was quiet when I got home. Everyone left. Are you in there?”
Opening one eye, Tobias spotted her. Revenge was not good enough for her. He was going to kill her. Because of her, his whole day was ruined. He went to church, his daughter’s room was a mess, he had a ruined shower mat, a dirty comforter, and pee on his carpet. He missed all the games, his friends left without saying anything and he was starving.
“Open the door,” he seethed.
Watching the shower door, slowly open, he waited until he could look her in the eyes, then asked, “Did you have a good time?”
She smiled and replied waving away the hot steam from the shower, “Yes I did, thank you for asking.”
“It was rhetorical.”
“Oh, you’re naked,” She quickly said looking away.
“Keen observation, now take Elizabeth and go get her dried, clothed and fed.”
“But you’re naked.” She replied stating the obvious.
“And so is my daughter.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?” Tobias growled.
“You’re naked.”
“We’ve covered that already. Grace, take the baby.”
“You need to cover yourself.”
“I will, once you take the baby.”
“But I can’t,” She said backing away, looking at the ceiling. Tobias wanted to strangle the woman. Her one job was to care and look after his daughter. Instead, she left him alone while she went to hang out with friends. He wasn’t going to be able to take much more of this. Carefully getting to his feet, making sure not to wake his daughter, he opened the shower door fully and stood before her. “Take the baby, now.”
“Are you decent?”
“Grace, I am about to lose my shit. Take Elizabeth now!” he shouted and woke his daughter, who started to whimper. “Great, just great!” Thrusting his daughter into Grace’s arms, Tobias walked dripping wet into his room naked. He had had enough. Quickly throwing on some clothes, he grabbed his wallet and a pair of shoes and walked out of his room.
“Where are you going?” he heard Grace ask.
“Out!”
“When will you be back?”
“When my daughter gets accepted to college!”
Chapter 7
It had been three days since Grace has seen Tobias, and she was getting worried. She called his office and his secretary said he was in meetings, that it would be best if she just left a message, so Grace did.
She tried calling his cell phone, and nothing. When she called his family, well that was another story. She got every one of them. Of course, they were more worried about her and the baby, but Grace didn’t feel it was right to correct their reasoning. However, when the fourth day rolled around, and Taylor showed up unexpectedly, well, Grace knew that just maybe she had made more out of Tobias’s disappearance than necessary.
“I’m telling you Grace, you might want to cut your losses and run. Jackass isn’t going to change. He’s always been the selfish one of the family. Since he was a small kid, Tobias has always done what’s best for Tobias.”
“He’s just scared Taylor,” Grace said putting Elizabeth in her swing. “He got overwhelmed and I abandoned him. I thought he wanted time alone with his daughter. I was wrong. He wasn’t ready. I should have known that as a new father, Tobias wasn’t prepared for what was going to happen.”
“Scared? Tobias is never scared, Grace. That idiot would run into a burning building if it meant he could get what he wanted.”
“See it from his perspective. His wife just died, leaving him alone with a newborn. An infant that needs constant care. He relied on Bridget, and without her, he was adrift, alone in a swirling sea of chaos. No man can handle that without some direction. What he needed was more time and compassion and I let him down.”
“Grace, you’re being too hard on yourself. Jackass doesn’t need compassion. He needs a swift kick in the ass. You’ll see. Eventually, you’ll understand what we’ve all been talking about. We know him. We know what he is capable of doing.”
“That may be so, but he’s a new father and he needs help.”
“You’re right and that’s why Bridget chose you. Grace, you are too gentle, too sweet and innocent. Tobias is going to use you and not look back. Seriously, honey leave and take the kid with you. I bet Tobias doesn’t even know your gone.”
“I can’t do that. That’s kidnapping.” Grace said shocked that Tobias’s own brother would suggest something like that. She couldn’t believe what Taylor was telling her to do. Who in their right mind would take an infant away from a grieving father? All Tobias needed was time, and Grace was willing and ready to give that to Tobias, but she needed him to come home, so Elizabeth could bond with her father. The poor little dear was lonely without him.
“It’s not kidnapping. Hell, I take the little whipper back to Tennessee with me. I am sure one of the girls would love to have her. Hell, Annalise was begging Truman all the way to the airport.”
“No,” Grace said firmly. “Elizabeth is staying here with her father and Tobias is going to come home. I know he will. I have faith.”
Grace said nothing when Taylor laughed and went into the living room. She had to think of some way to get Tobias to come home. Short of going to his office and dragging him out of there, she didn’t know what to do. Grabbing her purse and a set of keys, she prayed something would come to her. After asking Taylor to watch his niece, Grace left the house in search of Tobias.
A few hours later, Grace found herself on the side of the road, talking with a police officer.
“Ma’am, unless you can verify the owner of this car allowed you to use it, I am going to have to arrest you for stealing this car.”
“I understand that officer, I really do. I am trying to get ahold of Tobias now, but he isn’t answering his phone. I’ve even called his brother Taylor who is visiting from Tennessee. You see it all started…”
For the next hour, Grace regaled the officer with all that had happened since she arrived in California. By the time she was finished, not only had she had the complete understanding of the officer, but the four others who happened to stop by for a chat. When all was said and done, Grace found herself being consoled and given advice by the friendly officers.
“And where exactly did you say Mr. Shenandoah worked?” One officer asked, taking out his notepad and pen.
“Blue Jacket Industries. He’s the owner.”
“And he hasn’t been home in three days?” another officer asked.
“Yes, sir. He’s so overwhelmed right now. I’m just worried about him. That’s why I was out looking for him. Since I don’t have my own vehicle, I borrowed his.”
“And how old is his daughter?”
“Three weeks old, tomorrow.”
“Do you happen to have his cell phone number?”
“Yes, it’s right here,” Grace said giving the officer her phone. Grace didn’t know why the officers were asking her questions about Tobias. She hoped they too were trying to locate him. However, nothing mattered, because a few minutes later, Grace saw Tobias’s car pull up behind one of the officer’s squad cars. “Oh! There he is now,” Grace exclaimed happily.
“Why don’t you let us go talk to him, Grace.”
“Are you sure, he doesn’t look very happy,” Grace inferred looking at the seething man getting out of his car. Yep, Tobias was still angry at her.
“Yep,” one of the officers smiled. “It would be our pleasure.”
“Okay.”
Grace said nothing as four of the five police officers walked over to Tobias. She didn’t know why they wanted to talk to him, but she was grateful they were willing to help. She hoped that if Tobias talked with another man, then maybe they could help him because apparently, she didn’t know what to say or do where he was concerned.
“Are you sure, I shouldn’t go over there. He is angry with me,” Grace asked, the one officer who stayed with her after seeing Tobias get defensive and pointing his finger in her direction.
“I’m sure. Those men just need to have a little talk with Mr. Shenandoah. They are going to make sure that Tobias comes home every night from now on. Besides, taking care of an infant isn’t easy, and well, a father must take responsibility sometimes, so the mom can rest. It takes a village to raise kids nowadays. They aren’t easy by any means. I know, I have four of them myself.”
“But I’m not Elizabeth’s mom. I’m her second cousin and the nanny.”
“Grace, if you raise that baby from birth to adulthood, you are that child’s momma and no one, not even that baby will say any differently.”
Grace thought about what the officer said, as she looked at Tobias. He didn’t look any happier talking with the officers, and when he cringed at what one of them said, he looked as if he wanted to flee again. Yet, in the end, he nodded, accepted a small piece of paper one of the officers handed him and quietly walked over to her.
“Are you ready to go home?” He quietly asked.
“Yes.”
“You can ride with me. Officer Michaels is going to have the car towed to the house. He doesn’t want you driving away to Timbuktu.”
“I wouldn’t do that.”
“I know, he was talking about me,” Tobias said grabbing her arm, and leading her to his vehicle.
The ride home was a quiet one. Grace noticed that Tobias never took his hands from the steering wheel, though he gripped it rather hard at times. By the time they reached the house, Grace was surprised to see Officer Michaels there, talking with Taylor, who was holding Elizabeth and laughing hysterically. When both men smiled at her, Grace looked at Tobias, who said nothing as he headed for the door. He was stopped, when Taylor, handed him his daughter and moved to the side, allowing Tobias entry into his own home. Grace thought it lovely that Tobias missed his daughter so much, that his first thought was of her. Happy, that things were getting back on track, Grace asked Officer Michaels if he would like something to drink.
“I would Grace, but I have to get back to work. I will be stopping by on occasion to see how you are doing if you don’t mind.”
“Oh, I would love that. You are welcome anytime and thank you.”
“My pleasure,” Officer Michaels said. “Nice to meet you, Taylor.”
“You too,” Taylor laughed, shaking the man’s hand. “And thanks for making sure Jackass came home.”
“No problem.”
As Officer Michaels left, Taylor turned to her and bowed, “I apologize profusely. You are the master, and I could learn much from you.”
“What are you talking about?” Grace giggled at Taylor’s antics.
“Please, you have got to tell me everything. My family is going to love this. So, just how in the world did you get Jackass to come home?” Taylor asked as he guided Grace into the kitchen. Grace wasn’t sure how to respond and in all honesty, she really didn’t know how she got Tobias to willingly come home. She was just thankful he did.
As the months went by Tobias made sure that he was home by seven o’clock every night. He was helpful, more attentive to Elizabeth, and he was even willing to get up in the middle of the night with her on occasion. He seemed to be getting the hang of fatherhood and a few times, Grace even heard him laugh. As for Taylor, he didn’t stay long. He left after Office Michaels second visit and hadn’t returned. The family would still call once a week to check on her and make sure she had everything she needed, but never, not once asked how Tobias was doing. It still broke her heart that his own family didn’t understand the pain he was going through. Grieving took time, and his family should have been patient with him. Instead, they treated him horribly only caring about the baby. As for Elizabeth, she was rolling around and learning to crawl. She looked more and more like Bridget every day.
It didn’t take Grace long to learn that Sundays were in fact Tobias’s only day for relaxation and he preferred to unwind watching football. So, instead of asking him to join her and his daughter at church, she only asked that he drive them there and pick them up, since the games didn’t start until the afternoon. Though Tobias barked a bit, he relented only if he didn’t have to go in. Of course, she offered to buy him ice-cream afterwards, which seemed to make him happier.
As for Tobias’s bedding, Grace decided that sending it out for dry cleaning was an expense that Tobias shouldn’t have to pay for when she could wash his bedding by herself. So, she did exactly that, only to discover that his bedding was one hundred percent goose down, with an authentic silk covering. She felt horrible that she ruined his bedding and she offered to pay for a new set. Yet when Tobias told her it was impossible, that it couldn’t be replaced, Grace took it upon herself to hunt down any buy him something comparable. She was surprised and pleased with herself when Tobias simply said, ‘thank you’ for the pretty new bedding she found at Target, that fit his room perfectly.
Officer Michaels had become a frequent guest at the house, much to the pleasure of Tobias. He was always so happy to greet Officer Michaels when he would show up, unannounced and sometimes even on the weekends. Grace knew that having a caring officer, who looked after Tobias’s home and family, meant a lot to him, so when Grace asked Officer Michaels to stay for dinner one night, Tobias shouted, ‘Great! Why not invite the whole police force?’
So, Grace did for a big barbeque.
Over time, she and Tobias came to an agreement of sorts. During the day, Elizabeth was her responsibility, and in the evenings, Tobias took over. It was working so well, Grace had a lot of downtime she didn’t know what to do with herself. So, one night, when Tobias’s neighbor Peter asked her to dinner, she said yes.
Chapter 8
Tobias had just laid his daughter down when someone knocked on the front door. Hurrying down the stairs, he opened the door to find Peter standing before him with flowers in his hands wearing a very nice tailored suit.
“What are you doing here?” he asked when his best friend looked a bit scared to see him.
“I thought you’d be working?” Peter deflected.
“I’m home most nights with my daughter, thanks to Grace and her ability to befriend all the cops in San Francisco. Why are you dressed like that?”
“I have a date.”
“With the pretty young brunette at your office?”
“No.”
“Oh, then who?”
“Me,” Tobias heard Grace say from behind. Turning around, he had to blink several times, because the woman before him was stunning. She looked like a million bucks. Her curly hair was now straight and flowing down her back. She had on make-up yet never wore any around the house. Which Tobias now knew why, because if she did, he would have been home every night a lot sooner. The dress she wore was fitting, accentuating all her glorious curves and boy did Grace have a killer body. The high heels she wore, made her legs look a mile long and dear God in heaven, she smelled delicious.
“Grace, you look beautiful,” Tobias whispered, as she smiled up at him.
“Thank you, Tobias. Now, I checked on Elizabeth. She should sleep for a few hours before needing her last bottle. If you need me for anything, you have my cell.”
“Uh, wait! I need to talk to Peter for a minute,” Tobias said, quickly moving outside and shutting the door behind him, subsequently leaving Grace inside the house. Tobias was seeing her for the first time and he liked what he saw. However, apparently so did Peter, who was salivating at the chance to be with her. Tobias knew Peter, and there was no way in hell he was going let his innocent, sweet nanny, go anywhere with that shark. Peter was a hound dog, who only cared about sex. Tobias should know, they used to prowl the clubs together before he married Bridget. The man was a scoundrel of the worst degree.
“What the fuck, man? What are you doing? She is my nanny, go find one of your own.”
“Tobias, I know you may not know this, but Grace is a young, vibrant, beautiful woman. What did you think was going to happen? She can’t stay single forever. Someone was bound to snatch her up. I’m just lucky I got to her first.”
“Well, go snatch some other woman up. She’s off limits. I called dibs.”
“Dibs? Really, you called dibs? When?”
“When my dead wife asked her to come to California, that’s when.”
“You can’t seriously be playing the dead wife card?”
“Does that mean you’ll leave her alone and never come back?”
“Nope,” Peter grinned. “Snooze you lose, dude.”
Tobias was about to kick his best friends’ ass when the front door opened, and Grace walked out. Unable to say what he wanted in front of Grace, Tobias was forced to watch as the scoundrel, took Grace’s arm and drove away.
Standing on his front porch, Tobias didn’t know what to do, but he damn well knew that Grace and Peter were never going to happen. Not as long as there was breath in his body. Grace was his damn nanny, and he meant to keep it that way.
Going inside, he picked up his cell phone and called for help.
“Yo bro! What’s up? Run off the nanny yet?” his twin, Theodore said laughing. There were times when Tobias wanted DNA proof that he and Theodore were related, and this was one of those times.
“No! I have a bigger problem.”
“Erectile dysfunction?”
“It’s serious, Theodore. I mean it. No kidding around.”
“Fine, what shithole did you dig for yourself this time?” Theodore sighed.
“Grace is out on a date.”
“Good for her!” Theodore chuckled. “Who’s the lucky man?”
“Peter.”
“Wilcox? Your neighbor? The asshole realtor? That Peter!” Theodore shouted. Yep, if it was one thing Tobias and his brother agreed on was that Peter Wilcox was the biggest ass in California. He’d sleep with any woman if she furthered his career in some aspect. However, Tobias was still struggling to figure out how Grace could possibly help him. She was a nanny for crying out loud.
“That’s the one!” Tobias said happily, knowing that Theodore was going to go ballistic. “He came to the house looking all Ricky Sauvé and before I could warn her, they were gone, and Peter was grinning like he just ate the canary.”
“He can go find another canary. Grace is ours.”
“She’s mine, you have your own canary, asshole,” Tobias grumbled.
“You better fix this Tobias. If Taylor or Truman find out, they will personally fly to California to kick both your asses. Grace is too good for that asshat. Go bust it up, like now.”
“How?”
“Hell, I don’t know, but you better figure something out soon. You know how he is when the date is over. He is going to want some kind of payment for his effort, and I am not talking monetary repayment.”
“I know.”
“Well, keep me informed. I’ve gotta go. Gabriella is calling for me.” With that, the line went dead, and Tobias still had no idea what to do. Tobias paced the kitchen for a few minutes, and still, nothing came to mind. However, he did know that if Peter laid one finger on Grace he was going to kill the bastard.
As he was pacing, his phone rang. Thinking it was Grace calling for help, he quickly answered, “Grace?”
“You wish, it’s Seth. I wanted to call and talk about the upcoming meeting tomorrow. You got a minute?”
“No. I have bigger problems. Grace is out on a date with Peter.”
“Are you shittin me? Seriously. What fucktard, let that perfect, angelic, heavenly creature go out with that goon?”
“I couldn’t stop it, man. It happened so fast.”
“You Jackass!”
“I know!”
“Where did they go?”
“I have no idea.”
“I’ll be over soon, and I am bringing reinforcements.”
Over the next hour, Tobias paced back and forth as he watched the hands on the living room clock, slowly tick by. He couldn’t understand why Grace going out with Peter was affecting him so much. It wasn’t as if he had a right to tell her no. She was Elizabeth’s nanny. However, she was all that Elizabeth knew, which meant that his own daughter probably thought of Grace as her mother, which meant that as such, Grace was unavailable, because who dates a new mother!
Yeah, that was even lame when Tobias heard it in his head. The fact was that Grace belonged to him and his daughter. He had a prior claim, therefore Grace was not community property and was legally bound to him. Yep, that didn’t work either.
“Where the fuck are they?” He asked out loud, to the room of men who seemed to congregate at his place within the last hour.
“I have half the department out looking for her, Tobias. Dave is running the perps’ plates now. As soon as I hear something, I can give the guys the order to apprehend.” Officer Michaels said. It was funny. When Tobias first met the man, they did not get along, but after months on him coming to check on Grace, Tobias began to respect Blake Michaels. He was an honest hard-working man, who genuinely cared about his job and those who helped. Of course, it also helped that every time he showed up Grace had a fresh pot of coffee and some treats she made waiting for him.
“I’m calling restaurants now, so far nothing,” Seth said, dialing another number.
“I’ve reached out to all of his ex-wives. None of them were able to reach him.” Gilbert added, then smiled. “However, ex-wife number three may be a new client of mine. Apparently, Asshat is behind in his child support, again.”
“Glad to hear it,” Tobias responded sarcastically. Waiting for Grace to come home was killing him. He hated not knowing if she was in trouble, hurt, upset or having a good time when she should be having a good time with him. Which made absolutely no sense to him. She was his nanny, nothing more. She aggravated him to no end. She did what she wanted with that spellbinding smile of hers. She uprooted his life. Had the entire San Francisco police department eating out of the palm of her hands. She made friends where ever she went, even when he specifically told her to stay out of certain neighborhoods. She was cunning, smart, and downright infuriating at times. Besides, Peter Wilcox knew absolutely next to nothing about Grace.
He knew her more. Knew what made her smile and laugh, and dear God, her laughter was magical. He loved hearing her laugh. The first time he heard her laugh, was two months ago when he came home early, to surprise her with dinner. She had been working her cute little butt off, and he thought he’d treat her to pizza and a movie. When he walked in the house, he found Grace and his daughter dancing to the Backstreet Boys. Elizabeth was giggling, which made Grace laugh more. It was beautiful to watch.
Now that Tobias thought about, he knew a lot about Grace, that no one knew. Like for instance, she didn’t drink coffee, preferring tea with lemon. Her favorite cookie was a peanut butter, and she was allergic to shrimp. She liked wearing summer dresses and preferred no make-up. She’d rather watch a movie than read, and preferred showers to baths.
Tobias didn’t know when he learned so much about Grace, but deep down, he knew he wanted to learn more. There was something innocent about Grace that drew him to her. She was playful, yet shy. She smiled and the whole world smiled with her. He felt happy when he came home, when before he only felt dread. Living with Grace these past months had changed him somehow.
She just made everything better.
“She’s home!” Seth shouted from the living room window, bringing Tobias out of his thoughts. Running for the front door, Tobias flung it opened to find Grace crying. Something inside him snapped, as he rushed past her to Peter, who was slowly backing up.
“Tobias, it’s not…”
Tobias didn’t give Peter a chance to finish his sentence before he punched the man right in the face. It took Seth, Gilbert, and Blake to pull Tobias off Peter, who was lying on the ground covering his bloody nose. “You stay the fuck away from her!”
“What the hell, man?” Peter groaned.
“I mean it. Stay away!”
“Fine, whatever. She’s a lame duck anyway,” Peter said heading to his car when Seth grabbed his shoulder and punched him again. This time, it was Tobias, who stepped up to pull Seth off, Peter.
“You guys are fucking nuts, you know!” Peter yelled, as he got into his car and drove away.
“Tobias, you better go check on Grace,” Blake said cautiously. “She saw you hit Peter and started to cry more. She’s in the kitchen.”
Tobias nodded, and headed into the house, praying he could fix what Peter broke.
Grace had never been more embarrassed than she was now. Her date went horribly. In all respects, Peter was the perfect gentleman. He opened doors for her, he held a great conversation, though he liked talking about himself more than anything else, and he had manners. However, there was no chemistry and the whole time, all she could think about was Tobias. Then to make matters worse, Peter wanted to see her again and she had to say no because he wasn’t Tobias. Which made her cry.
She didn’t know when she had fallen in love with Tobias, but she had and now she was miserable. She guessed she had known for a while now, but chose to ignore it. It wasn’t as if she planned on falling in love with Tobias, it just happened. Of course, if she thought about it, she fell in love with him the first time he went to church with her. She knew he didn’t go, or possibly believe in God, but for him to do that for her, meant the world to her.
Since then, everything about him, from his temper to the way he held his daughter, endeared him to her. He was perfect, and only she knew it.
Wiping her tears, she sniffed when Tobias came into the kitchen. Yet nothing could have prepared her for when he grabbed her and hugged her, tightly. Closing her eyes, she wrapped her arms around him and cried even more.
“Are you okay, Grace?” He whispered, concerned.
“No,” she sobbed.
“Did he hurt you?”
“No, he was a perfect gentleman.”
“Then why are you crying?”
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me,” Tobias said separating them, which made her want to cry more. She wanted to be held, not talk about her feelings. Yet, the set look in his eyes let her know that he wasn’t going to let this go until she started talking. So, taking a deep breath, she began.
“It started out nicely. Peter was respectful and kind. We talked a bit on the way to the restaurant. He took me to some Japanese place since I’ve never eaten sushi before. Once there, he held out my seat for me, order wine and our dinner. I couldn’t read Japanese, so he had to order for me. While we waited, Peter told me everything about the real estate business, even how to flip a house. When dinner arrived, I took one look at my plate and wished it was a hamburger. I couldn’t eat it.”
“Why?” Blake asked, and it was at that moment Grace saw, Seth, Gilbert, and Blake leaning against the kitchen counter, listening attentively.
“It was salmon. I’m allergic to salmon.”
“I thought you were allergic to shrimp?” Tobias asked confused.
“No, I don’t like shrimp. I am allergic to salmon. Anyway, when I told him this, he switched plates with me, but his plate was shrimp. I felt horrible. I tried to eat it, I really did, but after the second bite, I had to excuse myself because I was getting sick. And when I returned, I found the plates were gone and in their place, was a small bowl of soup. Only it wasn’t soup, it was just hot water to wash my hands with. We left the restaurant and Peter asked me if I wanted to go get something to drink. Since I don’t drink, I said no, but he was more than welcome to. So, he took me to a bar, and he got something to drink. When I asked the bartender for a lemonade, he laughed and made me some frilly drink that tasted awful. By now, Peter was getting angry at me not loosening up.”
“I’m going to kill him,” she heard Gilbert say to Seth.
“Oh, please don’t. It was all my fault you see,” she pleaded with Gilbert and Seth. “I told him the date was a mistake. When he asked why, and I told him the truth. He was upset which was his right, and he told me it was best if we ended the date. So, we left. I felt so horrible for leading him on, that’s when I started crying, and you know the rest.”
“But that doesn’t make sense, Grace,” Tobias questioned. “Why did you think it was a mistake.”
Grace knew Tobias would catch that part. She really didn’t want to say in front of everyone. It was bad enough she was going to have to tell Tobias, but to say it out loud to an audience, well, she couldn’t do that.
“Hey guys, thank you for coming over, but I think Grace needs to tell me something in private. Do you all mind?” she heard Tobias graciously ask his friends. When all of them nodded and said their goodbyes, Tobias returned to the kitchen where she was at, and asked, “Okay, tell me the rest.”
“Well, the truth is, I wanted Peter to be someone else and when I realized I loved this other man, it was too late. I was already on the date with Peter.”
“I see,” Tobias whispered. “Do I know this man?”
“Yes.”
“Who is he?”
Grace knew it was now or never. She was raised to always tell the truth, no matter what. The truth was best, even if it cost her the job and the man she loved. So, mustering up all the courage she had, she looked Tobias in the eyes and softly said, “You.”
Chapter 9
Tobias stood stock still. He couldn’t have heard her correctly. It was impossible. Maybe he needed to have his ears checked because he could have sworn that Grace just said that she loved him.
Him!
She couldn’t love him, he was a horrible person. A selfish man who only cared about making money, well that’s what everyone thought, and it was half true. He did love his daughter and his family, his job, his business, and the money. So, it was more than half, but hell, Bridget didn’t love him or look at him as Grace was currently doing.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything,” Grace said softly, turning to leave. Confused, Tobias’ eyebrows furrowed, as tears still slipped down her now flushed cheeks.
“Why? I don’t understand.” He asked confused, as he tried to understand her logic, but he couldn’t. He wasn’t anything special. He was just Tobias Shenandoah, the most selfish man on earth, at least that’s what his family said. How could he endear a woman such as Grace to him, without fucking it up?
“Of course not. You’re too busy hating on yourself.” Her voice rang with bitter sarcasm which shocked him because Grace was never intentionally rude to anyone, even him and he gave her plenty of opportunities to do so. Yet there she was, angry at him.
Tobias huffed an angry breath out, but couldn’t find the words to say anything as he stared at her in disbelief. After what felt like a solid minute, Grace glanced down and mumbled, almost to herself, “I don’t know what else I can say...”
“I do,” Tobias offered and then with one hand still clutching her arm, his other cupped the back of her head, as he pulled her to him, closing the distance between their bodies. His lips met hers in a rather heated, gentle kiss.
So many things were racing through his mind all at once. He was in shock. What the hell was he doing? His family was going to kill him! Though he did remember them specifically saying, don’t fuck the nanny Tobias! He tried to be gentle, but he was forceful, yet intimidating her at the same time. When he eased up, Tobias felt her whole body relax as she began kissing him back. It was like electricity shooting through his every vein, a warmth he’d never felt spread from the top of his head to the tips of his toes, with a ball of fire knotting deep inside him. Tobias knew he should break away. What in the hell was he doing? But he couldn’t. His hunger for her was too great. The dam had been shattered and nothing short of a miracle would stop him from doing what he wanted to do.
As the kiss continued. Grace hesitantly moved her hands to stroke his upper arms. Her touch felt like electricity, igniting a fire under his skin. Her hands moved upward over his shoulders, a touch so gentle, she left a trail of heat, warming him. She cupped his face, sincere and tender, her thumb caressing his cheeks. Tobias had never been touched so affectionately, so lovingly, he wondered what he ever did to deserve this.
Between kisses, Tobias mumbled, “You’re so beautiful, Gracie.”
“Don’t say that, unless you truly mean it,” she opposed, though his lips continued to play. She had the softest lips, like silk feathers, gentle and warm. Tobias nipped her lower lip, and she smirked, making him want to do it again. “You are. I’ve thought so from the very first moment we met and very sexy.”
Grace abruptly broke the embrace. Glancing down at herself, Tobias scowled not understanding why and wondering if he’d said something wrong.
“Yeah, unruly curly hair and summer dresses are sexy to you,” she said with a thick dose of sarcasm. Tobias didn’t know where that came from, but he didn’t like hearing her talk about herself like that. She was a beautiful woman, with a heart of gold. Everyone who knew her would attest to that. He wondered why she didn’t believe that.
“On you, those things are what make you Grace. I’ve come to prefer your summer dresses to the one you have on right now. I mean, you look stunning in your dress, but it’s not you, nor is the straight hair. If you want my opinion, I think the curly hair suits you,” Tobias replied between kisses to her nose, her chin, and her cheeks, his hands sliding down her back and encircling her waist.
“Really,” she exclaimed, leaning her head back to stare at him.
With one hand wound around her waist, and the other exploring the back of her neck, he replied, in a low, husky voice, “A beautiful woman comfortable in her own skin, wearing clothes that she loves, confident and honest? Gracie, that’s sexy. And your curly hair that’s wild and untamable? Mmm. That just makes me want to know what I need to do to tame the woman. It’s hot as hell.”
“Oh,” she muttered, blushing, the ground suddenly looking very interesting as her skin flushed, yet again. Taking her chin between his thumb and index fingers, Tobias beckoned her to look at him.
Reluctantly, Grace looked into his deep blue eyes. She saw the truth. And desire. She swallowed hard and wet her lips, her own desire flooded through her body, warming her on the inside—to her core. She felt it everywhere. The tips of her fingers tingled, the pulse in her neck hammered, her nipples peaked, and the warmth between her legs was something she couldn’t ignore. Every fiber of her being wanted him. Tobias was the man she fell in love with and he was perfect, in every way.
Their lips came together again, as if on autopilot. Her hands grasped his neck, and their kisses grew feverish. Desperate. Tobias held her to him with one hand on the small of her back, her breasts crushed against his chest, and the other hand held the back of her neck, keeping their mouths pressed together. His mouth devoured hers and her desire grew. He dragged his tongue along her lower lip. When she sighed in delight, his tongue slipped between her parted lips, winding together with hers in a rousing, erotic dance.
His hands moved to the zipper at the back of her dress, and slowly pulled it down. A shiver raced through her body when his fingers touched her skin, moving up and down her sides, lightly skimming the sides of her breasts at each pass, causing her breath to hitch in anticipation. She wanted more. Her nipples tingled, craving his touch. They rubbed on the fabric of her dress, which only increased her arousal. Grace became very aware of the wet heat and increased sensitivity between her thighs.
After several passes, his hands finally slid her dress down her arms as it pooled around her feet. His hands, slowly moved under her breasts, her soft flesh filling his hands, his fingers tenderly exploring the curve of her breasts. When his thumbs brushed against her nipples, Grace hummed her approval. His thumbs continued rubbing her nipples in a circular motion, and she couldn’t help the involuntary moan that escaped her lips. Her head dropped back, and her eyes closed.
Tobias’s kisses descended from her mouth to kiss along her jawline, her neck and up to her ear. His fingers continued to work their magic on her nipples. With every flick, pinch, and roll, Grace felt the fire inside her growing to an inferno.
Her body quivered when Tobias kissed her neck, right behind her earlobe, and then trailed kisses down her throat, stopping to linger at the base of her neck, in the hollow of her collarbone. Another moan escaped her lips and another electric jolt shook her entire body. Grace felt like she might melt; her arousal was so piqued from the intensity of the pleasure she was experiencing.
His lips found hers again. Their kisses were greedy and lust-filled, the passion so consuming, it was dizzying. Grace’s fingers found the bottom edge of his shirt and pushed it up. Tobias needed no more prompting, and he swiftly pulled his shirt up and over his head, tossing it on the counter next to her.
Grace pulled back to admire him—the defined muscles of his biceps, chest, abs. His body was gorgeous. Her fingers floated across his chest, then down his ribcage, where it narrowed slightly to his waist. His skin was warm and silky under her exploring fingers while they glided along.
When she realized Tobias was watching her, his hands resting on the counter on either side of her. Her fingers stilled, resting on his chest, and Tobias took the opportunity to grasp her waist and place her on the counter of the island, as she let out a little surprised shriek.
Lureing her into a languid kiss, his tongue lingering with hers, he parted her knees and stepped between them, so his hips were against the counter, between her thighs. Just the idea of him between her legs made Grace’s pulse throb in her throat. Grace clutched the edge of the counter, just to have something to hold onto.
His fingers moved to the clasp of her bra behind her back, slipping the first clip free effortlessly. The second followed, then the third. She’d never had a man undress her before. She was a bundle of nerves, both anxious and excited. With a delicate touch, Tobias’s fingers slid her bra off her shoulders, his soft lips heating her newly exposed skin. The nervous side of her was nagging her to take her bra and cover her exposed breasts. But that’s not what she really wanted, so she gripped the counter tighter to keep from acting on that impulse.
Instead, she let Tobias remove her bra completely. Grace tensed when it fell to expose her breasts to him. Foregoing the kissing, Tobias leaned back. Grace held her breath, watching his eyes slowly rake over her exposed upper body.
“Gracie... You’re beautiful.”
Just his voice gave her a chill, though the effect on her elsewhere was completely the opposite. She watched his right hand moved up and cup her left breast. He gently kneaded her soft mound, and then held her as though her nipple were an offering for his hungry, descending mouth.
That breath she’d been holding rushed out of her in a lustful cry when he took her nipple between his lips and sucked gently. Grace arched her back with a groan, her fingers combing through his hair, holding his head to keep his mouth in its place on her nipple. Was it possible to experience anything more pleasurable?
He then took her other nipple and rolled it between his index finger and thumb, and tugged gently. His mouth continued the sweet torture of her other very sensitive bud, sucking, nipping, and flicking with his tongue. And, well... Grace learned that more pleasure was, indeed, possible. And it was magnificent.
Just when Grace thought she couldn’t take anymore, his mouth released her. Her reprieve was short because he took her other nipple in his mouth, and repeated the torture all over on the opposite side.
Her breathing was ragged, and she felt slightly dizzy when Tobias’s mouth finished with her right nipple. But both his hands continued to roll, tug and gently pinch her nipples. His attention had her so tightly wound, that she sobbed—wanting it to stop, and wanting it to never end at the same time.
Tobias kissed her again, grasping her waist. The next thing she knew, he lifted her up, wrapping her legs around his waist. Grace gasped and wrapped her arms around his neck. The sensation of her breasts against his warm chest caused her to moan again.
She was floating, as Tobias carried her through the house, up the stairs, and into his bedroom. She loved his room, always so clean and masculine. It was him. Everything smelled of him, from the air in the room to sheets on the bed. He flipped a switch on the wall, and a light came from the fireplace. The only noise, was the snapping of the logs in the fire—unless she counted the wild beating of her heart.
It was warm. Romantic. Sexy.
Grabbing her waist, he set her down before him, then he pulled her to him, and right into a torrid kiss. His hands skimmed her waist and then slipped into the waistband of her panties. Still that underlying nervousness, Grace squirmed a little, but there wasn’t anywhere to go. He had her tightly in his embrace, and his tongue was doing things that were making it difficult to think. His hands fondled the curves of her buttocks and hips. Before she knew what was going on, the simple white panties she was wearing, pooled around her ankles. Grace let out a shocked gasp, realizing that was completely naked before him.
Oh my god. This is really going to happen.
A wave of anxiety rolled through her, and this time, she grabbed the comforter off his bed to cover herself. There was something she needed to tell him. She didn’t know how he was going to react, but it needed to be said. She tried to swallow the nervous lump that had formed in her throat. She was so tied up in knots she felt like she might cry.
Hold it together, Grace.
Tobias’s hands gently took hold of hers, his thumbs drawing little patterns on the backs of hers, and he leaned in to kiss her again, but she braced her hands lightly on his chest.
“Tobias...”
He sensed her unease right away. She could see the concern in his eyes, as he titled his head and replied, “You okay?”
“Yeah,” Grace said hurriedly. She didn’t want him to get the wrong idea that she didn’t want him. “I just...”
“What is it, Gracie?” he asked, brushing a stray curl from her face.
Grace sighed. God, she loved when he called her that. No one had ever taken her name and made it their own. Her whole life she was nothing more than just Grace.
“I’m just a little nervous,” Her voice sounded meeker than she wanted it to.
“Okay, we’ll take it slow then,” he grinned, raising his eyebrows.
Her stomach fluttered. Tell him! Her mind screamed at him, but instead, she stepped up to him, taking his face between her palms, and looked up into his eyes pleadingly. There was a shadow over most of his face, but she could tell that she had his undivided attention. Grace pulled him toward her, and whispered, “Don’t stop, no matter what,” just before she kissed his lips with every bit of passion she was feeling.
Tobias groaned against her mouth, their lips and tongues melting together. Her hands slid down to his neck, and then to his shoulders. Their kiss morphed into a dizzying frenzy. Grace tipped her hips and pressed her body against his just to prove what she meant. That gesture was enough for Tobias to stop kissing her, though he didn’t move away. His arms wound around her back and neck, her body was firmly pressed against his.
His mouth was still so close to hers that she could feel his breath on her face, his hands moving to her waist.
“You love me?”
“Yes,” Grace whispered, without hesitation.
Tobias took in a big breath and sighed before he responded. “Good, then look at me.”
Grace did, taking a slow, deliberate breath in and out.
With her eyes locked on his, Tobias took the comforter from her hands, letting it fall to the floor. Taking her chin in one hand, he gently kissed her just once before he ran his hands up and down her arms, his eyes raking over her.
Grace wanted to be the confident woman. Strike a sexy pose. But inside, part of her wanted to use her hands to cover herself. No. She didn’t want to be that timid, self-conscious girl any longer. So, Grace steeled herself and tried to stand confidently while the sexy man that she loved checked out her naked body.
“Mmm,” he growled. And then he wrapped her in his arms and kissed her hard. His lips continued to ravage hers, and Grace realized his hands were no longer on her. She heard a rustling noise and then felt a breeze on her legs. Before she opened her eyes, she knew it must have been his pants. When she peeked down to confirm it, she hadn’t been prepared to see him naked. Oh, she had seen him inadvertently one time when he was in the shower, but it was quick, and she deftly looked away. But this time, she found herself thinking about the pants on the floor, not his fully naked form, with the proof of his desire standing tall and proud.
Grace jolted a little, gasping at the sight of him. It looked a pretty good size to her, though she had nothing to compare to. She glanced at Tobias, and he grinned. In a nervous habit, Grace tucked some hair behind her ear and looked back down at his erection.
Woah.
Stepping forward, Tobias took her hand in his, rubbing his thumb on the back of hers before slowly moving their hands to his engorged cock. Her fingers trembled slightly, but his hand stayed firmly covering hers, guiding it up and down the length of him.
After a few passes, he moved her hand down and cupped his testicles, giving them a gentle squeeze, and then moving back to his shaft and sliding up and down. Tobias groaned, and Grace couldn’t help smirking to herself, knowing that she was giving him that pleasure.
Their hands moved up to the head, and he took her index finger and drew a circle around the underside of the ridge, and then up the cleft in the underside. He let her know just how good it felt with a bellowed moan, as his hand fell away from hers.
Grace’s stomach clenched while she stood there with her hand on him, and nothing to guide her. She swallowed and then used her thumb to draw a spiral up the head, hearing another approving groan. She moved her hand up and down his shaft several times again, when Tobias grasped her hand, stopping her.
“That’s enough,” he said gruffly.
His eyes seemed darker, his cheeks slightly colored. He took hold of her waist and neck, guided her to her knees, gently lowering her back onto his bed. He knelt and laid down on her right, his legs next to hers, and his torso over her. His bed was softer than she expected.
Tobias looked like a Greek God in the glow of the firelight, his blonde hair shining like gold in the sun. The shadows emphasizing the contours of his face and his muscles made him look magical as he stroked her hair and caressed her cheek with his knuckles.
“You’re beautiful, Grace. So damn beautiful,” he said tenderly, just before he kissed her ravenously. Grace was so caught up in the passion that she couldn’t think. All she could do was feel... and the feeling of his lips, tongue, and hands gliding over every curve of her body—was exquisite.
One of his hands was wound in her hair, while the other was playing with her nipple... rolling, twisting, pinching, gently tugging on it. Grace felt like it was swollen, and it wasn’t the only thing. She could feel the wet heat between her legs—throbbing.
His hand slid down her belly and kept going. Grace gasped when his hand swept over the soft short hair at the apex of her thighs. His hand traveled along her left thigh to her knee, moving it out to the side, and then slid back up to her center, onto her right thigh and down to her knee. He pulled her knee up, and her foot rested flat on his bed.
While he kissed her, Grace felt him shift slightly as he pulled on her right knee to prompt her to let it fall to the side. Her pulse thudded in her throat. It didn’t feel right laying there spread so lewdly, and when his hand inched down, closer to her throbbing heat, Grace pulled both knees up and clamped them together around his arm. His hand stilled.
Stroking her cheek, Tobias stopped kissing her, “Relax Gracie. I’m not going to bite. Not much.”
Grace lowered her gaze and shook her head.
Tobias kissed her just once and stroked her cheek again. “You can trust me, Gracie.”
Still not meeting his gaze, she whispered, “Okay.”
His kisses were tender and unhurried. He continued to stroke her cheek, her hair. “Let me touch you.” His voice was so sexy and husky and strong. “Relax.”
His voice was quiet, yet commanding and made her feel like she could do nothing but comply. So, when he put the slightest pressure on the inside of her thigh, Grace let both her knees fall open. His hand returned to her center, and she felt his finger slip between her folds, already slick with her arousal. Grace let out a little cry. It was a little shocking. No one had ever touched her there before.
Their lips moved in-sync, as their tongues found a rhythm while their kissing deepened. All the while Tobias stroked her clit and her opening. It wasn’t long before a second finger joined the first, both fingers gliding easily between her moist labia.
Tobias began to kiss up her jawline, and while he did, his hand stilled, his fingers resting right at her opening. Grace willed herself to lay still while he slid a finger inside just a little.
“Tobias!” She marveled, while his finger easily slid all the way inside her, his palm coming to rest on her labia.
Tobias kissed the ridge of her ear and nibbled her lobe while beginning to move his finger back and forth inside her. As if on instinct, her hips rocked to meet his every move. Grace’s eyes closed, her head rolled back, and she verbalized with little coos, just how much she was enjoying his touch.
When his finger withdrew, her breathing was ragged, and her eyes snapped open. His lips slid into a devilish grin, and then, he plunged his finger back into her at the same moment that his mouth took possession of her nipple, sucking and nipping. Tobias groaned lustfully with his mouth on her nipple, as his finger drilled into her again and again at an increasing rate. Grace thought she could have let him do that to her all-night long. But, then, he paused, and his one finger was joined by a second. Then both fingers were slowly pressing into her.
Grace arched her hips and tensed, feeling his two fingers sliding in, slowly stretching her wider. It was a little uncomfortable, but it was hard to focus on since his mouth was still doing wonderful things, alternating from one nipple to the other.
When his two fingers were buried deep inside her, his hand stilled while his kisses were slow and sweet. When his lips fell into the hollow of her clavicle, he chose that moment to start moving his fingers inside her again. He developed a pattern of two short strokes before he would pull all the way out and slide all the way back in. It wasn’t long before that was no longer uncomfortable, and Grace felt a flood of her lubricant release.
Tobias’s fingers withdrew again but returned to slide between her outer folds.
His fingers slid over her very sensitive clit, a startled cry tore up her throat, and her hips bucked off the bed. She’d never felt anything so amazing in her life. Tobias seemed to know exactly where and how to touch her to get a reaction. He continued torturously stroking her clit, sweeping down every few strokes and dipping his fingers inside her. The fire that had built deep in her core was a blazing inferno at that point. She felt like her chest, neck and ears were equally as hot. The pleasure she was feeling was like nothing she’d ever felt before.
“Please,” she whispered, before a long moan. “Please, Tobias,” she begged. What was she even asking him for? To stop? No, definitely not. To keep going? Yes, definitely yes. To do something more? Yes!
When his hand stopped moving, Grace didn’t even realize what was happening until she felt Tobias settle between her thighs. Her stomach fluttered in nervous and excited anticipation. He hooked his hands under her knees spreading them wider, and placed her feet flat on the mattress next to his hips. Then, she felt his fingers spreading apart her wet folds and felt something press up against her opening. Grace gasped loudly, and her whole body seemed to tense, but Tobias made no move to go any further.
He kissed her lips, his forearms propped on either side her, his hands cupping her shoulders. “Relax, Gracie,” he instructed, his hands kneaded her shoulders to loosen the tension. Closing her eyes, Grace allowed herself to get lost in Tobias’s kisses. She moaned when the tension began to dissipate under his skilled massaging fingers, and at that same moment, she felt more pressure when he slipped inside her. Grace gasped, some of the tension returning.
He was only a little inside her, but the feeling was intense. It wasn’t painful, but there was a strange combination of discomfort and pleasure. He was definitely wider than his two fingers.
“I’ve got you, Gracie,” Tobias soothed, his hands sliding up to massage her neck while he inched a little further into her. She felt her walls that held him spasm, sending a shudder through her body. Her hips arched, causing him to slide in further.
“Ohh!” Grace moaned. she couldn’t explain it, and it might sound strange, but despite the tightness and slight discomfort, the pleasurable sensations she was feeling overrode everything else, and she felt the rest of the apprehension leave her.
“Look at me,” Tobias insisted.
Grace’s eyelids fluttered while she looked into his dark, lust-filled eyes. He held the back of her neck, so her eyes remained trained on his while he sunk deeper inside her. Grace felt something nudge in the depths of her core, and she moaned when their hips met, sighing when she realized the full length of him was buried deep inside her.
He lay still for a moment, kissing her affectionately, letting her get used to the feeling of him filling her. Grace admitted—the discomfort she felt was mild compared to what she expected, based on what some of her college friends had told her. It felt snug, but most of the discomfort had eased, and she was left with a throbbing, searing heat where their bodies were intimately joined. It was like nothing in this world.
Tobias began moving back and forth inside her, and she rocked her hips in rhythm with his. He feathered kisses along her jawline to her ear, nipping her earlobe, and then his soft, moist lips trailed all the way down her neck and onto her chest, warming her skin everywhere his lips touched. It was wonderful.
Grace felt a sudden emptiness when he pulled his thick, firm cock back, so he was just barely inside her, but then he steadily pushed all the way in again, her hips rising instinctually and grinding with his. When he bottomed out inside her, she gave him a vocal approval with a long guttural moan. Tobias withdrew completely and plunged back inside her. Grace arched her back and howled.
He continued full thrusts, in and out, in a slow, steady pace. His mouth devoured hers, while his fingers ravaged her nipples, twisting and tugging them into tight peaks. Grace felt him shift his hips slightly, and when he entered her again, his shaft stroked her clit. Her whole body contracted, and she shrieked. Grace swore, she was seeing stars!
His pace steadily got faster, his shaft rubbing her clit with each stroke, sending shockwaves of pleasure throughout her body. Her orgasm was teetering dangerously on the edge. Grace wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do.
“Tobias... Tobias...” was all she could manage.
“It’s okay. Let go, Gracie. I’ll catch you,” Tobias said, while still kissing her.
His words drove her right over the edge, and she uttered a string of moans. Her orgasm shook her to the core. She felt like an earthquake; her body tremored as shockwaves tore through her. No sooner had hers begun, then Tobias convulsed on top of her groaning into her neck, his own orgasm exploding.
After a wave of little convulsions, her whole body felt relaxed and exhausted. Tobias lay on top off her, his face buried in her neck, both breathing heavy while they rode out the post-orgasmic bliss. Her insides were throbbing... pulsing around Tobias’s cock, which was still firmly planted inside her. Grace lay there, coming down from the high, and all she could think was that she wanted more. A lot more
When their breathing began to return to normal, Tobias made a satisfied sigh. Peering into her eyes, he smiled, stroking her cheeks with his knuckles.
“That was...unbelievable,” he said with a chuckle.
Grace nodded, a grin spreading across her face. His lips brushed hers tenderly.
“Thank you, Gracie, for giving me your trust.”
Grace blushed, feeling the heat spread down her neck and across her chest.
Tobias’s index finger tickled across her chest and whispered in her ear, “That color looks good on you. Like a ripe strawberry ready to be eaten.” He nipped her neck several times, and then kissed all around her neck to her throat, giving her little shivers of pleasure.
He shifted slightly, and she felt him slide out of her. Tobias propped himself on his forearms. “I hope you don’t have any plans tomorrow because I am pretty sure you will still be in this bed with me.”
“Well, I do have another date with Seth,” she said cheekily.
A wicked growl emanated from deep within his chest, as he replied gravely, “Too damn bad. He can go find his own damn nanny.” Grace laughed as his hand glided over her lower abdomen and hip, and around her backside and fondling her ass.
She smirked and bit her lower lip. She wasn’t sure what he meant by that because Seth didn’t need a nanny, he didn’t have children, but after what she’d just experienced, Grace knew there was nothing more she wanted than to be Tobias’s nanny.