Grace grabbed a pillow to scream into.
“Baby, I like to hear you coming.”
“They can hear me in the other room. Rita made fun of it.”
“Did she?”
Grace could only nod, trying to reach for the pillow again, but Ice knocked it off the bed.
“They can’t hear you. Listen.”
The sound of the music from the other room was blaringly loud.
Ice slowed down, letting her desire build one more time before he gave her the release she had been trying to capture. He held her close as she climaxed, easing her down onto the mattress while her body shuddered. Ice gave her his weight, still inside her, linking their hands together above her head.
“Get ready to really scream.”
Ice starting moving again, pumping his cock inside her, not letting her come down from her climax, only extending it until his control shattered.
“Grace,” he groaned.
Ice knew he was a heavy weight on her, but he didn’t want to move, afraid the closeness they had just shared would end, and she would leave him again. Reluctantly, though, he moved to the side, giving her breathing room. Grace rolled over, surprising him by not sliding away. She reached for him, tucking herself against him instead.
Suddenly, she sat up in the bed. “Oh, my God, I’ve left CeCe sitting in the car. She followed me here to give me a ride home.”
She started to get up, but Ice forestalled her. “Stay still. I’ll go tell her I’ll bring you back.”
He waited for her to tell him no. He didn’t want to ruin their reunion by being an ass, but it would be hard to let her walk out his bedroom door.
“Okay.” She lay back down.
Ice grinned, jumping out of bed. He pulled on his jeans, zipping them up without buttoning them, and he didn’t bother with a shirt or shoes. He left the bedroom, anxious to send CeCe on her way and get back to bed with Grace.
He was striding to the back door when he glanced toward the bar, coming to a stop.
CeCe was sitting there between Max and Stump. Changing direction, he went to the bar.
“You can go on home. Grace is staying the night. I’ll bring her back in the morning.” Ice tried to keep the triumph out of his voice, but he must not have succeeded when CeCe gave him a shit-eating grin.
“If you don’t mind, I might stick around. It’ll save you the drive.”
“I’d appreciate it.” Ice smiled yet gave his men a silent warning before leaving.
He closed the bedroom door, climbing back into bed.
“Was she upset about me leaving her waiting?” Grace asked, cuddling back up next to him as soon as he lay down.
“I wouldn’t say that. She was having a drink with Max and Stump.”
As Grace sat up again, trying to get out of bed, Ice snagged her around the waist, stopping her. “You don’t have to protect her. I warned my men—”
“It’s not her I’m trying to protect. It’s Max and Stump.”
Chapter 25
CeCe hummed all the way back to Stephenville while Grace kept giving her curious looks.
“I’m sorry about keeping you in the car, waiting,” Grace said, flushing.
“Don’t be. I only waited about ten minutes before I came inside. It didn’t take long for you to kiss and makeup.”
Grace frowned. “Do you think I gave in too easily? I never thought I would be one of those women who would forgive her boyfriend for cheating.”
“Do you think he’ll do it again? You said you hadn’t been seeing him that long when he did it.”
“No, I don’t think he will. It sounds kind of weird, but I think he was trying to prove something to his men.”
CeCe shrugged. “Then you made the right decision, but if he does it again, I’d cut his balls off.”
CeCe looked at Grace, seeing her still frowning before turning back to the road. “Grace, you told me he’s lived at that club a long time. They don’t have the same standards for what’s right and wrong; the standards they have are very different. You’re not going to change that overnight. You let him know you won’t put up with it, though. So, either he’ll change or he won’t, but you’re giving him a chance. You’re giving both of you another chance, and if what you have is special, it’s worth it, don’t you think?”
Grace smiled, her frown disappearing. “It is,” she agreed. “Um… How was your night?”
“I had fun. Did you know that Stump’s—”
Grace quickly cut her off. “I heard.”
Thankfully, her cell phone rang, bringing an end to the embarrassing conversation. “Hi, Maman.”
“Hi, bébé. How’s your morning going?”
“Good. Why are you up so early?”
“Your father and Dax are both so busy on the movie, and I’m bored. I was thinking about coming down next weekend, if it’s all right.”
“Of course.” Even though she had just seen her mother, she would enjoy her company. She wouldn’t be able to spend as much time with Ice, but she could introduce them without the presence of her father and brother.
“Fantastic. I’ll see you this weekend.”
“Bye. Love you.”
“Je t’aime aussi, bébé.”
“Mom’s coming for a visit,” Grace told CeCe once she’d disconnected the call.
“That will be interesting.” Her friend rolled her eyes.
“You don’t think she’ll like him?”
“I think she’s being sent out in advance to get the lay of the land before the army arrives,” CeCe cautioned.
“My mother is going to love Ice.”
“Don’t get your hopes up,” CeCe said skeptically.
“It’ll work out. You’ll see.”
* * *
It was a disaster. Her mother hated Ice.
When he showed up, wearing his normal faded jeans and T-shirt with his cut, her mother looked down distastefully at his scuffed boots, which were looking much worse since they were Bear’s favorite chew toy.
During most of dinner, Grace had carried the conservation, quitting when she received only short replies. She gripped her wine glass as her mother finally began talking, wanting to slip under the table when she asked him about his job.
“I work security for Desmond Beck.”
“Before or after you got out of prison?”
“Both.” Ice lifted his beer, taking a drink.
“Have you been married before?”
“No, and I have no intention of getting married. They all end in divorce.”
“I’ve been happily married for thirty-one years.”
“Good for you.”
Grace looked down at the table, staring at the luncheon she had gone to so much trouble to fix. They were ruining it with their antagonism toward each other.
The day had already started off rocky when she had made Ice get out of bed and leave when the sun was just coming up because her mother’s plane was coming in early. His mood had darkened even more when he couldn’t find one of his boots he had pulled off in the living room. When they had found it behind Bear’s bed, the hole in the toe had grown even larger.
To make it even worse, they had gotten in an argument because she had wanted him to take the Lexus he had driven down the night before. His men had followed him, dropping off his motorcycle for him to ride back. He had left angry and hadn’t returned with a better temper.
Grace got up to carry the dishes to the kitchen and get the dessert. When she returned to the table, both were sitting in stony silence.
“How much longer before Dax and Dad finish up?” Grace asked her mother.
“Next month. They’re in post-production now. They have a three-month break before starting the next one.”
“That’s good. Any idea what you’re going to do on the break?”
“Stay here for a while.” Her mother gave a saccharine smile in Ice’s direction. “Your father and Dax miss you.”
“I saw them two weeks ago,”
Grace reminded her.
“They’re both anxious to get acquainted with Ice. It seems Alec Gamble called and told them about an incident you were involved in at a benefit.”
“Alec shouldn’t have called. I was there with a friend of Ice’s.” Grace hoped Ice and Vida were friends, that way she was only technically lying.
“He said you were backstage with the band Mouth2Mouth. They were in the news last year when their road manager went to prison. Is he a friend of yours, too?”
“Maman!”
“No, he’s not a friend of mine,” Ice answered curtly.
“You didn’t meet him in the prison where you took my daughter hostage?”
“No. He must have been in a different one.” Ice finished his beer, standing up. “I enjoyed the food, but I better head back.”
As Ice walked to the door instead of the living room after they finished dessert, Grace followed behind him unhappily.
“Goodbye,” he told her mother shortly, which her mother ignored, going to sit on the couch to give them a moment of privacy.
Ice pulled her out the front door, closing it behind them. “Sorry, baby, but I thought it was better if I leave before I say something I shouldn’t.”
“You could have tried harder, Ice. She’s still upset about the prison riot.”
“She wouldn’t like me, regardless. I’m not the type of man she ever thought you would bring home to meet her. I bet she would fucking love Jones.”
“I don’t,” she said, reaching out to play with the patch on the front of his leather vest. “Would it have killed you to have dressed up a little?”
Ice went stiff. “You want me to pretend to be someone I’m not?”
Grace’s heart ached as her hand dropped away. “No. I haven’t asked you to change anything about yourself. You expect me to wait on you like the women at your club, and I don’t mind it, because I like making you happy. I go to the club and stay with you and hang out with your friends, even though one of them humiliated me and none of them want me to be with you, because I don’t fit in, but I do it to make you happy. I wear jeans and tops I usually just wear around the house, but I wear them to make you happy. It would be nice if you did the same for me once to make me happy and keep my mother from spending the next few days asking why I’m with you.”
Ice stared down at her, frowning. “You’re mad at me.”
Grace sighed, aggravated. “Never mind, Ice. I’ll give you a call when my mother leaves.” She put her hand on the doorknob.
Ice put his hand on the nape of her neck, turning her back around to face him. “I can’t come tonight—I have some business to take care of—but I’ll be here tomorrow night. Your mother and I will work it out, like me and the rest of your family will, because I’m sure we all want to make you happy.”
Her head fell against his chest, breathing in his scent.
“Do me a favor and tell her to lay off all the prison references.”
“I’ll try.” That was easier said than done with her outspoken mother.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, then, and I better have a chocolate cake waiting for me.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
* * *
The next night, Grace was much wiser and invited CeCe and a date to dinner to lighten the atmosphere. Her mother was getting dressed, and she was putting the last touches on Ice’s cake when she heard his motorcycle pulling into her driveway.
She met him at the door, watching as he got off his bike, taking off his jacket. She bit her lip to keep from smiling widely at his appearance.
While he wasn’t wearing slacks, he had donned a pair of expensive jeans and new boots. His shirt was casual, but at least it wasn’t a T-shirt. He took a comb from his pocket and ran it through his hair, combing it back from his face.
“Happy?” he asked as he walked toward her.
“Ecstatic,” she said, jumping into his arms to plant a kiss on his lips.
They were both smiling and laughing when her mother came into the kitchen. Grace was trying unsuccessfully to keep Ice away from the cake while she finished dinner. Grace’s mother greeted Ice coolly before pouring herself a large glass of wine.
“How are the ribs?” her mother asked, sniffing the air appreciably.
“Almost done,” Grace said, peeling away the foil. “The barbeque sauce is ready and so are the vegetables.” She put the ribs back into the oven to stay warm, taking the corn muffins out and placing them on the counter to cool.
Ice’s hand immediately went to them.
“Don’t you dare,” Grace scolded, smacking his hand. “You’ll eat them all before we even sit down for dinner.”
Her mother watched for Ice’s reaction.
“You could always make another batch,” Ice suggested, snagging her around the waist to pull her to him, kissing her lightly on the cheek while his hand went behind her back to snag a muffin.
“Fuck.” He pulled his hand back sharply, staring at her mother who had smacked his hand like a five year old.
“She wants you to wait, and you need to watch your language around my daughter.”
Grace didn’t know whether to laugh at Ice or scold her mother, and the doorbell ringing saved her from making the decision. She exited the kitchen, leaving the two combatants alone.
When she opened her door, she almost closed it again. Her spirits dropped. Tonight was going worse than last night.
“Aren’t you going to ask us inside?” CeCe said with a raised brow.
Grace almost told her no yet opened the door wider for CeCe and her date to enter.
“Good evening, Grace.”
“Talbert.”
Talbert Jones helped CeCe out of her coat, looking like a perfect gentleman in his tailored suit and shiny shoes.
Her mother and Ice came in from the kitchen as he was hanging both of their coats in the closet.
“Maman, Ice, this is CeCe’s date, Talbert Jones. He’s an English professor at the college.”
“It’s so nice to meet you, Mr. Jones,” Oceane crooned.
As Grace sent a pleading look toward Ice, he stepped forward, offering his hand. “Wyatt Brown, but everyone calls me Ice.”
“Ice, it’s nice to meet you.” Jones reached out, taking his hand. “Everyone calls me Jones,” he said, smiling.
Ice’s expression relaxed and Grace gave a relieved sigh.
“Everyone, take a seat. Dinner’s ready.”
CeCe and Jones lightened the atmosphere between Ice and her mother while heightening the tension between Grace and Ice.
“CeCe said you were making your ribs. I’ve been looking forward to them all day.”
“You’ve had her ribs before?” Ice asked, his eyes narrowing on Grace.
Jones nodded. “She brings them to the potlucks when we have them for the holidays. All the male teachers end up fighting for them, so not many are left for the women teachers.”
“Is that right?”
Jones reached for a second helping of the ribs and another corn muffin. “Yes. Several of us have asked for her barbeque sauce recipe, but she won’t give it up.”
“That’s good to know.” Grace’s mother didn’t try to hide her glee at Ice’s jealousy.
CeCe saved the dinner by asking her mother about Dax’s movie, moving the conversation on, keeping them busy talking throughout the meal. Then Grace and CeCe cleared the table.
“Whew, you weren’t joking about your mom and Ice,” CeCe said when they were alone in the kitchen.
“No, but I’m hoping she comes around.” Grace tried to be positive.
CeCe shook her head. “Oceane’s stubborn. Once she makes her mind up, there’s no changing it.”
“I want her to like Ice, but I’m a grown woman, and she has to realize I care about him. She’ll get used to him, eventually.”
“Not a chance in Hell,” CeCe said, picking up the dessert plates.
Ice and Jones both ate two pieces of the cake and were about to take
another slice, each man trying to outdo the other.
“I’ll wrap you up a piece to take home, Jones,” Grace offered.
“Thanks, Grace. I love your chocolate cake. I gained five pounds on the one you made me for my birthday.”
Ice rose from the table. “She made you a cake for you birthday?”
“Yes.”
“It was from the whole faculty,” Grace explained, escaping to the kitchen.
Ice followed her in, packing the dirty dessert plates.
“Don’t forget to wrap me a piece to take home, too.” His caustic voice had her hackles rising.
“His birthday was last July before I met you, not that it matters.” She placed her hands on her hips. “I can make that cake for anyone I want to.”
“That’s my cake.”
“It’s my cake and I can—”
Ice backed her against the counter, taking her face between his hands. His mouth landed on hers with a demanding passion, which didn’t ease until her arms circled his neck, and she was clinging to his broad shoulders.
He lifted his head. “That’s my cake.”
“It’s yours. I’ll make him a carrot cake for his next birthday.”
Chapter 26
Ice pushed the button on the private elevator to take him to Desmond’s office.
“Any idea why he wanted to see you?” Jackal asked.
“No. He just called and said to get over here.” Ice frowned.
“Lucky you weren’t on your way to Grace’s tonight.”
“I’m not seeing her until tomorrow. Her mom goes back tomorrow, and she wanted to take Grace shopping and to a late lunch today. They still must be at it because I called her an hour ago and no one answered,” Ice mimicked Oceane’s voice.
The woman hated his guts, and she made no bones about it. She probably didn’t even want to go shopping. She simply didn’t want to see his face the last day of her stay. Grace had even made him promise to keep his recruits away until after she left.
After the elevator doors opened to Desmond’s office directly in front of them, Ice knocked, seeing the secretary had already left for the day.