Stone Temptation [Texas Stallions 3] (19 page)

Stone might not truly want to share Gracie with anyone, but something was keeping him grounded about the idea. He wanted her in his life forever, and if that meant James was part of the package then so be it.

Smiling, he could honestly see himself being friends with James. Lord knew he had very few of those and could use as many as he could get.

“What are you smiling about?” Gracie’s voice poured over him like warm, buttery syrup.

His tongue danced behind his lips. He couldn’t get enough of her sleepy, alluring blue eyes. “I was just thinking about you.”

She stiffened, her body growing rigid. “What about me?” Apprehension filled her words.

He hated that her first instinct told her to prepare for something awful. He could tell by the way her body reacted that she was worried he was about to say something that would hurt her.
Damn
, he wanted to help her get past all of this.

Slowly, he crawled up onto the bed and sat beside her, the cool night air licking his naked flesh. The closer he got to her, the harder his cock grew. She had a way of turning him on without even trying. He stroked the side of her face, loving the feel of her soft, smooth skin.

“You’re beautiful, you know that?”

A wave of shyness washed over her. “Stop,” she said, turning her face into his touch.

“I mean it, Gracie. You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known. I don’t know how you did it, but you made me fall in love with you, and I never want this feeling to end.”

Her eyes widened. “Stone?” she breathed.

He leaned forward and sweetly kissed her lips. “You don’t have to say anything to me. I know it’s fast. I’m already aware that you have feelings for me, and I know you want me. Everything else will happen in time.”

Slowly, she shook her head, and a rock dropped into the pit of his stomach. “No, Stone, it won’t.”

He narrowed his gaze, his heart pumping hard and fast. “What are you saying?”

“It won’t happen in time, Stone, because it already has.” She smiled at him as she sat up. “I can’t explain how it happened, and I really don’t want to. I just know that I don’t want to live another day without you in my life. I was terrified when you were hurt, and I guess it was then that I realized how drawn to you I was. I was meant to know you, Stone. I was meant to love you.”

A lump formed in his throat, and his eyes watered slightly. Indescribable emotions rocked him. “Do you mean it?”

She kissed him. Her lips glided over his so delicately. “Of course I mean it.”

It was then that he knew he needed her one more time before morning. He didn’t want to wait another second to have her in his arms, to be buried deep inside her. He wanted nothing more than to be as close to her as he could get.

He took her by the hand. “Come with me.” He quietly helped her from the bed and gently held her chin between his forefinger and thumb. “I need you to myself for a little while.”

She giggled softly as they tiptoed their way out of the master bedroom. As they approached the front living room, Stone heard something that had his skin crawling and his body going on full alert. Without a second to spare, he turned and covered Gracie’s mouth with his hand to keep her from blowing their cover. Someone was outside the house. He was sure of it.

His eyes went wide as he glanced toward the front of the house and watched through the window as a few shadows moved outside. She noticed them, too, and her body stiffened in his arms.

They’d been found.

Whispering as softly as he could, he told her, “Go get James. Tell him we’ve got company.” She nodded, understanding exactly what he meant by company.

Fear consumed her expression. Her eyes were as big as saucers as she stepped away from him and into the bedroom. He was glad he hadn’t gotten too comfortable at James’s place just yet, his duffel bag was sitting on the floor by the couch, and he quickly grabbed some clothing. He didn’t want to be naked fighting Bullet and his crew. That would be awkward.

Nothing like a swinging, limp dick sword to threaten an attacker, he thought to himself.

In his bag, he also kept his pistol, something he never traveled without. He unlocked his cell phone and quickly dialed Clay’s number. Clay picked up on the first ring.

“Stone?” His husky voice blasted through the phone on a strong whisper.

“Clay, I’m over at James’s place, and we’ve got company. I’m assuming its Bullet’s crew that’s trying to break in.”

“I know. I figured Bullet and his crew might show up. Lucky for me, the dumb shits don’t know their head from the hole in their asses.” Clay paused. “I’ve been staking out James’s place for most of the night.”

Of course he had.
“What do you want me to do?” Stone asked, hoping for a little direction. He didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes. Especially if Clay had matters covered.

“Shit, if they enter that house, I expect you to shoot them.”

Stone’s brow furrowed. “Seriously?”

“No, bake them a cake,” Clay said with an edge to his voice. “Yes, damn it, shoot them.”

He had a feeling that’s what Clay would say, but he had to ask, “Kill shot?”

“Are you really asking me that?” Clay sighed. “Aren’t you the one with military training?”

His eyes still focused on the potential intruders, Stone couldn’t help grinning. “You know, I really have missed you, Clay.”

“I’m sure you have. Now shut up and get ready.” The line went dead.

Stone tucked his cell phone into his back pocket and held his position. James was suddenly at his side. He glanced around but didn’t see Gracie.

“Where is she?” A protective need suddenly filled him. He was ready to rip James’s head off for leaving her alone.

“I put her in the safe room. She’ll be fine.” James held his gun in his hand, ready and waiting. Not an ounce of fear showed in his blue eyes.

Safe room?
“You have a safe room?” Why was he surprised?

James grinned. “Yep.”

Stone huffed. “Nice.”

“Thanks,” he replied. “What do we know so far?”

Stone cocked his chin toward the front window. “I’m not sure how many are outside, but I’d bet all of Bullet’s crew are here. Clay’s outside. Somehow he knew to track them here.”

James snickered and, with a shrug, said, “That’s what I would’ve done.”

Scrunching up his face, Stone told him, “You’re such a nerd.”

James’s smile widened. “Yep, and you’ll be thanking me in about twenty seconds when they bust in here.”

Stone inclined his head to the side, wondering what the heck James was referring to. Was he about to go all Bruce Lee on their asses? That would be a sight. “Why’s that?”

Grinning, James murmured, “Just watch and see.”

A sudden shiver charged up his spine. James’s tone was too upbeat for the situation. The deputy had something in the works, and it might be all kinds of crazy, which could be a good thing because Stone’s nerves were fried. He remembered the ass beating he’d gotten by Bullet’s crew already, and his body was still on the mend. He wasn’t sure how good he’d be if forced to fight physically again.

“I don’t do surprises,” he muttered.

James reached in a bag at his side and handed Stone a pair of thick, dark, goggle-like sunglasses. He scrunched his nose. “Seriously, who are you, Corey Hart?”

James glared at him. “Who’s Corey Hart?”

“Seriously?” Stone couldn’t believe what he was hearing, and suddenly he realized that he was much older than James. “What are you, like twelve?”

Sighing, James told him, “Just shut up and put those on or you might end up blind.”

“Like I’ve never heard that one before,” he muttered.

James rolled his eyes and slipped on his glasses. A moment later he did the same. He might not know what was going on, but he trusted James enough to follow his lead.

This was a new trait for Stone. Normally, he was the one people followed. The feeling was strange, but perhaps it was a glimpse of the life they were prepared to have with Gracie. Trust was just one of the things they needed to make their unique relationship work.

“Now what?” Stone asked impatiently.

Calmly, James told him, “Now we wait.”

Stone was eager to see an end to Bullet and his crew. He didn’t want to worry that he had to look over his shoulder every time he heard the creak of a door, the snap of a twig, or anything else that would have him reaching for his gun. It was impossible for either of them to guard Gracie twenty-four hours a day. No matter how much he wanted to shadow her every step, he couldn’t. Neither could James.

“You’ll need these,” James said, handing him a few sets of handcuffs.

He took the cuffs and placed them in the side compartment of his black cargo pants. Glancing back over at his new roommate, he watched as James fell right into his element. Crouching down, he settled behind the sofa. His eyes followed every sound, and his movements were razor sharp. If Stone didn’t know better, he would’ve thought James was a trained soldier. Then he remembered that James worked for Clay, and Clay wouldn’t hire a dumbass.

The eruption of shattering glass startled him from his thoughts. His eyes darted to the window beside the front door. Two men dressed in black tumbled through the now-opened space into the front room. Their bodies rolled onto the floor, and then they quickly jumped to their feet, holding automatic weapons.

Stone glanced down at his 9mm and knew he had to make every shot count.

Remaining calm, he and James stayed hidden. Whatever James had planned better be good or they were as good as hamburger meat.

Another window smashed, this one coming from the kitchen. Within a few seconds the shadows of more men filed into the room. Stone glanced up and counted five large figures. He thought back to the night he’d saved Gracie and knew one was still missing.

Bullet was most likely not going to get his hands dirty on the job. Anger surged through him. If anything, Stone wanted that bastard strung up first. He was the one Stone really wanted to see dead.

Suddenly, James yelled, “Now!”

An explosion of blinding light ignited the room, stunning the five men. Their bodies exposed as their arms sprung up to block the light from their vision. Stone and James rushed them, slamming into each one, sending them tumbling to the floor like a row of bowling pins.

Everything happened so fast. Within a few short seconds, James and Stone had subdued three of the five men. The last two struggled to regain footing, searching the room for an exit. James gripped the first one by the back of the shirt and slung him to the ground, sending a swift kick with his cowboy boot across his face. James was on him, a solid punch to his jaw. Flipping the intruder over, he quickly cuffed him.

Stone marveled at James’s speed and wondered how the heck he had learned how to do all this. How had he rigged the lights? Was he a Boy Scout in disguise?

Stone strolled up to the man trying to crawl back through the window and yanked him into the house by his baggy pants. He gripped his shoulder hard, digging his fingers into muscle. He turned him over just as he cocked his fists back and pummeled his face several times. The boy’s body went limp. He cuffed him and tossed him back to the ground.

Where was the challenge in that?

Then the lights went out and the room fell dark again. Stone removed his glasses and turned to face James. The moment he did, a gunshot rang out.

Clay!

* * * *

Gracie couldn’t stand it any longer. She had to know what was going on. James had ordered her to stay put, but she couldn’t sit back while they fought her battles. Bullet was here because of her brother, and if Stone or James got hurt because of that, she’d never be able to forgive herself.

Taking a big chance, she unlocked the door, opened it, and climbed the steps that lead into the back of James’s closet. She was still amazed that he had a secure room in his house in case of emergencies. She could’ve stayed in there for months with all the supplies and provisions he had stocked in there.

As she crept through the bedroom, she didn’t hear much. Then suddenly the walls closed in on her with the sounds of breaking glass. Her world trembled. Every nerve in her body warned her to stop, turn around, and hide. She didn’t listen.

She gathered the crash came from the front living room. A few moments later, more glass shattered, echoing as if further away. The house would be a heap before Bullet would give up. Now it was a matter of credibility, and there was no way he’d back down.

Instinct demanded that she return to the safe room, but her stubbornness wouldn’t allow it. She had to be sure that Stone and James were safe. It was a need unlike anything she’d ever felt before.

Like a cat, she moved stealthily out of the room. Her fingertips glided over the wall at her back, edging closer to the front of the house. Everything was incredibly dark. A cold chill swept over her. Something wasn’t right. She could feel it straight into her bones.

As she took another step, a force she hadn’t expected knocked her back against the wall. Her body surged with panic. Pain burned in her mind as her mouth was covered by a something hard and uncomfortable. The power behind it was so fierce she thought her mouth would tear open. A heavy weight pressed against her, crushing her to a point that she struggled to breathe.