Evening Light Ch. 05

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Grace woke and stretched her pleasantly sore body. When she remembered what caused that soreness she blushed. Looking over she saw Lucas still fast asleep. His face relaxed, he looked so good she had to pull her hand away to keep from touching him. As quietly as she could she slipped out of bed and gathered her clothes. Dressing quickly she kept stealing glances at him.

Grace wanted last night to happen but in the cold light of day she didn't know how this was meant to work. She worked for him in exchange for a place to live. Did this make them a couple? Was it a one night stand? Where they even friends? She didn't know the answer to any of those questions and if she was honest enough she was too scared to even ask. She quickly left to get to her place before anyone saw her.

Lucas rolled over to find her side of the bed empty. He sat up in confusion. Running a hand over his face he looked around and noticed that her things were gone. The bed felt strange, too big somehow, even with his large frame in it. He'd taken her virginity and now she wasn't even here to talk about it. Didn't women want to talk about these sorts of things? He was unsure about how to proceed with her. Lucas wasn't a stranger to women but he'd learned early to have his dalliances elsewhere. He lived in a small community and broken hearts were not pleasant when everyone knew your business.

Relationships however, were not his strong suit. And Grace, well he didn't know what he wanted from her. He loved having her in his bed, he knew that much but further than that he was unsure. No woman had him this turned around ever. Pondering these things he got up determined to find her.

Grace had finished her work and had decided to take a walk to clear her head. She was leaning against a fence post looking over the beautiful valley below lost in her own thoughts. She didn't hear him approach until she felt his solid presence behind her. Breathing in she recognized that scent. Lucas. Resisting the urge to lean pack into him she kept staring forward.

Lucas wrapped his arms around her and kissed the side of her neck. "Good morning." He said quietly. Grace smiled and returned his greeting. He turned her in his arms and kissed her. He intended for it to be a simple kiss but his body had other ideas. He drove the kiss deeper. Plundering her mouth with his tongue and marvelling in the way her body pressed against him. He couldn't get enough of her.

Grace's head was spinning. She wasn't sure that this was, what she wanted, but her treacherous body definitely had other ideas. They broke apart breathing heavily. "Damn woman, you make my head spin." Lucas chuckled not letting her go. Grace blushed.

Deciding, now or never she asked "Lucas, last night was great, but I don't know enough about these things to know how this works." She said hoping she made sense.

"What do you mean" he asked staring into her eyes.

"You and me. What is this?" she continued.

"Why does it have to be anything? I want you, you want me, why can't we just leave it at that?" he said peppering kisses along her jaw and neck. Grace was grateful for his arms around her because she didn't think she could stand properly.

"I don't know if I can do that." She whispered.

"Hmmmm." He said as he continued to devour her earlobe. Wanting desperately to give in to her desire for him, she managed to wriggle out of his arms.

"Lucas, I may not have a lot of experience but I know I'm not the kind of girl that does the casual undefined thing. I don't know what this is between us but it scares the crap out of me." She said in a rush. Realizing her admission she blushed and turned and practically ran back home.

Lucas stood there for a long time. He thought that if he had her it was satisfy that itch. Instead it made it stronger and more present in his mind. If cared to admit it to himself, whatever was between them scared him too. He couldn't explain what he was feeling but he knew she was doing a number on his head. He made his way slowly back to work unable to get both the feel of her body or her words out of his head.

Life returned to a normal routine. Grace was still confused about her feelings towards Lucas. She wanted him. He'd woken things in her that she never new existed. When he'd look at her with those brilliant green eyes she wanted to leap into his arms and have him kiss her into oblivion. But was that enough? She didn't know.

Again Grace fell back on an old friend, work. She spent every waking minute she wasn't at the schools with the horses. Bradley had taught her so much. The others men had been very supportive also. Keen to impart their knowledge on someone that genuinely wanted to learn.

Bradley and Connor were settling a new stallion into a stall. Grace was standing by ready to help if needed. The three were chatting amicably when Grace suddenly felt nauseous. She managed to make it outside before she threw up. Connor raced over to see if she was all right.

"Grace, are you Ok?" he asked concerned. No one had yet forgotten her recent experiences and they were all still a little over-protective of her.

"I'm fine Connor. Just a little sick. I think I'm coming down with a cold. Nothing to worry about." She said after she'd rinsed he mouth out with water. Connor wrapped an arm around her and gave a friendly squeeze escorting her back inside.

Lucas had come in from the other side of the stable to check on the new horse. He saw Connor walk in with Grace. He turned his head so fast it almost came clean off when he looked back and noticed his arm around her. He was furious. The look he gave Connor did not go unnoticed. Connor quickly let grace go and went to finish up with Bradley.

Connor and Bradley finished up and left telling Grace to look after herself and not give them her cold. Grace laughed and told them she would be making sure she did give it too them just for being so cheeky with her. Throughout the exchange she had pointedly ignored Lucas. She pretended that he wasn't there. She felt this was some small vindication for the last few weeks of him avoiding her. Not that she was much better.

Lucas was quietly fuming as she continued to chat to the others or fiddle with the horse. He realized that they had been avoiding each other but for her to obviously ignore him. That was not all right with him. He'd started unconsciously making little growling noises as he moved about the stable.

Grace could hear him moving about and making noise. It was getting on her nerves. "Is there anything I can help you with Mr. Marshal?" she finally said fed up with listening to him.

"Oh its Mr. Marshal now is it?" he shot back sarcastically. Grace just kept putting things away making him even angrier. Angry as he was, he couldn't help but stare at the curve of her butt as she bend over. His hands itching to squeeze those rounded curves. "I see that you and Connor are getting cosy. I thought you didn't do the casual undefined thing." He smirked, throwing her own words back at her.

Grace's blood started to boil. She'd already been through this once with him. She wasn't about to do it again. "Yes well, you notoriously find it difficult to tell the difference between friendship and anything else. Assumptions and ill considered comments seem to be your favourite pastime?" she said angrily.

"That is not what I meant and you know it." He threw back at her. Even though she looked like she wanted to throw something at him he wanted her. He could feel himself becoming aroused the longer she glared at him.

"Yeah well, talking about things isn't your strong suit. You're better at ignoring people." She retorted and walked out. Once outside she took some deep breaths feeling a little nauseous again. That man infuriated her. How could he make love to her like that and then ignore her? Sure she hadn't exactly spoken to him much either but it was all his fault wasn't it? Why on earth did he have to be so gorgeous? Her brain was awhirl with questions as she reached her place. Try as she might she couldn't come up with many answers. Well at least ones she was prepared to acknowledge to herself.

Dinners with Miss Em were awkward with the two of them giving each other furtive looks and heated stares. Miss Em just shook her head at them. Miss Em was cleaning up one evening after Grace had left and Lucas was sulking. Something he did regularly these days. "What are you moping about for boy?" she chuckled.

"I'm not moping!" he exclaimed.

"Why don't you go talk to her?" She suggested.

"Talk to who?" Lucas shot back feeling defensive.

"Oh my word, you young people are just plain stupid. Anyone with eyes can see you two are crazy about each other. Now don't give me that look. Go talk to her." Miss Em admonished. Feeling put out that he was being treated like a two year old, Lucas left with Miss Em's laughter ringing in his ears.

Lucas deliberately chose to ignore Miss Em's comment about being crazy about each other. But did want to talk to her. To apologize for ignoring her and not discussing their night together. For not being clear about what he wanted. Hell, he still didn't know what he wanted but that wasn't her fault. Maybe they could sort this out.

He found Grace walking into her place. He cleared his throat "Um can we talk?" he asked. Grace silently let him in and closed the door. He seemed so large in her small space. She'd avoided being this close to him and now here he was.

"Talk?" she queried. He drank her in. All the words he wanted to say died on his lips. His eyes caught hers and they stared at each other. Grace could see the dark heat in his eyes and was sure it was matched in hers. Lucas' resolve failed him. He closed the distance between them took her face in his hands and kissed her. He'd missed this. He'd missed the feel of her skin in his hands and her mouth on his. He growled as he pushed her against the wall behind her and pressed himself against her.

Grace felt his desire for her and matched it with increasing heat pooling in her belly. She couldn't think around him so she just gave in kissing him back just as passionately. Lucas encouraged by her reaction slid his hands under her shirt to caress the hardened tips of her breasts. Grace moaned into his mouth as she too ran her hands over his chest. Their passion was flamed by a sense of urgency. Their hands and mouths were everywhere tyring to give each other as much pleasure as possible.

Lucas managed to undo her jeans and push them to the floor where she stepped out of one leg. This allowed him to stroke her heated core as he kissed her. Grace writhed against the wall, whimpering against the pleasurable assault. Lucas couldn't take any more. He undid himself releasing his arousal. He wrapped her legs around his waist and lowered her onto his hardness. Grace threw her head back in a silent scream as he filled her. She'd forgotten how good this felt.

Groaning, Lucas found a rhythm that had her crying out in building pleasure. All too soon he managed to send them both to their peak. He could feel her contract around him and thought there was no where on earth he would rather be. And with no one else. That power of that thought floored him. He withdrew from her and they quietly pulled themselves together.

Lucas' emotions were in turmoil. He couldn't form a coherent thought. He was becoming frustrated with himself. He knew if he stayed he'd say something stupid so he walked out. Grace collapsed onto the couch. "Well that talk went well." She said angrily to the empty room. She was furious at herself for giving in to her body. It was clear that he just wanted some physical gratification. This thought hurt her.

Grace was surprised at how upset she was that he didn't want anything more from her than sex. Unbidden tears rolled down her cheeks. The shock and surprise at her reaction caused her to cry harder. Her normally calm and collected demeanour had totally departed. In its place was a snivelling mess that needed to throw up again. This stomach bug didn't seem to want to go away. Grace decided to settle for a cup of ginger tea, an early night and not thinking about a tall, handsome, green-eyed someone.