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“He is hot, but he is also a playboy, and I refuse to compete with a bunch of silly women who are all always following him around,” Hannah explained, observing the way Grace unknowingly patted Jackson’s hand in a comforting gesture. She had a good feeling about these two.
The beat of the music started to pick up so the three of them went to join the dancing that was taking place by the stage in the next room.
Grace had so much fun learning how to do all the line dances. Jackson was patient and courteous with her, making sure he wasn’t aggressive toward her. He scowled at any other male wanting to dance with her, making Hannah and Grace laugh hysterically at his face. Ben did get his dance with Hannah and Jackson s
tayed by Grace’s side all night, dancing with her and patiently teaching her all the right steps, laughing with her when she got it wrong and wanted to do it again.
“Let’s go get some air for a minute,” Jackson suggested to Grace while Hannah was busy dancing with Ben. He took off his hat. It was hot and stuffy in the hall with all the dancing and crowds of people.
They went outside to get some fresh air and sat on a bench outside in front of the building. There was a nice breeze going in the night air. The stars were shining brightly and Grace took a deep breath. The streets were quiet but peaceful since everyone was inside.
“I am having so much fun, Jackson. Thanks for teaching me to dance,” Grace told him, looking into his handsome face and beautiful eyes and wishing she had met him before James and Kelly had come into their lives. “I hate to think I am cramping your style. You don’t have to hang around me all night. I saw a lot of the pretty ladies eyeing you and making mean faces at me.”
Jackson chuckled and put his arm around her shoulder giving her a gentle friendly squeeze. “I’ve seen plenty of men giving you the eye, too, Grace but I’m not nice enough to share you.”
“Me? No way.” She laughed, not believing him for a moment, leaning back against his arm and relaxing. Dancing had made her tired and she had a feeling tonight she would sleep well.
“Don’t you know how beautiful you are, Grace?” he whispered, pushing a curly strand of red hair out of her face. “I’ve always showed up to these events to help Ida set up her stand and left right away. Tonight though I had so much fun and it’s because of you Grace. I really like you and I’m sorry I was so rude to you before.
“Would it freak you out if I said I want to kiss you so badly right now that I ache inside?” Jackson asked softly, holding her hand and trying to gauge her reaction. “But I’m afraid if I do, I will ravish you uncontrollably.”
Grace didn’t know what to say, so she tilted her head up to look at him with a curious smile. She had felt those words as if he caressed her with his hands sending a shudder through her body. “Ravish, huh? Sounds interesting. I don’t think I have ever been ravished before.”
He smelled like aftershave as he scooted close to her and leaned toward her, speaking softly in her ear. “Too bad. I think you’d like it. For tonight I think you should kiss me.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “What? Me? But…” Well, why not, she told herself. I’m a modern woman, aren’t I? I can do this. She looked into his beautiful blue eyes and leaned into his warm body. She reached up to caress his face, loving the stubble of hair she felt growing. It was so masculine and sexy. Jackson closed his eyes and waited for her to make a move. She ran her tongue softly and shyly over his lips, feeling encouraged when he moaned softly. He opened his lips, letting her tongue in and she explored him slowly at first then gaining confidence. She caressed his neck and shoulders with her hands almost hesitantly. She kissed him with all the desire she felt and smiled inwardly when he tightened his arms and pulled her as close as possible to his body, taking over the kiss. They explored each other intimately and she didn’t want it to end, she could feel herself getting wetter by the minute and was surprised since they were only kissing.
Jackson put his hand under Grace’s shirt and caressed her back softly. Her skin was silky smooth and he could feel his cock hardening in excitement at the feel of her skin underneath his hands.
“Wow, that was just amazing,” Grace said breathlessly when he pulled away, looking up at him with soft sensual eyes. She forgot what she was saying and got lost in his eyes instead putting her hand over her rapidly beating heart.
Jackson smiled smugly and hugged her tightly glad he was sitting down because he wasn’t sure he could stand. “Yeah, we definitely are attracted to each other so what if we went out on a date? Can you trust me to take you somewhere? I really enjoy your company and I want to know you better. I want you to see I may have acted like an idiot but I’m not such a bad guy.”
It was unexpected but she was attracted to him. She couldn’t deny that especially after that mind blowing kiss. She had to be honest. “I am attracted to you, Jackson, but I’m not sure. I’m afraid. There is so much I have to tell you first and you might change your mind about dating me.”
“We’re alone out here so just tell me, Grace. What happened to you?” he asked and put his arm around her shoulder and pulling her close to his body. “You inspire a lot of loyalty from the people in this town. No one would gossip about you, so I don’t know what happened, only that something terrible did. After I was so mean to you at the fundraiser all the bingo ladies in my aunt’s club have been looking at me with evil eyes and wagging their fingers at me, telling me to be nice or else.”
Grace took a deep long breath hating to rehash the memories but knowing it was important for Jackson to know the truth before they went any further. She had to be honest with him. She started slowly telling him about James, his cheating on her and then attacking her. She tried to keep her tears at bay but she couldn’t when she remembered the awful trial and James’s lawyer trying to make it sound like it had been all her fault. It was still too fresh and painful and she hated the memories that came with telling the story. She started sobbing when she told him about her ugly scars on her chest and hands, her body shaking from the force of her sobbing. Grace felt Jackson tightened his arms around her and rocked her back and forth in a comforting motion until her tears subsided and she hiccupped softly, leaning her head tiredly on his shoulder and loving the shelter his arms made around her. That was the first time she had talked so openly about her ordeal but it felt good to finally let some of it out.
“Oh, Grace, you make me feel so ashamed of myself,” he whispered into her throat inhaling her sweet scent.
“Why?” she asked in a confused voice and looked up at him with teary eyes. “You didn’t do anything wrong Jackson.”
“For lots of things. I was so awful to you for no reason other than the fact that I wanted you badly but I was still bitter over what Kelly did to me. You should have slapped me, cussed me out,” he told her seriously, kissing her forehead in a silent apology.
Grace giggled softly, playing with a button on his shirt, not noticing that it was affecting him physically. “I did inside my head but I was too afraid to do it out loud. You’re intimidating when you’re angry, Jackson.”
“Here I was feeling so sorry for myself over what Kelly did to me. I let the whole experience change who I was, becoming a monster I didn’t even like. I hurt my family and you. You went through so much worse than I did and you are still kind and sweet. I wish I could go back and start over with you,” he whispered still holding her in his arms.
Grace sat quietly thinking about his words. She leaned her forehead against his chest, listening to his heart beating and finding comfort in the rhythm. “I get so tired of fighting my fears. I want to move on with my life and put it all behind me but it’s not that easy. So many thoughts run through my head. Why was I so gullible? Could I have prevented it, and how do I stop being so scared, Jackson? It’s like standing at the edge of an unopened doorway. I want to go in and see what’s on the other side but I can’t make myself turn the doorknob because I’m afraid I’ll get hurt.”
He tightened his arms around her and rubbed her arms up and down softly, as if reassuring himself she was safe now. “You can’t take the blame for the actions of someone else, Grace. You did nothing wrong and no one deserves what happened to you. Maybe together we can open the door and be strong for one another. You make me want to stop thinking of the mistakes I made and move on to something new. Take my hand, Grace, and take a chance. Let’s take this journey together, Grace.”
Be brave, Grace, she told herself over and over as she looked at Jackson reaching out his hand toward her, waiting for her to reach out and grab it. She looked into his beautiful eyes that were glittering with determination. She took a deep breath, reached out for his hand and opened her mouth and said the words she ne
ver thought she would say again. “I want to go out on a date with you, Jackson.”
Chapter 8
