Chapter Two

Derek

I noticed her the moment she walked into the clubhouse. Flaming red hair, a little sexy black dress, and legs to die for, she"d turned several heads as she made her way to the bar, but she was totally oblivious to the attention she commanded. That intrigued me... kept my eyes glued to her as she slid onto the barstool and conversed with Anne. I watched her scowl after taking the first sip from her shot glass, then watched her shut her eyes and down the rest.

I was hooked, simply unable to look away. I came to the club thinking nothing would be able to get my mind of the horrible news I got earlier this week, but she managed to distract me.

Although she was dressed like many of the women in the club, there was something that set her apart from the others – an alluring awkwardness that suggested she wasn"t used to the scene.

She caught my attention, but I waited, unsure if I wanted to pursue my interest in her. I had a lot going on in my head, and women are the least of my problems. I was going to look away, but then, from the corner of my eye, I noticed some preppy guy with exaggerated swagger walking toward her and I made a split-second decision.

Now here we are, in my car and on the way to my home. I never imagined the night ending this way, but who"s to say there can"t be a few curveballs?

I glance sideways at her. She"s sitting rigidly in my passenger"s seat with her hands folded neatly in her lap. She hasn"t said a word since we left the club, and that"s surprising, seeing as she initiated this whole thing.

It must be as I suspected: she"s never done any of this before. It"s easy to tell she isn"t the type of person to frequent clubs and follow strange men home.

Makes me wonder why she was at Echoes tonight.

My eyes fall to her creamy pale thighs, and I suddenly feel a burst of anger at the thought of all those bastards that"d been gawking at her back at the club. Clenching my jaw tightly, I return my gaze to the road.

That"s strange. Why am I getting all possessive over a woman I barely know?

"Where are we?" she asks as I pull up in front of my Victorian-style countryside home.

"My house," I reply.

"I see," she mutters with a distracted nod, returning her gaze to the folded hands on her lap.

Not quite the reaction I was expecting. The few women that have made it to my home always gawked and preened. Their countenances immediately changed, their gazes turning calculating. It usually went downhill from then on, but it"s different this time. This woman doesn"t seem to care about what I am or what I own. Just like when I told her that I owned Echoes Nightclub

She"d been surprised, but that was just about it. She didn"t particularly seem to care, and that struck me. She sure is different, and it"s only been a few hours with her, but I"m learning to expect the unexpected.

Still, nothing prepared me for the kiss. We"ve barely made it into the house when she grabs my lapels and smashes her lips to mine.

I moan, both surprised and pleased by her boldness. There isn"t time to process what"s happening as she"s urgently probing my mouth open, her body pressing deliciously against me.

I wrap my arm around her waist to jerk her body closer to mine, taking control of the kiss. I press her against the wall and seize both of her hands in one of mine, then raise them above our heads and plunge my tongue into her mouth.

The kiss is hard. Ravaging. Exhilarating. She lets out a throaty moan, a lustful sound that sends a thousand electrifying signals to my brain. Hooking my free hand around her slender waist, I pull her even closer and rock my hips into her, my cock pressing urgently against her lower body.

Suddenly, she freezes, then tears her mouth away from mine and throws her head to the side with an exasperated sigh. That"s when I see the tears sliding down her cheeks.

I blink at her, stumbling backward a little from the impact of my shock. "W-what"s wrong? Did I hurt you?"

"No. No. I"m sorry," she says, sniffling. "I… I can"t do this. I shouldn"t be here. I"m so sorry."

I stare dazedly at her, still reeling from the impact of the kiss, yet trying to get my head to function properly. I take in her wide, teary eyes and quivering lips with an increasing sense of alarm. She looks so sad and broken, yet I can"t seem to do anything to console her.

I"m such a jerk.

"I should go," she says and starts to turn around, but my hand on her wrist stops her.

"Marry me," I blurt before I can think better of my words.

She blinks at me slowly, her pretty hazel eyes clouding over with confusion. "What?"

"Marry me," I repeat, jamming my hands in my pockets to repress the urge to pull her body back to mine. To bury my fingers in her hair and ravage her supple lips and… Stay focused, Derek!

"It"s purely a business arrangement," I continue, keeping my voice level. "A marriage contract, if you might. I"ll pay you a million dollars to stay married to me for a year."

"Why?" she asks, shaking her head slowly.

"My mom has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer, and she doesn"t have much time left. Her only wish is to see me find love and get married before she… leaves," I explain, pushing the word past the lump in my throat.

"I"m sorry about your mom," she says softly then shakes her head. "But I don"t think this is right. You... we"ll be deceiving her."

"You don"t understand," I say, raking a hand through my mouth as my stomach tightens in frustration. It"s been a week since Mom informed me about her illness, and I"m still struggling to accept this new reality.

"I"ve been selfish for too long," I mutter with a self-deprecating snort. "I guess I thought she was always going to be around. Now that…" I trail off with a ragged sigh. "I"ve got to do this for her."

I hadn"t meant to be so honest, but something about the genuine compassion in her eyes touches something deep inside of me, leaving me feeling raw. Vulnerable.

She sags against the door with a soft sigh. "But why me? You don"t even know my name."

"It could as well be anybody," I reply, looking strained into her eyes. "So why not you?"

"Okay."

"Okay?" I ask, blinking at her in surprise. "Does that mean you"re in?"

"Yeah."

She sounds tired. Resigned, even. And I feel my chest constrict at the deep sadness in her gorgeous hazel eyes. I"m suddenly overcome with an overwhelming desire to know this woman, to protect her from the world. Maybe even myself:

"So…" I drawl lightly. "Will you tell me your name now that you"re about to be my bride?"

She looks at me, her lips tilting upward in the barest hint of a smile. "Grace," she replies. "Grace Winston."

Grace. A name as beautiful as its bearer.