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Part 4
The next week passed very quietly. Grace kept her promise to Miss Em and had dinner with them every night. She and Lucas were very careful around each other. Miss Em kept looking from one to the other in exasperation at their overly formal manner. Grace wouldn't have minded so much about the situation but those green eyes did something to her. The curve of his lips made her want to run her tongue along them. It was scaring her, the direction her thoughts took when he was near and lately when he was not so near. Her nightmares had dissipated but new more dangerous dreams had taken their place.
Grace, normally a very centred and calm person, couldn't seem to find her balance. Thankfully she was busy with her work and chores. She also semi-reluctantly had the local county spring dance to look forward to. Grace got along well with most of the teachers at the schools. The single ones that didn't have dates had invited, no, near harassed her into coming along with them in a group.
It was the social event of the season. Where everyone for miles around would come to dance, catch up and enjoy themselves. A part of Grace was enjoying just being a girl again, wearing a dress and heels instead of jeans and boots. One of the group of teachers, Sarah, didn't live far and had agreed to pick her up. Grace eased herself into the front seat and Sarah exclaimed "Wow girl, you could knock someone out with those things." Grace looked down at her halter-neck dress that showed off to perfection her ample breasts.
"Oh my God, it's too much. I knew it was too much." She said as she tried to get out of the car.
"Don't be silly you look gorgeous. You'll definitely be turning heads tonight." Sarah laughed and locked Grace in as she made another attempt to get out. Grace squirmed in her seat feeling thoroughly self conscious. Sarah did her best to calm her down and they were in good spirits when they arrived. All the streets around the town centre had been closed. A large stage area was set up at one end of the town square where a band was playing. There were stalls of every kind and people were milling about greeting each other as the passed by.
Sarah and Grace met up with the rest of the group who took it upon themselves to show and describe to Grace every detail about the way they did dances in their community. Grace was nearly in tears from laughter at their jokes, pokes and digs about their town and the people in it. By this stage the dancing had started in earnest. Surprisingly Grace found herself not lacking a dance partner. In fact, several times she had to say no simply to take a break and have a rest. She was dancing with Bradley discussing him giving her a ride home later that night when they were interrupted. "May I cut in?" Lucas said.
"Indeed Lucas, these old bones can't take much more of this." Bradley joked. Grace felt her heart stop beating as he took her in his arms and moved with her to the music.
Lucas hadn't planned to come tonight but Miss Em needed a ride and an escort. He realized it was more about getting him out of the house than anything else. He'd spotted Grace a while ago. Hell, who hadn't seen her. He watched her dance with varying men. From colleagues to Doc Jenkins to high school students she probably knew from work. He watched all of them be taken in by whatever magic she seemed to have. He however, didn't like their hands on her, even Bradley. She looked stunning, and that dress. He'd never seen her in a dress.
It showed her beautiful shoulders and back, toned from working the ranch. Going in to her tiny waist and flaring out to just below the knee. The front showed enough cleavage to be tasteful but it was enough to send him into fits of desire. The combination of others dancing with her and watching her in that dress forced him to cut in and calm the beast roaring in his head.
Grace was feeling light headed. A mixture of his hands on her, his powerfully masculine scent and the way those green eyes were staring at her with something akin to a predator marking his territory. They didn't say a word to each other, they just danced.
It felt like forever revolving in this silence just looking at each other captivated. Lucas broke the spell. "You look truly beautiful tonight." He said causing her to blush. She whispered a thank-you not trusting her voice quite yet. "I realize I should have said this a long time ago, but I didn't mean what I said that day. I don't think of you that way in fact I ... well I... I was just mad as hell and it came out all wrong." He stammered through his apology. All Grace's anger melted away. She knew the truth when she heard it, and she heard it. She relaxed a little in his arms and gave herself permission to enjoy him even for a little while.
If Lucas didn't know better he'd have thought that it was a conspiracy. Firstly, Bradley came over to apologize that he couldn't take Grace home as he was taking Miss Em since she was all tuckered out. Then Grace's friends claimed various excuses for their exists and inability to offer her a ride. Eventually they gave in to the inevitable and Lucas offered her a ride. She graciously accepted.
He had been nothing but a gentleman but still Grace was apprehensive about being alone with him. She was unsure about her ability to control her attraction to him. No man had made her feel this way. Lucas parked the car and even opened the door for her. He was going to simply escort her to her door but somehow they drifted towards the main house. Standing on the veranda Grace stared at the stars. The breeze picked up and she gave a small shiver from the chill. "Are you cold?" Lucas asked from directly behind her as he started to rub her arms up and down.
