Surrender Your Heart Page 5

  “That’s what I planned.” Nick smiled his thanks as Mrs. Prescott placed the salads in front of them.

  Grace realized for the first time that only she and Nick had silverware at their place settings.

  “But when your housekeeper called, she said it would be the three of us.”

  “That was the original plan,” Nick said smoothly. “Until your aunt met Paul.”

  “You didn’t have to go to all this trouble just for me,” Grace said.

  “I wanted to see you,” Nick said, pushing the salad back and forth with his fork. “I’ve been so busy since I got back from Iowa, I haven’t had a—”

  “You don’t need to make excuses.” Grace waved aside his explanation. “Our arrangement was only for the weekend. I didn’t really expect to see you again. Except at the clinic, of course.”

  For a moment Nick was silent and Grace had the odd feeling she might have offended him with her bluntness. But that was crazy. Because she was simply stating facts and letting him know she didn’t expect anything at all from him.

  “But what about…?” His voice trailed off and he nodded toward Nellie’s empty chair.

  “Good point,” she said. “We should keep things up, at least while she’s here. Unless you think we should tell her we broke up?”

  “No,” Nick said forcefully, then his tone softened. “Getting this orthopedic workup is hard enough on her. I wouldn’t want to add to her stress.”

  Grace almost said that her aunt seemed quite laissez-faire about the appointments, but she stopped herself. Though it would probably be easiest on her own heart to break off all contact with Nick now, Grace couldn’t do it. “I agree.”

  Her mood lightened at the thought of spending more time with him. He looked so good sitting there in his burgundy sweater and gray pants. If she didn’t know it was impossible, she’d swear he was even more attractive than the last time she’d seen him, than the last time she’d been in his arms. She remembered the feel of his hair between her fingers, the taste of his lips, the—

  “Are you finished with your salad, ma’am?”

  Grace jerked back to the present with a start and lifted her gaze. Though the housekeeper’s expression was inscrutable, the twinkle in her eyes told Grace the woman had a good idea where Grace’s thoughts had been headed. “I am.”

  “But you only ate a few bites.” Nick’s dark brows furrowed in concern. “Are you feeling okay?”

  “Yes, Doctor,” Grace said with an impish smile. “I’m feeling quite well. I’m just not in the mood for lettuce.”

  His gaze met hers.

  “What are you in the mood for?”

  Suddenly she was back home in her bedroom with his arms wrapped around her. And she could see by the look in his eyes that he knew full well what she wanted.

  It was crazy. It would be the height of stupidity to get involved with a man who could eventually break your heart.

  But right now, with that heart beating double time and the air fairly humming with electricity, Grace couldn’t walk away. In fact, she couldn’t move at all.

  “Mrs. Prescott,” she heard Nick say through the roaring in her ears, “why don’t you take the rest of the night off? We can serve ourselves.”

  “Very well, sir.” Mrs. Prescott’s hair might have been gray and her face wrinkled, but behind her thin wire rims, her gaze was keen and Grace guessed she missed very little.

  Grace waited until the woman had left the room before she spoke. “She suspects something.”

  “Probably.” Nick rose and circled the table coming to a stop beside Grace’s chair. He held out his hand and feeling oddly breathless and extremely reckless, Grace pushed back her chair and stood. “She knows how much I like you.”

  Grace’s breath caught in her throat. She paused, not sure she’d heard correctly. “What did you say?”

  He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, heaving a contented sigh. “I said she knows how much I like you.”

  A warm rush of emotion flowed through her at the words. “Do you? Like me, I mean?”

  He tipped her face to him and met her gaze before brushing her lips with his.

  “For someone so smart—” he kissed her softly again “—you seem to have trouble getting the message. Let me see if I can make it clearer.”

  His arms tightened around her and she let him pull her close, resting her head against his chest, drawing comfort from the warmth of his arms.

  “I’ve missed you.” He pressed his face to her hair.

  “I’ve missed you, too,” she said. Her voice trembled with emotion.

  Nick kissed her again, but this time his mouth lingered. Being in his arms again was heaven. His lips tasted like wine and Grace felt almost drunk with emotion.

  With a start, Grace realized she was stroking the back of his neck, twining her fingers in his thick, soft hair. “Nick, I…”

  He stopped her words by covering her mouth with his own. It was an exquisite kiss. Her lips parted before she had time to consider all of the ramifications of kissing Nick this way. And as Nick unhurriedly claimed her mouth, drinking her in, she stopped thinking.

  She felt his hand move up her back, underneath her hair. His fingers sent both chills and warmth racing through her until she was nearly dizzy.

  The quick rush of desire surprised her. How was it possible that she’d lived thirty years without ever feeling this, without knowing a kiss could be like this?

  “Sir, I’ve…” Mrs. Prescott stopped short. She hurriedly placed two plates of food on the table then hastily backed out of the room. She was gone before either Nick or Grace could say a word.

  Heat seared Grace’s cheeks. She could only imagine what the housekeeper was thinking. Though the roast beef and potatoes smelled delicious, Grace knew she couldn’t eat a bite. She pulled back from Nick’s arms, her heart still racing. “I’d better go.”

  Grace started to move away, but Nick kept his arm around her waist. “Don’t. She won’t be back.”

  “It probably would have been better if she stayed,” Grace said. “I think my aunt was right. You and I need a chaperone.”

  Nick chuckled and took a step back. “C’mon, it’s just a kiss. That’s what people do when they like each other.”

  “It’s not that simple,” Grace said, wondering how she could possibly make him understand without giving her own feelings away. “You kiss a lot of girls. I don’t.”

  His smile widened. “I’m glad to hear that.”

  It took her a minute to realize what she’d said. Grace groaned. “You know what I mean.”

  “You’re wrong, you know.” His eyes softened and he pushed her hair gently back from her face. “I don’t kiss a lot of girls.”

  It was a nice thought and although she wished it was true, Grace wasn’t stupid. “Okay, so maybe they’re women, not girls.”

  Nick laughed and his dimple flashed. He tugged on her hair. “Brat.”

  Grace had to laugh. Though she’d only known Nick a short while, he’d already stolen a place in her heart. “I’d better go.”

  “Going is good.” Nick nodded as if she’d said something profound. “While we’re out we can stop and get some ice cream.”

  “Ice cream?” Grace pictured the snow dusting the ground. “It’s twenty degrees outside.”

  “But it’s warm in the car,” he said. “And it’ll be warm in the ice cream shop.”

  “We didn’t eat our dinner,” Grace said.

  “If you don’t tell Mrs. Prescott, I won’t.”

  “You’re serious about the ice cream.”

  “Of course I am.” Nick winked at her. “I’m always serious when it comes to Rocky Road.”

  Later, sitting across from him, watching him eat a second bowl of his favorite flavor, Grace was forced to conclude, Nick was indeed serious about his ice cream.

  “I’ve never known anyone to put chocolate syrup on Rocky Road,” Grace said, working on her dish of vanilla.


  “All I can say is you must have led a very sheltered life,” Nick said, wiping some extra chocolate from his lips.

  “Sheltered?” Grace thought for a moment, then shook her head. “More like boring.”

  Though she laughed like she was joking, the words were more true than she cared to admit.

  “Why?” Nick put down his spoon and transferred his attention from the Rocky Road to Grace.

  Grace shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny. “What do you mean, why?”

  “I mean, why is your life boring?”

  Grace started to give him a pat answer, but stopped before the words left her mouth. Why not be honest?

  “I’m not much of a risk taker.” Grace paused and thought for a moment. “I analyze things to death.”

  “That’s easy to change.” He tossed the napkin on the table and stood. “We’ll start now.”

  She put her spoon down and took his outstretched hand. “What do you have in mind?”

  “Ice-skating,” he said.

  Though she’d always wanted to try ice-skating, Grace glanced down at her wool pants and sweater. “I’m not really dressed for…”

  “Neither of us is.” Nick waved a dismissive hand. “Who cares?”

  Grace could make a list a mile long why now wasn’t the time to go ice-skating, but Nick might be right. Maybe a little change wouldn’t hurt. “Okay, but you’ll have to promise to catch me if I fall.”

  * * *

  Pulling Grace into his arms every time she became unsteady was a pleasure. Especially after he’d gotten her to say, “Thank you, kind sir,” and give him a kiss every time it happened.

  At first, she was kissing him almost every other minute, but then she got the hang of skating.

  After fifteen minutes without a single fall, Nick was almost ready to trip her himself. He liked the feel of her arms around his neck and the breathless giggles against his face. But what he liked most was just being with her.

  Grace was the real thing. There wasn’t an ounce of phoniness in her. Even if she’d wanted to lie, she wouldn’t be able to pull it off. Her face was way too expressive.

  Though she often tried to pretend she didn’t care about him, he knew she did. He could see it in her eyes. Along with the fear.

  Nick didn’t know why she was afraid to care. After all, he hadn’t planned on a new relationship, either. He thought he’d go with her for Thanksgiving, and that would be it. But that was before he’d gotten to know her. And though she might be prepared to walk out of his life, he wasn’t prepared to let her go.

  “Look at me.” Grace skated several feet ahead before spinning around with her arms outstretched. “Ta-dah.”

  Nick smiled. “You’re a natural.”

  Her green eyes sparkled and he could tell his words had pleased her. “Do you really think so?”

  He nodded. “In fact you’ve gotten too good.”

  She lifted a quizzical brow.

  Nick glanced at his watch. “It’s been at least a half hour since you’ve fallen.”

  As if on cue, her arms began to flail and she called out for help.

  He was at her side in an instant, but they were both laughing so hard they lost their balance. They tumbled to the ice in each other’s arms.

  This time she didn’t kiss him on the cheek, but on the mouth.

  And by the time they finally got up, Grace wasn’t the only one a little shaky on her feet.

  Chapter Six

  Grace rested the leather-bound menu against the linen tablecloth and pretended to study the wine list. She still wasn’t sure why Nick had asked her out tonight. They’d already been to a medical society function with Nellie and Paul on Saturday and they’d gone out for coffee after she’d gotten off work Monday.

  When he’d asked her to join him for dinner Friday, she’d almost asked him why. But then she’d decided not to bother. They’d been dating for almost a month and every time she brought up the idea of ending the relationship, he’d change the subject or mention Nellie’s continued need for physical therapy.

  Grace had to smile. Nick had to know as well as she did that Nellie was deliberately prolonging her time in St. Louis in order to spend time with Paul.

  “May I get you something to drink while you wait?” The waiter had already stopped by once since Nick had left her to say hello to a colleague he’d spotted across the dining room.

  “No, thank you.” Grace smiled up at the man and realized with a start that she knew him. His hair was a little darker and shorter than when she’d last seen him, and his face was now more of a man’s face than a boy’s, but it was him. “Jeremy?”

  He stared at her for a long moment then his gaze cleared and recognition filled his brown eyes. “Grace?”

  “It’s been forever.” She quickly calculated the time in her head. It had to have been at least five years. Jeremy had volunteered at the clinic the summer before he’d left to attend medical school in California.

  “You look fabulous.” His gaze lingered and she knew he had to be remembering the days when she’d had flyaway red hair and conservative clothes.

  Grace knew she bore little resemblance to her former self. In fact, her appearance had changed drastically just recently.

  Last week Nellie had treated her to an afternoon at a day spa. After five hours of having her body waxed, her hair highlighted and trimmed and some lessons in covering up her freckles and enhancing her eyes, even Grace had been impressed at the results. Nellie had been so pleased that she’d promptly booked a session for herself.

  When he’d first seen her, Nick had just smiled and said he couldn’t imagine that she could have looked any more beautiful, but she did.

  Grace once again experienced the flush of pleasure that she’d felt at his words.

  “Are you still at the free clinic?”

  Jeremy’s words pulled Grace back to the present. “Still there. What about you? Are you out of school yet?”

  “Graduated from UCLA last year,” Jeremy said, a note of pride in his voice. “I’m in a surgical residency program now.”

  “Congratulations.” Grace paused and chose her words carefully. “I know it’s none of my business, but if you’re a doctor, why are you working here?”

  Although Antoine’s was one of the nicest restaurants in St. Louis and the tips had to be good, it couldn’t begin to compare to what Jeremy could make moonlighting in an emergency room.

  Jeremy laughed. “My uncle owns the place. A couple of his servers called in sick. I’d worked here during college so—”

  “You decided to help out.” It made sense now. Jeremy had been a tireless worker with great compassion for the clinic’s clientele. Apparently that same compassion extended to family members in a bind. “That was nice of you.”

  “It’s no big deal,” Jeremy said with a dismissive wave. “I kind of enjoy it. Besides, if I hadn’t been working tonight, I wouldn’t have gotten to see you again.”

  His gaze dropped to her left hand. “You’re not married.”

  “No, I’m not,” Grace said, surprised the admission didn’t bother her. “How about you?”

  Jeremy laughed again, showing a mouthful of perfect white teeth. “Are you kidding? I’ve barely had time to breathe these last four years.”

  Grace laughed with him. There was something warm and genuine about Jeremy.

  “Maybe we can get together sometime,” Jeremy said. “Catch up.”

  “I’d like that,” Grace said immediately. She’d often wondered what happened to the students after they’d left the clinic.

  “Great.” Jeremy smiled and leaned over the table, scratching his number on a scrap of paper. “Here’s my number—”

  Jeremy stopped midsentence and Grace looked up to find that Nick had returned.

  “Nick. I didn’t see you come back.”

  “I know,” Nick said with an enigmatic smile. “You were…occupied.”

  His gaze shifted to Jeremy.

  “Dr. Tucc
i.” Jeremy straightened.

  “Have we met?” Nick’s brow furrowed slightly but his tone was pleasant.

  “In a roundabout way,” Jeremy said, shifting from one foot to the other, his easy smile now strained. “I’m a surgical resident and I’ve been working with Dr. Brenner. We ran into you in the hall at Children’s last week. You also spoke at a seminar I attended.”

  Grace’s gaze shifted from Nick to Jeremy. “I can’t believe you two know each other.”

  “We don’t know each other,” Jeremy said quickly. “Not really.”

  “St. Louis isn’t that big,” Nick said with a shrug. “The medical community tends to be fairly tight.”

  “I can’t believe you’re an instructor,” Grace teased, thinking of her college professors and knowing none of them had been as handsome as Nick. “What else don’t I know?”

  Nick pulled out his chair and took a seat. Grabbing her hand he pulled it to his lips and placed a light kiss in the center of her palm then closed her fingers around it. “Sweetheart, you know everything that’s important.”

  Grace could feel her face warm. She wondered if Nick realized the impression he was giving Jeremy.

  “Can I get you two some wine?” Jeremy asked, suddenly all business.

  Nick shifted his gaze to Grace and raised a brow.

  “I prefer white but whatever you like is fine,” Grace said.

  “Bring us a bottle of—” Nick picked up the folder and quickly scanned the wine list before picking one. Though Grace was by no means a connoisseur, she immediately recognized the dry white vintage. She’d had it only one time, at a wine-tasting class she’d taken at a local community college. It had been her favorite, but far too pricey for her to afford.

  Grace shuddered to think what a whole bottle would cost. A house zinfandel would be more than adequate. She opened her mouth to tell Nick when his hand closed over hers and he gave it a squeeze.

  Grace closed her mouth without speaking. She needed to remember that Nick had more money than she did and what seemed expensive to her was mere pocket change to him.

  “Would you like to order now?” Jeremy asked, his pen poised above the order pad.