When Fear Crosses The Line

At first, the mysterious emails are flattering. But soon, Gracie Baron can’t deny she has a stalker-and it’s clear she needs protection…

Into Pure Pleasure

P.I. Wade Harrison admits that his friend’s luscious assistant, Gracie, has been tantalizing him for months. So Wade jumps at the chance to offer her the personal protection she needs, free of charge. The only catch is, Gracie must agree to obey his orders-no questions asked.

The Answer Is Yes

Once Wade has Gracie alone, he isn’t shy about letting her know what he wants. His fantasies involve erotic toys and a very willing partner-and that’s just for starters. Gracie doesn’t know what she wants, but Wade is hot and restless-and surrendering to his desires may be exactly what she needs….

My Thoughts:

Gracie laughed, but Wade could tell it was strained. She never seemed at ease around people. Not even Cherry, and everyone got along with her. “It’s fine. He was just leaving anyway. Right, Wade?”

Wade stood and stepped away from the desk. “Fine. My heart can only be stomped on so many times.”

The phone rang and he watched Gracie practically leap for it. While she took the call, Wade said his goodbyes to Cherry and moved toward the door. He was halfway to his truck when he remembered he’d forgotten to tell Cherry about the phone call he’d received from her ex-husband. The asshole had it in his head that he suddenly wanted Cherry back. The chance of that happening was about as good as finding Elvis alive and living it up in Graceland.

Wade sprinted back across the parking lot and pulled open the door, expecting to see Gracie where he’d left her behind the receptionist desk, but her seat was empty. Figuring she took a break, Wade started down the short hall toward Cherry’s private office. A sound caught his attention and he stopped. His gaze narrowed on the closed bathroom door at the end of the hall. He moved closer and listened harder. The noise came again and it sounded suspiciously like a woman crying. Cherry or Gracie? Wade knocked softly. He didn’t want to intrude, but the thought of either woman in tears didn’t sit right with him.

“Y-Yes?”

Gracie’s trembling voice floated out to him. What the hell? “Gracie, is everything all right?”

“F-Fine.”

Fine my ass. In the months Gracie had been working for Cherry he’d seen her spitting mad, shy as a butterfly and sarcastic as hell. He’d never once heard that quiver in her voice. He didn’t like it one damn bit either. He wasn’t going anywhere until he got to the bottom of it. As he waited, a horrible thought struck and he froze. Had he been the cause? His teasing? He’d thought their little cat and mouse thing was all part of the game, but maybe it made Gracie more uncomfortable than she’d let on.

The door swung open and Wade stiffened. Gracie’s head was down and she was dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. She didn’t see him and smacked right into his chest, nearly knocking herself over backwards. Wade grabbed her shoulders to steady her before she had a chance to topple. Her head shot up and her pretty green eyes filled with tears the instant their gazes clashed. Shit, that sure as hell wasn’t real promising.

“I think it’s time you tell me what’s wrong, Gracie. And don’t tell me it’s nothing.”
She shook her head and blew her nose as she tried to step around him. Wade blocked her path. He cupped her chin in his palm and forced her to look at him. “Is it me? Did I do this?”

She blinked a couple times, as if unsure what he meant, then she let out a hysterical laugh. “Wade, your ego is showing.”

The fact that she was laughing, even while tears continued to stream down her cheeks, was further proof that something was very wrong. For the first time, Wade looked beyond the soft red hair, curvy figure and pouty lips. He saw the dark circles under Gracie’s eyes now and they spoke volumes. She looked as if she hadn’t slept in days. “Gracie, I know we may have gotten off on the wrong foot, but I can be a good listener if you want to talk.”

She squared her shoulders and gently wiped her eyes in an attempt to get a handle on her emotions. “It’s just a woman thing, Wade. I’m fine, really.” The chimes over the door jangled, signaling a client’s arrival. “I’ve got to get back to work. Thanks for the concern.”

So Sensitive © Anne Rainey

About Lea

Lea is an animal loving, tree hugging vegetarian who lives in Toronto, Canada with her family, which includes three dogs. She is a prolific reader and has been blogging and reviewing since 2008. Lea is a contributor at the USA Today HEA Blog and an active member at Goodreads.

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