Tempting Grace Read Online Free PDF Page A

pull emotions out of him he hadn’t known he possessed. One minute she’d have him laughing over her particular brand of sarcasm, the next he was ready to take her to bed. Jackson couldn’t help but wonder if it was his age that caused her to hold back. Did the gap bother her? He couldn’t be sure, but he knew one thing for certain, Grace wasn’t at all superficial.
    There were depths to the woman that he desperately wanted to explore. He had a feeling it’d take a lifetime to learn all of her secrets.
    While some women filled their lives with meaningless bullshit like manicured fingernails and expensive clothes, Grace concerned herself with work and family. She had an understated beauty and a straightforward attitude that he admired. She wore very little make-up and simple clothes. From what he could tell, she rarely dated, which pleased the hell out of him. When she’d gone out with Antonio, Jackson had wanted to pound the little weasel for encroaching on his territory, but reality had set in and he’d known the truth. He had no right to Grace. She could date whomever she wanted. He only hoped that soon that person would be him.
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    Chapter Three
    Grace read the same sentence three times before she finally gave up and put the book down. Her heart just wasn’t in it. The only thing on her mind was how much trouble her big mouth had gotten her into this time. Las Vegas. Three days alone with Jackson. Could she be any denser? What had possessed her to agree? He’d challenged her, and she never could resist a challenge. He’d known exactly what she’d do when he’d called her chicken.
    After she’d agreed to go to the convention, she’d gone back to her desk and finished out her day thinking of ways to wiggle out of the agreement. She’d come up with zero ideas, mostly because to back out would prove she couldn’t handle being alone with Jackson. He’d win. She was much too competitive to lose. That left her staring at her muted television at seven o’clock at night, when she should be enjoying her new haul of romance novels. She picked up the book she’d been dying to read and tried to push Jackson out of her head. She managed three pages before her doorbell rang. “A distraction, thank God.” Grace stepped over the black heels she’d kicked off earlier, then rose on her toes to peek through the eyehole on her apartment door. Jackson? She flung the door wide and said, “What are you doing here?” His lips quirked. “Nice to see you too, Gracie.”
    “How did you know where I lived?” Grace made a point of not checking out his hot body, even though she desperately wanted to. If she looked at the black t-shirt that was sure to be stretched across a muscular chest and tight jeans cupping his package, she’d start stuttering or something.
    He propped his hand on her doorjamb. “Uh, I’m your boss, remember?”
    “Right, dumb question.”
    “I don’t suppose you’re going to let me in,” he said as his gaze took in the living room behind her.
    She sighed and stepped back. “Come in.”
    “Thanks.” Jackson moved around her, their bodies touching as he passed. Every nerve ending went to code red status, as if to say Yippee! About damn time we got him alone.
    “Nice digs you have here.”
    Grace had taken great care in decorating her apartment, and it did her heart good to have Jackson’s genuine approval. She’d gone with an Oriental flare. Sleek, modern lines and smooth surfaces. She liked the fresh, clean feel.
    “Very Zen-like.”
    Grace looked around and realized he was right. The furniture had been expensive, but worth it.

    Anne Rainey
    Jackson walked over to her bookcase and picked out a paperback. “I like the bookcase. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a round bookcase before. Cool.”
    He was looking at her romance books. She really hoped it wasn’t an erotic romance. “It’s teak. It was pricey, but I liked the design.” Please, please don’t be