Irresistible Desire

e only used when his temper was on the thinnest edge, as she very well knew.

”You
e not my boss anymore, so don Grace me. ” His passengers unrepentant stubbornness was a living being in the air around them.

Jacob was used to being obeyed, especially by pretty young women. Everyone loved the man who could get them onto the silver screen, though he remembered vividly that Grace harbored no such ambition.

”My ride wanted more than I did. I left. ” Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her huddling into the seat. The small sign of vulnerability tore at him. All of his protective instincts awoke fully armed.

”Did he hurt you? ” His hands had turned into claws on the steering wheel.

A pause. ”No. ”

”Grace. ”

”Don Grace me! ” she cried again, but her voice broke at the end – another uncharacteristic sign of weakness.

”I thought I could trust him.

My contract ended yesterday, but they invited me to the party anyway. When it began to break up, one of the project directors offered a few of us a ride home. I didn realize that I was going to be the last one left in the car until it was too late. ” She was babbling, betraying her fear even as she tried to convince him of the lightness of the matter.

”Id never have gone with him otherwise. I thought Id get dropped off first because the others live farther out, but apparently, theyd all decided to get off in the city and go dancing. He didn tell me that. I still thought it would be okay until … well, as soon as the others left, he started talking about … s-spending the night with me. ”

Jacob became quietly murderous at the evidence of this mans predetermination to get her alone. ”Did he hurt you? ” he repeated, knowing that shed told him the truth about why shed accepted the ride. Hed long ago learned of her wariness around most men.

She mumbled something under her breath.

”Did. He. Hurt. You? ” Jacob repeated each word with force, enunciating each syllable as clearly as possible.

”He ripped my shirtsleeve when I was leaving the car. And hes got my purse. No big deal, ” she muttered.

”Name? ” Grace had always touched the deepest, most primitive part of him. Tonight, that part was beyond furious.

”Jacob, I… ” She sounded hesitant.

”Name? ” The night outside wasn as dark as his thoughts about the man whod dared to assault her.

”Why? ”

He gave her an imminently reasonable answer. ”How else are you going to get your purse back? ”

”You
e, um … not going to mess him up are you? ”

”What do you think I am – some sort of mobster? ”

”Maybe. ”

”Ill just pick up your purse. No problem, ” he lied. This creep was going to have major problems.

”Promise you won hurt him first. ”

”Why? ”

”Because I don want you in trouble. ”

The relief he felt at her response should have shocked him. ”Tell me his name. ”

”Promise first or I won say. ” She folded her arms.

”I promise not to touch him, ” he gritted out.

The silence between them stretched. Finally, she relented.

”Michael Miller. Michael Miller. ”

Jacob sighed with relief. That would give him enough information to go on. The guy was nothing but a scumbag.

He nodded, absurdly pleased that his word was good enough for her. ”Are you warm yet? ” He was beginning to overheat, but shed been soaking. She needed to get out of those wet clothes but he wasn going to make that insane suggestion. Being alone with a naked Grace was not the best of ideas.