I nodded in Tucker's direction and walked straight to the Box of Joe that Ethan had bought and poured myself some coffee.

Tucker cleared his throat and started barking out commands, "So, Grace, we are going to be taking your Jeep and Blake's truck. As soon as you are ready, we can leave. I'll drive your Jeep and you can just sit and enjoy the ride."

I looked up from stirring the sweetener into my coffee. "I'm driving my Jeep, Tucker. And I have no clothes, since my bedroom somehow caught fire last night, so before I go on your little trip, I'd like to stop at a store and buy some clothes, so I don't have to stay in Shane's tee-shirt and boxers the whole time I'm there. When you guys are ready, you can leave, and I'll be about an hour behind you. Just give me the address. I have a GPS, so I'll be fine."

Lea started to argue, but a voice I'd not heard before interrupted her, "Well, that sounds like a plan then. If you'd like, I can stay behind and keep you company, and make sure nothing else happens."

I snapped my head to the direction of the new voice. It was soft velvet and sweet; reminding me of melted caramel.

Blake stood there casually leaning his back against the cabinets. His skin was so pale it was almost white, until my eyes met his and a splash of crimson shot across his cheeks. He was very handsome, with a lean muscular build. Light brown hair hung messy and s.e.xy over his head, but I barely saw any of it. I fixated on his eyes, his ancient pale blue eyes, which were looking profoundly back into mine.

"Hi," he said with his cheeks turning brighter. "I'm Blake, Tucker's cousin."

I froze, unable to speak. I held his gaze. It was all I could do to keep myself composed and not throw myself at him. I hoped no one noticed how fast my heart was pounding against my chest or how my hands clammed up and balled into fists, trying to hold myself back from reaching out to touch him.

Tucker shot up and leaned into the s.p.a.ce between Blake and me, folding his arms. His face was tight and possessive. "Thanks cuz, but I don't want to be responsible for your brand new truck," he said eyeing Blake. "Besides, Grace doesn't even know you, so I don't think she'd be that comfortable driving with you, since her feelings for her safety have been questioned lately." c.r.a.p, I hated lawyers. It would look completely horrible for me to drive with someone I just met, but I needed to be alone with him somehow. I needed him to know who I really was. Finally. He had to be Shamsiel!

Blake pushed himself off the counter and looked down at Tucker as if he was trying to scare him. I could smell the testosterone in the air. Everyone in the kitchen had stopped talking and watched the exchange between them.

Shane jumped off the counter and strolled pa.s.sed us as if nothing was going on. When he reached where I stood, he turned to Tucker and Blake, who were standing toe to toe with each other fists clenched. "Wow, this is like mating season at the zoo. Why don't I go with Grace later after she picks up what she needs? After all, everyone knows there will never be anything between Grace and me. Ever." He emphasized the word ever and looked at me through his icy blue eyes Shane's words seemed to do something to Blake, because he seemed even angrier, but he backed off Tucker all the same.

Blake stepped towards Shane, but Shane sidestepped him and ignored the advance. Shane just walked closer to me and gently escorted me out of the kitchen and back down the hallway to his room, "You have a strong effect on people, don't you?"

I could still barely speak. I just stood in the center of his room and stared at the door. My mind tried to formulate coherent thoughts, but I was just grasping for straws. I couldn't think logically, because all I could see in my mind were those ancient blue eyes.

Lea walked in Shane's room and jolted me back to reality. She shot me a wide-eyed look that expressed her concern about what had just happened. "What in the world was that about?"

Forgetting Shane was in the room with us, I grabbed at her hands, my heart beating wildly. "Did you see the color of his eyes?"

She gave me a perplexed look. I heard Shane behind us stop what he was doing and he turned to listen. I glanced at him and just shrugged my shoulders like nothing mattered. I leaned in close to Lea and whispered softly, hoping Shane couldn't hear, "He has the exact color that I've been looking for."

Lea's eyes danced with understanding, "Are you effing serious? Are you positive?" She started pacing and dancing around.

"What are you two whispering about? What have you been looking for?" Conner asked walking in. He nodded to Shane after, "Someone has got to talk to Tucker, he's obsessed. And did you see him and Blake? Dude, I thought it was going to come to blows."

Shane said nothing; he just stared at me, waiting for me to say something. I let go of Lea and tried to act calm and restrained. "I just think that everyone is a bit nervous and out of sorts because of what's going on, that's all. Everyone's on edge, so we definitely should get out of the city and up to Tucker's as soon as we can. It'll make everyone relax and we won't have to look over our shoulders for a while." I watched Shane for a reaction.

"Do you want me to stay here and drive up with you? It's up to you, n.o.body should make the call for you," Shane said.

"That's fine," I answered. Turning my head to Lea, I continued, "I'll just run to the store quickly, I promise I'll be right behind you guys."

My choice seemed to settle everybody down, even Tucker and Blake. I couldn't keep my eyes off him as they packed his truck with the duffel bags in the falling snow. He couldn't keep his eyes off me either and before he left, he walked past me and looked right into my eyes. "Be as quick as...humanly possible," he grinned. I almost fainted. I toyed with the idea of just grabbing a handful of Shane's clothing, or sharing Lea's, but none of it made sense. Just a few more hours, it wasn't as if it would be a few more lifetimes. My heart catapulted through the air.

I took exactly thirty minutes in the department store, grabbing whatever I could, not even trying anything on. Shane just walked beside me wherever I went, holding bags and cracking jokes that made me laugh out loud, literally.

We rushed home and I tossed everything I bought into the huge backpack I had purchased along with my clothes. My phone ringing its sirens, alarming me of a text message, was the only thing that slowed me down.

New Text Message Lea: 2:45 pm Are you sure this is him? He's an a$$hole.

Me: 2:45 pm IDK! Not like anyone gave me a chance to talk 2 him!

Lea: 2:47 pm Bad feeling. Rethink ur options Me: 2:49 pm WTF are you taking about?

Lea: 2:51 pm U decide...

The next message was a multimedia one sent from Lea's phone. I left Shane in the living room watching the news about the slow moving snowstorm, while packing his belongings as slowly as he could. I locked myself in the bathroom and clicked on the message.

She had recorded some of their conversation in Blake's truck. The conversation was between Tucker and Blake placing bets on who would bag me first, and they were up to one thousand dollars. Lea's caption read: Isn't Acting Like Much of an Angel.

The second multimedia message was from Conner's phone. I pressed the icon and immediately heard myself playing my guitar. Conner's camera phone scanned across the studio to Shane's expression. It was an awestruck Shane. I had brought him to his knees. Conner focused in on Shane's face, tears welled in his eyes; desire and love shining over his face. It made me breathless, watching his perfect features watch me with such intensity and longing.

Shane banged on the bathroom door bringing me to my senses. I needed to get to Blake to see if he was whom I'd been searching for. Yes, G.o.d yes, I loved the way I had just seen Shane look at me, but we all knew that look would only last one night. Even if Blake wasn't my angel, I couldn't settle for someone like Shane. Grace was worth more, I was worth more.

Chapter 14.

I tilted my head up to watch the hushed fall of the feathery white flakes blanketing the earth. Delicate snowy crystals seemed to dance around the air in front of me; moving to music that only they could hear.

Snowcapped windowsills and fluffy snow covered branches made the city look picturesque and hopeful.

Shane brushed off the snow that had collected on the front and back windshields. I was amazed at how much had already fallen and the news said that the storm wasn't even near us yet. There had to be about a foot of snow on the ground already. Before we left the apartment, we watched as warnings scrolled along the bottom of the television screen to stay indoors and to drive only in cases of emergency.

I didn't know by whose standards we would call this an emergency, but I would have sprouted wings myself and flew to see those ancient blue eyes if I couldn't drive.

Shane opened the pa.s.senger side door and knocked his boots on the side of the well, spraying snow all over.

"Hurry up, just get in, I want to get out on the road ahead of this storm if we can."

Shane gave me an exasperated look. "We could just stay here, Grace. We don't have to go to Tucker. I promise, I'll keep you safe."

"Shane. I'm going. If you want to stay. Stay."

The inside of the Jeep was still cold, and mist drifted from our lips each time we spoke. I shivered and turned on the heat and defrost, and tried to blow some warmth into my hands. When the air seemed warm enough not to cause my fingers to shake, I plugged in my GPS system and keyed in our destination. Outside the snow fell faster.

I pulled over the snowdrifts with my four-wheel drive; the wind howled against the car. "Looks like the angels are having one h.e.l.l of a pillow fight!" I laughed.

"Pillow fight?" Shane whispered.

"Yeah, it's an old saying, but Conner said it when it started to snow the other night." I glanced at his expression, his head hung low and his arms were folded tight across his chest. "What's wrong? You don't believe in that stuff or just not in old wives tales."

I stopped at a red light and waited for his answer.

He shrugged and looked out the snowy window. "I don't give much thought to angels," he said and shivered.

I took the Lincoln Tunnel and emerged into a wintery wonderland worse than what we came from, nothing that side of the tunnel seemed to have been plowed. Shane buckled himself in his seatbelt, but still sat at the edge of the pa.s.senger seat; knuckles white clutching my dashboard.

Shane's phone went off. When he answered it, I could hear Conner's voice on the other side. The howling winds. .h.i.tting against the Jeep made the rest of the conversation hard to hear.

After a brief conversation, Shane clicked off his phone. "They made it there okay. Conner says the roads are getting worse. They are talking about white out conditions on I-80."

Thick chunks of snow collided with the windshield; the wipers could barely stand against the attack. "We can't go back now. It's fine. Look," I pointed through an almost opaque windshield. "The roads aren't so bad." Whom was I kidding? I was insane driving in this! I gripped the wheel as tightly as I could.

Shane glared at me openmouthed.

I pressed harder on the gas pedal to stop him from looking at me and it worked. He snapped his head forward and crossed his arms glowering out the window. "Lea is right, you really do have some sort of a death wish," he whispered.

I let the statement go. Fighting with him right then would cause me not to concentrate on the road that I could no longer see. All I needed to do was stand in front of those ancient blue eyes. I needed to know if Blake was who I'd been looking for.

"Do you want to explain to me why you are driving in this insane blizzard to get to someone you don't want to be with? Or am I wrong about you and Tucker?"

He would never understand. "I don't want to be with Tucker. Let me just concentrate on driving."

He kicked the floorboards with his foot. "Whatever."

We continued the drive in hours of eerie silence; nothing but the muted sounds of the snow closing down and suffocating the earth. Would this be what death would be like for me when my eternity was done? Silent, cold and empty; no heaven at all?

We both jumped, startled, when the voice from my GPS called out for me to take the next exit.

The Jeep skidded onto the off ramp and almost into a snow embankment, but I somehow managed to straighten out. Shane cursed under his breath.

"We're almost there," I said. "The GPS says we'll be there in three minutes."

I drove slowly, my blood pumping fiercely through my veins. The GPS announced to the world that we had reached our destination. Outside the windshield, it was pure white.

"Tucker's driveway is right off this main road, so we are probably at the entrance."

I turned in, only to hit what seemed like a four-foot wall of snow.

"Looks like the drive is plowed in," he said. "Try to pull up to the right more so you're off the main road in case another plow comes by and doesn't see us."

I pulled up more, hands shaking. "Should we get out and walk from here?"

Shane grimaced. "Tucker's driveway is at least three miles long. it's got its own name, so there's no way we can walk in this. I'll call them and see if he can get to us with the snow mobiles."

He tried calling, so did I, but he got no reception at all and mine went right to voice mail so I left a message.

"What should we do?" I asked anxiously.

"We should stay in here until we can get them on the phone. That way, Grace, we won't die out in the pretty white stuff," he teased. "Kill the ignition, don't waste the gas."

A tremendous gust of wind tilted the Jeep, so I frantically tried my cell phone again. No service. c.r.a.ptabulous!

Shane started shifting around in his seat, "My a.s.s is asleep from sitting so long. Is that even possible? Wanna rub it for me?" he laughed.

"Shut up," I laughed back.

As he tried to make himself comfortable, he skimmed his hand lightly across my knee, sending shivers throughout my body. Of course, he noticed.

Bending forward he sprang the handle on the seat and pushed it all the way back. "You're cold already, climb over here."

I looked at him as if he had just grown another head. "That's not necessary." I mean seriously, if a brush from his freaking hand sent shivers all over my body what would his whole body on me...I refused to finish the thought. To keep me from jumping on top of him I thought about my Jeep being mauled by a bear looking for food in the blizzard.

Outside, the wind screamed louder, and inside, the temperature was dropping faster. "What's in your glove box?"

"My glove what?"

He pointed to the dashboard in front of him.

"Oh, you mean my glove compartment. Trust me, there's nothing in there you'll want to see," I explained.

"Glove BOX. And is that supposed to make me not want to know what's inside it?" Shane laughed. "Because, trust ME, it doesn't."

We both reached for the glove COMPARTMENT/box at the same time, but he was quicker. About half a dozen tampons flew out at him.

I laughed uncontrollably. "I told you it's nothing you'd want to see, why do you always have to try to get your way?"

He reached his hand in and felt around, throwing the last tampon at me. "Because I was hoping you had one of these," he said smiling, holding up a flash light. His eyes studied mine as he dropped the flashlight back into the glove whatever. He tucked a loose piece of my hair behind my ear. Another shiver rocked my body. A small flicker of sadness pa.s.sed over his eyes.

He unzipped his jacket and peeled it off. "Come here, Grace, you're freezing." He gathered me into his arms and easily pulled me onto his lap. Of course, it would be an easy task, my mutinous body helped him right along. He held me in his arms and draped the coat over us.

Not having any control over my body, I nuzzled into his chest under his jacket. It was as if I floated on warm tropical waters. Somewhere in the back of mind, I thought about those ancient blue eyes, just three miles away. The image blurred and faded in and out. I clung to Shane, not wanting to move a muscle, for fear the friction and heat between us would spark a fire. I laughed at the thought.

Shane moaned and held me tighter, "What are you giggling at under there?"

I poked my head out from under his jacket, our faces so close to each other I could barely breathe. Our lips so close.

"I'm losing it," I muttered. "I'm desperate for some hot cocoa; you know the thick and creamy kind with those sweet sugary little marshmallows. I want to sit near a roaring fire with my hands wrapped around the warm cup and I want to feel the velvety heat coat my mouth and slide down my throat," I ranted.

His breath pitched. "G.o.d, Grace you can seriously make anything you say the s.e.xiest thing I've ever heard." His eyes lowered their gaze to my lips as he unzipped my jacket. We locked eyes as I slipped my arms out of its sleeves. Wrapping both our jackets over us, he pulled me closer and nestled his face into my hair, his breath sparking flames down my neck.

I gritted my loudly chattering teeth. Traitorous body! I wasn't the least bit cold.

He slid his warm hands under my shirt and slowly traced his fingertips along the small of my back and up my spine. His touch was killing me, killing my soul; just leaving the body of Grace wanting and needing.

I slid my hands up the front of his shirt, telling myself it was for the warmth, but I was never a good liar. His body was soft and deliciously warm, and the restraint was torturous.

A low moan escaped from his lips. He pushed himself up against me and gently pulled me into a sitting position; my legs straddling him. This is too dangerous, too toxic; too beautiful.

I glanced down at him and immediately I wished I hadn't. He was watching me closely. He hesitated and fixed me with his intense icy blue stare. He raised his beautiful hand to my face and traced his thumb softly against my lower lip.

"One kiss, Grace, just one simple kiss. Baby, please," he begged. "Just one." His hands reached up, grabbing my hair and pulling me towards him. His smell was intoxicating; I inhaled deeply.

He ran feathery fingers through my hair and around to the nape of my neck. I trembled under his touch. I was a complete dripping hot disaster; falling into pieces wanting him to fill me and put me back together.