Joshua's Grace

Chapter 6(2)

"Don't you -look Grace me-, you perfidious .."

"Grace." He interrupted her quickly before she really had a chance to wind up and use her extensive vocabulary of derogatory adjectives. "We needed to talk about tomorrow, get our stories straight, it seemed like a good idea. What more can I say?"

"Don't bother." She turned ignoring his attempt to placate her. "I'm not going anywhere with you, today, tomorrow, ever." Grace was angry with herself. Why did she get taken in by him so easily? Why?

She marched to the door, leaving Joshua standing by the table, totally stunned by the swift turn of events. He turned to follow her progress to the door. It was then that he noticed her jeans. He almost smiled as he recalled thinking that she had dressed in a remarkably understated way, for her. Blue jeans, albeit well worn jeans, cropped white t-shirt, flat leather sandals. Very sedate. Very normal, so unlike her normal attire. Normal jeans. It had even influenced him to wear his jeans. Make her feel comfortable. He should have known better. This was Grace after all. He stared at the jeans.

There was a major difference between his jeans and hers and not just in the way they fit. For a start his were intact, well worn but intact. Certainly not threadbare. And certainly not threadbare in those particular places.

On both cheeks, a few centimetres below one rear pocket were several large tears, and across the other cheek, where there should have been a pocket, were strands of white threads, both tears left teasing glimpses of bright blue boxer shorts with ruby red lips. The rips were thread bare and as she strode for the door the splits had gaped and closed, gaped and closed, providing expanse and then teasing glimpses of bright red lips on blue silk boxer shorts and golden brown skin. The minx. He knew exactly where he had seen those shorts before.

"Hey." He finally got himself together as the door swung shut and she'd disappeared. "About tomorrow?" He yelled before he stormed out after her. He caught up with her in seconds, reached for and held onto her arm. "You can't just leave me in the lurch like this." He had to work hard to keep hold of her arm without bruising her. She was squirming and wriggling, tugging at his grip.

"Watch me." She snapped furiously trying to dislodge his restraining hold.

"Grace you're being unreasonable." Wrong move. That registered instantly. Her eyes were almost alight, when she pivoted round to face him fully. She stopped trying to shrug off his grip as she glared with stormy black eyes straight at him.

"Not being. Was." The words ricocheted with the speed of rapid-fire automatic firearms. "I was totally stupid to even think about going out with you. I don't need this bullshit."

Zac reappeared at that precise moment, and sensing that a full scale row was about to break out he scuttled out of the door like a discovered termite. "See you later." He called quickly then opened and closed the door before either of them could respond. Grace turned to blaze at his back, but he was gone.

In that instant, Joshua seized the opportunity to haul Grace to him. Things were rapidly escalating from bad to worse. He didn't stop to think, he simply acted. Desperate times called for desperate measures. And what was there to loose anyway? So far all his carefully thought out plans had been disastrous. If he'd planned to mess up he couldn't have done any better.

So he kissed her. Really kissed her. No holds barred, no half measures, no constraint.Eventually they came up for air. But it was a long time later. Very slowly he moved away from her, his eyes remained riveted on her face, watching her every expression as he said softly, "That's why I asked you to go to the party tomorrow and that is why I asked you here this evening." 

The words and his eyes were candid. Her equilibrium took a while in coming. Joshua watched the emotions play in her eyes, he could see that Grace was seriously torn between believing him and wanting out. She took her time deciding. He waited, knowing intuitively that he had no other option. Several long seconds passed. Seconds when Joshua ransacked his brain for a plan B, just in case. He was not going to give up so easily. Not after that kiss and all that it delivered and promised.

She shrugged diffidently, the fight going out of her as she conceded. "Well," She pushed a lock of hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear as she played for time. It was a nervous gesture. Her hair had come loose during that kiss. Male hands ransacking through a loose pony tail had destroyed all form of tidiness. "I guess I'm here now."

Plan B was shelved, just in case it was needed at a later stage, Joshua breathed a sigh of relief. That had been a close call. He was relieved. It was short term, the newly found reprieve was dashed by her next statement.

"I'll stay ten minutes to get our story for tomorrow."

"But," He began his defence in earnest only to be cut off once again. "No buts. Cass will be expecting you."

"She won't be expecting me." He wanted to shake her. Why was she so stubborn? Never in his wildest imaginations had he ever thought he would fall for a woman who argued with him. "Grace I'm sorry." In sheer frustration he shoved a hand through his wet hair, leaving the hair to stand in a good imitation of porcupine quills. "I didn't ask you here as second choice." He restated sincerely. "Stay for dinner. I'll get some great Malaysian take away."

"Take away?" She queried in feigned criticism. "I thought you said you'd cook?"

"Yes I did" He admitted in a contrite tone of voice as he smoothed down his hair. "But things seem to be working against me today. Have to settle for takeaways or we can eat out. The stove gave up the ghost this afternoon." He pushed his advantage, seeing that he was finally getting somewhere. "You'll stay?" If only he could make sure he didn't blow it again. Pensively, he waited for her answer.

Grace nodded. "I'll stay. Takeaway sounds fine." She capitulated and wondered if this would turn out to be yet another of her mistakes. So far her track record with this man was appalling. She seemed to have filled in the spot of temporary-fill-in date. And she didn't like it. "Call her. Tell her I'm a family friend who just dropped by. She might want to join us for takeaways."

Joshua hid his scowl. He had no intention of inviting Cass to join them. He had after all just made progress. Progress. He smiled. He was making progress with her. She hadn't left.