Using a much nicer wheelchair, provided by the new hotel, Grace wheeled Sands into their suite. She looked around and the first word from her mouth was, "Plush."
"Nice setup, huh?" Sands asked.
"Oh yeah," Grace replied, smiling. "Definitely a plus side to this whole thing."
Sands chuckled. "Like you needed any more of a plus than me?"
"Honestly, how does someone become…"
"Ah ah ah, Gracie. We had a deal."
"But you just…"
"I'm allowed to think highly of myself – that's not fighting with you."
Grace groaned. "Fine…but I certainly don't have to agree with your opinions."
"Come on, Gracie, gimme a chance to prove I'm right."
Grace put her mouth next to Sands' ear and blew in it – just for a second – before saying, "No." Hm, did I just break any rules? She watched as Sands' mouth twitched. Who cares?
"Someone's a bit of a tease," he replied.
"You know, I can't help but wonder what your outlook on life's going to be once those little blue pills are gone."
"They left my most important body part in tact, Gracie. I'll be just fine."
Had the guy not gone through so much physically, she would have slapped him in the face, but at the moment, that was just far too cruel. Instead, she went for a verbal attack. "I suppose it wouldn't have been fair for them to take away your best friend, huh?"
Sands was silent for a moment, then said, "Well, any friend of mine is a friend of yours too."
That was it. If she didn't put him in his place now, the entire week was going to be full of one sexual innuendo after another. She stood directly in front of Sands and, even though there was no point, put herself at eye level with him. "O.K. Sands, before I decide to castrate you myself – which I don't believe the government could actually object to – I have to tell you that…" Her speech was cut off when Sands managed to grab her hand. "Hey!"
"Shh…" Sands lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. Grace was silent. That's right, sugarbutt… He turned her hand over and let his lips feel their way to her wrist. He felt her shiver before she pulled away and stood up.
"Huh uh…No way, buddy!"
"What's the matter, Gracie?" he asked, smiling.
"There's no way in hell you are even going to think about attempting to charm me, got it? You are not some debonair, Casanova-ish guy – and if you think that for one moment I'd believe you were, then you're just as psychotic as I originally assumed."
"You assumed I was psychotic?"
"Duh."
"Very mature response," he said, shaking his head.
"Shut up!"
His voice taking the tone he'd used in the town car, Sands said, "You jumped on the defensive pretty fast. What brought that on?" He smiled.
"You're one of those fuckmooks that goes into a bar and picks up the first semi-attractive breathing piece of flesh he sees, heads off to a sleazy motel, has his romp, and sends her packing…"
"Um…yeah, that's about it, basically. I must say I admire – and use – your word choice. You're not exactly as innocent as you make yourself out to be."
"I'm not making myself out to be anything! You're a…"
"Face it, Gracie, I've got you hot and bothered."
"What you have gotten me is annoyed and frustrated!"
In one swift movement, Sands stood and placed his hands firmly on Grace's shoulders. To say she was shocked would have been a terrible understatement. After a second of stabilizing himself, he put his mouth dangerously close to hers. "You have to live with me for the next week if you want your payoff. So, one of two things is keeping you here, and, at the moment, it's not me. I could change your mind about that in a heartbeat, Gracie."
"I…I'm not sleeping with you," she stammered.
"Funny how that was the first thing that came into your mind, isn't it?" He very slightly pressed his body against hers. He heard her breath hitch. "I'm not so sure I'm the only one here with a disadvantage."
"Stop it," she whispered.
"Is that what you really want, Gracie?" He did his best to judge how far away his lips were from hers and moved so that they deliberately, but barely, brushed together. He then pulled back, smiling. "O.K. then." Could he have seen her trying to fight off her disappointment, his victory would have been greater than it already was.
Grace swallowed. "I…you are such a…" She walked to the door of the room, then turned around. "Your ass is still hanging out, Sands. Have fun trying to find your stuff."
"You're leaving?" There was a trace of panic in his voice.
"I'll be back…eventually."
Sands heard the door close. True, he had no idea what his surroundings held, but he let those tiny fears wane and thought about Grace. "So turned on, she had to leave," he chuckled to himself. "We will have to take care of that eventually."