After returning to their suite, Grace began to dig through Sands' suitcase. She pulled out several novelty t-shirts, a few really bad wigs and some fake facial hair. "Uh, you work for the CIA, so you're supposed to be…um…stealthy, aren't you?"
"Well…"
"I mean, you have to stick out like a…"
"Hey, really good agents want you to know that they're there."
Grace laughed. "Is that so?" She continued to sift through his things. "Is there anything normal in here?"
"I was wearing it when I…when you found me."
"Hmm…Well, it's a good thing that we're in a resort."
"Why's that?"
"Shopping – non marketplace shopping – is nearby." She walked over to him and had the most terrible urge to pull him into her arms. She fought it, and instead took his hand. He has to have the sexiest hands I've ever… "So, um, you stay here and rest…"
He smiled. "You're going to go shopping for me?"
"How many women get to dress up their own living, breathing Ken doll?"
"Do you need to feel anything for size purposes?"
Grace let her hands reach around Sands and she groped his behind. "No, I think I can visualize things well enough."
"One for the road, huh?"
She pouted, "Bad Grace?"
"No, no…Good Gracie." He licked his lips, tempting her.
She didn't give in; instead she tousled his hair and said, "Behave yourself. I'll be back soon." She walked to the door and opened it.
"You and I both know what you wanted to do!"
"You can't prove a thing," she laughed. She closed the door, leaving Sands alone.
He sat on the couch and let his mind wander. She's perfect…Whoa…What? She's a woman and there've been plenty of those…When I had eyes…Pity. It's all pity…pity flirting? No, I don't think so. She wants me just as badly as I want her. But why do I want her? Jesus, I thought Ajedrez was the worst thing to happen to me…this is much, much worse. It was easy to kill her…if I let Gracie any closer…she'll kill me. I hardly know her and it's not like I've ever seen her… There's the problem… I don't have to see her. Shit… Eventually, he was sick of his own thoughts and fell asleep.
An hour later…
"Hey, sleepyhead…" Grace's voice invaded Sands' drowsy senses.
Her voice…it breaks down too many barriers. "Did you have any luck?"
"I think so. We'll find out after you get cleaned up."
"Oo…bath time?"
Grace laughed. "I think you can manage a shower today, as long as I wrap you up again."
"But everybody seemed to enjoy yesterday's arrangements."
"You're a big boy, Sands, you can manage."
"I'm a very big boy, Gracie, doesn't mean I don't want…"
"I'm going to get the bags." Gracie got the plastic bags and wrapped them around Sands wounds. After she was finished, she turned on the shower and left him alone. "Call me only if something's wrong, O.K.?"
"Yes, ma'am." Sands actually managed to get through his shower with very few problems – Grace had made things as accessible for him as she could. When she heard the water stop, she stood outside the bathroom door.
"Everything O.K.?"
Sands walked out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist. "Well, I made it out in one piece. Anything you'd like to check?"
Oh, God…yes… "I believe you." She handed him a clean pair of underwear, saying, "I'm just gonna, um, turn around and…"
"You don't have to. Remember, I'm not shy."
"Um, anyway…" She turned around and after putting them on backwards the first time around, Sands successfully got them on without any outside help. "O.K., you can turn around…if you haven't already."
"I didn't!" Grace laughed as she turned around.
"Were you tempted?"
"About as tempted as I am to tackle you down to the floor right now."
"You know, I could take that as either a good thing or a bad one."
"Precisely." She handed him the black pants she bought for him. Once he had those on, she handed him a button down short-sleeved black shirt, which she helped him to button.
"Am I any sort of fruit?"
"Nope. You're the man in black again." She was surprised when his arms wrapped around her waist. "What are you doing?"
"Thanking you for dressing me more like…myself." He kissed her neck. "We really need to get past foreplay."
"You're perfectly aware of the rules," she said, smiling. "I'm going to take a shower, then we can go."
"Need any assistance?" Grace ignored him and went into the bathroom. Sands managed to make his way to the couch, making sure to find the remote and avoid his thoughts.
Forty-five minutes passed before Grace was back out in the living area – fully dried and dressed.
"Shouldn't you take longer than that?" Sands asked.
"I'm not the average woman," she said matter-of-factly.
"What are you wearing?"
She took a seat next to him. "The skimpiest red dress I own."
"Mm, red again, hm?"
Funny, he always asks about clothes, but hasn't asked what I look like even once…he mustn't want to ruin the fantasy he has going on. Probably wants some blonde, blue eyed…
"Uh, Gracie?"
"Huh?"
"Don't tell me that I just wasted a perfectly good comment that you didn't pay attention to."
"Sorry, mind drifted for a second. Repeat?"
Sands sighed overdramatically. "Nope, one shot's all you get…but, uh, just how skimpy are we talking?"
"Don't you worry about it." She batted his hand away as he tried to touch her.
"Come, on, please?"
Grace laughed. "No touchie, Sands. C'mon, I'm hungry."
"So am I…about that dessert…"
"It's going to be a long night, isn't it?"
Sands smiled. "That's the plan, Gracie."
***
Author's Note: O.K., guys, the major stuff's coming, I promise – I just have to set it up. Thank you so much for the reviews! They inspire me to keep going!