Sands put his hand under Grace's chin, but made no move to kiss her. "I've been trying to picture you since you found me." He didn't sound like his usual brash self at all.
"You haven't asked and…it's stupid, I know it is, but…"
"I do know a few things about your appearance, you know." Grace was silent. "I know that your hair falls to just below your shoulder blades. I also know that it's thick and, at least in this climate, somewhat, uh…wavy?" Grace smiled, and though Sands couldn't see it, he felt the change in her face on his hand. "By your last name, I know that you're Italian – at least partially – and I'm guessing that leads to someone who tans nicely down here and possess darker features…unless your family's from northern Italy which would…"
"Southern," Grace whispered. "You're…you're right…dark eyes, dark hair, well, highlighted dark hair but…God, I feel…"
"Incredible," Sands interrupted. "Well, that's what I've gathered from what you've let me touch."
A small laugh finally came from Grace, easing some of the tension in her body. "In the end, does it matter?"
"Does what matter?"
"What I look like."
"Of course it matters – if you were a cow or something, I'd…" He laughed. "I can't do this right now, Gracie. I can't be who I usually am."
"Because you're too busy trying to seduce and charm your way into my bed?"
He smiled. "Pretty much." The smile faded and he moved his hands so that they cradled Grace's face. "I don't want to have to do things that way."
"Why?"
"You're different."
Grace rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah? How many other women have been 'different', hm?"
"I have better lines than that, Gracie. You weren't wrong about me; I've been to quite a few of those bars you talked about. All based on nothing more than exterior attributes. I can't do that now, can I?"
"How am I supposed to…" She broke away from him again. "How can I believe anything you're saying? You lie for a living and you've been all about jumping into bed with me since…"
"We're not in a bar. I wasn't lying when I said that you've f…been on my mind. I've been fighting with myself over you. I can't see you and I never will, which is seriously fucked up and unfair, but it's like…" He turned his head, embarrassed. "…I don't have to, O.K.?" The tone of his voice was unmistakable – he was speaking the truth and it was difficult for him to do.
Grace smiled and said, "Going soft on me?"
"The furthest thing from it." Of course his answer was perfect when one thought about this man's personality, so Grace not only accepted it, but expected it.
"I'd better not regret believing what you're telling me." She took his hands and placed them on her hips.
"What are you doing?" he asked, surprised at where she had put his hands.
Grace's voice was soft. "Letting you see."
"No pulling back?"
"No pulling back." She kissed him and his hands took on their own lives. They didn't begin to roam Grace's body as she expected them to. Instead, with reluctance, he pulled his lips from hers and tenderly let his fingers trace the contours of her face. He trailed them along her lips, her jaw, her nose, eyes… "What are you doing?" she whispered.
"Seeing you."
"You've…changed?"
He smiled. "I guess that's something we're going to find out." He let his hands go to her hair, momentarily forgetting that she had pulled it up. "Take it down for me?" Grace did so without thinking twice. He smiled as he tangled his fingers in her locks and resumed kissing her. He left her lips for her neck, causing her to once again shiver in the heat.
"Sands?"
His lips didn't leave her neck. "Hm?"
"I know you don't like Sheldon – cute as it is – but I…if we're…I can't call you Sands…" Her breath caught as his tongue played on a rather sensitive patch of skin. "How do you feel about Jeffrey?"
He pulled back, smiling. "I can dig it," he laughed.
"Jeffrey?" she said, testing how it sounded. Mm…perfect.
"Yeah?" His hands were now roaming her back.
"Earlier today I asked who you were and…well, your answer was…"
His mouth found her ear. "I remember."
Grace prayed that the man before her wasn't saying things only because he knew she wanted to hear them. "Prove it to me."
"Hm?"
"Prove to me that I need you."
***
Author's Note: Adult content in the next chapter. If you don't wanna read it (Somehow, I don't think that's going to happen with this one) then don't – skip on to the next one…once it's written. For those of you that do – it will be up soon, promise!