Joshua's Grace

Chapter 5 (3)

He was up early, way before Grace. Not surprising, given that she was generally prone to lying in bed for as long as possible. When her alarm finally went, she hammered it with her flat palm before she flung the duvet off in disgust and shrugged into her dressing gown. It was a typical routine, she wasn't a morning person.

He was standing with a towel wrapped low round his hips when Grace sauntered into the bathroom. "Oops." She reacted automatically, "Sorry, I thought you were still in bed." She had to work hard to stop her eyes from straying from his face. She had to work harder still to stop herself hugging him. She fought down that urge. But it was a close call.

"I'm up early." He smiled at her and moved to one side, "It's all yours." He indicated the bathroom. "Had to use your stuff." He apologised as he gestured at the shower gel and shampoo.

"Mmm, you smell like peaches." She wrinkled her nose as she teased, as if this was a regular occurrence, having conversations with naked, or near naked men in her bathroom. If only she was so lucky.

He grimaced. "Do I really?"

She grinned. "You should have checked the cabinets, Dad normally leaves some Old Spice."

He rolled his eyes. Grace smiled again. "We should have washed your clothes last night. Would you like to borrow a T shirt or something? Or do you plan on driving up to Auckland in a fluffy pink towel?"

He cuffed her chin gently. "Or something," He said, "The clothes will have to suffice till I get home," adding tongue in cheek, "unless you've got a pair of boxers I could borrow."

"Funny you should say that." She grinned at his surprise.

"Interesting. I wouldn't have thought your father wore boxers. "

Grace didn't respond to that as she said "I have just the thing." She took his hand as if it was the most natural action in the world "Come with me." She stifled a yawn with her free hand. "How did you sleep?"

"Ok."

She turned to face him, smiled wryly. "Me too, tossed and turned most of the night. Although I have to say that I'd probably have got no sleep at all if you hadn't stayed the night."

He raised a questioning brow at that comment.

"I'd have probably barricaded myself in my room and stayed up all night, wondering if he might just have found out where I was." They'd reached another bedroom at the end of the corridor and before he could ask a question, Grace let go of his hand and moved to the dresser.

She pulled open the second draw and rummaged for a few seconds. Then she triumphantly held aloft a pair to boxer shorts.

"Here you go." She threw them at him and he caught them. Bright egg blue silk covered in hundreds of garish ruby red lips. "We bought them for dad one Christmas. He laughed."

"These?" He looked dismayed by her suggestion. Joshua held the pair of tasteless shorts as if they were a contagious disease.

"Why not? They're new. You can't wear yesterdays. Ugh." She grimaced.

Without even thinking he said, "These are tacky."

"They aren't that bad. And who's to see them. They're boxers. Clean boxers. New at that."

"I'll go without." He told her provocatively, wiggling a suggestive brow at her.

She quirked black eyebrows, "Could be painful, zips, accidents do happen...." She tailed off suggestively, her eyes twinkling merrily.

He grinned. "I'll be very, very careful."

"Oh-oh, very risky." She teased and ducked out before he could catch her arm.