Page 18 of Condor’s Vow

Chapter 8

Hattie handed a sticker to the little girl who had come in the ER feeling so sick and had been so brave when they drew her blood. The relief on her parent’s faces was one of the reasons she loved her job. With a final smile to the girl before she finished, Hattie moved to the supply room to make sure everything was stocked for the next shift.

Hopefully she’d see Clay again soon. She found herself thinking about him constantly through the day and fighting a grin from forming on her face. Her back was to the door, but she jumped when she heard a loud clatter from the far corner of the room. Spinning, her heart in her mouth, she looked toward the area.

“Hello, is someone there?” Her heart was banging as she peered around the corner into the dark space, a feeling of being watched skittering over her skin giving her goosebumps. Moving slowly away from where she was checking dressings toward the silent space, she laughed when she saw a mop bucket had fallen over. Relief washed over her, almost making her giddy.

Picking up the mop and propping it so it wouldn’t fall again, she turned back toward the door and her heart once again jumped when she saw the back of a man’s body walk from the room, the door swooshing closed. There had been someone else in there, and the fact they hadn’t announced themselves made her uneasy.

Why would they do that unless they were there for nefarious reasons? It wouldn’t be the first time someone had gotten in there to steal stuff, but this unnerved her. Perhaps because she was tired or maybe because Stephanie Clark had been brought in today and the killer was on everyone’s minds.

Brushing it off as an overactive imagination, she finished her shift but kept looking over her shoulder as she left, the feeling that she was being watched making her wary even though she couldn’t see anything.

Hattie was pleasantly surprised and relieved to see Clay leaning against her car when she left the hospital. She couldn’t have stopped the smile if she’d wanted to and she didn’t. “Hey, you.”

He kissed her lightly as she greeted him with a smile. “Hi, gorgeous. Fancy grabbing a late dinner with me?”

“Yes, please.” Hattie looked behind her once more looking for any evidence someone was watching her.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

Hattie should have known Clay would notice. “Nothing, I just thought someone was watching me and someone was in the supply room earlier. When I called out, they didn’t speak, just left. It felt weird but it’s more than likely me fighting tiredness and an overactive imagination.”

Clay took her arm and pulled her in close, turning her so he was between her and the hospital, his manner alert as he scanned the area around her. “Never ignore your gut, Hattie. If something feels off, then listen to the feeling.”

“Yeah, I will. Now how about dinner? I’m starving.”

Clay grinned and shook his head, but stayed alert, his arm around her protectively as he walked them to the diner.

“I can’t believe she shot at you like that.” Dinner was going to be a microwave meal, but a burger and fries at the diner were so much better and especially as she got to share it with him.

“I know, but it’s a part of the job. It will ache for a bit, but I’ll live. Of course, if you need to examine me and rub some ointment on my wounds, that would be fine.”

Hattie slapped her hand over her mouth as she laughed. “Does that ever work for you?”

“No idea. Never tried it on anyone else.”

His words warmed her, and she found herself grinning like an idiot as she admired his handsome face. Everything about this man drew her like a moth to a flame. His sense of humor, his sweetness and caring, and that was before she got near his drool-worthy good looks. She hadn’t seen the body beneath the clothes, but she had felt it briefly when they’d kissed, and it was solid muscle.

Just the thought of all that under her hands made her wet for him until she wanted to squirm with desire. She wasn’t a virgin, she’d been in a long term relationship after all, and she’d had good sex, not incredible-let’s-write-poetry-about-it-sex, but good sex. Something told her this man would spoil her for all others though. She wished she could talk to her friends about it, but it seemed weird with Mack and Mickie dating his friends. “So, what happens now?”

Clay popped another fry in his mouth and chewed as he watched her intently, his eyes seeing everything. “With the case?”

“Well, yeah. What else would I mean?”

“Not sure, but the way you were looking at me like I was an ice-cream you wanted to lick, it made me think about anything but the case.”

“I was not looking at you like that!” The heat hit Hattie’s cheeks, and she gave the hot denial way too quickly.

Clay smirked a sexy smile. “Sure you did,” he leaned in closer and took her hand in his, “and I fucking loved it because I want to do the same thing to you. Taste every delicious inch of that sexy as fuck body.”

“Clay.”

He groaned when she said his name. “That right there. I want to hear you say my name just like that when I have my hands and mouth on you.”

Hattie felt hot all over and picked up the menu to fan her burning face as his words had the desired effect on her body. She was about five seconds from diving over the table, ripping his clothes off, and having her way with him in front of every diner in the room. “Holy hell, Clay, way to make a girl have a hot flush.”

“You’re the prettiest thing I ever saw in my life, and seeing that you want me as much as I want you is the biggest turn on, but to answer your question, we’ll interview her and see what she knows.”