Page 32 of Condor’s Vow

Chapter 12

Clay closed and locked his door after letting Mr. Chester out for his nightly ablutions. He saw Hattie sitting on his couch, her hands trapped between her knees looking uncomfortable. This was not the way he wanted her in his bed, but there was no way he was leaving her.

In his mind there was no doubt that the note was from their killer, the fact that there had been no other reports of the previous victims being stalked meant nothing. Often things were so subtle that people brushed them off as overactive imaginations, not wanting to cause a fuss.

Holding out his hand, he was glad when she instantly reached for it, and he pulled her to her feet. His arms went around her, and he buried his face in her neck, loving the feel of her soft skin against his lips and the lush body pressed against his. His cock reacted as it always did when she was around, going hard and aching to be inside her.

He knew she could feel it when she rubbed against him, her fingers digging into his biceps. Clay groaned in a mixture of pleasure and pain. “Woman, if you’re trying to kill me then you’re going about it the right way.”

Her husky chuckle filled with desire made him want to do whatever he needed to hear it again and again. He had no intention of making love to her tonight, but he had to bite his tongue to stop the words on the tip of his tongue. She wasn’t ready to hear the words ‘I love you’ yet. Tonight had been long and stressful for him, so God knew how she felt and yet she hadn’t complained once.

No, he wouldn’t make her his tonight, not in body or words, but he’d make her feel good if she’d allow it. Lifting his head, he scanned her face, seeing the shadows under her eyes and the tension she carried in her petite frame. With her father being so sick, moving house and everything that came with that, her job, and now this sick fucker targeting her, it was a wonder she was still standing.

“Want me to make you something to eat?”

The Chinese food he’d brought over had gone to waste, although he wasn’t sure she’d have wanted it after her fright.

Hattie shook her head and wrinkled her nose. “No, not very hungry.”

Clay cocked his head. “Bed?”

“Yes, please.”

He lowered his head, kissing her lips, not wanting to stop for even a second but knowing he had to.

“Mr. Chester okay down here, or do you want him upstairs with us?”

“Down here is fine. He sleeps in the kitchen at my place and seems to prefer it. He might be protective, but he seems to like his space too.”

With her hand in his, Clay led her upstairs and showed her the two spare bedrooms, one full of weights, boxes, and junk he hadn’t unpacked, the other had a double bed and not much else. The bathroom was nice with a big bath and a view out over the parkland.

“This is my room.” He looked at his room through her eyes, noting how masculine it looked and wondering what she’d think. The walls were dark navy and the bedding dark gray and white. The furniture was walnut, and even the flooring was dark. The bathroom was light and airy with white and chrome fixtures and fittings, and a shower to die for. “It’s quite dark, I know.”

Hattie looked around and then up at him. “I like it. It fits you perfectly, and I love this bedding. Calista Lundholm has some great homeware ranges, and I love her new perfume.”

Clay fidgeted slightly, feeling awkward as she spoke. He’d meant to mention it earlier, and although he never kept it a secret, it wasn’t common knowledge who his sister was.

“Yeah, about that.” He pulled her to sit on the bed and faced her, cocking his leg so he could twist closer to her. “Callie is my sister as you know, and I mentioned we had different mothers. Callie was targeted by a stalker last year, and I asked Reid to go and protect her. It was how they met and fell in love.”

“That sounds like a story.”

Clay nodded as he played with her fingers in his hand. “It is, not least because Callie is Calista Lundholm.”

He waited for a beat for that to settle in and watched as her expression changed from intent as she listened to him, to complete shock before her mouth fell open. It was adorable, and it took everything he had not to haul her against his body and show her how cute he thought she was.

“Your sister is Calista Lundholm, the international supermodel?”

“Yes.”

Her lips turned down and then she shrugged. “That explains your great taste in women then.”

Clay couldn’t resist; he pulled her into his lap. “Oh yeah, how does it explain that?”

Hattie was stroking his cheek with her fingers, and he liked it more than he could say. Somehow her simple touch was more erotic than some naked, sexual encounters he’d had.

“Well, your sister is beautiful, and if you’re used to being around women who are as awesome as her, I can see how you’d think I’m the shit.”

Clay threw back his head and laughed, holding her tight as she stiffened in his arms. He curbed his reaction and cupped her face in his hands, seeing the hurt he’d inadvertently caused and hating it. He never wanted to see anything but happiness on her face, and in that moment, he realized he wasn’t falling for Hattie; he was already so much in love with her that he didn’t know what he’d do without her.