Alex waited for her to decide what she wanted to say. She drew in a deep breath, appearing calm for the most part. Emotion glowed in her green eyes. He hoped tears didn’t cause the shimmering there.
“This is what you didn’t tell me before, isn’t it?” She took a deep breath and lifted her chin a little. “You are more than a police officer.”
“Yes.” He waited for anger or something else. He didn’t expect the expression that he caught on her face. Hurt, sadness.
“Why didn’t you say anything about being a Hunter? Why didn’t you trust me with that secret?” She bit her lip and her hands clenched on her thighs.
“It wasn’t a secret, not in the way you think. I’m not a Hunter anymore. That was who I used to be. Now, I’m a police officer. That’s who I wanted people to see.” Alex reached out and covered her hand with his. “It wasn’t about trust. I’ve built a new life away from the darkness and violence of hunting.”
“You’re not living a violence free life. You’re a police officer. That doesn’t seem to be a drastic change.” She shook her head, a frown pulling at her lips and furrowing her brow.
“It’s the one way of life that suits a retired Hunter’s skills.” Alex sat forward. “Being a police officer is different from being a Hunter, baby. Here, I have a home. I form relationships. I can do good work without being surrounded by darkness.”
She stared at him for a while. “You moved around a lot as a Hunter?”
“We usually stayed in a city long enough to rid it of the creatures or tainted Aelfir. If we weren’t hunting, we stayed in a central city. Not necessarily an Aelfir city. A good deal of the time, we were away from our own people, trying to keep the tainted or other creatures from becoming known to all humans.” Alex sat back against the cushion of the couch and took a deep breath.
“It sounds lonely,” she whispered.
“Maybe isolated is a better way to describe it. I wasn’t alone, but we didn’t have contact with many people beyond the Hunters who had our back.” Alex chose his words with care.
He didn’t want her pity. Service as a Hunter had started as an obligation for him, a payment, because his brother withdrew after being trained, and refused to fulfill his duty.
It hadn’t stayed a duty though. Alex had found a calling there. He liked helping others and making a difference to the Aelfir. That knowledge gave him reason to continue even after his years of required service were completed.
“So why didn’t you tell me about it sometime? Why did you keep it secret from me for this long?” She narrowed her eyes and watched him as if she wanted to note every expression.
“I knew I’d have to reveal it sometime, but I wanted to be more certain of our relationship. On top of that, I never wanted you to discover this way, faced with danger.”
“Did you think it would matter to me?”
“I wasn’t sure at first, but I wanted you to know me before you learned that.” He lifted his shoulder in a slight shrug. Although he tried to downplay it, her reaction had mattered, still did. He wanted her to accept him as he was.
“What you once did wouldn’t have made a difference to me even if you’d mentioned it on our first date. One of my friends once dated a Hunter for a while. She said he seemed to expect a rejection when she found out about it. I thought it was simply something he believed though. Are people’s reactions to it that bad?” She stood and walked over to take a seat beside him.
He slipped his arm around her and pulled her a little closer to him. “I don’t know about everyone. Some people seemed to think that because we dealt with darkness that it somehow tainted us as well. They didn’t want us around unless we are doing a job and then they wanted us gone as soon as possible.”
“I want you here. You served your people. I think it’s honorable and anyone who does that should be lauded. Even though my family’s talents are mostly plant centered, there have been a couple of Hunters among the line. The only thing I care about in the now though is that you’re more open with me.” She framed his face in her hands and looked into his eyes for a long moment.
He exhaled. The tension in his muscles eased with that answer. She was a dream come true. He wanted to be worthy of the light shining in her eyes.
“I’ll try to be more open with you about my past and the present. I’m not used to talking about things. We didn’t have long discussions while we were out hunting.” He wrapped his other arm around her and lifted her into his lap.
His lips brushed across hers. Although he hadn’t planned it, he couldn’t resist. Not when she had been so sweet. Definitely not when her taste and her kiss promised him such heated bliss. The woman might be too good for him, but he wouldn’t let her go.
Her mouth opened beneath his and her arm hooked around his neck. She relaxed into him. The kiss was soft and deep. Arousal didn’t burst into flame, but lured them both to explore. He followed the call. He pulled back, but leaned close for another fleeting kiss. He wanted to see and touch.
One of his hands swept up her side, tracing the curve of her waist even through the sturdy clothing she wore. Her hand clenched briefly on his uniform shirt, but slid over down his chest. She slipped her fingers between the buttons and discovered his undershirt. She moaned, frustrated.
He knew a good idea when he saw it. He unfastened her shirt, letting it fall apart to reveal the pink bra she wore underneath. His mouth watered. He wanted to lean in and trace the edges of that pretty bra with his lips and tongue. Tease her until she begged for him to take her breast into his mouth.
He trailed his fingers along the path he wanted lick. Even through the fabric, he could see her nipples tightening into hard peaks. His cock hardened even more, the ache pushing him to drive her wild. Her chest lifted and he glanced up to find her eyes locked on him.
“I want your mouth there.” Her hand tightened in his hair. She tried to tug him to where she wanted him.
He leaned down and trailed his mouth over the curve of her breast. His tongue licked over the lace and teased the skin. The light salty taste filled his mouth, luring him to explore. As he approached the valley between her breasts, he used his teeth to add an extra layer of sensation.
He traced a single finger around the nipple shielded by pretty silk. She moaned and tried to turn so he’d take it into his mouth.
The melodic tone of the phone jerked his head up. He stiffened, not wanting to reach for it.
“Damn. I don’t suppose we could let it ring and continue as we were.” Her fingers clenched. She glared at the offending device.
He knew he had to get it. It could be work or her family calling. If something happened to one of them, she wouldn’t let him forget it. Alex had no idea if her stalker would go after those she loved in an effort to get to her.
“No, I have to get it. It could be important.” He grimaced and shrugged. He picked up the phone and looked at the ID. “It’s the Chief.”
She sighed. “I’ll go see what catches my eye to eat tonight since we might not get back to this.”
“We’ll finish this, just maybe not until much later.” He let his eyes linger on her as she walked out of the room. Her hips swayed back and forth with each step. He did love her ass.
Chapter Six
Chelsea slipped on her work shirt. She strolled over to the stool at the dark gray bathroom counter to put on some foundation with sunscreen in it. She really liked the master bath in Alex’s house, especially the large tub with its massage jets. She could spend hours in there. The deep plum color on the walls in here wasn’t what she expected from Alex, but perhaps it had been done by the previous owners.
She shook her head and focused. She had to get ready. As an Aelfir, she wasn’t susceptible to diseases like skin cancer, but she could and did burn at times. She’d slather her arms with sunscreen when she got to work. Since she worked outside a lot of the time, she didn’t go overboard with the cosmetics. Today, she applied foundation, lip balm and she was ready to go.
> She finished dressing, grabbed her bag and headed for the living room. Alex probably had something to eat waiting for her. The man was so thoughtful at times that it brought tears to her eyes.
As she made her way up the hall, the low murmur of Alex’s voice drew her toward the living room. Since she heard only his voice, he must be talking to someone on the phone. At first, she caught the distinctive rumble, but couldn’t make out any words. His voice became clearer with each step.
“No, she’s staying with me. Regardless of what happens or where we are, she’s with me and I’m with her.” Alex’s voice carried to her. The emotion roughened his voice. The harsh tone showed his anger at whoever was on the other end of the phone.
That was sweet. She smiled. She liked the possessiveness and knowing he wanted to be with her.
“Of course, I’m staying close to her. It’s probably the way we’ll catch this bastard. He ramped up his behavior when I started dating her. Now that she’s in my home, I’d bet it gets worse,” Alex said.
Chelsea froze and her stomach clenched. Had he continued dating her to catch her stalker? Or had he moved her in with him to catch the stalker? Both options were bad.
Her hands clenched at her side and she stalked forward. She wasn’t a responsibility for him. She might need protection, but it didn’t have to be him.
Alex stood near the end of the couch when she stomped into the room. He turned and the smile of welcome froze on his face. He straightened slowly. Ah, he realized something was wrong. Good for him.
“I’ve got to let you go. Apparently, something’s wrong.” Alex stared at her while he ended the call.
“If that’s Chief Stark, you can fucking call him back. He can either assign a man to stay with me or my family can arrange for a body guard.” Chelsea put her hands on her hips and took a deep breath. She fought to stop herself from yelling at him.
“It wasn’t Chief Stark. I wouldn’t have to explain any of what I said to him. He knows how I feel about you. An old friend of mine from the Hunters called. He’s thinking about moving up this way and had learned about the trouble in town.” Alex’s eyes ran over her. He eased around the couch.
She narrowed her eyes and folded her arms across her chest. “And what is it that you feel? From what I heard, you didn’t want me to move in here because it’s the next step in our relationship. Did you continue our relationship to catch the stalker?”
He shook his head. “When I first learned of the stalker, we didn’t know he’d get this bad. He could have faded away when you didn’t give him any reaction and continued your life as if he didn’t exist.”
She worried her lower lip with her teeth, unsure of what she believed. She knew what she heard, but she also knew how he’d acted with her before. No one could fake the intensity and hunger she’d felt from him.
“You didn’t answer me though. What do you feel?” She clenched her jaw to prevent herself from softening. In truth, she wanted to believe that he was here because he wanted to be with her, not some overly developed sense of duty.
“What do I feel?” He stalked forward and put his hands on her shoulder. “My hunger for you grows every time I see you. I want you with me every possible moment. I want to make love with you, but most of the time I’d be happy just to see you smile. Most of all though, I feel like ripping apart anyone who tries to come between us or harm you.”
“That’s not what it seemed like when you were talking on the phone. It sounded as if I was a duty you’d taken up and would be more than happy to step away from when the danger passed.” She stared into his eyes, searching for some indication of how he felt.
“Baby, you missed out on the important part of the conversation.” One of his palms cupped her cheek.
“What was the most important part?” She blinked at him, but leaned into the pressure of his hand.
“That I’ve found what I didn’t even know was missing with you. A connection and acceptance. I may have come to Alden Glen thinking of settling down, but I never thought beyond the most superficial parts of that, perhaps finding a woman to begin a family with.” Alex wrapped an arm around her.
Her throat tightened. Emotional tears threatened to escape. She fought to find something to say. “Did you just resign? You never said how long you’d been out of the Hunters.”
“Only a month before I arrived here.” He leaned close to her. His next words were low. “On top of all that, do you think that I’d leave your protection in just anyone’s hands? I can protect you no matter what comes at you.”
He hadn’t mentioned his time as a Hunter, but that had to be what he meant. He had the skills to fight the person coming after her.
How long would it be before he became comfortable enough with her to talk about that without hesitation or vague references? She had no problem with his past, but maybe he had a tough time believing it.
His arm tightened around her, almost as if afraid that she’d try to jerk away from him. She could have assured him that wouldn’t happen. His words comforted her almost as much as his anxiety about her reaction. It mattered to him.
Now that some of the initial emotion had died down, she realized that if he’d wanted to watch over her, he would have said something. Perhaps not at first if he thought she wouldn’t go along with it, but he wouldn’t lie about it when confronted. Embarrassment washed through her. Her cheeks heated as the flush spread over her face.
She swallowed hard, but she had to explain why she thought that way. “I heard you say you were staying close to me. That it’s the way we’ll catch the stalker. I’m sorry. I jumped to conclusions.”
“If you didn’t have a stalker and were still being standoffish about our relationship, I would still try to get you to move in here. I want you with me.” He hugged her tight.
She laughed a little. She could see that happening. He wanted her with him. The declaration wasn’t I love you. Then again, she wasn’t quite ready to blurt that out herself. She couldn’t fault him for that.
Her emotions for him ran deep and strong. If it wasn’t love now, it would be soon. She couldn’t deny that the intensity grew almost every day. She would admit her feelings to him, but not until they stopped the stalker.
“We’ll have to grab your breakfast. You can eat it on the way. You’re going to be late.” Alex released her, but dropped a kiss on the top of her head.
She glanced at the clock in the room. He was right. Damn, they didn’t have time to make up. She had so looked forward to making her mistake up to him in the most pleasurable ways.
She reached out when he stepped back from her. “Later, we’ll talk some more. Perhaps I can find a way to make amends for the mistake I made.”
“There’s no need for it, but if you think it’s necessary, I’m sure we can find something enjoyable for both of us.” His eyes heated and ran down her body.
Her nipples tightened at that searing look. Thankfully, the bra and work shirt she wore should hide the hardened tips. She had to get her mind on something else. It would be a long day if her mind locked on jumping his delicious body.
Chapter Seven
Chelsea walked down the hallway of Ash Floral Supply’s main offices. The week after the incident with the delivery van, she’d been pulled out of the field. It surprised her that it had taken that long.
The creamy yellow walls were trimmed with blue and gave a cheerful atmosphere to the boring office setting. She hated being stuck here. The walls around her trapped and stifled her, keeping her away from the sun and anything growing.
She needed to be outside caring for plants. That wouldn’t happen until the stalker was caught. Her family, her mother and father in particular, weren’t budging on the matter.
She could do a little work in the product development greenhouse which attached to the main office building. It wasn’t enough though. The desire to feel the sun beating down on her or take a walk through the fields thrummed through her.
Thank God, the work day was a
lmost finished. She hadn’t watched the clock or prayed for Friday since her first months at on the job. They’d tried her out in various positions in the company to find a balance between her talents and the work that needed to be done.
Although she did paperwork in her normal position, she relished being outside and interacting with the plants. Her normal job she enjoyed. This drudge, though, she couldn’t wait for work hours to finish.
She paced into the office she’d been given. Her shoulders ached from tension that had been building all day. She used almost any excuse to wander down to the break room or simply amble down the hall. The small windowless room which was her office didn’t help. She couldn’t even feel the sunshine on her skin. It was driving her crazy.
They’d given her an interior office for safety reasons. Alex didn’t want to risk either external access to her or for the person to be able to hurt her from outside if things went that far. He demanded she work in an area with cameras on the hall.
Chelsea knew the stalker hoped she’d back away from Alex or that Alex would distance himself from the danger. Not going to happen either way. She was more concerned for Alex. He might be more in danger than her. If the stalker wanted Alex out of her life, he could try to kill Alex. Not that it would
What would she do if Alex was hurt because of her? She wouldn’t stand by and watch it happen. She’d rather disappear than put him in danger.
Joy, Chelsea’s sister opened her office door. She stood in the doorway, leaning a shoulder against the frame.
“Just got a call, sis. Alex will be here in about ten.”
“Great! I’ll get ready to leave.” She spun on her heel and almost skipped to the desk.
“He’ll come in for you so no running out to meet him this time.” Joy shook her finger at Chelsea.
Chelsea bit her lip to hide her grin. Alex had not been happy about that. He’d lectured her all the way home about how someone could have swept in, jerked her into a van, and sped off with her before he could have stopped them.
Tangled Bliss Page 4
