by Lea Hart
He watched her hand lift an inch off the bed and move. “Good enough.” He let his head fall back on the pillow and closed his eyes. “Best damn morning of my life,” he muttered before falling asleep.
***
Claire placed the jar of homemade pickles on the kitchen table and nodded. Seemed she hadn’t forgotten anything. Checking the wall clock, she realized that Andi should be here any minute. Hearing the doorbell ring, she turned quickly and felt a twinge in her legs. She’d been experiencing all kinds of them from the moment she woke up with Brady’s very skillful fingers buried deep inside her body.
Shivering, she walked slowly toward the front of her small house. Not only had the man taught her what it felt like to be sent to the moon, he taught her what tenderness felt like. Opening the door, she greeted her best friend. “Hey, girl.”
Andi pressed her hand to her heart and let out a snort of laughter. “You have been loved good and hard, my sweet friend.”
Stepping back, Claire raised her hand to her face. “How can you tell?”
Andi kissed her cheek and laughed. “As a medical professional, let me give you a list. Beard burn on your cheeks and, I imagine, many other places. The trail of hickeys along your neck. Dilated pupils, which suggest you were just remembering something particularly dirty and delicious.” Lifting Claire’s chin, she gave her a grave look. “The thing that really tipped me off, though, is that ridiculously happy smile on your face.”
“He got me good,” Claire mumbled as she took her friend’s hand and led her into the kitchen. Sweeping her hand over the table, she smiled. “I made all of our favorites: tomato salad, homemade pickles, and egg salad sandwiches.”
Andi swung their hands back and forth and laughed. “Perfect.”
“Oh, I forgot the barbecue chips.”
“Can’t forget those.” Andi sat down and waited. “So?”
Claire sat down across from her friend and smiled. “I may have seen the face of God.” Lifting a chip, she ate quickly. “I definitely saw a bunch of new colors that I had no idea existed and if I didn’t have a job and responsibilities, I might just want to stay in bed with him for…a real long time.”
“Damn, girl, that good?”
“Yeah. I even told him about how I became me and my lack of experience. I was as honest with him as I am with you and you know what he did?”
“What?” Andi asked breathlessly.
“He picked me up, held me close, and made love to my mind and body. There isn’t a part of me that the man didn’t touch. Inside and out.”
“So, this wasn’t just some romp. This was the real deal?”
“As real as it gets. If I’m not careful, he’ll have my heart in his hands and I will be praying he doesn’t crush it.” Leaning back, she picked at the crust of the bread on her sandwich. “I don’t know what to do with my heart and feelings. I’m scared out of my mind.”
“It’s okay not to know how to handle your own heart. Something that fits into one hand is the most powerful organ in the body. It roars, shifts, and changes directions and can shatter in a moment when someone you love slips away. It can also grow ten times its size when someone comes along and fills it up. Maybe Brady knows how to protect and take care of it. He’s a warrior, so if you were going to give it to anyone, he might be a good choice.”
“Maybe he doesn’t want it,” she moaned.
“Possible, but the only way to find out is to give it to him. He doesn’t strike me as a casual guy. He seems more of an all-in, going-to-keep-you type.”
“This isn’t anything that I know how to do,” she replied.
“Doesn’t mean you can’t learn.” Andi picked up a sandwich and started eating.
Claire followed suit and thought about what her friend had said. It was completely right-on, of course. But knowing and doing were two very different things. And the doing had sometimes been the most challenging thing for Claire. But sitting on the sidelines and doing nothing about her happiness was no longer an option, so it seemed she was going to have to dig up some gumption and go all in with Brady. The doorbell rang and Claire stood. “I’m not expecting anyone.”
“Maybe it’s Brady.”
“I told him we could get together later because you and I had plans. I don’t know why he would come by this early.” The doorbell rang again and she huffed out a breath.
“Seems his definition of later and yours are two different things.”
“Maybe,” Claire replied before walking out of the kitchen. Looking through her front window, she saw Brady’s truck parked out front. “That man must have ants in his pants.”
Opening the door, she slid her hand onto her hip. “I have my friend over.”
He braced his arm against the door frame and leaned in with a wicked smile lighting up his face. “I know, darlin’.” He pressed their mouths together, then lifted her in his arms and carried her into the house. “I came by to get my honey-do list done.” He let her slide down his body, grabbed her behind, and gave it a firm squeeze before letting her get away. “God, I’m glad that ass is mine.”
Claire shuffled away and shook her head. “Don’t you have anything to do today?”
“I want to do you, but you’re busy with your friend, so I came over to get your car washed up, fill it with gas, and check the tires.”
“I can do all of that myself.”
He took her hand and led her back toward the kitchen. “I know that, but now that we’re together, I take care of those things.”
As they stepped into the kitchen, Andi snorted. “Couldn’t stay away, Brady?”
“Hey, Andi.” He pulled out Claire’s chair and waited until she sat down. “I’m here to get my chores done before supper. I’ve got to take care of the car and then run over and get a new hose for the garden. Claire had said the one she has isn’t long enough.”
Resting her hand on her face, she wondered if this was some sort of alternative reality that she’d slipped into. As of yesterday, she was a single woman and now it seemed she wasn’t. “Maybe it’s something you should have discussed with me,” she said to Brady as he sat down next to her.
“Honey, I didn’t know it was a thing to be discussed. I thought it was just assumed.”
Claire looked at her friend and raised her hands. “Any of this make sense to you?”
“I haven’t had a boyfriend in like four or five years. As far as I’m concerned, he’s speaking a foreign language.”
Brady gave them both a disapproving look as he pulled his phone out. “I’ll give Kane a call and tell him to come over and take care of your car. Then we can all have supper together.”
“Maybe you want to pick out my china pattern, too,” Andi responded.
“Nah, that’s not my wheelhouse.” Brady pushed a button and smiled at the women as he waited for Kane to answer.
“He looks sane, doesn’t he?” Claire asked her friend as she stood and grabbed a plate out of the cupboard. Setting it down in front of Brady, she put her hand to his forehead. “No fever.” She pulled out a glass, filled it with iced tea, and then handed it to Brady.
“Sometimes people break with reality and it’s not immediately evident,” Andi responded before she shoved some chips in her mouth.
Kane must’ve answered, because Brady spoke quickly, giving him Claire’s address and then a set of instructions. The whole thing took less than three minutes and before the girls knew what was happening, their evenings had been planned. “Kane is on his way over. He’s going to get your car ready for the week and he said something about going by and picking up some chicken to throw on the barbecue.”
Claire shook her head and started talking to herself as she put some food on Brady’s plate. “This little thing we’ve got going isn’t going to last into next week if you keep being high-handed.” As she shook some chips onto the plate, she heard Andi laughing. “I don’t know why you find this so entertaining. Kane is worming his way into your life and before you know it, he’s
going to have you so happy and satisfied that you’re not going to know which way is left and which way is right.”
Brady patted her hand and gave her a sympathetic smile. “Darlin’, we’ve hardly gotten started. I’d say by tomorrow, you may be confused about which way is up and which way is down.”
Crossing her arms, she raised an eyebrow. “I suggest you eat your lunch and get to the list you’ve made yourself. ’Cause talking isn’t getting you anywhere.”
“All right, dear.”
Andi lifted her glass and snorted. “Damn, he’s good.”
Claire pulled a pickle out of the jar and took a bite. “You have no idea.” When she saw a small smile start to lift Brady’s mouth, she frowned. “Don’t be so satisfied with yourself.”
He pointed his egg salad sandwich at her and grinned. “I’m not doing a thing except eating my lunch.”
Claire ignored him and looked at her friend. “Maybe we should get on Pinterest and see if we can find a good cocktail to make ’cause it seems that the men we’ve tangled ourselves up with are going to require it.”
Andi lifted her glass and clinked it against Claire’s. “Amen.”
Claire got up and went in search of her iPad. As she walked out of the room, she heard Brady ask Andi about her shift at the hospital. He was a good man and she had no idea why she was fussing at him for the kindness he was showing her. She’d been on her own, making her way, for well over ten years, and the fact that there was a man who wanted to do anything for her was a miracle. She would’ve been satisfied with all the pleasure he’d given her last night. But add taking care of her, and, well…she didn’t know what to do.
It was a strange new land and one she wasn’t totally comfortable in. She didn’t know the customs or the language, so she was afraid of making a mess of it. Which was the last thing she wanted to do. All that physical intimacy they’d had over the last twenty-four hours was leading to some emotional intimacy that she wasn’t sure she was ready for.
But ready or not, here he was. Sitting in her kitchen, making plans and settling himself in. The next step she made, the next move, was probably going to determine a lot of her future happiness. And that wasn’t anything she wanted to screw up.
She saw her iPad sitting on the table next to the couch and grabbed it. Before she walked back into the kitchen, she thought about spending time with Brady on that couch, and a big smile broke across her face. No doubt about it, the man made her happy and grabbing ahold of as much as she could seemed like a real good idea. She knew how fleeting it was and to ignore the big, beautiful man in her kitchen seemed like the most idiotic choice in the world. And she was definitely not an idiot.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Tuesday, August 1st
Brady sat at his desk, looking at the plans for a building that they had to do recon on at the end of the week. The company wanted their security protocol tested, so he was in charge of putting a plan together for the team. It was an old building built in the ’50s, which sometimes presented certain problems if they had to drop down from the roof. He wrote a couple of notes and then heard his name being called. Looking up, he saw Brock stride into the room. “What’s up, brother?”
“Not much. Just dropped Erin off with Hunter. She was over at the house working with Lilly on a project.”
“The project that’s going to land them in hot water?”
“No. In fact, Lilly swore to me that she wasn’t up to anything and had no pranks planned.”
“And you believe her?” Brady asked suspiciously.
“Yeah, I do. She’s too busy writing and fixing up the house to spend any time scheming.”
Brady leaned back and crossed his arms. “Claire said they were working on a blockbuster, which made me think she was yanking my chain.” Scraping his hand over his face, he sighed. “Truth is, I have no idea if she’s being honest or messing with me.”
“Women like to think they’re a mystery, so it’s best if we just go along with it and make them happy.”
“No going along on my part. Claire is a mystery and I don’t expect that I’m ever going to figure her out.”
“Got to learn her love language and then make sure you speak it every day.”
“What the hell is a love language?” Brady asked with exasperation.
“It’s the thing you do that makes your partner feel loved. Lilly has this book by a guy named Chapman and it’s all about giving your partner love in a way they recognize. Lilly and I have been figuring it out for the last four months and I’ve got to say it’s made our relationship stronger.” Brock ran his hand over his neck and grinned. “Ask Claire and then have her tell you what hers is. Once you two have that figured out, the rest will come along.”
Narrowing his eyes, he studied his brother. Brock had been completely transformed and Brady wasn’t sure what to make of it. His uptight, perfectionist brother was gone and had been replaced with a happy, easygoing man. Lilly Bertrand was responsible for the modern-day miracle standing before him and he wondered if Claire had similar powers.
Speaking of magic powers, he saw his sorceress walk into the room and light it up with her smile. He stood, walked over, and swept her up into his arms. “Hi.”
Resting her hands on his shoulders, she gave him a small smile. “Hey.”
“Give me a kiss,” he said as he leaned forward. All he got was a quick closed-mouth one. Which wasn’t what he had in mind. Not at all. When she wiggled to get free, he let her go and set her carefully on her feet. He heard his brother laugh and decided to ignore it.
Claire patted her hair down, ran her hand over her dress, and stepped away. “Behave and don’t be smooching me in the office.”
“You’re no fun,” he replied as he took her hand.
“That’s not what you said last night.”
The prim smile that followed the comment was damn entertaining. “You’re right.”
Brock went over to his desk and sat. “Brother, you would be wise to learn that there will not be a time in your life when Claire will not be right. Even if she isn’t…she still is.”
Claire walked over, lifted her hand, and high-fived Brock. “That’s what I’m talking about.” She looked over her shoulder at Brady and grinned. “Your brother has figured out the key to happiness.”
“True,” Brock responded.
“What’s true?” Kane asked as he walked in.
“The woman in your life is always right, even when she isn’t,” Brock said.
“Damn true,” Kane responded.
“Now that we have that settled, I need some help,” Claire said as she set her laptop on Brady’s desk. She opened an app and then stood back. “I’ve got Erin’s stalker idling in Houston and I was wondering where I should send him next. He has been dutifully following the trail that I’ve made. Now I’ve got him three hours away and I don’t know what the next step should be.”
Brady looked at the blinking dot on the map that lit Claire’s screen and considered the options. “How long has he been there?”
“This is his second day. The city is big enough that I can keep ‘Erin’ out of reach without him getting suspicious. At least, that’s what I’m hoping is happening.”
“So, it’s time to lay the trap here, and we can nail him,” Kane commented. “Going to need a couple of days to set it up and run through it before we’ll be ready.”
“I say keep him moving so he doesn’t have a chance to get antsy. How about sending him up to Shreveport and them maybe over to Mobile? If he’s driving, that could give us at least four days. We could be ready by Saturday,” Brock added.
“When he gets here, we have to put him into play right away. We can’t have him hanging around Lafayette and not take care of him once and for all,” Brady said as he sat in his chair.
“Okay, that sounds good,” Claire responded. “I’ll lure him up to Shreveport slowly, and make him drive, so you all have plenty of time to get your plan in place.”
“I�
��ll give Hunter a call and we can put something together,” Brock commented. “He and Erin are staying at Lilly’s condo, so they can be here quickly.”
“Let Damian know what’s going on so he can fly back in time,” Claire said as she closed her laptop.
“Let’s plan on all getting together in a couple of hours to come up with a TAC plan,” Kane said as he picked up his phone off his desk. “I have to meet a client out at the range and I should be done by one.”
“Works for me,” Brock responded.
“Me too,” Brady added.
“Thanks for the help,” Claire said before she walked out of the office.
Brady watched her go and ran his hand through his short hair. His girl was beautiful, smart, and funny, and he had no idea what he’d done to deserve someone like her in his life. She had a bravery that he found intoxicating because, despite the loss in her life, she’d kept living. Which he knew wasn’t always easy. His Claire was a lion-hearted girl and he was going to do everything he could to give her as much of the good stuff as he could.
***
Brady, Brock, Kane, and Hunter stood in Claire’s office and threw ideas around as they tried to come up with the best option for getting Alvin close enough to Erin to violate the restraining order, but not close enough to have her be in danger. Hunter had voted for taking her out of the country to keep her safe but had been vetoed by Erin and everyone else. Brady stood in front of Claire’s wall-mounted monitor and pointed to the campus of UL at Lafayette. “What about Cypress Lake?”
Hunter walked over and crossed his arms. “May not be a bad option. There are enough buildings around it, so we could have someone on overwatch. And you’d have to know the campus to get out of there in a short amount of time.”
“School doesn’t start until the third week of August,” Claire added. “So, there wouldn’t be that many people on campus. I can lead him there on the premise that she’s doing some location scouting for an unnamed project.”
