Her Loyal Seal(33)

Lydia and Clint watched him give a relieved look when the clerk came over to explain about agates and geodes to the boys.

“So what did you want to do before dinner?” Lydia was relaxing now in the warm Florida air. It didn’t hurt that Clint was holding her hand and looking at her like she hung the moon.

“I thought we might look around in there.” He nodded at a woman’s boutique coming up on the left. It looked fun and flirty, just the type of place she would normally shop if she was still home in Mexico City. But there she had a part time job at a computer store repairing old motherboards, so she could afford things not covered by her scholarship. Here in the United States she was broke.

“I think I just want to go back up to the room. I’m getting hungry.”

Clint looked around the walkway, and found an empty bench under a tree and pulled her over to it. Before she sat down, he brushed off the fallen leaves. She loved how considerate he was.

“Lydia, I’m more of the blunt type. I’m really not all that good at subterfuge. We have others on the team for that.” He wasn’t looking at her, he was looking at the hem of her dress. This couldn’t be good.

“Just tell me.”

“I called my sister, Jenny. Drake is out of town, and he’s the one I talk to when I need help understanding women. I mean women who matter.”

“Drake?” Lydia asked in an incredulous tone.

“Sure. He really understands women.”

“Drake Avery? The guy who’s even bigger than you who doesn’t know when to shut up? The one who’s constantly bossing Beth around in the jungle?” Clint was finally looking at her and he looked indignant.

“Yes, that Drake. Look, he says stupid shit, I get that. But he has three sisters. He loves them to distraction. He really understands the female mind.”

Lydia choked and gripped Clint’s bicep, she started laughing softly, and then it built until it was a full-fledged belly laugh.

“Hey.”

“You can’t really believe that Clint. Tell me you don’t really believe that. Please tell me you’re smarter than that.”

“He loves them.”

“I’m sure he does.” She dipped her head and let it drop onto his shoulder, feeling better than she had since they left their bed that morning. Then she stiffened and looked up at him.

“Wait just a damn minute. You’ve been reading me right, and we’ve been communicating fine for months. Clint, you’ve been the nerd-king to my dork-queen.”

“Until today. Today you lost your shit, and it wasn’t from being sick. I heard you in the bathroom. I heard how mad and sad you were and it scared the piss out of me.”

“So you wanted to call Drake, instead of talking to me, but had to settle for your sister?” Lydia tried to keep her tone calm and rational. She looked around to make sure no one could hear them, but everyone was oblivious to their conversation.

“Come here, Baby,” he opened his arms, and she gladly snuggled against him. He cupped her head and tucked it beneath his chin.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t do any of this to make you feel bad. I was trying to make you feel happy. I knew I needed some advice.”

Just listening to the beat of his heart helped her calm down and listen to his words. Finally he asked. “Is this a clothes thing? A money thing?”

She gulped. Tears once again stinging her eyes. She pressed her face harder against his neck. “So stupid. Someone tried to kill me. My father tried to kill himself. I don’t even know where my sister is. I’m such a spoiled brat. But I wanted to look pretty for you.” Oh God, here came the tears.

“Did you ever think it’s exactly because of those things that trying to get control of some little aspect of your life matters? Lydia, you haven’t been in charge of shit since they kidnapped you.” She absorbed his words and he was right.

“There’s two ways we can go about this.” He stroked his hand from the top of her head down to the curve of her waist, again and again. She softened against him, no longer caring who was watching.

“What are my choices?” She was hoping one of them included going back up to the room and skipping food. They had yet to make real love, and that’s what she wanted. Clint kept insisting she ‘rest’. And dammit considering how fast she fell asleep each night apparently he was right.

“What did you ask?” His breath tickled her ear.

“I asked what my choices were.”

“One, I give you my credit card and you go into the shop and buy whatever the hell your heart desires. Lucky for you I happen to have a very high limit with an excellent credit rating.” She giggled.