Her Loyal Seal(41)
He heard her coming down the hall. He kept poking through her files. When he looked up she was wearing the blanket from their bed like a little child.
“If you let me sit on your lap, I’ll show you the really good stuff.”
“Jesus Lydia, I don’t know if my heart can stand the good stuff. Do you realize what you have on your computer? Do you realize the systems you’ve hacked into? The type of information you’re privy to?”
“I bet you don’t have it all figured out. You should let me sit on your lap.” She scared him. He patted his lap and she snuggled against him. Her fingers fairly flew across the keyboard. He realized he missed some of her accounts.
“Thought you were all that and a bag of chips, did you?” She smirked at him.
Clint watched as she brought up an e-mail account she had from inside the Federal Ministerial Police Force. She set herself up as a contractor, and it allowed her to have an account with an address that mirrored all FMP employees. As a result she could interact with them and get information they would not give to outsiders.
“Are you shitting me?” She kissed the bottom of his chin.
“I told you I was good.”
“You’re fucking amazing.”
“So you don’t hate me now? I’ve crossed some lines.”
He took the computer out of her hands and put it on the coffee table.
“I admire the hell out of you, and I’ve never been so turned on in my life.”
She got off his lap and let the blanket drop. She was naked. He damn near swallowed his tongue.
“In that case, let’s go to bed and not sleep.”
****
Rain started in Florida the same way it did in Mexico, all at once. There was no little raindrops to warn you the torrent was going to begin, the heavens just suddenly opened up. She was pressed against Clint’s warm back, she felt his deep even breathing and realized he was still asleep. She eased away from him.
Lydia grabbed Clint’s shirt to wear instead of her sleep shirt. She went to one of the other bedrooms and grabbed the comforter off the bed and laughed. Comforter. She’d never really thought about the word before, but they sure did comfort her. She wrapped it around her like she’d been doing since childhood, and went downstairs. Before she turned on any lights she could see it was a hell of downpour.
Walking into the kitchen she scrounged the back of a cupboard until she found the hot chocolate mix. She fixed herself a mug and then went to the large window overlooking the backyard. She sat cross legged in front of it and stared out, sipping her cocoa. She didn’t hear Clint. She never did, he was as silent as a SEAL, but she felt him crouch down behind her.
“Are you okay?”
“The rain brings back a lot of memories, you know?” She opened her arms. “Wanna share my blanket and hot chocolate?”
“I’d love to.”
He snuggled in beside her, and they sat there in the dark watching the rain and she leaned closer to him as the first boom of thunder sounded.
“I had nightmares for the first month after we left the jungle, every time it rained.”
“I had nightmares no matter what,” she said.
“Did you have one tonight?”
“God no.” Lydia gave him a warm smile and set the chocolate on the window sill. “How could I have a nightmare being in bed with you?”
“Lydia, that’s a beautiful sentiment, but you don’t have to always be strong for me, I’m not your family. I want you to know you can lean on me.”
She straddled him so they were face to face. He immediately wrapped the blanket around her so she wasn’t cold.
“Now you listen here, Clint Archer.” Her voice was soft and fierce, her eyes warm and loving. “There are very few things I take for granted. The sun will come up in the morning. I will eventually eat any ice cream put in front of me. I can always depend and lean on Clint Archer.”
“Yes, but will you, is the question. Or will you just put on the same game face you do for everyone else?” His big warm hands coasted up and down her back, and it felt so good.
“Clint, I’ve never trusted someone like I trust you. I trust you with my real feelings. I trust you can handle the real me. What finally convinced me was when you could put up with me the night we went shopping.”
He huffed out a laugh. “Score one for me and American Express.”
“You goof. I’m serious. I was pretty sure you could handle me, warts and all. So that’s my long way of saying. I wasn’t lying, I really don’t have nightmares when I’m sleeping with you. I really will lean on you.”
“It goes both ways. I trust you too. I will lean on you.” He brought a hand up to caress her cheek, it trembled. “I love you Lydia Rose Hidalgo.” The world stopped spinning. She looked into eyes bright green and shining with love.