Daddy, Unexpectedly

“This is break-and-enter.” Maybe a pat down would teach Mr. High-and-Mighty to think twice before stalking his ex-wife and breaking into her apartment. Still, some of his tension eased, knowing the intruder wasn’t one of the subjects they had under surveillance.

“Luke. Let him go.” Claire appeared in the bedroom doorway, and then light flooded the hallway. She had pulled on a dressing gown and folded her arms across the front to keep it closed.

Luke lowered his weapon and reluctantly backed off.

Donald swung away from him, flexing his arm. “How can I break and enter a place if I own it?”

“By not living in it,” Luke said. Did this jerk really believe he could come and go from here, from Claire’s home, anytime he pleased?

“I thought you were out.” Donald spoke to Claire as though Luke wasn’t in the room.

Luke took a step toward him. “I don’t believe you. You were sitting in your car out front when we got home. You came up here to find out what we were doing.”

Donald eyed Luke’s bare chest and unbuttoned jeans, then flicked his gaze at Claire. “It’s a free country. I can sit anywhere I want, anytime I want.”

“A free country?” What was this guy? Twelve? “Stalking is against the law. Maybe you’d like to take a trip down to the station and find out how goddamned free you’ll be then.”

“Luke. I’ll handle this.”

This no-nonsense Claire was new to him, and he liked her. Liked her a lot. He stood his ground, though, arms loose by his sides, ready to move if Donald decided to stay stupid.

“And you,” she said, turning on the ex. “You have no business being here, and you need to leave. Now.”

“But what about...”

“There are no buts, Donald. I have nothing to say to you. I told you I’ll call my lawyer. My lawyer will call your lawyer. Now get out.”

Luke had to hand it to her. A lot of women would have fallen apart under the circumstances, but not Claire. Her demeanor was calm and collected, her voice firm, even a bit forceful. She wasn’t backing down, and she wasn’t taking no for an answer. Still, he slowly reached around his back to where he’d stashed his gun. The action wasn’t lost on Donald, who held up both hands, palms out, and stepped away.

“Okay, okay. I’m going, but this isn’t over,” he said, backing toward the door, apparently not ballsy enough to turn his back on them. Good call.

“I want this place on the market, Claire. Soon. And I want that book back.”

“Out!” Claire’s voice was a little sharper.

Donald opened the door, but he didn’t leave. “You really a cop?” he asked.

“Yeah, I am.”

“You got a badge?”

“It’s in my jacket, in the bedroom.” You want a pissing contest? Bring it on, buddy. “Tell you what. You want me to produce my badge, I get to read you your rights.”

“That’s bullshit.” Now that Donald was out of the apartment, he seemed a little less intimidated and a lot more full of himself.

Luke dealt with guys like this all the time. Arrogant, never willing to acknowledge they were in the wrong, always wanting the last word. Short of locking them up, there was only one way to handle them. He shut the door in Donald’s face and flipped the dead bolt home with a sharp click. Not that a dead bolt could keep out someone with keys, but Luke was reasonably confident the guy wasn’t dumb enough to come back.

“You okay?” he asked, turning to face Claire.

Her bottom lip quivered a little and she shook her head.

“Come here.” He drew her into his arms and held her, happy to offer comfort but feeling like an ass because now he was mostly ticked that Donald’s appearance had blown his chances with her. Her breath was warm against his shoulder, her hair soft beneath his hand as he stroked the back of her head.

After a minute or two her body relaxed and she slipped her arms around his waist, letting the robe fall open as she did. He didn’t need to look down to know that before she’d put on the robe, she’d shed the bra he’d unfastened earlier.

He hooked her chin with a finger and tipped her face up, needing to get a read on what she wanted from him. He didn’t like what he saw.

“I’m so sorry,” she said. “He’s never done anything like this before.”

Luke wasn’t so sure. Stalkers usually worked their way up to the kind of brazen behavior they’d seen tonight. If he had to guess, he’d say Donald had been at this for a while.

“You’re sure he’s never been in here? Maybe when you’re not home?”

Her eyes filled with concern. “I...I don’t know. I just assumed he wouldn’t. None of his things are here.”

You’re here. While Donald figured there was nothing wrong with hooking up with a new woman, he clearly had an issue with Claire moving on. Probably best not to upset her with that just now.

“I think you should change the lock.” He was kind of surprised she hadn’t already done that, but she had always wanted to believe the best in people.

“I’ll call a locksmith first thing in the morning. Otherwise I’ll never get any sleep.”

“Speaking of sleep, it’s getting late.” He brushed her hair back and lightly kissed her forehead. “You should get some rest. If it’ll help, I’ll spend the night on the sofa.”

“I’d like you to stay,” she said, demonstrating that need by sliding her hands over his hips and angling herself against him. “But not out here.”

For the second time that evening, she laced her fingers with his and led him into the bedroom. Oh, yeah. He really was a lucky devil. If anyone interrupted them this time, he just might shoot first and ask questions later.

Chapter Four

Claire eased out of a deep sleep, Luke’s warm breath on the back of her neck slowly seeping into her consciousness, his body curved snugly behind hers. Early-morning light crept past the edges of the drapes, but according to the clock radio on the nightstand, she had only slept for a couple of hours. It had been a sound sleep, though. The security of having him stay the night, mixed with an exhilarating series of rapid-fire orgasms, had seen to that.

This might never happen again, she reminded herself. And that was okay.

Luke had kept her mind off of Donald’s intrusion. Her ex could be annoying, demanding even, but she had never been afraid of him. This morning she didn’t know what to think. What had possessed him to let himself in? What would he have done if she hadn’t been here? Better question...what would he have done if she had been here alone? Luke was convinced that Donald had been sitting out front, watching them when they came home from dinner. If so, he knew she was here with another man, and yet he used his key to come in. Why would he do that? Why would he care?

She had been stalling over selling the condo, partly because she hated being rushed into making decisions, but mostly because calling the shots gave her some control over this situation. She could admit that, at least to herself. Now the idea of living here alone, even with the lock changed, creeped her out.

She needed to make a decision and she needed to make it soon, but right now she had better things to do. She was wrapped in Luke’s arms, safe and satisfied, and if she didn’t wake him, she could lie here a little—maybe a lot—longer.

“You awake?” he asked.

“I am. I thought you were asleep, though.”

He nipped her earlobe. “I was faking it.”

“You were very convincing.”

She shifted onto her back so she could see him, pulling on the sheet to keep her body covered. For a little while last night she’d been a different person, or at least the way Luke had looked at her in the dim light had made her feel different. Instead of being awkward, overweight Claire, she’d been bold, even a little sexy, and she had done things with him she’d never dreamed of doing with any other man, ever. Not that there’d been many.