[B.S. #3] Claiming Laura (3 page)

Clay could see Laura recoil at the suggestion. She looked no more a partier than he was.

“I think I’ll have to take a rain check. If Laura wants to go that’s OK. Otherwise I’ll escort her home.” Clay wanted to give Laura an out.

Laura felt concerned for her friends. She didn’t want them going off with strange men. She knew they probably all had a few too many, with the way they were putting them back in the limo on the ride here. She didn’t know how many they had had since they arrived here. “Where are you going? Do you know any of these guys?”

Cathy spoke up, patting the arm of the guy she was holding onto. “This is Jeffery. We work together in IT and I have known him for years. We are going to his sister’s place. We’ll be fine.”

“What about you? We don’t want to desert you on your birthday. Come with us,” Cathy said.

Laura had never been a partier, even ten years ago, before she had to stay in the shadows. While she wished her friends well, she could not see taking another chance and going to a party. She had pushed her luck enough just coming to this bar. “You all go ahead. I will find my way home. I had a great time, but I think I’ll call it a night.”

Jeffery, Cathy’s friend spoke up. “Cathy said that you had all taken a limo here. Why don’t you take it home? The girls will be coming with us and we’ll bring them home later.”

“That a great idea,” Laura said in what she hoped was an uplifting tone of voice. She hated getting dumped by her friends. After all, it was their idea to come here in the first place. Laura picked up her glass and took another sip for her dry throat. She was starting to feel nervous being left alone at a place on the outskirts of town that she knew nothing about.

Jane seemed to tune in on Laura’s feelings. “Hey, guys, we just can’t leave Laura. I’ll stay with her.” Jane flopped down on the bench across from them.

Clay was glad that one of her friends didn’t want to desert her. But he also wanted Laura to himself. Clay didn’t like using the leverage of his firm’s name, but reasoned that maybe this was the only way he was going to get Laura alone.

Clay stood up and pulled out more business cards from his pocket and handed them to her friends. “My name is Clay Taylor. I’m a partner in Braden Security. Maybe you heard of us. I will see that Laura gets home safely. You don’t have to worry.” Clay sat back down and took Laura’s hand in his.

Jane, Cathy, and Sela looked at Clay’s card. “I’ve heard of your firm. Don’t you do a lot of security for a lot of big names?”

“Yes, we do.” Clay was glad that they recognized his firm. With Laura’s friends giving him the OK, she might not feel too nervous about being left with him.

Jane jumped up from her seat. “Laura, you’re safe with Clay. He’s probably better company than we would be, and he looks like he could handle anyone that would bother you. So are we good?”

Laura looked at her friends. What could she say? Laura pasted a smile on her face. “Sure,” she said, glancing at Clay. “I’m fine. Have a great time tonight and call me tomorrow with the details.”

Clay watched Laura closely and could tell the moment that the smile left her face as her friends turned and left. Laura was not OK with being left.

Laura was looking down at her drink, not saying anything. Clay felt so sorry for her. Wanting to cheer her up, he touched her cheek then gently gripped her chin and turned her face up to his.

“Is it so bad being left alone with me? I’m glad it’s just the two of us. Why don’t we get out of here and let me buy you a coffee?”

“You don’t have to do that. The limo is just outside. I think I’ll just go home.” Laura moved her chin out of his hand and started to gather her purse to leave.

“Laura, can I be blunt with you?” At her nod, Clay continued. “I really don’t want the evening to end. I’m very attracted to you and would like to spend some more time with you.” Clay knew he was putting himself out there and was ready for rejection. Laura seemed like the no-nonsense type, so charming her, he knew, wouldn’t work.

Laura had a hard time believing Clay’s words. But then she remembered her musing back at the house before she came out with her friends. How it had been ten years already, with five of those years safety living in Detroit. She hoped the worse was over. She knew if she wanted more out of life, she had to take a chance and start letting people in.

Clay seemed the perfect man to take a chance with. She reasoned that if she ever felt safe enough to tell him her past, he would probably understand, being in the line of work he was in. She only had herself to blame if she let this man escape.

Putting a smile, a sincere one this time, on her face, she shyly looked back at Clay. “OK.”

Clay, who had been watching her make up her mind, let out a sigh. Getting up from the table, he reached back for her hand and helped her to her feet.

Chapter Two

Walking out of the bar together, they made their way to the limo parked at the front of the parking lot.

“How would you like to do this? I have my truck here. Should I follow you to a coffee shop?” Clay wanted her to feel safe. He wanted her to have options, praying she wouldn’t back out.

Laura turned and looked up at Clay’s. He really was a great guy. They didn’t come along all very often. He had treated her like a lady and
had kept his attention solely on her. She knew she had to take the leap.

“I’ll take the limo home. Why don’t you follow and I’ll make you coffee at home. Coffee only, that’s what I’m offering.” Laura looked shyly up at Clay. She didn’t want him to get the wrong idea about her.

Clay couldn’t believe his good luck. “That would be great and I understand that it’s just coffee. Why don’t you give me your address, in case I lose the limo in traffic?”

Laura rattled off her address then got in the limo, giving Clay another shy glance back. Clay made sure she was buckled up and closed her door. He gave the driver a glare and told him to drive safely.

Clay sped to his truck in the parking lot. He would follow the limo partway. Then he was taking a detour. He had to be fast. He didn’t want Laura to be alone too long and have time to rethink her offer of coffee.

Stopping at a twenty-four-hour grocery store, Clay strode in and bought a birthday cake and some flowers. They weren’t the quality that he wanted, but at such short notice they would have to do.

Clay arrived at Laura’s place just in time to see the limo leaving her driveway and Laura at the front door opening it. She looked up when his truck changed places with the limo.

Clay hopped out of his truck and joined her on her porch. Laura took in the flowers and box in Clay’s hand and raised her eyebrow at him. “What did you do?”

Clay looked a little embarrassed but handed Laura the flowers. “I overhead your friends say that it was your birthday, and I wanted to get you something. Just some flowers and a cake that we can have with the coffee.”

Laura was flabbergasted. She had just met this man and he was already buying her flowers. Looking at Clay as he held out the flowers to her, she really looked him up and down. What a thoughtful man. Turning, she opened her door and led him into the living room of her home. Taking the flowers from Clay, she told him to have a seat and she went into the kitchen to make coffee. This also gave her time to pull herself together. She had a man in her house, a great big beautiful man.

Clay looked around her small living room. It was as neat as a pin, with nothing out of place. The colours were muted grays and browns. A few pictures were scattered on top of the mantelpiece.

Clay strode over to look at the pictures, trying to get a fix on the lovely lady in the kitchen.
He could tell
that she led a very orderly life and loved her friends as he took in the faces smiling back at him from the frames. He would give them the benefit of a doubt as he really didn’t know them at all, but he didn’t like them leaving her alone at the bar. It was to his benefit, but it was also a dangerous thing for them to do.

Getting antsy at all the time Laura was staying in the kitchen, Clay sat down on the sofa. Was she having second thoughts about letting him in her house? He hoped not. Everything he knew about her so far just whetted his appetite.

Laura gathered the coffee cups and carafe on a tray and wiped her sweaty hands down her skirt. She couldn’t hide in the kitchen any longer. Taking her courage in hand, she walked out to join Clay and put the tray on the coffee table in front of the sofa.

Taking a chair across from Clay, Laura just sat down then jumped up again. “I forgot the cake. Be back in a minute.” Laura rushed into the kitchen with a red face. Opening the cabinet, she gathered plates and silverware. Laura could feel the heat in cheeks. He would think she was some scatterbrained idiot. She was acting like a sixteen-year-old with a first date.

Laura shrieked and jumped as she felt hands creep around her waist. She hadn’t heard Clay come into the kitchen behind her.

Clay held Laura tightly around the waist as she jumped and almost dropped the plates on the floor.

Clay felt like a fool. He’d thought Laura had heard him. In an even voice, Clay said, “It’s just me. I came in to help. Sorry for startling you.”

Laura put the plates down on the counter before her and turned in Clay’s arms. After her initial fright, she now felt her senses come alive. Laura could feel his body surrounding her with warmth and it made her feel safe, if a little uneasy. She hadn’t had this much bodily contact in a long time. She had forgotten how good it felt just to be held.

Putting her hands up, she clasped Clay around his neck and looked up at him. “It’s OK. I just don’t like people creeping up behind me,” she said in an almost inaudible tone.

Clay heard and let her go.
She’d sounded timid, like a little mouse
Clay knew there was probably a story behind that remark, but tonight was not the night to question her.

Pretending nothing was wrong, Laura picked the plates and silverware up again and walked into the living room.

Clay stood for a minute watching her disappear back into the living room. Spotting the cake on the table that Laura forgot again, he picked it up and followed her.

Clay found a flushed Laura sitting in her chair and just about to get up again. “I forgot the cake. Be right back.”

“I’ve got it. Why don’t you pour the coffee and I’ll take care of the cake?”
God, she’s jumpy
. He had to find a way to put her at ease. Otherwise he knew he would shortly be on the other side of the front door. Clay was not going to let that happen. Not when it had been so long that a woman had held any more than a passing interest for him.

Clay sat down on the sofa and opened the cake box and cut a piece for each of them. Laura didn’t look at him as she poured the coffee.

Taking the coffee from Laura, he tried to get her attention, which was now on her hands in her lap holding her coffee cup.

“Happy birthday, Laura. Did you make a wish earlier on your candles?”

Laura looked up. She was still a little red in the face but smiled at his sentiments. “Thanks for the birthday cake, but I’m too old to make wishes on a candle now. After all at this time in my life, I have realized that wishes don’t come true anyway.”

Clay didn’t know if it was her birthday or something else that was making her sad. Wanting to cheer her back up, he put his cup down on the coffee table, pulled his lighter out of his pocket, and lit it. Getting on his knees before her chair, he held it up to her and asked her to make a wish and blow out the flame.

Laura’s smile brightened. “Thanks but that’s silly. We’re too old for this kind of thing.”

“Please humor me. I don’t think I’m too old to still have wishes and I know you’re younger than me. So just this once, do it for me. Make a wish.”

Looking into Clay’s serious eyes as he held his lit lighter, she closed her eyes and made a wish.
God, can I keep this man?
It had been so long since a man had treated her with any respect to her wishes.

Opening her eyes, she blew out the flame. As soon as she leaned forward and the flame was out, Clay leaned down and took her rosy lips. The kiss started out soft and gentle, as if he was scared now to startle her. But with his first taste of her, Clay lost his cool and deepened the kiss, rubbing his tongue over her bottom lip until she opened and took him in. God, she tasted so good. Clay was sure he had never had a kiss that came close to this moment before. Pulling back from her lips, Clay gave her a small kiss on each cheek. His arms that had crept around her as he had deepened the kiss released her and he sat back on his heels.

When she opened her eyes Clay could see the glow in her bright green eyes, as she touched her lips and smiled “thank you for the birthday wish.”

“No, thank you for making my wish come true. I’ve wanted to kiss you since I spotted you in the bar.” Clay got up off his knees and resumed his seat on the sofa.

He didn’t know if Laura believed him or not, she distracted him from looking too close by handing him his piece of cake.

Clay found out that evening that Laura, when she was calm and he wasn’t scaring her to death, was a great conversationalist. She told him about her job—she worked at an accountant’s office downtown. She loved reading, walks, and pets, even though she didn’t have any at the moment.

As Clay listened to her talking about her life, he realized that he had probably heard this type of get-to-know-you stuff a hundred times before. But with Laura telling it, it seemed so refreshing and different to Clay. Everything she told him, he was interested in knowing more about. This lady just fascinated him and touched something inside of him, and he couldn’t wait to explore more of her.

Turning the conversation around to Clay, Laura asked him about his tattoos, especially the large one on his left shoulder.

Clay looked down at the tattoo. “I try to live by this motto. The design stands for ‘Strength, Faith, and Honor.’ After our unit was discharged from the army, I needed something to remind me that I wasn’t the man they were talking about. We were sent home with our tails between our legs, if not for our own self-worth, we probably would have floundered. Braden Security was born out of our need to prove everyone wrong. We used our skills and rebuilt our reputation and lives around it.”