Chapter 13
CHAPTER
THIRTEEN
CLAY
I learned a lot of things in the Marines.
How to disarm an IED. Hostage Rescue. Advanced surveillance detection. How to negotiate with hostiles.
One thing I was not trained for?
How to install three additional security cameras around your own damn house while the beautiful woman living under your roof was outside wearing a turquoise bikini and playing with your daughter.
I tightened the last screw on the mounting bracket a little harder than necessary and it made that stupid sound that happened when you couldn’t push it any further.
“Did you strip that screw too?” Sloane's voice crackled through the earbuds I'd shoved in while we talked.
“No. Asshole.”
“Are you distracted?” he asked.
“No.” I lied.
Sloane laughed.
“Okay. Maybe.”
“I take it Monroe’s still in the pool with Kaleigh?”
Why did I even bother telling him that when I called to check in and get a progress report?
I carefully looked back to where Kaleigh was playfully splashing Monroe.
The turquoise bikini hugged every dangerous curve she'd been hiding beneath oversized T-shirts for weeks.
It wasn’t like it was revealing. It was more the fact that she looked so comfortable in it. In her own skin.
Sunlight caught the loose strands of strawberry-blonde hair she'd pulled into a messy ponytail.
She laughed at something Kaleigh said and for a second my brain stopped working.
What the fuck was wrong with me?
"...Clay?" Sloane repeated my name
"Huh?"
"I've been talking for thirty seconds."
"Sorry."
“I bet you are,” he chuckled.
“Call me when you’ve got something useful.” I tapped the earbud and disconnected the call.
“Daddy!” Kaleigh called out, waving me over toward the pool. "Come swim with us!"
“No can do kiddo. Not right now.”
She immediately stuck out her bottom lip and pouted. “But why not?”
"Because Daddy's working."
Monroe looked over. "Need any help?"
“No!” I damn near shouted, way too quickly. “I mean. Nah. I’ve got it, but thank you.”
Real smooth, Wilder.
“Ooookay.” Monroe shook her head and turned back to Kaleigh.
I headed in the house to grab a cold glass of water and to check the camera feeds without being distracted by the tiny little baby bump not hidden by Monroe’s bikini.
There was just one fucking problem when I pulled up the feed. Almost every camera I mounted faced exactly the wrong direction because I kept turning around every thirty seconds to make sure they were okay.
That's why I was looking.
Security. Protection.
Definitely not because Monroe Hayes looked like every fantasy I'd spent the last month trying very hard not to have.
Fuck.
Determined to install them correctly this time, I down my glass of water and wipe my face with a cool paper towel before heading back outside.
Monroe noticed the minute I took the second one down and started adjusting it.
“So, how many of those have you installed so far?”
“Four.”
“And how many of them are actually mounted so that they face the right direction?”
I glared at her. “Are you making fun of me?”
She shrugged her shoulders, amusement all over her face. “I was just wondering.”
“Three, okay?” Three out of four cameras were upside down or pointing in the complete opposite direction of where I needed them to be.
“I sure hope Sloane never sends you out to install cameras for clients,” she laughed.
“I know what I’m doing.” I grunted.
“Of course you do.” She giggled under her breath.
I couldn’t help but smile as I turned back to fixing the next camera.
I’d just finished up and was seriously contemplating getting in the pool with Kaleigh to cool off when I heard a splash and Monroe’s playful squeal.
When I looked, Monroe had her head back, laughing as Kaleigh did another cannon ball and soaked Monroe again.
Reality hit me like a ton of bricks. It was the first time I’d seen Monroe genuinely happy and carefree, in spite of it all.
The selfish part of me hoped that part of it was because she truly felt safe with me and in my home.
"Daddy!"
I dragged my eyes away from Monroe. “What, Kaleigh?”
"Marco!"
“No,” I chucked and shook my head.
"Marco!" she called out again.
“I am not playing Marco Polo.”
"Chicken!"
“Careful.” I pointed at her.
"Nope." She grinned. "You’re a chicken."
Monroe covered her mouth, trying and failing to hide her laughter.
I looked between the two of them.
One tiny menace. One grown woman who was encouraging the tiny menace.
I was outnumbered. Again.
"I swear this house gets less respectful every day."
Monroe gasped dramatically. "Respectful? You won't even get in the pool with us."
"Because somebody has to be the responsible one."
"Not it!" Kaleigh yelled immediately.
Monroe pointed at herself. "Also not it."
I shook my head.
Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable.
Yet somehow, standing there in my backyard listening to their laughter, I couldn't remember the last time the house had felt this alive.
Or the last time I'd wanted so badly to hold onto a moment.
"Daddy!"
I sighed. "What now?"
Kaleigh grinned. The exact same grin she got every time she was about to cause trouble. "I think Monwoah likes you."
I nearly dropped the screwdriver in my hand.
Monroe choked on air.
Kaleigh laughed so hard she slipped underwater.
I didn't even think.
One second I was standing beside the pool.
The next I was in it—fully clothed.
Not because Kaleigh was in any danger. The little fish popped back up at the exact same moment I hit the water, giggling like she'd just won the lottery.
"Oh!" she squealed. "Daddy's in!"
"So much for staying dry," Monroe laughed.
I shrugged, water dripping from my hair. "I was dry."
Kaleigh's eyes sparkled with pure mischief.
"Daddy Shark!" She squealed and took off across the pool before I could even pretend to argue.
"Oh, you're done for now." I lunged after her, sending a wave crashing toward Monroe in the process.
"Hey!" she laughed as the water splashed over her.
"Occupational hazard."
"Oh, is that right?" She scooped up a handful of water and threw it right back in my face.
That was a declaration of war.
I swam over to where she was sitting and tugged her the rest of the way in the pool.
Shit. That was a bad idea. As her wet body slid down mine, I could feel my cock spring to life.
If Monroe noticed, she was far too polite to react. Thankfully.
Instead she just laughed and tried to swim away from me.
Maverick raced laps around the edge of the pool, barking encouragement—or maybe criticism—every time one of us got splashed. Every few seconds he'd crouch like he was about to jump in and rescue someone, only to think better of it at the last second.
Coward.
Eventually Kaleigh talked us into that game of Marco Polo.
Then another. Then one more because, according to her, "Daddy cheated."
"I absolutely did not cheat."
"You peeked."
"I did not."
"You smiled funny."
"I don't even know what that means."
"It means I won."
Monroe laughed so hard she had to grab the side of the pool to keep from floating away.
Somehow, Kaleigh convinced us she was right. Again.
By the time we finally climbed out of the pool, Monroe's hair was plastered to her shoulders, Kaleigh was yawning every thirty seconds, and Maverick looked personally offended that nobody had needed rescuing.
Lunch wasn’t much quieter. Everyone changed into dry clothes and Mornoe made grilled cheese while I cut up some watermelon
There was more than enough chatter from Kaleigh to make up for the silence the rest of us couldn't seem to fill.
By the time she'd finished eating, her eyelids were drooping.
"I'm not sleepy," she announced around a yawn big enough to prove the exact opposite.
Monroe caught my eye over the top of her glass that she was not going to be the one to tell Kaleigh otherwise.
I just shook my head. “You know you don’t have to sleep. Just rest. Read one of your princess books or color quietly. Recharge your batteries.”
Kaleigh yawned again as I picked her up in my arms.
She was almost asleep by the time I laid her down in her bed. Her eyes drifted closed and she stuck her thumb in her mouth as I covered her up.
Back downstairs, Monroe was sitting on the living room sofa folding a load of towels. I sat down beside her and reached for a towel at the exact same moment she did.
Our fingers brushed then neither of us moved.
My eyes lifted to hers. She was already looking at me, her bottom lip between her teeth.
A tiny grease smear from the butter I made the grilled cheese lingered on her cheek.
"You've got..." I hesitated.
“What?”
I reached toward her and brushed my thumb against her cheek, wiping the spot away. “There.”
Her pulse fluttered wildly beneath my fingertip.
"Thank you," she whispered, her eyes searching mine.
"Monroe..."
Her fingers wrapped gently around my wrist.
Every coherent thought I had scattered.
Slowly, almost hesitantly, she leaned in a little closer. Close enough that I could see the tiny gold flecks in her green eyes and feel her feel her breath.
I searched her face, looking for uncertainty, fear…anything. All I saw staring back at me was lust and determination.
She closed the distance between us and her lips brushed mine. So softly that I almost wondered if I'd imagined it. It wasn’t rushed, or desperate. It was tentative, questioning—like she was giving me every chance to walk away.
I already knew, I’d never be able to walk away from her.
I cupped her cheek and kissed her back.
Just once. Slow and gentle. One single taste.
She melted against me with the tiniest sigh, and something deep inside my chest cracked wide open.
Good God. I'd been in firefights that hadn't made my pulse race this hard.
Without second guessing it, I pulled her into my lap. The thin shorts she had on did nothing to hide the heat of her pussy as she grinded against my cock.
I laughed against her mouth. "So much for doing the right thing."
Her cheeks flushed and she moved against me again. “Feels pretty right to me.”
Christ. The logical part of me knew I should stop her. Stop myself.
Then she slid her hands under my shirt.
“Monroe,” I growled.
“Shit. I’m sorry, I should…” she started to scramble off my lap, but I rested my hands on her thighs.
“Hey. We don’t have to stop. But, we should probably take this upstairs.”