he targeted others in the office. They’d been too fearful to come forward until now.
What a mess.
And Clint refused to admit what he’d done to her.
Deny. Deny. Deny. That was his MO.
It worked, so long as he backed off when things got too obvious. And public.
But he was smart and conniving. He went out of his way to get away with his torments even though it drove women, and her, away instead of drawing them in.
What was the point?
Control?
He got off on hurting women?
Both?
Something even more disturbing and twisted?
“You’re thinking so loud, you woke me up.” Tate grumbled but still ran his fingers through her hair to soothe her. “What’s the matter, sweetheart?”
“He won’t quit.”
“If he knows what’s good for him, he’ll stay away from you before he does something he can’t squirm out of.” Tate wiped his hand over his face. “Sorry. I’m still half asleep. That wasn’t very comforting.”
“I think it’s true. He was furious yesterday, though he tried to control it. But for a second, I thought he might do something to Tim. Or me. He killed Aubrey because she spoke to me about what he did to her. What if he goes after the women at his work? What if he comes after me for talking to the reporter?”
Tate kissed her on the head. “I will do everything I can to protect you, sweetheart. With all the trouble he’s in right now, let’s hope saving his own ass takes precedence over revenge.”
“That’s just it, I think revenge is his default for every little slight. We were dating, but it wasn’t serious. I break things off and he takes it so personally. Yes, it’s personal. I get that maybe he wishes things could have been different, that his feelings ran deeper than mine, but you don’t order that person to be your girlfriend again. You don’t tell her it’s not over because you say so. I mean, he never said he loved me or anything. So why hold on so tight.”
“You gave him something he doesn’t want to lose.”
“I don’t know what that was because things started off fun but that faded when we didn’t connect on a deeper level.”
“Stop analyzing it. You didn’t do anything wrong. Nothing you did warranted his retaliation, or this continued pursuit. Maybe it’s as simple as he can’t have you, so he wants you.”
“That’s childish.”
“Yes. It is. And it pisses me off. I don’t like the way he’s upset you and turned your life upside down. You spend your whole day looking over your shoulder. You jump when your phone rings. We talk far too much about your ex instead of our future.” Bitterness tinged those words along with his frustration.
She raised her head and set her chin on her hand on his chest so she could look at him in the gray light. “I’m sorry, Tate.”
“Not your fault,” he snapped, then took a breath to calm down. “I want this to be over as much as you do so we can get on with living our lives. I want you waking up in the morning—not this godawful early—thinking about me. Us. Not him.”
“What about us?” She slipped her leg over his thigh and rubbed her foot up and down his calf.
His hand dipped down to her hip and covered her ass. “I like where your mind is going now.”
She brushed her fingertips down his belly and over his thick erection.
“And where you’re putting that hand.” His slipped over her rump, and his fingers teased her soft folds before one long finger dipped inside her.
She rocked back into his hand at the same tempo she stroked his length up and down.
“Damn woman, I can’t get enough of you.”
They’d made love twice last night. One quickie against the closed bedroom door because they needed to take the edge off after she told him about her confrontation with Clint at lunch. Then he’d made slow, sweet love to her after they cuddled on the couch and watched another episode of Ray Donovan.
Fast or slow, didn’t matter. Every time they came together, it was never enough.
Like right now.
He stroked her with those magic fingers to a fever pitch. She kissed him hard and deep, then nipped at his chin. “Condom. Now.”
She didn’t need to ask twice or wait. By the time she slipped her leg over his hips and rocked back, he had the condom rolled on and her taking him in deep. She rocked against him. His hands clamped tight on her hips.