Page 141 of Noel Secrets

She glanced at him again and saw it—the curve of his lips, that rare, unguarded expression softening his features. It wasn’t the look of a man bracing for danger. It was the look of a man standing in quiet awe of something—or someone—he didn’t quite know what to do with.

He crossed the kitchen and slid a hand around her waist before stealing a piece of bacon with the other then smiled as he walked to the table. At that moment, she realized something undeniable.

He was adorable and charming.

The toast popped up, breaking the light-hearted mood. She set the slices on a plate then placed it on the table. Clay grabbed a piece and spread grape jelly over it.

“Any plans for the day?” he asked as he bit into a piece.

“Just making sure I’ve covered all my clients’ homes. It’s getting close to the holiday, and I can’t afford to lose any other jobs. I should also make those calls to get the dogs back to their owners.”

“Sheriff Malone phoned me last night. They picked up Brent and questioned him for over three hours. He wouldn’t admit to anything. They had to let him go.”

She dropped her toast, her appetite suddenly waning. “That’s disappointing.”

He reached across the table and covered her hand with his, the warmth of his touch sending chills through her. “We will figure out who’s behind this,” he promised.

He finished his toast and bacon then stood. “I should go shower and change before I call Malone to see what our next steps are.”

Before he left the kitchen, she brought the dogs inside then got to work on the breakfast dishes before moving on to tidying the living room. The dogs cheered her, following along behind her as she worked, their tails wagging as they watched. She found some toys and took turns tossing the ball to each of them. It made her feel better yet it took a toll on her already-aching arms and back.

The house was a mess after having the dogs inside for multiple days now. Cleaning always relaxed her, which was why she’d been drawn to starting her own cleaning business. She enjoyed the fresh scent of a freshly mopped floor and fresh sheets right out of the dryer.

The blanket and pillow Clay used were still on the couch, so she folded them neatly to make the living room appear a little more organized. The lights on the tree blinked steadily, reminding her that Christmas was near. Surely, they’d have this mess behind them by then.

The bathroom door opened and hot steam flowed out. Clay stepped out, clean and fresh shaven. Her heart fluttered as the scent of his cologne wafted toward her. The dogs hurried over to him, and he crouched to give each one a gentle rub. The dogs trusted him completely. She realized she did too. No one had gotten so close to her as Clay had in a long time.

She pushed away those feelings, ashamed to find herself attracted to someone else so soon after her divorce. She hadn’t wanted her marriage to end, but Brent had left her no choice.

He’d also given her Biblical grounds for the divorce. He was the one who’d cheated. Why was she the one who felt bad about it, as if she’d betrayed him?

Besides, she was nothing more than an assignment to Clay Walker. Once this was over, he would be gone. She certainly wasn’t ready to get her heart broken again.

He glanced around at the made-up couch, the spotless table, and the window cleaner and rag in her hand. “How long was I in the shower?”

His teasing tone made her blush. “I can’t help it. I’m a nervous cleaner. Always have been. Brent said it was my least attractive trait.”

“Then he’s crazy.”

She appreciated the sentiment but Clay hadn’t yet seen the depth of her obsessiveness. “You haven’t seen how neurotic I can get. Once, I threw out all of his sales reports for the year while organizing the study. At least, that’s what he told me they were. Now, I question so many things about what we went through.” She grimaced at even mentioning that, hating how she always focused on the negatives in their marriage. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be talking so much about Brent. It’s just that seeing him again yesterday brought up some feelings.”

“I’m sure it did. I’m sorry we ever went there.”

“No, it’s good that we did. We now know that Suzanne and Chief Dean were there. They could have placed that call. He could have been the one who ran me off the road.”

Only that seemed to complicate matters. She’d been so certain that Brent had been behind these attacks and convinced she would see the guilt on his face. What she’d seen instead wasgenuine surprise that she’d been in danger and a true desire to reconcile with her.

But Clay’s face remained tense, his jaw tight and his face flushed, worrying her. “Is there something else going on that I should know about?” He seemed to be holding something back from her.

“No.” The speed of his response gave her pause. He hopped to his feet and glanced around, anything to keep from looking at her.

She touched his arm. “Clay, what’s got you so riled up?”

He gave a halfhearted shrug then seemed to reconsider. “It’s just…” His eyes probed hers then he turned away. “Never mind. It’s dumb.”

Only, she couldn’t let it go. Not when everything had seemed fine—even better than fine—between them. “Tell me.”

He hung his head, silent for a moment before he spoke. “It’s just that I didn’t like seeing how you were with him, Darby. I didn’t like seeing him try to reconcile with you right in front of me.” He looked at her and sighed. “And, if I’m honest, I didn’t like how you seemed to respond to the idea.”