Page 65 of The Viscount of Shadows

“As you say,” Oliver replied.

“I will return tomorrow with an update.” With a nod, Mitchell departed.

“Stubborn bugger,” Rett smiled.

“Easy enough for us to say. Mitchell does have a career to protect,” Oliver replied.

“And with that, I am off,” Rett declared. “I will leave you both to rest until luncheon. I must say, you both look better than when you first arrived.”

Once they were alone, Claudia was not sure what to say. Pragmatically speaking, she should nip this growing attraction in the bud. She had been dealing with this internal struggle from almost the moment she met him. Frankly, all this hand-wringing was tedious. She needed time and space to think this through. But whatever conclusion she came to, Claudia did not want to hurt Oliver for the world.

“You should get some rest,” she offered gently.

“I have slept enough. Why not stay here with me?” Oliver patted the bed.

“Listen, whatever you think transpired when we were trapped in that cache—you know it cannot continue above ground in the real world. Because of our peril, we may have said things in the heat of the moment. I am not interested in anything—serious. And it is not you. I do not want attachments with anyone.” So much for not hurting him. The words tumbled out before she had a chance to stop them.

“We shared more than our pasts and our secrets. You know it,” Oliver whispered.

“What we shared was a dangerous situation, fraught with stress and trauma. That brings people together—for a short period. But it doesn’t mean there is any depth or permanency to it. We clung to each other in the darkness. That is all.”

“You are trying to distance yourself from the emotions I have stirred inside you. You are trying to distance yourself from me. What I said to you in the carriage has you scared witless.”

Claudia stood, taking a sharp breath from the pain that tore through her side. She turned toward the window because tears shimmered in her eyes, and she did not want Oliver to see that he spoke the truth. Claudia was trying to distance herself. And hell’s bells, she is scared.

“Close the draperies,” he asked softly. “Then come and lay next to me. Let me hold you as I did when we were alone in the cache. As I did the other night.”

For the life of her, Claudia could not refuse him. After closing the window coverings, darkness blanketed the room, and she climbed onto the bed, taking care of her injury. Once he laid on his side, Oliver shifted and gathered her into his arms. They fit together perfectly, like teaspoons in a pantry drawer.

It is not that Claudia felt protected in his arms (as she was more than capable of defending herself), though there was an aspect of that. It was the warmth Oliver radiated, the comfort that gave her such a feeling of serenity, a quietness of her troubled soul.

No, there was something else.

It was the heat.

Oliver made her nerve endings crackle with life. He stirred her dormant desire with the slightest touch of his hand or by pulling her close to all that tall, broad masculinity. All Oliver had to do was walk into the room, for that matter. Not only was he handsome, but he also had a kind face and a good soul. Unlike her, he was not troubled, which made him all the more appealing to Claudia. She had enough damage for both of them. His vigilante bent gave all that perfection a ragged, wild edge. Claudia liked that, too. Very much.

In conclusion, Oliver was everything she could hope for in a man. If she wanted one. Claudia may never find a rare gem like this again. What to do?

“It is more than clinging to one another in the dark,” he murmured, bringing her out of her confusing thoughts. Oliver’s fingers stroked her flushed cheek. “A bond has formed between us, and we will regret it the rest of our lives if we do not explore what is occurring. I want you. I need you. And as I said in the carriage, I am most definitely falling for you.”

Oliver rolled his hips, and there was no mistaking his hot and hard arousal against her backside. A soft moan escaped her lips before she could tamp it down.

Drat the man!

“Although you are more than capable of handling yourself, I yearn to protect you,” he continued, nuzzling her neck.

Claudia understood, for she felt the same about protecting him. “I am not in any danger. Danaher does not want me. As I told Mitchell, he only wanted to know about you—The Sentinel. You are a threat to him and his empire. He sees himself as a king, and you imperil his domain. I know the man; he will not quit until he discovers your identity.”

“Then we must remain vigilant and stay close to one another. I am tempted to seek Danaher out and beat him to within an inch of his life for threatening, striking you, and holding you against your will. Perhaps I will—once I recover.”

“He could have done far worse. As I said, I was a means to an end.” Without thinking, Claudia cuddled in closer. “He may already know I am here as the carriage could have been followed. Danaher probably has men watching the police station. This is far from over. If I stay close to you, I could put you at risk. He knows I work for a detective agency; discovering which one wouldn’t take much effort. He could have me followed from there.”

“All the more reason you should stay here—with me, beyond our recovery. There is strength in numbers. And we are more substantial together.”

Claudia sighed. “I never should have told him I was following a member of the upper classes. Now, he will question every rich nob that goes into Notting Dale.”

“True. Did anyone ever tell you that you sigh a great deal?” Oliver teased as he kissed her forehead.