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“There are things about me you don’t know—”
“And vice versa. But we have time to share all those together. We are meant to be together; you know that.”
“I’m so confused that I don’t even know what I know anymore. I need time, Hutch.”
“Time you will spend here in Mystic River, right?”
Nora shook her head. “I’m not sure that’s the best idea, but at the moment it’s the only one I can think of.”
“Promise me you won’t leave without telling me. I can give you all the time you need, but I can’t do that if I don’t know you’re someplace I can keep you safe. I’m going to be honest with you, Naomi, I won’t press you, but I do intend to pursue you. I will court you to within an inch of your life. You’re mine. We both know it.”
The look on her face was pained and defeated. “The only thing I can promise you is that whatever I do, I will do with your best interest forefront in my mind. I never expected to find you. I never allowed myself to even believe I had a fated mate—” She chuckled softly. “—and I sure as hell didn’t expect to find him in Mystic River, Alaska.”
“Since you’re being honest with me, I will do the same. If you leave, I will follow. I was in reconnaissance when I was in the military. There’s nowhere you can go that I won’t find you.”
The light in her eyes flickered back on. “I don’t know how to tell you this, but that’s not courting, that’s stalking.”
He laughed, and they finished their dinner, sticking to safer topics like politics and religion. Once outside, he pulled her in, waiting as her arms went around his neck to lower his mouth to hers and kiss her with a languorous, sensual intensity. Heat and arousal fired his system, and he knew as long as he held Nora, he would never be cold or alone again. She was his soul’s perfect mate.
Hutch let her come up for air—that was his first mistake. Nora pushed against his chest, shaking her head.
“I need to get back to Trudy’s.”
“No, you don’t. You need to be with me.”
“Not tonight. Please, Hutch, you’ve thrown my whole nice, tidy, little existence into a complete uproar.”
Her eyes locked with his, beseeching him. He nodded. “All right, but I won’t always be so understanding.”
Hutch walked her to the B&B and kissed her again before letting her leave him on the porch. His mate was a study in conflicting contrasts. She made no sense. There were so many red flags. In the military he’d learned that red flags meant danger.
His skills in special ops and reconnaissance had been second to none. He had the ability to find a place in which to hide in plain sight, blending into his surroundings until he was unnoticed. Then, if need be, he could attack with stealth and lethal force before the enemy was even aware they were being observed. That skill had served him well in the military. It occurred to him that he might be able to put it to use in order to observe Naomi. He didn’t mean to attack Naomi—except in a fun and erotic way—but he did mean to solve the riddle she presented to him.
She made no sense. He couldn’t reconcile what he knew about her with what he didn’t. One minute he felt as if he’d known her all her life, and the next she was a complete and total mystery. Hutch didn’t care much for mysteries, and the unanswered questions that shrouded Nora in mystery were no exception. This was a mystery he meant to solve.
CHAPTER8
NORA
Nora walked into the B&B. Walking away from Hutch had been the hardest thing she’d ever done. Did she really think she could walk away for good? Much less kill him? But if she didn’t, the Master would only send another, and that assassin’s orders would be to kill Hutch and her. There had to be a way out. She needed to stall the Shadow League until she could figure it out. But how?
As she headed for the stairs, she could see Hamish and Trudy sitting on the couch in front of the fire. Trudy’s head was on Hamish’s shoulder, and it was obvious she was asleep. Hamish gave her a little wave, before bringing his finger to his lips to indicate silence was requested. Nora smiled and waved back. When was the last time she’d smiled and waved at someone? She was so used to fading into the shadows or blending in with the scenery, but that didn’t seem to be possible here in Mystic River.
She trotted up the stairs, her phone vibrating in her pocket just as she entered her room. Pulling her phone out, she glanced at the caller ID and groaned when it showed as ‘Unknown.’ She had long ago learned the best defense was a good offense.
“What?”
“Is it done yet?” The voice on the other end was unexpected—it was the Master.
“Not yet. You did not set me with the easiest task.”
“You are my best assassin; I assign the easier tasks to lesser mortals.”
“Yes, but he is aware, as are his friends, that attempts have been made on his life. This is a small town where everyone knows everything about everybody. I’m a stranger. I stick out like a sore thumb.”
“And why is that?” asked the Master. “Why did you let it be known that you were even there? I expected you to get in and get out without anyone ever knowing you’d been there. You could have waited for him…”
“If you think you could have done it better, then perhaps you should have done it yourself.”
