Heart of Clay by Shanna Hatfield Page A

through the building with their fingers entwined,
enjoying the beautiful decorations, towering trees, and twinkling
lights.
    When they exited through the back door close
to the gardens, Clay saw all the landscape lights creating a warm
glow through the snow. It looked like a lacy wonderland.
    “Would you like to go for a walk?” he asked
Callan, hoping she would say yes. She nodded her head in agreement
and he put one arm around her waist, holding her hand in his free
hand as they walked along the newly shoveled pathway. He didn’t
want her to slip and fall, or so he offered as an excuse to hold
her close.
    Although neither one of them said anything,
they strolled along in a companionable silence, taking in the
beauty and wonder of the chilly night. The moon peeped out from
behind the clouds and washed the gardens in a cloak of silvery
light.
    The picturesque scene could have been right
out of a fairytale. It brought back memories to them both of a
similar night they enjoyed not long after they wed.
    Swept up in the moment, Clay turned Callan
to face him and gave her a slow, tender kiss.
    Callan started to step back, struggling to
keep her emotions in check with Clay acting so attentive and
looking so devastatingly attractive. Before she could back away, he
pulled her close and her body melted against him. With a sigh, she
wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his kiss, reveling in
the feel of his lips moving on hers.
    Afraid to break the spell she seemed to be
under, Clay rubbed her back and held her close, never wanting the
moment to end.
    “I’ve missed you so much,” Callan whispered
as she rested her forehead against his jaw. Her grip on her
emotions slipped and another affectionate move on Clay’s part would
push her over the edge. One lone tear rolled down her cheek.
    Leaning back, Clay wiped the tear before he
nudged her chin up with his finger and kissed her again. “I’ve
missed you too, Laney. It’s okay. Let’s head back to the car.”
    When they returned to the parking lot, he
opened the passenger door of his pickup for her. “Let me drive you
home, girl. I’ll bring you to work in the morning.” She nodded her
head and climbed in with his assistance.
    Clay got in and started the pickup before
handing her a single pink rose. Pink was her favorite. He gave her
a shy smile when she buried her nose in the bloom. On the ride
home, they didn’t say anything, just held hands and listened to the
Christmas station on the radio. It was a comfortable silence, so
unlike the cold quietness they had become accustomed to
enduring.
    After parking in the driveway, Clay hurried
out of the pickup to open Callan’s door. He noticed the sidewalk
looked icy again. He silently wished he’d taken time to put out
more de-icer.
    He offered to carry Callan and earned a
disbelieving stare. She accepted his outstretched hand and slid out
of the truck. He settled his arm around her waist and pointed out
that with her heels on she needed to be cautious about not falling
again. So busy reminding Callan to be careful, Clay lost his
footing and took them both down into the snow piled next to the
sidewalk.
    Afraid that he had hurt her or, even more
unforgivable, completely ruined the mood of the evening, he glanced
over as Callan laughed.
    Hastily jumping up, he clasped both her
hands and pulled her to her feet, then gently brushed the snow off
her coat.
    “If this is going to be a nightly event, I’m
going to have to get a padded coat,” she said with a smile,
cautiously taking the few steps to the door and unlocking it while
Clay tried to dislodge the snow that clung to his sports coat.
    Once inside, she walked into the kitchen,
flipped on the light and laid their coats over chairs to dry.
Before she could turn around, Clay stepped behind her and slipped
his arms around her, kissing the back of her neck.
    Mindful that she should pull away and put
distance between the two of them, Callan couldn’t muster the will
to