Page 22 of Steal My Heart

Hilliard set his bottle on the floor next to the others before turning toward him. “I don’t know. I guess I thought that if we took things a little slow and didn’t just jump into bed to hump our brains out, we could get to know each other first.” He leaned closer, and Brian’s heart beat hard enough that he wondered if Hilliard could hear it. “Besides, I mean, you’re really sexy, and I found out that the last guy I was super attracted to cheatedon me more times than I could count and that I was lucky not to have come down with anything because of it.” He paused. “I think I’m a little gun-shy, and I don’t want you to be a rebound sort of thing.”

Brian sighed softly, his nervousness abating. “So that means…. I’m sorry, but sometimes I just need to know. I can’t stand all the teenage kind of angst around relationships. I never could.”

Hilliard smiled. “Me neither. So it means that I like you and I don’t want to mess shit up.”

“God, I’d like to smack Alan into the middle of next week. Sometimes relationships end, but you sit down and talk about it. You don’t go running around behind someone’s back.” He clenched his fists, squeezing Hilliard’s hand.

“I know you wouldn’t do that, but….” Hilliard sighed.

“There’s no hurry.” It had been his own insecurities coming forward to smack him in the head. He relaxed once more, just watching the sky as the clouds moved closer to the ground.

They both jumped at a firm rap on the door, followed by additional pounding. For a second Brian was carried back to the day he was arrested and the police nearly beat down Gran’s door. He breathed deeply as Hilliard got up and went through to the front door. “What’s going on?” he asked, and then there was silence for a long time. “What are you doing here?”

At the tone, Brian went to see what was wrong.

Chapter 9

HILLIARD GLAREDat the man on his doorstep, trying to figure out why he looked so familiar.

“Aren’t you going to invite me in? I should have known your mother would raise you like you were born in a barn.” He stepped forward, but Hilliard began to close the door.

“Who the hell are you?” he asked when a hand pressed to the other side of the door Brian had just painted a few days ago.

“I’m your uncle,” he snapped. “Now let me in. It’s cold and damp out here.”

“Timothy?” Hilliard asked. He hadn’t seen him in years, and as far as he knew, his mother hadn’t either. “I’ll ask again what you’re doing here. The way I was taught, guestsandfamily call before they arrive.”

Timothy humphed. “I’m not going to call when I visit my own house. Or what should be my house. I heard you were a lawyer.” He leaned closer. “What underhanded trick did you use to get my mother to name you in her will? Whatever it is, you won’t get away with it.”

Hilliard had already had enough and felt Brian come up behind him. “I think it’s time for you to leave. I didn’t even know about the house until I was called by Grace’s lawyer. So I think you can take yourself and your rotten entitled attitude and hit the road.”

“You think you can get rid of me that easily?”

Hilliard chuckled. “You know, I think you just answered your own question. You’re a prick, which is probably why Aunt Grace left the house to me. Now go away or the police will be called.” He closed the door and locked it.

“What the hell was that?” Brian asked softly. “Was he really your uncle?”

“Of a sort. He was Great-Aunt Grace’s only son. I remember him as being a demanding pain in the ass whenever we visited. Mom and I would come here, and he would hang around most of the time like he was jealous of us. Aunt Grace used to send him on his way, but the next day he’d be back.”

A knock sounded again. Hilliard jumped, on edge. He peered out the window to Uncle Timothy lighting a cigarette. Never Tim, always Uncle Timothy. Hilliard went to the door, pulled it open, and glared at him. “What do you think is going to happen?” he snapped.

“The house is rightfully mine,” he demanded, blowing smoke in Hilliard’s direction.

“No, it’s not. It was Aunt Grace’s, and hers to do with as she liked. You can contact her lawyer, but I’m sure you’ll find everything in order.” He stepped closer, not about to be intimidated. “You can yell and bluster all you like, but it isn’t going to change anything.”

“We’ll see about that,” Timothy growled.

“Is that the best you have?” He shook his head. “A line from every pathetic villain in history? Please. Just go or I will call the police. I have a witness to your threats, so it will be an easy arrest. And because I have a witness, I will be making note of this little visit. You make another, and I’ll take it to the police as a pattern of behavior.” He knew exactly what he needed to do and had no intention of letting Timothy get away with anything.

“You think you know everything,” he sputtered. “This should be my house. I grew up here, and Grace was my mother. She should have left the house to me.”

Hilliard shrugged. “Yet she didn’t. I wonder why.” Just as he was coming to the end of his patience, Brian rested his handgently on his back, and Hilliard felt calm and the tension eased away. “Just go.”

“Where am I supposed to go? This is my home.”

Hilliard shrugged, glancing back at Brian because he couldn’t believe this guy was for real. “You have to be kidding me. You show up without calling, act like a jackass, and expect me to let you stay here? Are you crazy? You really have to be, because no sane person would act that way. There’s a number of inns in town and up the road. Go there and see if they have a room.” He shook his head, and this time he waited until Timothy got back in his car and drove away.

“That guy’s cheese has fallen off his cracker,” Brian said when Hilliard turned around. “He isn’t really going to try to take the house?”

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