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TWO MEN.
TORN. TORTURED. LOVED.
Though they went their separate ways, Tate Williams and Clay Mortimer have been crazy about each other since their school days. Clay went into the SAS. Tate became a cop. Neither mentioned their attraction to the other. Both sought out danger. Both found it.
Imprisoned and shot in an undercover assignment gone wrong, Tate somehow survived…and found his way back into Clay’s arms. His old friend is now the owner of an elite investigation agency and everything any man could want: patient, handsome, commanding. And Clay knows what it takes to survive. But Tate can’t bring himself to share all his secrets, nightmares that force him to rebel against everything. He finds solace from his past as a graffiti artist, a childhood passion, but his demons drive away all who might care for him. Only when he faces that past—and learns that everyone has tasted despair—can the two men truly be brothers-in-arms…and more.
So what are we doing then?” asked Jax uncertainly. “I haven’t painted anything in a while. I’m not sure I remember how to.”
Clay opened his eyes to see Tate’s empathic glance at his young friend.
“You paint from the heart, Jax,” Tate murmured softly, pressing a primed paint can into Jax’s hand. “You aim the nozzle and in your mind, you see what you want to say. I’ve seen your paintings. You’re good and your instincts will take over. Pick a spot and just let yourself go.” He reached out and ruffled Jax’s blond curls affectionately. “Do anything you want.”
Jax nodded and shuffled over to a blank bit of wall. He considered it for a while, in a birdlike fashion with his delicate chin raised. Clay saw the fingers of his free hand clenching and unclenching. Then he lifted his paint can and began spraying.
Clay didn’t have a creative painting bone in his body. He could write a bit and had published a few articles on violence, life in the military and such for various publications. But drawing anything meaningful other than a stick figure—that he couldn’t do. He admired people who could translate their emotions into painting and –or graffiti like this.
He watched Tate as he studied the wall, rubbing his chin, raising his arms and sketching something in the air. Tate nodded once or twice, deep in thought, then aimed his spray tin and painted a white swatch on the wall. The rebel that dwelt inside him was taking over, flaunting convention and leaving his lasting mark.
Clay loved seeing him like that—immersed in his task, so focused on what he was doing that everything else disappeared. Including Clay, he realised ruefully.
Feat of Clay by Susan Mac Nicol
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
another great read in a great series. each book is so different with such diverse characters, they are so refreshing to read even with the heartache.
i love friends to lovers and even though we don’t see that progression, there is enough of the history revealed of these two that we know that’s what happened. i like coming into the story with them already lovers working through their issues to become a solid couple. between the two of them, they have struggled through some pretty heavy stuff. the majority of the story focuses on tate’s recent tragedy and clay helping him get through that. they both have some changes to make to get their relationship totally on track and it is a hard road to travel. they are truly in love with each other and perfect for each other.
there are a couple of new characters with some great promise. i hope we get a story about jax next!!
