'Its's been a week, Claire." Ava said before chugging down her remaining beer. "I'm sure he has forgotten all about it."
"You're probably right." Claire sat with an unenthusiastic slouch. "I'm fussing over nothing."
"Why are you slouching then?" she asked then with an exaggerated voice she continued, "Oh my God."
Claire straightened up and asked, "What?"
"You know exactly what." Ava gave her that naughty look she had all come to know too well. "You're falling for him."
She blew rasberries. "What? No I'm not." Yesyouare "No, I'm not." she repeated.
"Oh sweetie, you've never been a great liar."
Probably deciding that there was no point in trying to hide the truth from her best friend, Claire sank in her chair. " I'm not falling for him. I already have." Tears stung in her eyes. She had no idea why she was crying.
"Oh sweetie." Ava came around and hugged her. "But why are you crying?"
"I broke the contract. I'm not supposed to fall for him."
"He broke the contract when he kissed you. Surely that must mean he has some feelings over you too."
"He doesn't even know me. What will happen if he finds out about Marcus?"
"I'm sorry sweetie." Ava placed a kiss on her forehead before going back to her original seat. "Let's talk about something else, yeah? So what happened in the elevator?"
Claire laughed as she sniffled back her tears. "Seriously? That's the something else we should talk about?"
Ava took a long sip of another beer which had been delivered by the waiter twenty seconds ago. "At least tell me he's a good kisser."
Claire mind filled with images of that day. The way his lips had felt on hers. The way his hands had made her crave for something she hadn't known she wanted. She had always fantasized about Ryan but after that hungry kiss, the dreams had become more intense. She thanked her lucky heavens that the he had been called to an emergency meeting that night, otherwise she didn't know if she could- would- stop herself from begging him to take her.
"No need to answer. Your face says it all." Her eyes met Ava's mischievous eyes. She could never hide anything from her. Her sister had been taken from her but she gained another one in Ava.
Claire finished her wine and waved to the waiter for another glass. "I don't know what you're talking about." They both laughed to her inability to lie about anything and continued to talk about Ryan and the waiter who Ava saw as potential company for her night.
***
Claire kicked the front door shut and put her keys in the (). She checked her watch and it read 10p.m.The lights were still on which only meant that Martha was still here. She had asked to leave for two days to visit her daughter in Chicago and since Ryan wasn't supposed to back for another day, Claire had told her she could leave. She didn't need Martha to do anything for her, so why keep her, right? But judging by the lights, maybe she had changed her decision and decided to stay.
Riiiing
Claire searched blindly for her phone in her bag until she found it. She smiled when she saw the caller ID and pressed the answer button.
"I'm safe, sweetie." She replied Ava on her phone. "I only had three glasses."
"Three long glasses, you mean?" Ava asked.
Claire rolled her eyes even though she knew Ava couldn't see her. "I got home safe, Ava. Shouldn't you be busy under the sheets with the waiter?" Ava made a snarky comment and she laughed at her. "Good night sweetie."
Claire ended the call. She wasn't drunk, just a little tipsy. Nothing a shower wouldn't fix.
"Ms Martha?" she called. Maybe she was sleepping already.
"Hi."
Claire shrieked as she threw her handbag at the imposter.
***
Ryan caught the handbag with ease. He wanted to laugh at his wife's poor attempt to protect herself. "Is this how I'll be welcomed home every time I'm away?"
"Ryan." She breathed his name in a way that instantly sent desire all the way to his dick. He bit his jaw and blocked all the images that were intruding in his head.
"Hi." he repeated.
"Hi."
"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes." He mentally slapped himself. Too soon man, too soon. He looked her from head to toe. She was wearing a floral summer dress which reached just above her knees. Her hair was up in a ponytail and she was wearing red earrings which matched her six inch wedges.
He walked towards her until he came to a stop at just one foot away. "Hi."
"Hi." she replied him again.
Ryan stared into her blue eyes. He really wanted to go slow but it seemed like his body was in no mood for listening; whivh had been happening more times than he would like to admit, if he was being honest. It was becoming hard to concetrate when she was in the room or when she wasn't and this week just proved that. He had contemplated about calling her everyday he was in Italy. He had wanted to call her but wasn't sure how she would react to him after their kiss.
Ah, the kiss.
The kiss he was now imagining as he stared at her pink lips.
Maybe a small conversation would distract him. "Had fun today?"
She chuckled and replied, "Yeah, it was fun. Ava is the best. We were just catching up."
"Oh, yeah? What were you catching up on?"
"You, " well, he hadn't expected her to be up front and he grinned when she cursed. "I meant... not you," curse, "I'll stop talking now." How could he not love this woman especially when she was this adorable.
"I heard Ava found some company tonight." he traced his hand along her jawline before caressing her cheek.
She leaned into his touch and stared at him under her long lashes. "I would have found someone too but, sadly, I'm married." she raised her ring hand.
"Is your husband not satisfying you?" When did this conversation reach this part? At this point, he didn't care about anything else; just the woman who was hooking his neck.
"Not really. He left me wanting more a week ago after kissing me senselessly." Ryan's breath caught in his throat.
Holy hell! Was that an invite?
"We should probably go slow, wife." She stared at him with nothing but desire. Her eyes were just as hungry as he was. His gaze caught her pink tongue moisturizing her lips. That's when everything snapped. "Fuck going slow."
Claire's mouth received Ryan's toungue with enthusiasm. There was nothing slow about their kiss. Ryan's shirt was the first to go. She pushed him away and helped him out of it. "I've always wanted to see that tattoo." She traced the dragon's tail from his neck down to its head which was at his lower back. "He's beautiful."
Ryan just stood there whilst she explored his body. He got that tatoo after a fight with George which had resulted into a broken nose and busted lip on the latter's side.Vanessa had freaked out when she had first saw his tattoo and that was pretty much the day he last had enjoyable sex, what followed was just tolerable.
Ryan groaned when he felt Claire's mouth touch his back. She began placing small kisses all over it until he couldn't take it anymore. He spun around and attacked her mouth. He needed to get to his bedroom fast, otherwise he was going to fuck her right here on the front door. He lifted her up and her legs immediately hooked around him. She gasped in his mouth when his bulge nudged her between her legs.
"If we don't move now, I swear I'll take you right here, right now." He stared at her, giving her one last chance to run away.
He almost ripped her dress in half when she brought his head for a steamy kiss. That was all the answer he needed.
Riiing
"Ignore it." Ryan said between kissing her.
"Could be important. Just hold on a second." He was reluctant to let her go. She stretched for her phone on the counter and her face completely changed when she saw the caller ID. Claire walked out of the room but not before he heard her say Marcus.
Who the hell was Marcus?