NINE
Work became Claire’s great companion. Slowly she was getting a hang of it despite doing some sleazy tasks for her taste. Designing was her dream, her passion, and she couldn't wait to live it to the fullest. But for now preparing for an important presentation was the only thing on her plate.
On Saturday afternoon, however, she dropped by at Gena's for an escape.
Gena wasn't happy, for her foster parents wanted her back home as they were on a vacation. She loved freedom and the city; going to their country house served a great deal of torture.
"So, what are you going to do?" Claire asked worriedly, staring compassionately at her.
Gena sighed heavily. "I'll just have to seriously find a job! If I have something to do they don't bug me," she said.
"Great idea. If you want I can ask Jorge if there's an opening in the company," Claire suggested, ready to help in any way she can. Her life without Gena would be a terrible disaster.
No, she needed her best friend.
"Oh, Claire, you're a saint. I'll be more than grateful if you do that." Gena was excited.
"Anything for you, Gena," Claire replied, and meant every word.
The rest of the day was filled with nothing but an exchange of some cheesy gossip; mainly about Claire's work and her grand involvement with Ryan Stevens to the point of certain intimacy she couldn't forget.
"So you kissed him?" Gena was in awe. Claire nodded. "Fuck, you're something else, Saint Claire! Who are you?"
They both laughed.
"I don't know what I was thinking, honestly," Claire remarked absentmindedly, revisiting the evening; from dinner to the ride home. "But it won't happen again." She shook her head to dissolve the thoughts.
"Are you sure?" Gena's stare was filled with doubts.
"Yes. Very sure," Claire uttered.
Claire left Gena's place around six in the evening. She wanted a sleepover but her friend had a party to attend. This was one of the times she'd get lonely, despising the fact that she had no real family. Unlike Gena, who had plenty of other friends and acquaintances, Claire was a lone wolf..
With the evening air blowing softly, ruffling her hair in a soothing manner, Claire didn't know where to go or what to do right now, and her home was the last option. Momentarily she wished Bruno was around, but instead she could only see Ryan in her head.
"You're crazy, Claire. Definitely crazy!" she mumbled as she reached the bus stop. Taking a bus always helped clearing her head when things got too much to handle—and today was one of those days.
Seated quietly, Claire began thinking of how pathetic her life was. Her life had been an empty shell in need of something adventurous and spontaneous. But what was it? Traveling? Oh no, she hated travelling on her own and Gena wasn't ready for it.
And now she was thinking of nothing but someone else's boyfriend. She laughed incredulously while staring at her phone with Ryan's contact name displayed. What was she thinking now? Was she that desperate?
"What the fuck, Claire Levy?" she hummed.
She felt the urge to call him, talk to him, and provoke him even . . . Even though she knew that he wasn't the man for her. Without thinking further, she touched the dial pad and after a few beeps the call connected.
"Hello?" Ryan uttered.
"Um—" Claire stammered, a part of her mind thinking about what she really wanted from him.
Damn it! Who said they weren't going to talk to him again? She admonished herself.
"Claire, are you there?" Ryan asked, his voice cool.
"Yes, I am," she murmured huskily. "I miss you, Ryan. I really do."
What was she doing, damn it!
Ryan was silent for a while, but when he finally talked, he only asked, "Where are you?"
"At the bus stop?" she muttered.
"Where exactly?" he urged.
"Um, opposite to the Blue Pearl Hotel?" she answered.
She had no idea why he'd asked, though.
"I'm coming, don't move a muscle," said Ryan, and his line went dead.
"Oh God! What's the matter with you, Claire? Have you gone crazy?" She now scratched her hair like a maniac.
Ryan found Claire sitting there like a lost puppy. He parked the car in front of the bus stop and walked towards where she was sitting.
"Have you decided to make me worry about you like a little girl? Why did you sound like you were about to die?" Ryan asked, his voice a mixture of anger and concern.
"You . . . you really came?" Claire said with disbelief. She stood up.
He was casual. Jet black jeans and grey body fit t-shirt was a sight to behold on his resplendent body. The kind of sight that no woman would have resisted to look twice.
Ryan's lips curled into a hard line at the sight of her. He looked a bit . . . angry? Claire couldn't tell. But he was definitely displeased to see her in the bus stop like a homeless person.
"Are you okay?" he asked gently, his eyes unusually soft.
"Yeah, I'm okay now." Claire nodded with a faint smile.
"Now?" He raised a single eyebrow at that, at last some glow on his face.
"Yeah. Now that—" Claire stammered.
What did he want to hear? She debated inside.
Ryan smiled gently. "Okay, let's go." He stretched his hand out for her.
She obliged without thinking twice, his warm palm clutching hers as they scurry toward the Vogue.
"Where are we going?" Claire asked after buckling up.
"Would you like a ride?" Ryan quizzed while pulling into the road.
"A joyride?" Claire grinned. Ryan scowled, amused. "Er . . . I meant okay, I'm fine with the ride," she murmured, flushing with embarrassment.
"You always sleep during a long drive, don't you?" Ryan eyed her with a mocking smile.
"Oh really, now?" Claire prompted, sarcasm lacing her voice as she inspected the dashboard of his car like a little girl. "But we only had one long drive, in case you've forgotten." She turned the stereo on.
"Fair point," Ryan said. "But first impressions tell a lot of a person, in most cases." His attention was half on the road and the rest on her.
"Okay, I won't argue," Claire uttered as she reclined back. "I do love sleeping during long rides." She decided to drop the matter, and Ryan looked happy to win the round.
It took almost an hour with the two riding on the road while talking of anything that came to mind. In the end it was enjoyable, and as expected by Ryan, Claire indeed fell asleep.
"Hey, sleepyhead," Ryan uttered. "We are back!"
"Hmm . . . already?" Claire snuggled, squinting her eyes at the blinding streetlights.
"Shall we go back then?" Ryan teased, his face closer to hers.
Claire managed to flash her eyes open and his smile took her breath away. God, why was he so beautiful? She could feel her body heat rising, her lips getting dry. She quickly averted her gaze, biting her lip.
"Um . . . why are we here?" she suddenly snapped in surprise, discerning the place they were at.
A flashy building, several flags of different states, and a big name of a famous . . . Hotel? Claire's eyes widened. She quickly faced Ryan.
"Stop having those wild fantasies, will you? Let's have dinner; there's a nice restaurant in this hotel," Ryan said wittingly, laughing at her.
"I'm not fantasizing about anything." Claire smiled pathetically and clutched the door handle. "Damn him," she mumbled under her breath while making an exit.
The food was splendid, much to Claire's content. The conversation took a different turn this time, from work to private life. Each of them was curious to know about the other and didn't hesitate to ask when due.
"Where were you?" asked Ryan, his eyes tentative on Claire's.
"To a friend's house," Claire answered curtly while chewing the grilled pork cutlets. Seeing Ryan frowning, she instantly cleared, "Her name is Gena, in case you are curious." Her smile was teasing.
"I'm not curious," Ryan said flatly.
"You're not?" Claire raised a mocking eyebrow, fully aware of his lie. "But your face says otherwise."
Smiling, Ryan shook his head to the sides, amused by all her insistence. He slowly sipped the wine without abandoning her fine eyes.
There was something mesmerizing about her, Ryan thought to himself, but he had no idea what it was. He just enjoyed looking at her.
"I'm really not curious, trust me." He narrowed his gaze, and his eyes glowed at the sparkling lights of the restaurant, gold and smooth.
"Fine." Claire sighed, taking another bite onto her mouth, devouring the succulent taste.
"You love arguing a lot, don't you?" Ryan muttered, his gaze on her moving lips.
Was she eating like a refugee from Somalia? Claire wondered as his eyes became too intense.
"I do, when I have a point to prove." She wiped her mouth softly with a napkin.
"Do you have a boyfriend?" Ryan blurted suddenly.
Oh, so his guess was correct! Ryan's lips twitched into a smile, recalling the vague background check he'd done on her after the kiss. He had to know more about her, because she was a bit mysterious.
First she was in a life and death situation on their first meeting, and second she was his brother's 'friend' or whatever their relationship was, and then she was into this affair with him.
Not that she looked innocent. Hell no, she was far from an innocent Maria Clara from a parish neighborhood, who's afraid of men. Especially men of his kind . . . Rich and controlling.
She was definitely wild, and it drove him insane whenever he'd thick of that bold kiss and the feel of her petite body in his arms. She would make a very good companion in his bed.
"Why? You're young, beautiful, and smart, I believe; so, it's only natural to have someone." He reclined back, staring deeply into her.
"Maybe I have a high standard," Claire muttered.
And yes her stakes were higher indeed. She wasn't some kind of Cinderella in need of his fortune to fulfill her fairytale . . . Like many bimbos he'd encountered throughout his career as a businessman. She had it all.
He laughed hard. "Really? That's a lot to take in," he remarked, and she only shrugged.
A short silence settled.
"What about you?" Claire asked a moment later. "Does your girlfriend know that you're here right now?" And counterattacked when Ryan least expected.
"She doesn't need to," Ryan quipped, "because we have a mutual understanding."
Claire bit her lip irritated. "Oh, like some kind of an open relationship?" she hardly asked.
She's a smart brat, too. Ryan smirked.
"Sure, we can go with that," he replied heedlessly and she scowled at him.
Annoyed with the subject, Claire downed her glass in one go. "I see," she uttered.
"Easy there!" Ryan gasped at the sight. "This Chardonnay is a little strong."
"I know. And I love the strong." She snorted.
"Oh, that's interesting." Ryan smiled.
Fuck, she was wild!
"Sure," Claire muttered and rolled her eyes at him.
It was the end of conversation, for which Ryan kept smiling at her sulking face. She was beguiling and he was barely holding it.
"Is something wrong? Why are you quiet?" Ryan asked.
Claire glared sternly at him. "No, everything is fine." She grinned while raising a glass to prove her statement, before mumbling, "What a moron!"
"What did you say?" Ryan chuckled.
That foul mouth needed to be fixed, he thought and imagined several ways to make it shut.
"Nothing, the weather is very nice."
"The weather?" He laughed hard, highly entertained.
"Yeah, the weather! Can we go now? I think I'm done," Claire said, tiredly, and, evidently pissed for some reason only she knew.
Ryan drove her back home in an awful silence that she herself instigated. He kept staring at her from time to time, however, with a smile that wasn't returned. Man, she was begrudging.
"Don't think twice to call me when you need another ride," he said seriously, the sight of her sullen face earlier in the bus stop haunting him.
He hated it.
"Okay, I'll keep that in mind," Claire retorted.
"And don't stick yourself at the bus stop as if you've lost your purpose to live," he scolded.
She scowled at him. "I don't do that every day, okay? Don't mistake me for a loner."
He just laughed. "Also, one more thing." He took a pause, and she eyed him curiously. "Don't you have a car?" His glance was earnest.
"I don't need one, I'm fine this way," Claire replied.
"Really? Why am I not comfortable with that?" Ryan uttered thoughtfully, more to himself.
"Because you're kind of nosy?"
"Me?"
"No, my imaginary friend."
"What?" He chuckled.
Ignoring his smiley face, Claire collected her bag. "Thank you for today, Ryan. I mean it," she whispered while unclosing the door.
"My pleasure," he muttered, and that heat of her sparkling eyes staring at him so tenderly began surging. How he wanted to grab her and kiss the hell out of her lips and every place that could possibly be kissed.
"Drive safe." She grinned at him, and he returned it with a soft nod, same as his smile.
"Easy, Ryan," he breathed, watching her waving goodbye as she neared the gate to her house.