“Marina handles a lot,” I said.“But not the most important things.”When she got that bashful look on her face again, I added, “I’m serious.I wanted to see you in different cuts and colors so I’ve been having a great time dressing you.”
Clara bit her lip, shaking her head.“I can’t believe you…actually enjoy it?I don’t know—I’ve never enjoyed dressing myself.Especially since I had a baby.”
“We’ve probably had access to very different levels of clothing,” I reminded her, tipping her chin up with my thumb and forefinger.
“How expensive they are doesn’t change the shape of what’s beneath the clothes,” she said quietly.
I furrowed my brows.The meaning of her words took a moment to register.“Do you not realize how hot you are?”
She looked at me like I was joking.Which meant she had no idea.
I pulled her closer to me, some alarm bell in the farthest reaches of my rational mind going off, reminding me that I was in the danger zone.Because this was real.This wasn’t a performance.And Clara would realize it, because there was nobody here we were performing for.
Right now, I didn’t care.
“If it was just the two of us in here”—I lowered my mouth to her ear, cinching her body against mine with a quick tug—“I'd show you exactly what this dress does to me.Whatyoudo to me.”
Her hazel eyes shone with desire as she tipped her head back to look at me.I dragged my thumb along her throat, smoothing my palm over her exposed chest.She inhaled shakily.I could feel her heart hammering in her chest beneath my palm.
“You don’t have to go so over the top,” she whispered, but I cut her off, pressing my lips to hers in a deep, desperate kiss.The kiss I’d been dreaming of giving her since Wednesday afternoon at the restaurant.She whimpered, clutching at my hands cupping the sides of her face as my tongue found hers, slow and thorough.
My cock stiffened immediately, and I was sure she could feel it pressed against her belly.She pulled back suddenly, sucking in a breath.It was only then that I realized she’d responded to the sound of approaching feet.
Mia had run up to us, clutching a barbie doll with wild hair.
“I brush hair!”Mia said gleefully as she thrust the doll toward Clara.
“Oh, honey, how beautiful.”I could hear the strain in Clara’s voice.“Do you have any other dollies to brush?”
Mia scampered back to the play area, and Clara looked guiltily up at me.
“So,” I began, smoothing my hand over the dip in her neck.Clara’s eyes drifted shut and she stiffened slightly.
“Nash, wait.”She stilled my hand with her own, her hazel gaze snapping to find mine.“Let’s pump the brakes.This is…confusing.”
“What’s confusing about how sexy you are?”I murmured.
She dipped her chin.“That’s not what I’m talking about.You’re…” A sigh escaped her.“Those kisses don’t feel like they’re just for show.”
“There are two adults here who need to be convinced,” I murmured, stepping closer again.I couldn’t take my eyes off her lips.Fuck, I wanted more of those kisses.
“Oh look, the lovebirds are lovebirding.”Zoey’s voice cut through our intimate moment and I looked past Clara to find her best friend re-entering the room.
“It’s hard not to with this one,” I said with a smile, turning Clara and pulling her flat against me, her back pressed to my chest.I dipped down and kissed her cheek.“She’s the only one who turns me into a lovebird.”
Clara giggled, swatting at my arm.Luckily she couldn’t know how hard my own words rang inside my body.It was easy with her.A little too easy.And I only wanted her more every second I spent with her.
I just couldn’t determine if that was something to worry about or a sign that everything was going according to plan.
Henri called us over for dinner.We gathered around the long dining table, where he'd set out a spread that looked like it belonged in a Michelin-starred restaurant.We oohed and aahed our way through dinner.Zoey regaled us with hilarious stories from her and Clara’s college days that had Clara blushing and protesting while I couldn’t stop laughing.My favorite story was the time Clara tried to liberate a ficus from the student union, only to discover the sad-looking thing was plastic.
“Listen, it just needed better light, plastic or not!”Clara said, laughing.“It was so high up there, how could I tell it was fake?”
“Mostly from the inch-thick layer of dust on the leaves, but that’s okay, babe,” Zoey said, patting her friend’s hand.“I won’t let anybody know the plant guru once mistook a plastic ficus for the real thing.That’s going to the grave with me.”
“This is why you’re my best friend,” Clara said, pointing her fork at Zoey.
As we moved on to Henri's chocolate soufflé—which had Zoey and Clara literally moaning with pleasure—the conversation turned to my work.Zoey had about a million questions about what Archer and I did and why.It was oddly refreshing to summarize my work, explaining the community-focused development projects Archer and I championed, as a way to use our wealth for good.I didn’t get into the drama with Sebastian Cross, and I stayed far, far away from the permit debacle that had been ruining Archer’s and my lives the past three days.I’d struck a perfect balance of relaxed hosting, easygoing convo, and wine buzz, and I didn’t want to capsize it.
