SEVEN
CLAIRE KNEW IT WASWRONG to sneak out of Luke’s bed before he woke, but she was still too overwhelmed by what happened between them to face him. She didn’t usually run away from challenges, but she was running away from this one. The look in his eyes when he’d watched her come and the way he held her afterwards scared the crap out of her. Billionaire playboy, Luke Masters didn’t do forever with one woman. Hell, Claire hadn’t thought she was interested in anything like that, especially not with Luke. But a repeat of last night might take away that choice.
She couldn’t be that intimate with him – that vulnerable – and not start to want more, and she sure as hell couldn’t see him in the clear light of morning and hide it.
The cab dropped her at her apartment in time to grab a quick shower. As she washed off the scent of him, she ran through options for the problems she’d pushed away for the night. The money for her dad’s care was due on Tuesday. That left her less than a week. Depending on what her crew accomplished yesterday, they might be able to finish the public areas on the main floor by then but probably not and not in time to get the draw. Assuming she could convince Luke to adjust things for her.
The idea of asking him for anything now made her feel cheap. Sex complicated everything, and sex like what they had together was too much to contemplate. It was completely uncharted territory, and Claire wasn’t sure there was any way for her to get through it with her heart intact. He hadn’t mentioned her going away with him again. If she agreed to go with him now, there was no way she could say no to sex. He wouldn’t go along with it, and she couldn’t resist him anyway. Yesterday proved that.
He took her home and fed her lunch, and she let him strip her naked and make her come in the tub. And in the bed. With his hands. With his mouth. With his cock.
She’d lost count of how many orgasms she’d had. Her pulse raced and her clit throbbed just thinking about it. And even if what they’d shared was more intimate than straight fucking, they weren’t emotionally involved. She never intended to take his money for her dad, but even if she had, there’d be no way she could do it now. It would feel too much like trading sex for money.
So that left her with one option. She’d have to convince Mr. Easton to give her a short extension. So he already said no. If she let a little no stop her she’d never be where she was.Desperate, in debt, over extended, totally fucked by her biggest client.Stifling a hysterical giggle, Claire turned off the water and went to get ready. She’d swing by the home on the way to the job and make the nasty little man see reason. She’d always paid her bills before. Maybe not on time, but she paid them. She was a good risk. Surely he’d see that.
She threw on her good impression charcoal pencil skirt and a pale blue shell, slid her feet into black heels and stuffed her work clothes into her backpack. First she’d get Mr. Easton to say yes, then she’d go to the job, change and get her crew to finish the main floor rough-ins and get them back on five even if she had to do the framing herself. By this time next week, she should be well on her way to world domination. If she could do it all and avoid Luke, so much the better. She’d figure out what to do about that situation after she had all the rest sorted.
“WELL DON’TYOU look nice today, honey,” said Becky, glancing up from the nurse’s station she was manning at Oakwood Manor. “You’re daddy’s sleeping, but I can try to wake him if you like. He had a bit of a rough morning.
“That’s alright. I’m actually here to see Mr. Easton.”
“Oh,” said Becky, wrinkling her nose. She looked around to make sure no one else could hear her. “That man is bad news, and he has a thing for pretty young things. You make sure you keep a desk between the two of you.”
“My God, Becky,” Claire said, with a laugh. “Is he really that bad? He seemed awfully small to be causing such trouble.”
Becky let out an unladylike snort and squeezed Claire’s hand. “Child, I knew there was a reason I liked you. He’s not dangerous, just a weasel. As long as is you don’t owe him money, you should be fine. These new company policies are giving me fits.”
Something must have shown on Claire’s face because Becky’s expression changed from laughter to concern.
“Don’t worry. I’ll get it sorted,” said Claire, praying she was telling the truth.
She knocked on the office door, pushing it open when she heard the “come in.” The odor of scorched coffee and greasy takeout rose up to meet her, and Claire struggled to keep her expression pleasant and non-threatening. When Mr. Easton saw her, he practically knocked over his chair to get to his feet.
“Ms. English,” he said, wiping a crumb-covered hand on his wrinkled trousers before thrusting it toward her. “What a nice surprise! Sit, sit.”
She gave his offered hand a quick shake and sat, crossing her legs at the ankle the way her mother taught her when they were acting like ladies. As it so often did, the pain of missing her mother came out of nowhere and knocked the breath out of her. It took her a moment to realize the wrinkled grubby little man in front of her was still talking.
“I’m sorry, what?” she asked, pulling her mind back to the present.
“I was just saying that I had no idea you were so close to Mr. Masters. He is an amazing man, isn’t he?”
Claire could almost see the dollar signs flash in Easton’s eyes. It was clear what he thought made Luke amazing. Although she had no idea what had made the man connect him with her.
“Now what can I do for you?” He leaned across his desk ready to be of service, his mannerisms completely at odds from their last visit. Maybe this wouldn’t be as difficult as she’d imagined.
“It’s about my father’s bill. You see...”
“Yes, yes,” he interrupted. “Paid in full through the rest of the year, and as I told Mr. Masters’s assistant, in light of the pre-payment my superiors have agreed to lock in the rate for next year.”
“Wait, what?” asked Claire, her head starting to spin.
“I couldn’t get them commit to further out. I tried, but I’m sure you must understand. Health care costs being so unpredictable. Now, if Mr. Masters wants to prepay next year as well I’d certainly be willing to try again. They might agree to that.”
“No,” said Claire. Shock and her lack of breakfast was making her lightheaded and she wanted to get out of the foul office and away from the pandering man as quickly as she could. “Mr. Masters will not be paying for next year.”
She ignored the way his face fell in disappointment and started to get out of her chair. Luke, the assuming bastard. He thought just because she’d slept with him, he could do whatever he wanted. That he owned her. At least he thought she was worth a whole year’s worth of board. It hurt more than she could have imagined. Him reducing what happened between them to a simple exchange of sex for money. She blinked furiously at the tears she refused to let fall and hurried to the door.
“Are you sure there isn’t anything else I can help you with,” said Easton. “Anything at all?”
