I nodded, taking another shaky sip of my coffee. “Um, so about Ozzie. I––”
“Yes, I agree with you about Ozzie, so we’ll wait to tell him.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. The reasons I’d given Rafe were true. Itwouldbe confusing for Ozzie, and I didn’t want to upset him or set back the progress I’d made with him, but I had other reasons as well. A public relationship with Lord Sterling would not be in my or his best interests. I had no doubt that eventually my family would come between us. There was nothing in my life that they didn’t ruin, after all, but I wanted to wait. I wanted to be selfish for a little while and keep Rafe for myself without my family’s interference.
“Hold on,” Rafe said as he stalked out of the kitchen. When he came back, he was holding his overcoat, which he shook out, giving me a significant look. “Are you going to be able to control yourself if I put on my coat in here?” he asked, with a twinkle in his eye.
I laughed, feeling my face heat. “I can’t believe I told you that! Ugh! Don’t tease me,” I said as he proceeded to do some sort of ridiculous reverse striptease, by putting his arm slowly in his overcoat, followed by his other arm, and then adjusting it. I was still laughing when he came over to me and closed his mouth over mine.
“I like you laughing,” he said softly when he pulled backfrom the kiss. I smiled up at him. The truth was, I didn’t remember laughing this much in a very long time, if ever. He kissed my nose before he moved away to pick up his bag. “I agree with you about Ozzie for now. But Clara, I’m not going to wait forever to tell him. This is happening. You and I are happening. You understand me?”
I swallowed and then nodded, trying to keep my smile in place, but when Rafe frowned and tilted his head to the side, I knew I hadn’t quite managed it.
“You do understand you’re mine, don’t you, Clara?” Rafe said in that low, commanding voice.
I gave a slight nod. “Yes,” I whispered.
“And I’m yours too. Don’t forget that either,” he said before he turned and strode from the kitchen, his super sexy overcoat billowing out behind him.
Chapter 20
Wrestling?
Clara
“Ozzie!”The scream made everyone’s heads in the playground turn towards the beautiful blonde with her arms flung wide, wearing crazy multicoloured leggings and a high-cut hot pink jumper that showed off her flat, toned stomach.
“Auntie Poppy!” Ozzie squealed, breaking away from me to streak off towards her.
She crouched down so that he could run straight into her arms. Once they were hugging, she lifted him up and spun around in circles until she staggered to the side and I was afraid they’d fall. She did look a little green around the gills. I cautiously walked up to them both, not sure of the reception I would get from the now-sober Lady Sterling after I’d seen the state she was in last night.
I really liked Poppy. I’d been intimidated when I first met her at the Sterling house. I’d seen her on the school run before when she’d been picking up Ozzie, but had never spoken to her. We all knew who she was. Everyone in thecountry knew who Poppy Sterling was. Given my shyness, it should have taken me a while to warm up to her. But I’d never met a less threatening human being in my life. She was like a ball of sunshine, all hugs and smiles and expensive perfume with the most adorable snort-laugh I’d ever heard. She won me over in under a minute, which was good as I’d seen a fair amount of her over the last few weeks. It was clear Poppy was close to her brother and her nephew. Ozzie’s mum seemed to be out of the picture more than she was in it, and I suspected Poppy had stepped in after the divorce to support Rafe and his son.
So, yes, I liked Poppy. But I knew better than anyone how badly people can react after you’ve seen them vulnerable, and I hadn’t known her for that long.
“Uh, hi, Lady Sterling,” I said quietly, managing a small smile.
“Hey!” she said, Ozzie still in her arms. There was nothing small about her smile and I sighed in relief. Then frowned when she flinched, her hand that wasn’t holding Ozzie up going to her head. She must have pulled at her injury. “Clara, you naughty lady. I’ve told you to call me Poppy.” She laugh-snorted. “Or you could call metotal dickheadafter last night if you wanted. It would be deserved. I should have remembered that alcohol and I don’t mix.”
“You don’t usually drink?”
She snorted again as she lowered Ozzie to the ground. “I used to, but I’m too much of a lightweight and it stopped being fun.”
I tilted my head to the side. “Then what happened last night?”
“Well, I was nervous for one thing,” Poppy said as she straightened and took Ozzie’s hand.
“You were nervous?” There was a fair amount of disbelief in my tone. I couldn’t actually imagine a nervous Poppy Sterling.
“It was the Sports Personality of the Year awards which was why Rory was there. He has that effect on me. I’ve never been good with outright contempt directed at me.”
“Contempt?” How could anyone hold Poppy in contempt?
“Yeah, it’s a whole thing.” Poppy waved her hand as if to dismiss it as nothing, but her smile looked forced. “Anyway, I could haveswornI only had a few glasses of champagne last night, not enough to get blotto. Not that anyone would believe me. I’ve a bit of a rep for my lack of restraint. Rafey tells me you cleaned up my head, so thanks.”
“It’s no problem,” I muttered distractedly as we started moving towards the car.
“What’s restraint?” asked Ozzie and Poppy giggled.
