As I lower myself into my own chair, I glance between Joshua and Claire, trying to figure out their relationship. When Joshua said he’d invited a friend to join us, I imagined another guy. Not a woman.
Not the woman who I had begging me to fuck her mere weeks ago.
“I ordered you a glass of sparkling rosé to start, since I know you like to pair your drink with your meal,” Joshua says to Claire, gesturing to the bubbling champagne glass in front of her.
“Thanks,” she replies with a tight smile.
I may not know her well, but I can physically feel the nervous energy radiating off her.
I’ve been to my fair share of uncomfortable dinners. But this one may just take the cake.
“The filet here is great,” Joshua offers, opening his menu, completely oblivious to the tension simmering between Claire and me.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I reply, taking a sip of my scotch and stealing a brief glance at Claire.
She’s not the carefree, flirty woman I met in Boston. The woman who laughed with abandon. Who leaned into my touch like she needed it.
This woman is tightly wound. Guarded. Less spark, more steel.
And yet, she still makes my pulse race.
“Are you going to get the salmon?” Joshua asks her.
She jumps, darting her eyes toward him. “What did you say?”
He studies her warily. “Are you okay?”
There’s something intimate about the way he curves toward her, making me think they were once more than just friends.
The idea sends sparks of jealousy through me.
“Of course,” she replies in a voice pitched too high.
At least, higher than I remember.
She briefly closes her eyes, taking a calming breath. When she opens them again, they find mine, and she quickly pushes back from the table.
“If you’ll just excuse me for a minute.” She looks at Joshua. “Nature calls.” She rises to her feet.
I do, as well, the gentleman in me reacting on instinct.
“If our server comes back, order me the salmon and a glass of chardonnay,” she instructs Joshua.
“You got it.”
Her eyes briefly meet mine before she hurries away from the table. If she moved any faster, she’d be running.
“Sorry if she seems a little on edge,” Joshua explains as I return to my seat. “She’s been working constantly lately.”
I nod, doing everything to keep my attention on Joshua and not steal a glance at Claire’s retreating frame.
Especially the ass I remember spanking.
“What does she do?” I ask.
“She’s the head of marketing for the resort.” He leans back in his chair, pride warming his tone. “She’s basically been organizing the entire Holley Ridge Christmas Festival, which is a huge annual event around here. The tree-lighting ceremony is tomorrow night. She’s been going nonstop for weeks.”
So she’s in charge of Christmas.
