"I'm not exactly stern," Claire defended herself, though she knew he was probably right. She was aware of her reputation, but she was just a woman who wouldn't tolerate anything less from anyone.
"Just a little bit," Mike said, holding the tip of his pinkie to show her.
Claire chuckled. "I guess you could say so." Then she changed the topic, "I suppose you haven't had dinner yet… Why don't you go shower first? The meal will be done soon."
"Awwn, thank you."
"It's my pleasure."
With that, he went to his room to take a refreshing cold shower. He wanted to clear his head, and enjoyed a warm dinner, because the same might not be said for tomorrow.
In the meantime, he put on his pajamas and stepped out.
Claire had already filled the dining table with food.
She turned around when she heard his footsteps, her hazel eyes holding his gaze for a second longer than usual.
Then she smiled and motioned to the bowl on the table. "I prepared something for your hangover. It'll help reduce the fatigue tomorrow."
"Thank you."
"Can I take a bath here?" Claire asked, pointing to herself. "I'm sweaty."
"Sure… The guest bathroom is over there." He pointed to the corner.
Claire followed his hand motioned, and once she recognized it, she nodded.
"Okay… You can go ahead and eat first."
"I'll just wait for you here." As tempting as the meal looked; just like the cook herself, Mike knew he had to wait for her to come back first before enjoying the delicacies together. That was the least he could do.
"If you insist. I'll be quick, then."
With that, Claire briskly walked to the bathroom.
Who knows how many minutes she spent inside, but just when Mike was about to doze off, his eyes snapped open at the sight of her new look.
Fresh from the shower, her hair was still damp, her skin clean and dewy. A towel was wrapped around her head, and as she tried to mop her hair, the shirt she wore – his shirt, despite being oversized – rode up so high on her thigh he thought he might see the real thing if it went any higher.
The shirt clung tightly to her supple body, highlighting her natural curves.
'So this is what the guys at work meant when they talked about her front?' Mike couldn't help but think he'd been too innocent before.
Maybe because he had a girlfriend back then, he hadn't bothered to really look. But now… he realized her figure was easily one of the best he's ever since. It was a body worth dying over.
"Like what you see?"
Her voice jolted him out of his trance, his gaze snapping from her body to her face.
The smile on her lips was more sensual than usual—gentler, too, and knowing.
He averted his gaze.
"I asked a question..." She tilted her head, exposing her slender neck. "Or don't you like it?" She dropped her hands to her waist and deliberately tugged the shirt tighter against her body.
"What about now?"
Mike swallowed hard, his throat tightening at the sight of her pulling the shirt to her skin. His shirt. It clung like a lover, the thin fabric doing a poor job of hiding the soft curves beneath.
Her supple breasts were visible, and her nipples stood out prominently beneath the shirt like twin studs.
Mike shifted uncomfortably, feeling a certain part of himself begin to stir.
"I... Your nipples are hard."
Heaven knows, that wasn't what he was planning to say at all!
Claire chuckled, glancing down at her chest. "Are they?" Then she looked back at him.
"Why don't you check for me? I'm not really sure..."
At this point, whatever alcohol remained in his system had fully cleared. All he could focus on was the alluring figure before him—and the uncomfortable tightness growing in his pants.
"Come here."
"My pleasure." A smile curved Claire's lips.
Mike's gaze locked on the sway of her hips as she approached. The shirt moved with her, occasionally flashing glimpses of her smooth thigh.
He swallowed as she raised one leg and sat down on his lap like it was the most natural thing in the world.
His hands instinctively found her waist, fingers digging in slightly as he pulled her closer, securing her against him the way he wanted.
She chuckled again, their eyes meeting, and slowly, she leaned forward – never breaking eye contact.
Then she captured his lower lip, licking it with her warm tongue.
She seemed to enjoy teasing his mouth, sucking gently on his lips. But for a man burning with desire, Mike had no patience for teasing.
His hand went to the back of her head, pulling her close. And then he kissed her, tongue invading her mouth with hunger.
Their tongues clashed passionately, the sound of wet kisses filling the room. He shifted angles to deepen the kiss, taking her mouth like it belonged to him.
Hungry, breathless, and fierce; those were the only words to describe it.
Claire moaned into his mouth, the sound vibrating against his lips and sending a shiver down his spine.
Their kiss deepened; wet and smoldering – as if they were trying to drink from each other. The room seemed to vanish, replaced by the heat of their mouths and the pressure of their bodies.
Claire's lower body moved sensually, rocking against his. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she tilted her head to receive his fiery kiss. She felt his tongue explore every corner of her mouth, sucking on her tongue like it was a delicacy. She closed her eyes and moaned softly, subconsciously, as his large hand slipped under her shirt, grazing her bare skin.
It sent tingles through her whole body. His palm, warm against her damp skin, felt like fire on snow – melting her completely, body and soul.
Their lips parted briefly, a thin string of saliva connecting them. Claire took a breath, the smile still playing on her lips, before closing the distance again; this time with another kiss: slow, then fast, then hungry once more.