The drive back from the court house to Ryan's house had been nothing but awkward. Claire was seated in the passenger seat, gripping her purse for dear life; he almost felt sorry for it. He tried to make small talk with her earlier but that didn't go anyway. As if she was the only one weirded out by this.
It was official now. They were married. He side eyed the sparkling diamond ring on her finger. She actually looked good in it. He still didn't know what made him buy that specific ring in the first place. He just saw it and thought of her. He took a glimpse of her, pretending to look at the side mirror. This was the first time he had seen her not wearing formal clothing. The long hair which reached her middle back and a white dress was a nice touch. A dress that now reached slightly on her mid thigh.
Ryan cleared his throat. "We'll be arriving shortly." He was hoping that would at least distract him from the impure thoughts running in his mind; he was wrong. Especially when her face lightened up the moment the gate opened for him at his house.
He remembered when he had bought this double story villa. He had instantly loved it and had showed it to Vanessa, in the hope of raising a family there; but Vanessa has said it was too small for her taste. Her exact words were, 'I'm married to a billionare, I can't leave in this small dump', and because he loved her-so he thought at that time- he bought a mansion for her. He still kept this one and had occasionally used it; sometimes when things with Vanessa had been tense or when he just needed some time alone. This house was more like his sanctuary.
Ryan turned his head when he heard a small gasp from Claire. "What's wrong?"
"You've a garden." He chuckled at the disbelief in her voice.
"Yeah, I do a little gardening sometimes, although Martha keeps everything in check." She nodded her head at that. "So, you like the house?"
She gave him an eye roll and said, "Any person who wouldn't love this house is insane." Her laugh was very addictive. She spun around to face him. "But isn't someone like you supposed to have a mansion?"
"I have three actually but I don't live in them. I never liked living in large spaces. I used to live in one with Vanessa, though. She was the one who loved extra vagance things. I moved out when we divorced and have been here or the penthouse." Ryan watched Claire looking at him. She had a soft expression on her face.
"Are you going to show me inside?"
"Come." He opened the door for her.
Claire tried not to let any part of their bodies touch as she squeezed past Ryan. Her wish was not granted as she felt his hand on her waist. He was probably being a gentleman but the heat from his palm had nothing gentlemanly about him. She tried not to let that gesture or the faint scent of lavender emanating from him -probably from his shampoo or aftershave- affect her.
She stepped away from his touch and looked around. A short plump woman with salt and pepper hair was humming along to whatever song that was playing from her headphones. Claire smiled as the woman began dancing, completely oblivious to her unknown audience.
"That's Martha," she shivered when Ryan whispered besides her. She felt his hot breath on her ear. " She has been with me forever." If she turned her head a lilttle, her lips would probably graze his cheek.
Good God, Claire, get a grip of yourself.
Thank God for Martha who gasped in surprise when she spun around during her dance moves and saw them, otherwise Claire thought she was going to faint.
"You brat!" If Martha didn't had a smile on her face, Claire would had thought she was actually serious. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"
Ryan walked towards Martha and gave a huge hug. Claire was left standing there, feeling strange, slightly because of the new place but more because she had never seen her boss like this. She saw him laugh; not those trying to be polite laughs you do but a hearty -from the belly-laugh. She never saw this version of Ryan standing in front of her.
"I did tell you we were coming. We are just early." He flashed her grin.
"Look at us, being all rude." She saw Martha slap Ryan lighly on the head. "Hello, dear. I'm Martha." Claire was preparing for a handshake but instead she got pulled into a hug like Ryan did with her.
"Hi, Ms Martha. I'm Claire." The woman laughed while removing her bangs from her face.
"No need for formalities, dear. Just Martha is fine."
"Please. My mother would kill me if she found that I was addressing someone her age by the name." They probably thought she was joking but she wasn't. Her mother would bury her.
"I like her." She said to Ryan who was leaning against the wall watching them. "She's good for you."
"You've never liked my past girlfriends before. Even Vanessa." Ryan said. He was now smelling whatever Martha was cooking.
"Well, Vanessa was a tramp, still is." Claire looked at Ryan waiting to see if he would react to what Martha said, but he just chuckled and ate a spoonful of soup. "Hands off!" He immediately put the fork down, raised his hands in the air and walked away from the pot. Claire couldn't help but laugh at them. They clearly had a very healthy relationship.
"She doesn't kid when it comes to her pots." He said as he stood besides her.
"I see that."
"Let me show you the rest of the house." He took her hand and led her upstairs. "Bathroom left, toilet right", he pointed as they walked down the passage, "my study, spare bedroom, library." They stopped at a double door but didn't enter. "My bedroom." They passed a single door and come to another double door which was open. "This is yours."
The word beautiful was an understandment. The room was white with sky blue curtains and a couch at the corner to match. There was a dressing table opposite the big walk in closet and a bathroom-toilet room at the other end. A white and blue fluffy carpet surrounded the bed. A big wide bed for that matter. That was a comfortable bed and she could tell by just looking at it. The big pillows and the small ones, the...
"It's black. I like black." She felt Ryan turn around to look at her but she kept staring at the bed.
"Me too."
Somehow the air shifted around them. She began feeling hot. Maybe it was the nerves of being in the new house.
Yeah Claire, it's the nerves. It's totally not because you are standing next to the hottest guy in the world, staring at a huge empty bed and his hand on yours like that.
She had completely forgotten about their hands. That was surprising for someone who didn't like to be touched a lot. Realization must have hit him at the same time and he let go of her hand.
"Sorry." He muttered and walked into the room, putting some distance between them. "I'll let you settle in. Come down for lunch." He squeezed between her and the door, this time making sure there is no touch whatsoever.
She let out an exhausted sigh. She can do this. She will do this. Six months is not long. She will be fine. She had to be fine. They probably won't see each other that much after this weekend, right?
Who the hell are you kidding, Claire?
Fuck.