Part 71 (2/2)
I rose from the bed, and she didn't move.
”Clara. Don't shut me out.”
”I'm not shutting you out,” she grunted.
”You are. Look at you.”
She looked down. Her arms were crossed, her stance was defensive, and she looked ready to absolutely come unglued at me.
Clara stayed like that for a moment... and I was afraid that she'd only snap harder.
Instead, she began to relax.
”Look, I'm sorry, Dalton,” she whispered as I came over to hold her close. ”You're right. There's been a lot on my plate the last couple of weeks. I didn't mean to try and take it out on you. It's just that... I don't know what I'm going to do.”
”I know,” I murmured, rubbing her shoulders as she remained pinned against me. ”I understand. This has been a lot for you lately.” Pulling back, I lifted her chin with my finger. ”But here's the thing I'm going to be right there with you, all the way.”
She nodded softly.
”Listen. First thing's first. We can fix your car. My guy tells me that he can maybe find a used engine to plug into it. I can cover that.”
Clara's eyes widened.
”No. I can't let you do that.”
”Look, you need a car, and I have a ton of money,” I shrugged. ”What's a few thousand dollars to me right now? Sure, it's a lot of money, but I'm not going to miss it. I'd rather see you mobile and happy.”
”Still... I'll find a way to pay you back.”
”Chiefly unnecessary,” I responded.
”Doesn't matter,” Clara shook her head. ”I can't expect you to make that kind of sacrifice for me, even if you want to and you have the money.”
”Fine. Point conceded,” I rea.s.sured her. ”As for the rest... school is going to suck, and our parents being married is going to suck too. Those, I can't really help you out with. But you'll have my support for as long as you want it...”
”I appreciate that,” Clara whispered, nestling her cheek into my chest. ”But what about work?”
”You're going to have to suck that one up,” I answered. ”Make the call. Figure out what you have to do to keep yourself on the payroll. That privilege of yours that you mentioned before is probably gone by now, though.”
”Yeah...” She muttered. ”Definitely.”
”So, do the right thing,” I continued, handing Clara her smartphone. ”Don't put it off. Reach out to your boss now, kiss a.s.s, and keep yourself with some income. Work your way back up into his graces.”
Clara took the phone from my hand and smiled up at me. ”You're really great, you know that?”
”I can be,” I shrugged.
”When you're not seated at a table with a bunch of marines and making a complete a.s.s of yourself, at any rate,” she chuckled. ”What was it you told me the night we met?”
”Oh, I told you a great number of things.”
”I'm thinking of something in particular. You asked if I had a menu, and then you were going to have me”
”Stand on it, and I'd ask for some of you. Yeah, I definitely remember that.”
Clara pulled up her contacts list on her phone and navigated towards her boss. ”It's funny to think of how much has changed since then,” she thought aloud. ”I thought you were a total p.r.i.c.k, and even a short while later, my roommate was trying to send you away... but now, here we are.”
She lifted the phone to her ear and let it dial.
I thought about that too. A lot had changed since Clara and I had first met... but I was happy with it. It was great to finally have someone to push all of my attention into, as opposed to just cycling through girls in my bed.
”Hi, Arnold? Yes, it's me... I know... I'm really sorry. My car... okay, sure.” She paused, pulling the phone away from her ear for a moment. ”He's putting me on hold so that he can go somewhere quieter.”
I nodded, listening for every cue in her tone.
”Right. I'm calling to apologize for tonight. I was supposed to email you yesterday and notify you that my car broke down, but I didn't get the opportunity to reach out until now... uh-huh... yes sir... I understand... of course...” Her eyes widened, but I couldn't tell if they were from surprise or fear. ”Right... no, I get it, I understand... yes sir. Thank you, sir.”
She hung up the line and turned to me.
”Well, the good news is that I haven't lost my job... bad news is that I'm on probation. Two s.h.i.+fts a week, maximum. As if I needed to add being broke to my troubles...”
”Don't worry about the money,” I replied, pulling close and ma.s.saging her shoulders. ”Just focus on doing what you've got to do.”
Clara looked over her shoulder at me with begrudging acceptance, and didn't fight the point.
”I don't know what I'd do without you, Dalton,” she murmured. ”You came into my life at such a strange time... but I'm happy to have you.”
Her hand slipped over my knuckles as I kneaded her shoulder. It was warm and soft, squeezing tightly into the indentions between my fingers.
”I'm happy to have you too,” I smiled, planting a kiss where her jawline connected to her ear.
When she turned, her eyes half-lidded with the first waves of desire, I slid my hands to caress her face and hold it close. Giving a deep, pa.s.sionate kiss, I realized how the tension had gotten my blood pumping again.
As my c.o.c.k bounced with l.u.s.t for her, I gently lowered Clara back down to my bed again...
52.
Arrogant Brit
Chapter 15.
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