Read Online HIS By Design -Coveting Claire by Helen Karol - Free Book Online Page B

that he’d guessed her thoughts and
that they caused him both amusement and pleasure.  The look
was broken as Andrea commanded their attention.
    "Julian, I know you had no intention of
accepting my invitation for Sunday's get-together, but now that
Claire's back I really must insist you bring her. "Turning to
Claire, she smiled in her best den-mother fashion and said.
 "You really must get into the thick of things at once,
Claire."
    Then removing Marcie from Julian, in a manner
greatly admired by all, whereby at no point did the little girl
come in contact with her elegant person, she swept off with Stephen
following in her wake in a slightly bemused fashion.  Julian
and Claire took one look at each other and burst out laughing.
    "She never changes, does she?"
    "Nope.  I hope she never does."
 Julian admitted.
    "Really?  I have to admit I find her a
bit irritating at times."
    Julian smiled.  "I know what you mean.
 She used to make me feel like some waif Susanna adopted and
then later became her responsibility."
    Claire couldn't help laughing at the
ridiculous comparison.  "I trust she doesn't make you feel
that way anymore."
    "No.  It took me a while, but eventually
I realized she treated everyone that way and then it didn't bother
me."  He paused and then added thoughtfully.  "She may
delight in appearing thoughtless, but she actually has a great deal
of common sense."
    Claire didn't comment, inwardly disagreeing
with him.  However in the not too distant future, Claire would
find that she was wrong, and would be glad of the fact.
    The rest of the afternoon was spent wandering
around the various boutiques and later they drove up the Pacific
Coast Highway and ate dinner at one of the restaurants overlooking
the ocean.  That night, as Claire tumbled into bed, it
occurred to her that she'd not thought of Richard even once since
breakfast.
    The next morning, Claire didn't go for a
swim, dressing completely before joining Julian for coffee at the
breakfast bar.  Unsettled by the comment he made yesterday
about the house and the seriousness of his intentions suggested by
it, Claire decided that a truce until she was surer of her own
feelings was a good idea. She'd abandoned her seduction tactics
completely.  That was probably why she backed off a little
when he reached up from his stool beside her and took the strands
of her hair between his fingers.
    "You have beautiful hair.  It's like
gold in the sun and silver in the moonlight."
    She was touched by the poetry in his words
and told him softly.  "Imagine all these years and I didn’t
know you were a romantic."
    His eyes deepened as he smiled at her.
 "In that case you'd be surprised to hear why I was upset when
I saw you’d cut your hair."
    Intrigued, she asked him why. Leaning closer
he whispered in her ear the fantasies he’d harbored.  Her eyes
sparkled at the information, and she teased him.  "Not just a
romantic, an incurable romantic."
    He accepted her teasing good-naturedly and
then asked her.  "What about you Claire, no romance in that
sophisticated, mature soul of yours?"
    Claire considered.  "Well, I was a very
romantic teenager.  I used to dream of love at first sight.
 All teenagers do until they grow up and discover it's a
myth."  Her tone was light, but it held a trace of
disillusionment.
    "It's not a myth, just rare."
    Claire understood his meaning and said with a
trace of envy.  "It must be nice to have had the perfect
romance."
    "Complete with tragic ending."  
    And all envy left her, although his voice was
devoid of cynicism or bitterness.
    There was silence until Julian took her hand
in his.  "Love at first sight isn't the only way to fall in
love.  Sometimes it grows slowly, but it can still be
romantic."
    He brought her hand to his lips before
letting it drop and then moved around the breakfast bar into the
kitchen.  Claire joined him and they prepared breakfast
together, their movements familiar and comfortable.