Read Online No Sweeter Love (Sweeter in the City Book 3) by Olivia Miles - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Olivia Miles
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be attracted to me?” he asked, and for a moment Claire thought she saw a look of hurt soften his eyes. “If it makes it any easier, pretend that Matt is there. Give him something to turn green over.”
Claire gave a little smile. Wouldn’t that be the day?
“Fine,” she said, gritting her teeth as she reached out her hand and let him take it. His grip was firm, his skin warm, and as they walked toward their waiting audience, Claire had the strange feeling that she could sort of get used to this . . .
***
“So, together since the holidays!” Aunt Milly’s eyes seemed to pop on the statement, as if she couldn’t quite believe such a thing was even possible. “A solid six months!”
Claire looked up at him through a gritted smile and said sweetly, “That’s right. Since New Year’s Eve, actually.”
They both knew how each of them had really spent New Year’s—she’d gone to Vail with Matt and he’d gone to a masquerade party with that brunette with the long legs and the law degree. He was working on New Year’s, covering the best events of the year, not that he minded. Half the time his job felt like play, at least the research aspect. And when he mentioned reservations at the hottest restaurant in town, it was usually the icebreaker he needed to secure a date for Saturday night.
Free drinks and the best tables weren’t the only perks of his job. Still, if he was honest with himself, going out four nights a week was getting old.
“My, this certainly is promising,” Milly continued, giving her husband Les, who seemed to be struggling to keep his eyes from drooping, a firm jab in the ribs. “I don’t think Ethan has held onto a relationship for that long since—”
“Les, you doing okay?” Ethan cut in. He swallowed hard, and did his best at playfully giving his uncle a friendly slap on the back. “Another round of drinks is in order, I think. Claire, want to help?”
She smiled demurely, and hurried to follow him. Before they were out of earshot, Ethan heard Milly remark, “How sweet. They don’t want to be apart, even for a few minutes.”
Behind him, Claire snorted, and by the time they pushed their way to the drinks table, they were both laughing uncontrollably.
“What do you say we get out of here?” Ethan suggested.
“But, Les’s drink?” Claire’s eyes crinkled in confusion, but Ethan shrugged away her concern.
“Did you see him? The man was practically snoring on his feet. Once he settles onto a chair, he’ll be out for the night. Poor guy is used to having his ear talked off.” He shook his head.
He’d gotten used to it over the years, the buzz of chatter, the seemingly endless amount of time his mother and her sisters could sit and talk. He liked it, especially as a kid, on the cool summer nights when his mother cranked his bedroom windows open. He’d turn on his side and listen to their laughter, the din of their voices from the back patio, where they sipped iced tea and reminisced about the past. It made the night feel less dark, somehow, less lonely. It made him forget that his father wasn’t there anymore.
Ethan turned to Claire, who was standing patiently at his side, staring out onto the water that lapped softly at the sand not far from her bare feet. Her sandals were dangling from her fingers, the hem of her dress billowing in the breeze, and for a moment, Ethan felt a sense of peace wash over him, the same way it had all those years ago when the breeze filtered through his bedroom windows and the murmur of voices began to emerge in the dusk.
Claire wasn’t a chatterbox. If anything, she was quiet. He liked that about her.
He looked over his shoulder to where his mother was deeply engrossed in a conversation with his cousin Meryl and her fiancé, Eddie. He knew an opportunity when he saw one.
He grabbed Claire’s hand again, sort of liking the excuse to hold it a little more than he should. It was small, light and feminine, but there was strength
Claire gave a little smile. Wouldn’t that be the day?
“Fine,” she said, gritting her teeth as she reached out her hand and let him take it. His grip was firm, his skin warm, and as they walked toward their waiting audience, Claire had the strange feeling that she could sort of get used to this . . .
***
“So, together since the holidays!” Aunt Milly’s eyes seemed to pop on the statement, as if she couldn’t quite believe such a thing was even possible. “A solid six months!”
Claire looked up at him through a gritted smile and said sweetly, “That’s right. Since New Year’s Eve, actually.”
They both knew how each of them had really spent New Year’s—she’d gone to Vail with Matt and he’d gone to a masquerade party with that brunette with the long legs and the law degree. He was working on New Year’s, covering the best events of the year, not that he minded. Half the time his job felt like play, at least the research aspect. And when he mentioned reservations at the hottest restaurant in town, it was usually the icebreaker he needed to secure a date for Saturday night.
Free drinks and the best tables weren’t the only perks of his job. Still, if he was honest with himself, going out four nights a week was getting old.
“My, this certainly is promising,” Milly continued, giving her husband Les, who seemed to be struggling to keep his eyes from drooping, a firm jab in the ribs. “I don’t think Ethan has held onto a relationship for that long since—”
“Les, you doing okay?” Ethan cut in. He swallowed hard, and did his best at playfully giving his uncle a friendly slap on the back. “Another round of drinks is in order, I think. Claire, want to help?”
She smiled demurely, and hurried to follow him. Before they were out of earshot, Ethan heard Milly remark, “How sweet. They don’t want to be apart, even for a few minutes.”
Behind him, Claire snorted, and by the time they pushed their way to the drinks table, they were both laughing uncontrollably.
“What do you say we get out of here?” Ethan suggested.
“But, Les’s drink?” Claire’s eyes crinkled in confusion, but Ethan shrugged away her concern.
“Did you see him? The man was practically snoring on his feet. Once he settles onto a chair, he’ll be out for the night. Poor guy is used to having his ear talked off.” He shook his head.
He’d gotten used to it over the years, the buzz of chatter, the seemingly endless amount of time his mother and her sisters could sit and talk. He liked it, especially as a kid, on the cool summer nights when his mother cranked his bedroom windows open. He’d turn on his side and listen to their laughter, the din of their voices from the back patio, where they sipped iced tea and reminisced about the past. It made the night feel less dark, somehow, less lonely. It made him forget that his father wasn’t there anymore.
Ethan turned to Claire, who was standing patiently at his side, staring out onto the water that lapped softly at the sand not far from her bare feet. Her sandals were dangling from her fingers, the hem of her dress billowing in the breeze, and for a moment, Ethan felt a sense of peace wash over him, the same way it had all those years ago when the breeze filtered through his bedroom windows and the murmur of voices began to emerge in the dusk.
Claire wasn’t a chatterbox. If anything, she was quiet. He liked that about her.
He looked over his shoulder to where his mother was deeply engrossed in a conversation with his cousin Meryl and her fiancé, Eddie. He knew an opportunity when he saw one.
He grabbed Claire’s hand again, sort of liking the excuse to hold it a little more than he should. It was small, light and feminine, but there was strength
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