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The conversation was jovial and peppered with laughter. Noah's brothers had asked about growing up in Texas, living in California, and eventually, about being stuck in Scotland with their older brother. She and Noah had kept it light and made the unexpected detour sound like a grand adventure.
They sat beside each other and occasionally their elbows touched, which warmed her heart even more. When the topic of her mother came up, Noah squeezed her knee under the table and deftly changed the subject once Claire had given her usual brief explanation of growing up without one. The gesture touched her more than she expected.
"You're looking mighty satisfied, Red." Noah's sultry voice in her ear startled her reverie. Her face warmed as she met his gaze.
"Your mom's a splendid cook. Everything was delicious."
"High praise from another great cook." His gaze caught and held hers.
His mother picked up on the conversation and asked, "Claire's cooked for you, Noah?"
The room went quiet and Claire pulled her gaze from Noah. Pay attention! "Yes, I've brought dishes to work when we've had late meetings."
"Is Claire the coworker you mentioned who fed you on the American Thanksgiving holiday?" Noah's dad asked. Claire smiled. That's twice now that someone had mentioned Noah talking about her. Perhaps he wasn't as indifferent as he liked to pretend. She grinned at him.
Noah's cheeks reddened, and he looked at Claire before answering. "Er, yes. Her apartment complex has a cooking group who held a feast. What did they call it?" Noah raised his eyebrows, silently asking for help.
"Friendsgiving." She smiled. "It's for folks who can't travel or have no family close."
"Ah, how lovely," Delilah said. "What a wonderful idea."
And just like that, everyone started talking about the upcoming Christmas holiday and what friends they could invite over to share it with. After a while, Noah's dad collected his wife's plate and led the brigade to clear the table. When Claire tried to join in, Oliver chastised her and told her to stay put. In the Raines's household, those who cooked didn't have to clean.
They spent the rest of the evening cheering at the football game on TV while separate conversations took place around the living room and kitchen area. The fans were divided, with half the adults rooting for the red team and the other half yelling for the yellow team.
"C'mon, ye blind bugger! That was clearly tripping," Tristan yelled.
"What are you on about? Just because your man can't walk straight, no need to cry foul," Noah responded. Claire noted that while the entire family ribbed each other incessantly, the oldest and youngest brother seemed to have an affinity for pushing against each other. She smiled at the easy affection between them.
"Well, he wouldn't have tripped if thirty-two hadn't pushed him," Simone, Connor's wife, added. Claire laughed at the thin woman's dry delivery. Simone had surprised Claire by being the most vocal of the entire bunch. She was definitely a superfan.
Throughout the evening, Claire wondered if this was what life would have been like had her mother been around. She imagined a world where she had siblings and they teased each other like Noah's brothers. She was unprepared for the longing that reared up as she observed the Raines family. Eventually, Noah rose and told everyone he needed to get Claire back to her hotel since she had to catch a flight in the morning.
His family stood and showered her with hugs and kisses goodbye. Noah's mom handed her a plastic snack bag filled with cookies for eating on the plane tomorrow and even crusty Oliver gave her a goodnight kiss on the cheek as he hugged her goodbye. Claire's eyes filled with tears at the warm welcome she'd received from this family.
On the way to her hotel they recounted the visit, with Noah adding further insight to the funny stories told over dinner. The entire evening had been magical. After watching Noah interact with his family and the attention he paid to his nephews and niece, Claire had gotten a further glimpse into the layers that made up the man.
Spotting her hotel in the distance, she considered her situation. Tonight was her last night here, and the universe had thwarted every attempt to spend time together this week. She rubbed her palms on her skirt and plucked at her top. She didn't know what demons Noah fought or why he wavered between a warm, concerned friend and a cold, strictly business coworker. But it was time to take the bull by the horns and make a move.
When Noah parked the car in the hotel lot, Claire released her seat belt. She cleared her throat and faced him. It was now or never. She raised her eyes to meet his, looking up through her lashes. Courage poured through her when she saw him swallow.
"Do you want to come up?" she asked.
Chapter 26
Crossroads
"Fu-uck," he growled, pulling her toward him by the shoulders. His kiss was fire—hot and urgent. Nothing like the soft exploratory kisses they'd shared before. His hands searched under her shirt and hers were buried in his hair, scraping his scalp with her fingernails.
When they came up for air, she found herself half-sitting in his lap and wondered at the acrobatics that had gotten her there. She kept one hand on the nape of his neck and moved her other down to his chest, the warmth of his lean, muscular body making her squirm in anticipation. She slipped her hand inside his shirt, caressing his smooth skin.
"You're killing me, Claire," he whispered as he kissed her again. His hand kneaded her breast under her blouse. He released her mouth and trailed kisses down her jawline to her neck. She gasped when he licked at her collarbone.
"Oh, my lands!" His tongue on her skin sent shivers through her body and an ache grew in her core. His hand left her breast and traveled down her skirt before moving under and kneading her bare leg. As he caressed his way upward, she accommodated him, slightly opening her legs.
He froze, then pulled away, his hands gently pulling her skirt down where it had ridden up. Claire watched his face, dazed by the sensations flowing through her. She opened her mouth to ask why he stopped, but he put a finger over her lips and quietly shushed her. She heard it then. Voices coming near. They stared into each other's eyes as a group of people walked past the back of his car toward the hotel entrance.
Noah slowly exhaled and broke eye contact first. "My god, Claire…"
