Claire smiled nervously when Ryan set his hand on the small of her back, leading her into a restaurant. Ignoring the electricity-like sensation running through her at his subtle, and seemingly innocent touch, she chose to focus on the crucial predicament at hand.

What was happening? It was only a week ago that they couldn't even talk during that two-hours ride and now she was going to have dinner with him?

The restaurant Ryan took her to was cozy but ritzy in appearance. Golden-yellow lights and soft piano music accented the air and bathed it with an intimate touch that took Claire's breath away at each step they took toward the table for two, with a candlelight dancing on top of it.

It was exotic, almost romantic.

Romantic? Claire shrieked inwardly as she took a seat, and luckily there was a home buzz coming from Ryan's jacket to divert her attention. But he ignored it as though he couldn't hear it.

"Maybe it's important?" Claire muttered.

"I hardly believe it can beat this moment," Ryan replied gently, his eyes smiling down at her with an alluring gleam.

Fuck! Why is he weird today? Claire swallowed thickly.

She shouldn't let his charms bewitch her, she rumbled inwardly, for he was more of aphrodisiac attraction now that she could stare at him this close, eye to eye.

"I wonder how burdensome it is to be the center of attention in your position," she said casually, averting her thoughts by lacing her perfectly manicured fingers together on the table.

"Hard at times," Ryan answered with a pause, sitting straight after hanging his gray suit jacket on the backrest of his chair. "Carrying responsibilities over a thousand employees on your shoulders, fulfilling clients' demands, tight deadlines, and stuff; I can't say it's simple. But I've got a reliable team so all is good, regardless. I can't complain." He sounded passionate about what he did.

"I can only imagine," Claire remarked softly, trying her best not to look at his chest skin left uncovered by three broken buttons of his immaculate white shirt, and thankfully they had an interruption.

"Welcome Sir... Madam... would you like the menu?" asked the maître d', a smart-looking man in a formula black suit.

"I'll have grilled chicken vegetables, please," Claire replied rather instantly when he approached to take their order.

"A steak for me, medium rare," Ryan said, his tone calm and controlled. "Wine?" he asked Claire.

"Um, sure," she replied haphazardly.

"One of your finest bottles," Ryan said, and immediately devised by adding, "No, Cabernet will do."

"A wonderful choice, sir." The maître d' nodded smilingly and left.

Once in privacy, Ryan returned his full attention to Claire. "And you? How's work? You told me you got a job?" He placed his big palms on the table, a classic white-gold Rolex accenting his left wrist.

"It's great," she prompted with a sigh, fixing upright as though the subject was touchy for some reason. "I'm still learning. Well, I'm done doing what I truly love but... maybe in time I will? I don't know."

She wasn't as happy with her job, Ryan thought as he sensed a sad undertone in her voice. He squinted his eyes, a little confused as to how deep was her discontentment.

"Interior designing, isn't it?" he quizzed, and Claire affirmed with a slow nod. "You mentioned it the last time we met during lunch," he explained, for he could tell that was the question in her head.

It was the truth. She was probably the only person who had his full attention that afternoon, even though his young brother was all he was interested in.

"Yes, I want some fieldwork. Not sitting in the office making tea and handling copies!" Claire lamented after exhaling a frustrated breath. "I mean, I'm an interior designer, right? I make people's dreams come true. I'm not a secretary. Why do they keep asking me to make copies and shitty coffee, huh?"

A gentle laugh escaped Ryan, but he masked it immediately by clearing his throat. She is cute. He looked intently at her, taking in all the complaints she had without feeling bored even a slight bit while studying her lips moving in sync with her sweet voice.

"That's how the large companies work," he seriously retorted, tapping his strong fingers on the table. "Unless you can try small firms with little bureaucracy." He shrugged off the idea.

"I know, but I need to learn some things first. And I don't have a contracting license yet, so maybe when I get it I won't stand making coffee for them," Claire stated thoughtfully.

Ryan smiled at how determined she sounded.

They continued talking about this and that for a long time. They laughed, got serious, and kept talking, but mainly about the work and career they'd chosen.

"You can start your own company later on once you've proven to be the best in the field... and mostly to yourself," Ryan told Claire at some point while sipping his red wine with ease.

"You think?" Claire needed to hear his opinion for some reason.

She had no idea why, but it suddenly mattered.

"I believe so, Claire. It depends entirely on you and what you can possibly offer career-wise." He smiled so gently, and the talk kept flowing so flawlessly that time seemed to be at a standstill until they realized they'd long finished eating.

Ryan offered Claire a ride home and this time she relented without thinking twice. It was around nine-thirty when they stalked into his car and left the restaurant.

"Why don't you have a driver or those macho guys stalking your back like a tail or something? I mean... like... those big bosses in the movies," Claire suddenly asked as the silence stretched for a short while with Ryan handling the driving wheel just as before.

"Well.." A smooth laugh was Ryan's response before saying, "Maybe you should stop watching those movies filling your head with fantasies."

"Excuse me? You think I'm a teen or something?" Claire retorted, cocking her head to one side in a condescending manner, even though it was just an act of fun.

Ryan chuckled boyishly. "Not quite, but I don't think you're far from your teenage years either," he teased, but it was the truth. He was way older than her. "I do love my privacy, I can protect myself perfectly well, and I only trust my driving skills, so I don't need a driver or a bodyguard for that matter."

His glance towards her was wild, a mixture of amusement and something else Claire could never put her finger on; it was not a particular one a guy gives a woman he's deeply attracted to, but it wasn't the indifferent one either.

Fuck, he was confusing!

"Sure!" Claire shot him a stop-bragging look, almost rolling her eyes.

But then again, she realized her stepbrother drove himself too. He had relocated their father's driver as soon as he took the presidency. He wasn't a fan of VIP life and all the flash, after all, and it seemed like Ryan was the same.

However, it was so evident that Ryan was someone who enjoyed power and exercising authority, unlike Jorge who was... soft. Everything Ryan did: the way he talked and handled things, and even the overwhelming aura he exuded, showed how controlling he was and it made her stubbornly intrigued.

"Do you live with your family?" Ryan asked, disrupting Claire and her overthinking.

"Um, kind of. My stepmom and her son," she answered vaguely.

"Your parents?" His eyes were on the traffic-free road at the heart of Lisbay, the cityscape bright and alluring.

"In heaven maybe, if they lived well enough during their time on Earth." Claire smiled ruefully and strayed her gaze toward her side window.

Ryan's eyes found her immediately, but all he could see was sadness surrounding her. "I see," he uttered and didn't want to ask more.

And as much as Claire seemed to like talking to him, she didn't want to say more, either. It was as far as she could go—at least for tonight.

"Thanks for today, Ryan. I had a great time and dinner... Well, it was awesome," Claire told him a moment later, meaning it from the bottom of her heart.

It was unexpected, yes, but it turned out so perfect that she could do it again if she had another chance.

Ryan's lips tugged into a warm smile, glancing at her fully this time. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. I thought I was boring."

Boring? Claire frowned. No, it wasn't even close to being the case. Well, in a way he wasn't as charming as his young brother, but there was something about him that wouldn't bore her even if they stayed locked up in a room.

What? Claire cleared her head quickly, mentally admonishing herself. Why was she giving him too much credit lately? He was just an arrogant rich dude with a clear mission to impress the ladies he took out, so she wanted to believe.

"Oh, so you are modest, too?" she muttered, resuming their conversation as though it was only beginning.

She reclined back in her seat, folding her arms across her stomach while staring at him with a smile that could light up the whole Lisbay.

She simply felt happy.

"Maybe," Ryan replied with a soft chuckle, and he was fireworks whenever he smiled like that.

No, Claire. Don't be charmed! Her subconscious was constantly on the edge, but she didn't want to hear reasons at the moment. No, she just couldn't.

And when it was time to part ways, Claire felt a strange urge to remain by his side, some powerful need she had never felt before. Was it his company or the sense of warmth she found in him? It was almost nostalgic, and she wished she would never leave the car.

What was this, though? She wondered, her body skin running and cold at the same time. She glanced at him, and his eyes were shimmering down at her a bit curiously, his lips parting slightly as though he wanted to say or ask something about her sudden hesitation to leave.

"Um..." Claire started but nothing more could fly out.

Go! Just Get out of his damn car!

"Everything okay?" Ryan unclasped his seatbelt and tilted his wide shoulder lower toward her as if he couldn't see her better otherwise. "Claire, what—" Ryan was about to ask if she had forgotten anything when she suddenly maneuvered her way toward him, propping her knee on the passenger seat, and pressed her lips against his so carelessly.

Time seemed to freeze.

She wanted to kiss him and she was doing it without thinking about anything but him. Was it a foolish impulse? She had no idea, not even when her sanity reloaded and her body edged back automatically like a flick of a switch.

"I-I don't know what came into me, Ryan. I'm sorry," she said frantically, and shame burned within her so painfully when Ryan showed no reaction to her kiss the way a man with interest in her would.

What the fuck have I done? Claire was ready to run, leave his car, and hide forever from his eyes that probably saw nothing but a sleazy woman in her.

But much to her surprise, Ryan grabbed her waist swiftly and pulled her upper body closer toward him until her hands fell upon his shoulders. With a sharp whimper, she looked upon him nervously, and her throat dried when his salacious gaze descended down her slightly full and moisty cherry lips.

Was he going to kiss her? Claire gulped, eyes on Ryan's sultry lips that quivered into a tiny, salacious smile. "Ryan," she breathed, the smell of his woodsy aftershave lingering on her nostrils now.

"Next time," Ryan uttered gently, running his one hand from her waist up to the back of her neck, "don't steal a kiss like that, especially to another guy."

His words were not only threatening, but also exciting. Not a single blink of an eye could deflate Claire's gaze as he buried his corded fingers through her silky hair, sending shudders of need over her back and every inch of her skin.

And then his lips fell on hers, and his kiss, so deep and ravenous, resembled the fire so wild. God, his lips were so soft, yet so firm. How was he such a good kisser? Claire had no idea. She didn't care. She just kissed him back with the same passion.

His tongue tangled dominantly with hers, igniting flames that burned her sanity. She was lost in this bliss as his, and the more he held her closer, kissing her deeper, she could feel the dampness growing between her thighs.

Fuck! Did she want more of him?

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A/N: Woah, I guess my girl truly wanted an adventure and she went for it! What next? Stay tuned and don't forget to hit the little star below lol.