Will to Love (23 page)

"Good morning, beautiful," a drowsy, heart-warmingly familiar voice said as a masculine arm snaked around her waist and soft lips grazed her cheek.

A lazy grin appeared on Clarise's face and she shifted to her side, facing the owner of that beloved voice.
 
She opened her eyes and could just make out the pair of captivating hazel eyes staring back at her in the dark.
 
The sun wasn't up yet.

"Hi."
 
She caressed his jaw and felt his day-old stubbles tickle her palm.
 
Will gave her a sweet, gentle kiss on the lips.
 
"What time is it?" she asked.

"It's only 5:30.
 
Sorry the alarm woke you up so early.
 
You should go back to sleep."

"Are you getting up already?"

"Uh-huh.
 
Remember I have a 7am phone meeting?
 
I have to go home first, have a shower and get ready for work."
 
He kissed her again as he lightly caressed her hip.

"Mmm," she responded sleepily.
 
"Do you want coffee before you go?"

"No, baby.
 
I'll have it in the office.
 
I'm getting dressed then I'm leaving."

"Okay," she said, but she didn't want him to leave yet.
 
She snuggled closer to his body, wrapping an arm and a leg around him.
 
It felt good waking up next to him.
 

He chuckled softly as he copied her actions, gathering her close.
 
"Hmmm.
 
You feel good, sweetheart."
 
He planted feathery kisses on her eyes, nose, cheek, the corner of her mouth.
 
Clarise angled her face so he could kiss her fully on the mouth.
 
Will's lips tugged her bottom lip and gently nibbled on it.
 
Clarise moaned faintly and captured his upper lip between hers and sucked lightly.

Will groaned and pulled back.
 
"Baby, what are you doing to me?"

"Kissing you?" she said huskily.

"You know what I mean," he growled.
 
"I have to get up and you're making it very difficult."

"If I recall correctly, I didn't start the kissing, you did."

"Well, you're irresistible.
 
But I really have to get up."
 
He gave her a quick kiss and got out of bed.

No more than ten minutes later, Will was ready to go.
 
Clarise was falling asleep again when she felt Will sit on the bed and, leaning over, kissed her softly.
 
"Bye, baby.
 
I'll talk to you later," he murmured.

Clarise forced her eyes open.
 
"When will I see you again?"
 
She felt odd asking him that question after their blissful night/early morning.
 
But the truth is she really didn't know when he will have the time.
 
They haven't quite resolved how she would fit in his super-busy schedule yet.

Will sighed deeply, pursing his lips.
 
"I have a ton of work that I have to finalise this week.
 
I'll have to work long hours to get them done.
 
But I should be okay on..."
 
He tapped his lips with his forefinger as he stared into space, obviously thinking.
 
"Wednesday night,"
 
he said.
 

Will was scheduled to see his parents on Wednesday night.
 
But that was his only free weeknight and he knew he didn't want to wait until the weekend to see Clarise again.
 
He wouldn't last.
 
So he made the sudden decision to take her with him to his parents.
 
And then he could sleep over at her place again that night.

Clarise smiled.
 
"Okay."
 

"And I'll call you later today," he promised.
 
"Go back to sleep, baby.
 
I'll let myself out."

~~

Clarise was still very tired, but she found it hard to fall back to sleep.
 
Her mind was replaying their lovemaking last night and early this morning.
 
After they left the couch, they went to bed and Will worked his magic on her body again.
 
It was hot.
 
Very hot.
 
And heavenly.
 
Then, in the middle of the night, she awoke from Will gently fondling her breasts and subtly nudging his hard-on on her hip.
 
Oh, she didn't mind being woken up.
 
Not at all.
 
They made slow, sweet love in the dark.

Clarise groaned frustratedly, aroused from her erotic memories and knowing she won't see Will again until Wednesday night.
 
She forced herself to think of the work she had to do that day.
 
It would be a long, tiring day after only a few hours of sleep.
 
But it worked.
 
Soon enough, she was dozing again.

~~

"How are you going, darling?" Victor asked her concernedly as he followed Clarise into her office.
 
She was ten minutes late for work which was very unusual.
 
Ordinarily, she got to work at least fifteen minutes before the official start time.

She smiled at Victor brightly.
 
"I'm good, thanks, darling.
 
And you?"

"I'm good," Victor answered distractedly.
 
He watched Clarise put her handbag in her drawer and her laptop on her desk.
 
There was something different about her today.
 
She looked...radiant.

"So I take it everything went well with your conversation with Mr. William Matthews," he drawled.

Clarise gave him a small frown but wasn't able to suppress her smile.
 
"How do you know?"

Victor laughed.
 
"It's written all over your face, Clarise.
 
You look like the cat that ate the canary."

Clarise's cheeks turned pink and her grin said it all.

"A-ha!" Victor exclaimed smugly.
 
"So he came over then."

"Yes."

"So, I was right!"
 
Victor said, looking very pleased with himself.

"Now, who looks like the cat that ate the canary?"
 
Clarise said with a giggle.
 
"Yes, you were right, darling.
 
And I don't know how to thank you," she added quietly.

"Well, you can have lunch with me today.
 
One o'clock.
 
In fact, why don't we see if Jessa and Faye can join us.
 
We'll have fun extracting all the juicy details from you."

"Victor!
 
You know I won't tell you all the details!"

"We'll see.
 
There'll be three of us breaking you down," he warned.
 
"I'll call them."

Clarise shook her head fondly at Victor's retreating figure and settled herself on her chair.

~~

Phew!
 
I'm glad that's over.

Clarise finished interviewing a client who owned a chain of popular hairdressing salons.
 
She was a lovely woman in her sixties but, boy, could she talk!
 
Clarise had to steer their conversation back to the topic many times and the forty-five minutes she allocated for this meeting turned out to be one hour.

She fished out her phone to call her friends and let them know she was on her way to the restaurant for their lunch meeting.
 
It was 12:55pm and it will take her at least ten minutes to get there if she walked fast enough.
 
She was always on time for meetings and her friends knew this.
 
Well, she'd only be five minutes late.
 

Her heart skipped a beat when she saw a missed call message.
 
Will called me!
 
She quickly rang Faye and told her how long she'd be.
 
Then, excitedly, she checked her voicemail for Will's message.

'Hi, baby.
 
Thought I'd call you before I head off to a lunch meeting.
 
I'll be available until one.
 
Call me before then if you can.'

Clarise checked her watch in panic.
 
She only had three minutes left.
 
She quickly called his number.

"Hi, baby," he greeted warmly.

"Hi, honey," she said with a big smile on her face.
 
"Are you in your meeting already?"

"Not yet.
 
I'm just about to walk in the restaurant so you caught me in the nick of time.
 
You sound breathless."

She was power walking.
 
She hated being late.
 
Luckily, she had changed to her flats.

"I'm meeting Faye, Victor and Jessa for lunch.
 
I'm late.
 
I just came out of a meeting.
 
That's why I only just called you now."

"Well I'm glad you were able to catch me.
 
It's good to hear your voice," he said softly.

"Yours, too, hon."
 
Clarise realised how relaxed she felt calling him sweet names.
 

"Hmmm.
 
All panting and breathless.
 
You remind me of how you sounded last night on the couch and in bed."
 
His tone was salacious and although his voice was low, it was a little too loud for Clarise's comfort.

She gasped.
 
"Will, you're in a restaurant!"

He laughed, delighted at her shocked response.
 
"Not yet.
 
I'm still standing outside.
 
I still have...two minutes to talk to you."

Clarise felt a burst of happiness.
 
She couldn't remember the last time she was this happy.
 
"Are you busy tonight?"

Will inhaled sharply.
 
"I'm afraid so.
 
I need to bury myself in work, uninterrupted, for the next couple of days if I want to spend Wednesday night with you.
 
Can I stay over then?"

"Of course."

"Speaking of Wednesday night, I'm supposed to come over to my parents' for dinner then.
 
I'd like to take you there with me before we go home to your place."

Clarise's heart-rate spiked.
 
He wants me to meet his parents?
 
Already?
 
"Okay.
 
I'd love to meet them".
 

"Great.
 
I gotta go, baby.
 
I think my new clients are already inside."

"Okay.
 
Have a good meeting."

"I will.
 
You enjoy your lunch.
 
And say 'hello' to your friends for me."

"I will.
 
See you soon."

"Bye, babe."

Clarise floated all the way to the restaurant with a mighty huge grin on her face.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

"Fantastic!
 
That all sounds really good.
 
Doesn't it, Deb?"
 
Eric Armstrong turned to his wife whose face was flushed with excitement.

"Oh, yes.
 
I really can't wait, Will.
 
I've been thinking about this for five months and have even inquired at other travel agencies but they just offer 'off-the-shelf' stuff that they piece together.
 
I want our five-year anniversary trip to be extra special.
 
I'm so excited," Debra Armstrong gushed, beaming at Will.
 
"And I can't wait to tell our friends.
 
They'll be green with envy.
 
I'm positive you'll have more new clients coming your way soon from our network."

Will smiled at the couple and felt a tinge of pride.
 
This was what his company did best.
 
Being the owner of a very successful property development company, Eric Armstrong was a multi-millionaire and he was willing to pay a premium as long as he got what he wanted.
 
And he wanted to give his wife her perfect, two-month-long holiday as a five-year anniversary gift with their twin two-year-old sons - and nannies - in tow.

"Thank you.
 
I'd really appreciate that," Will said graciously.
 
"And I'm glad you are both looking forward to your trip.
 
We'll make sure everything goes smoothly for you.
 
Samantha Jones, your personal travel manager, will be in touch with you tomorrow to introduce herself.
 
Any questions you have or anything else you want done in relation to your trip, just let her know.
 
She'll look after you very well."

"We're looking forward to her call,"
 
Debra responded.
 
"Now, tell me, Will," she continued conspiratorially, leaning closer to him as if to talk about a secret.
 
"Has Karen called you yet?"

"Karen?"
 
Will had no idea who she was talking about.

"Yes, Karen Childs, your former fiancee."

Will's eyebrows shot up as he looked at his new client in complete bafflement.
 
He hadn't spoken nor heard from Karen since she walked out ten months ago.

"Err, no.
 
I don't see any reason why she would."
 
He frowned.
 
"You know Karen?"

"Yes.
 
We met at the gym and we've become very good friends.
 
In fact," Debra continued with a mysterious smile, "she was the one who referred you to us."