Thirty-Eight Days (8 page)

Clara steeled herself and knew it would kill her to say it out loud, but it would make her brother happy. “I promise to be on my best behaviour with Noel.”

“That’s my girl. I’ll be home after the court case, I promise. I love you, Clara.” She could sense the hope in his voice, and she smiled knowing that the rift between them had sealed.

“I love you, too, Alex. Make this guy pay!”

“You can make sure I’ll make this bastard pay! I better go. Just don’t kill Noel, okay?”

Clara laughed and stared at her bedroom door. “I won’t kill the asshole. Bye, Alex.” She hung up the phone and placed it beside her. As she stood up from the window seat, Clara huffed out and shook her head. Looking out of her window one more time, she closed her eyes tightly.

I can do this. It’ll be easy… just don’t think about him naked!

N
oel turned to his left to see the clock flash eight a.m. He had been up hours before and sat there waiting for the alarm to blare. He pressed the big button to turn it off and looked out the window. He enjoyed the view so much that he never closed the curtains.

Two frustrating days had passed since the kitchen fiasco. His desire for Clara made it difficult for him to be under the same roof as her. For the past couple of days all he did was keep the conversations at a minimum. He made sure he was gone for most of the day and only back for dinner. He spent his mornings to late afternoons on the Yarra River and at the row club he and Alex used to go to as teenagers.

He let out all his frustrations on his rowing. He didn’t care that his arms would burn like they had caught fire every time he made a movement. He needed to feel the pain; he didn’t need to remember the ache of not being able to touch her face or not being able to hold her. Noel was having trouble understanding what he actually felt for Clara, but he knew he had to stay away. She was making it difficult.

But he had to push on. He learnt the night before that she had a job in a bakery. He was learning more than he should. She couldn’t know that he was physically attracted to her, no matter how much he tried to deny it. She didn’t need to know of the things he wished he could
do to her and with her. He shook the thoughts from his head and started to make his bed. They had spent two days together and he wasn’t sure how much longer he was going to last pretending he didn’t want or need her.

I have to be the asshole she expects me to be.

That was the only way he could survive the remaining amount of days they had left together. He would spend as little time around Clara as possible. And rowing was his answer. Knowing he’d sweat during his morning row with Rob, he decided against a shower. Noel changed into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt before he walked to the bathroom to brush his teeth.

Walking into the kitchen, he grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and noticed that Clara wasn’t awake yet. Noel went into the lounge to turn on the TV for the morning news. Flicking through the channels, he heard a knock on the door. Groaning, he got up from the couch, walked to the door, and opened it.

“Delivery for Clara Lawrence,” the delivery worker said as he held out an electronic device for a signature.

“I’ll just get her. Wait there a second,” Noel told him. The worker didn’t look much younger than him.

Walking to Clara’s bedroom door, Noel contemplated whether he should even wake her. Believing it was an important delivery, he knocked on the door.

“Clara?” He heard no sounds. “Wake up, Clara!” he yelled, getting a little annoyed with her.

She let out a slight groan and then movement sounded. “What the hell do you want, Noel?” she yelled from the other side of the door.

“You have a delivery,” Noel replied as he leant on the wall, waiting for her.

He listened as Clara got out of bed, walked to the door, and opened it. The amount of times Clara looked hot as hell couldn’t live up to this exact moment. He was literally stuck in place as he looked at her. Clara wore a short blue nightdress that hugged her slender body perfectly. Her loose curls were messy from sleep, but only added to the appeal of her.

He groaned slightly at the sight of her. Too attractive to be Alex’s little sister. Noel straightened his posture to make sure she didn’t see him check her out.

God, what is she doing to me?

“Are you serious? This early?” she questioned with an irritated tone in her voice.

“I, uhh, don’t know. He needs your signature,” he stammered out, trying to control his voice. She pushed past him and walked to the front door, giving him the perfect view of her ass. He couldn’t deny himself.

For a petite girl, Clara has one hell of a body. Damn those curves!

He noticed the delivery guy’s eyes run down her body as she walked towards him. He had the right idea, but jealousy stirred inside Noel. He was ready to run up to the guy and punch him in the face for checking her out. He couldn’t blame the guy for appreciating her body. It had just awoken a possessive trait Noel never knew he had when it came to Clara.

That short blue nightdress would make any man weak.

Noel needed out of there and fast. He quickly walked to his room, grabbed his gym bag, and made his way to Clara. He needed to make it clear to the delivery guy that she was hands off. He promised Alex that no guy would touch her, but it was selfishly for him. He needed to show the guy he had no chance. No guy did.

“I’ll see you tonight for dinner,” Noel said, smiling at her, only to see her send a heavenly grin right back at him. She made him a little breathless, but he managed to control himself. The delivery guy eyed him as Clara inspected the box standing in front of her.

“I’ll see you tonight then,” she replied to him as she started to sign the electronic device.

He looked at her one more time before he pushed past the delivery guy and his cart. Looking at the large box, Noel saw that the sender was Alex and remembered that he was sending her a birthday present.

“Lucky bastard,” the delivery guy hissed under his breath as Noel walked away from the both of them. That one hiss brought a satisfied smile to Noel’s face.

I am one lucky bastard indeed.

“
H
ave a nice day,” she said to the delivery guy as he collected the device from her.

“Are you sure you’re gonna be able to push this inside?” he asked, not looking at her face, but instead at her body.

“I’ll be fine,” Clara replied. The disappointment was clear on his face.

“Thanks again,” she said, dismissing him. He gave her a disgruntled smile and wheeled his cart towards the elevator.

Clara walked out to the hallway and smiled the moment she saw that the sender was her brother.

She wouldn’t move the box until the elevator doors closed and the deliverer left her floor. He started to creep her out. The delivery guy was decent, but he didn’t attract her. The elevator doors opened and there stood Liam, dressed in tight jeans and a light blue top. The smile on his face made her a little breathless; it was hard not to stare at him.

“Morning, Clara! You need a hand?” Liam asked as he left the elevator.

“I’m okay.”

“Nonsense,” he waved off, and approached her with a boyish grin. The delivery guy muttered something before he pressed the button for the lobby.

“I can see why that guy was checking you out. Nice PJs.” Liam winked at her.

She looked down at her short blue nightdress and smiled. Clara knew she looked appealing in it. Darren had made it clear when they dated, and that made her feel good about her body. When she pulled the dress out of the drawer last night, the need to make Noel want her was consuming. It was a stupid thought. Clara was out of Noel’s league and she didn’t stand a chance. She pushed thought away and slipped the material on. She wanted to feel attractive and if Noel found her to be, then it would be a boost to her self-esteem.

“I 
really
like your PJs. No wonder that guy looked like he was ready to pounce.” Liam laughed. “But seriously
,
you look damn hot!”

Oh, my!

“Stop that!” she playfully scolded. She had to remember he was a playboy. He’d had many women in his bed, and she wasn’t going to be another one of them.

“Only because you asked,” Liam replied with a wink. “Now, where do you want this?” he asked as he looked into her apartment.

“Anywhere is fine.” Clara stood back and gave him the space he needed to push the box inside.

“Your bedroom?” he asked hopefully. Clara rolled her eyes.

“You wish!” She laughed.

“You have no idea, Clara,” he breathed out heavily.

Liam pushed the box into her apartment with such ease that it made her envy his strength. Clara imagined how those arms would feel wrapped around her. She shivered at the thought. Once the large box was in her apartment, Liam stood up and dusted his hands, curiously looking around the room.

“So, this is what your apartment looks like,” he noted as he finally looked at her.

“Yeah.” Clara nervously laughed as she saw his chest rise and fall with every breath of air he took in. “Did you want to sit for a second? I’ll grab you a bottle of water?”

“No, I better go. I can’t keep helping out a beautiful damsel in distress like you all day. Unfortunately, I have things to do and I’m late, as much as it kills me to have to leave,” Liam replied and made his way to the door.

“All right, thank you for helping me with the box,” Clara said as he turned and leant on the doorframe.

“Any time, but I have to ask…”

“Uhh, okay?” she questioned as he looked her straight in the eye.

“Maybe one day soon, you could
wear that for me?” Liam asked with no hint of humour. He was dead serious. Clara flinched a little, but she didn’t want him to think she was easy.

“You’re late for whatever it is you’re late for,” she said as she pushed him off the doorframe.

“You will say y—“ he started to say.

“I will say yes one day. Yeah yeah, Liam, you’ve said this to me before. Remember? But I haven’t yet, so keep dreaming,” she mocked as he smiled a very sexy smile at her.

“Clara, you have no idea,” he said as he made his way out of her apartment, Clara closing the door behind him.