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This is another excerpt from my work in progress, Keeping Claire. It’s a bit further along than the previous excerpt. Just a reminder, this is a work in progress, so it hasn’t been edited! I worked on this scene in a great online workshop at Liquid Silver’s forum, and I just love it, so I had to share. Feel free to let me know what you think.
“What’s your name?”
“Claire Fiordalisi.”
“You’ve already admitted you lied about your name on your application.”
“It’s my name right now.”
He was pretty sure he managed to keep the growl from escaping his throat. “Fine. What was your name before that?”
“Sara Lancaster.”
“And what was the name you were born with?” He had to unclench his teeth to get the sentence out, but somehow managed to keep his hands from strangling her.
“None of your business.”
“I think it is.”
“I can’t really help what you think.”
“Maybe not, but you can’t leave until I’m satisfied, either.”
Her breath hitched at that and she glanced at the clock, her face paling. Was she supposed to be somewhere? Meet someone?
She took in a deep breath, which he recognized as a concession on her part. She was letting them see that she was tired and frustrated. Was she going to stop hiding? Stop pretending?
“All right, look. I didn’t mean to be contrary, but the truth is, as I said earlier, I lied about who I was but I did my best for this company. Nothing else matters. I’m going to leave. If someone comes looking for me, tell the truth. I was here one day and gone the next.”
Her move to stand this time was slower, but when she gained her feet without any apparent dizziness she looked at him, then Jacob. “I’m very sorry if my actions bring any trouble down on you, but it’s best for all of us if I leave immediately.”
She stepped around him and walked to the door, slinging her purse up on her shoulder.
He was beginning to wonder how much of the meek and compliant thing was an act. Sure, she’d come quietly when they’d gone to get her. She’d let him search her and been polite even when telling them to shove it. But her instinct when waking up had been to come up swinging and she’d managed to tell them essentially nothing so far, despite that acquiescent attitude.
When she reached the door, he held his breath, strangely eager for her reaction. She didn’t disappoint.
…
No matter how much she pulled, the office door refused to budge. It wasn’t locked, the knob turned freely and there was no deadbolt, but the door remained closed.
“Fuck! What part of I have to leave to keep you two asshats and your fucking company safe are you not understanding?”
Was that a snicker she heard? Whirling around she found both men right where she’d left them, faces solemn. She narrowed her eyes, too furious to keep her expression guarded any longer. For fuck’s sake, how was she supposed to keep them safe if they wouldn’t let her go? Ryan, it had to be Ryan who’d laughed. He was trying too hard to look innocent.
She advanced on him, finger raised.
“I am trying.” She poked her finger into his chest. He raised his eyebrows at her.
“To help you.” Another poke.
“To keep you from becoming the target.” Poke. Poke. “Of some seriously deranged motherfuckers.”
Tiny little crinkles appeared next to his perfect lips. He’d been pissed before, but now he was laughing at her? He’d better keep it inside or she was going to test out her knee-to-testicle coordination.
Ryan’s warm hand gently enfolded hers and brought her still pointed finger to those damnable lips. Her eyes bugged out in shock as he laid a gentle kiss on the tip before bringing it back down and urging her whole hand to lay flat against his chest. His rock hard chest. Wait, that wasn’t the point. He—
“Careful. I don’t want you to hurt yourself,” he said, allowing a tiny smile to form.
Oh no, he didn’t! “Arrrrggghhh.”
Not exactly articulate, granted, but the phrase perfectly expressed her feelings at the moment. She tried to pull her hand free but he held firm.
Fine. On to plan B after all.
Careful not to telegraph her move, she brought her right knee up sharply. Only, she didn’t connect with his gonads as she’d expected. Instead his other hand caught her neatly below the knee which he moved to the side as he stepped in close.
The sound of a throat clearing reminded her that Jacob was also in the room. Ryan didn’t move however, and she was unable to.
“As entertaining as this is,” Jacob drawled with a hint of an accent she hadn’t really noticed before. “Perhaps we could get back to the matter at hand?”
Claire swallowed hard as Ryan let her leg drop, his hand running along her thigh, pressing it into his own leg as she lowered it. She found herself practically straddling his leg, his hand on her ass.
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