Your Fierce Love (The Bennett Family #7)(58)

"Now we're talking."

He slides a thumb under my jaw, shifting to the edge of his seat, closer to me.

His smile grows more pronounced. "I've never seen you mad. It's a good look on you. You're fierce. Maybe I should get you mad more often."

I huff, pulling away. This man is clueless, but I'll show him the right ways. "Don't. I don't like to get mad. It's a waste of energy. Then I get mad at myself for being mad. Like now. Instead of enjoying this evening, I'm-why are you laughing?"

"Your monologue is adorable. You ramble even more than usual."

"Thanks, you're really winning points right now."

"I didn't know I was supposed to win points."

I sigh. "You weren't. I'm still rambling. Just … how could you be with that woman?"

"Loneliness. I used to think that bad company is better than no company."

I have no comeback to that. It had never occurred to me that Blake could get lonely. Not with his large family or his social skills. It seems that whenever I see him, he's in the midst of a crowd, either chatting or entertaining the group.

"But I was a jackass for a long time, so I got what I deserved. Sorry you ran into Vivian, though."

"That's her name? Sounds like a villain, which fits, I guess. I would've pegged her for a Cruella or something."

"I can't believe you're sassy even when you're pissed." 

"I do what I can. She was really bitchy, about you, me, your family. I can't believe anyone would pick on your family-even the kids. I gave her a piece of my mind."

He cups my cheek, kissing the tip of my nose. "You defended my family?"

"Yeah. You too. She said some things. Never mind. Don't really think I set her straight, but at least I got it off my chest."

"You're amazing, Clara. Can I keep you?"

My heart flips, and I simply lean in to him, hungry for more contact. But then his eyes grow hard, startling me.

"What did she say about you?"

"Eh, standard bitchy stuff. That I'm insipid, invisible. Shouldn't have let it bother me."

He pulls back a notch so he's staring directly at me, eyes hard. "Just so we're clear, you're never invisible. I see you. I've always seen you."

"You say the sweetest things," I murmur.

"I mean every one of them."

"That's what makes you sweet."

"We really have to work on your compliments, darling. Might want to use some more masculine ones."

"Nope. Sweet about covers it."

Cocking a brow, he rests his hand on my shoulder, moving his thumb on my collarbone. Shit. That's not a sweet spot for me, but right now, having his hand there feels so good. Too good.

"You're also sexy." I lick my lips. "And intense."

He slips his thumb under the strap of my dress, his eyes never leaving mine. Holy bejeezus.

"Very intense. Keep your hands to yourself, mister." To drive the point home, I push his hand away from my shoulder, inching back with my chair. "We're in public."

Which I almost forgot until I mentioned it. People are milling around, socializing. We're surrounded by the buzz of their voices and the background music, but Blake made me forget everything. The table fills, and as Ava sits, she leans in to me.

"By the way, at the next girls' outing, you're spilling every detail," she whispers.

I grin sheepishly. "Don't worry about that. If there's one thing I'm not good at, it's keeping my mouth shut."

She nods happily. "You have that post-hanky-panky glow that only comes from excellent hanky-panky."

"Glow? I'm so far past glowing, I'm practically a neon sign."

The lights dim again and the show starts back up. We all watch in silence, and I'm in awe once more.

Once it ends, a number of people crowd in on us, congratulating the family on the excellent show. One such person is Caroline. I know her from the various Bennett weddings, and she even joined us for the odd girls' outing. Such a pity she and Daniel broke up, and then she drifted away from the family.

With chagrin, I realize that seems to be my own story, minus the over part and the drifting away part. No, no, this is different. I went into this with eyes wide open. Blake and I are enjoying each other while we're neighbors, and that's it. I'm not harboring any secret dreams of happy ever after. Okay, so I am harboring secret dreams; sometimes they're so secret, I manage to convince myself they don't exist.

"Caroline, long time no see," Ava says.

"Not that long. I was at the wedding."

Ava makes more small talk with Caroline, but I'm busy observing Daniel-specifically the way he looks at Caroline. With longing. Well, well.

My meddling tendencies are rearing their head, but pffffffft...I'm a little fuzzy from the champagne. This might be a task for the master meddler, Pippa. Or at least a sober Clara. Before I can whip a coherent plan here, Caroline's gone again.