“Clarissa? Uncle Matt? What are you two up to?”
She had actually noticed the duo from some distance away. However, owing to Matthew’s towering figure, she could not clearly discern what the two of them were doing.
Ellie had only noticed an odd vibe lingering in the air as she got closer to the two.
“What’s the matter?”
Clarissa made her way to Ellie’s side and circled her arms. “Ellie, I’m famished. Could you barbeque something for me?”
“I was just looking for you. Uncle Matt, aren’t you coming too?”
Matthew felt his fingers that just moments ago lingered on Clarissa’s back. “Why don’t you girls head over there first? I’ll be there in a moment.”
As the two girls made their exit, Matthew stood against the window and lit another cigarette.
The smoke coiled in the air as he narrowed his eyes at Clarissa in the yard. Damon was obviously trying to appease her by handing her plates of barbequed meat and assorted food. Then, the young man took a seat and muttered something to the girl.
The charming young man was obviously disarmed by the girl whom he liked, and were all smiles before Clarissa.
Well, her smile is captivating.
Matthew heaved out a long sigh. He furrowed his brows, preoccupied with his thoughts.
“Clare, what were you doing with Uncle Matt back there? Things seemed weird between the two of you.”
Ellie handed Clarissa a bottle of beer and the duo clinked bottles with each other.
At her friend’s question, Clarissa shifted in unease. She lowered her gaze in contrite and said, “Oh, I was just thanking him for saving me in the morning.”
“Right, if it wasn’t for him saving you, and for doing the CPR, you would have been in danger.”
Clarissa’s heart skipped a beat when she heard Ellie.
CPR?
Does that mean that we’ve…
“Speaking of which, what do you think of Damon?”
Ellie had not noticed her friend’s odd demeanor. Grinning, she edged closer to Clarissa and pressed on.
“What about him?”
“Oh, cut the crap. don’t pretend like you have no idea that the guy is crushing hard on you. I will say that he’s quite an amateur when it comes to this though. I know this Damon pretty well. Even though he’s not that matured, and he’s had some experience being in a relationship, bottom line, I know he’s not a playboy. I really think you should give this a try if you’re feeling something for him too!”
“I know he’s a great guy. But you know how it is for relationships. I really have no idea where this is going.”
Ellie relented, not trying to push her luck. “Haha… I guess you have a point. Let’s just see how things go. If he somehow manages to move you, it’s not too late for you to consider giving him a chance then. Cheers, girl! This really brings me back to the night when we graduated. It’s been a really long time since I’ve felt this relaxed…”
Clarissa gave her a smile. The two of them clinked bottles again as they started to drink to their heart’s content.
Clarissa had lost count of how much she had to drink. The others had long dispersed but Ellie and she were still going at it.
Damon tried to join the girls’ talk but Ellie chased him away.
She even wrapped herself around Clarissa, insisting that her bestie was hers, and hers only.
Clarissa, on the other hand, smiled helplessly at her friend’s demeanor. Even though her head was all muddled from the alcohol, she was still perfectly conscious. After her friend chased Damon off, she sat there quietly as Ellie wrapped her arms around her.
She lifted her head and noticed the stars strewn across the night sky.
Squinting her eyes, Clarissa noticed that Ellie had fallen into slumber as the latter no longer muttered anything.
Clarissa tried to get up but her legs failed her. Just when she thought she was going to fall, Clarissa found herself in a firm embrace.
The alcohol blunted her response. She lifted her head, only to be greeted by double visions. In an attempt to steady the flickering image before her, she reached out her delicate hands and cupped the face before her.
Clarissa’s words were slurred. “D-don’t… move.”
Moments gone by before she finally registered the face before her.
“Hmm… Uncle Matthew?”
She sounded like she was doubting herself.
“Are you drunk?”
Matthew folded her in an embrace, his hands steadying her. He could not help but notice how her attitude toward him differed when the girl was sober. Her wary and cautious self dissipated into thin air, leaving only the meek and obedient girl in his arms. Her voice was so soft that he felt it tickling against his ears. There was a tinge of coolness to her fingers, although her palms felt soft as feathers while cupping his face.
“No, I’m not drunk.”
“Yeah, right.”
Drunk people never admit that they’re drunk.
“I need to… send Ellie back to her room.”
Despite herself being all hazy from the alcohol, she still remembered her friend. She turned around, but her friend was already nowhere to be seen.
“Eh? Where’s Ellie? Ellie…”
The way she scrambled for her friend put a smile on Matthew’s face.
“She’s already back in her room. Are you heading back to yours as well?”
Almost half a minute passed by before she muttered a response. “Oh, okay.”
Okay?
Matthew swooped her up, and her head spun from the abrupt motion. She clutched his neck tight as she shut her eyes. Her lashes fluttered as she moaned lightly into Matthew’s neck.
“My head is spinning.”
Her voice was coquettish and alluring.
Matthew felt his body stiffen and gulped. He paused in his tracks for a moment before making his way into the hotel.
He took her back to his own room and put her on his bed.
As soon as she was on the bed, Clarissa wriggled herself out of her clothes after turning to her side, entirely out of habit. Soon, she had stripped off her clothes and was only in her innerwear. Matthew had no intention of averting his gaze. Instead, his eyes burned at the sexy sight before him.
Just when the woman was about to remove her bra, he leaned forward in a swift motion and stopped her. His breathing became ragged as he edged closer to the woman.
Clarissa knitted her brows, forming a little v on her forehead when she realized that she could not move. Still in a daze, she opened her eyes.
After registering the face before her, she was almost pleading.
“Uncle Matthew, please unhook it for me…”
Matthew was flabbergasted.
