Chapter 21 Details
Details
Jaxon came back downstairs wearing khaki shorts and a fitted T-shirt, rubbing the back of his neck—only to find the girls still there, all three pairs of eyes locked straight on him.
“I liked the other look better,” Sara said, her tone teasing but shameless.
The room broke into laughter, tension melting as quickly as it had arrived.
“Claire, have you even checked your phone?” Taylor asked, grinning.
Claire blinked. “I haven’t touched it since we sat down for dinner last night.”
“We figured Jax brought you home after we fell asleep,” Taylor continued. “But when we woke up and you weren’t there, we kinda panicked. So…”
“We came over here,” Sara finished, raising a brow.
Jaxon chimed in smoothly. “We were watching a movie. One minute we’re on the couch, the next—it’s morning.”
Sara crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. “I believe you’re leaving out a few key details,” she said with a laugh.
Desperate to redirect the conversation, Jaxon clapped his hands. “How about I make us some lunch?”
“Yes, please,” Claire said quickly, standing. “I’m gonna go get dressed.”
She slipped upstairs, her heartbeat still trying to slow from everything that had happened—and everything they’d almost walked in on.
As the girls chatted downstairs like they hadn’t just interrupted a full-blown love fest, Claire stood in front of the bathroom mirror, ran her fingers through her tangled hair, and did her best to make herself look halfway presentable.
She threw on the same clothes she’d worn the night before and padded back down.
Jaxon was in the kitchen, bare feet planted, head slightly tilted as he seasoned the steaks he’d pulled from the fridge like nothing could shake him. Claire walked up behind him and kissed his shoulder, letting her lips linger just long enough.
She leaned in close, voice low and soft against his ear. “Sorry about them… again. Where are they, anyway?”
He didn’t skip a beat—just smiled and nodded toward the back door.
Claire grabbed two beers from the fridge, set one on the counter for him, and took a breath.
Then she stepped outside—sunlight, secrets, and something like love still clinging to her skin.