His heart skipped a beat, "So if I kiss you now, you don't mind?"
Clara widened her eyes when his lips touched hers. Ever since Clara hugged him on the office floor, he was sure this woman had feeling for him. But he didn't want to rush. He wanted to savour like what he did now on her kissable lips.
When Clara didn't return his kiss, he groaned and pulled her body towards him. That high ample breasts pressed on his hard chest. She felt her trembling lips started to move when someone cleared her throat.
"Ekhmm. Excuse me?" Norah stood inside, watching them.
He resisted the urge to throttle the life out of his sister. Not now, Norah! Not when he had Clara in his hands.
Clara pushed his chest and smoothed her nightie nervously. That gesture just made his attention distracted to her hard nipples once again, visible through the silky materials.
"Get lost, Norah." He said heatedly.
Then realized her sister just got through such ordeals, he forgot and banter like the usual. But Norah didn't show any discomfort on her face, she giggled.
"You must look your own face when I catch you two were kissing."
"Norah! What are you talking about." Clara screamed.
Norah teased them more, "You guys are so cute together, as his sister, I approved your relationship." She kissed Clara's flush cheek.
"And you brother, take good care of my future sister in law."
Noah ruffled her hair. "Alright, munchkin. You had too much fun teasing us. Let's see how you look in this dress."
The smile died down on her face, Norah blinked hard to hold her tears but it escaped down her chubby cheek, then more and more tears fallen out.
Noah and Clara looked confuse at each other, then he quickly hugged his sister. "Norah, munchkin. What's wrong?"
Norah started to struggle, "Let me go!"
She ran out to Clara's bedroom and tripped her foot on the floor, she fell with a thud. Clara was quickly kneeled at her side, rubbing her back.
"Norah, honey. Do you want to talk what happened with you?"
The young woman cried harder, "Don't call me that again. Don't call me that again.." She said repeatedly.
"Call you.." Clara looked at Noah. Then Noah knew.
"I'm sorry, Norah. I don't know. Did he call you with that name?" Noah cursed.
She nodded her head, "Not just that.. He also used your voice. That's why I got in the car, I thought it was you who'd call me. I'm so stupid, so stupid!" She hit her own head.
Clara held her hands, "Stop it, Norah. There's no use to harm yourself. It's not your fault, he is a coward."
Noah was beyond angry. Xander never shared what happened to his sister, he said that was for his own good, that he couldn't control himself if he knew. But Xander knew what that motherfucker had done to his sister.
"Norah, you need help. Talk to the pyschologist, Xander choose her personally. There's nothing to be afraid of."
"No! I don't want to talk about it. I just want to forget!" She wailed.
"You see, Clara? You see how stubborn she is? She clearly need help but she always refuse it. She is not as strong as she looks." He lashed out.
Norah cried harder.
"What's the fuss?" Xander walked in and found the three of them in Clara's room.
At the sound of Xander's voice, Norah ran to him. He catched her in time when her body hit him, he embraced her. She sobbed on his chest.
His hand were circling her shoulder but his eyes were on Clara. The woman in her nightie got up from the floor and tucked her hair behind her ear with concerned face. Xander saw her guilty face and jumped to conclusion.
"I already warned you not to make her cry." His voice boomed.
Clara was startled by his raised voice and murderous green eyes piercing hers. "I'm.."
"It was me, Xander." Noah interjected. "I called the nickname that motherfucker stole and used to manipulate my own sister. She didn't even want to hug me anymore. Damn! I'm out before I smashed something here."
Xander made way with Norah still in his arms, Noah saw her sister for a second and walked away with pained expression.
Clara watched Xander's hand shoothing her back, murmured soft words on her ear, "It's okay, you're here and you're fine now. I promise I'll keep you safe here."
Her heart hurts hearing Xander talked so soft to Norah, treated her like a delicate thing, easy to crushed under his big hands. She should be happy, it would make Xander and Norah connected to each other.
She searched inside her heart for a tiny bit of happiness but she found none. And the realization that she was jealous by the sight of them embraced each other, slapped her hard. She was jealous!
As if Xander detected the jealousy written all over Clara's face, he smirked while tighten his grip on Norah's shoulder. Pushed her body more to him.
"I promise no one will harm you again, baby."
Xander blowed a soundless kiss on her way. Clara was fuming red.
The bastard!
He used the poor girl to provoke her. He was toying with two girls. Clara wanted to scream that she was his baby.
"I'm sorry, Xander. Please don't be mad at Clara." She sniffled. "She help me chose a dress, you see. I'll wear it for our dinner tonight."
Norah twirled for the man she loved to see. It was fit perfectly on her body. She wanted to surprise him later, but he already saw her in this state. She was so happy when Xander received her, hugged her near, murmured soft words with his deep voice.
Her love swelled inside her chest, he even called her baby!
"Yes, it looks good on you. Because Clara help you, I want to invite her to dinner too. Is that okay?" Xander asked.
Norah was surprised, she thought tonight will be an intimate dinner between them. She got to feel confidence on her appearance. But maybe the more the merrier.
"Of course. You want to join us too, right Clara? And maybe my brother too so Clara had a companion there."
Clara just nodded her head with forced small smile, "Ok."
Norah giggled. "Now, Xander. Leave us girls alone." She pushed his shoulder out of the door.
"You sure you're ok?" He made sure again.
Norah nodded. "See you later."
When the door closed, Norah turned her face to Clara and screamed happily. Her face shined with happiness like she never cried before.
"Ahhh! Do you ever loved someone as much as I do, Clara?" Norah threw her body on the bed.
Her arms stretched up with dreamy face she said, "He even called me baby! Can you believe it? Because I can't believe my own ears. Am I dreaming? If I am, I don't want to wake up."
Clara sat by her side on the bed, "You really do love him, do you?"
Her eyes still closed when she answered, "Yes. I already love him for a long time. I've waited all this time for him to finally see me as a woman. I've count every woman he dated in the past. Hoping that someday it will be me. I'm so happy, Clara. So happy.."
*** End of Chapter 40 ***