Claire Skimps It, page 10
He middled her, but I didn't think he was trying to brag about it. Sure, it felt like he loves older women just as much as me, the flings never meant anything more to him. As it was with me, he didn't soul-out to anyone as he does to me. I did the same as I don't typically let strangers into my life. I just kept him quiet when he requested, I spill the tea. Brenna half-sobs and sips in her iced-flavored banana yoghurt after watching the whole time. A servicewoman lowers just enough lemon-lime cocktails on the cedar tray and we toast to feelings.
•••
And Jack again, the way it seemed like insta-love to others, even though we think it took a while, made us out to be perfect matches. We could fly to wherever we want, but we mostly stuck around the beach-inn and a branch of the prestigious college we go to. Brenna and I were awarded creative writing degrees along with our marketing certifications. Jack had graduated with a 2-1 in biology. We left the ceremony when it ended, and had a private tea party at the luxury meeting hall.
I was almost 21 at the time, which was like a voice in my head saying, It's time to fly to Santa Barbara or remain at B&C SF. I chose the first so I'd return to the castle I left in Amanda's care. Brenna called it the big trip, and that felt so painfully accurate, as we'd return to what we left behind. It was overly emotional for Jack as well.
“Life's funny. We left with zero regrets, and now we're all teary,” Brenna ties her striped gray scarf around her neck, and spanks her luggage after zipping it.
"That's like what emotional bunches do," I put up an act.
We arrive at the airport in a couple of minutes. Jack makes eye contact with me in the premises, "We've come a long way."
"What's that supposed to mean. Is that a sick way of saying we should get married?"
"l think after all we've been through, you deserve to be happy."
"Relax, you didn't have to carefully exclude yourself from the sentence."
"So you wish to wed me?"
"Yes, it's just a wish."
"Good."
"Oh, you're royalty. You're someone else."
"It looks like your neurons have finally gotten into position."
"Claire, have you always been this funny? He can't seriously be asking.
“If you've known me at all, occasionally."
"You know, I think you were being factual. I suddenly feel smarter."
"It's feeling real, you really do love me."
"With every cell in my body, you mean."
Brenna, Jack, and I stayed in a happy state as the United plane leaves the airport.
The first-class flight had reached its ending rather quickly, and we took the plane's tunnel to our city's airport before we were driven home by security in a Rolls Royce.
My gaze was met with Jack's, we'd led the kind of charge to keep things low heated for our series of kisses at the back of the limousine (all before Brenna returns from its center after a Facetime with Raymond.)
The next scene, I'm in my 'Barbara castle with a few of my detail, Amanda, Brenna and Jack, but this isn't the movie my mind presumes it to be. The latter two had contemplated moving in but they became my street mates in the estate, with both securing pricey but mid-sized glasshouses.
Brenna and I met with some of my high-grade chefs in the castle's kitchen area, and managed not to overspill them with a fraction of our ever-changing tastes. If a girl's note app could just take up flesh and blood and live on its own, that was us.
“Broccoli, chicken, dewberry—”
Brenna intercepts, “What's the big idea? Your cravings are in alphabetical order?”
"If that were the case, I'd have an apple."
"Oh, tell me you have some chopped green apples."
"I'm a royal, I have everything," Doesn't she know that already?
My chef's assistant, Chine el Wei, steps forward with mine and Brenna's order, she places them on the squircle silver table where we sat at. Forever ago, I had trained my staffing to respond to any edible we mention even if it's part-joke or a sentence fragment. I'd still ball about rather royally.
Brenna took a quick look around as though she had spotted as least a person there, "Claire, you might need to tell me how they knew, we didn't quite summon them."
Oh, it's just a thing we royals do."
Brenna forks in an apple and sips her rosé.
When we were through, Brenna asked about Jack, "Oh, how's Jack?"
"We'll find out."
The guardswomen and one of my special agents escort him towards me after approving his pass (it took a moment longer than usual, so they chatted for a bit.)
Jack Kyles: "Do you know who I am, girls?"
Agent Dimitra: "Who wouldn't know that? Your only purpose here is to do Claire's will, you flirt."
I think she's paying attention to his attractive figure all of a sudden. But one, I could hear them. Two, they could make out on the spot and I wouldn't stop them. Three, Dimitra Daniels is a 20-year-old S&S temporarily assigned to watch over me. Four, her blonde hair, chiseled face and sexy jawline could enchant a man who wants it, she's like a living Greek goddess, she's hot. And they had just exchanged numbers. I pull out my earbud when she pushes him towards me as though I'm taking him prisoner. Once she'd got closer, I said she should Leave us, and she did so for a time. She was wearing a sportswear, so I could see her toned arms and thick thighs when she strolled out.
“Oh my, she looks so chic,” Jack says with a mild dent amidst his brows, with his eyes following her butt when she loses the door. “Yes, I know you've already slid in with her in your mind a million times over."
"I'll stay neutral because my reaction might get me in trouble."
"One, I know you're planning to try her out in your new home. Two, even if I didn't, you already exposed yourself."
"I do what I do for us. How's Brenna doing?"
“Jack, she's sitting on the couch with us, just lightly finger her hair and pull out her Apple buds and she'd feel a certain urge," How is she so perfectly ignoring us?
"Right now?"
"It's a how-to, not what to do. It's on you."
Jack actually did all that, "Hey Brenna, I'm your friend. We exist."
"Oh, hi Jack. I heard Dimitra is your next."
"You mean she's my person of interest?" I think he's being a bit subtle.
"Oh please, I know what you do, playboy."
"A lot of people do these days. It's fun seeing the two of you like this."
I'd hopped in mid-conversation, "Like how?"
"As beloveds, bound together forever."
"Doesn't that sound a bit stretched out?"
“Maybe it does a little."
"Where were we?"
"The us-talk. How do you say wedding in Mandarin?"
"Hūnlǐ."
"I'll keep that in mind."
At this point, Brenna gives us the room before crossing paths with Dimitra on her way to the castle's library.
"You know, I saw the way you looked at Dimitra earlier, who's now chilling in the 20th guestroom."
"Not that I wish to meet with her over there, but you have this many guestrooms?"
"In the castle, but that's not my point. If you aren't talking about art and movies, it would be difficult for her to let you in."
I hadn't even gotten started with her weird obsession with vegetable shakes and weights. She was truly hot, her butt was as bubbly as a frequent lower body trainer.
"So what do I do with this information?"
"You're planning to see her, aren't you?"
"Depending on your definition of see, yes."
"I know more about it than you think."
"I'd long guessed it's pointless to hide from you."
"That might be your only educated guess."
"Ouch, so what is the Ketterish wedding drama like?"
"It's our ages-long tradition, not a drama."
"Yeah, what's that about?"
"I'd imagined you'd ask about it."
"Do you always anticipate everything?"
"It's an habit of mine you should consider."
"I will if you answer my question."
"If I do, you'd probably cry."
"I want to cry, go ahead."
"One, you will not be able to wed me without complications. Two, you are not yet on par with royals such as me. Three, assuming you even fulfil the previous conditions, I feel it's quite impossible."
"So is there a way out for us?" I think he finally got that he'd have to sacrifice his soul for this and still not succeed.
“You'd need to be sworn in yourself or I'd descend from the throne to normalcy."
"So we should be perfect matches."
"Isn't that what you've always wanted?"
"Not that badly. Perhaps a demonstration."
His eye lids close on me as we geared towards kissing and getting into each other.
"It was quite obvious we'd kiss—just like how you'd intently get me babied just after our wedding with little to no hesitation."
"You're ordering subtly? I accept this fate."
“First, you'd have to balance the scales with that stash of yours. I'm not dropping my title for love. I think I'm abundantly clear."
"Remember I said I'd do what I can to get to you? That's a no-brainer for me."
"I do. In the event you resist, I'd try to get you to comply. I chose you, remember?"
"All this time I needed proof you were actually in love with me. I think this is it. Wait, you'd lock your legs on me during our honeymoon, hidden-agenda girl?" He's really implying I'd block a future pullout.
"If you want a relationship with me, you mean."
"Sure, for the will of my girl is mine."
"Keep this up and I might fall in love."
"You're almost there, good night."
"You can't tell, sweet dreams," smiling a bit.
Jack got flirty with Dimitra as she walks him out of the castle.
"Hey girl, I went through your Etsy and ordered all your artwork off of it. Can we tag along in my glasshouse? I'd give you a hundred thousand just to come with me."
"At least you're straightforward. I might let you hit it the way things are going down."
"You're just like her. You're coming?"
"Yeah, I think that's why I stepped out the gate."
"Did Claire possess you or something?"
"Come on. I might sound like her a bit, maybe."
Jack had taken one of the guestrooms' condom packets (royalty-designed ones to be freely used by my guests.) He reached his pocket for it so he could work it through Dimitra, which he did within a few minutes of entering his house. I invited Raymond over to spend the night with me as we'd switched phones way back in 'Francisco. Jack wasn't the only one with an agenda, but I was slow burn and discreet about it. The next morning, she returned to the castle with a different outfit.
I had a word with her, "How was he?"
"Predictable, maybe fun."
"It sure looks like he didn't let your boobs rest."
"And Raymond was any different?" How did she know about my time with him?
"I almost forgot you'd left for the party."
"I was that two-sided actress, the one who starred as you on the screens, remember?"
"Yes, so how's Arts college?"
"I'm following your father's footsteps. I'm doubling in illustrating and acting."
“That’s amazing! And I will be there to steady your hand when the time comes."
"What time?"
"A time that means a lot to me. Soon, you'll wear this," lifting my ring finger up jeweled in immensely luxurious gold and pure precious stones—the same make of ring I offered my best friend in 2022, except Brenna's was laced with platinum.
"When?"
"On my wedding day, the same day you graduate. You'll be my bridesmaid."
I walk towards her and tip out a check from my gray suit without making it seem obvious. She grabs the paper with an approving look, with her hands brushing through my pants. That was her early present, $1 million, a quarter of what I'd gifted Brenna last year, so she stuck around us from time to time.
The next picture, I'd expect the longest sex of my life, pouring out my full attention teas on Jack.
"Claire, bend over here," I have never obeyed someone so quickly.
We were in the home library but I was perfectly arched for him as he fits the ultra-thin safe with more to add to its feeling. I was reading a romance as well. I had positioned before, so he simply extended the 2-in-1 brown sofa into a bed with a translucent medieval-looking white silk covering fixed above us. Fully undressed in a flash, he gets on my upper body with his palms and caresses them.
"Claire, kissing you feels like heaven."
"I'm your paradise, good to know."
"You are my flower."
"Just keep calling me names like that."
"You are my pumpkin pie."
"Yeah baby, this feels good."
“I'm so obsessed with you."
"Then do what you do best."
"The number of times I’ve thought about spilling deeply into you.”
“What a fancy way of admitting you’re pervy.”
Jack wore another one as the first was full of some whitish mix of protein.
He pulls my thighs, “There we go.”
Oh my, why does it always feel fuller and warmer when he slides it back in?
“I heard your whisper, but it’s your sexiness I’m reacting to.”
“The way I would’ve sighed if I wasn’t getting pleasured.”
I put away my read and was thrilled by his endless stamina.
“Oh, that’s it.”
“It feels like a certain spot was hit."
“I’m the lead now, I’m going on top.”
“Nice, you just turned me upside down with a word.”
“I squat a lot, let me show you.”
He stays still as I take over, “Wow, I don’t even have to do a thing.”
"Oh, you seem surprised."
"It's just the way you're bouncing on me."
"What about it? I'm just working my thighs."
"True, I actually love the workout."
"I love how you're staying put."
"I do what my girl tells me."
"I do what I want, we're not the same."
"The way that could turn me on forever."
"Except we can keep this up for so long."
"Yeah. Well, it remains like fifty minutes."
"We've been talk-moaning for ten minutes?" I turned around to the cedar timer I had set to disturb when an hour elapses. Jack traces my moving eyes, "Not that you don't already know this but time flies when you're having so much fun."
"You are like someone my heart sparks for."
"I'm down for you anytime."
“We have like rounds more."
"Really?"
"Sure, keep me company."
“This kind of workout never felt better on a Saturday morning.”
“Yeah, you’re working wonders in my body.”
“And you’re showing me the world with that pleasant view of yours.”
“My abs are reappearing, riding you like that.”
“That’s funny, cowgirl.”
“You are giving me voices in my head.”
“I’m spending time with my girlfriend.”
“I’m sharing my thoughts with you.”
“I heard it’s never too late to do that.”
“From the developer you got around town with?”
“Yeah, Jennifer.”
"I think that concludes our transaction, OK, we'll stop right now." I jump out of him to button an orange Chloé trenchcoat over my sex-cut clothing, the one where the place and my twins were fully accessible but the rest of my body layered in a similar-colored silk which felt natural.
"What are you up to?"
"I'll check in with Brenna, at least."
"Then obsessively plot our wedding, right?"
"Yes, that too."
On my way out, I met with Brenna. She looked like someone who had just experienced a lot of drama. As though a compilation of romance-themed events fell on her all at once. Though, she initiates the conversation with a different mood, "What's on your mind, princess?" That would've also come across as a compliment if I wasn't a part of Ketterish royalty.
"I should be asking you, apparently."
"As it turns out, I'm dating Edgar."
"I see, he's your new boyfriend."
"Tone down the slow dancing that's going on in your head, Elby and I barely lasted longer than a walk to the bathroom."
"The way it still plays in my mind, picturesquely."
"For real, Edgar is a literal sunlight, and you dumped him."
"I don't need a reason to dump someone."
"True, as long as it's done respectfully."
"You're doing everything right, though."
"Yeah, he hits hard till I'm all sweaty."
"I know, I've experienced it."
"There's truly nothing new under the sun."
"Yes, Jack got into you."
"Oh, you knew I rode him the day ago?"
"Yes, you left the castle at midnight when Dimitra was through with him."
"Just as you did with Raymond during Jack's."
"I'd say we're even at this rate."
"Even? You're a billionaire royal."
"Oh, I might have missed a step."
"Okay, what's up about our new project?"
"It concerns Who Claire Is, so we should mostly script or edit its newest season."
"It's my pleasure, Dimitra's slaying it."
"If we screw this up, she won't."
"And if our secret lives aren't hidden anymore, it'll be game over for all of us."
"It seems we have a common interest."
"I'm driving the Tesla to H&B, get in."
In a little more than an hour, we'd arrive in Hollywood and get back to speed. Holly employs an additional team of seasoned associates to make things a lot smoother. The only catch, we were assigned a new fake-date mission to complete without anyone identifying us personally. With a few techniques and makeup, I could trick ones such as Jack and they wouldn't realize it. Dimitra would channel her S&S experience and seamlessly act me out in the miniseries.
