Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Divorcee Who Ruled Their Hearts : Kabanata 31 - Kabanata 40

Claire yanked the door open, chin lifted, glancing coolly at the tall figure standing on her doorstep."Sorry to disappoint. The last guest already left. You just missed him."Lucas's brow arched. He stepped inside without waiting for an invitation, closing the door firmly behind him.He caught her chin, tilting her face up toward his, sharp eyes scanning her expression before settling on her mouth.His thumb pressed lightly against her lips, voice low and rough. "Which one was it this time?""Julian? Or someone new?""Well?"Claire pulled her chin free and turned to walk into the living room without answering."Does it matter who it was?"She dropped onto the sofa, crossed her legs, and picked up an apple from the table, peeling it with deliberate calm.Lucas followed, standing over her, jaw tight.Watching her sit there in that low-cut white nightgown knowing full well someone else had been here just minutes before sent a hot spike of irritation straight through him.He plucked the

Claire's gaze drifted to the man standing furthest back striking, composed, but noticeably colder than the rest.The other four watched her with a familiar kind of interest the look men gave a beautiful woman who'd just walked into the room.She'd clearly made an impression the second she stepped through the door.The rest of the group carried themselves with an easy, fashionable confidence the kind of polish that read as effortless wealth.One of them, dark-eyed and sharp-featured, tracked her movement with a focused, almost predatory attention.Another wore a sharply tailored suit, cool and composed, radiating the kind of authority that suggested serious business credentials.A third, dressed in a striking silver-gray suit, watched her with dark, glittering eyes and a faint, amused smile.Claire nearly laughed to herself. Between Lucas and Ethan already, and now this.Every single one of these men, on his own, would have been remarkable. Together, the effect was almost absurd.Her a

Claire's gaze drifted to the man standing furthest back striking, composed, but noticeably colder than the rest. The other four watched her with a familiar kind of interest the look men gave a beautiful woman who'd just walked into the room. She'd clearly made an impression the second she stepped through the door. The rest of the group carried themselves with an easy, fashionable confidence the kind of polish that read as effortless wealth. One of them, dark-eyed and sharp-featured, tracked her movement with a focused, almost predatory attention. Another wore a sharply tailored suit, cool and composed, radiating the kind of authority that suggested serious business credentials. A third, dressed in a striking silver-gray suit, watched her with dark, glittering eyes and a faint, amused smile. Claire nearly laughed to herself. *Between Lucas and Ethan already, and now this.* Every single one of these men, on his own, would have been remarkable. Together, the effect was alm

The atmosphere at the table had turned distinctly tense.Adrian's gaze drifted lazily over Claire's composed profile, a wicked smile tugging at his mouth.Without warning, he picked up a piece of duck breast from his own plate and set it on hers, giving her a half-smile."Try this. It's excellent."His eyes lingered a beat too long on her mouth, his voice dropping into something low and deliberate.Claire blinked, caught briefly off guard, then recovered with an easy smile."Thanks."She took a bite, chewing slowly.Genuinely good, she thought, a flicker of real appreciation crossing her face."Mm. That's really good."Lucas watched the whole exchange with a face like thunder.This was a mistake, he thought grimly. Letting Ethan bring her here was a mistake.He knew exactly what she was capable of. Beautiful, and fully aware of it and entirely too skilled at working a room.In the span of one dinner, she'd somehow gotten every single one of his notoriously unbothered friends acting li

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Mr. Ashford? Shouldn't you be sleeping, instead of showing up at the door of a woman with such a scandalous reputation?" Claire studied him with an easy, teasing smile. Damian's eyes stayed cool and sharp, that same cold intensity from before. But the contempt from their last encounter had noticeably drained out of him. His gaze had shifted into something else entirely dark, focused, watching her the way a wolf watches something it's decided it wants. He crossed the room in a few steps, caught her waist, and steered her into the living room. Claire found herself pressed lightly against the sofa cushions. "Drop the act. We both know you want this." His voice came out low, rough, burning with something he clearly wasn't fighting anymore. Claire paused, then let a slow, knowing smile spread across her face. "Didn't Mr. Ashford tell me I wasn't good enough to be his woman?" She looped her arms around his neck, murmuring against his ear.