No Strings Attached

Chapter 117

Clara stood in the airport terminal, her gaze immediately drawn to the striking figure standing tall amidst the crowd.

The man, donning a pair of sunglasses, was unmistakably Ryker, Marco’s grandson. He wore his military camo with such a stylish flair that he truly lived up to his reputation as the walking pheromone of the armed forces.‘

Clara waved at him, a hint of a smile gracing her lips. “Ryker, I’m Clara. Your granddad sent me to pick you up.”

Ryker quickly took off his sunglasses, giving Clara a once–over. His face, previously set in stoic coldness, warmed into a smile at the sight of her, dimples playfully indenting his cheeks. “Ms. Clara, you’re even more beautiful than your picture.”

Had he not mentioned her name, Clara might have thought she had the wrong person.

Could this be the rebellious young man Marco had spoken of? He seemed rather charming and, well, quite polite.

Clara reached for Ryker’s luggage, but he promptly declined. “Ms. Clara, I can’t let a lady carry bags for me.”

He hoisted a massive military rucksack onto his shoulder, then pulled along an equally oversized rolling suitcase and followed Clara out.

Once they reached the parking lot, Clara moved to take the driver’s seat but was stopped by Ryker. “Ms. Clara, let me drive.”

Clara, with a chuckle, demurred, “You must be exhausted after that long flight. I’ll drive.”

However, Ryker playfully snatched the keys from her hand, his eyes glinting with mischief. “Ms. Clara, a little fatigue is nothing to a special forces guy like me.”

Without further protest, Clara slid into the passenger seat.

They hadn’t gone far when Ryker’s phone rang. Ian’s voice, devoid of warmth, filtered through the speaker, “Where are you? I’ll send someone to get you.”

Ryker glanced at Clara, smugly retorting, “No need, I’ve got a lovely lady picking me up.”

The sting in his words wasn’t lost on lan, who scoffed, “Just remember you said that, and don’t go crying to Grandma Rose.” With that, he hung up.

To make things easier, Clara suggested Ryker stay in the house opposite hers. It had been uninhabited for a while and needed some tidying up.

Just as she was about to help, her phone rang

–

it was the law firm, and a client needed

her. She glanced apologetically at Ryker. “I’ve got to handle something; will you be okay on your own?”

11:03

Ryker, clad in a black tee and green camo pants, ha orked up a sweat. Beads of perspiration trailed slowly down his chiseled jawline, disappearing into the contours of his chest. A sunny smile broke across his unruly face. “Ms. Clara, you go ahead. I’ll be fine. When you get back tonight, I’ll cook dinner.”

Clara looked up at him and laughed. “I’ll treat you to dinner tonight.”

But as evening approached, she found herself breaking that promise. Her assistant informed her that an important client wanted to meet with her and Anders.

When they pushed open the private dining room door, Clara froze at the sight of the ‘important clients.‘

The Doland couple sat there with welcoming smiles. Trevor Doland, devoid of any bureaucratic air, gestured to her warmly, “Clara, here we are again.”

She had encountered Trevor a few times while working as lan’s secretary, but their

interactions never went beyond polite nods and smiles.

Maintaining her composure, Clara greeted them, then turned to Anders. “Anders, since you have family here, I’ll leave you to it. Trevor, Alicia, enjoy your meal.” Property © NôvelDrama.Org.

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