Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

"I..." His voice was soft, probably aware there were people outside. He leaned in to hug her gently. Clara pulled him into the bedroom. "We've got guests tonight. If you want to skip the socializing, just stay in here. Let me know if you wantnoveldrama

something to eat, and I'll keep it aside for you."

He nodded, staying in the bedroom, and said, "Don't be too late."

Clara chuckled at his obedience and made her way to the living room door in the dim light.

Outside, Simon was quietly staring at the door, with Megan standing silently beside him. Both were dying to know who Clara's secret boyfriend was.

Megan broke the silence first, "Mr. Simon, have you ever met Clara's boyfriend?"

Simon's eyes darkened as he reached for the doorknob, but Clara opened the door before he could.

"Come in and take a seat," she said.

Megan and Simon walked in, their eyes darting around the room. The mysterious man was nowhere in sight-was he really hiding out in the bedroom?

Could he really be that shy?

Simon knew how guys worked; if this man was something special, he'd be eager for Clara to introduce him to everyone.

He settled onto the couch, his eyes occasionally flicking to the closed bedroom door.

He couldn't ignore it.

Megan acted casual, unpacking all the snacks from the bag. "Clara, see what your boyfriend likes and save some for him."

Clara picked out the milder snacks, not wanting to upset his stomach later. Her choices seemed random, as if she wasn't quite sure what he liked.

Megan suggested, "Why not ask him what he likes or if he's allergic to anything?" Clara grabbed her phone and sent Z a picture of the snacks. "What do you want?" The response was quick, "Anything's fine."

She set aside her picks.

Watching their exchange, Simon's hand tightened slightly.

Megan handed out chopsticks with a casual air. "You seem to really look out for your boyfriend. Some might think hiding away is rude."

Clara accepted the chopsticks, focusing on her food. "He can do whatever he wants. It's my first relationship, after all."

The comment stung Simon a bit, given he was Clara's ex-fiancé. For her to call this her first relationship was like erasing him completely.

Simon took a deep breath, almost snapping his chopsticks, but soon collected himself.

He lowered his head and started eating silently.

Clara was a bit taken aback, realizing Simon had truly changed. He was handling this well, whereas before, he would have lost his temper.

Midway through their meal, Z texted.

[They're still there? One of them is your ex-fiancé, right? Though I know you don't like him.]

The message carried a hint of jealousy.

She found it amusing and stood up, grabbing a few boxes to take to the bedroom.

The sound of running water came from the bathroom; he was showering.

She called out, "I left the food on the table by the window. Remember to eat when you're done."

His shadow was faintly visible through the bathroom glass, tall and indistinct.

He paused, replying, "Okay," then added, "You seemed upset today. I heard you had a run-in with your boss and ended up at the police station."