No Strings Attached novel (Clara and Ian)
Chapter 349

She had to keep her emotions in check, not just for her own sake but for the little one growing inside her. The news that Clara was forcing herself to eat every day, only to bring it all up again, stabbed at lan's heart like needles. His fingers entwined with hers, bringing her hand to his lips for a relentless shower of kisses.

It seemed like an eternity before Clara's eyelids fluttered open. Gazing into lan's worn-out, worried face, she studied him for a long moment before her lips parted. With a raspy voice, she murmured, "lan." lan immediately leaned forward, his concern palpable. "Clara, how do you feel?"

She gave a slight shake of her head. "I'm okay. Are you hurt?"

"Not a scratch. Your man's as tough as they come. If it weren't for the bun in the oven, I could go a few rounds, no problem."

The more nonchalant he sounded, the less she believed him. Her beautiful eyes locked onto his for a few seconds, and then she opened her arms. "I need a hug."

Without a second thought, lan bent down to hold her close. The movement tugged at his wound, causing a wince to flicker across his face. Clara's hands slipped inside his suit jacket, gently caressing him. When her fingers reached his belly, she felt something wet seeping through his shirt. She didn't have to guess what it was.

Her eyes reddened in an instant. Leaning close to lan's ear, she whispered soothingly, "lan, let's get the doctor to look at that wound, okay?"

Realizing he couldn't hide it any longer, lan chuckled softly. "As my wife commands. But I've missed you for days. Can I steal a kiss before I go?"

His warm lips traced her ear as he spoke, sending shivers throughout her body. His eyes, filled with longing, never left hers as his husky voice set her senses aflame. "Baby, I've missed you so much. I thought about you every single day."

After the injury, his longing for Clara was even more intense. He even feared, for a moment, that if the bullet had strayed just a bit more, he might never have seen her again.

After days of yearning, his lips finally found hers, kissing her as if she were the rarest treasure. Holding Clara's face, he kissed her with a passion that was both tender and desperate.

Their kiss was so deep, so reluctant to end, that they didn't notice the door opening. Sasha entered, only to cover her eyes at the sight. "Whoa, talk about intense! Bad timing on my part."

At the sound, Clara pushed lan away. Her face was flushed. She sat up and asked, "Sasha, is it my dad? Is he okay?"

Shaking her head, Sasha replied, "No, it's not Casey. It's me. My mom found out about my injury. She stormed my room, caught a glimpse of Chase, and then, well..." She couldn't continue, her face turning beet-red with embarrassment.

Seeing her distress, Clara understood. "She thinks Chase is your boyfriend?"

With a grimace, Sasha nodded. "Worse, the jerk actually admitted it. Clara, you've got to help me clear this up."

Laughing, Clara reassured her, "No worries, let's sort this out."

They all made their way to the hospital room just in time to catch Carolina chatting with Chase, her eyes gleaming with maternal approval. "Chase, now that you and Sasha are an item, let's get those wedding bells ringing soon, shall we?"

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