Chapter 95: Chapter 95

Claire's POV

I was acutely aware of Jason's gaze fixed upon me as I climbed down the stairs. I had expected him to be busy having his breakfast instead of sitting right opposite the staircase. Aunt Emily sat beside him and yawned away sleepily.

"There she comes at last. Come on, dear, hurry. I'm dying to sleep the exhaustion off. I might go out for dinner with Hannah and her family. So, don't wait up for me," she said and I nodded, knowing that aunt Hannah was her close friend.

"Yes, aunt Emily. I'll be back long before that," I told her but Jason frowned as if he was in doubt and got up to leave without saying a word to me. Wasn't he weird? After the two smoldering kisses, he seemed to not know me at all!

"Bye, enjoy yourselves," said aunt Emily, eager to throw us out.

"Bye, aunt Emily," I said just as she closed the door. I walked towards Jason's car thinking about aunt Emily's behavior. Wasn't she afraid that my dad would be angry knowing that I was going out with Jason?

"Where are you so lost?" asked Jason, opening the car door for me.

"I was thinking what excuse I would give dad if he asked what I did the whole day," I said, chewing my lower lip nervously. He smiled and climbed into the driver's seat.

"He won't ask anything," said Jason while I simply gave him a confused look. How could he be so sure that dad wouldn't ask?

"Relax and enjoy the date," he said, a small smile playing on his lips while my jaws dropped to the floor of the car.

"The what?" I squeaked, making him chuckle.

"The date. What else is this?" he asked, steering the car out of the housing premises.

"I thought we were going sightseeing," I mumbled, feeling stupid. He should have told me that this was a date. I wasn't adequately dressed for it.

"What has made you upset now? Don't pout too much. I might need to kiss it away," he said, causing my eyes to widen.

I instantly looked at him with an eye roll. "I was thinking how inadequately dressed I was for a date. My friends used to wear LBDs to dates and I have none here," I said, flailing my arms about. Jason gave a quizzical look.

"You don't need an LBD to look good. You're perfectly dressed, I think. What's in a dress anyway? It is what is inside your soul that matters the most, don't you think so?" he asked. His words left a lasting impression on me. He was right, actually. In fact, I realized that there was more to Jason Crawford than what he actually showed. I had never known that he was so deep.

He took me first to Santa Monica State beach and the world-famous Pier there. We rented bikes and explored the area. It was so much fun with Jason as he never stopped me from doing what my heart desired. We enjoyed the Pacific Park, rode the gigantic Ferris wheel, played the fairground games available, checked out the aquarium, and enjoyed the carousel hosted in the historic Looff Hippodrome. It seemed as if we were children again. The way we excitedly hopped from ride to ride, enjoying the ice cream treats, I knew I was having the best time of my life. Maybe it had something to do with the company more than the place itself.

Jason held my hand and we finally walked down the beach, loving the time we got together. He told me about the last time he came here with his brother Jordan. I was never very friendly with Jordan as he was way older than us.

A group of youngsters brushed past us into the water and I was totally drenched. "Oh, God! What do I do now? I didn't bring a change of clothes," I gasped with dismay.

"Let's go to one of the shops nearby and buy a dress for you," he offered. We walked back to our car and Jason took me to Santa Monica Place which was an upscale shopping mall nearby. Parking his car, he led me to a designer retail outlet. As I scanned through their collection, I saw Jason already heading to the billing counter with five dresses. Was he buying dresses for his girlfriend?

I felt a little jealous and looked away with a sigh. If he had a girlfriend, why was he taking me out on a date?

"Claire, here, wear any one of these," he said, coming up behind me after five minutes. I froze, realizing that all the dresses he had bought were for me! I turned around unable to hide the surprised look on my face.

"For me?" I asked with disbelief while Jason gave me an amused look.

"Yeah who else will I buy dresses for?" he asked incredulously.

"I thought they were for your girlfriend," I blurted out before I could check myself. I grabbed the packets from him and clamped my palm over my mouth with embarrassment. What he must be thinking of me?

Jason came out of his temporary daze and smiled at me with amusement shining in his eyes.

"I'm yet to ask her to be my girl," he said much to my disappointment.

"Oh. you shouldn't have bought me so many. I'll pay you when I reach aunt Emily's house," I told him, my heart breaking realizing why he had taken me out. He hadn't officially proposed to the girl he liked. When she agrees to be his girlfriend, he would forget me.

"They're a gift. I'm not taking anything in return," he said determinedly. "Go change and then we could have lunch." I changed into a black short skater dress that looked quite good on me. How did he know that this would fit me so perfectly? Blushing a little, I emerged from the trial room.

"Perfect. Let's go," he said, leading me out. We ate at one of the restaurants in the mall. Jason ordered food to be delivered to aunt Emily and I was touched by his thoughtfulness. While I had completely forgotten, it seemed he hadn't.

The rest of the day, we enjoyed Pallisades Park, the Original Muscle Beach, the Third Street Promenade, and much more. It was evening when he drove home. Although exhausted, I didn't want the day to end so soon. Jason parked his car in front of his house and I looked at him quizzically.

"Aunt Emily has gone out," he shrugged and I gaped at him. I had completely forgotten to ask her for the keys.

"Oh, I don't have the keys. I think I'll just go to aunt Hannah's house to get them," I said, getting down from his car.

However, he didn't seem to like the idea and came around and suddenly picked me up on his shoulders and started towards his own house.

"Where are you taking me, Jason?" I said panicking as I banged his back.

"You have the sexiest butt cheeks on earth, " he said as my short dress hoisted up. I blushed crimson feeling his gaze upon my backside.

"Put me down now," I said through gritted teeth.

"No way," he said chuckling as I rolled my eyes.

"Hey, I don't have the keys. I need to get them," I said panicking.

"You can stay with me," he said looking amused.

"No way, put me down this instant," I yelled as he opened his door and carried me inside, locking the door after him.

"Relax, I have a set of duplicates. Aunt Em gave me," he said as he carried me upstairs.

"Where are you taking me, Jason?" I asked, staring around at his sparsely furnished house.

"To my bedroom. Where else?" he said as my eyes widened in shock.