My Handsome Uncle, Please Be Mine!

26 || I Love You, Clara ||

Part 26.

Tonight the sky was overcast, mirroring Joe’s troubled mind. What he felt in his heart right now, he had felt before. Jealousy, which meant he already liked Clara. Loved, to be more precise.

Did the man truly love Clara? Joe stared at the walls of his room. The 45-day contract with Clara still had almost two weeks left. Mr. Joe wasn’t sure if he was truly in love, liked her, or just felt intrigued.

Joe kicked his blanket roughly, frustrated with himself. Sleep was elusive, and he was confused even when awake.

He reached for his phone intending to send a message to Clara. Dozens of messages from Mario on his WhatsApp were also visible. However, Joe didn’t open any messages from the teenager and focused on typing a message to Clara.

Joe: [Darling, are you asleep?]

Clara: [Not yet, Uncle]

Joe: [I want to talk.]

Clara: [Okay.]

Clara waited for Joe to call her. However, her phone’s ringtone didn’t sound. She kept waiting until she received a message from Joe.

Joe: [Open the door, I’m in front of your room!]

Clara’s hands trembled. The clock on her phone showed ten o’clock. And Joe was outside her room.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

A faint knocking sound was heard. Clara, with her trembling body, quickly opened the door.

And…

The handsome Uncle was standing right in front of her. He wore a casual t-shirt paired with comfortable shorts. Clara was transfixed by Joe’s tousled hair.

“Do we need to talk, Clara?” Joe requested.

“Um…”

“May I come into your room?” Joe asked. “Or should we talk in my room?” he offered.

Clara glanced at her messy room. “Let’s talk tomorrow, Uncle, it’s late!” Clara refused.

“We can’t, Clara, I want us to talk now!” Joe insisted.

“Okay, let’s talk in Uncle Joe’s room then!” Clara replied. She grabbed her sweater and followed Joe’s lead.

For the second time, she entered Joe’s room. The room where he stole her first kiss. No, he didn’t steal it. Because Clara liked it too.

“Clara,” Joe whispered as he reached for Clara’s hand.

“Yes, Uncle,” Clara replied, looking up to meet the gaze of the handsome man. It was a bit strange because Om’s hair, which was usually neat, looked tousled.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

“Tomorrow, after school, I’ll take you out to eat and for a walk. There’s something I want to tell you,” Joe said. He really wanted to confess his feelings tonight. But Joe hesitated. He wanted to create a special moment for a special girl like Clara.

“Can’t you just tell me through messages or a phone call?” Clara asked, smiling. Uncle Joe’s face looked different. With a smile he often restrained.

“No, Clara! Because I miss you too!” Joe replied.

“Miss me?” Clara asked to confirm.

“Yes, I miss you, Clara!” Joe admitted his feelings.

They fell silent, looking into each other’s eyes for a long time.

“Can I hug you?” Joe asked.

Clara nodded, smiling. A moment later, Joe reached for Clara’s waist and they hugged.

“Clara, I’m starting to feel comfortable with you,” Joe said.

Hearing Joe’s words, Clara secretly felt happy. Hopefully, her love would be reciprocated.

Joe let go of the hug and guided Clara to her balcony. The sky was still overcast, the wind blowing and caressing their faces, giving a chilly and romantic feeling.

He sat leaning against the railing, with Clara in his lap.

“Darling!” Joe whispered. He felt truly smitten but didn’t know what to do next.

“Yes,” Clara looked up at Joe behind her.

“If I were to like you, would we date or get married right away?” Joe asked.

Wow!

Married? Clara had always liked Joe, admired him like crazy.

But…

Married? It had never crossed Clara’s mind.

“I still want to go to college, Uncle, and I still want to pursue my dreams!” Clara replied.

“Oh, I understand. So, should we date secretly for now, or how?” Joe asked again. He didn’t want Clara to feel uncomfortable. The most important thing for him was Clara’s happiness and being by her side.

“Um…,” Clara murmured. She didn’t know what to answer. Joe asking like this was never on her mind. “I don’t know, Uncle?” Clara replied.

“For now, let’s keep it a secret, then later when we’re both ready, I’ll talk to Mama about it, okay with you?” Joe proposed.

“Yes, Uncle, I’m not ready yet if Mrs. Linn and Mr. Bond find out that I actually like Uncle Joe!” Clara said.

“I like you too, Clara!” Joe replied.

“Uncle, you like me?” Clara asked to make sure.

“Yes, I like you, Clara!”

If Clara were alone in her room, she might have jumped for joy. But because Joe was beside her, Clara just smiled, adjusting her wildly beating heart.

“It’s late, I’ll escort you back to your room, Clara!” Joe suggested. He guided the girl to stand up.

“Yes, Uncle!”

“Tomorrow, I’ll take you to school, and I’ll make sure to pick you up!” Joe said as they walked towards Clara’s room. They held hands, feeling comfortable with each other.

“Okay, Uncle!”

“Have a good night’s sleep, Clara!”

“You too, Uncle!”

Joe nodded and continued to stare at Clara until the door closed. He then went back into his room.

Uncle held his chest. Clara had made him feel happy. Even without realizing it, Joe always smiled to himself.

==❤==

Joe’s car stopped in front of the school gate. It was still very early, Clara hadn’t even had time to dry her hair.

Her wet hair was tied up, which bothered Joe.

“Don’t tie up your wet hair, Clara!” Joe untied her hair. “I’ll pick you up after school,” he added.

“Ready, Uncle,” Clara replied.

Om Joe observed Clara’s every move. Her smile, her cheerful demeanor. She brought a new color to Joe’s life. Clara, who was always obedient, was very different from his ex-wife. Perhaps that’s what made Joe feel comfortable with Clara.

After ensuring Clara entered the school gate, Joe immediately drove his car at full speed towards Blue Jewelry.

“Good morning, Sir!” Antoni greeted, already at the office.

“Good morning, Antoni,” Joe replied. He walked to his seat.

“You look different this morning, Sir,” Antoni remarked. As usual, he was always interested in Joe.

“What do you mean?” Joe asked, while looking at his schedule for the day. Yes, at one o’clock he would meet a new client from Australia, then he would pick up Clara. He smiled again.

“You seem happier, even your cheeks look rosier, Sir,” he pointed out.

Joe just responded with a thin smile. Then he focused on looking at the magazine, choosing models for the new product photoshoot. Everything needed to be ready by the day after tomorrow.

However, Joe couldn’t calm down. He kept looking at the wall clock because he couldn’t wait until two in the afternoon. He even skipped his lunch.

“Why haven’t they arrived yet?” Joe asked anxiously. His client should have arrived before one o’clock, but almost half past one and they still hadn’t arrived.

“I just received a message that they’ll likely be late and arrive by half past two!” Antoni replied, reading the message on his phone screen.

Joe thought for a moment. He looked out the window, the weather was gloomy, and Clara would be going home soon. But he still had to wait for his client who hadn’t arrived yet.

“Can we postpone it, Antoni?” Joe asked, starting to worry about being late to pick up Clara.

“We can’t, Sir. This is our last chance, and if we can convince them to become customers, it will be very beneficial for Blue Jewelry because we can expand our reach to Australia. It could be a great achievement for us this year, Sir!” Antoni explained.

Joe tried to contact Clara but there was no response. His phone was off, and she hadn’t checked his messages either.

The man started to worry. He walked around, waiting for the client while trying to contact Clara who still didn’t respond.

“Sir!” Antoni called. Seeing Joe pacing back and forth, he felt annoyed. But he couldn’t say anything because the man was his boss.

“Yes! They’ve arrived!” Joe exclaimed.

“They haven’t, Sir. They’re expected to arrive by half past two!” Antoni replied.

“Why are they taking so long! Don’t you see it’s raining outside! What about Clara!” Joe yelled, torn between wanting to pick up Clara soon and not wanting to lose his client.

“Who’s Clara, Sir?” Antoni inquired.

Joe didn’t answer. The clock kept ticking, and it was almost half past two.

“You, meet the client yourself, Antoni!” Joe commanded. He grabbed his car keys and his phone, ready to leave his office.

“But, Sir, they want to meet you in person!” Antoni tried to persuade him.

“I trust you can convince them, Antoni. I’m worried about Clara, something might have happened to her outside in the rain, and I promised to pick her up!” Joe explained.

Antoni fell silent, watching Joe walk away from him like that.

Joe drove his car through the city streets, which were being poured by heavy rain. His four-wheeled vehicle moved at full speed.

==❤==

Clara reluctantly accepted Mario’s offer to take her home. It was already two o’clock but Joe still hadn’t arrived. She also forgot to bring her phone.

Midway through the journey, Mario pulled over his motorcycle, suggesting they take shelter. The rain was pouring heavily. They stood side by side.

Mario’s eyes always paid attention to Clara.

Clara crossed her arms, covering her chest. Her wet uniform exposed the bra she was wearing.

Mario couldn’t deny he enjoyed the sight. His chest was heaving! His white face looked flushed, the cold rain couldn’t quench his desire.

Then, Mario took a warm jacket from the motorcycle’s trunk and gave it to Clara.

Mario reached for Clara’s arm, not wanting her to catch a cold. They looked truly like a romantic couple.

Unbeknownst to the two teenagers, a black McLaren car had just passed in front of them. The man inside the car watched the scene with wide eyes.

“Clara.”

“Mario.”

“Bastard! Damn brat taking advantage!” Joe cursed. One hand gripped the steering wheel, the other clenched in anger.

Joe turned his car around. He drove at full speed towards the two teenagers taking shelter.

The man stopped his car. Joe opened an umbrella and opened the car door, then walked towards Clara with a mix of anger and jealousy.

Joe was furious, it was clear that Mario didn’t heed his warning. Without saying anything, Joe grabbed Clara’s hand. Then, he gently took off the warm jacket from Clara’s shoulder and harshly threw it towards Mario.

“Watch out, you brat!” Joe cursed as he took Clara under his control. Then, he led Clara away with him.

“Get in!” the man commanded firmly. He gently sat Clara down. His two eyes stared intensely into hers.

He closed the door and circled around, then sat behind the wheel. Without changing direction, Joe intentionally took a different route home.

Joe glanced at Clara sitting beside him. Her wet school bag was placed on the backseat.

The girl sat close, looking out the window, observing the heavy rain falling.

“Why is your phone not active?” Joe asked, trying to remain patient. Actually, he was still upset about the scene earlier when Mario reached out to Clara.

Silence.

“I left my phone at home, Uncle!” Clara answered.

Joe sighed. There was no reason to be angry; Clara would just be scared.

The man pulled over on a fairly quiet street, the heavy rain making the road deserted.

He turned to Clara.

Clara’s hair, tied back, looked wet, as did the collar and her school uniform. He observed her for quite some time, but Clara didn’t turn around to meet his gaze. She continued staring out the window, whatever she was contemplating.

“Clara, didn’t you listen to what I said last night?!” Joe asked. His voice trembled with anger. “Did you ignore my order not to get too close to Mario?” he added.

Clara shifted, instead of answering she bowed her head. It wasn’t without reason that she accepted Mario’s offer to take her home. She didn’t bring her phone to order a taxi, and the school was already deserted.

Seeing the teenage girl’s reaction, Joe became even more agitated.

“Answer me, Clara,” Joe urged, lowering his voice and guiding Clara’s face to face him. His strong hands held Clara’s face in place.

“It’s not what Uncle thinks!” Clara replied softly but firmly. Her lips trembled from the cold. Yes, those thin and tiny lips that usually tempted men with their vibrant redness, now pale from the cold.

Joe couldn’t hold back anymore. He embraced the girl tightly. His strong arms seemed to be able to crush the bones under his control.

Clara felt warmth and comfort in every touch of the man. The wet fabric covering her body made every finger of the man touching her back feel so real.

For several minutes they hugged each other, sharing body warmth. Slowly Joe guided Clara’s face away, then without asking, he landed a deep kiss on Clara. They exchanged feelings passionately. When he realized their lips were still intertwined, he released them just like that.

“What does this kiss mean, Uncle? Why does Uncle Joe like to kiss me so much!” Clara thought.

Unexpectedly, the man kissed her again, exploring her so skillfully. One of his hands hugged Clara tightly.

The girl’s heavy breathing brought the front of their bodies closer without a gap.

Joe released the kiss again. Lowering his hand, he freed Clara from his grip.

“Clara, I like you. From now on, don’t let other men touch your body!” Joe whispered with a deadly sharp gaze.