Her Collateral Bride: A Lesbian Age Gap Romance

She was not what Haley had expected. Her father painted

this woman as a cunning, conniving witch, and Haley had

imagined her that way. Cold. Calculating. Menacing. Old.

Warts on the nose.

This woman wasn’t old. She was probably mid-thirties, and

even though she wore all black, it suited her tall, lithe frame.

Her clothes were expensive and flawless, a black blouse

tucked into the high waistband of a black pencil skirt. Long

legs, shapely calves, six-inch heels. She definitely did not have

warts on her nose, or anywhere else. Claire Finely might just

have been the most beautiful creature Haley had ever seen.

The beauty of the house, the yard, the lake, and just about

anything else in the world, couldn’t hold a candle to this

woman. She wasn’t a natural blonde, but her hair was dyed so

tastefully that a person almost couldn’t tell. Her brows were

darker, which was the giveaway, and her lashes were thick and

black over dark brown eyes. Her lips were the only splash of

color, a deep, crimson red.

Claire held herself like a goddess, and when she crossed her

arms over her chest and her eyes fell on Haley, she lost what

little breath she’d been able to hold onto. She felt dumpy in the

slacks and blouse she’d chosen for this, in her black flats that

pinched the backs of her heels every time she took a step.

“Haley.” Claire said her name like a name could contain a

whole sentence, a whole lifetime. Like she already knew

everything about her, and she enjoyed being known and being

a mystery at the same time. Her voice was cold, her tone ice.

Haley shivered. “Uh, hi,” she squeak

ed, and felt ridiculous.

What was she supposed to say? The whole thing was