(Aiden’s POV)I yawned, stretching my arms as I exited quietly from the bedroom, not wanting to wake Jessamine up. I moved my head from side to side, walking toward the kitchen. The smell of freshly brewed coffee enticed my nostrils and pulled me to have a cup this morning.“Why is Jess in your bed?” Deborah asked, raising her eyebrows.Her hands were on her hips as her gaze followed me while I walked toward the countertop to get coffee.“Why are you having sex in the living room?” I asked, irked at the thought of them scaring Jessamine, which confused me.Deborah gasped.“You forgot you have a kid in the house,” I joked, turning around and leaning on the countertop. “She had seen you… and yes, we heard you.” I smirked, rolling my eyes as I pulled the stool and sat down.Her hand flew to her mouth, stopping herself from laughing.“OMG! Xavier’s not going to be happy with it,” she clucked her tongue. “We were… We’re…” She sighed and shook her head. “We should have thought of Jessamine.
(Jessamine’s POV)My nostrils caught the scent of brewed coffee, freshly baked bread, and the clean, fresh air altogether. I closed my eyes, smiling as I inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. Instead of helping Sasha set the table, I walked toward the lake as if it was calling me. Its pristine water was an unbelievably beautiful blue in the morning, mirroring the color of the sky.I had forgotten my plan of seducing Aiden, letting my brain work simultaneously, imagining how to turn this magical place into something profitable without touching the beauty of the area. Looking gorgeous even in a simple gray T-shirt and khaki shorts, Aiden walked toward me, bringing me a cup of coffee.“Deborah called and said nothing’s missing, and all the pages were complete.” He smiled, giving me the cup. “There’s no need to bring Charlie to the vet.”I chuckled, inhaling the scent of coffee before sipping.“As soon as I read your paper, I drafted a feasibility study, asked Aaron to review it, and… he saw
(Jessamine’s POV)My heart was silent. My mind was in chaos, but nothing compared to my stomach; it was in a rage. It was Aiden’s fault. I was ready to let go of my silly dream, but then he had to ask me what was on my mind. Since Aiden returned, mixed emotions whirled inside me, confusing me and making me dizzy.The scent of brewed coffee and cinnamon caught my attention before I heard the footsteps. I must be really hungry. When I glanced over my shoulder, Sasha smiled gently, standing beside me and giving me the bread and a cup of coffee. “Are you okay?” She asked worriedly.I nodded, filling my mouth with the bread. I chewed slowly, not wanting to answer her if she raised another question, but Sasha seemed patient, her eyes on the lake.“I hate eating alone, too,” she muttered, tilting her head and smiling at me. “What you said reminded me of an old memory.” She breathed, returning her gaze to the lake. “Aaron and I were on a business trip, and then I saw this old lady selling no
(Jessamine’s POV)The house was the last place Sasha and I checked, and when we were done, I did not follow her downstairs. I lied, telling her my legs were stiff and that I needed to rest. I stayed on the last step at the top of the staircase, leaning on the wall and looking blankly at the ceiling.“Hey,” Aiden called out.I lowered my head, smiling at the only person I wanted to see now. I watched him climb up the stairs and stop when he was near me.“What are you doing here?” He asked curiously.“Thinking,” I answered, tapping the space beside me. I didn’t want him to fall on the stairs if he set the wrong foot on the tread.“Thinking… of what?” He muttered, sitting beside me but leaving a gap between us.“Not that I’m good in Math, Aiden, but people are unlikely to splurge money on this place, expecting this to be profitable. In what? A year?” I shook my head. “You know it’s not possible. Deborah will agree with me that it won’t happen in a short span of time, and it scares me to
(Aiden’s POV)All I wanted was at least a fifteen-minute nap. If only Jessamine knew I didn’t just sit around and wait for her and Sasha to return. I had to check my emails and attend online meetings with the operations team, important clients, and prospective investors. Aaron and I had to go to the hotel for my conferences and hurry to return to her for lunch.I growled in annoyance, tossing and turning on our old couch. Instead of sleeping, I got up, worried she had done something crazy again. I lay down again, closing my eyes and pretending to be asleep, when I heard the creaking of wood on the porch as she walked.Curiosity ate me when Jessamine opened the door and tiptoed into the living room, ignoring me on the couch. What is she up to now? Slowly I opened my eyes, seeing her stepping toward the stairs, dripping wet.My heart hammered at the thought that she had gone swimming in the lake without anyone with her. Worry enveloped my heart, running many scenarios in my mind. Furiou
(Jessamine’s POV)I barely had time to think, but as soon as Aiden’s mouth pressed on mine, my brain shut down, making every part of my body out of control. When he thrust his tongue between my lips, excitement spiraled out and lit my body. I was on fire! I met his tongue, accepting a demanding duel, eagerly responding to him as he stroked and swirled his tongue with mine.His mouth left mine when I took off his T-shirt, but we were too crazy for each other. He claimed my mouth again and kissed me with much passion and heat, scaring me that we might burn the old house. But as my palm pressed on his bare chest, the need and desire to touch made me forget, focusing only on the man of my dreams… the man I wanted to be mine.Sweet heaven, he was so sexy!I expected him to stop me when I lowered my hand, groping for his pants’ zipper. A chuckle escaped my mouth when I could hardly unzip it. I was too excited that my hand was trembling. Aiden left my mouth, scooping and placing me on the be
(Jessamine’s POV)“If there’s one here so excited about this place, it’s him,” Deborah chuckled softly, puckering her lips and pointing at the excited puppy.We watched Charlie taking his time in every tree or plant, sniffing, and marking his territory. His tail wagged, and he would bark at something unfamiliar. Not wanting him to get lost, Aiden put him on a leash and followed him around wherever he wanted to go. His paws were dry now after Aiden brought him to the shoreline, letting him play and experience the lake.“Thanks for bringing Charlie here.” I smiled happily at Deborah.“I think Charlie will -”Deborah paused, turning around and raising her eyebrows, her eyes on the Volvo parking near the house. Xavier, standing behind her, whistled, admiring the understated denim blue color car, and like his fiancée, he waited for who would get out of the vehicle.I didn’t need to know who owned the car. Sasha and Aaron were meant to return at this hour, bringing us dinner to meet Deborah
(Jessamine’s POV)“My brother will flip if he finds out about this,” Xavier said.He chuckled, his eyes on the steak he cut on his plate. He paused for a second, taking a bite of the meat, but I was bothered by the sigh that escaped his mouth. It only meant he was thinking of something. Sasha and Aaron looked at each other.“Oh, that’s the thing,” Aaron said, taking his paper cup, sipping his wine.We all looked at him, waiting for what he would say, but I was not sure if he was thinking or enjoying the wine in his mouth. He smiled apologetically at Xavier.“No one should know about this, Xavier. I mean, us…here.” He muttered, looking at his wife worriedly. “You see, we’re in the middle of an important project, and our CEO doesn’t know about our visit here. No one from the company knew we’re here.”“Of course,” Xavier grinned, nodding at him. Raising one hand, he continued, “I understand. So, you came here because…” His eyes wandered around, assuming it was the place.“We’re here bec