"Come on, be honest. Have you ever slept with Keira?"The guy's deep voice stopped me just as I was about to walk in. Peeking through the crack in the door, I spotted Jace Johnston lounging in a fancy chair, his thin lips pressed together."She made a move, but I'm not into her," he said."Don't say that. Keira's a real catch around here. Lots of guys are into her," replied Steve Smith, Jace's friend, who knew all about our ten-year history.Jace frowned. "We just know each other too well, you know?"When I was fourteen, I was sent to the Johnston residence and met Jace for the first time. Everyone told me he'd be my future husband. Since then, we'd lived together for ten years."Exactly. You guys work at the same company, spend the whole day together, then head home to eat at the same table. You probably even know each other's bathroom schedule by now," Steve teased.He continued, "These days, relationships thrive on mystery and the excitement of wanting what you can't have. Th
Jace looked up at the sound, his eyes meeting mine. I didn't need a mirror to know how bad I looked."Not feeling well?" he asked, frowning a little.I walked silently to his desk, swallowing the bitterness in my throat. "If you don't want to marry me, I can tell your mom."Jace's frown deepened. He knew I'd heard his conversation with Steve.My throat felt tight. "I didn't think I'd become something 'lacking flavor'. Jace—""Rea, in everyone's eyes, we're already married," Jace interrupted me.Rea was my nickname ever since I started living with the Johnstons.'So what? He wants to marry me for appearances?'I wanted him to marry me because he loved me and wanted to spend his life with me.With a snap, Jace closed the pen and looked at the marriage license application form I was holding. "Next Wednesday, we'll get the license."These were the words I'd been waiting for, but they made me feel awful, really awful...I looked down, shaking my head slightly. "Jace, you don't ha
I spent the whole day thinking about this question. By the time Jace came to get me in the afternoon, I still didn't have an answer, but I followed him anyway.Habit is a tough thing. After ten years, I had gotten used to him and going home to the Johnston residence after work."Why aren't you talking?" Jace probably sensed my mood and started the conversation.I was quiet for a few seconds. "Jace, maybe we should--"Before I could finish, his phone rang. The caller ID showed an unfamiliar number, but I noticed his grip on the steering wheel tighten.He was nervous, which was rare.I looked at his face, but he quickly disconnected the call from the car's Bluetooth and switched to his earpiece. "Hello... Yes, I'm on my way."The call was brief. He hung up and looked at me. "I've got something urgent to handle, so I can't give you a ride home."It wasn't the first time. Even if he hadn't said anything, I knew he was going to leave me behind. But I still hoped he might take me hom
I never thought I'd end up in police station for indecency.The person I knocked over was a 17-year-old teenager. He was sure I had bad intentions. Even though I denied it, he kept saying that I touched him."Where did she touch you?" the police asked, scrutinizing every detail.Brad Twain looked at me, pointed at his chest, then gestured down to his waist. "She touched me here, here...and even here."'That's total bullshit!'I almost cursed, I had never touched a man as handsome as Jace. How would I be interested in a kid like him?The officer looked at me again, and I denied it before he could ask. "I didn't lay a hand on him; it was just an accidental bump.""Have you been drinking?" the officer asked, giving me a knowing look.It was normal for men to drink a lot, but if a woman drank even a little, she was seen as improper.I nodded. "Yes, I did.""How much?" The officer's question seemed unrelated to the situation at hand.Still, I answered honestly, "One bottle of bee
My hand hurt from his grip. It was clear Jace was angry.'Is he jealous?'Just as I wondered, Jace let go of my hand, his eyes cold. "Rea, are you doing this to get back at me because of what I said?"I was shocked. I didn't think he'd see it that way."I didn't, I--" I began to explain but he interrupted me."Where did you touch him? Did you really touch him there?" Jace's jaw was tense, and his eyes had a fierce glint.But this rare display of jealousy eased a lot of my frustration. It showed he did care about me. If he only saw me as a sister or a friend, he wouldn't care if I touched another guy."No," I said again.Just then, Brad walked out and whistled at me. "Hey creep, why are you hitting on my brother-in-law?"Rudeness was typical from him, and this was no exception.Looking at him, I couldn't help but wonder what I did to deserve this.Tanya came over too. When I thought of her touching Jace earlier, I instinctively took Jace's arm.However, I didn't expect to fe
Tanya had a close call; her baby was saved, and now she was back in her hospital room.Her face was pale and drawn, her eyes red and puffy, making her look fragile and pitiful."Don't worry, the baby is fine," Jace reassured her."Jace, I was so scared," Tanya began to cry.Jace handed her a tissue, and she took it, grabbing his hand and resting her tear-streaked face on it.'She might be pitiful, but does being pitiful give her the right to treat my fiancé as her own?' I thought.I walked over. "Mrs. Blake, the doctor said that strong emotions are bad for the baby. You barely managed to save the child. If something happens again because you're crying like this, it would be terrible."I reached out to support her, subtly pulling her away.Seeing her tears on Jace's hand still made me uncomfortable, like something of mine had been tainted by someone else. I was a bit of a clean freak, both in life and in love.Tanya seemed taken aback when I called her Mrs. Blake. Her face visi
Even though I wasn't so turned on that I'd lose control, if Jace answered the phone or left right now, I'd be mortified.He swallowed hard and grabbed his phone, pressing the button to hang up. He continued kissing my neck and collarbone.But the phone rang again a second later. I knew that if he didn't answer, there would be no peace for either of us.Turning my face to the side, I said, "You should answer it."Jace looked uneasy. He pulled the blanket over me, picked up the phone, and walked to the balcony.Even though he closed the sliding door, I could still hear him."I can't come over. Ask the nurse to help you."I didn't say I wouldn't take care of you... I know it's my fault..."Fine, stop crying. I'm coming, I'll be there soon."Then I heard the click of a lighter.Jace was smoking.For the first time, he was smoking at home.It was nearly ten minutes before Jace returned. The air was tinged with the tobacco smell.His eyes looked uneasy as he said, "Um... I have
"Keira, Mr. Johnston is looking for you."Demi Young, who had followed me, held out her phone.I had really underestimated Jace's persistence. With no other choice, I took the call. "Mr. Johnston, what can I do for you?" I asked formally."Rea," Jace's voice was hoarse and full of guilt. "Why'd you leave so early today? I didn't see you when I got back."Realizing this wasn't a work call, I stepped away. "I went out for breakfast.""I'm sorry, I... I couldn't leave last night, so I didn't come back."A cold chill ran through me, and I felt a mocking smile on my lips. "Why couldn't you leave?"Jace went silent.I held my breath, giving him an out. "Was it because you couldn't find a caregiver?""Yes..."I didn't say anything else, but Jace continued, "Rea, when will you be done there? I can pick you up, and we can grab lunch together."We hadn't had a meal together in a long time. According to Brad, Jace had been spending his time with Tanya. So, this sudden lunch invite—was