(ARIELLE'S POV) The rest of the dinner passed in an uneasy silence, heavy and suffocating. I focused on my plate, determined to avoid Jared’s gaze and suppress the memories threatening to rise. It was the scene—the warmth of a family dinner, the kind of moment I’d once dreamed of—that had unrave
“I do have expensive taste,” he admitted with a grin, leaning into the camera. “But seriously, Ari. Need any advice? I’ve learned some cooking after all.” Learned some cooking? I almost rolled my eyes at the understatement. This man and his false modesty—like he isn’t the same guy our master chef c
(ARIELLE’S POV) I froze in place, hands instinctively flying to cover my mouth as if that would somehow undo what just happened. My eyes squeezed shut for a moment, though the damage was already done. My mind went blank, like an error screen flashing in my head. My body froze, but my face? That b
(JARED'S POV) It was another perfect day for a professional house husband. I stretched, feeling refreshed as I swung my legs off the bed. Habit had me glancing at the other side where Maverick usually curled up, but it was empty. Right. He’d been sleeping with Arielle these past few nights. Ever
(JARED'S POV) With that thought, I turned the laptop off, pushing it aside. Glancing at the wall clock, I pushed the chair back and rose, deciding it was time to start prepping for dinner. But just then, my phone rang, disrupting my intention. It was my mother calling, and I sighed before picking
Anger and frustration immediately flooded my system. Was this what all of these meant to them? Money and inheritance? Heaven knows I'm not trying to win my family back because of any inheritance, I wasn't even interested in it. Outside the family name and affluence, I have been able to name my own
(ARIELLE’S POV) As I sat at my desk in my office, staring blankly at the computer screen in front of me, I couldn't stop my thoughts from straying. These past few days have been of constant debate about Jared's continuous stay in my house and finally it had led me to a decision –I needed to ask hi
Jared was caught off guard, his eyes briefly flicking to me before he turned them back to the road, his jaw tightening. He hadn't been ready for that. He hesitated, his voice almost pleading as he spoke. "Can I stay a little longer?" he asked, his tone soft, almost fragile. "Maverick's gotten used
“I won’t be long in the shower,” he promised as he dashed into the bathroom. I picked up my phone and found a couple of missed calls from Michael Langley. A little frown crossed my face until I realized he might’ve worried after checking on me at my suite. I didn’t owe him any explanations of cours
(ARIELLE’S POV) I was awake—eyes closed, but very much aware of my surroundings. I could feel the gentle early morning breeze dance over my skin as it traveled across the room. The warmth of Jared’s skin against mine, his spring arms wrapped around me like a second blanket, brought back very vivid
(MICHAEL’S POV) I was on a zoom conference call with my strategy team back home when my phone rang. Normally, I’d just ignore it and let it ring out until whoever it was on the other end got the message. But when I looked at the caller ID, I thought better. “Jared. Is everything okay?” I asked my
“That bounce in his step? You’ll only ever find it in a man who’s in love. And you.. your skin has a different glow this morning. Plus you arrived an hour late for our appointment,” Ellen finished with a shrug. “Morning, Dr. Keystone,” Jared nodded as he walked into the room. “Good morning, Mr. Sm
(ARIELLE’S POV) I woke up in his arms, this time, fully aware and hardly willing to break the contact between our bodies. I slowly turned around to look at his face, to be sure none of it was a dream. Jared’s lips stretched in a smile and his eyes peeled open gradually. “Hey,” he said. “Hey,” I e
She opened her mouth to speak, but her words died away in the back of her throat the moment I slid myself into her. It felt like heaven. It felt like returning back to a place I’d vowed never to set foot in, only to realize I’d never really left in my heart—if I was being honest with myself. She
(JARED'S POV) When we arrived at the hotel, Arielle insisted on stopping by her room first for a quick shower and to change her dress. I didn’t object because I thought I could use the time to surprise her with a little culinary adventure. The poor chicken I put in the oven would have fared better
(JARED’S POV) It was all I could think about for most of the day. And I feared it bothered her somewhat too. It didn’t help my case the slightest bit that she built a wall between us, pushing me off every time I tried to broach the topic. Of course I knew that had to be the reason—our adventure of
“Sorry about that. I just wanted to go through everything we have to do first,” Julian explained, earning a little roll of the eyes from his ex-wife. I was glad that I didn’t need to be sedated for the tests they were about to conduct. Something about lying still and unconscious again with no defin