Jade
I rushed to change, my mind racing with thoughts of Michael. As I entered the main hall, I spotted him waiting, his gaze locked onto me. My heart skipped a beat. He flashed that devastating smile, and I smiled back, feeling a flutter. "That was more than fifteen minutes," he said, standing up. "You were counting?" I teased. Michael's smirk hinted that he wasn't the type to wait for anyone, making me feel flattered. "Shall we?" he asked, offering his arm. We walked to the parking lot, where a sleek black Mercedes awaited, complete with a driver. As we settled in, Michael patted the space between us. "I don't bite." You're not the problem, I thought. I needed space to keep my head clear. "I'm pretty sure I could take you," Michael said, his eyes scanning me. I suppressed a shiver. This intense attraction was uncharted territory. "What makes you sure that I don't?" I asked. Michael's reply sent a spark through me: "I'm pretty sure you'd let me." The driver's presence was a timely reminder to keep things in check. "So, where are we headed?" I asked, attempting to sound casual. "Perry Lane," Michael replied, naming one of the city's poshest hotels. As we arrived, Michael opened the door, his eyes never leaving mine. In the elevator, tension built. I felt like I was melting into his gaze. The luxurious suite left me breathless. Michael's world was far removed from my simple life. "Our food should arrive shortly," Michael said, watching me explore. I joined him at the bar, where he expertly mixed drinks. "Trying to get me drunk before dinner?" I teased. "Why would I?" Michael countered, his eyes sparkling. "I want you sober for what's to come." "Food and conversation?" I asked. "Maybe ten questions," Michael suggested. My mind whirled. Could I kiss him? Michael asked his first question, catching me off guard: "How often have you thought about kissing me since you walked through that door?" I almost choked on my drink. "Maybe twice," I lied. Michael smirked. "Liar." Now it was my turn. "How many times have you thought about kissing me?" I asked. Michael's gaze locked onto mine, his voice low. "As often as there are surfaces to lay you down on, or against, whatever your preference." My heart pounded. Michael's phone buzzed, breaking the spell. "Dinner's here." We sat down, and the aroma of roasted vegetables and grilled meat filled the air. As we ate, our conversation flowed easily. I learned about Michael's passion for art and his love for old movies. The evening wore on, and I found myself lost in Michael's eyes. "Next question," Michael said, his voice husky. I smiled mischievously. "What's your biggest fear?" Michael's expression turned serious. "Losing someone I care about." His vulnerability touched me. "My turn," Michael said, his eyes sparkling. "What's the wildest thing you've ever done?" I blushed, thinking of a suitable answer. As the night unfolded, our questions grew more intimate. The connection between us intensified, until it felt like we were the only ones in the world. As the clock struck ten, Michael walked me to the door. "Thanks for dinner," I said, feeling a pang of disappointment. Michael's eyes locked onto mine. "Anytime." His lips brushed against mine, sending shivers down my spine. "Goodnight, Emerald," he whispered. "Goodnight, Blue Eyes," I replied, my heart racing. As I stepped into the elevator, I knew this was just the beginning. I hated how he looked so composed when I was about to combust in my seat, but I couldn't help but imagine what he was saying. One of those surfaces was this very counter; if I leaned in, I could get my first kiss right here and now. I looked at his lips and involuntarily bit mine, imagining him doing it to me. "My turn," he said, bringing me back to planet earth. "Would you let me?" I didn't hesitate. "Yes." He smiled and removed his arms from the counter to stand up straight. "Good to know." I was speechless as I watched him walk to the door to let someone in, wondering why I hadn't heard anything. Probably because I was too busy thinking about kissing the hottest man I had ever met. I waited while Michael and the waiter set up our dinner table and only joined him when we were alone again. He held the chair out for me, and I sat down first, smiling at the feast set before us. It was much more than two people could finish, but I was determined to at least try a little bit of everything because everything looked so good. "You are not allergic to anything, are you?" "Does that count as question three? And no, nothing. If I am, we'll find out tonight." “I’m not sure if mouth-to-mouth resuscitation works on allergies, and it’s the only first aid skill I have,” he replied, making me laugh. “Somehow, I doubt that. You look like one of those annoyingly good at everything people.” “You’re right. I’m pretty much perfect.” I shook my head and started preparing my plate. “You are terrible at being humble.” “I hate it when people pretend to be modest.” I usually preferred to eat in silence, but with Michael, I just wanted to keep on hearing his voice and know more about him. “What else do you hate?” He took some time to answer as he finished his bite of food. “Long donuts, public gyms, and liars.” “That’s a mixed bag,” I laughed with a shake of my head. “What do you have against long donuts?” “Ring donuts are better.” I laughed again, and he pointed to my plate. “What model eats as many carbs as you do?” “One who is hungry and has a high metabolism. My turn.” He distracted me as he took a sip of wine, drawing my attention to his lips. “What’s your favorite dessert?” I finally asked, earning a smile from him. “Thinking about dessert already? We haven’t even gone through the second course yet.” “Just answer the question.” “I can’t decide between tiramisu and good old-fashioned chocolate cake.” “Chocolate cake? Look at you, being ordinary like the rest of us,” I teased. “My turn. Can you let down your hair?” I was surprised by the question, which was more of a request. I had met a few jerks in my life who had asked me if the curtain matched the drapes, a usual but creepy fascination with my red hair. But the way Michael asked me and the look in his eyes made me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world. My red hair was the only thing I had inherited from my mother, with my sister being the lucky one to inherit her looks. I had grown up loving my hair because my mother had it too, and she looked like a princess, but my reality hadn’t been the same. I had been teased relentlessly growing up, and when I became an adult, most of the comments from guys were just the usual stupid and lewd one-liners. I put my fork down and reached for the few pins in my hair, pulling them out and letting my hair down. “Not sure I should be doing this at the dinner table, but as you wish.” He chuckled and reached for his wine again. “We can do whatever we want, even eat naked.” This man would be my death before the night ended, but I had already decided. Just for tonight, I was going to be the confident vixen and enjoy our time together. Michael reminded me of the arrogant Alpha type I usually avoided in favor of the sweet, nerdy guys, but he made me feel so sexy and excited for what was to come. I genuinely enjoyed his company, and this sexy banter between us was hot. “We could even skip to dessert,” he added before pushing his chair back and standing up. I remained glued to my chair until he walked to my side and extended his hand. He helped me stand up and put his hand to my face, caressing my cheek. “Final question,” he said, moving his hand to my hair and gently touching it. “Is it my turn or yours? I’ve lost track.” How could I remember anything when he was touching me like that, his scent clouding my senses? “I’m going to kiss you,” he almost whispered. I smiled. “Was that a question?” He smiled and finally did what we had both been waiting for all night. Michael’s lips were soft and warm and tasted like sweet, red wine. He took charge of the kiss, and I drowned in him, grabbing his shirt to anchor myself to reality. It felt like I had never been truly kissed before this, before Michael, and the teenage excitement I had felt during my first kiss was nothing compared to this. His tongue met mine, and I tasted more of him just before he abruptly broke the kiss. He was breathing heavily as if he had just run a marathon, and his dark eyes reflected the lust I felt. “I want all of you,” he said. I could only nod, and Michael swept me off my feet and carried me to his bed. I watched as he undressed completely, showing the toned body I had felt during our kiss. A light dusting of hair ran down his rock-hard abs and straight to the massive evidence of his arousal, and it was all mine to enjoy. I reached for the hem of my t-shirt, but Michael’s commanding voice made me halt. “Don’t.” I looked up at him as he closed the small distance between us. “Let me.” It was my absolute pleasure to surrender to him; he didn’t disappoint me. He kissed every inch of my skin as he slowly exposed it until I was completely bare. He went straight for my core and tortured me with his mouth, not having any mercy until I shook with pleasure. I moaned his name when it became too much, and he slowly kissed his way up my body again. His strong hands felt like heaven against my skin, and when his mouth finally reached my chest and licked the erect nubs begging for his attention, I moaned his name again. He licked and teased me until I begged him for release again, and only then did he finally have mercy on me. He swallowed my moan in a kiss as he finally joined us, his size filling me to perfection. Michael was a magnificent lover, kissing me as he moved his body in a way that satisfied me. Every cell in my body was humming in the pleasure radiating from where we were joined most intimately, and pretty soon, I felt like I was about to explode again. I dug my nails into Michael’s back, trying to meet his every thrust as I chased my climax. He got the message and increased his pace, his thrusts deeper than before. I held on for dear life and screamed his name one last time before I drowned. For the first time in my life, I understood why it was called the little death because, at that very moment, I died. I felt Michael kiss my shoulder sometime after before pulling me into his arms, but I failed to open my eyes. I allowed sleep to claim me in the arms of the most incredible man, half convinced that I had probably dreamt all of this up. When I finally woke up, I wasn’t sure how long I had slept, only that it had been the best nap of my life. Michael looked adorable as he slept, perfect even now. It was annoying how he didn’t drool or have an ugly sleeping face like he didn’t know how to be normal like the rest of us. I smiled as I reached to push his hair back, thinking I should have probably asked if he had been created in a lab. A light caught my attention, and I looked behind Michael to see my phone flashing on his dresser. He must have brought it in because I didn’t remember carrying it from the dinner table. I got up to get it, my heart stopping when I saw Tammie’s message and several other notifications from her. I quickly opened them, and they were all more or less similar. Where was I? Why wasn’t I responding? Grandma Rose wasn’t doing any better, and Tammie needed me to come to the hospital. I felt like an awful friend as I quickly dressed and grabbed my bag to leave. My heart was pounding as I went downstairs and got into a taxi. My thoughts were only on Tammie and what she was going through, and I quickly sent her a text to let her know I was on the way. It was only when I finally made it to the hospital that I remembered that I had left Michael without a note or any way to let him know where I had gone, and because we had been so lost in each other, we hadn’t even exchanged phone numbers. But the man of my dreams would have to wait. For now, I had to be here for Tammie. I couldn’t help but wonder if I had left a piece of my heart in that hotel suite.Michael I woke up feeling refreshed, a rare sensation in my hectic life. My mother often joked that I was twenty-eight going on sixty. But last night had been different. Jade was witty and charming, and our connection was undeniable. I hadn't planned on skipping dessert, but I couldn't resist her. And now, she'd invaded my dreams. I smiled, expecting to see her beside me. Instead, I found an empty bed. I frowned, scanning the suite. The silence confirmed my fears. No note, no explanation. I cursed myself for not getting her number. "Damn it!" I muttered. I'd never been on the receiving end of a disappearing act. Who did Jade think she was? I replayed our night, searching for signs of miscommunication. But Jade had enjoyed it as much as I had. She'd left a mark, and I hated that. Why hadn't she said goodbye? Was that too much to ask? I thought about our conversation, trying to recall any hints. But Jade had seemed just as invested. I grabbed my phone and dialed
JadeI closed my eyes and let Ed Sheeran's voice soothe my soul, knowing fully well that I was moping but didn't care. I promised myself just a few more days, and then I would stop thinking about Michael. It was proving to be extremely difficult to forget about the man when I dreamt of him every time I closed my eyes. We'd had the perfect night together, and my mind couldn't stop replaying it, which was both satisfying and torturous. I heard my bedroom door open, and I opened my eyes to see Tammie narrowing her eyes at me."You know that listening to heartbreak songs makes you feel like crap, right?"I sat up and paused the song playing on my phone. "Joke's on you. That was actually a love song."Tammie rolled her eyes. "You need to get out more, and I mean just getting out into the sun. Have you seen how pale you look?""I had that stomach bug all weekend, remember?""Yeah, but I thought you were feeling better now?""I am. Maybe my complexion is just taking time to catch up."Stayin
While Tammie waited for me, I grabbed a jacket and put on my shoes in silence. We bought a test within thirty minutes and were back in my room. My heart threatened to jump out of my chest, and I felt like throwing up again, only this time because of nerves. I paced the room as we waited for the minutes to be up, and when Tammie's alarm went off, I felt my heart stop. My hands shook with anxiety."I can't look," I said tearfully to Tammie, and she nodded.She checked the test I had placed on a chair on top of some toilet paper, and her face told me all I needed to know. I checked for myself, picking up the stick and seeing the two lines sealing my fate."I must have done something wrong," I said, shaking my head."Jade-""I've heard these things sometimes give you a false positive."The test had to be wrong, I told myself. There was still a chance that we would laugh about this tomorrow; this was just some fluke.Tammie gave me a sad look but nodded. "It's okay. Let's get a different b
The following fortnight was filled with work and finalizing my application. The morning sickness seemed like an all-day sickness sometimes, and I quickly realized that this child had a strong aversion to dairy products. It felt strange realizing that the things I used to like to eat didn't matter anymore. As much as I wanted to hide and pretend that this wasn't happening, my body was changing quickly, and the tiny person inside my belly would not be ignored. The only thing I could do was take one day at a time, and I invested most of my time in researching more about giving up my baby for adoption.Today was one of the slower days at work, and I was counting down the minutes until my shift was over. I was meeting Tammie for lunch first; then, we were going for my first ultrasound appointment later. As soon as my alarm went off, I quickly got ready to leave. I was so rushed that I almost bumped into a lady at a corner, pushing her baby in a stroller."Oh, I'm so sorry," I apologized pr
Michael"Sometimes, I think you forget whose name is on your paycheck every month!"My assistant, Daisy, raised a brow at me, and I reigned in my anger. I took a deep breath and faced the windows, taking in the beautiful view. I listened to the man on the other end of the line apologizing, but I was not interested in apologies. Never, in the history of my family legacy, had the Fletcher fortune been enhanced by apologies. And what people didn't realize was that it wasn't my vanity that fueled my passion for succeeding but the responsibilities that I had. To most, I was just a thirty-four-year-old man who had been born with a platinum spoon in his mouth. In truth, I was just a couple of millions shy of becoming a billionaire, but that wealth supported many people.I had thousands of employees and charities that needed me to be the best I could be. There were scholarships in my family name that sent hundreds of kids to school each year, not to mention the medical donations that saved th
JadeToday was one of those days when everything was not going my way. I had spent the entire afternoon shopping with Robin for some new shoes and school supplies, and it seemed we had both reached our breaking point. He had asked for everything he saw, and I was now tired and broke. If only there were a way to explain to a stubborn six-year-old that mommy didn't have money to buy everything he wanted. Especially things he didn't need. I thought that after six years of doing this, I would be a pro by now, but there was no manual for motherhood, and on days like these, one just had to be extra patient."I want ice cream, Mommy," came another request.There were a few fancy restaurants as we walked by, and just ahead of us was a gelato place. I must admit that the large banner with different gelato cones looked appetizing, but I had just bought Robin some yogurt an hour before."We are going home, Robin, and you left ice cream in the freezer, remember?"There was a small tub of vanilla
MichaelI had to give it to Jade. She was one damn good actress. She stood there, pretending she had no idea what I was talking about and looked at me like I had lost my mind. This acting only angered me even more. It was one thing to lie and another to stick to that lie as if it were the truth.She was almost the same as I remembered her, only a little older now. Her face was free of makeup, but she looked so gorgeous it was almost painful. I wondered if she had continued with her modeling; she certainly had the face for it. And that hair was sure to land her many shampoo commercials. But then again, her beauty and my attraction to her had never been the problem. It was her integrity."Mommy?"The little voice brought me back to reality, and I looked at the little boy next to Jade. When I had left the restaurant, I had seen her bend over to talk to the child, but funny how I hadn't paid him any mind once I finally came face to face with her. It was like the world around us had disapp
JadeI held it together pretty well until I got home, and then it finally hit me. I had just seen the father of my child after several years, something I had never thought would happen again. How did a normal, boring shopping day turn out to be so eventful? It went from zero to a hundred, too fast for me to catch my breath. Robin ran to his room as soon as we arrived, excited to finally be home after a long day. It gave me a little time to process everything and not just fall apart in front of him.I wentinto the bathroom and splashed some water onto my face, telling myself I wouldn't cry. It would not solve anything or help me in any way, no matter how much I wanted to cry. I wondered what I had done to piss the universe off because I certainly didn't deserve this. I was by no means perfect, but I always strived to be the best version of myself and lead by example for my son. Now my life was being turned upside down again, just when I thought I was getting the hang of it.I tookmy ph