But relief wasn’t an expression I was willing to express, so instead I attempted to pull my hand away from Parrish’s grip but he only gripped it tighter and his face was set in stone as he looked at me.“Let’s go Jess” he growled and I could barely see his eyes under the dimness of the club light but somehow I could feel the fierce intensity of his gaze on me, I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of giving in so I pulled my hands away forcefully. By this time, Dan had noticed something was wrong and he turned back with a confused expression to find Parrish staring down at him.“Any problem dude?” his voice was calm even though he was returning Parrish’s death stare and subtly so, but Parrish only stayed silent and returning his gaze back to me and I had two options, go with Parrish and hear whatever bullshit he had to say or watch a fight break out in the club – and yes, I was weak so I went with the first option. I threw Dan a quick glance and muttered“I’ll be right back”“Hel
PRESENTParrish’s Pov*“Three words, eight letters. Say it and I’m yours”*“I – I don’t want to hurt you”Those words hurt to say but it was necessary. I couldn’t love her the way she wanted me to not with that dirty secret hanging over my head, looming over me everywhere I went, any time I saw her or perceived her scent around me. It was difficult to look her in the eye, knowing the amount of pain I had caused, even more that she was yet to realize.“That’s fair” she said back with a neutral tone and an air of indifference hovering around her.“Jess – ” I called even though there was a guilty hint to my tone, but I wanted her to understand me, I needed her to understand.“I don’t want to be hurt either Parrish – so I understand” she didn’t understand, not even in the slightest bit.“No, you don’t understand” I stopped her “I’m not trying to hurt you but I’ve done things, real terrible things that I can’t seem to escape from. Things that you’ll never forgive me for” the memories flutt
*Nathan is proposing to me*Nathan is proposing to me*Oh my God! What do I doMy head rambled with thoughts as I took everything in. Turning around to find Nathan kneeling before me. What happened? How did I get here? How did everything take a turn so fast? The shock of this sudden proposal lingered in the air like a delicate wisp of smoke trickling through the air, swirling around me as I tried to make sense of emotions that was already threatening to overwhelm.*Will you marry me Jessica Peters?The weight of those words – the glittering diamond that he held out to me. “Nathan –” I called, with my mouth slightly ajar, stepping forward to take his face in – his delicate, handsome face that somehow I had missed. His patient eyes searched mine as he locked my gaze with “I thought about, I had enough to think about and there wasn’t a moment that made sense without you” his voice washed over me like a soothing balm“I love you Jessca”Those were the words. *Three Words, Eight Letters
PARRISH’S POVRunning wet, icy trails with an ice cube in her mouth down my back not only sent shivers of pleasure throughout my entire my body, it left me almost paralyzed. The tip of her fingers were cold from picking up the ice and when she touched me with them, the goose bumps that developed on my skin were fat and prickly to touch, my muscles flexed involuntarily when she swiped the sharp tip of her acrylics over them. A soft groan escaped my lips and it seemed to entice Jessica or probably aggravate her further because she escalated to an even more aggressive nibbling of a particular delicate spot of my neck that always sent me off the rails – gripping the sheets and aching for more of her and her sweet supple flesh, for more of her delicate skin next to mine because the heat that radiated from her was like a drug to me – it was like an addiction that I couldn’t curb. I pulled her closer, my hands firmly clutched around her waist. Like a dirty habit, her lips met mine – slow, so
My stare was murderous matched to an even poisonous glare from my father, we stood with our eyed fixed on each other, my jaw set even and ignoring the pain that radiated through my face from my father’s hard punch. Our relationship had always been chaotic, his love and attention was earned and no matter how much I tried, I never seemed worthy of it. I fought it every time, always desperate and frantic - fighting for a word of praise from but no matter how hard i tried, I never did it well, it was never enough.“I made you!” he roared “You’d be nothing without me – ”“You’re wrong” I matched up to him “You’re the one who’d be nothing without me, that’s why you’re scared that if I get back together with her again you’ll get exposed for what you made me do. Don’t you interfere anymore – it’s a warning”“What are you going to do?” he was squaring up to me and I know had to pick my words carefully, I could see his hands squeezed in punch and ready to strike if I angered him again. I backe
*“Jessica got engaged yesterday” Those words washed over me like a turbulent tide, waves crashing and sending me into a state I could only express as severe shock. What Jessica? I only knew of one Jessica that worked in K&H, or maybe there was someone else that I wasn’t so familiar with. I was going to ride with that thought until Cara continued speaking.“Her boyfriend Nathan is one of those big shot lawyers and he’s really sweet, planned out a whole surprise proposal before she got back from the work trip”“That’s so romantic” the other lady cooed and I crunched my fingers tightly beside me.Damn! It was her.Immediately, the elevator doors swung open and just before I stepped out, there was someone coming in and I looked up to find Jessica with her ever distant gaze before she locked eyes with me. I don’t know about her, but my hearts skipped several beats in just a fraction of a second. With a quick reflex, my eyes shifted to her fingers, and it was no rumor. Just there, was a sw
JESSICA’S POV“Nothing happened between us” Nathan assured me a hundred times even though I had told him a million times that I did not care if anything happened between him and his co worker. How could I care when I was far from innocent, when I was still bothered with the attraction I felt for Parrish. I looked at Nathan, and at this time Janet had conveniently excused herself from out midst. There wasn’t a single ounce of guilt hiding among the crevices of Nathan’s smile lines, his smile was hard enough and his cold hands seemed permanently glued to my waist. I needed a break, I just got off a five hour flight before I was thrown into this overwhelm and I needed to sit down – no I needed to lie down, or better still I needed to run away.*He saved your life Jessica, you owe him that. It’ll be selfish to break his heart.So I stuck around, for as long as people rallied around me and shoving their hands in mine for handshake, I could only think of one thing – Parrish.*I don’t want
I froze instantly, pulling my hands away from Parrish’s cheek, and finding a way to step away from him even in that tightness. Cara had shock registered across her face as she threw her eyes between the both of us“I’m sorry – I didn’t mean to interrupt. I just wanted to check if you were okay” Cara said with a pensive look and I wasn’t sure if it was from seeing the boss and I in a weird position or if she was just still nursing a pout from Parrish’s earlier reprimand.“You’re not interrupting anything Cara, same thing Mr. Holmes was doing – checking if I was okay” I said back to her and then looking at Parrish who seemed rather unphased and in fact had a smug look on his face. I rolled my eyes at his cockiness and then looked at Cara “Well since you’re here do you mind reprinting the documents, I have some emails to respond to” I said and I walked past out of the room and to my desk without much as a glance in Parrish’s direction.*So you’re completely over me Jessica?God, he was