***Grace just went with the hug, ignoring all those warning bells ringing in her head.Walking into his office, holding his hand, she realized something big—she couldn't say no to him, no matter what. His sad face and voice made her heart ache, and all she wanted was to comfort him. If a kiss could make him feel better, she'd do it without a second thought. In that moment, she felt as shaky as the breaths they shared.***Noah kissed her like his life depended on it, savoring the taste he'd longed for. Now that he had it, he never wanted it to end.As their tongues intertwined, she gasped and melted into his embrace, craving more. Noah dove in, his tongue exploring every inch of her mouth. With each kiss, she felt her knees weaken, her core shaken to its foundation. His fingers pressed into her skin, seemingly with a will of their own.***Grace sensing that if this were to continue, something was bound to happen.She lightly pushed at his chest. "Hey, you said just a kiss, but that
*** Grace made her way to the photocopy machine, despite the fact that there was one in the opposite direction. She simply wanted to avoid James's curious stare. Little did she know that evading James's curious gaze would only invite another annoying one. Susan, from the moment she stepped out of the office, had been glaring at her. Why? Grace wondered. *** As Susan watched Grace exit the office, her blood boiled with anger. How could such a person, a nobody with no background, be working under Creed? "No matter which bastard I associate with, I could never secure such a position. I'm his cousin, and yet look at me," Susan muttered angrily. How had Grace managed to bend the unyielding Noah Creed to her will, even to the point of conflict with his own mother? Unforgivable. Susan suddenly stood up, her steps purposeful as she made her way over to Grace. *** “Ah... Here comes the devil," Grace murmured as she caught a glimpse of Susan walking up to her. "Oh God, give me the stren
****Grace took a deep breath as she closed the door, standing there for a second, almost forgetting James's presence until he spoke.“That took a while, you okay?” he asked, noticing the angry expression on her face.She looked at him with rage. “Oh yeah, I am perfectly fine,” she said through a forced smile.“Okay, you are definitely not okay. What happened?” He pressed.His question only worsened her present rage. “You must be talking about yourself, James, because I, GRACE BUSH, AM SUPER DUPER,” she spat out without even raising her head."Wow," James exclaimed, sensing the danger of continuing to pressure her. He gave up. "Sure, suit yourself." Though he had considered asking her again, her sudden angry demeanor made him think otherwise."Well, suited," she spat out in a fit of frustration.They worked in silence, James stealing glances in her direction. The rage on Grace's face remained as clear as day, so he decided to mind his own business.***Grace knew she could never have
***As they settled at a table near the window, Grace couldn't help but relish the cool breeze that wafted in. She took a deep breath, savoring the moment.When was the last time she had enjoyed such peace and quiet? She pondered, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.The shopkeeper approached, a jovial grin on his face. "What can I get for you folks tonight?" he asked, his eyes twinkling with mischief.Grace glanced at the menu before deciding, "I'll just have a beer, please. The cheap one with low alcohol," she said with a shrug. She had made a promise to herself to stick to one drink, and she intended to keep it.The shopkeeper chuckled. "Ah, going for the budget-friendly option, I see. Wise choice, my dear. And for you, sir?" he asked, turning to Noah with a knowing look.Noah grinned back. "I'll have whatever she's having," he replied, flashing a mischievous wink at Grace, “Oh, don't forget to add my usual,” he added.“Sure, Mr. Creed,” The shopkeeper said.Grace roll
*** "To the bone!?" Grace exclaimed, unable to contain her laughter at Noah's remark. "This son of a bitch," she thought to herself, chuckling. "Hey, I'm glad you find it funny," Noah said, his tone lightening up. "But seriously, Grace, I'm just trying to break the ice here. Can we please have a real conversation?" Grace rolled her eyes playfully. "Fine, Mr. Ice Breaker. Shoot." With a grin, Noah leaned forward. "So, tell me, what's the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you?" Grace's eyes widened in mock horror. "Oh, no way. I'm not falling for that one." "No? Come on, Grace, don't leave me hanging," Noah teased, nudging her with his elbow. "Well, okay," Grace relented, a mischievous glint in her eye. "But only because I'm feeling generous today. Let me think..." As Grace recounted a hilarious tale of a wardrobe malfunction at a high school dance, Noah listened intently, laughing along with her. When she finished, he wiped away tears of laughter. "That's pricele
***"Ahhhhhhhhh!" Grace screamed, as she snapped her eyes open, her heart racing as she sat up in bed. "Seriously, not again," she groaned, rubbing her temples. "I thought those nightmares were behind me." She mutters, trying to shake off the remnants of her unsettling dream.As she glanced around, taking in her surroundings, her confusion deepened. "Where am I?" she mumbled, her voice barely audible in the eerie silence of the room, still scanning the room. Her eyes fell upon the familiar sight of her closet, the furnishings of her apartment slowly coming into focus. "This is my apartment, but how...?" did I end up here?Memories from the previous night trickled back like a rushing tide, fragmented and hazy. She remembered drinking with Noah, the laughter and warmth of their conversation but then... everything went blank. "What happened after that?" she wondered aloud, anxiety creeping into her voice.Her pulse quickened as she searched the room, panic rising within her. "Oh my God,
***"What are you...?" Noah's laughter died down abruptly as he watched her go, a sudden chill running down his spine.A pang of guilt tugged at his conscience, intensified by the fear that gripped him. It was a fear, unlike anything he had ever felt before, not even when he received the news about his own father's death.Without a second thought, Noah lunged toward Grace and seized her arm with a vice-like grip. "Okay, that's not funny, even as a joke," he declared, his voice trembling with urgency. His eyes widened in alarm as he scanned her face, searching for any hint of what lay beneath her unsettling attitude.But Grace remained eerily calm, her gaze unfaltering as she met his frantic stare. The silence hung heavy between them, broken only by the pounding of Noah's heart echoing in his ears.Sighing, she finally broke the silence. "And what makes you think I'm joking?" Her words sent a shiver down Noah's spine. "Why are you still here?" she asked after a moment, her voice tinged
***Noah sighed heavily as he glanced at his still-evident arousal. Being near Grace was like walking on a tightrope; one wrong move and it could spell disaster.If anyone had ever told him that there would come a time when he would have to restrain himself or heed a woman's words, he would have scoffed. But last night had been a wake-up call for him.Despite his strong desire to pound her, he couldn't bring himself to take advantage of her, even under the influence of alcohol. He knew how much she opposed the idea, and he respected her boundaries.He recalled a past experience where he had spent a night with a drunken woman who had seduced him intentionally.The memory made him shudder. He had unleashed his full sexual desire on her, fucked her like crazy, and then left her physically sore for days afterward.He had always prided himself on his stamina and never shied away from expressing his brute sexual desire, especially when his partners begged for more. But Grace was different.
**** Five years laterGrace sighed as she stared at her rounded belly in the mirror. For the first time in her life, she felt pure joy.Reflecting on the past, despite the rush of their marriage, they took their time with the preparations, thanks to Noah’s mom and hers. Both of their mothers chose the house they eventually bought.A year into their marriage, she became pregnant and gave birth to healthy twins, a boy and a girl. Although she was initially scared, her family was there to suppor
One more chapter to go.Dear Reader,As I turn the final page of Perfect Love, I want to express how much your journey alongside these characters has meant to me.This story was about exploring the idea of love in its purest form, amidst the imperfections of life. I hope it inspired you to believe in the beauty of love, even when it’s not perfect.Writing this book allowed me to delve into the intricacies of human emotions, and I’m grateful for every moment you spent with these characters.Thank you for allowing me to share this story with you. May the essence of Perfect Love lingers in your hearts long after the last word.With all my love,Clara J. Stari
***Grace watched Noah hurry upstairs. Excitedly, she brought out her phone, but then it suddenly buzzed in her hand, snapping her back to reality. It was her mother calling—perfect timing.With a deep breath, she answered, “Hey, Mom,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady. “How are you doing?”“I’m okay, honey, everything is fine. What about you? Is everything okay with you, dear?” her mother’s concerned voice came through.Grace smiled, tears of joy and anxiety welling up in her eyes. “Yes, Mom. Everything is just fine. I have some wonderful news...” She began to say."That went well." Came a sudden sharp voice, cutting her off.Grace jumped up from her chair, her phone slipping from her hands in shock."Jesus Christ!" she exclaimed, turning to see James. "James? What the hell? You’re still here?" she questioned, shaken.She had thought he left when she didn't hear his voice anymore.James was dumbfounded by the question and just stared at her for a while before speaking. “You a
***Grace smiled as she kept glancing at Noah’s mother sideways.Although they had both talked about a few things, Grace hadn’t expected their relationship to improve to the point where they were smiling and happily chatting, or even cooking together. This was someone who once didn’t even want to see her face and had fought against her presence in the company and with her son.Someone who would’ve gone to any lengths to end her relationship with Noah, and now she was smiling and having petty conversations with her?Grace shook her head slightly, still amazed by the change. She couldn’t help but feel a bit of hope that maybe, just maybe, things would continue to get better—at least until she and Noah got married.Mrs. Vera, noticing Grace’s sideways glances, chuckled softly. “What’s with the looks, dear?”Grace blinked, caught off guard. “Oh, nothing, just... surprised, I guess.”Vera’s smile widened. “Me too. I don’t remember cooking being this fun,” she said.Grace nodded slowly. “Me
~~~~Noah and James exchanged worried glances as they walked through the open, kitchen door, bracing themselves for the worst. But the scene that greeted them was far from catastrophic.A few shattered glass plates lay scattered across the floor, a small pool of water spreading out from them. Grace, with a cut on her hand, was hurriedly picking up the broken pieces. His mother stood nearby, her face a mix of concern and irritation.“Everything alright?” Noah asked, stepping cautiously into the kitchen.“Just a minor mishap,” Grace said through gritted teeth, her voice steady despite the cut. She flashed a reassuring smile. “Nothing we can’t handle.”Mrs. Vera moved closer to Grace, squatting on the ground. “Let me help you with that,” she said, stretching out her hands, but Grace gently pushed her away.“No, it’s okay. I can take care of it. You might hurt yourself,” she said with a cornered look.“Oh,” was all Mrs. Vera could say.Irritated, Noah snapped, “But you are hurt.” He reach
***Later, Noah and James pulled up with a truck full of groceries. Grace saw them and grinned. "Wow, it's more than I expected," she remarked.Noah chuckled as he hopped out of the truck. "We might've gone a bit overboard, but better safe than sorry, right?"James, lugging a heavy bag of vegetables, nodded. "Yeah, we figured it's better to have extra than to run out in the middle of everything," he said as they walked into the house.Grace laughed. "You two are something else. I hope you didn't clear out the whole store."Noah winked at her. "Only half of it. We left some for the other folks."Grace shook her head, still smiling. "Alright, let's get this stuff inside. Dinner won't cook itself."Hearing him, Grace smiled. She and Mrs. Vera had already worked out some things, so she was confident. She turned to Noah with a wide grin. "You'll be surprised.""About what?" he asked, raising an eyebrow."Nothing," Grace said, brushing it off as she inspected the vegetables James was carryi
***Noah stared at Grace in disbelief, while James laughed uncontrollably at his expression.The way she was speaking, so assertive and unwavering, sounded like his mother, and he didn’t like the feelings that came along with it. Ignoring James' laughter, Noah turned to Grace.“You really want us to stay here?” he asked, still reeling. He had assumed she was joking, but the determined look in her eyes made it clear she meant every word.“Yep,” Grace replied, walking over to the kitchen, guided by the maids present.“And why the hell would you want that? There’s a big, comfortable house waiting for us, and you want us to stay in this gloomy place?” he demanded, following her into the kitchen. “Yes,” she answered firmly, turning to inspect the kitchen. Despite being swarmed with maids, the pots looked unused. She walked over to the refrigerator and opened it, finding it empty. She turned shocked eyes to Noah. “What does your mother eat?” she asked out of nowhere.The question caught hi
***After an hour of driving, they finally arrived at the Creed mansion. And what a mansion it was. As she stared at it, Grace wondered why it was even called a mansion; the place was as expansive as her entire neighborhood. It would probably take a day or two just to walk through it, she concluded.They drove into the compound, and judging by the way the guards and maids were acting, it was clear Mrs. Vera Creed knew they were coming.Without lingering outside, they went in. Noah seemed to be in a hurry, no doubt eager to get it over with, and Grace felt the same way.But the moment he opened the door, a heavy slap landed on his face."What the—" Grace began, but Noah shot her a look, signaling her to stay silent. He sighed as if he had been expecting it."Good to see you too, Mother," he said with an air of resignation, walking in.Grace, still stung by the harshness of the slap, bit her tongue and followed him inside, as did James.
***Grace took a deep sigh as she stared into space, her mind a mess. "I can't believe I'm going back to New York, or that Mother allowed me to go just like that," she breathed out.Noah took a deep, happy breath. He, too, was finding it hard to believe that the woman of his dreams was coming with him. "Yes," he managed to say, kissing her hand. "I love you," he whispered in her ear."And I love you too," Grace replied."Are you hungry?" he asked after a while."Yeah, thanks for asking," Grace replied with a smile."Sure, love." He called one host on the plane, and after a short wait, a mouthwatering snack was served.Grace devoured it without wasting any time, and he just laughed at the way she was eating.Now fully settled, she turned to him. "You never told me what happened between you and your mother," she said suddenly.Stunned, Noah turned to Grace, unsure whether to laugh or be serious. "You really do have a knack for knocking people out of their comfort zone," he said, shaking