Chapter 123


    He pulls me tighter; his mouthing to my temple and presses softly. Exhaling warm air across my


    skin soothingly.


    I’m beyond not fine. I’m devastated. She’s the thorn in my happily ever after that just ruins everything.


    “This is thest thing I ever wanted. I want you and I want to just have us and a clear future … This shit


    with Marissaplicates things but all I can do is try to do the right thing at the same time as trying to


    make you feel better about it.” His nose brushes the side of my face as he ces a gentle kiss on my


    temple again, over my hair. I rx slightly, as always, his touch soothing me even when my hearts


    shredding.


    “I hate it,” I utter softly, finally. “I hate her.” The tears fill my eyes bitterly and he turns my face to him by


    holding my chin,ing close enough to inhale me.


    “You’ll never have anything to be worried about when ites to her …… I choose you; I’ll always


    choose you … She’s my past, I’m only putting up with her for the sake of this kid. If I had a choice, she


    would be nothing to do with my life at all. Our life.” He soothes me huskily.


    “Why did you even go back to her?” I search his face imploringly, I’ve never understood it; he told me it


    was a drunken mistake, but I know how safety conscious he is when ites to sex, he always carries


    protection. I ordered him bulk amounts to his apartment in the past. He also had his heart broken by


    this woman when he was a teenager and spent years after unable tomit to any girl because of her.


    It makes no sense to me that he would be able to spend just one night with her.


    “Honestly? I don’t even remember it … I’m not saying that to make you feel better, I’m serious. I went to


    a party with Daniel and some guys I know, I was already far too drunk. I don’t even remember seeing


    her there, but I woke up in a strange bed beside her. I left. She hounded me for days after and I told her


    to forget it.” He shrugs, sighing, and holds me firmly. I should have known his rich, party-wild, idiot best


    friend would have been involved in him getting so drunk he couldn’t see straight.


    “You don’t remember any of it at all?” I question dubiously. I’ve seen Jake really drunk and he always


    seemed to remember most of his nights, regardless.


    “Seriously, Emma. I swear … You’ve never seen me as drunk as I can get. Last thing I can actually


    remember is downing shots with Daniel then waking up feeling like an elephant had stomped on my


    head and there she was, lying beside me. I felt like an idiot and got out of there as quickly as I could. I


    didn’t even wake her to say see ya!” His frown deepens as he tries to keep my eyes on his.


    I could imagine Casanova Carrero high tailing it without a backward nce, he hadn’t been shy about


    telling women he wasn’t interested.


    “This was before the boat?” I ask, thinking back to her behavior and the way she kept trying to make


    eyes at him, some unspoken message.


    “Yes … And, no. I didn’t know she would be Vincent’s date on the boat. I never invited her. When she


    showed up, I wanted to dump her ass over the side. I already knew I had feelings for you by then, she


    was thest thing I needed around, she manipted being there because I wasn’t returning her calls.”


    I stare pensively at the front of the ne aware we’re already climbing in the air so I un-click my belt


    and stretch out taking a deep breath.


    “I didn’t like her from the second I met her.” I shrug “There’s something about her.”


    “Most of that is show on her part, she can be okay sometimes. Used to be anyway, we haven’t exactly


    been friends for a long time.” He pushes his arm further behind me, his other scooping my legs and lifts


    me onto hisp with a quick effortless movement. He sits me sideways across him, cradling me close


    so we’re nose to nose.


    “I love you. I’m not hung up on my ex … I didn’t have sex with her because of any unfinished business,


    closure, or feelings that still linger. It’s only you … It will always only be you. She’s only in my life now


    because of circumstances and she would be gone in a second if there was no baby.” He holds me


    close so we’re forehead to forehead, I smile despite the pain in my chest and the doubts of insecurity


    within me.


    “You always know what to say.” My fingers trace his chiseled jaw, across the roughness of his stubble


    and seductive lips softly. Findingfort and cooling the inner turmoil.


    “It’s easy with you … It’s always been easy with you. I can tell you anything.” He kisses me lightly, yet I


    experience only pain constrict across my chest, guilt rises inside of me and tears begin to fall


    involuntarily


    “Hey, hey … bambino? What is it? … Don’t cry.” His handes up to smooth away the tears, his


    expression concerned as he cuddles me closely.


    “I know I’m really useless at talking, it just feels so one-sided. You’re giving me so much and I m up,


    the words won’te.” I bury my face in his neck, wrapping my arms around him tightly, afraid he will


    disappear, clinging on like he’s a life raft. His armse around me snugly, hauling me as close to him


    as humanly possible.


    “When we were apart, I did a lot of thinking … How hard it was for you to tell me things, how much of a


    big deal it was that you told me the things you did. It still is. I know how much of an ass I was being, I


    talked to my mom a great deal after Sophie … Gained some insight into why you’re both this way. I’m


    not expecting miracles miele. I know I need to be patient and not push you. You’ll open up in time, it’ll


    be worth the wait when you do.” He soothes softly.


    “What if I can never tell you everything? Some of it’s too hard … Too shameful.” I cry against his T-shirt,


    dampening it slightly as his hands caress up and down my back, trying tofort me.


    “Then I’ll live with it … Nothing that ever happened to you will change how I feel, it doesn’t change who


    you are to me.” He strokes my hair, his face pressed against it. “Knowing there are things which haunt


    you, be, they make me so angry. I want to be the one to take them away, I’ll always protect you.” His


    voice is raspier, a hint of raw emotion which causes me to lift my chin back to face him.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    I search out his mouth fiercely, crushing mine against it and meeting no resistance, his handse


    around my body and then head possessively. He deepens the kiss, pulling me hard against his chest,


    searing into instant heat. Panting, I pull away, desire flooding me and caress his erection suggestively,


    but he just grins back.


    “As much as I want this right now, I’m pretty sure one of the flight crew will walk back here.” He smiles,


    hovering close and covers my hand over his crotch.


    “I don’t care,” I reply defiantly, catching the gleam in his eye, his lips parting and I wiggle my fingers


    free to continue feeling him out.


    “And I thought I was the wild and naughty one.” He grins, needing no more encouragement. Lifting me


    up, he pulls my legs over, so I straddle him on the seat. He moves me back, so he can unzip his pants


    and then slides my dress up my thighs. “I love this side of you, bambino … My cute and sexy little


    wildcat. Who knew once I thawed out the icy exterior, I would find such a fiery little number?”


    “You bring it out in me, with all this crazy Italian hotness.” I poke him in the cheek and give him a


    puckered air kiss. Watching the way he dips his brows, frowning with a smile, which I’m starting to


    realize is his, you’re too cute for words look. God, he makes me horny.


    “Better make this quick then; can’t disappoint my girlfriend.” He grins and pulls me down for another


    skin scorching kiss.


    * * *


    “Wake up, bambino … We’re almost there.” Jake’s mouth hovers over mine, his breath soft on my skin.


    I yawn and stretch out in the seat beside him, confused that I’m in a car and not the ne, I look up


    and around quickly as I sit up fast.


    “How the …?” I’m seriously confused, we’re in a limo and the scenery outside is tropical.


    “You fell asleep on myp, I carried you to the car … We’ll be at the port in a couple of minutes.” He


    smiles at me, stroking back my hair from my face. “You look beautiful when you sleep, bambino.


    Completely at peace and cute as a button”. My face heats as the blush rises up and I don’t know why


    I’m always taken by surprise when Jake is being so sweet, so non-Carrero. I knew he could be this way


    even when I was only his PA, but he’s definitely upped the ante since telling me he loved me. Fewer


    sexual references and more adorable ones, he makes me feel desirable and beautiful, like I’m floating


    on top of the world.