Alyssaâs eyes wavered, and she sprung to her feet by pushing herself away from Jasperâs muscular chest. She hurriedly stumbled backward and slammed her back against the fridge door.
Her breathing remained uneven. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead. Despite having a face mask on, she could feel the heat from his lips lingering on hers.
Damn it! Why did sheâ¦
Gasping for air and flushed with emotion, she angrily tore off her mask and tossed it to the floor. It was now contaminated and utterly useless.
Meanwhile, Jasper slowly rose to his feet, leaning against the tableâs edge. There was a hint of exhaustion in his face, like a beast after a hearty meal.
He pursed his lips to maintain composure, but his heart continued to race.
âDoes your back hurt?â He was still in a daze after the accidental kiss. Still, he maintained his composure.
His tone sounded icy, just like usual.
âNone of your business!â She seethed with anger over him helping himself to one of her pastries. âI never permitted you to eat my pastries. I didnât spend the afternoon making them just to feed you.â
âItâs been a while since I tried your desserts. Iâd love to have a taste again. I remember how you used to make them for me.â
He felt enticed when he saw Alyssa putting her heart into the desserts. Before he knew it, he was compelled to pick one up and take a bite.
He was driven by impulse, even thinking that he should take advantage of the opportunity, for it was hard to come by.
âHah! That was in the past!â There was still fury in her eyes as she declared, âI cooked for you because i was your wife. Who do you think you are, eating my desserts now? Iâd rather feed them to a dog than have you eat them!â
Her cutting remark crushed him, and his eyes hardened. He stared very hard into the abyss of her eyes but found no traces of that woman whoâd spent the day making desserts for him.
Can love be lost? Would there be nothing left?
With a sullen face, Alyssa shifted her attention from Jasper, carefully placing the remaining desserts on the tray before putting it into the storage and closing the door. She was wary of him.
âI was being rash. I didnât know that the desserts meant so much to you. Sorry,â he apologized, knowing that he was in the wrong. Therefore, he was ready to take whatever she hurled at him.
Her lashes trembled briefly before she turned her back to him and washed her hands in the sink. She remarked impatiently, âI thought you were here for work matters? Spit it out. As you can see, I donât have all day. Youâre just causing trouble here.â
He choked and breathed heavily. âI am here to tell you that Iâm no longer in charge of Ada Kingsleyâs wedding planning.â
Her hands paused under the flowing tap. She chuckled. âWell, of course. Sheâs already signed the deal with KS World. The only thing youâre responsible for now is the controversy surrounding Berenike Hotel.â
Ignoring her taunts, he continued, âJavier has handed the responsibility over to Betty.â
Alyssa finally turned to face him, a frown on her face.
âYouâre a smart woman, and you know that things are not as simple as they seem,â he mumbled with worry in his eyes as he glanced at her.
âDid you make the trip just to tell me this? Typical Jasper Beckett, always so self-centered.â She sneered and placed a hand on her hip. âLet me guess, you are still upset after losing the bid. So, you came complaining about Betty, hoping Iâll deal with her. Are you using me to seek your revenge?
âEven if Betty wanted to play dirty, that halfwit wouldnât stand a chance against me. Sheâd need to be reborn for a better shot.â
Jasperâs tense jaw relaxed a little. He smiled gently, thinking that Alyssa was rather adorable when she was cussing at others, as long as he was not the subject.
âEven so, Betty is not that dumb. Sheâs got Sophia backing her. Anything she hasnât considered, Sophia will help her strategize.â