âA family member I know is celebrating her birthday soon. Iâd like Sharon to design a dress as a gift to that family,â Jasper responded with a hint of discretion in his voice.
He was keeping his surprise gift for Lyla a secret from Alyssa.
Despite his good intentions, Alyssa took it the wrong way. She smirked at him and said, âOh, right. I forgot that Her Royal Highness Mrs. Beckett is celebrating her birthday this weekend. I assume youâre trying to win your dadâs favor by sending her a gift. How considerate of you.â
âAlyssa Taylor,â he warned her with a frown. He didnât mind a bit of teasing, but he didnât want to be misunderstood.
âWhen you contact Sharon, please donât mention that the dress is a birthday gift for Sophia Kirkman.
Iâm worried she might give you a good scolding.â Alyssa retorted and angrily turned her back to him.
Then, she added, âAre you finished? If you are, please leave. Youâre distracting me while Iâm working-
Ouch!â In a moment of distraction, she accidentally pricked her finger with a needle and gasped in pain.
âWhatâs wrong? Are you hurt?â He marched up to her and worriedly held her hand. A drop of blood appeared on her fingertip.
He furrowed his brows and felt the pain as though he was the injured. He commented, âThat must have hurt.â
âLet go,â she told him and struggled to free her hand, but she failed. More blood started oozing out from the wound like a blooming rose. Tears welled up in his eyes, and suddenly, he gathered courage and put her finger into his mouth.
âYou-â Her pupils shifted uneasily as her heart raced. She felt her index finger wrapped in a damp but warm sensation.
When he sucked on her finger, she felt a jolt of electricity swiftly spreading through her body. Slowly, her breathing grew uneven, and her fingers started trembling in his warm mouth.
Feeling her quiver, he narrowed his eyes and gently sucked on her finger rhythmically. As their gazes locked, her body went limp, and her mind drifted into a hazy reverie.
His passionate eyes reflected the same intense gaze he had given her on that moonlit, drizzling night at the mountain. They didnât even cross a line, but it felt that they had reached a home run.
His breathing quickened, and the temperature around them rose.
âThatâs enough!â She panicked, raising her voice and hastily withdrawing her hand from his grasp. She stumbled backward, only to find herself pulled into a hug.
There was an alarmed look in her eyes. She gasped, âJasper, what do you want to do to me?â
His heart raced as he stared into her eyes. Their bodies pressed against each other, close enough to feel.
each otherâs heartbeat and warmth.
âAlyssa, I want to kiss you,â he admitted honestly, his eyes filled with lust.
She felt her heart skipped a beat. Gritting her teeth, she spat, âDream on-
He sealed her mouth with a kiss, his tongue forcing its way into her mouth and silencing her. They fell deeper and deeper into the kissâ¦