Chapter 86
A few pearls had already begun to peek through the cake.
Following the direction of the hidden box, Timothy sliced into the cake again. This time, nestled inside, was a pearl necklace.
No wonder she’d felt resistance when she tried to cut through earlier.
Timothy slipped on a pair of disposable gloves, carefully retrieved the little box, and opened it.”
Lustrous pearls shimmered, their iridescent surface casting delicate rainbows in the light.
They gleamed brilliantly.
He peeled off the gloves and lifted the necklace from the box.
Without asking Jessica’s opinion, he gently swept her glossy black hair over one shoulder and fastened the pearl necklace around her delicate, pale neck.
“Pearls suit you much better. No more diamond necklaces from now on–they’re far too harsh.”
Jessica’s eyelids fluttered.
Hadn’t he just given her a diamond ring not long ago?”
Didn’t the diamond on that ring count as “hard“?”
She dropped her gaze as Timothy picked up a disposable plate with a slice of cake and held it out to her.”
She immediately shook her head.
She didn’t want any more.
She
She was full.
“My turn to eat, hmm?“?
Timothy arched an eyebrow, his gaze lingering on her, heavy with unspoken meaning.
Jessica’s heart hammered in her chest.
Honestly, in seven years of marriage, aside from their time in bed, they’d never shared such intimacy during day–to–day life.
Feeding each other? That sort of thing simply didn’t happen.}
She’d imagined, once, that maybe they could be that close.}
But it had always stayed in her imagination.
Having never experienced it before, she felt awkward and shy, unsure how to react.”
Still, almost on instinct, her hand reached out and took the plate.
His deep, husky voice drifted over. “Hold it steady, don’t drop it.”
Timothy slipped an arm behind her back and under her knees, then effortlessly lifted her up.
1
She had no idea what she was supposed to do.”
He walked her over to the bed and gently set her down.”
Then he took the cake from her hands and placed it on the nightstand.
“Lie down and rest for a bit. I’m going to take a shower.“>
Before turning away, he reached out and ruffled her hair.
There was a tenderness in that simple gesture that made Jessica’s heart flutter, chaotic as snowflakes swirling in a winter storm.!!
The sound of running water drifted from the bathroom. Jessica snapped back to herself.
Her eyelashes trembled as she clenched her fists.
What was happening to her?
She was dazed, scattered.
Hadn’t she already decided to get a divorce–to leave this place behind for good?
How could she let herself….
Jessica closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
She resolved that she needed to talk to Timothy–really talk.
She couldn’t just make up her mind based on a few things she’d seen.&
If she kept jumping to conclusions like she did tonight, she might ruin not just their seven years of marriage but also the love she’d thrown herself into so completely. She couldn’t be so rash, couldn’t condemn everything without giving Timothy a chance to explain.W
When he came out of the shower, she would talk to him–really talk.
Almost unconsciously, her hand drifted to the pearls at her neck.
Tonight, he was truly thoughtful with her.
It was the sincerity she’d waited seven years for X
She wanted to give both of them another chance–to finally fulfill the wish she’d carried in her heart for eleven years.
Quietly, Jessica sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for Timothy.
Chapter 86
When Timothy finally emerged from the bathroom, a white towel slung low around his waist, the dampness of his shower made his skin glow.
His muscles were sharply defined, an eight–pack visible, every line chiseled. His legs were strong and perfectly straight.
Jessica couldn’t help but stare.
Timothy came closer, and Jessica’s nerves got the better of her. She hurriedly signed, “We need to talk. There’s something I want to say. “Later, alright?”
His voice was deep and smooth, laced with an intimacy that sent shivers up her spine. He moved toward her, the scent of his shower gel enveloping her senses.
Sitting down beside her, Timothy’s presence seemed to form a warm, protective cocoon, drawing Jessica in and shutting out the rest of the world.
