Even though they already had two children together, Naomi Shaw still found it hard to accept. They had been separated for so many years, after all. To her, being with him felt as new and embarrassing as the very first ti.
Julian Donovan caught the pillow she threw, tossing it aside with a mischievous grin. "Are you trying to break it? What will you do for a lifeti of bliss if it’s broken?"
His words were so blatant that Naomi Shaw’s face flushed red. She huffed, "Y-You’re so shaless!"
"Co here!"
"I won’t!"
She refused without a second thought, clutching the blanket tighter and shrinking away from him. "I need to get to the hospital and see Joy!"
’How can he be so irresponsible? I ask him to watch our child, and he ends up here, trying to get into bed. Most importantly, who knows how long he’ll take? What kind of person leaves Joy all alone at the hospital like that!’
"Soone is with Joy!"
"Who?"
"Soone trustworthy. They might even be doing a better job than you would. So you don’t need to worry about Joy. What you need to worry about right now is how to satisfy... this."
But now... she didn’t dare to dwell on his words. How could she have known? When a man truly loves a woman, he deeply desires her to respond to him in monts like these.
Julian Donovan knew she was shy, so he didn’t press her any further. "Ow..."
"Naomi, open your eyes and look at . I have sothing to tell you... Hmm?"
Julian Donovan raised a hand to stroke her crimson cheek. "I know you don’t trust ," he said softly. "Starting tomorrow, let’s try dating, like a couple that’s just gotten together, okay? And you can test , just like people do when they’re dating. Test to see if I’m worthy of you trusting with your life again..."
’That brutally honest Willow Sumrs told him that Naomi had spoiled him in the past. That’s why he didn’t know how to love, how to be considerate. And that’s why her trust in him was at zero.’
"Okay..."
"And if... you don’t pass, can I... return you?"
"No!"
"So bossy..."
’He fails the test but I can’t even return him. If that’s not bossy, what is?’
"What new couple jumps into bed the mont they start dating? So from now on, I’m refusing to do this!"
"Who says they don’t? Plenty of people do. Just think of tonight as our first ti..."
He twisted her words with a cheeky grin. "The handso hospital director is captivated by the beautiful young nurse... and it leads to a passionate one-night stand..."
Downstairs, a black car remained parked for the entire night. The person inside stayed there for the entire night as well. The car only drove away at dawn.
When Naomi Shaw woke up, the sky was already bright. She didn’t have her phone—it was gone, and she still hadn’t bought a new one—so she grabbed the man’s phone from the bedside table to check the ti. But the lock screen image imdiately caught her eye.
The screen showed a picture of her strolling on a sandy beach, holding Joy’s and Dylan’s hands. The two perfect, adorable children were on either side of her, and her own expression was one of contentnt and bliss. She frowned, trying to rember. It seed to be from that day they went to the beach after taking Lara Nash to the airport. She had no idea he had taken a picture of them.
She stared at the screen, imagining what he must have been feeling when he took that photo. ’Happy? Blissful? Content?’
’But regardless, for a man to set a family photo like this as his lock screen—seeing them every single ti he picks up his phone—it has to an that she and the children are in his heart. Especially for a man like him, who almost never did anything romantic.’
After one last, long look at the screen, she put the phone down, got up, dressed, and went out.
He wasn’t there, but the dining table was laden with breakfast: perfectly fried eggs, a glass of warm milk, and toasted bread.
There was a note tucked under the glass of milk: *My dearest new girlfriend, I’ve gone for a morning run. Wait for to eat breakfast, but if you’re hungry, feel free to start without .*
She read the note and chuckled in disbelief. ’New girlfriend? Only he would co up with sothing like that.’
She put down the note and walked toward the bathroom. Her heart felt a slight pang—it ached a little, but it was mingled with a subtle warmth, a hint of sweetness, a whisper of happiness. ’If three years of separation could lead to him treating with such devotion... was it worth it? Yes, it probably was.’
In the bathroom mirror, she saw the corners of her own lips curving up into a smile without her realizing it. She hadn’t seen a smile like that on her own face in years. He had brought her the most profound pain, yet he had also brought her the greatest joy.
When she finished freshening up and ca out, he had just returned from his morning run. He was dressed in casual athletic wear, a black shirt and black pants, and he exuded the aura of a mature man. Fine beads of sweat dotted his face from the exercise. ’He’s wearing so little on such a cold day.’ Naomi Shaw stood there, watching him with a smile. "I’m curious, where did you get the workout clothes?"
He slipped off his shoes, walked in, and pulled her into his arms, replying coolly, "I always keep a change of clothes in my car."
Reviews
All reviews (0)