Esmery stirred awake, stretching lazily as the morning sun spilled through the curtains, warming her skin. The bed was impossibly comfortable, the scent of fresh linen mixed with something distinctly masculine, Jayden. She rolled onto her side, blinking sleep from her eyes when the sharp vibration of her phone cut through the silence.
Frowning, she reached for it on the nightstand. Her voice was still thick with sleep when she answered, "Hello?"
A familiar voice crackled through the speaker, full of forced cheer.
"Hello, baby!"
She blinked, confusion knitting her brows. Then it clicked. Diego.
Her lips curled in amusement, but she masked it quickly. "Hi."
"Esmery, believe me, I didn't want to get engaged to Astrid!" Diego's voice was urgent, as if he had been rehearsing this line all night. "Your aunt, Astrid's mom, Miss Monica forced me! She said if I didn't, she'd kick you out of the house."
Esmery almost burst out laughing. So now it's Aunt Monica's fault? It was amusing how everyone kept shifting the blame onto someone else.
"Oh, no problem," she said casually, rolling onto her back.
Just as she was about to enjoy the absurdity of Diego's excuse, warm lips brushed against her neck.
She tensed slightly before shivering. A familiar, tantalizing heat curled through her belly. Jayden was unpredictable. SHe couldn't believe there were rumors of him being impotent when he was so horny.
His lips moved slowly, deliberately, as if savoring the taste of her skin. He lingered just below her ear, his hot breath sending a shiver down her spine. One of his hands slid under the covers, fingers tracing slow, lazy circles on her waist.
She sucked in a breath, trying to suppress the way her body reacted. But Jayden didn't stop. His lips moved lower, pressing a teasing kiss to her collarbone.
A soft, unbidden moan escaped her lips.
The call was still connected.
"Esmery… what was that?" Diego's voice sharpened with suspicion.
Her brain scrambled for an excuse. "I, um… got my foot stuck on the sofa."
Jayden's body vibrated with silent laughter against her. His hand dipped lower, fingers brushing the edge of her thigh.
"Are you okay?" Diego asked.
Esmery pressed her lips together to stop a giggle. Jayden's teasing wasn't stopping, and she knew he was enjoying every second of this.
"Yeah, yeah. It just… slipped. No big deal."
"Oh… okay." Diego still sounded uncertain, but after a brief pause, he hung up.
"OK. So, as I was saying. Miss Monica threatened me and I know how much you love your family and wouldn't want to get a rift between you guys and so I accepted to announce Astrid as my Fiancée" Diego said in an impossibly fake tone.
"OK! No problem. I can't believe you did this for me. I thought you truly didn't love me. I will be coming to the company. Bye!" Esmery said in a feign sad tone as Diego hanged up.
Esmery let out a breath, tossing her phone aside.
Jayden propped himself up on one elbow, his smirk wickedly amused. "Got your foot stuck on the sofa?"
She huffed, shoving at his chest, but he barely moved. "What was I supposed to say? 'Oh, sorry, my incredibly handsome husband is currently distracting me with his mouth' ?"
Jayden grinned. "I wouldn't mind."
She rolled her eyes, but before she could say anything, he flipped her onto her back, his body hovering over hers. His gaze darkened, amusement giving way to something more intense.
"You moan so sweetly, Esmery. You think Diego noticed?"
Her cheeks burned. "You're insufferable."
"And yet, you don't seem to mind."
He leaned down, lips barely grazing hers. It was maddeningly slow, the heat between them crackling like an open flame.
"Admit it," he murmured, "you liked teasing him."
Esmery swallowed hard. Did she? Maybe. The rush of Diego's uncertainty, his realization that she was no longer at his beck and call, it was… satisfying.
But Jayden? He was another problem entirely. One that made her heart race in ways she wasn't ready to admit.
She exhaled shakily, tilting her chin up in defiance. "I liked teasing you more."
Jayden's eyes gleamed with approval. "Good."
His lips finally met hers, and this time, there was nothing teasing about it.
An hour later, Esmery walked or more like stumbled into the dining area, her legs still a little wobbly from Jayden's morning antics.
He was already at the table, dressed in a crisp white shirt with the top buttons undone, exuding effortless confidence. A steaming cup of coffee sat in front of him as he scrolled through his phone.
He looked up when he saw her. "Took you long enough."
Esmery huffed, dropping into the seat across from him. "Not all of us wake up looking perfectly put together, Jayden. Not to mention someone who kept making me cum. Making me go insane"
"You think I look perfect?" His smirk was instant.
She grabbed a piece of toast and bit into it aggressively. "I take it back."
Jayden chuckled but didn't press further. Instead, he pushed a plate of eggs and bacon toward her. "Eat. You'll need your energy."
She eyed him warily. "Why do I feel like that's a threat?"
He merely sipped his coffee, the glint in his eyes giving nothing away.
Just as she was about to take another bite, her phone buzzed again. She glanced at the screen. Diego.
Jayden arched a brow. "Again? Persistent little thing, isn't he?"
She let it ring until it stopped.
"Not worth my time," she muttered, setting her phone down.
Jayden's lips curled into something smug. "Good girl."
Esmery glared at him. "Don't patronize me."
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, voice dropping into a lazy drawl. "Wouldn't dream of it."
Her stomach flipped. He was impossible. Impossible and completely, utterly distracting.
And the worst part? She was starting to like it.