Arranged Marriage, Wanted Wife

by Mary Goldberger

  “Who decorated your house? From what I have seen it is beautiful,” Jassi asked finally when Delilah run out of words.

  Delilah smiled widely before admitting. “I did, so when you and Waren buy your own house, don’t hesitate to ask me for my help. You two can’t live in that small apartment forever. I know that Waren would like to move into his own house, but he doesn’t want to waste the money for just one person though, but if he had a family…”

  Delilah let her words hang there with a slight smirk before she turned to the door talking over her shoulder. “I have to go check on dinner that I started before you two arrived.”

  With those words, she walked out of the room closing the door behind her and a full-blown smile crossed her lips as she walked away whistling a happy tune.

  “My friends really don’t know when to stop talking,” Waren sighed when the door closed behind Delilah meeting Jassi’s speculative look.

  “So you want to buy a house, huh,” Jassi asked giving him a pointed look. “Do you know what kind of house you are looking to buy?”

  “Not so much buy, but build,” Waren admitted in a rough voice. “The land where I want to build the house is already mine, I just haven’t…”

  “Waiting for someone,” Jassi questioned putting her case on the bed before turning her full attention to him.

  “Yes.” Waren confirmed in a low voice walking over to put his case next to hers on the bed. “I have been waiting for someone to show my design to and get their approval so I can start building.”

  Waren saw the way Jassi’s eyes dimmed a little at his answer before she forced herself to smile telling him. “Then show them to her, Waren. I’m sure she will like what you have done for her. I wouldn’t mind taking a look at it myself, but I guess I will have to wait until you actually build it.”

  I will be long gone by then, Jassi said silently to herself, disappointed that she wouldn’t see the home that Waren wanted to build for the woman he loved.

  Waren saw the look that crossed her face even though it was brief and it worried him so he reached out to grab her hand getting a startled look from Jassi.

  “Is something wrong,” she asked tilting her head to the side staring at him.

  “Nothing,” Waren shook his head pushing the thought aside before he grinned at her roguishly. “Let’s get unpacked so we can go down and see if Delilah needs any help.”

  Jassi chuckled but unzipped both of their cases laughing when Waren reached over and tickled her.

  “You are ticklish,” Waren exclaimed eyes lighting with a smugness that had Jassi backing away from him.

  “No, no,” she repeated turning to run when Waren came after her and laughter erupted around the room when a knock sounded on the door.

  The door opened revealing Craig standing in the doorway watching his friend tackle his wife picking her up to spin her around while Jassi laughed happiness more than evident on her face.

  “Hmm,” Craig coughed into his hand to get their attention.

  Two pairs of eyes flew to him and Jassi blushed trying to get out of Waren’s arms, but he tightened his hold saying to Craig. “Hi, Craig. Was there something you needed?”

  “Unfortunately, I have to speak to you Waren,” Craig admitted grimacing as he turned to Jassi with an apologetic smile. “It is business, Jassi, so I hope…”

  “Understandable and it can’t be helped,” Jassi remarked although disappointment could be heard in her voice.

  Waren kissed her cheek. “If you really want to see my plans, then how about this evening after dinner?”

  Jassi turned quizzical eyes to him and he merely smiled while Craig explained, “The land he wants to build his house isn’t far from here. In fact, it was land Delilah inherited from her grandmother and we didn’t know what to do with it so Waren offered to buy it from us.”

  “Really,” Jassi asked shock on her face when she turned to look at Craig.

  Craig nodded his head with a grin. “That money helped to expand my business and with Waren’s help, I’ve been able to build it up to what it is today so it can help support my wife and my unborn child.”

  Jassi turned eyes to Waren and they were shining with pride for him, and Waren unable to help himself, kissed her softly eliciting a passionate response from Jassi.

  “Damn,” he muttered pulling away breathlessly seeing the same regret in Jassi’s eyes before she shielded them from his view. “One of these days, you won’t hide anything from me.”

  He kissed her again catching her off guard and Jassi had to draw in a much-needed breath when he stepped back.

  He winked at her before he walked over to Craig asking hesitatingly, “Jassi, can you…”

  “Go,” Jassi waved him out of the room. “I’ll unpack for the both of us, don’t worry.”

  Waren smiled at her eyes flashing with promises and Jassi turned away, but not before the answering acceptance in her eyes or the blush that crept over her cheeks, which both men noted.

  “I’ll take him away from you so you can do what you need to do, Jassi,” Craig told her escorting Waren out of the room. “When you get done, Delilah would like some help in the kitchen if you don’t mind.”

  Jassi nodded her head giving him a smile before turning a quick look to Waren who winked at her again causing her to laugh shaking her head at him.

  Shutting the door behind them, Craig told him. “I like her, Waren, so I thought you wanted a heads up.”

  Seeing the bewildered look that Waren gave him, Craig explained about the phone call and what he was told, although he admitted roughly that it was a request from a business partner.

  Waren’s face went hard with anger, but he understood that Craig couldn’t deny a request especially from someone who had been a close friend for many years along with Waren.

  “I was hoping to spend some time with Jassi without any interruptions,” Waren revealed when they walked into the office five minutes later.

  “I know, and I apologize for this,” Craig told him a frown on his face.

  Waren shook his head admitting, “It’s not your doing. Knowing Pricilla, she probably suggested it.”

  Waren told Craig what happened the last time Pricilla went to his apartment and he was unprepared for his friend’s laughter after he was done explaining.

  “It serves her right,” Craig told him bluntly once he had finished laughing even though laughter still flickered in his eyes.

  Waren didn’t comment, but his answering smile told Craig more than words as they talked a little more specifically about the plan Waren put together weeks ago.

  Almost thirty minutes later, they left the office heading for the kitchen where Delilah and Jassi were chatting as they decorated a cake Delilah had taken out of the oven when Jassi joined her.

  The four of them talked while the women worked and Waren watched observing how relaxed Jassi seemed to be in the presence of his friends, and he noted how Delilah responded to Jassi warmly something she rarely did with any of his friends except for Pricilla.

  Thinking about Pricilla, Waren frowned taking a sip of the beer that he and Craig were drinking while the women drank lemonade.

  “You liked Pricilla at one time,” he commented to Delilah who put a hand on his arm aware that everyone tensed at the table when he mentioned her name.

  “I did,” Delilah confirmed sending Jassi a sharp look unsurprised when Jassi nodded her head in understanding. “Pricilla seemed to fit with you and you cared about her deeply which earned my respect, but when she…”

  Unable to finish the sentence rage rolling through her, Delilah turned away focusing on the glass in her hand.

  “Everyone makes mistakes,” Jassi’s soft voice floated across the table. “I believe Pricilla recognized that and she wants to fix that mistake.”

  Delilah, Craig and Waren stared at her while Jassi smiled shrugging her shoulders. “It is said that everyone learns from their mistakes, but only a few can actually correct them.”


  “I think it’s too late,” Delilah remarked taking a sip of her lemonade.

  Jassi didn’t respond to that remark, but Waren saw the doubt that flashed in her eyes and he swore mentally seeing Craig send him a regretful look.

  “So, Delilah, what did you have planned for this weekend,” Waren asked changing the subject seeing the relief on everyone’s face especially Jassi who started asking Delilah if she needed any help.

  Delilah was animated with what she had planned and her face was alive with excitement which Waren knew wasn’t from the party she had planned, and sharing a secret smile with Jassi, he knew that Jassi also knew what elicited that excitement.

  It was after dinner that evening while they were sitting on the front porch drinking coffee that Waren stood up suddenly.

  “Come on, Jassi,” he ordered putting down his mug and reaching for Jassi’s sitting it next to his own on the railing of the porch.

  He pulled Jassi to her feet watching her eyes widen with confusion although it dimmed slightly when Delilah waved them away.

  “Go with him, Jassi,” she urged. “Waren will take care of you since he knows this area as well as Craig and I. You’ll be safe.”

  Jassi wondered about that letting Waren lead her away after a brief ‘goodnight’ to their hosts, and when Waren put her into the car, he whispered “Well, Delilah had it half right anyway.”

  “Huh,” Jassi muttered not understanding Waren’s words.

  Waren responded by kissing her passionately pushing her back into the leather of the seat before he murmured against her lips. “I will definitely take care of you, but I don’t know if you are exactly safe with me.”

  Jassi blinked open aroused eyes before she caught his meaning and she began to laugh the passion in her eyes bright with laughter.

  Waren smiled at her devilishly running a rough hand down her cheek before shutting the door and walking around the car to climb into the driver’s seat.

  He put the key in the ignition turning on the car before reaching over and grabbing Jassi’s hand kissing the back of it. He shifted gears without releasing Jassi’s hand although it was difficult and Waren chuckled when Jassi laughed again shaking her head at him.

  Twenty minutes later, Waren pulled up to a large piece of land that had already been fenced off and Waren explained when he caught Jassi’s brief glance in his direction.

  “It is merely to deter people from deciding to use it for parking and such,” Waren stated getting out unlocking the padlock on the fence pushing it open so he could get the car through.

  Once on the land, Waren drove a few feet to where he planned to build the house and he stopped the car turning off the engine before reaching in the backseat for a flashlight.

  “It is more beautiful during the day,” he admitted to Jassi once they were standing in front of the car the fading sun briefly highlighting the land.

  “Beautiful,” Jassi uttered in a soft voice filled with awe and something even more that Waren hoped was what he wanted to hear.

  “Would you like to live here if you had a choice,” he asked in low timbre voice.

  “Without a doubt,” Jassi admitted honestly. “I’m sure that there is a hospital or a local doctor’s office that could use a decent nurse.”

  The last was said teasingly but Waren heard the yearning underneath the teasing and he grinned while his eyes shined with delight and determination.

  “So explain to me what you have in mind,” Jassi asked looking around the land before glancing back at him.

  Giving her a grin, he began to go into detail about what he wanted to do and Jassi listened to him asking questions with interest, which delighted Waren even more as he put an arm around her shoulders pointing out where the house would sit along with estimated areas for the rooms.

  Returning to the house a few hours later, Delilah met them at the door with a smile. “It’s a beautiful piece of land, but the view is amazing so I hope that Waren’s takes you back when it is light out.”

  Delilah sent Waren a sly grin, and he just shook his head a grin on his face.

  Jassi laughed slanting a look between them feeling that they were sharing a secret. “Why do I get a feeling that you are keeping something from me?”

  They turned to her with shocked looks before they shook their heads.

  “Oh, there is one thing,” Delilah uttered with a sharp smile. “Let me know what you think of them, huh, Jassi.”

  With those mystified words, Delilah went to her own room where her husband waited for her and he shook his head when she came into the room.

  “We are supposed to be helping him,” he reminded her again with a slight frown.

  “I am,” Delilah agreed with a sly grin. “Just not exactly the way he wanted.”

  Shaking his head, Craig patted the bed. “It’s bed time. Let’s enjoy it before tomorrow comes because Waren’s plan may go up in smoke.”

  With a grimace, Delilah went to bed sliding against her husband and she hoped that everything wouldn’t get messed up because of another’s presence.

  Walking into their room, Jassi was about to ask Waren what Delilah met when her eyes landed on a beautiful blue bouquet of flowers that sat in a beautiful vase on the dresser.

  Waren followed her gaze and gave a soft chuckle. “You told me liked blue,” Waren remarked in a low voice closing the door behind him.

  “I do,” Jassi confirmed walking over to the flowers and leaning over to sniff them. “Waren…”

  She turned to stare at him with eyes that filled with tears.

  “Oh, baby, don’t,” Waren rushed across the space to take Jassi into his arms. “They weren’t meant to make you cry, but…”

  Jassi shook her head cutting him off wrapping her arms around him tightly letting thoughts of Pricilla, and others, drift away.

  “Thank you,” Jassi whispered tilting her head back to look up at him tears sliding down her face. “It’s the first time that I received flowers and the fact that you found them in my favorite color, I just don’t know how to show my pleasure.”

  Waren tightened his arms around her tucking her head onto his chest. “You are doing fine,” Waren grumbled holding her tightly against him.

  Jassi was enjoying the feel of his arms around her when suddenly Waren began to tense, and she frowned until she felt something hard resting against her stomach.

  “I’m sorry,” Waren suddenly uttered tightening his arms one last time before letting her go. “I think it would be a good idea if I slept in another room.”

  He studied Jassi seeing the wariness and also appreciation in her eyes, and he sighed before leaning down to kiss her lightly.

  “You are not ready,” he muttered taking a step back.

  Jassi went to say something only to stop and shake her head slowly.

  “No, I’m not,” Jassi agreed staring at him. “What do you want, Waren?”

  Waren stared at her long and hard before he said in a light voice. “Get some sleep, sweetheart, and I will see you in the morning.”

  Turning on his heel, he walked out of the room and across the hall to the room that Craig arranged for him since they both knew that Jassi wouldn’t be ready just yet for that intimacy.

  Closing the door, Waren sighed and leaned back against it.

  “You,” he answered in the darkness and quiet of the bedroom.

  Across the hall, Jassi stood staring at the door before she turned and stared at the flowers walking over to caress one of the buds.

  “Thank you, Waren,” she whispered her eyes filling with tears, but a soft, beautiful smile lingered on her lips.

  Chapter 7

  The next day, Jassi got up late a smile still lingering on her face and was heading downstairs when she heard cooing sounds coming from the living room which caused the smile to slide away.

  “…that Waren would like to see me,” Pricilla was finishing when Jassi walked into the room.

  Waren was holding his temper not realizing
that Jassi had stepped into the room until Delilah stood up.

  “Jassi, dear, did you sleep well,” she asked walking over and ushering her over to the others.

  “I slept fine,” Jassi admitted with a smile not looking in Waren’s direction.

  After Waren left the room, Jassi had a hard time going to sleep her eyes drifting to her flowers and she had to stop herself from going to visit Waren. Now she was glad that she hadn’t, Jassi admitted to herself, letting Delilah direct her to a chair. Waren probably was waiting for Pricilla to come and that was the reason why he left the room because it meant he would’ve been unfaithful to her although Jassi thought he was also protecting Jassi knowing that he didn’t care for her in the same way.

  “I love that land,” Delilah suddenly stated after she poured Jassi a cup of coffee. “Unfortunately, Craig and I couldn’t keep it and Waren was persistent on having it.” Turning to Pricilla, she gleefully explained. “Waren bought a piece of land from us about two or three years ago, and yet he hasn’t done anything with it. Jassi got to see it last night.”

  Jassi took a sip of her coffee before she agreed. “It is a beautiful spot and I think that it will make a perfect place to build a home particularly the one that Waren has in mind.”

  Delilah nodded her head a soft smile lingering on her lips while Pricilla glanced over at Waren.

  “Waren,” she pouted at him, “can you show me? I would love to see where you will be building our house.”

  When all eyes turned to her, she put up a freshly manicured hand to her mouth letting her eyes go wide before she uttered in a charming voice. “I apologize. I mean to say the house he wanted to build for his family.”

  Waren smiled at Jassi who wouldn’t look at him, but he wasn’t deterred walking over to sit in the chair next to her.

  “We can show you the land, Pricilla,” Waren confirmed reaching out a hand to grab Jassi’s catching her off guard and she turned to stare at him in confusion before an uneasy look came to her eyes.