Arranged Marriage, Wanted Wife

by Mary Goldberger

  Waren’s eyes narrowed slightly at his words while Craig admitted, “He knows, Mike, and to be honest he wasn’t too happy when I informed him of who your date was going to be.”

  Mike scowled shaking his head at his words. “She is very charming and persuasive when she wants to be, but honestly I wasn’t thinking about bringing her.”

  Craig and Waren looked at each other sharing a secret smile before Waren stated, “We thought you might say that so we took the liberty of helping you out…. just this once.”

  The last part was said teasingly and Mike stared at him in confusion before Craig nodded his head to the house where new guests were walking out.

  Mike turned just as a young woman with red hair stepped from the house the wind catching her skirt and molding it to her.

  “She is quite beautiful,” Waren remarked in a low voice while the others agreed with him watching the jealousy that flashed in Mike’s eyes.

  “I’m going to ask my wife to dance,” Craig suddenly stated giving them all a smirking smile before walking off.

  One by one, the other men did the same finding their own dates to enjoy a dance with until only Mike and Waren were left standing there.

  “Go ahead and ask her to dance,” Waren advised seeing Mike’s eyes follow the redhead as she walked around talking.

  Mike turned to say something when he saw Pricilla heading their way. “I suggest you go find your wife, too, because Pricilla is on her way over.”

  Waren grimaced giving a small salute, and without looking in Pricilla’s direction, walked off scanning the crowd for Jassi.

  Pricilla stopped next to Mike muttering, “I wonder where he is going.”

  “Probably to find his wife so he can ask her to dance,” Mike offered before giving a small nod and walking away himself.

  Pricilla watched him walk away with a disgruntled look, but she didn’t care about him as her eyes scanned the yard again looking for Waren.

  She found him a second later and she smiled before starting in his direction stepping up next to him just as Jassi turned around from helping someone with their plate.

  “Is there nothing you can’t do,” Waren teased watching the easy smile that crossed Jassi’s face.

  “Grow plants as Siria can testify to,” Jassi admitted without embarrassment. “She gave me a plant a month after I moved in and within a week, the poor thing had died. I just don’t have a green thumb.”

  She shook her head mournfully getting Waren to chide her gently, “Does that include children, Jassi, although you want them?”

  “I hope not,” Jassi immediately stated a horrified look on her face. “I want my children to be healthy, safe, and in a loving family.”

  Pricilla chose that moment to intervene with a persuasive charm. “One day you will have that, Jassi, of that I’m sure.”

  Waren glanced down at Pricilla who had settled a hand on his arm before he glanced back at Jassi seeing her eyes go to Pricilla’s hand before she answered her.

  “I hope I do, Pricilla, but we can never be sure of what life has in store for us.”

  “No, we can’t,” Pricilla agreed her eyes challenging Jassi.

  “No, we can’t,” Waren confirmed eyes going to Jassi and he reached out a hand folding it around Jassi’s hand. “So on that agreement, my wife, may I have this dance?”

  Jassi’s lovely eyes flew wide but she nodded her head watching as Waren easily stepped away from Pricilla’s possessive hand and taking Jassi by the waist spinning her around onto the makeshift dance floor eliciting giggles.

  Pricilla watched them with constricted eyes before she turned away joining a set of men who had been watching her since their arrival.

  She flirted easily and before long, she had them all eating out of her hand a cunning smile glinting in her eyes.

  “She’s playing with fire,” Delilah remarked later that evening to Craig glancing over at Pricilla.

  Craig followed her gaze and he grimaced seeing what his wife was talking about, but he turned away shaking his head.

  “I know what she is trying to do, but it’s not working,” Craig muttered in a low voice shifting his eyes to Waren and Jassi who were back on the floor dancing to a slow song.

  “We should warn her,” Delilah muttered a frown playing on her face.

  “Do you think she would believe us,” Craig answered without much emotion in his voice.

  Delilah didn’t have to think long before replying, “No” shaking her head, and then she just closed her eyes listening to the music.

  It was getting late when guests started leaving besides the few that were staying in their house.

  Jassi and Waren helped their hosts see them off with a wave and laughter as they chatted about the evening.

  Pricilla was in a happy mood because she had seen Waren glance over at her a few times with a slight frown on his face and she believed her plan was working.

  “Waren, I’m going to bed since I have a date tomorrow,” Pricilla announced once every one was gone.

  “Pricilla,” Waren began hesitatingly slightly.

  “Yes,” she asked in a husky voice slanting a look at Jassi who came back inside from escorting the last couple to their car and she hid her smile of satisfaction when Jassi froze.

  “I should warn you to be careful,” Waren responded bluntly. “The man you were flirting with has a wife and…”

  Pricilla bristled at his tone before telling him sharply. “He wasn’t wearing a ring and I didn’t see a tan line, Waren, so just be honest and admit that you are jealous. There is no reason to make up a story about it.”

  Jassi could see the worry in Waren’s eyes as he reached out to Pricilla and she decided that it had been a long day.

  “Excuse me,” she muttered quietly that Waren who was trying to talk with Pricilla didn’t hear her.

  Craig and Delilah nodded their heads watching while she went upstairs to bed before they turned eyes to the couple in front of them.

  Pricilla was beaming with triumphant while Waren was frustrated and upset before he backed off.

  “You know what, Pricilla, do whatever you please,” he stated finally with a shake of his head turning only to freeze when he realized that Jassi had already went to bed.

  “Damn,” he muttered turning for the stairs and Pricilla laughed watching him run up them.

  “I don’t know why you are worried about her feelings,” she called after him. “In less than two weeks, you two will be divorced and we can finally finish what we started five years ago.”

  Waren didn’t respond back to her words but Delilah did in a low tone.

  “What you two had died a long time ago, and the only person who still thinks it exists is you.”

  Shaking her head at Pricilla, Delilah started for the stairs and Craig went with her telling Pricilla. “Mike left already and Waren will be leaving tomorrow with Jassi so I don’t know how you are getting home, Pricilla.”

  Pricilla watched them go up the stairs with hard eyes before a smile slithered across her face and she followed behind them going to her own guest room without a worried thought in her head.

  Once inside her room, she picked up her cell from the bedside table and made one call her eyes gleaming with malice.

  “I have news to report,” she stated when the phone was picked up on the other end and she went into detail about what happened since her arrival.

  “Jassi,” Waren said quietly going into the room only to hear the shower in the bathroom.

  He sighed in frustration before he began to get out his clothes leaving only his boxers on and after a brief look at the bathroom door, he grabbed his things heading for the room across the hall.

  He took a quick shower and got into a pair of trousers along with a comfortable shirt before going back across to their bedroom just as Jassi walked out of the bathroom.

  “I timed that perfectly,” he teased shutting the door behind him as she stood outside the bathroom staring at him in con
fusion.

  “Get something comfortable on,” he told her putting his things on the chair. “We are going out for the evening.”

  “Going out,” Jassi repeated in confusion. “It’s already late, Waren, so where are we going?”

  Waren smiled reaching out and tousling her wet hair. “It’s a surprise so just do as I ask, please.”

  At the word ‘please’, Jassi stared at him in utter shock before she did as he requested without another word dressing in loose fitting cotton pants and loose shirt forgoing a bra.

  “Wear sneakers,” Waren called out from the other side of the bedroom door and she stared around in stupefaction that she hadn’t realized she began getting dressed with Waren in the room with her.

  Waren leaning against the door closed his eyes as he remembered the smooth back that Jassi presented to him when he turned around to tell her something else only for her to be already getting out of her nightwear into clothes.

  For a second, he had frozen unable to look away until common sense took hold and he knew that if he stayed in the room they would do something that Jassi still wasn’t ready for, and he wanted to wait until she was ready for that next level in their relationship.

  He had quietly walked out shutting the door behind and now he leaned against it wishing that his wife wasn’t so leery of him although he had to blame that on himself.

  The door opened on that thought and his eyes flew open meeting Jassi’s before traveling down her body and he smiled in agreement with what she had selected.

  “Let’s get going,” he told her with a wink reaching out for her hand and drawing her out of the room.

  Jassi closed the door behind her following him down the stairs where Delilah wrapped in her robe met them and she smiled holding out a basket.

  “Craig has already packed everything in your car, Waren,” she told them.

  Waren reached out and kissed her cheek telling her as he pulled back. “Thank you, Delilah, and Craig, for your help.”

  “Enjoy your evening,” was all Delilah said while Waren escorted Jassi out of the house with Delilah waving at them before closing the door.

  “Waren,” Jassi uttered her confusion showing clearly.

  “No,” Waren put a finger against her lips before he ushered her into the car putting the picnic basket on the backseat. “No questions for the moment, all right?”

  He stared at her intently that Jassi sighed rolling her eyes before nodding her head reluctantly getting a grin from him before he leaned down kissed her lips and then shut the door.

  Getting into the car, he smiled over at her before starting the car and hoped that this evening went off without a hitch. He had so much more planned, but with the arrival of Pricilla things took a different direction. Although it wasn’t a total waste, Waren had wanted to spend more time with Jassi which included sleeping in the same bed with her. Unfortunately, tonight would be the only night that they would actually be able to do that, and Waren was looking forward to it, a roguish grin sneaking across his face.

  “What’s with that grin,” Jassi asked seeing it, and Waren shook his head before lifting one of her hands to his mouth.

  “I hope that you like what I have planned for you,” he hinted a note of worry in his voice.

  Jassi allowed her hand to fold over his allowing one finger to lightly caress his lips. “Waren, you’ve done things for me that no one else has and I appreciate everything.” Jassi leaned down and lightly kissed the fingers that clasped around her hand. “Thank you for thinking about me.”

  Waren glanced up his eyes studying his wife and he almost leaned forward to kiss her when the sudden sound of a horn caused them to jump.

  Waren and Jassi shared a laughing look before he eased off the brake having forgotten that they had stopped at a stop light.

  Shaking his head, he sneaked a look at Jassi who had a thoughtful look on her face, but her eyes glowed with happiness and at that moment, Waren knew that he wasn’t letting this woman go.

  Chapter 9

  Jassi looked up at the night sky and stared in awe at the stars that flickered down on her where she laid in the sleeping bag that Waren laid out. When they had arrived, Jassi had been stunned to learn that Waren planned for them to camp out on his land for the evening.

  “Comfortable,” Waren asked spreading out his own sleeping bag.

  “It’s the first time I’ve camped out,” Jassi admitted in a soft voice watching the sky. “I don’t think I’ve ever realized how many stars that there are.”

  “And yet, there is so many more than what the eye can see,” Waren remarked lying down next to her so he could join her in star gazing.

  “It’s amazing and at the same time, a little overwhelming,” Jassi acknowledged a light laugh following her statement.

  Waren nodded his head one hand reaching out for hers clasping it tightly while they studied the sky.

  “Happy birthday,” Waren suddenly stated in the silence of the night. “I wanted to buy you something but since I’m not sure exactly what you like this is the best I could come up with.”

  Jassi turned her head to look at him and feeling her stare, Waren turned toward her seeing the tears that filled her eyes.

  “It’s the thought that counts,” Jassi whispered the stars overhead twinkling down on them. “And for thinking about me, thank you.” She laughed lightly turning shining eyes to him. “I believe I’ve already said that, haven’t I?”

  Waren lifted a hand brushing away the tears that slipped quietly down her cheeks.

  “Yes, but I enjoy hearing it and you are welcome, honey,” he spoke low and Jassi sighed lifting a hand to trap his on her cheek.

  She knew that she was setting herself up for heartache, but at this moment, she felt cared for in a way she hadn’t felt in a long time so she would accept it and worry about the consequences later.

  “Jassi,” Waren said softly watching her blink open blurry eyes at him. He smiled shifting closer to her before pulling her head down to lay against his shoulder. “Get some sleep and in the morning, we can watch the sunrise together.”

  “That will be nice,” Jassi muttered sleepily nestling her head on his shoulder while Waren settled his arm around her waist.

  He laid back staring up at the stars while Jassi fell asleep against him and he smiled thinking about the late night picnic they had of homemade ice cream and ice tea that Delilah had made.

  It was an inexpensive meal, and yet Waren had enjoyed it more than any other meal he ever had.

  He continued staring up at the sky until his eyes begin to close on their own and he drifted off to sleep his hand tightening on Jassi’s waist as she snuggled closer to him even in the confines of her sleeping bag.

  The next morning, Waren nudged Jassi awake with an “It’s almost time, sleepyhead” watching her brow pucker before she blinked open her eyes.

  “Good morning,” Waren welcomed her with a smile and Jassi couldn’t help smiling back as she stretched in her sleeping bag.

  “Good morning,” she muttered her eyes scanning the area around them.

  Waren helped her to sit before he nodded his head ahead of them and Jassi turned her eyes taking in the glimmer of the sun as it began to rise from the treetops.

  Waren smiled seeing the delight that crossed Jassi’s face and they sat there until the sun was over the trees beginning its day.

  Waren glanced at his watch before standing up stretching his muscles and Jassi glanced up at him about to say something when she stopped seeing how muscular he was. Normally she only saw him in suits, but lately he had been wearing regular clothing that emphasized the nice physique the suits tended to hide.

  “You’re staring,” Waren teased finishing his stretch and Jassi blushed pushing to her feet.

  Brushing herself off, she decided not to comment knowing that whatever she said wouldn’t hide the attraction she had for him.

  “Ready to go,” Waren asked still able to see the blush that stained her che
eks even though it had faded some.

  Jassi nodded kneeling down to start gathering their things and Waren watched her for a second before he stooped to join her.

  After they were done and everything was loaded in the car, Waren picked Jassi up and spun her around while her laughter drifted around them.

  “Now, we are ready to go,” Waren told her after putting her own her feet and kissing her breathless.

  Jassi climbed into the car trying to control the feeling of happiness that was threatening to explode from her because something told her it wasn’t going to last…and she couldn’t know how right she was as they headed back to Delilah and Craig’s house.

  “We have to leave today, unfortunately,” Waren expressed to her with a wince.

  Jassi nodded her head not going to tell him that she had asked for an additional two days off yesterday evening when she went up to get changed for the party.

  “I have a meeting that I can’t put off,” Waren continued pulling up in front of the house.

  Jassi unbuckled her seat once he came to a stop and turned off the vehicle before turning to her.

  “Waren, you have to work and so do I,” Jassi reminded him a brief pause in her words that she was lucky Waren didn’t catch it.

  Waren gave her a smile, which Jassi responded to before they climbed out of the car heading into the house.

  Waren caught Jassi’s hand before they went through the door and she stared at it for a second before she smiled squeezing lightly.

  “Good morning,” Delilah called out from the living room doorway watching a blush stain Jassi’s cheeks.

  “Good morning,” Waren responded back his voice clear without the rough notes Delilah was used to hearing.

  Jassi echoed it in a much softer tone and with a hint of embarrassment that Delilah thought was somewhat sweet and from Waren’s hooded gaze, so did he.

  “We have to get ready to leave, Delilah,” Waren stated reluctantly.

  Delilah could understand because Waren had planned so much more than what he did, but she knew that with Pricilla’s arrival he had to make some changes.

  “How about you, Jassi, do you have go back to,” Delilah asked turning to Jassi who smiled sadly before nodding her head.