Waren listened to Jassi talk while he let his eyes go over her and he frowned slightly worry edging its way into his mind.
Jassi stopped talking when she saw his frown and continued eating not saying much so Waren started talking.
“I’ve started the construction on the house although I haven’t been out there personally to oversee it,” Waren revealed seeing Jassi go pale. “I had some things that I needed to do before I go down and supervise the construction myself.”
Jassi finished her lemonade and sat back giving Waren a smile. “I guess it was going to happen sooner or later.”
Waren agreed in a cheerful voice watching Jassi’s eyes contracted slightly before she shook her head glancing down at her wristwatch.
“It’s getting late,” Jassi voiced getting up from the table.
Waren stood up also reaching into his pocket for his wallet while he asked casually, “Are you on shift tomorrow?”
Before she could stop herself, Jassi responded truthfully. “No, I have the next two days off.”
She didn’t see the spark that lit Waren’s eyes when he paid their bill and they walked out of the restaurant.
He took her home and at her door, Jassi told him. “I’ll get the envelope for you…”
“Let’s leave it for tomorrow,” Waren told her taking the key to unlock her door and pushing her inside. “You get some sleep and I will see you tomorrow.”
“But,” Jassi called out only to be talking to her door since Waren had already closed it behind him as he left. “What is going on with him?”
She shook her head unable to answer the muttered question before she turned and walked toward her bedroom. She began to get undress her mind darting with worry and she bit her lip before sighing heavily, and then she went slowly into the bathroom.
Going underneath the counter, she pulled out a bag that she stuck in their a few days ago and she stared down at it before taking a deep breath.
Opening the bag, she closed the bathroom door even though she was in the privacy of her own home.
Jassi was up early the next morning after having a sleepless night and she was in the middle of cleaning when her doorbell rang.
“One moment,” she called out wiping a hand across her forehead before walking over to answer it.
“Yes,” she greeted pulling it open thinking it was her next store neighbor who seemed to love to bother her on her days off.
Today was no exception and he stood in the hallway with a huge grin on his face.
“Good morning Jassi,” he expressed in what he thought was a charming voice holding out a small plastic bowl. “May have some sugar please?”
Jassi mentally winced telling him politely. “Unfortunately, I have to go shopping which I was planning to do today and sugar is one of the first things on my list.”
The man’s face turned slightly ugly before he masked it although it put Jassi on alert and she stepped back in her apartment.
“Now Jassi, I’ve been patient since you moved here, but…” he never got to finish his sentence reaching out a hand to her only for a stronger one to catch it in a tight grip.
Waren stared at the man intently saying in a very even voice. “I do believe that my girlfriend has told you she doesn’t have any sugar so I suggest that you leave now.”
The man gulped feeling the tightening of Waren’s hand before he scowled and yanked his hand away although for a second, it didn’t look like Waren was going to let go.
“Whatever,” he mumbled shooting Jassi a glare that she held evenly even though she was shaking inside.
He walked away with angry strides and Waren waited until he was in his apartment before he turned to Jassi who sagged against her door.
She closed her eyes and let out a deep breath while Waren teased with a worry note in his voice. “Where did that cool, calm and serene attitude from just now go?”
“I have…” Jassi started until she remembered whom she was talking to and her eyes snapped open. “She’s still here only took a break so I could have a few moments to shake.”
Waren wondered what she was going to say following her into the apartment and shutting the door behind him.
“What are your plans for today,” he asked going over to the only chair in the living room and sitting down seeing the frowning look Jassi threw him.
“Cleaning,” was her response unplugging the vacuum to it put away.
She continued working only stopping for a moment to go into the kitchen to get a glass of tea for Waren, which she handed him indifferently before she went back to cleaning.
Waren watched sipping his drink and when she finally sat down with a glass of water, he asked, “How about we go out for lunch?”
Jassi sighed shaking her head. “What do you want, Waren? If it’s the divorce papers,” she indicated the table where the envelope still sat, “all you had to do was grab them and go, so what are you still doing here?”
“I have a few days off,” Waren revealed stretching out his legs and allowing his body to sink a little lower in the chair. “I don’t have anything better to do so I figure I would hang out with you until I have to go back to work.”
Jassi didn’t understand what was going on and asked nonchalantly although her hand tightened around her glass which Waren caught seeing her knuckles turn white at the grip. “Where’s Pricilla? What about spending your days off with her?”
Waren closed his eyes putting his head back saying absently. “Pricilla had other plans and they didn’t include me so I made plans that didn’t include her. We have an open relationship like that.”
Waren hid the smile sensing Jassi’s frustration and a touch of anger at his words before she finished her water.
“If you want to take a nap, go ahead,” Jassi offered getting up to take her glass to the kitchen and to get her purse. “I have to go shopping. Make sure to close and lock the door behind you before you leave.”
She started for the front door only to stop when Waren reached out and grabbed the knob opening it for her.
“I can take a nap later,” was all he said ushering her out and locking the door before shutting it behind them.
Jassi opened her mouth to say something only to stop and scowl at him before hitching her purse strap higher on her shoulder and walking down the hallway hesitatingly briefly, before she decided to take the stairs.
Waren watched her with slightly narrowed eyes but he didn’t comment only followed making small talk with her.
Waren lifted his eyebrow when they reached the parking lot and Jassi sighed before commenting. “I’m guessing that you want to drive.”
Waren winked at her with a roguish smile putting a hand under her elbow and leading her to his car, which sat at the curb in front of the building.
A rueful smile crossed Jassi’s face when she was placed in the car and she glanced up with lightly mocking eyes remarking, “Has anyone ever said no to you?”
Waren grinned down at her before whispering “Only one” before shutting the door and walking around to get in.
Jassi’s eyes enlarged briefly when his meaning sunk in and she glanced over at him. Jassi opened her mouth to say something when Waren beat her to it.
“How about lunch first, and then we can go shopping,” Waren asked a slight pleading note in his voice and Jassi bit her lip to stop the giggle at his tone but was unsuccessful when he turned pleading eyes to her.
She shook with laughter and Waren glinted with satisfaction seeing how her eyes sparkled with merriment.
“We can’t have you starving,” she teased among her bouts of laughter.
Waren gave a pitiful sigh before confiding, “Oh, but I’ve been starving for over a month now.”
Jassi’s eyes went wide with shock at his words her head swinging toward him and Waren met her eyes without flinching before telling her in a husky voice. “And I don’t think I can continue to go on starving.”
The look he gave Jassi made her weak in the knees
and Waren cleared his throat before focused on pulling away from the curb.
“So we’re getting something to eat before we go shopping,” he commented checking traffic before pulling out.
Jassi could barely speak her mind confused while her heart was beating erratically and her body was sluggish as if reacting to Waren’s words and their meaning.
“I think we should do shopping first, and then eat if you think you can hold off for that long.” There was a challenge in Jassi’s voice that Waren didn’t miss and the smile he threw her was smug telling her more than words that he was more than willing to take up the challenge she threw at him.
“So where to first,” he continued once they reached a stop light.
Jassi bit her lip unnerved that he accepted it so readily before giving the local grocery store she used and he nodded his head putting on his blinker, and Jassi frowned before a scowl replaced it.
“I should’ve known that you would know your way around.”
“It’s a habit,” Waren admitted with a rueful grin. “I tend to learn my way around easily and since I have come here often for business, I’ve learned the location of certain places.”
Waren wasn’t going to admit that he learned more about the city since he discovered that she moved here because although he does come here for business, normally it would be only for a few days so he only knew about hotels and places to eat.
Jassi didn’t make another comment until they got to the store before she asked crossly, “Did you want to help me pick out something for dinner tonight too?”
“Since you asked,” Waren teased her as they got out of the car getting a pointed look from Jassi before she muttered under her breath and headed for the entrance.
It was the first time that they went shopping together for food so Jassi secretly found it fun seeing how fussy Waren was about certain things and learning about things he liked which she wouldn’t have thought he would.
Going back to her apartment after shopping, Jassi had to admit that for the first time she felt relaxed coming home.
“We forgot about lunch,” she remarked while they were putting things away catching the wince Waren made a second before someone’s belly actually grumbled.
Waren glanced at Jassi in surprise while her face went red in embarrassment.
“I guess I’m hungry after all,” she whispered turning her head away and Waren started to chuckle.
“How about we order pizza,” he asked glancing at his watch. “It’s getting late and I don’t think you should stand here making dinner even if you had an idea what to cook with everything we picked up.”
Jassi nodded her head answering his question and she finished putting up the rest of her groceries.
“Pizza it is then,” Waren observed going over to her phone and picking it up to dial a number. “I’ll see if they deliver.”
Jassi didn’t look at him while he placed the order after conferring with her about what she would like on their pizza.
“It should be here in about thirty-five minutes,” Waren told her hanging up the phone. “If you don’t mind, may I use the bathroom?”
Jassi glanced at him before she nodded her head telling him where it was and Waren followed her directions glancing in her bedroom when he noticed it open although he didn’t go inside.
The bathroom was clean and there was a trashcan with a paper bag inside that Waren noted was from a notable pharmacy wondering what was wrong with her.
He concluded his business in the bathroom including washing his hands before he went out to the living room only to stop seeing Jassi lying on the couch sleeping.
“You’ve had a hard time,” he whispered walking around to kneel down in front of her brushing strands off her face.
“Waren,” she murmured at his touch and he smiled.
Even though she was trying to push him away, Waren knew that her feelings for him were still as strong as before; probably even stronger remembering the brief light that entered her eyes when she opened her door and found him standing there. Waren was sure that Jassi wasn’t aware of how her emotions showed on her face.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he whispered leaning over to kiss her cheek before getting up and heading for the door.
He opened it just as the deliveryman stopped in front of the door and he was surprised glancing down at his watch.
Waren closed the door behind him saying “I’ll pay for it” reaching into his pocket to pull out his wallet and paying the man seeing the bewilderment on the man’s face.
Waren took the hot pizza box and glancing back at Jassi’s door he sighed and started down the hallway leaving for the evening.
Getting into his car, Waren put the pizza box next to him in the passenger seat realizing that he wasn’t hungry. He started the car thinking about Jassi when suddenly he froze when something flashed in his mind.
“She’s asleep this early,” he murmured to himself. “She passed out earlier something I’ve never seen her do even when she’s barely eaten anything all day and she has a pharmacy bag in her trash.”
His eyes narrowed to slits as he put the car in gear and headed back to his hotel, which he had for only one more night.
Once there in his room having given the pizza to one of the hotel workers, he called Craig who immediately asked, “So when are you two coming home?”
“She’s wary,” Waren admitted in a low voice. “And she keeps throwing the divorce papers in my face although there have been a few times that I’ve gotten her to relax and be my wife without her thinking about it, but that’s not the reason I called. Can I speak to Delilah?”
Craig explained. “She went to bed early since she’s hasn’t been feeling well today. Is there something you need her help with?”
“No, I just wanted to ask her a few questions,” Waren spoke a note of frustration in his voice.
“Waren, what’s wrong,” Craig asked catching it.
“I think…” Waren hesitated before he continued on, “Craig, when Delilah first got pregnant where there any signs that you noticed?”
Craig was silent for a few minutes before he said slowly. “Not really, I mean she tended to have fainting spells but she was always busy and rarely eating so we just figured that was the cause.”
“So fainting is common sign of a pregnant woman,” Waren suggested.
“According to what the doctor told us, mostly women who faint during the early stages are stressed or overworking themselves,” Craig explained. “He told Delilah to take it easy and relax more allowing her body to adjust to the changes that were about to happen. Delilah wasn’t too happy about that but she relaxed when he told her that she didn’t have to stop everything, but to cut back on some of her duties to elevate some of her stress. It was one of the reasons that we’ve stopped her from going into the office every day.”
Waren asked a few more questions before they got off the phone about an hour later and he frowned before shaking his head.
“She would tell me if she was pregnant,” Waren tried to tell himself shaking his head and going into the bathroom for a shower.
Yet, a doubt remained in his mind for the rest of the night and into the following morning when he headed back over to her place.
She answered his knock with a slight frown but otherwise she didn’t say a word and waved her hand for him to enter closing the door behind him as he walked slowly to the living room.
“Would you like a cup of coffee,” she inquired heading for the kitchen.
She froze when Waren unable to get the thought out of his mind asked bluntly, “Are you pregnant, Jassi?”
Chapter 13
Jassi stared out the window watching the trees flash by while Waren sat behind the wheel hands loose on it although she had a feeling his mind was in turmoil.
“Waren,” she began turning to face him only to freeze at the look he gave her.
He was pissed and she could understand why whispering while she turned away. “If it’s
any consolation, I just find out the other night that I was pregnant.”
“It’s not,” was Waren’s come back. “How long did you suspect that you could be?”
Jassi paled at his words but admitted lowly. “A couple of weeks although at first, I believed my symptoms could be contributed to the new place and different work environment.”
Jassi didn’t see the relieved look that swept across Waren’s face or how his body relaxed in the seat his attention on the road.
When they pulled up outside a clinic, Jassi sighed before sliding out of the car and closing only to turn as Waren fell into step beside her.
“You said you took a home test so I just want to make sure,” he told her putting a warm hand on her lower back to usher her inside not seeing the scowl that went across her face at his words.
“Don’t worry Waren because if I am pregnant,” Jassi stated angrily pulling away from him, “I can take care of myself and the baby just fine.”
Waren didn’t even think snagging her by the arm and swung her around so she plastered up against him.
“Don’t even think of taking my baby from me,” Waren uttered in a dangerous voice.
Jassi met his angry look with one of her own before she pronounced. “And don’t think I’m going to let your damn lover be a mother to my child.”
They stood their locked in an angry faceoff when Waren sighed heavily running his agitated free hand through his hair.
“We need to talk but right now isn’t the time,” his voice was filled with frustration. “But make no mistake we will talk but until then, I will give you something to think about.”
Before Jassi could react, Waren wrapped both arms around her and pulled her full flush against him feeling her soft body nestle and snuggle into his harder form. His mouth dropped down onto hers with a hungry and hot, possessive kiss that snatched the breath from her, and Jassi responded back with equal passion placing arms around his neck hands clasping on the back of his head keeping him locked to her.
Arranged Marriage, Wanted Wife Page 17
