Arranged Marriage, Wanted Wife

by Mary Goldberger

  “I think a garden tub,” Waren stated suddenly much to Jassi’s confusion even as he stepped toward the tub and lowered Jassi to her feet.

  “A garden tub,” Jassi repeated her eyes flashing with a light anticipation.

  “For the master bathroom,” Waren explained undressing Jassi who started to help even as she asked questions.

  “Only the master bathroom?” There was a teasing note behind her question.

  Waren gave her a hooded look that made Jassi swallow tightly. “I think also a pool would be a good idea.”

  “Now, Waren,” Jassi protested her gaze shifting down to her belly which was bare since Waren had pulled off her shirt.

  “Oh, we’ll be careful,” Waren assured her watching a frown come to her face.

  “We can’t watch them 24-7,” she argued while Waren unbuckled her jeans and started to ease them over her hips.

  He stilled at her words and caught her gaze. “No, we can’t, but we will do the best that we can. Jassi, all parents have worries and concerns, and as a nurse you know that.”

  Jassi sighed shaking her head slowly. “I know, but it’s frightening now that I’m going to be a mother.’

  Her hand settled low on her belly and Waren chuckled allowing his hand to cover hers.

  “You getting worked up and you’re only a few months pregnant,” Waren chided her gently kissing her lightly on the tip of her nose when she raised her eyes to him. “We will figure it out, but don’t start stressing until then, okay?”

  Jassi laughed knowing that he was right. “I guess being a nurse makes me more cautious or paranoid about what could happen.”

  “I’m sure that Delilah and Craig have those same concerns,” Waren suggested, and Jassi nodded her head in agreement.

  “I’m being overly cautious,” Jassi groaned leaning her forehead against his chest feeling the cloth of his shirt rubbing her cheek.

  She blinked her eyes up at him before glancing at herself and then back at him.

  “How is it that I’m almost undressed and you still fully dressed,” she asked with a slight frown.

  Waren grinned. “Because, my dear wife, you were concerning yourself with things that we shouldn’t at the moment instead of focusing on your husband.”

  Jassi lifted her hands to the buttons on his shirt and slowly began to slide them through the holes. “My oversight, my husband. Do you think I can remedy it?”

  Waren’s eyes heated when her fingertips grazed his chest and his voice was smoky when he answered her. “You’re doing a great job so far.”

  Jassi’s low husky laugh echoed around the bathroom, and Waren finished undressing her while Jassi reciprocated the favor.

  Lifting her into the shower, he grinned wickedly when he turned on the water and the shower causing Jassi to shriek at the sudden cold water before it started warming up.

  “Sorry,” he apologized although there was a hint of teasing on his face, and Jassi glared at him when he climbed into the shower with her closing the curtain.

  “I’m sorry, honey,” Waren apologized again in a soft voice grabbing the body wash Jassi used, and lathered up her washcloth.

  Jassi eyed him warily when he reached out to her and she shook her head a smile gracing her lips. “You wanted to see me jump, Waren.”

  Warne was quiet for second before he responded. ‘I did, but not to hurt you or our baby, Jassi.”

  Jassi chuckled stepping closer to him while he began to wash her body. “I’m stronger than I look, Waren, and so is our baby.”

  Waren grinned proudly. “Of that, sweetheart, I don’t doubt for one second.”

  Jassi grabbed her body wash from where Waren placed it and stated with a slight indifference. “I guess I should wash you since you are doing it for me.”

  Lathering her hands, Jassi allowed the bottle to fall to the floor while her hands settled on Waren’s body and his breath hissed at her touch.

  “You witch,” he growled passionately, and Jassi merely smiled giving him a look from her under her lids. “You want to play, honey?”

  Jassi nodded once saying throatily. “Yes.”

  “Then let’s play,” Waren slowly turned her so she was underneath the spray of the water and Jassi gasped at the sensation.

  Waren dropped the washcloth to the bottom of the tub and Jassi’s gasp became a low uttered moan which he reciprocated a few minutes later.

  The steam in the bathroom became stronger that the mirror over the sink fogged over and the sounds of low passionate whispering filtered through the small room out into the hallway.

  Chapter 14

  Jassi’s blue-violet eyes scanned the empty living room making sure that she hadn’t forgotten anything thinking how bare the place seemed without her few pieces of furniture.

  “Ready to go,” Waren’s rough voice asked placing callused hands on her hips.

  “I guess I am,” Jassi agreed heaving an audible sigh.

  Waren spun her around in the span of his hands gripping lightly staring down at her. “Are you sad to be leaving although you haven’t been here long?”

  Jassi tilted her head back and forward scrunching up her nose at him lifting her hands to rest against his upper arms.

  “It was my first place that I chose,” Jassi told him with a slight smile. “So I guess I am a little sentimental about leaving it.”

  She laughed shaking her head at herself and Waren leaned down placing his lips over hers in a slow tantalizing kiss before he pulled away.

  “Then I’m sorry to be taking you away from it,” he whispered against her lips.

  Jassi’s eyes flashed up at him and she lifted up on her tiptoes whispering a second before she kissed him passionately. “Don’t be, Waren, because this is another choice that I’m fully making on my own.”

  Waren froze at the ardent kiss before he wrapped his arms around her lifting Jassi off her feet and they stood in the hallway of her apartment with no worries about anything else except the feelings that had ignited within them.

  “We need to get going,” Waren breathed against her lips after finally pulling away again.

  Jassi blinked open heavy lidded eyes nodding her head at his whispered urging before she smiled sliding a hand down to his chest teasingly. “But we can take up where we left off later, right?”

  She gave him a coy look from lowered lashes and Waren chuckled hugging her tightly against him.

  “It’s a date,” he confirmed giving her one last kiss before placing her back on her feet.

  Jassi sighed in mock disappointment frowning at him getting a wink and she shook her head turning back to do one last sweep of the apartment.

  “Ready,” she stated five minutes later picking up her bag, which Waren promptly relieved, from her.

  They walked out of the apartment closing the door behind them without locking it and headed for the elevators where Waren slipped an arm around Jassi’s waist still holding her bag.

  “Dad asked us to dinner tomorrow evening,” he stated as the elevator closed and started its descent.

  Jassi bit her lip before remarking, “I don’t think that’s a good…”

  Waren continued talking as if Jassi hadn’t started to speak. “Dad said that he wanted to see you sooner, but as I reminded him, it was your first night back and I want to spend it with you alone.”

  Jassi laughed at the way Waren dropped his voice giving her a leer from his gorgeous eyes letting her know exactly what he had in store for them tonight.

  They exited the building ten minutes later, Waren escorted Jassi to his car teasing and joking with her the entire time.

  Jassi laughed with anticipation flaring in her eyes because although they have spent every night together for the past month, Jassi felt as if she was going home.

  Waren put her in the car after placing her last bag on the backseat before climbing in himself.

  “It will take an hour or so to get home so why don’t you just relax,” Waren suggested putting on his s
eatbelt after making sure Jassi was buckled up.

  Jassi relaxed back in her seat while Waren turned on the radio putting it on low and to a station that he knew Jassi liked making small talk as he drove away from the apartment building.

  Once they were on the freeway and he was more comfortable, he reached over and folded one of Jassi’s hands into his larger one resting them both on his thigh.

  “Hungry,” Waren asked some time later and Jassi turned her head, which was resting back against the headrest of her seat.

  “Hmm,” Jassi uttered giving him a sweet smile her eyes flashing at him brightly. “Our little one has a lot to say on the subject it seems.”

  Waren laughed bringing her hand up to his mouth and kissing the underside. “What my baby wants is what they’re going to get.”

  “Going to spoil them already,” Jassi teased watching Waren throw her a wicked look and wink.

  “I was referring to you,” Waren told her without hesitation. “But of course, we must feed our young one too.”

  Jassi laughed harder shaking her head at him watching him as he drove loving the way his hand moved confidently on the wheel and how his thigh muscle bunched under their interlocked hands.

  Waren studied his rearview mirror and flipping his turn signal, eased into the lane to take the upcoming exit.

  “I think I saw a sign for a sub place,” Waren explained when Jassi gave him a brief questioning glance giving her a brief look. “Does a sub sound good or do you want…?”

  Jassi was already shaking her head. “Instead of the sub, I could go for a salad.”

  Her tone was hopeful and Waren laughed lifting her hand to his mouth for a light kiss. “Then a salad you should have.”

  Jassi giggled knowing that she should enjoy this side of Waren because she doubted that she would always get her way.

  “Damn right, as much as I love you,” Waren stated eyes on the road looking for the sign.

  “I didn’t say anything,” Jassi protested with a small smile lifting the corners of her mouth.

  “Doesn’t mean I didn’t read your eyes, honey,” Waren replied making a left turn and a few minutes later, taking the turn into a subway.

  Turning off the car, Waren turned to Jassi and pulled her closer to him. “Your eyes can give you away so I’ve learned to be on guard so I can catch that brief telltale.”

  Jassi slumped in the seat giving him a slight pout which made Waren laugh.

  Leaning forward, he kissed her the cheek. “Pouting is not you, sweetheart.”

  Jassi glared at him before she hit him lightly on the arm and pulled away to climb out of the car, and Waren pulled her back into his arms.

  “I rather you argue with me instead,” Waren teased kissing her neck before releasing her. “Let’s eat first though so you can argue on a full stomach.”

  Jassi tried to stay mad, but she couldn’t help laughing at his ridiculousness shaking her head at him while he climbed out and walked around to open the door for her.

  “My lady,” he stressed with a slight bow, and Jassi busted out laughing.

  “Don’t,” she said among her laughter, and Waren merely shrugged his shoulders glancing around seeing that he had gained a few people’s attention.

  He smiled and waved even while taking Jassi by the arm, closing the door and escorting her into the small restaurant.

  “Crazy man,” she uttered still laughing.

  “Hmm,” Waren studied the menu. “About you without question.”

  Then he ordered their food while Jassi blushed seeing the smiles that the people over the counter gave her.

  “Waren,” she hissed in a low voice, and he turned to her with a grin.

  “They are waiting for your order, baby,” he replied back eyes flashing with laughter.

  Jassi sighed and gave her order her blush still tinging her cheeks although it had resided some.

  Taking their seats about ten minutes later, Jassi glanced up when Waren’s phone went off and she mentally frowned when he checked it with raised brows before ignoring it.

  “Waren,” Jassi began, and Waren grabbed her salad putting it in front of her before grabbing his own meal.

  “Let’s eat,” he stated with a smile his eyes clear with no emotions except male satisfaction.

  Jassi shook her head a sense of worry starting to creep into her thoughts, but she diverted them when Waren started to tease and joke with her getting her to laugh.

  Almost an hour later, they were back on the road Waren holding her hand tightly in his own while the radio played her station that Waren programmed so she could listen when they went on trips.

  “Your car has already been housed in the garage,” Waren told her reminding her that Waren had her car picked up two days ago so they could ride home together.

  Jassi listened to him with her thoughts miles away, and she turned in her seat to stare at him.

  Jassi studied him the rest of the ride fear and worry lurked in her eyes shadowing them, which Waren noticed when he stopped at a red light and glanced over at her with a smile.

  Seeing the look, Waren had to stop himself from pulling the car over and taking her into his arms, and he let out a silent sigh which Jassi missed since she had finally turned her head to stare out the window.

  “Home, sweet home,” Waren sighed in satisfaction an hour later pulling into the parking garage of their apartment.

  Jassi smiled her eyes brightening which diminished the shadows that had taken over and Waren was glad to know that Jassi was happy about being home.

  “Don’t get to use to this apartment, honey,” he reminded her when they headed for the elevator with Waren carrying Jassi’s bag. “By the end of the year, we should be in our home but I had a plan for this apartment.”

  Jassi gave him a surprised look, which Waren took with a chuckle and as the elevators doors closed on them, he started to explain his idea.

  By the time they reached their floor, Jassi was laughing and agreeing with it.

  “But will they take it,” Jassi was asking when the doors opened and they stepped off the elevator.

  Waren was about to answer when another voice interrupted him and he tightened the arm around Jassi’s waist feeling her stiffen.

  “Waren, I tried to call you,” Pricilla called out tearfully. “You never answered.”

  Waren and Jassi walked toward the door both sending Pricilla worried looks seeing the mascara running down her face and the fear lurking in her eyes.

  “Waren,” Jassi said softly, “let’s get her inside and something to drink.”

  Waren nodded his head giving Jassi a warm loving look, which Pricilla noted absently although her mind only focused on one thing.

  The minute they were inside and the door closed behind them, Pricilla launched herself at Waren who had stepped away from Jassi heading to their room.

  “Waren, I’m scared,” she sobbed in his chest her body shaking.

  Waren glanced up at Jassi who bent down to pick up the bag he dropped when Pricilla launched herself at him.

  “Go take her into the living room,” Jassi suggested with a slight smile the worry back in her eyes.

  Waren sighed but did as his wife told him and escorted Pricilla into the living room seeing the slight smirk on her face.

  He scowled and without mercy pushed her down onto the couch getting a startled look from Pricilla.

  “Waren,” she began astonishment in her voice.

  “What game are you playing, Pricilla,” Waren asked her bluntly just as Jassi entered the living room quietly.

  “I’m not,” Pricilla broke down. “I missed you and needed to see you.”

  Waren hooked his hands into the pockets of his slacks staring at her with narrowed eyes.

  The phone rang a second later and Waren glanced over at Jassi who walked over answering it.

  “Hello, Glenson residence,” she answered turning her back on Pricilla not noticing the shrewd look that Pricilla gave her but unfortun
ately, Waren caught it.

  “Get out,” Waren ordered in a hard voice startling both women.

  “Waren,” both Pricilla and Jassi began.

  Pricilla got to her feet easily snapping at Jassi. “I’m talking so don’t interrupt me.”

  Jassi turned her head to stare at the woman standing in her living room and she heard the other voice on the phone.

  “Jassi, is everything all right,” Siria asked worriedly on the other end.

  “We will call you back later Siria,” Jassi answered hanging up the phone without waiting for a reply.

  Jassi turned fully to look at Pricilla who put one hand on her hip and smirked at her with eyes flashing a challenge.

  “Maybe you should remember who invited you inside,” Jassi remarked easily sitting down on the arm of the chair. “If it was left up to my husband, he would’ve left you standing outside in the corridor.”

  “That’s how much you know,” Pricilla scoffed getting a weird look from Waren.

  “Waren, honey,” Jassi caught his attention and he didn’t hesitate turning to her. “Should I be worried about something?”

  “Maybe one thing,” Waren admitted in a smoky voice and Jassi didn’t need an explanation seeing the hungry look he gave her.

  Jassi chuckled throatily shaking her head at him before turning her attention back to Pricilla.

  “Pricilla, if you are here to start trouble, then don’t waste our time.” Jassi wasn’t in the mood to deal with the woman because she was tired and a headache was forming. “I’m tired and I don’t have time to deal with whatever plans you’ve got in your head. Go use them on someone else and leave us alone.”

  Jassi stood up giving Waren a long look before she turned heading for the kitchen only to be stopped when Pricilla grabbed her hard by the arm swinging her back around.

  The ringing sound of a slap echoed around the room before Waren could react, and within seconds, Waren had grabbed Pricilla’s hand in a tight grip.

  “You’re going to let her talk to me like that,” she stormed yanking her hand away from his hold.

  “She’s my wife,” Waren bit out turning to check on Jassi who stood there in shock but her eyes had flared with anger.