Page 133 of His Ruthless Match
Jareth pulled out his phone. “On it.”
After texting someone, he put his phone away and glanced past me, out the window, then back at me. “You’ve been at it for hours. Want to take a break? Go for a walk?”
“A walk?”
“Yeah,” he said, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “You know, that thing where you put one foot in front of the other? I heard it’s a good way to clear your head.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “You’re such a smartass.”
“Smartass or not, I doubt you’ll turn down the opportunity to walk out in the open without that fucking wig,” he pointed out, his grin widening.
I closed my laptop and stood, stretching my arms above my head. “All right, you convinced me. Let’s go. There’s actually nothing I want more right now. Wait, do I really need the wig here on my brother’s estate?”
Jareth watched me for a moment, his expression unreadable but warm. “You bet. We don’t know how deep this thing goes. Come on, you could use some fresh air.”
As we stepped outside, the cool breeze carried the scent of salt and earth. The horizon stretched out before us, golden and infinite.
The path through the woods behind Jareth’s cottage was like stepping into another world. The air was crisp, tinged with the salty tang of the ocean, and sunlight filtered through the canopy above, painting golden patterns on the forest floor. Each step crunched softly underfoot in the serene quiet.
Jareth walked with his usual quiet confidence, his hands stuffed into his jacket pockets, his gaze steady on the trail ahead. He seemed so at home here, so rooted in this place.
“Do you know how lucky you are?” I asked.
He turned his head, his brow furrowing slightly. “What do you mean?”
I gestured around us, letting my arms sweep wide. “This. All of this. A forest in your backyard, the ocean right outside your front door. It’s like something out of a dream.”
He shrugged. “You get used to it.”
I shook my head, smiling as I looked around again. “I don’t think I ever would. It’s wonderful.”
He didn’t respond, but I caught the faintest flicker of something in his expression—pride, maybe, or a quietsatisfaction. For reasons I couldn’t quite explain, it filled me with warmth.
We walked on, the path winding deeper into the woods in an easy, natural silence. With every step, I was more keenly aware of Jareth beside me. His shoulder occasionally brushed mine, and the steadiness of his presence stirred something deeper inside me.
Falling for him was inevitable, wasn’t it? The thought hit me like a punch to the gut, and I found myself glancing at him out of the corner of my eye. He looked calm, completely at ease in his element, while my mind spun itself in knots.
Should I say something?I wondered, my heart stuttering at the mere idea. My stomach churned as doubt crept in.What if he doesn’t feel the same? What if I’m just a job to him?The thought sent a sharp pang of embarrassment through me, and I focused on the trail ahead, biting back the urge to blurt something reckless.
“I want to show you something,” Jareth said.
Startled, I blinked up at him. “Show me what?”
He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he stopped and held out his hand, palm up. My heart fluttered wildly as I took his hand. His grip was warm, firm but gentle, and the simple touch sent a rush of warmth up my arm.
“Come on,” he said, his lips curving into a faint smile as he led me off the path.
The trees thickened as we walked on, their shadows stretching across the ground. I should’ve been nervous about veering off the marked trail, but with Jareth guiding me, I wasn’t. If anything, I felt safer than I had in weeks, the warmth in my chest growing with every step.
After a few minutes, we stepped into a clearing, and it took my breath away. A small stream meandered through the space, its crystal-clear water glinting in the sunlight. The sound ofthe current was soft and soothing, and the clearing itself felt untouched, as if we were the first people to set foot there in years.
I gasped. “Jareth, this is beautiful.”
Jareth nodded, his gaze fixed on the stream. “It flows all the way to the ocean. I come here to think sometimes.”
I glanced at him, surprised by the vulnerability in his tone. “It’s perfect,” I said sincerely, meaning every word.
He gestured toward a large, flat rock near the stream. “Come on. Best seat in the house.”
