Page 82 of The Lies of Bryn van Doren

His dark hair is slicked back. Wet as it is, the deep brown mane looks almost black in the morning light pouring into the bathroom. Water is still dripping down his chest and back, falling around every hard ridge and crevice of his defined muscles. He’s got a towel wrapped low around his waist, cluing her into the fact that he’s naked underneath, and Jessica’s nipples tighten as she drinks him in.

“Morning,” he mumbles, coming straight to her.

He presses a kiss to her temple as she manages a feeble, “Hi.”

“Got a meeting I need to dial into in an hour. Went out and got you breakfast earlier. It’s in the kitchen, if you’re hungry. I’ve got to shower. You need anything?”

Jessica frowns a little, shaking her head as she looks up at him and inquires, “You got me breakfast? And you went for a swim? Already?”

“Had a call at six with a partner company in Italy. Been up for a while, precious.”

It’s all he says before he steps around her, drops his towel, and starts his shower. She stares at him, that warm ache he causes in her chest igniting. It amazes her how anyone could think he’s not enough. He’s hardly left her side in a week. When he does, it’s so he can get work done or see to her needs. She still doesn’t fully understand how much he’s sacrificing for her; but as she watches him duck underneath the showerhead, she’s sure he’s more than enough for her.

I owe it to mom to pick myself up and start living again. I owe it to myself. But after all he’s done—pretty sure I owe it to him, too.

Forcing herself to look away from him, she picks up her brush, runs it through her hair a few times, and then leaves to go see about breakfast. As soon as she reaches the kitchen, she sees the bakery bag on the counter. She assumes there are bagels inside; but when she approaches the bag and looks inside, she gasps at the sight of two boxes of apple pie. When a giggle bubbles out of her mouth, it surprises her—but she doesn’t run from it. She allows herself to feel it, and then she goes about serving herself a piece of pie for breakfast.

Jessica is sitting on a high stool at the island in Khalohn’s sleek kitchen, savoring her last bite of pie and contemplating another slice, when she hears his landline ring. It’s a sound she’s only heard once before, when Stefano came by to drop off her things. The sound of the phone echoes from where it sits—on the hallway table of Khalohn’s foyer, right across from the private elevator. Aside from the phone in his office, it’s the only one she’s seen. Frowning in its direction, she wonders if Khalohn is expecting anyone. Glancing over her shoulder and up the stairs, she wonders if Khalohn is finished with his shower.

The phone stops ringing for all of about two seconds. When it starts up again, Jessica pulls her lower lip between her teeth, shifts her attention back in the direction of the foyer, and then decides maybe she should answer it. She’s halfway across the room when she hears the elevator chime between rings. At the sound of the man’s voice, she stops dead in her tracks.

“Khalohn, boss man, what the fuck?” he calls, the sound of his shoes against the hard floors signaling his approach. “Been trying to reach you. Stopped by your office. Maribelle says you’re working fromhomeall week? Since when do you—”

An attractive man with long hair, tied back at his nape, and dressed in a navy-blue suit, tailored to perfection, comes to a halt in the middle of the hallway at the sight of Jessica. Her eyes grow wide as she watches him do a full body scan. Her cheeks burn with a blush when she remembers what she’s wearing. Or, more accurately, what she’snotwearing.

His dark eyes are practically molten when they return to hers. A disarmingly smug smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth as he mutters, “Well, hello, gorgeous. You explain a lot and yet pose a plethora of questions I can’t begin to conjure at the moment.”

Uselessly, Jessica tugs at the hem of Khalohn’s sweatshirt and stammers, “Uh, who—who are you?”

“I’m the guy who knows the code to the elevator, which means I’ve been around a lot longer than you. I think the better question is: who areyou?”

After he explains how he got up to the fifteenth floor, Jessica realizes the phone in the foyer has long since stopped ringing. Before she can decide what to say next, his familiar voice fills the hallway.

“My name’s on the deed. Perhaps the questions should be left to me.”

Relief washes over Jessica for about two seconds. Then she turns to see Khalohn. One look at him, and her heart seizes, sputters, and then races at the same time her stomach drops, tingles, and twists. She forgets to breathe, all of her attention captivated by the most gorgeously handsome face she’s ever seen.

Jessica barely notices as he closes the distance between them, too captivated by the perfect, high cheekbones she couldn’t see before. She’s mesmerized by the way his eyebrows seem thicker and darker somehow, making his blue eyes more striking and beautiful.

“Breathe, Jessica,” Khalohn insists, sliding a hand around the side of her neck.

She sucks in a deep breath, her lungs rejoice, and then Khalohn’s lips twitch in amusement. The muscle movement is so minute, she would have missed it before. Absentmindedly, she reaches up to graze her fingers down his freshly shaven cheek, wondering how many expressions she’s missed, each one hidden beneath his beard.

“You—you shaved,” she whispers breathlessly.

Khalohn’s eyes drink in the awe lighting up her face as she reaches up with both of her hands to cup his bare cheeks.

Fuck, he thinks, his grip tightening around her neck.If I’d known she’d respond like this, would have gotten rid of the beard weeks ago.

Completely forgetting their audience of one, he lifts his free hand, gently clasping his fingers around one of her wrists as he admits, “You wanted to know who I was beneath the beard. Thought I’d show you.”

“You’re beautiful,” she says on a sigh.

A small smile pulls at his mouth, and her gaze drops down to watch instantly. He’s about to kiss her when they’re interrupted.

“Hate to break up this—whatever it is,” Porter begins to say. “But seeing as how that beard has been around almost as long as I’ve been slummin’ it with you, I think I’m entitled to know who this gorgeous creature is who inspired your baby face.”

At the sound of his voice, Jessica sucks in a sharp breath, pulling her hands away from Khalohn’s face as she looks over at Porter. Khalohn does the same. Rather than letting Jessica go, he moves his hand from her neck and wraps his arm around her shoulders, tucking her into his side.

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