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“I’m doing well. About to head out to get coffee with Joyce. Would you like to join? Of course, only if it’s okay with you Joyce.”

I smile. “It’s okay with me.” Seems as though Director Taevian and Director Young have something going on.

“How about you, Jia?” Oh, first name basis I see. I think they would be cute together.

He rubs his hands together. “Perfect. Let’s go.” Director Young and I take his arms. We appear in an alley. Even from here, I can see the Eiffel tower. I chuckle as I remember the last time I came here. It was with Aiden. He surprised me by taking me to the top of the tower. I almost peed my pants. He just laughed the whole time.

“It’s around the corner. Listen, this place has the best coffee and croissants I’ve ever had, and I’ve been to a lot of places,” Taevian boasts. We walk out of the alleyway and towards the shop.

“You’re sounding your age,” I tease. He laughs and pats my shoulder.

“With age comes wisdom. Right, Jia?”

Director Young chuckles. “Yes. I’ve learned a lot in my thousand years.”

I stop walking and my eyes almost pop out of my head. They turn to look at me, humor on their faces. “You’re a thousand years old!” I exclaim.

“Yes, dear,” she replies, a kind smile on her face. “I am the only original director still working at Eden.”

“That’s impressive,” I reply in awe. She has lived through so many different eras. I have a million questions to ask her.

“She is impressive,” Taevian says, with a fond smile. We stop in front of a cafe and walk inside. It is beautifully decorated, with a rustic vintage look to it. The scent of coffee beans and pastries bless my nose. We give our orders, then sit down.

Director Young begins, “Ms. Parker—”

“Oh, please call me Joyce,” I say.

She smiles. “Joyce, how is your experience at Eden so far?” she asks curiously, taking a sip of her coffee.

“It has been amazing! I have had quite the experience here so far.”

“That’s good to hear. I’m glad Aiden chose you as his lawyer. You are very special. How is it working with him?”

I shrug one shoulder. “It’s been alright, I guess. He’s bearable,” I lie. He’s been more than alright. I completely and irrefutably have feelings for Aiden. What those exact feelings are—I don’t know. But I do know that every time he calls me Joy, my chest tightens, and I feel as though I could burst. Every touch feels like warmth covering all my skin, like a blanket. However, I will take these feelings with me to Heaven before I ever tell him, or anyone else. He made it clear in the beginning that this was just a temporary thing. I agreed with him, but little old me had to go and catch feelings.

Director Taevian interjects, “Those two are always bickering and arguing. If they could kill each other, they would try.” I chuckle and take a sip of my coffee. We still bicker, despite being friends. It can’t be helped.

“I’m sure they are growing on each other. You know how opposites attract. Maybe they will grow feelings for each other,” Director Young teases as she takes a sip of her coffee, and gives me a wink over the rim of her cup.

I choke on my coffee. Taevian pats my back and replies, “You see. Even the thought of it made her choke. I really do hope you and Aiden can become friends before you leave.” Little does he know, we are way past friendship.

The three of us spend the next hour talking about my cases, the drama at Eden, and some of the things we enjoy in the Living World.

When I walk back into our shared office, Aiden is taking a nap on the couch. I quietly walk up to him and kneel down to stare at his sleeping face. Kind of creepy, but he usually wakes up before me. I never get a chance to really look at him. He looks so peaceful with his usual frown missing from his face.

I run my finger gently across his cheek. His eyebrows slightly furrow. He blinks a couple of times then gazes upon me with those dark brown eyes I adore. His eyes light up when he realizes it’s me.

I give him a quick kiss on the lips. “Mr. Kim. Are you sleeping on the job?”

He gives me a lazy grin. “I’d rather be sleeping with you,” he replies, a slight rasp in his voice from waking up. Yeah, God would have been a woman if she was real.

I roll my eyes. “All you think about is sex.”

“We can cuddle too.” He proves his point by pulling me off the floor and on top of him on the couch.

He places a hand at my nape and pulls me down to his lips. He gently runs his tongue along the crease of my mouth. As if my mouth already knows what to do, it opens, and his tongue caresses my own. Before the kiss gets any deeper, he pulls away.

He kisses my nose and says, “There’s more of that later, after I feed you.”