AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Alright then.” She leaves her brushes on the floor. She’s messed up her fingers again, and she curses under her breath. She disappears into her kitchen, and then she hurries back to me.
I take a seat on her couch, and she joins me. I point at the gift basket. “That’s for you. I apologize for being a needy patient.”
Her face relaxes, and I want nothing but to kiss her. She’s in a red shirt and grey sweats, looking plush. There’s a hint of watercolors on her pretty face. I can see that she tried her hardest to rub it off on certain spots where her skin’s red.
Ivy leans forward, grabbing the basket for herself. She undoes the elegant gift wrapping in its shiny glory. She glimpses inside, and she smiles. I told them to put everything coffee in there, a cup, coffee dessert, rare coffee beans from South America…
“Thank you,” she says to me.
“The ladies at the store said the dessert needs to be refrigerated if you don’t eat it now,” I tell her. Ivy picks it out, a see-through box with the gift shop’s brand stamped on it.
“I love Tiramisu!” she blurts out. The ladies at the store need a raise. “Did you know that?”
In all honesty, I shake my head. I know many things about her, but her love for Italian dessert is new to me. “I didn’t. I know you like coffee. That’s all.”
She squeals like an excited schoolgirl, and I sit back on her couch, watching her. I’m content with today even if I go home by the end of the night.
Ivy produces two spoons from her kitchen, and she opens up the box of Tiramisu. She hands it to me. “Here, have some.”
“I got it for you,” I say gently. “You like it so much.”
“Please, have some. It’s my favorite dessert. I’m sure you’ll love it.” I shake my head. “Come on. Do you want me to feed you?”
She chuckles, staring at the Tiramisu.
I remain silent until she realizes what she’s suggested doesn’t seem like a bad idea at all.
CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
IVY
I graba spoonful of the creamy Tiramisu.
There’s intrigue in his face and a hint of amusement. I scoot closer to him, and I let him have a taste. “Have you ever had Tiramisu before?”
He nods while chewing. I study him as he eats, and I can’t find anything more fascinating in the room. Days have passed since we last saw each other in my office, and I’ve been doing great. I read a lot, and I painted Smolyakov in the strangest poses.
“It’s good,” he says, and I can’t wait to have my own bite. “What are you waiting for?”
“You’re my guest. You go first.” I’m blushing.
“I got it for you, so you better eat it.”
I nod, not needing any further confirmation. I go to town on the Tiramisu. Its rich taste dominates my mouth. I’ve had enough coffee for the day, but more coffee doesn’t hurt. Besides, it’s not like Tiramisu is solely coffee-based. There are other factors, too. Biscuits. Mascarpone… And I’m rambling because I can’t focus while he watches me eat.
The Tiramisu is gone in the next minute. I set the empty box on the coffee table, taking a comfortable seat on the couch. “How have you been? Did you suffer any episodes this week?”
Jordan shakes his head. He’s in his sweatpants again, and I must look away. “I managed to work less.”
“You did? I’m so proud of you!” I exclaim. I didn’t think he’d succeed in slimming his workload this soon.
“Not so fast.” I worry about what he’ll say next. “I didn’t feel comfortable leaving the office earlier, so I’ve been sleeping the same, irregularly and less than I should. My men have stopped coming to me to solve their problems. I have one less source of stress.”
“Small steps are important, too,” I state, secretly grateful that his episode had at least one benefit. His men have distanced themselves from him. Måns has been asking questions in my circle of friends, and Malena’s been trying to interrogate me. Luckily, I’ve been too busy with work to talk to them about Jordan.
He stares at my lips. It doesn’t bother me because I can’t keep my eyes off his body. He says, “You’ve got a little cream on your upper lip.”
“Huh?”
