Ice and Fire novel Chapter 600

He breathed deeply, contented in having her so close. "You're helping Lily cook dinner again, aren't you?" Jackson asked, despite having already assumed her answer. An air of love wafted around them as Jackson snaked his hands around Cherry's waist.

Shooting him a cheeky look, she said,"You know the answer, don't you?" She cast a glance at the stairway before continuing bashfully,"We can't let the kids see us like this."

"It doesn't matter. You're my wife. It's perfectly natural for a husband to hug his wife. They won't get envious," Jackson returned, smiling. 'Why has my woman become shy? She didn't used to act like this, ' he pondered.

Cherry nodded. "Alice is here too," she added.

"Alice?" Jackson repeated, a little surprised.

"Yes, Alice. Amy called and asked me to pick up Alice. Amy was too busy and Derek was working, so they didn't have time. Now Violet and Alice are doing their homework upstairs and Lawrence is helping them," Cherry explained.

"I see," Jackson began to understand. 'This isn't a surprise. It's not the first time Derek and Amy have been too busy to pick Alice up. It's a frequent occurrence, ' he said to himself.

His expression turned unreadable. "Sweetheart, let's go upstairs. I have something to tell you," he said tenderly.

"What is it? Good or bad news?" Cherry asked. Jackson was being deliberately coy and she couldn't tell by his expression.

"Come upstairs with me first," Jackson answered with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. He lifted Cherry to his chest and took her upstairs.

Struggling, she found it was futile as usual when he did this. "Let me down. It'll be a bad influence on the kids if they see us," she whispered to him.

"They won't know as long as you keep silent," Jackson informed her.

Cherry fell silent immediately, not wanting to disturb the kids. 'I would be very embarrassed if they caught me like this. I can't let them see me like this, my dear daughter in particular. Otherwise, it would be very difficult for me to educate her, ' she mused.

Carrying his wife bridal style, Jackson took her all the way into their bedroom. He put Cherry on the bed gently and lay beside her.

She hesitated a moment, waiting for him to do something else, but he didn't. She lay on her side and stared at him. "What happened, what is it?" she asked.

"I'm going to Hong Kong for a while. I want you to come with me," Jackson answered seriously.

"Hong Kong?" Cherry asked in surprise. "What are you going to do there?"

"I have business to deal with there. Our company has some projects contracted in Hong Kong recently," Jackson replied.

"You've always been able to do your business by yourself. Why do you want me to come with you this time?" Cherry asked. 'I didn't go with him even when he travelled abroad for work. Why would he ask me to come with him this time? What's different?' she wondered.

Jackson stroked her cheek tenderly. "Because I will have to spend a long time there for these projects," he explained. "If I don't take you with me, I won't be able to see you for a long time. I can't bear to be separated from you." 'If I can't see this woman because of work, I'm willing to call off my business, ' he decided silently.