Act Like You Love Me (Jessica) novel Chapter 91

Chapter 91

Jessica’s POV

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I woke to the sensation of something soft and cool brushing against my cheek. I groaned softly, a sleepy smile tugging at the corners of my mouth as I buried my face deeper into the plush pillow.

“Stop,” I giggled, my voice thick with sleep.

The tickling continued, moving from my cheek to the tip of my nose.

“Ad-” I popped my eyes open, the name nearly leaping off my tongue.

I expected to see a mischievous six-year-old with messy curls, but instead, I found the senior version of the boy who usually tickles me awake.

Aaron’s dark brown eyes were staring down at me.

For the first time since I came back, the ice had thawed. They weren’t freezing chocolates anymore; they were molten, warm, and filled with a softness that made my heart beat race slower.

He was holding a single, deep red rose, using the velvet petals to wake me.

“Aaron,” I whispered, my heart hammering against my ribs.

I caught myself just in time, swallowing the rest of Adrian’s name.

The slip would have been fatal, a crack in the fragile seventy-two-hour bubble we had built.

“You’ve been sleeping for hours,” he teased, his voice a low, melodic hum. “I almost thought you’d died on

me.”

I felt the heat rise to my cheeks. “Maybe I did and went to heaven.”

I missed this. I missed this so much it was a physical ache in my chest. For a moment, the secrets, the lies…. they didn’t exist. It was just us.

I grabbed a spare pillow and chucked it at his face.

He chuckled, catching it easily with one hand, his eyes sparkling with a playfulness I thought had died long

ago.

He reached out, grabbing my wrists and pulling me up toward him. I stumbled, losing my footing on the silk sheets, and landed hard against his chest.

The force sent us both backward. Aaron lost his balance, and we tumbled onto the bed in a tangle of limbs.

My palms were pressed flat against the firm muscle of his chest, and his arms were locked securely around my

waist.

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We stared at each other for a long moment, the air between us thick with the scent of the rose and his skin.

He reached forward, gently tucking a stray lock of hair behind my ear, his touch lingering on my jaw.

“You’ve gotten a bit… more substantial, Jess,” he teased, his eyes dancing with mischief. “A few more curves to

handle than I remember.”

My heart sank for a split second. Even though he said it with a smirk, the comment still hit a nerve.

Old memories flooded back in an unwanted rush: the echoes of taunts from high school, the cruel jabs about my body that had once cut so deep I’d spent years trying to heal.

I felt a sudden, heavy pang of sadness; a reminder of how far we’d come, yet how fragile this entire illusion. still was.

My smile faltered, the light leaving my eyes, as I was transported back to those lonely months in Philly.

Back then, my body had changed so rapidly under the pressure of a secret, and I’d been left alone in the dark with no one to tell me I was still beautiful.

“I… I’m sorry,” I mumbled, my voice small and hollow.

I tried to push off him, the sudden urge to hide myself becoming overwhelming. But Aaron didn’t let me retreat into the shadows of my own mind.

He tightened his grip immediately, his fingers anchoring me to his hips, pulling me back down until I had no choice but to feel the solid heat of him.

“Hey, wait-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that,” he whispered, his eyes searching mine.

“I was joking. You look perfect. You look… healthy. You look like a woman, Jess.”

I refused to look at him, staring instead at his collarbone. He gently hooked two fingers under my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly, his voice sincere. “I didn’t mean to make you sad.”

Before I could respond, he leaned in and kissed me. It was deep, lingering, and tasted of forgiveness.

Using his strength, he hooked his hands under my thighs and sat up in one fluid motion.

I yelped, thinking I was going to slide off the bed, but he was strong and terrifyingly careful.

Within seconds, I was straddling him, my arms locked instinctively around his neck, my heart racing.

“I have a surprise for you,” he whispered against my lips.

My brows furrowed in confusion. “What is it?”

“Go take a bath first. Everything you need would be provided.”

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I started to shift, intending to stand up, but as I moved. I mistakenly ground my weight against him.

Aaron’s jaw clenched instantly, his hands gripping my hips with a sudden, bruising firmness.

I paused, feeling the heat of him beneath me. A spark of boldness, the kind I only ever felt with him- flickered to life. I didn’t move away.

Instead, I leaned down until my lips were ghosting over his ear.

You like that. Aaron?” I whispered.

He let out a low, guttural groan and squeezed my ass through the thin fabric of my robe.

“Don’t start a fire you can’t quench, Jess. I’m warning you.”

I smiled, a slow, predatory curve of my lips.

Then let it consume me. Let it consume both of us.”

With that. I began to move against him. We didn’t undress; the friction of our clothes only added to the desperate, building tension.

The sensation was electric; a raw, grounding heat that gathered low in my cunt as we dry-humped like teenagers discovering desire for the first time.

His breath came in harsh, jagged pants against my neck, and mine hitched in response as the pressure coiled tighter and tighter between us.

Every slide of my hips against his was a spark to a fuse.

We moved together until the air in the room felt thick and stifling, until we had both soaked through our layers, lost in the sheer, unadulterated intensity of the moment.

I felt the sudden, hot rush of my release soaking through my lace panties, mirrored by the thick spill of his own release staining his pants.

Our bodies trembled in a jagged, perfect unison as the world blurred around us.

We clung to each other in the heavy silence of the aftermath, my head falling onto his shoulder as our breaths slowly began to sync.

As the high started to fade into a warm, glowing hum, he looked up at me.

His signature cocky grin broke through his expression.

“I didn’t know you had such a talent for that,” he murmured.

I buried my face in his neck, suddenly shy, my skin glowing. He didn’t let me hide for long.

He stood up, carrying me in his arms as if I weighed nothing, and walked me into the massive, marble-tiled bathroom.

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Tll be waiting for you,’ he said, setting me down by the steaming tub. He turned to leave but stopped at the door, glancing back over his shoulder.

*And Jess? Just fifteen minutes. I know you love scrubbing every inch of your body until you’re pink, but we have a schedule

I rolled my eyes, a playful huff escaping me. I don’t spend that much time. Now go?”

I jammed the door shut and leaned against it, letting out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding

I looked down at my thighs, the evidence of our shared hear coating my skin, and felt a blush creep up my

neck.

The way Aaron made me feel it was a language I’d forgotten how to speak, yet my body remembered every syllable.

I sighed, threw my hair into a quick bun, and set to work.

Forty-five minutes later-I couldn’t help it—I stepped our of the bathroom.

The bed had been made, and in the center of it sat a large designer shopping bag and a massive, fragrant bouquet of lilies and roses.

I strode over, my curiosity piqued. Inside the bag was a garment bag. Inside the bouquet, tucked between two white lilies, was a card in Aaron’s bold, elegant handwriting.

I know you’d look great in this. When you’re done, go outside the suite: someone will be waiting to bring you to me. I can’t wait to see you, flower.

I felt a surge of pure, unadulterated giddiness.

For the last few hours, I had successfully pushed reality into a dark corner. Adrian was safe with Lydia: Lauren was a world away.

Right now, I was just a girl in Madrid with the man I loved.

I hurriedly did my makeup, keeping it soft but glowing: light strokes of brow pencil a touch of mascara to make my eyes pop, and a nude lip that felt natural yet polished.

I straightened my long hair, letting it roll down my back like a curtain of silk. When I finally pulled the dress out of the bag. I gasped.

It was a beautiful, peach-colored, backless gown. The fabric was form-fitting, designed to hug every curve, with a daring slit that started mid-thigh.

I stepped into it, feeling the silk cool against my skin. I added the gold jewelry Aaron had provided and a pair of strappy heels.

I spritzed on my favorite perfume, grabbed my clutch, and stepped out of the suite.

Just as he’d promised, someone was waiting. It wasn’t the driver, but a tall, masculine woman with short-

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cropped hair and a sharp, tailored suit.

She stood with a professional air that suggested she was more than just an escort.

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She greeted me with a polite nod, but I couldn’t help but notice the way her eyes traveled over me, a look of genuine appreciation in her gaze.

I felt the heat rise to my face again.

She complimented me in rapid Spanish, her voice low and admiring. I laughed nervously.

“I’m sorry, I’m English.”

The woman smirked, her eyes twinkling. “I know.”

She held out her hand, leading me toward the elevator. As we passed through the lobby and out toward the street, I felt like a sun among candles.

People stopped to stare-men and women alike.

My escort, acting as my temporary bodyguard, placed a protective hand around my waist to guide me through a small crowd.

I saw a few men in the lobby scowl, their narrow minds clearly jumping to conclusions about our relationship, but I didn’t care.

I felt safe with her, and honestly, if I ever had to choose a different path, someone with her strength and grace wouldn’t be a bad choice at all.

We reached a matte black G-Wagon idling at the curb. She opened the heavy door for me with a flourish.

“Thank you,” I smiled.

As the car pulled away, weaving through the vibrant streets, Madrid became a smeared lattice of honey- colored stone and blinking neon lights through the window.

I watched the world rush by-ancient plazas and bustling tapas bars-but my mind was miles ahead of the car. All I could think about was Aaron.

What did he have planned? And how much longer could this beautiful, terrifying illusion last?

For now, though, I let myself sink into it, the anticipation building like a slow burn, wondering where this night would lead.

Author’s Note

How are we enjoying the story so far?

To everyone who has read this far-thank you. Truly. Your time, your attention, and your hearts mean more to me than I can say.

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