The Heiress With Seven Secret Identies (Stella Shaw) novel Chapter 413

He froze, standing there as stiff as a board.

"It's... it must be the wiring," Jasper managed, his voice sounding like he'd been swallowing sand. "Since no one's lived here for a while, a circuit probably tripped."

"Right," Nicole whispered. "The, um... do you have the clothes?"

Realizing how close they were, she took a shaky step back, her voice tinged with awkwardness.

"Right here."

As he handed the clothes over, his hand brushed against something impossibly soft. He recoiled instantly as he heard her let out a muffled gasp.

"You—you just touched my face," she stammered, her voice low and strained.

"Oh! Sorry!" Jasper was dazed.

Was that really her face? The texture felt... different. And even if it was her face, why was her reaction so intense?

"Jasper, close your eyes."

"Nicole, the power is out. I can't see anything anyway."

"What if the lights come back on?" she countered.

"We're getting engaged soon," Jasper teased gently. "A little peek shouldn't be that big of a deal, right?"

"Absolutely not," Nicole said firmly, the sound of fabric rustling suggesting she was dressing as fast as she could.

"Fine, fine. Eyes closed."

Snap.

The power surged back on. Jasper had his left eye squeezed shut, but his right eye just wouldn't seem to cooperate. By the time he looked, she was already covered. Seeing her drowned in his oversized shirt made his pulse quicken.

"The pants are way too big," Nicole murmured, looking down and clutching the waistband to keep them from sliding off.

"Your clothes will be here any minute."

She nodded tentatively. "Why did the power just kick back on like that? You don't think someone broke in, do you?"

"Don't worry, the security alarms are active."

"Can we check anyway? I'm scared."

Jasper took her hand. It was a bit of a comical sight—Nicole hobbling along while hiking up his huge trousers—but they did a full sweep of the ground floor until she felt safe.

"You didn't finish washing your hair, did you?" Jasper asked.

"No."

"Come here. I'll wash it for you."

"Really?"

He swept her up into his arms, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. "Consider it a little preview of married life."

Nicole couldn't help but smile back.

Jasper already had a feeling that Nicole was too scared to even close her eyes.

The moment they reached the bathroom and he set her down, a soft thud followed—her trousers had slid right to the floor. They stood there, frozen, before both breaking into an awkward, self-conscious laugh.

"The pants... they're just too big," Nicole stammered. "I lost my grip."

"It's fine," Jasper said quickly.

Luckily, his dress shirt was long enough to save her from total mortification. Even with her height—she stood five-foot-eight—it provided just enough coverage, though only barely. Jasper took a sharp breath, trying to ignore the sight of her long, pale legs and fighting to keep his more primal instincts in check.

Focus, Jasper. You're the hairstylist right now. Your only job is to wash her hair. Just wash the hair.

Nicole closed her eyes. As the warm water ran through her hair, her fear began to melt away, replaced by a sense of calm.

"How's the pressure?" Jasper asked.

A small smile played on her lips. "You can go a little firmer."

"How about this?"

Why did Cody sound so terrified all of a sudden?

Candy? He wants me to go out in the middle of the night for candy? Is he babysitting?

Jasper gently pressed on Nicole's shoulders. "Lie back down."

"Are you mad?" she asked softly.

"No."

"You sounded a little mean just then. I think you really scared Cody."

Jasper's hands paused for a second.

Was he being mean? No, he was just exhausted by the sheer amount of garbage currently floating around his assistant's head.

"I'd never be mean to you," Jasper said.

"I know," Nicole replied. "You wouldn't dare."

Jasper raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "And what makes you so sure?"

"Because if you're ever mean to me, I'll have to punish you."

"Oh? And how exactly would you do that?"

"Physical punishment," she said playfully.

She reached up and grabbed his collar, tugging him down until he was forced to lean over her. Then, she leaned in and gave his lip a soft, teasing nip.

Jasper felt like his heart had stopped beating.

"Just like that," Nicole whispered. "That was just a demonstration, so I didn't draw blood."

Jasper pressed his lips together, a ripple of excitement stirring deep within him. He grabbed a clean towel and began to dry her hair, forced to take a deep breath to steady himself.

This girl really knew how to push his buttons.

He lifted her up to sit on the vanity, pinching her cheek affectionately. "Stay put while I blow-dry your hair."

She watched him with a faint smile, her gaze bright and intense.