Chapter 44.2

Jason smiled as he chopped a chunk of beef into small pieces while a small crowd of children helped him wash the vegetables and prepare the meal. He was currently in the kitchen preparing a beef stew along with homemade bread for the children.

"That's a great job, kid," Jason appreciatively told a young girl who was peeling potatoes. She blushed and smiled happily as she received the compliment, bursting with pride at being acknowledged for her hard work.

Jason looked upwards when he heard Alice's bell-like laughter and he smiled tenderly again. Through the window, he could see Alice playing tag with the other children, Melanie sitting and telling a story to another batch of children, and Emily half-heartedly playing dolls with some more girls.

Emily . . . Jason thought. His smile faded as his yearning eyes lingered on Emily.

He admired her gentleness as she played with the children, and his gaze inadvertently lingered on her for a while but a second later he quickly looked down when he saw her turning to look at him. No matter what he told her, he knew very well what his true feelings for her were. And no matter how much he denied it, he knew very well that it was better to bury it.

I can't . . . He thought gloomily. If Lizzy and Katie weren't . . . but they are. And Allie . . . I'll keep my promise this time. I won't hurt her or her friends. Not again.

Pushing his thoughts aside, Jason turned to the children that were helping him cook before sneakily looking around to see if the coast was clear.

"Hey kids," Jason said in an intentionally low voice. "Wanna see a magic trick?"

The children nodded eagerly and Jason grinned before throwing all the peeled potatoes into the air. A multitude of gasps rang out through the air as gravity pulled the potatoes back to the ground. Before the potatoes could land into the large pot beneath them, Jason flicked his wrist several times. The knife in his hands gleamed in the chilly sunlight as he cut the potatoes in midair faster than the eye could see. The children furrowed their eyebrows when they noticed the potatoes were still whole even after Jason stopped slashing, but soon their eyes widened in surprise as they saw the potatoes split into even chunks upon impacting the bottom of the pot.

"Wow!" a chorus of surprised awe and claps sounded out from the children while Jason triumphantly basked in their praises. "Do it again, do it again!"

Jason grinned and threw some more vegetables into the air and the children clapped as he chopped them into small pieces. As he did so, he heard a giggle echo from behind him and the bright innocent laughter was so familiar to him, but he couldn't quite grasp as to why it was. After adding beef, Jason let the stew cook while he went to prepare the bread. Noticing that there wasn't enough flour in the kitchen, he told the kids to play outside while he left for the storehouse.

Emily watched Jason playing the children with warm but bleak eyes. She felt his intense gaze on her earlier and looked back at him, hoping to capture to a glimpse of his stare, hoping to know for certain that he cared for her, but found him avoiding her again. But she also understood that he was forcing those feelings down. She realized where he was coming from: he was her teacher, her friend's brother, and a complicated man who was - is - juggling one too many love interests. But she didn't care about any of that. She just wanted him. And she wanted to be selfish, to be happy for once.

Watching him usher the children out of the kitchen, Emily settled her heart and decided to follow him, but not before leaving the girls whom she was playing with to Ms. Grace.

Jason opened the storehouse and nodded with appreciation when he saw how the interior was clean and dry. The autumn air was crisp and cold and it preserved the stores wonderfully.

"Alrighty. Flour, flour, flour. Where art thou?" Jason muttered as he bent down and searched for flour. A moment later, he paused when he sensed someone behind him and silently sighed, his eyes closed.

"Jason . . ." Emily's voice, low but firm, called out from behind.

Jason was reluctant to turn around and face her, he didn't want to confront her again but he relented when he felt her hand on his back. The warmth of her hand burned through his shirt and he felt a shudder pass through him as his body responded to the warmth.

"Emily . . . listen, I -" Jason turned around to face her when his words were abruptly stopped by Emily's lips. All thoughts and excuses faded from his mind as he felt her soft sweet lips push down on his, his mind went blank and he could see stars as he felt her lips part, her tongue gently caressed his lips before prying them open to greet his own tongue. Within him, a beast, caged and restless, broke out and roared with delight.

Without even thinking, Jason reciprocated her kiss. He lifted Emily up and wrapped her legs around his waist before passing her against the wall. He then pushed his tongue into her, savouring the sweet taste of bubblegum while exploring her mouth. He rolled his tongue against hers, brushed her teeth and gums before pulling away and gently nibbling on her plush lower lip.

More, the beast within Jason growled. I want more of her.

Emily moaned between deep breaths that came out with a pant as they parted, they're lips only millimetres away from grazing each other as Emily's emerald eyes gazed into Jason's onyx eyes that were almost gleaming red with desire. His hands slowly crept up her thighs and onto her pillowy bosoms. He fondled them through her sweater, moulding them to his will despite the fact that they were encased in a bra. Wanting to hear more of her delectable cries, Jason slipped his hand into her sweater and unclasped her bra. Promptly, and roughly, tossing them aside, he brushed his rough, calloused across her tips, rolling her hardened nipples between his fingertips, and Emily gasped with content and bliss even as her tongue met his once more.

"Oh, Jason," Emily parted her mouth from Jason's just to moan again as he bent his head and bit and suckled her neck, leaving a bright hickey at the base.