=-Bethany's POV=-
I was reading a book in the living room when he came in. The following day, he approached me again as if nothing had happened earlier in the kitchen. I assumed he was going on a date because he was dressed casually. Nevertheless, his love life or sex life was none of my business! I waited for him to walk towards the door but he stopped and stood in front of me.
“I am done with the cooking and cleaning,” I told him defensively in case he planned to scold me for not doing my job.
"Let's go shopping," he suggested, and I stared at him in disbelief.
“We?” I asked but then I realized that he may need an assistant to carry his shopping bags later. I was about to ask something else, such as the time we had to leave, and our destination, when his expression suddenly changed.
"Are you deaf?”
“Jacob, you didn't have to insult me. I was only asking because I wasn’t sure why you have to take me shopping,” I reasoned.
"Go change your clothes," he said.
"I'm not in the mood to leave the house," I said, refusing to accompany him.
"It's a command," he explained.
I rolled my eyes at Jacob because he was back to being bossy and commanding. "All right," I said.
I expected him to drive like a maniac because he was usually a fast driver, but he was different. So, after an hour, we arrived at our destination. At first, I assumed he lived in a ghost town because I rarely saw anyone leaving their house. Jacob looked at his watch before narrowing his gaze to a nearby restaurant.
"Let's eat first," he said.
"I'm still full," I grumbled.
"Shopping can make you hungry," he insisted.
The restaurant appeared to be welcoming and well-kept from the outside. The majority of the exterior frame of the building was made of logs and soft wooden tree trunks. The joyful sounds from within could be heard through the small stained glass windows that were difficult to see through. When I looked at Jacob, I clenched my brows because I expected the restaurant to be crowded.
A smiling waiter greeted us with a sense of comfort and happiness as soon as the door was opened. Despite being overburdened, he managed to greet us with a wave. The inside was just as charming as the outside. The upper floor was supported by wooden columns lit by candles. The walls were covered in rows and rows of drawn portraits. Because the waiter's photo was included, I assumed he was one of the founders.
The primary clientele here appeared to be a group belonging to some association, whether it was a sport, music, or something else you're not sure about, which could be interpreted as the best sign. Long tables were occupied by various groups who, after a few drinks, appeared to be competing to see who could move the fastest.
“I didn’t see Dale anymore,” I complained.
“Why? Did you miss him?”
“He hired me, Jacob, and it has nothing to do with you,” I told him.
“He wouldn’t be back anytime soon, so whether you like or not, it’s just the two of us in the house,” he pronounced.
“I know but I hope you are easier to work with. You don’t allow me to go out, and I badly needed a day off, Jacob. Why are you doing this to me?”
"Because you're already mine," he stated emphatically.
"You're sick and pathetic if you believe you can own a person," I said, but he just chuckled and ate as if nothing had happened. What a moron! I was no longer in the mood to shop after we left the restaurant.
“If you’re done eating, let’s go,” he said, and then he signaled the waiter for the chit, and after settling the amount, he held my wrist on our way out of the restaurant.
“Where are we heading now?” I asked while trying to break free from his tight hold.
He didn't respond, but instead grabbed my hand and led me to the women's clothing section. I felt strange inside as I stared at his hand holding mine, but I also felt safe.
Was it natural that I felt safe in his arms? That wasn't supposed to happen! Was it normal for me to enjoy the feel of his powerful hands on my skin? I had a lot of questions in my head, but I didn't have anyone to ask them to.
"Let go of my hand,” I asked him when we entered one of the boutiques.
"You're new here, and I don't want to waste time looking for you if you get separated from me."
When he responded like that, my heart fluttered for unknown reasons. Jacob appeared to be my prince charming, for whom I had long waited. I shook my head in denial at the irrational thoughts racing through my mind, and I reminded myself that if I didn't get involved with him, my life would be easier.
"I'm not stupid!” I hissed at him as I yanked his hand away from me. So he insisted that I go out and buy some things before doing exactly what he wanted.
I looked through their inventory and chose something that I thought would be suitable for me, and when I was finished, the clerk assisted me in carrying the items to the cashier's counter, where he was waiting to pay.
"Are you certain you have everything you'll need?"
“I think so,” I replied briefly.
I was so preoccupied with the shopping that I completely forgot about our real relationship. We were both exhausted from shopping all day, but at least he took the initiative to order take-out for us. I could tell he was tired when he sprawled on the sofa as soon as we got home.
"Massage my legs," he instructed while sprawling on the sofa. I wanted to tell him that I was also tired, but when his eyes glared at me, I realized I wasn’t in the position to complain and positioned myself near his legs.
When I heard his command to massage my legs, I immediately narrowed my eyes at him. He also glared, and he didn’t like my defiance. I wanted to suggest he could call for home service from a professional masseuse, but the thought of another woman touching him didn’t sit well with me.
I wasn't sure why I became obedient when he ordered me to massage his legs; perhaps I just felt bad for him, or I was slowly attracted to him. On the other hand, he was obviously tired, so I figured it was the least I could do. I massaged him for thirty minutes, pressing his muscles at all times. All I could hear were his groans. Was he even moaning? I wasn't sure, but one thing was certain: he was pleased with my services. He had no idea my father used to ask me to massage his tired legs after a long day of meeting with his council.
"Are you feeling better now?" Before I stopped doing it, I asked him.
"Yes, please go on,” he told me.
I continued to massage his legs but after thirty minutes, I drained all of my energy. I wanted to eat something. My heart fluttered when I heard him say the magic words for the first time. "I'm hungry, so we should eat now," I said but I wished he didn’t groan in his response.
"Go ahead and set the table," he instructed a few seconds later.
“Alright.”
Setting the table for dinner was easier since I didn’t have to cook. He insisted on buying takeout food after shopping. Thankfully, he did because it would be tiring to work in the kitchen after long hours of shopping, and almost an hour of massaging his feet. Perhaps, I should suggest hiring a personal shopper because I didn’t want to do it again!
For the first time, I saw him eat, and I realized something wasn't quite right with me. What makes someone appealing who was only eating for the sake of eating? I pondered this question several times but couldn't come up with an answer.
"Are you not hungry?" He noticed that I was just staring at him instead of eating.
"I am," I said, chewing on the chicken leg. It's crispy and juicy at the same time.
We were silently having our dinner when we heard the sound of the doorbell. As his household help, it was my duty to check who was outside the gate, and my eyes widened in surprise when I recognized the man standing outside. Without asking for Jacob’s permission, I dashed outside to open it.
"Good evening," he said, and my eyes widened when I recognized him as the man who had stopped by a few weeks before.
"Hello," I said in response.
“Who is it, Bethany?”
"Pedro," I replied as I turned around to face Jacob, who was standing behind me. “Why did you follow me outside?” I asked in a low voice because I didn’t want our hot neighbor to hear us.
“Because I was worried,” he replied. “So, your name is Pedro. How are you doing, dude?”
The way he referred to Pedro as a dude was quite rude and I glared at Jacob for being rude to my friend. I just smiled at Pedro and didn't say anything else. I wished I could interrupt them, but I wasn’t given a chance. They were standing close to each other, examining one another, as if they were mortal enemies.
"I'm just dropping by to see how this little chit is doing. My mother has been asking for you," Pedro explained.
"Soon," Jacob replied on my behalf.
"Did he treat you well, Miss Bethany?" Pedro inquired. “You are always welcome to work with us if this dude here is not treating you well.”
"She's good as you can see," Jacob said, checking his wristwatch and telling me it was late and time to go to bed. I apologized to Pedro, but there was nothing I could do.
"I'll see you later, Bethany."
"Do you mean you're going to see her tomorrow?" Pedro was asked to explain what he had just said by Jacob.
"Hmmm, because I'll be here for a few days," he explained.
"You can't stay here," I said.
"What's the harm?" Pedro inquired.
Should I tell him about the women Jacob kept in his home? When I looked at Jacob, his eyes warned me, so I smirked. Before I could finish my sentence, he grabbed my hand and led me to my room, leaving Pedro alone in the living room.
"Bethany, go to sleep." He gave the order.
"It's still very early!"
"I told you to sleep!" He yelled at me, and I was stunned by it. I tried to confront him, but he had already left, and all I could do was stare at the door.
I've been tossing and turning for almost an hour, trying to fall asleep, and when I couldn't, I got up and read a book. I may have stayed up late last night, but getting up early was not an issue. I've always been a morning person.
So I started cooking our breakfast at five o'clock, and when my boss came down for breakfast, I said, "Good morning, Jacob," and when he went straight to the table without saying anything, my gaze followed him. "Pedro and I have already eaten our breakfast," I told him, and when he scowled, I scowled back. "We were both hungry," I reasoned, "and you were still sleeping."
"In that case, what brings you here?" He inquired. "Now move out of the way!" He yelled.
"Sir, my ears are in good working order, and there is no need for you to shout." I tried to be nice to him, but his demeanor was out of this world, and he wasted no time in provoking me. Finally, I walked away from him, stomping my feet.
“Come back here right now!” He shouted.
One day, when Jacob was away, I decided to pay a visit to Pedro’s house. I couldn’t explain it but I wanted to keep Pedro as a friend. We had the same vibes, and I loved his sense of humor. I took a deep breath outside Pedro's room before approaching his door and knocking for strength and courage.
"Hello," I murmured, smiling at the most attractive man I'd ever seen, and when he smiled back, how do I express how excited and giddy I felt? Finally, I felt a million butterflies in my stomach, and I knew I'd slobber on him if I didn't close my lips immediately.
"Please come in, Bethany." Pedro flung open the door wide to greet me.
"Your place is nice," I said from the bottom of my heart, complimenting his space. Or else my mouth would start complimenting him on everything in seconds. Even as a housemaid, I was intrigued by the prospect of living with him. He was gentler than Jacob, and he didn't treat me as if I were a second-class citizen because of my current occupation.
"How are things going, Bethany? You appear upset," he noticed.
"I probably shouldn't have come here, but Jacob is driving me insane! He's been so difficult to live with lately," I grumbled about Jacob's behavior, and Pedro gave me a strange look.
"Could you please be patient with him?" he asked.
"Why should I?"
"Because he probably has a lot to deal with," Pedro explained.
“You are right. As the Mayor of Claybourne, he probably has a lot on his plate, but I wished he can be kind to me all the time,” I complained.
“You can’t force people to be kind all the time,” Pedro stated a fact, and I nodded my head.
"Oh well, it'll just take some getting used to."
"At the very least, you're present to keep him company." He had no idea that multiple women were always available to warm Jacob's bed. "Oh, well, it's much nicer now that you paid me a visit," Pedro said as he drew one of the chairs for me.
Pedro wasn't just attractive; he was also a gentleman, as opposed to my boss, who was usually quiet and moody as if he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. "Thank you," I said as I sat down. "By the way, thank you for helping me in the kitchen earlier."
"Don't worry," he said, a smile on his face and dimples showing, attempting to entice my naive heart.
I admired him even more, and my obsession with him rendered me unable to think of anything else. My mind finally went numb, and all I could do was stare at him. The man could cook, bake, and enchant me with a simple smile.
"Are you single?" I inquired.
"I am," he replied. Then, Pedro tried to be respectful of my position as an unaccompanied woman in a men's room by saying, "Hmmm, we can simply open the door if you like," and his kind gesture warmed my heart.
"Is it okay if I leave it open?" I asked about him.
"What's the harm?" He replied and proceeded to open the door. Pedro's place was similar to Jacob's, but it felt more welcoming and comfortable. Everything was well-coordinated, and the furniture complemented his floor plan perfectly.
"Do you want to eat?”
"Are you sure it’s okay?"
"Yeah, and a cup of coffee, too. Come on," he said, inviting me to partake in his mid-morning snacks.
I used to be embarrassed about my weight, but Pedro had invited me and I couldn't say no. As we ate, Pedro bombarded me with questions, the majority of which were personal. However, I withheld some facts from him because I believed that telling him white lies would go unnoticed.
"I can't believe you're still single; you're beautiful and generous."
"I used to date someone, but she's no longer with me," he explained but I could tell from his eyes that he was lying. Why?
Due to my chores, I excused myself from Pedro after we finished our nibbles. I also didn't want Jacob to see me in Pedro's place. "I guess I'll have to leave now," I admitted.
"Of course," he replied. "I'll see you later."
I quickly replied, "OK," before leaving Pedro's room, but my smile faded as Jacob's staring gaze awaited me as soon as I got back home.
"Why did you visit him?" He sneered at me. Jacob was trying to keep his cool because Pedro was only a few meters away, but the way he scowled at me was something I shouldn't take lightly.
"We just had some nibbles," I explained.
"At this time?" As he checked the time on his watch, he questioned me, his brow furrowed. "Liar," he called me a liar and I was enraged!