Chapter 54: Chapter 54

Chapter Fifty - Four

Ava's POV

I woke up with the bright sunlight entering the bedroom. Same like all other times. But today was a holiday. The office was closed today and that meant Jasper was at home too.

In celebration of a holiday and not going to the office, I pushed myself up from the bed smiling. Feeling all happy and sunshine. I glanced at the clock and saw that it was eight o'clock in the morning. So, I decided it was time to get up.

Standing up, I folded my blanket and made my bed. Then I proceeded to go into the washroom and get cleaned up. Later after getting freshened up and changing my clothes, I walked down downstairs.

To find everything a bit quiet. Where were the sounds of Maria's humming or turning things from one place to another.

Was Maria not awake yet? Or she was doing some other chores somewhere else in the house? I wondered.

Maybe she was taking some extra nap like any normal person does on holiday. Probably, thinking that we might not wake up any early or any sooner anyway.

I walked downstairs and tried to look for Maria any place that came my way. However, in the middle of my search, all of a sudden my stomach let out a big growl. I clutched my stomach and rubbed it to soothe the emptiness that I was feeling inside it.

Yeah, I was hungry.

Last night, after coming home from work, I had not eaten much for dinner. After eating a bit of my food, I had just gone to sleep. Since I was exhausted.

Nowadays, I get exhausted very easily. Maybe, it was because of my pregnancy or the pain that I usually feel within my legs and thighs after a long time, that it exhausted me.

Nevertheless, I needed to eat something. Or else I would die out of hunger. My stomach felt too hollow and only food could sedate the need for it.

Therefore, without wasting any more time, I went straight to the kitchen. In hopes that I would find something to eat.

Even before I entered the kitchen, I heard sounds coming from there. I halted in my steps.

I sighed. Of course, Maria was in the kitchen. Where would else she be? Going out to meet her relatives on the holiday?

With a little hesitation, I entered the kitchen, still rubbing my stomach to soothe the hunger and hollowness.

"Hey, Maria. Could you fix me something to eat please. I am really hungry. I'm feeling like I might die out of hunger if I didn't eat anything soon enough." I told her as I walked inside the kitchen fixing my hair in a ponytail. My hair was growing too fast too soon.

Right as I raised my head I came face to face with Jasper, who was holding a pan in one hand and a wooden spoon in the other. And was currently staring at me with surprise, just like I was staring at him with a surprised look.

To be more specific, he was currently staring at my hand that was still in my hair, in an attempt to make a ponytail. He stared at my hair for a few more seconds before his eyes slid down and met my eyes.

"Are you hungry?" He asked me. Still, standing like a statue. As soon as I heard his question, I moved. Fixing my hair in a ponytail and then letting my hands fall down.

"I am making sandwiches for us. Will that work for you?" He questioned, turning around to the stove.

To say that he looked attractive was an understatement. He was wearing a white shirt and black jeans. His hairs were combed but a little ruffled and that only made him appear more attractive.

And most importantly, he had his shirt's sleeves rolled up.

Which meant that I could currently see his veiny - muscled, forearms.

I closed my eyes, trying to gain some control over my thinking. To gain my composure back.

Don't think of him like that. Don't do it. Leave him be.

Goddamn, my crush on him.

"Is something wrong?" I heard Jasper ask. My eyelid shot open and I gave him a smile.

"No. Just hungry." I replied. Not wanting him to know what I was thinking.

He gave me a smile.

"Don't worry. Breakfast is coming right up." He said and his movement became hurried.

I walked over to the counter stool and perched upon it. Worried that I might actually end up fainting.

"Where is Maria? Why are you cooking in her place? Is she still sleeping?" I asked him.

Shaking his head with his back facing me, he continued to work around the kitchen as he answered my question.

"No. She is on leave like the rest of us. She is gone to meet one of her relatives. So, today it is just us." He replied, shocking me.

Went to meet a relative? And here I thought that - that she did not have anyone but Jasper by her side.

Well hell. Was somebody listening to me earlier?

It was like someone had heard what I had said earlier. That was the exact thing that I had thought about it.

Out of nowhere, my stomach let out a loud growl, enough loud to be heard around the whole damn kitchen and I felt someone had poured a bucket of embarrassment over my head. I pinched my eyes shut and let out a curse internally. Squeezing my stomach, I slowly peeled my eyes open.

Why did it have to happen in front of him? Why? Why my stomach could not wait for a few more seconds?

Gosh, this was embarrassing. It was just like farting in front of him. Or maybe that might be worse. But still.

Jasper stopped in his work and turned around to see me. His expression surprised, shocked and amused all at once.

"Was that your stomach?" He questioned, embarrassing me further that I was already feeling.

I gave him a sheepish smile, knowing full well that my cheeks were warm and therefore blushing like a tomato.

"It was just ... I am just hungry." I told him. Trying to excuse the most embarrassing moment of my life.

To my surprise, Jasper let out a chuckle and then he let out a small laughter and then he began laughing like he had heard the best joke of all time.

"My god! I did not know that somebody's stomach could make That loud noise." He said in between his session of laughter before shaking his head.

His laughter was like having a fit of laughter or an asthma attack. By the way, he was struggling to breathe between his laughter, I would probably think it was the latter.

Yet, still he was laughing.

Why was he embarrassing me to this extent? I was feeling like burying myself in the ground. Couldn't he just forget about it?

"Actually. That was impressive." He said and burst into laughter. Laughing at my expense.

However, even though he was laughing at my expense, it was warming from the inside to see him laughing like that.

Free.

Light hearted.

He had a full belly, adult laughter but the way he laughed had a childish way about it. He looked like a boy when he laughed like that.

I could not help but smile at the way he laughed.

He was still having a laughing fit when he spun around and took out two plates while still chuckling. With a big wooden spoon he took out two big sandwiches from the pan and placed one in each. Then he walked over to me and slid one plate to my side and kept the other one closer to him.

With a silly yet adorable smile plastered on his face, he walked over to the coffee machine. Taking out two cups, he began making coffee.

I frowned at his actions. Thinking that he was making me a cup of coffee too, I stopped him before he poured it in both of the cups.

"Wait. Don't make me coffee. I can't drink it because of the pregnancy." I warned him quickly before he actually ended up serving both of us coffee. But, to my surprise, he almost ignored me by giving me the courtesy of a smirk.

Choosing one mug from the two, he poured me some liquid that I soon realised was tea. Sliding the tea cup to my side while taking a seat on another counter stool nearer to mine, he sat down. He picked up his cup of coffee and he leaned toward me.

"I know. I remember." He whispered, in his deep, husky voice. And I melted from inside. His voice was naturally deep but when he whispered things like that ...

It worked like magic. It was an instant turn on.

My whole body seized as waves of pleasure ran through my veins. I held the urge to shiver.

For some reason, I thought that it would be a nice idea to return his gesture with mine, mirroring him.

I leaned forward, meeting his face in the middle, until our faces were mere a few inches away.

"Now, I know." I replied in a whisper. Intentionally making my voice deep and husky just like him. Copying his actions from a few moments ago.

For a second, we both just stared into each other's eyes but then both of us let out a chuckle. Even if what I had done was not funny, it was a natural reaction for both of us to laugh. It was nice to be in the same space with him and just smile and laugh.

We were only inches apart and I could literally feel his warm breath on my lips. For a second, we remained in that position, our faces only a few inches apart, smiling at each other.

However, suddenly the air changed between us and our smiles vanished. For a second, we just remained like that staring into each other's eyes until for a split second, Jasper's eyes darted to my lips and I saw his pupil dilate.

Not only, I was not expecting this but it surprised me as well.

Jasper's eyes met mine and as soon as it did, I backed away from him.

He was in a relationship. I had to keep that in my mind or else ...

From time to time I had caught the look in his eyes that was identical to mine. I should not act upon these urges. One that did not even deserve to get pondered over.

He cleared his throat.

"Eat. Or the sandwich would get cold." He instructed me. Reminding me that I was hungry.

Although I knew that it was his attempt to lighten the mood, it did not work in relieving the tension entirely that was brewing between us at the moment. Still, I decided to go with the flow.

"Right. I am really hungry." I told him before I took big fat chunks of my sandwich. It tasted delicious. Man, he was a good cook.

"It is really good. I did not know that you were such a good cook." I told him, controlling myself from moaning or humming my appreciation for what I was tasting.

"Really? I think you are just sugar coating." He argued, sounding like he was trying to have a playful banter with me. I decided to play with it too. If that was what he wanted.

"You are right. I was just sugar coating you." I told him.

And the reaction that I got in return from my comment was priceless.

His mouth fell open, his widened in shock as he stared at me with his big bright eyes.

This time it was me who was laughing for a few seconds.

HIs face was priceless.

Soon, he joined me and we both laughed for a while. When the laughter subsided, I spoke.

"I am not kidding. It is absolutely delicious. I did not know that you could cook, less than to think this good." I told him.

He frowned at my answer.

"Why did you think that?" He questioned, eating his sandwich.

"I don't know. You always seemed so busy. I never thought that you get enough time to try cooking and stuff." I stated.

"I learned everything since I was a kid. I was not born with this, you know." Jasper said, and I realised my mistake.

Oh, right. He was not so rich before he earned all of this.

Both of them silenced down for a few seconds before I suddenly had a reminder. Today was my appointment for a checkup with my doctor. She would evaluate me and my baby's health.

"Uh, Jasper?" I said to get his attention.

"Yeah." He asked me.

"Today is my scheduled check up with the doctor. Could you please - " I said but Jasper interrupted me.

"Sure. Eat your breakfast and we will leave in twenty minutes." He replied even before I completed my sentence. Already understanding what I was asking from him. His guess was right on the mark.

"Okay." I responded to him with a smile.