Chapter 10 (Rachel's POV)

I was a ball of nerves and mess. From my hair to my appearance and just everything. How does one dress when their crush is coming over for dinner? Is she even a crush, I doubt it. I would go with my usual choice of clothing but she would not approve, since when did I care about someone's approval? I didn't even know what to look like and it was close to the time Nova has to be here, I'm really hopeless when it comes to things like this. I picked up my phone to call Cameron but dropped it, I will get it done myself. The doorbell rang and I groaned but wore a robe over my half naked body and took some bills to pay for the food, apparently Nova also has a funny obsession with Korean food and that was what I got. I paid the delivery boy and dropped the food in the kitchen, twenty minutes to Nova's arrival. I decided to go with my instincts and wore khaki shorts and baby blue t-shirt and tied my hair in a loose ponytail before going to the kitchen to plate the food but the doorbell rang and I checked the time, seems like I took too much time deciding on what to wear. I went to open the door and the sight that greeted me on the other side was enough to make my whole week. She grinned up at me and I couldn't help the large smile that stretched my face, the things I do around this woman.

"Hello barrister Sanchez", she greeted softly and I swooned, I was seriously loosing my touch.

"Hello... Come in", I shook my head at her and gestured her in and her grin got wider. Her sweet scent filled my nose as she walked past me into the house and I filled my lungs with it while I stared at her small self and closed the door. She held out a bottle of wine to me and I just stared at her, so beautiful. Even without makeup, this woman looked divine and her black curls made me want to play with them.

"Rachel?"

"You're beautiful", I mused and watched a blush stain her face and neck, neck I wanted to kiss.

"You're not bad either", she mumbled and gasped.

"You have these clothes in your wardrobe?!", She took a good look at me and I rolled my eyes and grabbed the wine from her grasp.

"I didn't know grumpy pants had such clothes", she followed me and I groaned, I knew she would say something. I mean the woman did insult my wardrobe on our first date.

"You're one minute from being kicked out", I mumbled, actually enjoying the banter. I was going to plate the food but she stopped me, insisting that she would prefer to eat from the carton. She had come to get wine glasses from beside me and I couldn't help it, I had been wanting to kiss her since she walked in. I pulled her to myself and she gasped when I pressed my lips to hers, enjoying the feel of her warm and soft lips and even enjoyed it more when she leaned into me and kissed me back. We stopped to catch our breath and she tiptoed to kiss my cheek before skipping out of the kitchen, literally. She was really getting to me and I hoped I will not regret what I was doing.

"What do you want to watch?", I asked her when I sat down beside her and tried to get the attention of the woman who was drooling over the food, she sure did like food. She shrugged and I settled for a movie I knew I was not going to watch.

"How was your day?", I found myself asking her and she smiled at me.

"It was okay actually. We had a meeting today. Speaking of, have you ever thought of coming back?", She asked and I shook my head. I had not actually thought about really joining the family despite being the first person Jase taught everything he could.

"No"

"Mmm, how was yours?", She asked.

"It was a day", I answered shortly and she hummed before turning back to the movie and I couldn't help but wonder if I've shut her up with my short replies. I stared at her and found it funny that she would always stuff her face and looking like a chipmunk.

"Something on my face?", She raised an eyebrow and I knew I had been caught staring.

"You look like a chipmunk", I answered honestly and she frowned at me.

"Point is?"

"You stuff your face with food but it's cute", I shrugged and went back to my food while she mumbled incoherent words beside me.

"You don't have to change it, I like it", I mumbled when she slowed down.

"Make a choice woman", she mumbled and shoved ramen into her cheeks.

"I never said I didn't like it and besides I have no say in how you eat, yet, as long as you don't resemble an animal doing it though"

"You are too good with words Sanchez", she sassed and I smiled at her but she just held my gaze.

"You have a beautiful smile", she commented before shoving another one in.

"You should smile often"

It was strange that I felt relieved that she liked something about me but I waved it off to me liking the woman.

"Why did you choose to be a lawyer?", She took a sip of her wine while staring at me.

"It's a good profession and it makes my pocket heavy, why not?", I shrugged and faced the TV.

"I became an inn owner because I love cooking and I didn't want to go to culinary school and work as a chef so an inn was a way to always have a good time in the kitchen while giving travelers and people who seek a quiet place somewhere to lounge, it also makes my pocket heavy, maybe not like yours but still. That's a reason".

I still kept my gaze on the TV,

"And?"

"I've seen you in the court, it's personal for you, being in the court room".

She was patient, I give it to her.

"So?", I still kept my gaze where it has been and she sighed.

"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it", she turned to the TV and I sighed. I didn't know a better way to explain it to her that I became a lawyer so that I can prosecute horrible people like my parents and those self acclaimed exorcists but I had also blown her off rudely. I turned to look at her as she pinned her gaze on the TV, refusing to look at me.

"My parents....", I started and she looked at me but it was harder than I thought, her eyes softened.

"I'm sorry I pushed", she apologized quickly and I shook my head.

"It was just a harmless question, don't be. Just that, my parents were not the best so I became a lawyer to put people like them away", I sighed and I felt her warm palm on my cheek, making me lean into her.

"You are doing a great job, you turned out great", she had this look in her eyes. Normally I was a master at deciphering looks and body languages but for some reason, this woman was a mystery to me sometimes.

"You are not sure of that", I leaned away from her her touch, not wanting to get too used to her touch because she would run the opposite direction when she knows everything there is to know about me but she held my chin firmly and made me look at her.

"I am", she whispered and rubbed my cheek, not knowing the soothing sensation I got from that touch, a rare feeling since I refuse to be touched.

"I want to kiss you", my voice came out in a whisper.

"What's stopping you?", She had this mischievous glint in her eyes. She was pushing me over the edge and didn't even know it, my self control was snapping to small bits and I didn't want to scare her off.

"I won't be able to stop", strangely I just wanted to know how her body feels under my fingers, what she responds to and what gets her off instead of tying her up like I would always prefer. I really wanted to touch her, sure I would give anything to see her in my restraints and have her at my mercy but this time, I wanted her without these things.

"Who says I want you to stop?", She challenged and that was it.