Chapter 10 Sneaky

The thick draperies in Lisa's room were left last night gathered into three equal sections by gold curtain straps. When morning came and with it sunlight, the rays filtered through the huge glass windows casting light into the silent room where two people were still sleeping.

Half covered by the blue gray blanket that matched the bedspread, they were side by side facing each other, and judging from the proximity of their position, it would appear like their sleeping heads rested on one pillow only and most likely inhaling each others exhaled breath.

Jennie's arm was splayed over Lisa's chest, rising and falling to the latter's steady breathing, while Lisa's left arm lingered at her waist and the other was used as her pillow. It wasn't the most comfortable position especially for Lisa, seeing as they occupied probably a quarter of the bed but their faces looked surprisingly relaxed and content.

In the stillness of the room, a figure blocked the light from the window causing a shadow to loom at the foot of the bed. His silvery white brows curled as he observed the sleeping couple with skeptic eyes.

Last night when he arrived, he did not expect to find them awake and loitering in the hallway. He had intended to surprise them the next day—today of his presence and see first hand what the servants have been telling him about Lisa and Jennie living separately in the mansion.

It was no shocker when he learned that the two had a rift since moving in the mansion. Of course they have that gap. They're strangers thrust into each others presence. They hated each other the moment they clapped eyes. It was expected. The arranged marriage was not some dumb ass fairytale. Anyone who believed it was, is the dumb ass. It was a complicated matter and it still is.

But as it turned out—when he came up the steps and saw them with their hands threaded together, their bodies leaning toward each other, whispering and affording glances that can only be described as tender and affectionate—he was the one surprised.

Carefully observing them last night, he was led to believe that they had grown fond of each other as evidenced by some sort of invisible connection he cannot really explain with words and there was an air of easy closeness between them that only couples with long standing relationships should have . . . and they are not in that category obviously.

He should be happy and satisfied that despite the forced marriage Lisa and Jennie seems to be getting along. And he is—or he will be when the doubt in his mind has been placated. Maybe it's his aging mind, his tenacity or years of experience to back his reasoning but he's sure something is not adding up.

If what the servants are claiming is true—which he's more inclined to believe since most of the household staff are under his employ and have been loyal to him for several years now—he's finding the drastic changes that happened between the two hard to consider.

At this point, it would have been more credible to him if they just admitted to being friends. Any awkwardness is justified. Because at least he knows they are working on fixing the huge gap between them when they were forced into the marriage. Friendship is an acceptable start in their case.

But no, they were cuddly, flirty . . . intimate last night. They were practically flaunting it before his eyes. And that made him conclude they were pretending—convincingly at that—for his sake. Or they are both horny young adults enjoying the excitement of constant sex in the context of marriage.

He's more likely to believe the former and besides from his observation last night, even though it looked like Jennie enjoys her time with Lisa and allows such intimacies between them, there are moments . . . although quickly covered up . . . where she's tense and is a little reserved.

And that worried him.

From the start, he liked Jennie. But he also came to admire her strength and quiet confidence when he learned of what she's been through with her mother's unexpected death followed by the fissure with her father when he took a new wife then his death.

It was that rare quality she possessed amidst an emotional turmoil that convinced him she'll make an excellent wife for Lisa, his only granddaughter, who once loved with all her heart only to have it broken and since then treated women like cheap trinkets . . . easily bought, disposable and replaceable.

More than the business benefits, they actually compliment each other on a personal level. It may take some time for them to realize it and it's probably too much to hope for considering the circumstances of their marriage but Patrick wanted to take his chances on the two of them.

In the space of a few minutes as he continued to stare at the figures on the bed, Patrick made a decision and slowly went over to Lisa's side and nudged her awake. "Lisa. Wake up."

Still half asleep, Lisa groaned at the slight shaking of her body and unconsciously snuggled closer to the warmth next to her. The fogginess of her brain was a result of sleeping in the wee hours of the morning talking about tea to an inconsiderate old man.

"Lisa." Patrick called louder this time and continued to shake Lisa's arm.

Slowly, sleepy hazel eyes fluttered open adjusting to the glaring light from the windows. Lisa rubbed her eyes and began focusing them on the dark figure beside the bed that disturbed her peaceful slumber.

When her vision became clear, Lisa jerked up in shock upon seeing her grandfather hovering over her. Her sudden actions dislodged her arm under Jennie's head causing the brunette to rouse from her deep sleep as well.

"Grandpa!" Lisa groaned in irritation plopping back down on the mattress, the last remnants of sleepiness fading away from her brain. "Privacy, Grandpa! Ever heard of it?!"

"If you wanted privacy, you should have locked your door." The mulish old man reasoned.

"Locked or not, you don't just come inside somebody else's room! It's wrong."

"It's getting late. You're attending the shareholder's meeting." Patrick said, unconcerned of Lisa's outburst and unapologetic of intruding into their privacy.

"Me?! You flew here to attend that meeting."

Patrick shuffled slowly around the bed, already making his way to the door. "I just appointed you my proxy. Now go get ready. The meeting is in one and half hours." He sounded like he issued an edict, leaving Lisa no choice but to follow.

"What?! Where will you be?" Lisa recognized the steadfastness in her grandfather's tone which only meant he will not listen to any objections, valid or not.

"Here. Where else? Call me when it's over."

Disoriented from being jolted awake, Jennie shifted her body and tried her best to clear the drowsiness from her mind. She stayed up till morning typing away in Lisa's computer about everything related to Tea. Her body and her eyelids were like dead weights, but she was hearing indiscernible voices and the bed was getting a bit bouncy from someone's movement.

"What's going on?" She mumbled, stretching her arms and legs.

"Just fucking great!" Lisa snorted angrily as Patrick exited the room and as if belatedly finding his sense of consideration, closed the door behind him.

Confusion was etched on Jennie's sleepy face when she finally managed to open her eyes seeing Lisa with an arm slung over her forehead and her lips stretched into a thin line. "Was someone here? I heard another voice."

"The annoying Patrick Manoban was just here to ruin a peaceful morning," Lisa grumbled, flinging her arm off and turning on her side to face Jennie.

Jennie's eyes grew wide upon hearing about Patrick being in the room. Quickly scanning the premises, she unconsciously drew the blanket up to her chin, all kinds of crazy thoughts running in her head. "What? Oh my God! What'd he want?"

Her harried reaction vanished some of Lisa's annoyance and the corners of her mouth lifted into a lazy smile. "He appointed me proxy for the shareholder's meeting. Totally spur of the moment decision, by the way, and I only have an hour."

"Why are you smiling when you obviously don't want to go? You were just frowning a second ago," Jennie said with skepticism having relaxed considerably when she didn't see Patrick inside the room. "Are you always bipolar in the morning? Because if you are . . ."

Lisa chuckled pulling the blanket from her grip then her lean arms closed around her and flipped her under her weight. "What are you gonna do about it?"

"I might reconsider my decision of sleeping here."

"Like hell you will!" Lisa retorted with a smile and kissed the tip of her nose. Her piercing hazel eyes ran over the brunette's face, lips and her messed up hair before meeting her brown eyes.

Jennie looked even more beautiful in the morning. Lisa could get used to waking up like this. "What do you say about sharing our first good morning kiss?" She said in a husky tone.

Jennie's face took on a serious look as if taking time to consider the Thai woman's suggestion then she placed her palms in a tender caress along her cheeks and studied her face, beginning with her tousled dirty blonde hair down to her perfectly shaped plump lips . . . brushing the soft skin gently.

Then in a teasing note, she quipped, "What's in it for me?"

Smirking, Lisa shot back smartly, "Only one way to find out . . ."

Why does it feel right waking up like this?

"That's a good idea."

Lisa could no longer help herself. Her charming face, the teasing words and Jennie's touch did disturbing things to her body and with a groan, her lips descended on hers with tender passion.

Eyes closing, the brunette's mouth opened to receive her kiss, loosing herself within seconds in the zealous feeling only her husband can stir up from her. Lisa's arms tightened more firmly, slipping inside the waistband of her shorts to rest on her lace covered bottom and spanning her palms to lift up her hips to meet the hardened ridge between her thighs.

Lisa rocked against her once or twice in a suggestive movement that made Jennie vibrantly aware of her arousal.

Once she molded her body against the Thai woman, the kiss went from sweetly coaxing to seductively electrifying in a snap. Lisa's tongue plunged into her mouth, probing with expert thoroughness and demanding her participation while the wide palms on her buttocks asserted themselves in an eager caress.

But as Lisa wet the soft skin on her neck with the tip of her tongue, slipped a hand over her right breast under the soft fabric of her shirt and the other moved from her butt to stroke her covered but sensitive front, fingers tracing the edge of her lace underwear seeking the moist flesh, she swallowed thickly then said, "Lisa . . . I hate to say this . . . but we have to stop."

Lisa's chestnut head popped up from its place in the crook of her neck to look down at her with smoldering eyes but her hand stilled its caress. "Stop?"

Clearing her drugged mind, Jennie swallowed again before clarifying. "You are going to be late if we keep this up. Grandpa might—"

"Lisa! Time is ticking!" Patrick's voice boomed through the closed door followed by one loud knock. "Don't even think about being late."

Jennie quirked an amused brow at Lisa's thoroughly disgusted face. "See? Right on cue."

Heaving a frustrated sigh, Lisa gave Jennie one last kiss before grudgingly withdrawing her hands from the insides of the latter's clothes then she pushed herself off the bed.

Jennie rolled over on her belly once her weight was gone, hugged a pillow beneath one cheek and peered up at hir gawkily walking towards the bathroom.

Even as she smiled and teased and responded to Lisa's wonderful assault on her senses, the thought of nights and mornings to come when Patrick would no longer be a nuisance to Lisa or a plausible excuse for her to stop their make outs is something she's been thinking of . . . but in a good way.

She had always believed Lisa's motive on their relationship was mostly for sexual reasons but last night when she said she'd wait for her—words she never expected or hoped to hear from the Thai woman—logic flew out the door and her heart warmed like never before.

And after learning that she has abstained for more than three months because of her, she had to admit her resolve regarding sex began to gradually change. Maybe she shouldn't torture herself into thinking too much of their situation. Maybe she's ready . . .

Maybe tomorrow will take care of itself. It always does.

When Lisa came out of the bathroom a while later, relieved, bathed and refreshed from her lack of sleep, she found Jennie back asleep, hugging a pillow where her body laid earlier.

Her feet carried her over to the bed and she sat next to the brunette's sleeping frame, admiring the lovely face illuminated by the coral rays of the sun. Her hand reflexively reached out to sweep back from her cheek the tousled curls that fell there.

For the longest time, since Niki, there wasn't a woman whom she allowed to sleep in her bed. She became quite territorial of her room and her bed after the nasty break up. She doesn't want any lingering memories in her own space because then she would have lost the only sanctuary available to her when she needs to separate herself from the outside world.

It was always her staying in the woman's bed and leaving as soon as the act was done. There was no point in hanging around. After all, she was only after the sexual pleasure. When she gets it, it's time to move on.

This is the first time that she got to spend the night with a woman and watch her sleep on her bed the morning after. But the irony of it is she didn't even have sex with her. And yet, despite her unfulfilled sexual urges which she's also the cause of, she was surprisingly okay with it.

Hypnotized by the rhythm of her breathing, Lisa sat there a little bit longer just staring at the lush lashes that cast a shadow on her glowing skin, her semi parted lips and the overall peacefulness of her face.

Then with an unconscious smile, she whispered, "Jennie Manoban."

My wife.

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"Let's take a walk, shall we?" Patrick had said to Jennie over an hour ago. It wasn't like she could say no to him so she decided work should take a back step and spend a few hours with Lisa's grandfather instead.

But at the moment, they were still walking. After touring inside the mansion, except her room, and engaging in small pointless sometimes funny talks, they were now in the well tended garden that made up most of the back area of the property still having that walk he suggested.

Coming out of Lisa's room earlier, she was greeted by a smiling Patrick when she was about to head to her own room. He was standing in the hallway exactly on the middle point where the two wings of the mansion met that there was no way Jennie could have missed or avoided him. She doesn't know how long he must have been standing there supported only by his trusty cane but she had a funny feeling he was waiting for her with good reason.

Her prior concern about covering up the hickey Lisa gave her last night was quickly forgotten. He wants to talk to her. That she knew for sure. The walking is merely a tool to lighten the mood or probably a way to ease into a more serious conversation without coming on too intimidating. Whatever it was, she knew Patrick will make it known when he decides to.

In the meantime, while following along Patrick's slow steps, she let her eyes rove the three acre garden at the back of the mansion which was designed with spectacular architecture that would please anyone's eyes.

Artfully planted rows of multi colored flowers lined the concrete walk all over the garden as well as lush greenery, cherry trees and yews and other attractive plants available on earth. Every shrub was incredibly well kept that one would think the gardener also works as a beautician.

Walking past the redwood benches placed strategically along the walk, past the man-made pond and the gazebo which is the center of the entire landscape, Jennie wondered where Patrick intended to rest from their continuous tour of the property and when he would start talking to her about his real concerns.

She didn't have to wonder long though. Patrick stopped next to the ash tree on the far side of the lawn and sat himself on the redwood bench that was shaded by the tall tree.

"Come sit with me, Jennie." He said, showing no obvious signs of fatigue.

"I love gardens," he added once she sat next to him. "It smells so invigorating, doesn't it?"

For lack of anything to say, Jennie nodded. She fixed a smile for Patrick and waited for him to start revealing his purpose for dragging her all over the property. She kept a cool outlook but inside she was really nervous mainly because Lisa is not around to act as buffer when things gets difficult.

She knew last night's jovial discussion was not enough to satiate Patrick's mind. And what a mind he has! More than inquisitive, astute, tenacious . . . just more than everything, which makes him scary especially if you have something to hide just like her.

"This garden was my idea," he averred, leaning back on the bench and staring ahead. "I knew you are into photography, an artist, and I thought having a beautiful garden would help with your creative spirit."

"Oh . . ." Okay, maybe Patrick isn't out to get her. Maybe she thought too much of his actions. Maybe he was satisfied by her answers last night.

"Thank you, Grandpa. That was very nice of you," she said, easing up on her nerves, overwhelmed by his thoughtfulness. "I always did take scenery shots when I have the time and it makes for a good backdrop too."

Off to their right, the sprinkler system had come on. "Yes," he said in a monotone, throwing a quick glance at the spewing water then staring straight again. "The view from your room must be quite breathtaking especially with that balcony. Those huge glass windows in Lisa's room doesn't even compare, I assume."

Absentmindedly she nodded, her gaze fixed on the sprinkler. "I love that balcony. It makes my room airy and cozy. Mornings are extra lovely too. The colors of the garden is so vibrant and—" She paused immediately, realizing that she had just confirmed to Patrick that the spot in the house he was staring at is indeed her room.

She wanted to slap herself. The word stupid should be written across her forehead. She had fallen into an old man's trap! And she didn't even see it coming.

Her worried eyes swung hastily at him and she nearly fainted when she saw that he had stopped staring at the house and is now looking at her with an all-knowing grin on his weathered face.

"Grandpa . . . that's my work room," she quickly claimed hoping to salvage her mistake. "Yes, my work room where I work sometimes with photographs . . . you know, work room."

Jennie knew it was the lamest explanation ever, but the meaningful grin on his face seem to have shrunk her