SECOND CHANCES (ORIGINAL WORK)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The day of the Moore's anniversary party had arrived. A few days prior, Aaliyah had spent her time planning and prepping the pastries to serve during this evening's event. Although her face looked quite weary from lack of sleep, her eyes brightened with the joy that came from doing what she loved to do best.

For the cake, she settled on a cream tart number cake that came out absolutely gorgeous. It was topped with strawberries, pink macarons, meringue kisses, purple mums, and a few multicolored sprinkles.

An assortment of flower filled macarons with creamy flowers that include roses, blossoms, and daisies blooming in a colorful shell and several other pastries to match

As Aaliyah boxed the last of the desserts for transport, she stepped back and marveled at her work. It had been so long since she had catered an event. Both nervous and excited, she hoped the Moore's, along with their attendees, would enjoy what she had to offer.

While she waited for Jason, she took the opportunity to put away her folded towels in the linen closet. She placed a few on the top shelf and startled at a knock causing her to knock over a box, scattering the items onto the floor. She cursed under her breath.

"Be right there!" she called out.

Aaliyah knelt down and quickly picked up the scattered items around her. Her gaze fell to her old identity card. She wasn't sure exactly why she still kept it around. Maybe why she had a hard time parting with it was because it served as a reminder of who she was, where she was going, and what it took to get there. She sighed and dropped it back inside the box and placed the lid back on before shoving it back inside the closet.

She went to open the front door. There stood Jason, still as handsome as ever. News of their relationship had spread quickly. And while Samantha wasn't keen on Aaliyah not revealing the entirety of her situation, she couldn't dispute the love in Jason's eyes when he looked at Aaliyah, nor her expression of pure adoration when she was with him. Lucas had simply said it was about time for them to get together. He had known the minute they paired up at the bar to compete against them that something was developing between them, but had decided not to interfere and let their relationship bloom.

"Hey," he said, lifting a hand in greeting. "I heard something drop. Everything okay?"

"Yeah." She smiled, motioning him inside. "I was just putting away some towels and a box from the top shelf fell down."

"Ah, okay." He smiled before growing more serious. He pulled her close and kissed her hair. "I've missed you." His words prompted her smile.

"I've missed you too," she said, pressing closer, inhaling the sweet scent of his body. God, how she had missed this; this feeling of love and safety that only came when she was with him.

They clung to each other for what seemed to them like forever, but in reality, was only a few minutes. Jason's hand massaged the small of her back and her hands grew tight around his neck. His mouth soon followed, pressing hot kisses to her neck, making her inhale sharply as a stab of heat spiked in her core. He trailed his lips to her jaw and down her throat, suckling briefly at the pulse point there.

Aaliyah's hands gripped his shoulders a little harder as every kiss made her nerve endings sizzle. Her lower belly growled as a tingly feeling enveloped her chest and radiated through her body. She pressed herself towards him and smiled as she felt his growing erection and his rapid heartbeats. All of a sudden, Jason pulled away from her and cleared his throat sharply.

"Babe, we've got to go now if we want to make it early," he said with a wink. She nodded quickly, chiding herself for losing concentration so quickly.

Aaliyah pointed Jason in the direction of the dessert boxes and he carried them gingerly out of the house and placed them in the truck. During that time, she straightened her dress and fixed her makeup that seemed to have melted from the sweltering heat that had emanated from her brief moment of passion with Jason. She exhaled aloud as she twirled and admired herself once again in the full-length mirror. By God, she looked ravishing; she hoped that the Moore family would think the same.