Too Much To Hide || EDITING

c.5

      I manage to finish up on his legs. Adrian had to tilt James back against his torso, the little child obliging curiously. He now rests against his father's stomach and Adrian pats his head of brown hair gently while one arm is hooked under both of James'.

      I get up and walk over to the sink to briefly rinse the dirtied cloth. It turns out that James was absolutely filthy when he ended up at my doorstep. Poor boy, I can't imagine what he and his mom went through. But if this is his father's house, why can't she have stayed here? Adrian is very accepting of James, showing him as much love as any father would to their child. What circumstances did she act under?

      "How old are you?"

      Adrian's question brings me back to now and I remember that I was washing the cloth before zoning out.

      "I'm twenty three," I answer, scrubbing it and watching the stained water drift down into the plughole of the sink.

      "You're pretty young but," He sucks in a breath through his teeth. "You seem to know what you're doing." 

      I grin victoriously at his compliment. Yes! It wasn't that hard, now was it? 

      Once I'm satisfied that the cloth is thoroughly cleaned, I wander back and dip it generously in the jasmine water. I eye James warily, wondering how I am going to scrub his face.

      "What?" Adrian questions my hesitant look.

      "I need to do his face," 

      Adrian pauses for a moment for extending his free hand.

      "Let me try."

      I slowly hand him the dampen cloth.

      "Are you sure? I can hold him—"

      "I can do it." He snaps. 

      With a frown, I back down and let him take the lead. Adrian leans down until he gets a clear look at James' face. At his father's sudden appearance, James flashes him his iconic toothless grin and reaches up to touch his nose.

      "Just going to wipe your face, buddy," Adrian murmurs as he gently drags the cloth across one cheek. 

      James frowns and moves his head, resting against Adrian's bicep. He really doesn't like the strange fabric scrubbing against his rosy cheeks. Adrian tries a couple more times until James gets used to the material on his face. Soon, he stops moving and sits obediently, slapping his knees as he waits angrily for his father to finish up. 

      Knowing that Adrian can't see me, I take a moment to admire how good looking he is. His sour personality put me off it for a while and I never got the chance to take a good look at him, much to my disadvantage. It wasn't hard to admit that he is a sight for sore eyes; the classic blue eyes and strong cheek bones. The sculpted face of the Greek gods.

      His brown hair is dry and due to that, it is very fluffy and wavy and shines lavishly in the ceiling lights. Wow. They bounce softly every time he moves his head airily, and his lashes are also a cute plus point. It isn't common to see a young man with long lashes but I know when to appreciate it when I do.

      "There we go... You did great, James." Adrian finishes up and I snap out of my day dreaming, suddenly feeling hot and bothered. 

      He looks up briefly and notices my flushed expression.

      "Everything okay?" He raises a careless eyebrow.

      "Yeah, of course," I mumble, tucking a stray tendril behind my ear.

      He isn't pleased with my answer but moves on anyway and I'm glad. I certainly don't want to explain to him that his looks are way better than his attitude. I take the cloth from his hand and wash it once more before concluding our session by cleaning James' hair.

      We have wrapped James in one of Adrian's comfortable cotton shirts which will have to do for now because we don't have anything fit for a baby in this house. I sit on the edge of the bed as I struggle to feed James a glass of water, which is proving to be very messy. 

      Adrian holds a towel under his chin while I carefully tip the glass, only allowing the smallest flow of liquid down his throat. James seems to be used to drinking out of more than milk bottles because he doesn't complain about the hardships of drinking from a glass. He must be older than I think he is.

      "He must be at least fourteen months now," Adrian mutters, watching him lick the rim of the glass I hold carefully.

      "If you don't mind me asking..." I gulp tentatively but I don't have to finish my sentence. 

      Adrian gives me a long glance before relenting with a sigh, shaking his head.

      "His mom left the house when she was, I think..." He pauses in thought, rubbing James' dripping chin. "Three months pregnant. She has been missing for almost two years since then."

      "Why did she leave?" I whisper.

      Adrian's brows furrow slightly.

      "We were forced into marriage. I didn't love her and she didn't love me. We were just in a mutual relationship in order to impress my parents."

      I reel from the revelation. That explains their uncomfortable looks in their wedding portrait. 

      "My parents wanted an heir to continue our name. They found Lucy for that," Adrian's tone sours as he frowns into nothing.

      Her name is Lucy. It's beautiful, just like herself. I notice that James has successfully finished his gulps of water and is chewing the spit laced crystal. Wearing a proud grin, I place the glass away and plant a gentle kiss in his jasmine scented hair.

      "Aren't you a sport?" I say through my smile and look at Adrian encouragingly. He glances at James softly before turning to me. Our eyes lock and for a moment, I feel my cheeks heating up. His gaze flutters down to my lips before he breaks out in a smile of his own, shaking his head.

      "Good job, sport." Adrian mumbles and pats James' arm, staring at me all the while.