Benedict Smith's POV
I did not believe my eyes as I was trying to make sure that woman who kissed me 5 years ago was sitting next to me on the car as she was driving through the traffic. I was sighing as Charlotte was stirring in her sleep. I was looking outside the car before the familiar mansion was here.
It was my first time coming back to the island as I know I would never see her again after that kiss. The kiss that made me think about her every night. I don't know if Joanna has been awakened by that kiss we shared. I bet she did not have any feeling like I did.
She was a tough cookie after all.
I was looking at the city before she parked the car in front of the mansion. My parents thanked her for coming and we were out of the car before I was carrying Charlotte in my arms. I was holding her closer because she was my precious niece.
And I think Joanna has a soft spot for her.
I was getting to Charlotte's room before I put her to the bed. She stirred in the sleep as I was smiling down on her as I was pulling the duvet to cover her up. I sat on the bed before I kissed her forehead. I think Charlotte smiled in her sleep.
I went out of her room as I closed the lights and the door firmly behind me before Joanna was leaning against the wall beside the door.
"I thought you left already?" I said as I was looking at her. Joanna was still as beautiful as she was 5 years ago. She was leaner, thinner if I must say so myself. I did not notice that I was checking her out before she cleared her throat.
"I just wanted to say that I will be leaving now. Your parents have slept and you're the only one awake to lock the door properly," she said before she was standing in front of me. Her blonde hair with that sweet peony and blood orange scent was filling my lungs. I think I could never sleep after tonight.
"Sure, but can't your sleepover? I don't want you to be driving in the night like this," I said as I was looking at the window with the nightless sky tonight. She chuckled lowly before I turned to look at her. She had this amusement in her eyes.
"If I don't know any better, I would say that you care about me, Mr. Smith," she said as I frowned. No one liked to be called after their parents, especially me.
"Come on, Joanna. It's Ben. Not Mr. Smith. We go way back you know," I said as I was looking at her. She blushed.
Good, I still have that effect on her.
"Whatever," she mumbled before she was about to leave, I grabbed her wrist and I turned her to look at me. She was shocked but by the way her breathing, I say she liked that I was gripping her like that.
Now, this was something that I can work with.
"If I ever let you out of this house for tonight, you are mistaken. You will sleep here and I promise I will not try to sneak inside your bed," I said as I was smirking at her. She narrowed her eyes at me.
"As if I will let you in, Mr. Smith,"
"Ben,"
"Well, Ben, if I recall, you have standards and I was not one of them. Don't want to break your records then," she said before I released her and she went to the bedroom that she used whenever she stayed here.
How do I know?
I came upon the bedroom a while ago, when Joanna was not here because I don't know at the time that she was related to Wyatt, and Catherine said that it was for her cousin. I was surprised to know that she considered her as her cousin.
I wondered what Catherine say if I was to marry that woman?
Bloody hell! I must be mad to be thinking about marriage with Joanna Jones. But my heart warmth at the statement before I was moving to my bedroom. I think I have to make a plan to make sure that she succumbs to me in the end.
Joanna Jones' POV
I was tossing and turning in my bed. Why the hell did I agree to sleep here? It was torture that I cannot think and I think my cat was scratching to get out. I sighed. I sat up in bed as I was looking at the night sky. It was still dark.
'Perhaps a little walk will do you good,' I said as I was looking at the ceiling. My cat purred before I got out of bed and I was stretching. I was getting ready to shift as I was thinking of good things.
Then, my bones broke and shifted.
I was 5 ft 5 in and then I was around my lingerie that I was sitting on the floor as I was looking through different perspectives now. I did not know when I was walking but I did. Since my cat was in control, I just let her do whatever she wanted.
Until she was sitting in front of the bedroom door.
I don't know whose bedroom it was but I have a hunch. Please, not him. What was my cat thinking to get to him?
'What are you doing?' I asked my cat before she purred and she was scratching the door with her claws. I wanted to take over but she did not allow it.
'i will make sure that tonight he knows about us,' my cat said.
'Are you insane?! He's human and he did not believe about us. He's a very rational person.i know cause…'
'Cause?' My cat taunted me before I rolled my eyes at her. She smirked before the door opened.
"Aren't you a cute one? Who let you wander around here?" Ben said as he was scratching me under the ear. I loved it as I was purring at him.
"Meow," I said before he chuckled.
"Well, I think you're cute. You are rare," he said as he was trying to pick me up. I wanted to resist but my cat was an ass. She went inside his arm and he went inside the bedroom. Ben sat in front of the fire as he was petting me. I snuggled even more in his masculine scent.
"Where did you come from?" He asked.
'Nicosia,' my cat said.
'No, it was from the forest! Have you forgotten our true roots?' I asked my cat as she was rolling her eyes at me. I guess she learned a lot from me.
"Well, I think I might keep you," Ben said as he was holding me in front of him. I was staring into his green eyes as he smiled.
"If only I can keep my woman that way," he mumbled before I felt anger was rising inside of me. Then his next word struck me.
"If only Joanna knows how much I wanted to keep her," he said as I was blinking at him, speechless. Ben chuckled.
"Yeah, if only she knew," he said before we were sitting on the chair until Dawn was upon us.
I was sitting up in his lap as Ben was sleeping soundly at the chair. My heart swelled for this man because I know that he was my mate but at the same time, I was not ready to face reality.
So, I jumped out of his lap and I went to the door before it was locked. I tsk-ed and transformed to opened the door before I shifted back and I was out of the room.
I went back to my room as I was walking naked around the room. I smiled before I was hitting the bed. I smiled and I think that was the first smile after 5 years ago.