Picture Perfect: A Second Chance Secret Baby Romance Read online

  “Thanks for last night,” she said and stood up, wearing a seductive smile on her face. I almost groaned, my cock turning hard immediately. Damn that early flight.

  “No, thank you. Last night was a blast,” I replied, threading my fingers through her long, wild hair. That wasn’t the only thing that was wild about her. She was all wild, showing a side of herself that was just like mine.

  I sighed into her lips, reluctant to let go of her. Her smell was exquisite. “It’s too bad that I have to go. You’re gorgeous.”

  I wanted to leave her my number, but I decided not to do it. I felt an attraction stronger than anything I had felt before, but I had to go back to my boring reality.

  The truth was, coming here was my last attempt at maintaining a grip on my life. I came from a rich family, which allowed me my privileged lifestyle. I was someone who got a kick out of living dangerously, and I could never stay in one place for too long. I always longed to be free and live my life on my own terms, but things weren’t that simple at all.

  My father owned a large business, and as his only heir, it was expected of me to follow in his footsteps. To make things worse, my father had cancer, and recently his condition had worsened. I had to step in and run the business instead of him. That was the least I could do.

  I couldn’t be selfish. It plain sucked, but I had to do what was right.

  Once last time, I played with her lips, nibbling them and licking them. Her tongue surged out to meet mine, and I almost lost it, but I couldn’t do that to my family. My father wasn’t happy with me going to Australia in the first place, and he was expecting me to be at home by tomorrow.

  “I have to go,” I said and separated myself from her. I put my shoes on, calculating how much time I needed to grab my luggage from my room and head for the airport. I should be able to make it.

  “Have a safe trip.”

  I winked at her. “Thanks. I wish you a great rest of your stay here.”

  My gaze lingering on hers, I opened the door. I was hoping that by some miraculous twist of fate I would get to see her again. I knew I would never forget her.

  “Bye, Jessica.”

  “Bye, Noah.”

  And with that I stepped outside her room and went back to real life.

  3

  Four Years Later

  Jessica

  * * *

  “Don’t worry about Maya,” my sister Angie told me. “She’ll be fine. Like always.”

  I chuckled, looking at the landscape through the car’s window. “You know I’m overprotective of her.”

  “I know but relax. Besides, you’ll be back before she realizes you were gone in the first place.”

  Angie was taking care of my daughter while I was on a business trip. She always did this when work sent me out of town, but leaving my daughter with my sister never got any easier for me. I missed her already, even though I saw her just a couple of hours ago.

  I was still working as a photographer, doing mainly weddings to support myself and my daughter. I usually refused taking jobs out of town because I didn’t want to be separated from Maya, but I couldn’t refuse it this time—-the money was too good.

  The woman who hired had been following me on Instagram, and she liked my work so much that she hired me to take her engagement photos. On top of that, she was offering me a great price.

  I was on my way to the estate where the engagement party was located, enjoying the change of scenery. I loved traveling, no matter how short or long the journey was.

  I never regretted having Maya, but I missed my old lifestyle. I missed the ability to just take off to new places and meet new people. I missed the excitement that would course through my veins each time I was in a completely different place. I wouldn’t say that my job had turned into a routine, but it was far less thrilling than before. I would pick taking photos at a wedding in Belize over a wedding at some local spot any time, but I couldn’t think only about myself anymore.

  I was so lucky to have Angie help me out in a moment like this. When I got pregnant, I moved to the city to be near her, and it was the best decision I could’ve made.

  “Thanks, sis. When I come back, I’ll take you shopping so I can return the favor.”

  “You better be ready to spend a lot. I’ve seen a few cute tops I’ve been dying to buy, but I’m broke.”

  Angie was working as a secretary at a law firm, and she had a good salary, but she always complained about being strapped for cash. I guess I would complain as well if I was addicted to shopping like she was.

  “Got it.”

  “And see if you can find someone handsome there. You definitely need a man.”

  I groaned and glanced at the driver, but it seemed he wasn’t paying attention to my conversation. “You can really be persistent sometimes. I’m going to work there, not have fun.”

  “And since when did you become so uptight?”

  That was a good question. The old Jessica wouldn’t think twice about indulging in anything that spelled “fun”, but this Jessica was a single mom, who had a four-year-old daughter that mattered to her more than anything in the world. Maya was my everything, so I had to make sure she was happy.

  I could only wish to meet someone decent at that party and not just handsome. I was done with looking for handsome guys who were good only for a quickie and nothing else.

  Ever since that trip to Australia, I hadn’t met anyone I felt serious enough about to get involved with, especially picky because of Maya. I went out a couple of times with a few guys, but most of them didn’t want to have anything serious with me when they found out I had a daughter. It was disheartening, but at the same time, it enabled me to focus on my work better and provide for my family the best I could.

  “Being a single mom can do that to you,” I said.

  I could almost see her roll her eyes. “There are a plenty of single moms out there who have much more exciting love life than you have.”

  “Touché.”

  “Exactly. So you better get rid of that vibrator of yours and find a real cock.”

  “Angie!” I flickered my gaze to the driver as if he could’ve heard her. “Maya can hear you!”

  She burst into laughter. “She can’t, silly! She’s on the other side of the room watching Moana.” I rolled my eyes. “Have some fun there. Take a few drinks. Loosen up. You’ll see, you’ll be thanking me later.”

  “Yeah, and while I’m at it, I’ll see if he has an equally handsome brother for you.”

  “You definitely have to do that. I’ve been without a man for a whole month, and I’m starting to get lonely.”

  I let out a fake gasp. “A whole month? That’s too long, sis. This is a real crisis.”

  “I know. My vagina is starting to shrivel.”

  A laugh barreled out of my mouth. “You’re crazy.”

  The estate could be seen in the distance in all its luxurious glory, and I watched it with awe. I googled this place, but the pictures showing a paradise with a gorgeous manor and a nearby vineyard didn’t do the real thing justice.

  The trees lined the road leading to the gates, the morning sun casting its rays over their leaves swaying on the breeze. My fingers were itching to take out my camera and document this beauty.

  “Look, I gotta go. I’m almost there.”

  “Okay. Talk to you later. And don’t come back without a guy!”

  I snorted. “Bye, Angie.”

  The gates opened to let us inside, and now that I could see everything up close, I was left speechless. The lawn surrounding the manor seemed to never end, and it was immaculately kept. There was an enormous fountain at the end of the driveway that depicted a couple, beautifully sculpted and breath-taking. A few more sculptures decorated the driveway in front of the manor’s entrance, all of them symbolizing love and harmony. It was fitting for the party that was taking place today.

  The driver helped me out of the car, leaving me to the hostess. She led me through the house and ou
t to the back garden where the party was in full swing. I was delighted when I saw all the guests mingling around me. I loved this part of my job. I loved being among groups of people.

  A couple of guys checked me out as the hostess took me to the table with refreshments, and I smiled to myself. The beige dress I was wearing was a good choice. It looked professional but not too professional, showcasing my curves. It reached my knees and had a decent neckline, so it wasn’t revealing too much.

  Instead of pairing it with high heels, I opted for ballerina pumps. I was going to spend the whole day carrying my camera and equipment with me, so I had to wear comfy shoes.

  “I will let Miss Carter and Mr. James know you’ve arrived. Please, wait here for a few minutes.”

  “Sure,” I told the hostess and placed my bag with the equipment down next to me.

  I watched several children in cute formal dresses play near the fountain decorated with red rose petals that floated on the water’s surface. They were a bit older than Maya. Maya would’ve loved it here. I had been planning to take her to the countryside for a while now, but these last few months had been pretty busy.

  Maybe Maya and I should go on a mini-vacation. I would take her to a place like this, or maybe a place that had ponies because she loved them…

  “Miss Diaz?” someone called me, and I turned around.

  “Yes?” I said, spotting a beautiful brunette with porcelain skin and dark brown eyes. She was tall and slender, wearing a long, strapless champagne dress. I assumed she was Miss Melanie Carter.

  But then I moved my gaze to the man standing next to her, and I was left frozen on the spot.

  No. It couldn’t be.

  Those captivating hazel eyes. The dark hair that was now slicked back. The face and body I dreamed about so many times these last four years.

  I couldn’t believe it. I was sure I would never get to see him again, often feeling like he was just an illusion had it not been for Maya. I didn’t even know his last name. He mentioned where he lived, but I never thought we would actually see each other in such a big city.

  Yet, four years later, here he was. The father of my child.

  Noah.

  I’d caught the surprise in his eyes that were slowly checking me out. He was flabbergasted like me, and I had no clue how to act next to him. I looked at Melanie, who was clueless about the sudden tension in the air between us.

  I shifted on my feet, suddenly coming to an unpleasant realization now that the initial shock wore off. Noah was Melanie’s fiancé.

  I wanted to laugh at the irony, only it wasn’t funny at all. I had finally met Noah again, but it came with a price.

  4

  Noah

  * * *

  “You two make such a cute pair,” Mrs. Peterson, my mom’s friend gushed. “When your mother told me you’re going to get engaged, I felt so happy for you.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Peterson,” Melanie replied with a dazzling smile on her face.

  I nodded in response, hardly able to maintain the fake smile on my face. A cute pair? It wasn’t even funny. If only she knew. However, Melanie and I had to continue the charade, acting like we were lovestruck. She was so wrong for me, and I would never have dated her if the circumstances were any different.

  It wasn’t like Melanie was a bad person. Far from it. But she was so prim and proper, and she liked things I couldn’t care less about. The thing was that Melanie and I were like water and oil. She never understood my love of adventure. I wanted to live life to the max, but she wanted kids and routine. Fuck that.

  I hadn’t felt like myself ever since I asked her out a couple of months after my father’s death, but my mom assured me I would grow to love her sooner or later. It was a big fat lie—one I went along with too easily for the sake of her and the rest of my family.

  So here we were today. Putting the cherry on the top of this charade.

  I felt more exhausted than usual after many meetings I had attended over the past several days. It seemed that not many board members believed I was the right person to inherit my father’s chain of hotels because of my reputation as a party boy and an aimless traveler. They didn’t think I was capable enough of running my father’s business, so I had to prove myself. I was sick of proving things to other people.

  Melanie and I went from one guest to another, wearing almost permanent smiles on our faces as we chatted with them. My mom and Melanie had invited too many people, and I didn’t know even half of them. At this rate, our wedding would most definitely be like a royal wedding with hundreds of guests invited.

  I felt like the whole engagement party was fake, just like the smile on my face, and I couldn’t wait until all the guests were gone. I met my mother’s gaze, who was overjoyed to have her son marrying a woman from a wealthy family like ours. She insisted that marrying Melanie would be good for me, our family, and the business—reminding me of my obligations, as if I could ever forget them.

  Four years had passed, but I still couldn’t get used to the fact that I had no say in this matter. I had to dedicate my whole life to my dad’s business after his death year and a half ago and follow his last wish—marry Melanie Carter, who was a daughter of his old friend. So I busied myself with work, hoping to forget, but these days it was getting to me. The pressure was too much, and now I was like a ticking bomb ready to explode.

  I already regretted accepting to marry Melanie, and I even thought about the possibility of calling the engagement off, but how could I do that to my father? I would manage my mother somehow, but the marriage with Melanie was my dad’s last wish…

  I didn’t want all the responsibilities that fell on my shoulders, and this marriage was the last thing I needed, but I promised my father I was going to marry Melanie. I couldn’t go back on my word, could I?

  “You look like you would rather be anywhere else but here,” Melanie muttered, glancing at me.

  “That’s probably because it’s the truth,” I replied, scanning our surroundings.

  Melanie was even more beautiful in her dress, all dolled up, but I couldn’t even appreciate it. Someone else would say I was damn lucky to have a woman like her, but her looks never meant anything to me.

  “Oh, come on, Noah. Would it hurt so much to be more enthusiastic about this? It’s an important day.”

  There was nothing enthusiastic about trapping myself with a woman I didn’t love.

  “Sure. I’ll be enthusiastic all you want,” I said and cast her a grin too big to be considered sincere.

  She pouted. “You’re such a party-pooper.”

  Our hostess approached us. “Miss Carter? Mr. James? The photographer has arrived.”

  Melanie clasped her hands together. “Splendid!” She linked her arm with mine, and we followed the hostess.

  Melanie couldn’t stop talking about this woman who took such amazing photos that she had to hire her. I nodded as she talked about her past works, pretending to listen to her, but my mind was elsewhere. I didn’t give a damn about some photographer or the engagement photos. Photos or no photos, I just wanted this day to be over.

  I turned my gaze from the guests nearby to the photographer, who was wearing a beige dress. I checked her out, thinking how gorgeous she looked in that bodycon dress, but then I recognized her, and it was like a kick in the gut.

  Her unique green eyes, red hair made in a long braid…

  Jessica.

  Was she real? After four years, I was sure I was never going to see her again. I saw the shock on her face that was surely matching mine, which meant she recognized me too, and I didn’t know what to do or how to act.

  Had she thought about me over the years? Dreamed of me? I certainly had dreamed about her, and it was all about fucking her sweet, little pussy as she screamed my name… I never forgot how good she felt.

  She was hands down the best lover I ever had, and I’d regretted not leaving her my number numerous times. I didn’t know her last name, so I couldn’t even look for h
er, often wondering if she was alright.

  But now she was standing right in front of me.

  Fuck. All these years did her good. She was even more beautiful.

  “Hello, Miss Diaz,” Melanie said and shook her hand. “Noah, this is the photographer I hired to take our engagement photos. Jessica Diaz. Jessica, this is my fiancé, Noah James.”

  At first, I wanted to say that I knew her already, but I got a feeling that wouldn’t be a good idea. So I decided to play along.

  I offered Jessica my hand for a handshake. “It’s nice to meet you, Ms. Diaz.” For a moment, she looked surprised that I acted like I didn’t know her, but she suppressed it and cast me a smile.

  “It’s nice to meet you too, Mr. James.”

  We shook hands, and I could feel warmth coursing through me at the contact. Our gazes locked, and everyone stopped to exist as we stared at each other. Her scent reached my nostrils, playing with my senses, making me forget about anything but the need to hold her in my arms and feel her silky skin again.

  At first, I was tongue-tied because I was still attracted to her. And it wasn’t simple—this wasn’t just some attraction that would pass if I had her. I felt something much stronger, which wouldn’t go away that easily.

  I didn’t want to let go of her hand, but anything else was out of the question.

  “Melanie told me she likes your work,” I said just to fill the awkward silence that ensued.

  “No, I don’t like her work. I love her work!” Melanie said excitedly. “You really know what you’re doing.”

  She smiled at Melanie. “I’m flattered. They say moments are transient, but I believe it’s possible to make them eternal through photography. It truly feels magical.”

  I was fascinated listening to her talk about something that obviously meant a lot to her. Just like in Australia.