Falling for the Ace Assassin

First Kiss

Jason carried Connie gingerly to his car, silently promising himself he would never let her drink this much again. Connie had headbutted his chin three times and slapped him twice as she flailed around in a happy stupor. He gingerly rubbed his chin and cheek after depositing her into the car.

“What am I going to do with you?” He asked softly as he buckled her in. When he looked up, he was startled to find her eyes open.

Connie smiled brightly. “Hello, handsome!”

Before Jason could react she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. It felt like his whole world had come to a standstill as he waited for the distance between them to close. What should have been a beautiful moment was immediately shattered as she slammed her mouth into his cheek in a headbutt of a kiss.

“Ouch…” she dared to complain as she slumped back into the passenger seat and fell asleep.

Jason exhaled long and hard, rubbing a rough hand across his whole face. He wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. She wouldn’t remember what she did to him in the morning and they would be back to their normal working relationship. Their first kiss was so brief, so violent. He closed the passenger side door with a sour face.

***

Connie tried to breathe as calmly as possible. When she came to, she found Jason leaning over her. Ever since he stood up for her at the meeting with Dorian and again with Kyle, she saw him in a different light. His well-proportioned body, his handsome face, and that clean scent of aftershave made her dizzy. But it wasn’t until the moment he murmured in that sexy baritone voice of his that melted her inhibitions and she let the alcohol take over. Pulling him by his neck towards herself, she meant to plant a sweet kiss on his cheek but as he came closer into focus, she saw the shock on his face which jolted her out of her drunken daze.

What am I doing to my boss!?

It was too late to play it off so she just went for it but in her haste, she ended up smacking him face to face. Embarrassed, she pretended to pass out and now here they were, side by side zipping through the night in his humble Toyota Prius.

***

When Connie opened her eyes again she found herself lying on a cloud-like mattress in an unfamiliar room. She jolted awake and immediately regretted it, falling back down with a groan. Her head was pounding; probably from all the alcohol the night before, though sitting up so suddenly didn’t help either.

She waited until the headache receded before she opened her eyes again. Looking down slowly she found she was still wearing her clothing from yesterday. Sighing in relief, she glanced around the room; the solid wood furniture pieces were positioned with perfect precision as if someone had come in and measured everything down to the millimeter.

Connie narrowed her eyes, she knew exactly where she was. Given what had happened yesterday and again with the thoroughly aligned layout of the room, this was most likely Jason’s house. Connie wrinkled her nose, part of her was sorely tempted to get out of bed and move the furniture just a little to throw Jason off kilter. She turned to the nightstand and noticed a cup of water along with a neatly folded note.

Reaching for the cup eagerly, she started drinking as she unfolded the piece of paper.

You wouldn’t wake up in the car so I took you home. When you have freshened up, come down for breakfast and I’ll drive you home. Jason

Connie placed the empty cup back on the dresser before hurrying into the bathroom, face completely red to the tip of her ears as she recalled the failed kiss.

***

“Try this peach cobbler with fresh whipped cream. I can bet my hat that you never had anything better.”

“Go back to the kitchen! She can’t eat with you hovering around like a fly. What would you like? We have tea, coffee, milk, and freshly squeezed fruit juice.”

Her friends, the old butler and chef were busy fussing over her at the dining table shoveling food onto her plate. Connie won the lottery when it came to metabolism and could eat as much as she wanted without putting on weight. She licked her lips unconsciously as she took in the delectable spread before her. Freshly baked loaves of bread and scones, a piping hot peach cobbler, breakfast meats, hash, spicy sausages, and fluffy scrambled eggs.

It almost distracted her from the handsome man sitting at the head of the table… almost.

Jason sat quietly sipping on his coffee staring at his cell phone reading the same article for the fifth time but still not registering what he read. He looked up and caught Connie’s eyes and they both looked away at the same time.

The cook grinned impishly as he nudged his old colleague. The butler threw a warning glance his way before clearing his throat.

“If nothing else, we will be outside. Call if you need anything.” He gestured to the maids and they all walked out.

The silence was palpable as Connie stared at the steam coming off the food, too shy to move now that they were alone.

“Eat.”

Connie smiled politely, “Okay, you too.”

Minding her manners, she scooped a small bite of the oozing peach cobbler and blew on it before placing it in her mouth. It was beyond delicious. Screw ceremony! She started to dig in methodically, dipping the piping hot cobbler into the rich cold cream on her plate so she could eat it immediately. She gurgled a happy chuckle as she ate, her face a picture of ecstatic joy.

Most people would have frowned at her lack of table manners but Jason watched Connie with rose-tinted glasses, a hint of a smile gracing his features.

***

“Ooph!!”

Tania woke up to a bowling ball of a human pouncing on her stomach.

“Oh my goodness! Henry, get your grubby little butt over here! Don’t disturb our guest!”

Tania’s eyes watered as she curled up into a fetal position holding her stomach. Through her squinting eyes, she made out Lora standing at the doorway making a half-hearted swipe at her toddler son’s bottom. The little tornado squealed and laughed as he dodged and zoomed out of the room.

“I’m so sorry, dear. Are you alright?” Lora sat down on the bedside and checked her over.

“Yeah,” Tania managed to squeak out, “I’m sorry to have disturbed your family.”

“Oh nonsense. We are used to having guests over but most guests aren’t used to the chaos that is my family. Here’s a cup of water. When you’re ready, come down and join us for breakfast. I am taking the kids out for a picnic if you would like to join us. Otherwise, I can drop you off at home.”

Tania thought about it, if she went home, she would just be stewing over her ex-husband.

“Yeah, why not. I haven’t been on a picnic in ages.”

Lora smiled brightly, patting Tania on the arm. “That’s the spirit. Fair warning though, it’s a little cramped in my car with all the kids, toys, and food.”

Tania smiled, “That’s fine. Thanks for letting me tag along.”

“No problem, dear. Take your time coming down.” Lora stood up and hurried out of the room.

The moment Lora closed the guest bedroom door she hollered down the stairs, “Hoonnneeeey!?!”

“Yeah!?” A gruff voice boomed back up.

“You still want to hang out with your boys for football today!?” Lora picked up loose articles of clothing from off the stairs as she headed down.

“Huh!? But I thought you said I couldn’t!?” A grizzly bear of a man poked his head around the corner of the room to look at her quizzically; two giggling boys dangling from either arm.

“Change of plans! Tania wants in on the picnic. We don’t have enough room in the car. If you want out, now’s your chance.”

“Woooohooo! Thank you, Tania!” Her husband whooped, “Let me call the boys! Thank you, honey.” He rushed over to give Lora a bushy kiss.

Lora smacked his shoulder with a large smile. “Get off you big bear. I have to finish making breakfast. Wait, where is Henry!? HEN-RIII!!? Where are you???”

Her husband and the two boys in his arms winced as Lora’s voice raised an octave.

Lora ran into the kitchen to make sure her baby boy was still alive. When she found her little troublemaker who had somehow climbed the kitchen counter, she picked him up and mercilessly tickled him to teach him a lesson.

“Don’t climb up so high you rugrat! Now out of my kitchen! Go find Daddy! Mommy will have breakfast ready in a jiffy.”

Lora smiled as she watched her son scamper off. She pouted and stared into the distance. There was something she had to do… What was it again?

“Mommy!!! We are hungry!”

“Wifey!!! Hungry!”

“Alright alright! Hold your horses! Eat the cut fruits first!”

Lora tsked, if it was important she was bound to remember.