A Chance With You by Paula Camille Wong (the snowy day read aloud TXT) 📖

You are very talented. Thank you. The ingredients of the spices and herbs blended together perfectly. It was as if they fitted each other perfectly,” She closed her eyes. “Opposite flavors fighting, trying to overcome one another… and yet they belong together. Two halves in a whole,” Her voice seemed to soften. “As strangely as it sounds, your cooking reminds me of my father’s. He was an excellent cook. He taught me everything I know. If it wasn’t for him, I would have never understood the arts of culinary.” Tears threatened to escape her eyes yet again but she willed them away. “Maybe, if it is alright, may I come in tomorrow and watch you cook? I want to help prepare breakfast tomorrow. Before I leave,”

Lillian’s eyes widened and she stood from her own chair, making her way towards Jane. “But Jane. Why do you need to leave? Please remain here, at least for a couple of more days,”

“It has been two days. You said I can stay here for two days,” She remarked turning to face her.

“I also said stay as long as you like,” Lillian argued back, not refusing to back down. She has to stay. She just has to. She can’t leave without fixing their problem. “Please stay Jane. I beg of you,”

She couldn’t help casting a look over his direction. He was already through with his dinner, now leaning against his chair, watching them with no interest. Not even a bit of amusement. She met his gaze. For a moment, just a brief moment, she thought she had seen something in his eyes. But before she could have a chance to determine it, it disappeared. That damn veil back again. Still meeting his gaze, “I have overdone my stay. My family is in need of my help,”

“Your family has a kinfolk of their own. Not to mention they have their own life. They don’t need you Jane; you’re not their slaves. It is your choice whether to remain here or not.” His dark and seductive voice sent shivers of wonder up her spine.

Jane fixed her gaze firmly at him. “I cannot stay where I am not wanted,”

Lillian opened her mouth to argue but was immediately cut off by her brother, who still sat calmly at his place at the table. “Who said that you are not wanted?”

“I had the impression that I was not wanted,” She replied coldly. “I should say, the first time I arrived here, I was greeted by your nasty words!”

William rose from his chair and made his way toward her, snatching her wrist and leading her outside of the dining room. Lillian moved to follow behind them but was stopped by a surprising familiar face. Her eyes widened. Well if it isn’t Edgar St. Richards, Earl of Richmond and one of her brother’s friends. “What are you doing here?” She whispered.

His fair golden hair glittered under the chandelier light, light green eyes, elusive and mysterious. It was rare for Edgar to come here without being called for. He only smiled, showing beautiful attractive white teeth, dimples on both side of his cheeks making him look even more handsome. But really, Lillian wasn’t at all affected. For one, Edgar has always been brother figure to her. No matter how attractive he looks. “It is best to leave them alone Lily,” He said still smiling.

Jane was too surprised to react until she found herself in the library with William closing the door behind him. She turned around and glared at him. Her wrist tingled from his touch, refusing to be disappointed because he had to let go. Well there goes her strategy to lock her heart away. But really, she placed her palm on her chest. She felt the beat of her own heart, slow and steady. Her heart was sealed. Not from Lillian and not from her friends and sisters. But for the rest of the people who had hurt her in the past. William the most. But she’d be damned if she let him know that. She inhaled a deep breath and exhaled it. “I must say my lord you have a strange way of treating your guest. If I should have taken knowledge of this before, I would have been better prepared,” She said emotionlessly, rubbing her wrist as if in disgust.

“Watch your tone madam, for if you do not, I will make sure you truly regret it,” William growled lowly.

Her eyes widened at his sudden change of demeanor. He was so calm in the dining room table. But now he was not. She could not see the emotion on his facial expression and certainly not in his eyes, but there was a tone in his voice that she can be able to recognize quickly. “You watch yours,” She said with equal amount of irritation. “I am not your servant and other light-skirts you talk with in that tone,”

He looked over at her for a moment and then in mere seconds, he was striding toward her, like he was the devil himself. Long and powerful strides, his expression so cold that she was had to back away. But he just followed and continued to approach her.

She swallowed and continued backing up across the massive library, the shelves and books a blur as it passed her vision. All she can see, all she can focus on was him. She felt the cold glass window behind her and she was forced into a stop, not being able to move any farther.

William smirked and caged her against the wall. The situation all too familiar, she hissed in a breath and leaned her head on the glass, as far as she can get away from him. The reminiscence of that night, the night she first met him after all the long lonely years, reiterated in her mind. “What are you doing?” She whispered.

“I had enough of you my sweet,” He answered in a cold voice. “You seem not to know your place in my household, in my home. You do not wear,” He glanced down at the black dress she was wearing. “These kind of gowns. I seem to recall, before you were wearing a beautiful colored gown. Why are you wearing a mourning gown when you are not in mourning?”

“But I am in mourning my lord,” She answered in an equal amount of voice. “If you hadn’t heard. My husband is gone; it was a mistake to announce that I am through with grieving. But in truth,” She averted his gaze, instead looked down at her slippers. “I am still in mourning. I miss him,” A complete utter lie.

“Take it off,” He growled softly. “I want it off of you; you are not going to be in mourning in my household do you understand me,”

Anger coursed through Jane, anger she haven’t felt before. She felt an urge to slap him senseless, not caring if it wasn’t lady-like. “I beg your pardon?” She asked lowly. “Would you mind repeating that again Sir De’Lacour?” Her light green eyes challenging him. Daring him almost, as if a warning.

No one orders her around. She does not care if it is William.

William saw the challenge in her eyes, not even slighted perturbed by it. Instead he simply smiled. Oh how beautiful that smile was. His handsome face seeming to turn more attractive as the hint of two dimples were visible at his cheek, making him look younger. His normal age. The age of six and twenty. Merely a few years older than her. Her breath caught but she refused to feel. “I said, take off your gown. I do not want you wearing such a dull color in my home or while I am present,”

“You are not the superior of me,” Jane answered lowly, couldn’t help the rush of faint pink in her cheeks.

He leaned down and forward to where his hot breath was teasing her ears, making her shiver with excitement. She balled her hands on her gown but did not make further movement. “Ah sweetheart, that is when you are wrong.”

What was he planning to do? Does he really wish for her to shed her gown? While he is present? “I am never wrong,” Jane replied firmly, thankful that her voice didn’t waver.
“In this particular case sweetheart, you are wrong.” His tongue flicked out to nibble on her lobe, teasing her.

She chewed on her bottom lip, feeling the electric currents run through her body. Her heart skipped a beat, another and another.

He pulled away and traced his finger on her cheek, feeling her smooth, satin skin. “So beautiful,” He whispered. “You used to be so young, so ignorant. Now you are a brave, elegant, young beauty,”

William’s words made her barriers melt. The barriers she tried so hard to build, even if it was only after a moment ago. How she yearned those words when they were young. Why now? Why did he decide to appear in her life now? Why didn’t he appear in her life before she married Marcus? When she needed him most? “You as well,” She whispered. “You changed. You used to be so caring, so kind. Even though you are still handsome, your whole entire being is different now,” Jane couldn’t help but raise her hand and touch him in the cheek, her fingers trailing down his strong jawline, recently shaved.

He considered her words for the first time. She was right. He was different now. He is a hardened, selfish bastard. And he fully respects that. His hands dropped to his sides and stepped away from her.

Her eyes hardened, he was pushing her away again. She refused it. She should be the last person he would turn away from. She followed right after his footsteps and forced him on the shelf where piles and piles of books were stalked alphabetically, her hands outstretched on his chest. “Don’t,” She said firmly, her green eyes meeting his light green ones. “Don’t,” She repeated.

William stared down at her with impassive eyes.
Her soft, gentle and yet feminine hands were placed on his chest. If only she can know what he is feeling. If only he can let her see through him. Through his piercing glare. Through his wounded heart. But strangely, she knew he will not let her in his private affairs. He can never open up to her. Because that is simply who he is. He doesn’t feel anything for her. Just for Meredith. She chewed on her bottom lip. “Is Meredith the reason why you are like this?”

He made no further movement, just merely stare at her with those tantalizing eyes.

“Well is it?” Jane demanded. “Is her rejection to you nine years ago too much for you to handle?” Her hands balled into fists on his chest. Her temperature rising by the minute.
“Did she really hurt you that much?”

William’s eyes hardened and something snapped. He backed her away against the wall, his palms flat against the wall, caging her yet again. “Leave her out of this,” He hissed. “This has nothing to do with her,”

“Oh is it? Are you positively sure about that?” She asked glaring at him. “Because what happened nine years ago was unsettled between us. Between you and Meredith I mean,” She corrected.

“Whatever happened between me and Meredith is none of your affair,” William said remotely.

“You have no business ever bringing it up. It has