Burning Desire (Completed)

chapter 60

Jasmine stood by the balcony of their room, looking out towards the night sky as the cool breeze brushed her smooth skin.

Coming out to meet her, Raymond stopped on his track. Her back was turned to him so she didn't know he was watching her from behind.

He leaned on the wall and folded his arms, silently gazing upon her.
He still couldn't believe that in two nights, he had kissed Jasmine twice.
He kept telling himself that last night was a mistake but as he danced with her at the grand patio, staring into the depths of her alluring blue eyes, he realized that kissing her last night was never a mistake.

Their second kiss was different, so passionate that it left him floating on a cloud of pleasure. Tonight, he didn't want to think about Andrew, he didn't want to think about his past. He only wanted to think about Jasmine, and that he did.

'What is wrong with me lately?'

He asked himself in his thoughts. All through the week, his thoughts were filled with Jasmine. Everything reminded him of her. Her smile, her laughter, her smell....no matter how hard he tried, something would always remind him of her.
He wanted her attention and closure. The idea was crazy and scary but deep down it felt wounderful in a special way.

'Could it be that I'm in love with her?'

He quickly shook the thought and let out a small laugh in his head.

'Me in love? No it can't be. I can't be in love, no way. It's lust! Yes it is. I'm just lusting over her beauty. Yes, that's what this feeling is.'

The idea of him in love sounded ridiculous. But then again he thought, if it was lust he could have slept with her already. It was easy, grab her by the waist, kiss her, carry her to the bed and have sex with her. So what was holding him back?

He didn't want to give her just his body. Instead, he wanted to give her his protection, warmth and respect. She would want his heart, that he was sure of. But his broken heart was still grieving the lost of a true love he once had. Trying so hard to understand the feelings he had for Jasmine, it left him feeling lost and confused.

He let out a long sigh and walked up to her.

"Hey," he said softly as he stood by her side.

Hearing his voice caused her to blush and a smile played on her lips. "Hey." She turned to him.

"What're you doing out here?" He asked.

She smiled."Just came out to think."

"Hmm." He nodded, "it's a beautiful night."

She chuckled. "Yeah, it is."

They were both silent for minutes, skin brushing slightly as they stared towards the garden. It wasn't awkward but a comfortable and peaceful silence.

"Thank you."she uttered softly.

He arched his brows, not really sure of why she was thanking him. "For what?" He inquired.

She shrugged her shoulders and smiled. "You know, for this. I shouldn't be here but I am. I gotta be honest, each moment I've had here has really been amazing."

His nerves crackled with expectant heat as he understood that she too, enjoyed kissing him. "Yes. It's been amazing."

"You know, It's been a long time since I've been this close with a family," She inhaled deeply, "a real family."

He got confused but quickly remembered that she had lost her parents. Before he could stop himself, his mouth opened and asked her the one question that could ruin their beautiful night.
"What happened to them?"

Surprisedly, she didn't look away from him as he thought she would.

"It's been ten years since their death but I still remember it like yesterday."She let out a shaky breath and swallowed dryly as the memories came back to her.

Jasmine was born with a silver spoon. Her parents owned the biggest bakery factory in Virginia. She was an only child for years due to her mother's miscarriages. But after nine years, the twins were born and three years later, little kalisha was born.

It all happened on the twins ninth birthday. Jasmine came home from college to spend the weekend with her family. Her parents threw a small party for the twins and invited few of their friends and the twins classmates. When it was time for the gifts, the parents gave Christain a basketball and white Jordans. Christine got a red velvet dress with a lacy collar and the pumps to go with it.
When Christine saw the red dress, she cringed her nose in disgust. She rejected the dress and told her parents she wanted a pink not a red.

Promising to get the pink dress the next day, Christine stubbornly refused and insisted her parents must get the dress that day. Not wanting to upset Christine on her birthday, her mother decided to go to the store to get the dress. Her father decided on tagging along to get more drinks for the kids.
Little kalisha insisted on following them and they took her along.

Everyone waited patiently for them to get back, little did they knew that they were never coming back. The house phone finally rang and they got the worst news. A company truck had lost its brake and ran into her parents car killing them at the spot. The truck driver survived but sustained severe injuries.

After their funeral, Jasmine and the twins moved to New York to stay with her grandmother. Four years later, her grandmother died of cancer. Having no other relative by her side, Jasmine was left to take care of herself and the twins with what was left for them.

Jasmine told Raymond her painful story without a tear drop coming out. She told her story without a trace of emotion in her voice, like it was someone else's story.

But as Raymond stood by her side, listening to every word she said, he could see the pain and bitterness in her eyes. It was raw, filled with so much emotions. His heart was heavy. He felt her pain and wanted nothing more but to take her into his arms and comfort her.

"That's why my sister is this way. She blames herself for their death, "
Jasmine said quietly.

"Jasmine." Raymond's voice was soft and low, almost like a whisper as he held her hand. "I cannot dare to say I understand what you had to go through. But I'm really sorry for your loss. They were good people who didn't deserve death. I'm truly sorry."

She looked at him with unwavering eyes and swallowed dryly. "Thank you." Was all she could say.

"You're strong and a powerful woman Jasmine. And I'm sure that wherever your parents, kalisha and your grandma are right now, believe me, they would be proud of the woman you have become," he said to her.

She let out a shaky breath. "you think so?"

He nodded. "Yes."
He cupped her face with his palms gently and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Yes they are." He murmured, wrapping his arms around her.

With a sigh, she wrapped her arms on his waist, placing her head on his chest and closed her eyes. He kissed her head, rubbing his palm gently on her back.

He held her close, not saying a word as this was the only comfort he could give her at the moment. But he would offer her more. Love or lust, he wasn't letting her go.