The Scent of a Man
"Call me honey," Jack whispered.
Alison was completely lost in passion.
Her mind was filled with his kisses.
In her daze, she murmured, "Honey."
Jack finally pulled away, satisfied.
His gaze swept over her high-necked, form-fitting top.
He gently patted her cheek and smiled.
"Alison, that's a good girl," he said.
By the time she came to her senses, Jack had already driven the car to the exit of the underground parking garage.
As he drove, he said, "Give me your car keys."
"Huh?" Alison looked at him, dazed.
Jack glanced at the alluring woman beside him and thought that, if he weren't driving and if they weren't out in public, he'd love to make love to her passionately.
"I'll have someone drive your car back for you," he said.
"Okay." Alison pulled the car keys out of her purse and handed them to him, muttering, "Jack Winston, you're so annoying."
She called him by his full name again, but this time, he didn't get angry.
Instead, he laughed defiantly. "Haha, so you wanted me to kiss you, did you? Fine, once we get there, I'll definitely satisfy you."
"You..." Alison felt a sudden surge of anger at his words.
After the car came to a stop, Jack handed the keys to the security guard at YD Building.
Then, he drove off to the supermarket.
The ride was smooth, and Jack seemed quite relaxed.
Sitting next to him, Alison remarked, "Jack, I really don't get you. You work overtime, but today—a regular workday—you're suddenly free."
Jack glanced at her and said, "Honey, I work overtime because I have actual work to do. It's not for fun, and I'm not deliberately leaving you home alone."
Alison recalled the text Yukon had sent—he'd clearly worked overtime that time because Gwendolyn was there, too—so she smiled and said, "So strange. Some people won't visit client companies on weekdays. They have to wait until the weekend. Could it be that a woman's after you?"
He narrowed his eyes.
The car swerved to a stop by the side of the road. "Alison, it really is a client."
Seeing that he still wouldn't mention Gwendolyn, Alison's heart began to race.
Could Gwendolyn be someone he'd arranged for the client?
But he never used women for client relations.
As soon as she thought of what Aidan had said last night, she dismissed them all.
Seeing that she wasn't speaking, Jack added, "Alison, everything I'm doing now is for you, for the kids, and for the good of our family. You have to trust me."
Alison closed her eyes briefly.
She was doing this for the family and the children, too; otherwise, she would have left him with the three kids long ago.
"Let's go," she said calmly.
Jack started the car again, and they soon arrived at the destination.
Just as Alison was about to get out of the car, a hand grabbed her. "Do you remember what you're supposed to call me?"
"Jack, you…"
Before she could finish, he kissed her wildly and dominantly.
At the same time, one of his hands slipped beneath her collar and caressed her, making her gasp softly.
He let go only when her whole body went limp. "Call me by my full name next time, and I'll show you something even more intense."
He got out of the car, leaving her alone and dazed in the passenger seat.
Her heart was still pounding.
Several minutes passed before she was able to regain her composure, open the car door, and step out.
He was leaning lazily against the car, a half-smoked cigar clamped between his fingers.
Hearing her approach, he turned his head. "Ready to go?"
She gritted her teeth, ignored him, and walked straight toward the mall.
Jack took a deep drag on his cigar as he watched her quicken her pace.
With powerful strides, he quickly caught up to her.
He kept a half-step behind her and walked alongside her.
"Wait a minute…" He suddenly stopped and took her hand.
She tried to pull away but couldn't break free. "What's up?"
"That lingerie looks nice. Let's check it out."
Alison turned her head to follow his gaze, and sure enough, she saw a set of lingerie.
"I don't need it," she said.
"Why not?" Your old bras are too small now. Wearing a small size while breastfeeding can be uncomfortable and might even cause injury. That would be a real hassle. Let's buy a few more bras so you can rotate them."
"All right."
He took her hand, intertwining their fingers, and led her over to the bra.