When Jess came out of the bedroom after doing her morning routine in the bathroom, she found Noah and Lucille already sitting down on the breakfast table, overflowing with food. It seemed like the father and daughter tandem went overboard ordering food.
"Little Miss Jessie, sit...sit." Lucille tapped the chair next to her and stuck her tongue to her father, sitting across her from the table.
Jess chuckled lightly. It looks like the two have some kind of competition going on and she's the bet.
She took the chair that Lucille wanted her to take and watch the little girl smirk with glee at her father. She gave Noah a look and he simply shook his head in amusement.
She greeted Soraya who was at the table with them. And the other woman smiled and returned her greetings.
The conversation over breakfast was mostly with Lucille, telling Jess everything she did at school, about her new classmates, and how none of her classmates thought her accent was strange.
She fugitively glance at Noah with Lucille's story. She once told her that she didn't like her classmates but she didn't know that there was a particular reason for it.
They were still having breakfast when Aadir arrived. She sent him home last night after bringing her here at the hotel with the agreement that he will come back in time for breakfast and will bring his things to stay over and help Soraya with Lucille.
Aadir was surprised to see Noah and the rest when he arrived.
"Good morning," he greeted everyone with a bow and introduced himself.
"I'm Lucille. Nice to meet you, Aadir."
"Nice to meet you too, little Miss."
"Come, join us for breakfast," Lucille waved her hand to the chair next to her father.
Aadir stole a glance at Noah then stared at Jess. And it didn't escape Jess that Aadir paled a little with the thought of sitting next to Noah. The poor man was still scared of Noah with how he acted with the incident that happened with Jess.
"Sit down, Aadir."
Hearing Noah, Aadir quickly but quietly sat down on the chair next to Noah. Jess offered him a smile to comfort him.
When Noah saw the smile she gave to Aadir, Noah creased his brows that made Aadir drop his fork.
While Aadir was bending over to pick up the fork that fell down, Jess gave Noah a reprimanding look which he simply replied with a nonchalant shrug of his broad shoulders.
Jess couldn't help but roll her eyes at how Noah was acting like a child with his jealousy.
The breakfast was finished with Lucille taking control of the conversation while Aadir sat rigidly next to Noah, watching Lucille with adoration and amazement.
Jess smiled with pride that she was right to think of bringing Aadir here with them because she knew that Aadir would like Lucille.
"Schatz, you didn't sleep on the plane. Take a quick nap with Soraya so you have energy when we go out later."
Lucille looked at her father haughtily, raised her brow, and smirked. "I slept on the plane. It was you who couldn't sleep." She glanced over her shoulder to look at Jess. "I'll swim with Soraya and Aadir, you can put daddy to sleep." She winked at Jess.
Jess snickered when Noah cleared his throat, clearly embarrassed with what Lucille said, especially when Soraya chuckled.
Since Lucille already declared that she will swim, the trio left and went to the pool area just outside their penthouse.
When she and Noah were the only ones left in the living room, he scooped her in his arms and brought her to her bedroom, princess style.
"Time for a nap!" He said in a sing-song voice laced with mischief.
"It's nine in the morning. What nap are you talking about?"
"Oh my, Miss Zimmerman, are you suggesting we do something other than a nap?" He wiggled his eyebrows, grinning.
She just laughed and held tightly to his neck. She pressed her cheek to his chest that made Noah crease his forehead. "Minx, I love how you are being responsive to my teasing but it worries me that you seem to be too agreeable."
"How am I towards you before, that you're doubting my actions?"
"I have to tease you and pester you to agree to whatever I want," he said, gently putting down on her bed, then climbing next to her.
She turned to his side and propped her elbow on her pillow, cradling the side of her head in her hand. "You don't like this current me?"
Noah copied her position on the bed, he faced her and had his head cradled in his hand as he propped his elbow on the mattress. "Minx, I'll love you in every possible way, just this sudden change made me worried.
"You do not want me acting like this?" She lifted her brow in a questioning manner at him.
"Silly," he leaned forward and gave her lips a chaste kiss. "You aren't listening. I have no problem with you acting in any manner, just a bit surprised...pleasantly if I may add."
"All is good, then." She dropped herself to bed and stared at the high ceiling.
Noah scooted closer to her and lifted her head and put his arm under, making his arm Jess's pillow.
"Noah, is Lucille being bullied at school?"
He smiled when he heard the worry in her voice. "She's not. Kids are just being kids. Commenting on things that are different and Lucille just happened to be sensitive to being different from the other kids. But she's doing great at school. Her teachers have nothing but good words for her. She has friends, though not that many since she likes being friends with people older than her."
"That's good to hear." She sighed with relief.
"Yes, it's nice but it would be nicer if you would do what she said," he whispered in her ear, kissing her lobe in the process.
Her skin was covered in goosebumps when she felt Noah's warm breath in her ear and how he was teasing her lobe. "Which one of what Lucille said I should do?"
He trailed kisses on her jawline and breathed, "Little Miss Jessie, please put me to bed."