7. Let's Make A Baby

Brandon continued staring at me. His blue eyes glowed with a savage inner fire. I could feel his intense desire to make love to me from the way his hard body was throbbing madly under me and the way his muscular chest was heaving crazily. However, he seemed to be fighting the urge to devour me.

Brandon took a deep breath after some minutes and licked his lips nervously. With a faded tone, he whispered.

"Jewel, do you ever cook words before dishing them out?"

"Words are not meant to be cooked," I remarked, my voice filled with a mix of desire and impatience as I untied the rope of his sleep robe, my hand gliding over his well-defined chest.

"I can't believe I've raised such a mischievous girl. I must be a terrible father," Brandon chuckled, his voice tinged with amusement.

"Bran, make love to me," I whimpered, my words filled with longing as I trailed my tongue along his defined abs.

"Jewel..." Brandon began to speak, but I silenced him by pressing my lips against his, taking him unaware. Our hearts raced wildly and the wet sound of our kiss filled the room.

However, despite the intense desire, Brandon imposed an iron self-control on himself and quickly pulled his mouth away, leaving my lips burning with fire and searching for his. Brandon held my shoulders, lifted me slightly up, and looked into my eyes.

"I…I…can't do this. Sweetheart, I'm getting married on Saturday. Besides; I am like a father to you and I'm too big for you," Brandon squinted his eyes to convey the meaning of his last sentence and to issue a firm warning to me. I knew it already. I had seen him naked thrice but I was not dismayed by the monster he had between his legs.

"You are not my father and you are not too big for me," I whispered, my hand inching toward Brandon's snug briefs. However, he swiftly intercepted my hand and held it firmly.

"I made a promise to your father that I would never touch you in that way. I also promised him that I would always treat you like my own daughter. I am a man of my word, and I don't go back on my promises," Brandon asserted, his grip tightening.

"When did you make such a promise to my dad?" I asked. Brandon had never mentioned it to me before.

"Samuel noticed your romantic feelings for me even before you realized them yourself. He invited me to his study one night, and we had a lengthy discussion about you," Brandon explained, his voice tinged with affection.

"From the depths of my heart, I made a solemn vow to him that I would never engage in any kind of romantic relationship with you. Jewel, you will always be my goddaughter," Brandon declared earnestly, rolling over to inadvertently trap my legs between his own. His gaze trailed slowly over my slightly exposed nipples before he swiftly descended from the bed as if beckoned by a mysterious summons.

"I'm sorry. It seems I can't make it up to you. So, I'll leave your room," Brandon uttered, adjusting his night robe to conceal the big bulge between his legs. I turned to face the window, my thoughts swirling with a mix of emotions.

However, Brandon circled back around the bed and stood before me once again. He positioned one knee on the bed and leaned in closer, his expression filled with a mix of concern and affection as he stared at me for a long time. He couldn't get intimate with me yet he couldn't leave me alone.

"Bran, please leave my room. I'll be fine," I murmured even though I did not want him to leave.

"Jewel, I need you to understand the immense difficulty of your request," Brandon murmured, his head gently resting against my forehead. "It is impossible. I will never engage in an intimate relationship with you."

"Before I left Malmo, your father and I had an agreement.

Your father desires for you to be with Kaiden, the Vice President's son. He's closer to your age and he loves you for who you are and not solely because you are a billionaire's daughter," Brandon explained.

"Jewel, I love you, but I have no romantic feelings for you and therefore not the right person for you. I…love Rachel and I…have romantic… feelings for her," Brandon sputtered, avoiding my gaze. I wished he knew how much his words hurt me.

"Bran, I want you to look into my eyes and repeat what you just said. Then, I promise not to trouble you any further," I whispered. The intense desire to be crushed by him was still evident in my voice. Brandon fell silent, contemplating his response before finally speaking.

"Jewel, I did not grasp the true meaning of love until I cradled you in my arms eighteen years ago and looked into the depths of your beautiful hazel eyes. However, as your father, it is my duty to protect you and not get intimate with you," Brandon said and a solemn silence descended upon the room.

There he went again! Always referred to the love he professed for me when I was just a baby. Brandon was just deceiving himself, not me. Deep down, I knew that we both have romantic feelings for each other.

"You shouldn't have come here," I whimpered over my choking beating heart. "You should have found a way to send the invitation card to my grandfather," I said, my voice filled with intense sadness.

"It took me a whole year to push the feelings I have for you aside and concentrate on my studies again. Now, you've resurrected everything, do you expect me to endure another year of agony?" I questioned, my emotions raw and vulnerable. Brandon lowered his head and closed his eyes, his expression filled with sadness. After a moment, he finally spoke.

"Sweetheart, love naturally fades when its source is unavailable. Just promise me one thing today," Brandon pleaded. I turned to face him, curiosity and apprehension mingling within me.

"What is it?"

"Promise me that you will never chase me. Promise me that you will move on with Kaiden," Brandon whimpered. I averted my gaze, unable to form a response.

"Jewel…," Brandon's voice called out to me, but I chose to ignore him. He took my palm in his, squeezed it gently, and continued talking in a low tone.

"I don't want you to come after me. Please, promise me that you won't come to my estate and office again."

"I'm… sorry, but I… can't make a promise I know I won't keep," I stammered.

"Your father is both a brother and a dear friend to me, and I don't want to jeopardize our friendship," Brandon asserted, his tone growing more serious. I remained silent, my gaze fixed upon the night sky beyond my open window, lost in my own thoughts.

"My next visit will be on your wedding day," Brandon declared, taking a deep breath before rising from the bed. In a moment of desperation, I reached out and grabbed his wrist, hoping to hold him back.

My eyes narrowed as I gazed longingly at Brandon, my heart yearning for his touch. Slowly, I guided his right hand to my erect nipple, hoping that he would feel the intensity of my desire and perhaps give in to passion. However, he maintained his resolve, refusing to succumb.

"Let's make a baby, so that every time I look at our child, I will be reminded of you. My father will never find out, and I won't reveal the identity of the baby's father," I pleaded, my voice filled with longing as I continued to stare at Brandon. "Only then will I stop pursuing you."

Brandon chuckled softly, dismissing my words. "Now, you're sounding like the typical child that you are," he remarked, gently freeing his hand from my grasp.

"Your father won't even ask you who the father of your baby is," Brandon said with a chuckle. He was right though.

"Jewel, what you need right now is not a baby, but your education. Don't you still aspire to become a great scientist and inventor? Remember the e-learning app you're developing to help underprivileged children who cannot afford tuition fees?" Brandon asked.

"Stop treating me like a child, Bran. I am an adult, and I know what I want. I want you," I whispered, my voice filled with determination. Brandon sighed deeply, as if weary of repeating that we could never be together.

"Well, Rachel and I will be returning to Stockholm tomorrow morning, and I need to retire for the night," Brandon announced with a hint of finality. "I'll see you before I depart," he added, making his way towards the door.

I wasn't surprised that I couldn't convince Brandon to be with me. Brandon epitomized unwavering loyalty and honor. He would go to great lengths to uphold the trust placed in him, and his noble character remained steadfast. He never engaged in actions that would betray people's trust.

Chasing after Brandon Henderson was akin to chasing the wind. However, I was determined to push him to the point where he would turn around and pursue me with the same fervor that flies chase a carcass. For me, it was either Brandon or no one else. I'm sure Brandon Henderson is in love with me.

Slowly, the door of my room opened again. I couldn't see the person who was standing in the doorway, but all I could see was a mysterious sparkling golden box that he or she was holding in their hand. I wondered what was in the box as I tried to figure out who the stranger was.