“Absolutely not,” Shermaine said sternly.

Wearing a bunny costume last time was her breaking point. Now Joshua wanted to have sex in such a formal setting? He was crossing boundaries more and more, constantly reshaping her perception of him.

Joshua took his time, kissing her palms and earlobes with deliberate patience. His voice was velvety soft. “Baby, just this once.”

Shermaine held her ground. Men shouldn’t be coddled. Her indulgence of Joshua was exactly why he kept making such outrageous requests.

His eyes were deep and alluring, crinkling with a smile that seemed to trap her in a starry night. Gazing into them, she felt utterly ensnared.

The intensity of his stare made her flush. She covered his eyes, but it didn’t faze him. His words still sent her pulse racing. “You leave for Ustrana in the morning for a week. I’ll miss you like crazy.”

Worn down by his persistence, she finally caved. “Fine, but make it snappy.”

She always lost her resolve with Joshua. No use overthinking. She wasn’t about to self-criticize.

Chuckling at his success, Joshua guided her hand from his face. “Sheary, you know me,” he murmured, leaning in to kiss her. “Speed isn’t my forte.”

Shermaine thought, ‘He’s once reserved, now bold.’ She traced his jaw. “Forty minutes max.”

“Deal,” he smiled, lowering his head to claim her lips. His arm wrapped around her waist as he began what spring does to cherry trees.

The desk’s height was perfect—Shermaine seated on its edge, Joshua bending to kiss her. The scene was a poetic tableau, too entrancing to look away.

Outside, the full moon, flustered by the intimate shadows within, hid bashfully behind the clouds.

It was Thanksgiving Day.

Shermaine thought with a rueful smile, ‘Once you start, it’s never just a one-time thing.’

They’d had sex in the study, then again in the shower.

Joshua had boundless energy. When she finally emerged, hair dripping, she sank into a chair in a cream nightgown. Joshua, in nothing but pajama pants, took a hairdryer and started drying her hair.

Joshua said, “Grandpa made you cookies this afternoon. Want to try them?” Shermaine had been too busy since she got back to eat.

“Let’s open a bottle of red wine, too,” she said.

“Got it.”

After drying her hair, Joshua went to grab the wine and cookies. The second-floor balcony had a hanging chair.

He poured the wine, sat beside her, and they clinked glasses.

From their spot, the bright full moon shone clear. A cool autumn breeze blew, and Joshua draped a blanket over her. “Don’t get cold.”

Shermaine shuffled closer. “Don’t just cover me. Let’s share it.”

Soon enough, she was sitting on his lap, wrapped together in the soft wool blanket. They ate cookies, sipped wine, and watched the moon. Shermaine was nestled in his arms, her eyes growing heavy, and she fell asleep.

Chapter 331

Joshua’s gaze was filled with adoration as he kissed her forehead gently, then carried her inside.

Elsewhere, the shattered Jameson woke in the hospital. He still couldn’t digest the truth. Nausea roiled in his stomach. He thought, ‘How could Matalie be transgender? It has to be a fake document Janice created to split us up. It must be.’