JAY JAY POV
5 MONTHS LATER
College life had officially settled into a rhythm, though "better" was a relative term. Between the mountain of case studies I had to analyze for my Law classes and the complex financial models College life had officially settled into a rhythm, though "better" was a relative term. Between the mountain of case studies I had to analyze for my Law classes and the complex financial models Keifer was constantly obsessed with for his Business degree, our dining table had turned into a permanent library.
Our dining table had officially become a permanent branch of the university library. Keifer was constantly buried in market trends and financial models for his Business degree, while I was drowning in legal precedents. It was a lot of work, but we were making it through—mostly because we were doing it together.
However, some things never changed. Despite the professional clothes and the books, the possessive "Watson" side of Keifer was alive and well. At the beginning of the semester, a guy in my Torts class had made the mistake of sitting a little too close to me and trying to strike up a conversation. I didn't think much of it at the time, but the very next day, the seat was empty. Last I heard, that boy had "voluntarily" transferred to a completely different section on the other side of campus. I didn't even have to ask Keifer what happened; the smug look on his face when I mentioned the empty seat told me everything.
I was currently staring at a particularly frustrating case study when I felt Keifer's gaze on me from across the table. I looked up, finding him leaning back in his chair, his laptop forgotten as he watched me.
"What?" I asked, pushing my glasses up the bridge of my nose.
"You have that look," he murmured, his voice low and distracted. "The one where you're about to mentally sue someone into oblivion. It's hot."
I rolled my eyes, though I couldn't stop the blush. "I'm trying to study, Keifer. Some of us actually have to work for our grades, unlike 'The Legend' who seems to absorb business tactics through osmosis."
He let out a short, dry laugh and stood up, walking around the table until he was standing behind my chair. He leaned down, his chest pressing against my back as his hands slid over my shoulders, massaging the tension out of my neck.
"You're overthinking it, Counselor," he whispered into my ear, his breath hitching my pulse. "Take a break. The laws won't change in the next twenty minutes."
"Keifer, the boys will be home from their extracurriculars soon," I reminded him breathlessly, even as I leaned my head back against his stomach.
"Let them knock," he countered, his hands sliding down to rest on my waist. "Besides, I think you owe me. I spent three hours in a board meeting simulation today listening to people talk about logistics. I need a distraction that involves you and zero talk about supply chains."
He turned my chair around so I was facing him. The intense, protective look he'd given that boy in my class months ago was there, but this time, it was softened by a hunger that was meant only for me.
"Watson Enterprises might be our future," he said, pulling me up so I was standing between his knees. "But you're my right now."
I sighed, finally letting my arms loop around his neck, my legal frustrations melting away. "You're lucky you're cute, Watson. Otherwise, I'd have filed a restraining order against you months ago for academic interference."
"Go ahead and file it," he smirked, his hands sliding under the hem of my sweater. "I'll just hire the best lawyer I know to get it dismissed."
He leaned in and kissed me, a deep, slow burn that made my knees weak. I kissed him back, my fingers tangling in the hair at the nape of his neck. But as usual, Keifer's hands were the problem—they refused to stay in one spot.
They wandered from the small of my back to my ribs, his palms searing against my skin. Every single time he does this, it's like it's the very first time; it always manages to get the better of me. My heart raced
"Keifer..." I breathed against his lips, my head spinning. "The dining table... the books..."
"They aren't going anywhere," he murmured, his trail of kisses moving to my jawline and then to that sensitive spot on my neck he knew exactly how to exploit.
His hands moved higher, his thumbs skimming the lace of my bra, and I let out a soft gasp, arching into him. Even after months of marriage and years of knowing each other, he still knew exactly how to trip my wires. The possessive way he held me—like I was the only thing keeping him grounded—made it impossible to say no.
Just as he was about to lift the sweater over my head, we heard the unmistakable sound of the front door slamming open and the chaotic shouting of the younger Watsons.
"JAY! KUYA! WE'RE HOME! AND WE'RE STARVING!" Keiran's voice echoed through the hallway.
Keifer froze, his forehead resting against mine as he let out a long, frustrated growl. His eyes were dark and clouded with heat as he looked at me. "I am going to put a lock on the front door that only opens with my fingerprint," he hissed under his breath.
I couldn't help it—I started giggling, reaching down to smooth out my sweater as his hands reluctantly retreated. "Duty calls, Big Boss. The 'babies' need to be fed."
"They're teenage giants, Jay. They can feed themselves," he grumbled, though he stepped back, running a hand through his messy hair to try and look somewhat presentable.
"Ate Jay? Why are the lights dim?" Keigan asked, walking into the dining room and squinting at us. He looked at the scattered books, then at Keifer's ruffled appearance, and then at my flushed face. His eyes widened slightly. "Uh... should we go back out? We can go to the convenience store."
"No," Keifer snapped, though there was no real heat in it. He reached over, grabbing a stray pen and pretending to look at his laptop. "Jay was just... explaining a very difficult legal concept to me."
"Yeah," I added, clearing my throat and straightening my glasses. "Extremely difficult. High-level stuff."
Keigan looked between us, a knowing, mischievous smirk spreading across his face. "Right. 'Legal concepts.' Well, while you two finish your 'proceedings,' someone needs to cook. Keiran is currently trying to eat the decorative fruit in the foyer."
I laughed, pushing past a grumpy Keifer to head toward the kitchen. "I'll handle the food. Keifer, why don't you help Keigan with that 'logistics' problem you were talking about?"
I shot him a wink over my shoulder, enjoying the way he looked absolutely tortured. College was hard, and the brothers were a handful, but moments like these reminded me that I wouldn't trade this chaotic, beautiful Watson life for anything.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It was official. The freshman gala was tonight—basically a college version of prom, just leveled up. Mia, Amy, and I had plotted for weeks. We decided to go with red. Not just any red, but that deep, bold, "don't-blink-or-you'll-miss-us" kind of red. I'd spent the night at Amy's house to get ready, telling Keifer I'd just meet him at the venue.
When we reached the college, it was breathtaking. The lights, the music, the decor—it looked like something out of a movie. But I wasn't looking at the decorations. My eyes were searching for a specific tall, brooding figure.
I found him almost immediately. Keifer was standing near the entrance, looking devastatingly handsome in a black suit. He was just staring at the crowd, his jaw tight, probably looking for a flash of red.
I walked up behind him, a smirk on my face. "What are you looking at?" I asked, my voice low.
Keifer turned around, and for a second, he actually stopped breathing. His eyes traveled from the top of my head down to the floor, taking in every inch of the dress. The silk hugged my curves in all the right places, and the bold color made my skin glow.
"Nothing," he rasped, his voice dropping an octave as his gaze darkened with that familiar, possessive hunger. He stepped closer, his hand finding the small of my back, his touch searing through the thin fabric. "Damn it, Jay-Jay. Are you trying to kill me? Take it off."
I let out a soft laugh, leaning into him, the scent of his cologne clouding my senses. "What, right here?" I teased, arching an eyebrow. "In the middle of the college courtyard? That might be a bit public, even for us."
"I'm serious," he muttered, his thumb tracing the line of my waist, his grip tightening. "Every guy in this room is going to be staring at you. I should have made you wear a parka. Or stayed home and locked the door."
"You're the one who wanted to come to this thing!" I reminded him, reaching up to straighten his tie. "Besides, you're the only one I'm going home with. So stop glaring at everyone and dance with your wife."
He let out a low, frustrated huff, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he leaned down, whispering against my ear so only I could hear. "Fine. We'll dance. But the second this is over, we are leaving. And I'm keeping this dress as a trophy for surviving the night without getting arrested for assault."
I giggled, lacing my fingers through his as he led me toward the dance floor. Even in a room full of people, the way he looked at me made it feel like we were back in our kitchen, alone.
"Deal," I whispered. "But you better be a good lead, Watson. I didn't spend three hours on my hair for you to step on my toes."
"Trust me, Counselor," he smirked, pulling me flush against his chest as the music slowed. "I know exactly how to handle you."
After dancing for what felt like hours, the boys eventually migrated toward the bar. Keifer, Jare, and Aries were standing there, drinks in hand, looking like a group of models from a GQ catalog, but Keifer's eyes were still scanning the room every few seconds to make sure I was within his line of sight.
I was getting a little bored, and honestly? I wanted to see a bit more of Keifer's jealous side. It had been five months of domestic bliss, and sometimes I missed the fire that sparked when he got protective.
So, I did the one thing I could think of.