Chapter 5 The unspoken promise

Chapter Five: The Unspoken Promise

The next day passed in a blur of routine. Maya tried to bury the unease creeping up her spine, but the moment she returned home, the memory of Jaxon lingered, his steady gaze, the weight of his words. He wasn't just a man of promises. He was a man of action. The way he spoke, so confident and calm, had her questioning everything she'd thought about their one night together.

By the time evening came, a soft knock echoed through her apartment door. Her heart skipped before she even opened it.

There he was, standing in the doorway with that unmistakable intensity.

Jaxon.

The umbrella in his hand was an odd reminder of their lunch, of something real beyond the tangled emotions between them. It was like an invisible thread between them, pulling taut with every glance.

"You said no expectations," he said, stepping forward before she could say anything else.

She nodded, taking the umbrella from him. "I remember."

But his presence filled the space more than his words. There was something different about him now, something more than just the shared history of one wild night.

"Did you think about what I said?" he asked, voice low.

Maya looked away, unsure of how to respond. She wanted to say no, to shut it all down before it got too messy. But she couldn't. Not with the way he looked at her, like she was the missing piece he had to find.

"I've been thinking," she replied slowly, trying to keep her voice steady. "But I don't know what I'm supposed to do with all this. I'm just... I'm not sure how to trust it."

Jaxon nodded, eyes softening. "I don't expect you to. Trust takes time. But I'm not going anywhere. That's a promise."

Maya swallowed hard, her chest tightening. She had to focus. This wasn't about them, it shouldn't be. This was about the child she was carrying. The baby.

She forced a smile. "Thanks for the umbrella. I guess you can go now."

He didn't move. Instead, his gaze locked with hers, searching, questioning. "I can't just leave, Maya. Not when I've seen the way you're looking at me."

Her pulse quickened. No expectations, she'd said. But something in the air, something she couldn't quite explain, told her this wasn't just about the baby anymore.

"You don't even know me," she whispered.

"I don't need to," he replied, his voice low and steady. "I'm already here."

That simple statement hit her harder than she expected. It wasn't a demand. It wasn't forceful. It was just true.

A silence hung between them, thick and heavy, and in that moment, Maya wasn't sure if she was scared or relieved. Maybe both. But she couldn't deny the pull.

And so, before she even realized what was happening, she stepped forward. Just a small step. Her heart raced in her chest, her hands trembling slightly.

Jaxon didn't move away. He was waiting.

Her breath hitched. "I don't know how to do this."

"You don't have to know," he said, his voice deep and soft, almost as if he were coaxing her. "Let me help you."

For a moment, she hesitated. But the way he stood there, calm, patient, offering without expectation, cracked something inside her. She wasn't sure if it was vulnerability or something else, but she knew that she wanted... something from him.

Maya didn't realize she was leaning in until her lips brushed against his.

Jaxon's hand was at her back instantly, pulling her closer as if he'd been waiting for her to make that move. His lips tasted like the coffee she'd had earlier, rich and bold, and somehow familiar. Like something she'd been craving.

The kiss deepened, slow and exploratory, his hands cradling her face as if she might disappear if he let go. Maya didn't stop. She couldn't, she didn't want to.

And when he pulled back just enough to look at her, his eyes were full of questions and unspoken promises. "Are you sure about this?"

She didn't answer with words. Instead, she pulled him closer, her hands threading into his hair, feeling the weight of the moment settle between them. There was no going back from this.

They didn't speak again. There was no need for words. He kissed her deeply taking her gown off, he stared at her naked body like he was seeing her for the first time. Maya's cheek burned, he captured her lips again, And he carried her to her room where only moans could be heard as they had sex.

Maya woke up the next morning with the faintest smile on her lips. The sunlight filtered through her curtains, bathing the room in a soft glow. She sat up, stretching, feeling the quiet peace that came from a long night of sleep, and from not being alone.

Jaxon had stayed the night, though they hadn't said a word about it. He'd simply held her, wrapped in the warmth of his presence, until they both drifted off.

When she reached for her phone, there was a new message.

Jaxon: "You don't have to say it. But I'm not leaving. I'll make sure you're never alone again."

The words felt like a balm to her soul. She hadn't realized how much she'd been longing for reassurance, for someone to tell her that everything would be okay. Not just about the baby. About life.

But just as quickly as the peace settled in, doubt crept in. Could she really let him in? Could she trust him? After all, they were still strangers. A one-night mistake, turned complicated, and now... more.

But Jaxon had been clear from the start. He wasn't going anywhere.

Did she want him to?

Maya shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. It didn't matter now. She had a child to care for. That came first.

Yet, somewhere deep inside, she couldn't help the fluttering in her chest when she thought about Jaxon's promise.

No expectations, he'd said.

But now... she wasn't so sure.