Noah exhaled a soft sigh of contentment watching Jess's eyelashes flutter as she slept. He glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand and saw the time - it's quite late but he still has tasks that he has to finish.

Antonio and Markus were waiting for him in the study. He slowly got off carefully from the bed, not to wake up Jess, despite not wanting to leave her, he forced himself to get up. "Sweet dreams, baby. I'll be right back," he whispered.

He gave her another lingering look before he finally walked away from the bed. When he was at the door of his bedroom, he saw Jess's bags and shoes scattered on the floor. He picked them up and put them on top of the console table.

A grin tore the corner of his lips, remembering the way Jess looked when she got caught, trying to secretly slip into his bedroom, with the intention of crawling into his bed.

'That was just too hot,' he thought to himself as he closed his bedroom door softly behind his back.

"That was fast," Markus said when he returned to the study.

He and Antonio were able to thin out the pile of documents that were on the table.

"Markus, I need you to fly to India again," he said whilst he sat down on the head of the table.

"Excuse me? Aren't I supposed to be in Dubai next week?"

Noah looked at Markus and knew that his friend had already done so much for him. He worked for him in a way that not any employee could do. Markus is both a friend and a valuable asset to his team.

He trusts him.

"Yes, you are supposed to be in Dubai next week but I need you in India."

"I already did what I had to do in India. Care to tell me the reason for this change of plan?" he asked, his eyes were on Noah's face, waiting to give him an explanation. "Someone is expecting me in Dubai, Noah," he added.

Noah felt guilty. Originally, he was the one that should fly to India together with some of their head researchers, but right now, he couldn't leave Jess -- he doesn't want to leave Jess.

Flying to India to oversee the current situation there would take him away from Jess, for about a week or more. He couldn't afford that. Not after tonight.

He knew Jess was going through something. She cried and ran to his bed. Something that Jess won't do especially when she still is not sure of her feelings for him. Even when she can't commit to him yet, she chose to run to him instead of her friend, Luke.

Noah knew that was a big thing. It was a change in their relationship that Jess chose to seek comfort in his company rather than with her friend.

"I'm sorry, Markus, but I think you have an idea why I have to ask you to do this for me."

"Huh! Typical Noah, a woman is always your downfall. You know how important India is for your succession to the CEO position in your company, and yet," he shook his head in disbelief. "Is Miss Zimmerman worth this much?"

"Yes, and more," he answered Markus without batting an eye.

"Fuck!" He put down the document he had in his hand. "I just hope this woman won't end up just another Nicole in your life." He pushed the chair away from the table. "I think I have to go now -- since I am going to India, I need to clear up my schedule." He clicked his tongue with disappointment.

"I'm sorry, Markus. After India, you can take two weeks off vacation to be in Dubai."

Markus didn't say anything. He just picked up his coat from the back of his chair. "You know that if there is someone in this world that would wish for your happiness, it would be me, right?"

Noah nodded and without saying anything, his eyes gave the answer to Markus's question. He knew Markus only wanted the best for him. Especially after what happened to Nicole.

"Good luck, Noah," he walked to the door. "Also," he stopped and turned his head to him, "The two weeks vacation you are offering me I want it to be a paid vacation -- with overtime," he grinned before walking out of the room.

Noah chuckled and shook his head.

"Antonio, how much work do we need to finish for me to have free time tomorrow to play with Miss Zimmerman," he grinned.

"All of these," he replied.

"Then let's get back to work," he said, whistling.

Antonio's mouth slightly opened in shock, listening to Noah's whistling. His boss would always complain about work while he worked. He never heard Noah whistling while doing some paperwork that he hated.

'Things are slowly changing.'

***

"Hey," she whispered in the dark.

Noah stopped midway through climbing on his own bed. He was trying to be careful, to ensure not to wake her up, but then he still woke her up. "Hey, baby. Did I wake you up?" he still asked the obvious question.

"Not really. I heard you entered the bathroom," she replied, still in a hushed tone.

She glanced at the bedside table, seeing the luminous clock, showing the time twelve minutes past three in the morning. "Just finished your work?"

Noah flipped the end part of the bed cover to slip under it. Jess could see that Noah was wearing nothing but his boxer.

When Noah scooted himself over to her side, she rolled to her side to meet him, then she pushed herself up and planted herself on top of his firm body. Her face automatically sought the crook of his neck.

"Miss Zimmerman, do you plan to sleep the night, topping me?" he asked, yet his arms have automatically circled around Jess's body.

"Hmm," she mumbled, nuzzling his neck.

"Jess, doing that would make it too difficult to sleep." His hands roamed on her back, and down to her round ass. She must have woken up a while ago because she was no longer wearing her pants.

His hands could feel her naked skin when he grabbed her ass. They fit like gloves in his hands.

"You have to sleep. You worked too hard --" she abruptly giggled when Noah pressed her ass to his lower region.

"Baby, there is another part of me that is hard," he said, pressing a kiss on her temple.

"Noah, please sleep. I truly need some sleep too. And I just love your warmth, huh," she whispered.

"And why would I let you get away from what you are doing to my lower half, minx?"

"I need sleep, and so are you. Your libido may be high enough for some playtime but you need to take a rest."

"It sounds like you were just getting out of the situation that you put me in. I mean, you on top of me, with a few clothes that could easily be ripped apart in between us - that's just asking for trouble, Miss Zimmerman."

"It's not. It's comfortable here. When your chest rises and falls, I feel like I am in a boat, softly rocking in the middle of the sea. A very comfortable one."

A chuckle escaped him. Jess has a way of getting what she wants and he wasn't complaining. Also because, just as she said, her lying on top of him was indeed very comfortable.

Their heartbeat was like being linked to each other. Her warm breath, caressing his neck, and not to mention how he likes having her in his embrace.

His arms embracing her, his fingers grazing the smooth skin of her back, for his hands had been under her blouse.

He nuzzled the side of her face and kissed her. "Good night, baby."

"Hm-mmh," was her only response. She was slipping into slumber as her consciousness faded. Noah's scent, which smelled like the earth after a rain, and his citrusy shampoo - all of these mixed with his natural scent, and Jess inhaled them and became intoxicated.

Noah's fingers were on her body, skimming the shape of her torso, squeezing her waist, and when his hands and fingers got bored, his fingers started tracing the bone of her spine, counting each of them.

All those things drove Jess into sleep. A deep one that she even snores.

Noah couldn't help the soft chuckle that escaped his throat, hearing Jess snored. He wondered if Jess would get mad at him in the morning if he would tell her that she snored.

He tightened his arms around her soft body. He closed his eyes and wished that this sleeping situation would last forever. He would love to climb in his bed every night where Jess would climb on him to sleep.

He glanced at the time on the luminous digital clock. It is now, quarter to four. The hour runs too fast. He wished it would slow down so he could keep Jess longer in his arms.

He fell asleep with those thoughts in his head.