Convincing her (Jen and Lucas)

Chapter 322: Coming back.

Since Lucas was left home alone, he used that time to work out before taking a relaxing bath. He was determined to ignore his laptop and just take a break, but after he had his own dinner, he ended up succumbing to his habits.

He only came to realise he was doing what he wasn't meant to do after he finished answering all his emails. He quickly closed his laptop and sighed in frustration as he looked at the view out of the window that was in front of him.

He went to the kitchen and opened the fridge that had already been stocked with alcohol ranging from beer to other more expensive ones. He took out a can of beer and went out to the terrace to enjoy the night view. When he opened the glass door he immediately regretted it as it was freezing outside.

"I really can't do anything by myself anymore," Lucas mumbled to himself as he went back inside to take a blanket. As he was picking up the blanket, he heard the front door open. The amount of relief he felt could not be put into words as he went back to close the door to the terrace.

"Why is it so cold inside?" Jen asked after she shrugged off her coat. Instead of a response, she found herself enveloped in a hug.

"What's wrong?" Jen asked as she pulled back to look at him.

"I missed you," Lucas answered as he pulled her in for a hug one more time.

"I was out for just a few hours though," Jen said with an amused laugh.

"Mmh, I know. How was it?" Lucas asked once he released her.

"Well, it went well," Jen said and tried to smile, but her smile did not reach her eyes. Lucas frowned as he noticed how weird her expression was. He thought that once she returned, she would be so excited about the outing, but that did not seem to be the case at all.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked as he pushed her hair away from her face. Jen shook her head before nodding like it was an afterthought.

"I'll talk, but I'm freezing, let me go take a hot shower first," Jen said and stood on her toes to peck his lips before making her way to their room. Lucas watched her disappear behind the bedroom doors and tilted his head in confusion. 

Jen quickly undressed and got into the shower. As she was showering, she couldn't help but replay Alex's words in her head. She had tried to maintain a strong front for as long as she could but the moment she came back and Lucas hugged her she was at the brink of breaking down in tears.

She stood under the warm shower while feeling a strange sense of comfort from the warm water. She only came back to her senses when she heard Lucas knock on the bathroom door.

"Are you alright? If you don't say anything I'll come in," Lucas said from outside. More than half an hour had passed and he couldn't hear any movements inside with the exception of the sound of the running shower.

"I'll be out, give me a minute," Jen shouted back as she turned off the shower and wrapped herself in a robe before going to open the bathroom door. She was immediately met by Lucas' worried expression.

"I'm okay, don't worry about me," Jen said but Lucas was not convinced. Her hair was still wet and was slicked back. She hadn't even bothered to take it out of her robe after she had worn it and water was dripping everywhere.

"Go sit on the bed," Lucas said as he held her shoulders and led her to the bed and only left once he was reassured that she wouldn't try to get up. He went back to the bathroom and brought out some towels. 

"What's gotten into you today?" Lucas asked as he towel-dried her hair. Jen silently looked up at he wrapped her hair with the towel.

"Where did you learn to wrap the towel like that?" Jen asked curiously.

"I've watched you do it so many times already, wouldn't it be weird if I didn't know?" Lucas asked with a smile as he sat down next to her and placed another towel in her hands.

Her face was still wet and drops of water were still hanging off her wet lashes, but she didn't seem to be bothered at all.

"Are you warmer? Should I make you some hot chocolate?" Lucas asked after he managed to tear off his gaze from a droplet of water that had been trailing down her neck.

"Please?" Jen answered, and he nodded as he stood up.

"Get dressed then, I'll be in the kitchen," Lucas said as he walked to the door.

"Okay," Jen answered as she too got up.

"Don't take too long, I'll come to check on you if you aren't out by the time I'm done," Lucas warned as he walked out of the room. Jen immediately went to the closet and picked out a sweater and a pair of shorts that she wore with socks before blow-drying her hair. She was able to go to the kitchen before Lucas grew too worried about what she was doing.

"Are you still cold?" he asked as he handed her the mug of hot chocolate. 

"Not anymore, thank you," she said as she received it from him. Lucas nodded with a small smile before leading her towards the living room. He sat down first on the comfortable sofa before drawing her in to sit on his lap.

"Are you comfortable?" Lucas asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Mmh, you are really warm," Jen said and kissed his chin before burying her face in his neck. Lucas was happy even with just sitting together the way they currently were. It couldn't compare to the boredom that he had been feeling earlier, so he was feeling very content at the moment.

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