I've Changed

66. I've changed

Jae's pov

TW: [MENTION OF SELF HARM/SUICIDE]

"You flew all this way to cook me pasta?" Ellie hops on the counter next to me as I shred some cheese. Before nodding, I raise my head, reaching close to catch her lips.

"If that's what you want," I say, tossing the cheese into the sauce to melt and thicken it.

"Thank you, Jae," I turn around after mixing the ingredients. I walk in between her legs, caressing the side of her thighs with a smile.

"Does this imply that I fulfilled your dreams?" I raise an eyebrow as I take the cooked pasta and shrimp into the sauce. Ellie's arms circle around my waist as I toss everything together, causing me to crane my neck to view her and sling my arm over her shoulder so I can draw her closer. When I stroke her arm and stir the pasta well at the same time, I notice her eyes fluttering shut.

"You're my dream," she murmurs, and I snap my head down to look at her, but she's already smiling at me. My stomach flutters, forcing me to crouch down and kiss her on the lips. I pick her up and place her back on the counter after turning off the stove's heat.

"I love you," she sighs between kisses, pulling me in closer as I cup her face in my hands. For domination, she deepens the kiss by prying my mouth open with her tongue. I smile, hearing her laugh as she senses my need for her, but I back away so we don't go too far.

"I love you so much," I reply quickly, pressing my forehead against hers as she giggles. "However, we should have dinner."

"Yes, we should," she jumps down and prepares the plate, she pecks the corners of my lips, making me pout. She raises an eyebrow as I point to my lips with my mouth open. "What?" I scrunch up my nose as she innocently tilts her head.

"I need proper kisses," I say, grasping the side of her face as she wraps her hand around my neck and holds the plates in the other.

"Later," she says as she plants another kiss on my lips before setting the plates down so I may serve the shrimp fettuccine. While Ellie carries the wine and wine glasses to the balcony where she arranged the table, I try to make the plate aesthetically pleasing by putting some parsley.

I follow behind her, taking our plates and arranging them side by side, before pulling out a chair for her. She kisses my cheek as I tuck her chair and take a seat next to her, my arm draped over her arm.

"The whole time, "the project" you were referring to in the blue journal has been the layout of our dream..." she says, her voice tinged with surprise as she stares directly at the Eiffel Tower.

"I've been working on it since the day you left," I confess, rubbing her arm for warmth as a chill breeze hits me. "I have to get it just right."

"It already is," Ellie says, her hand entwined in mine, lulling me into her embrace. "Are you a good cook?" She raises a brow, takes her fork, and eats a piece of shrimp, before her eyes enlarge with delight.

"I'm the best," I say, shrugging as I watch her nod her head and take another bite of pasta. I chuckle, eating the fettuccine by spinning it around my fork. "But, I'm hoping you'll be able to add some ideas for the rough drafts."

"That was a rough draft?" She says when I wipe the sauce off the corner of her mouth with my thumb, I laugh and nod. When she innocently sucks the sauce from the tip of my thumb, my eyebrows raise, prompting me to grab her chin and bring her to my lips, where I can taste the exquisite pasta and her.

"If you keep doing that, our food will get cold," I warn her, and I watch her biting her cheek from the smile as she returns her gaze to the scenery.