Chapter 290

That night, Joshua went to Jean's residence again, slipping into bed with Shermaine. Fresh from a shower and slightly tipsy, he pulled her close with a contented sigh, pressing a kiss to her lips. “Goodnight, baby.”

At that, Shermaine lifted her head slightly, puzzled. “What did you just call me?”

“Baby,” Joshua repeated, kissing her again.

Her nose scrunched. “Just use my name.”

“Don’t like it?”

Joshua had taken Owen’s advice. Women melt for pet names like “baby” or “sweetheart.” Sweetheart was too common, but baby sounded especially sweet. But apparently, Shermaine wasn’t a fan. Not that it mattered. She was his treasure.

“Too cheesy,” Shermaine muttered, eyes glued to her phone, where she was seconds away from beating a puzzle game.

Joshua nipped at her earlobe, his warm breath tickling her skin as he murmured, “Baby.”

The combination of his voice and touch made Shermaine’s fingers twitch.

Still hovering near her ear, Joshua asked with a soft chuckle, “How about now?”

“Stop messing with me.”

“Baby.”

Shermaine’s heart suddenly raced. “Joshua, you’re so annoying,” she muttered. “Game Over” flashed on her screen.

Joshua grinned, confiscating her phone and guiding her hand under his shirt. “Touch my abs, baby.”

Shermaine hadn’t expected Joshua to get so good at teasing her. It reminded her of that time she had gotten drunk and insisted on touching his tattoos.

She rolled her eyes but complied. His muscles were taut under her fingers. His breathing hitched after just a few strokes. She couldn’t help but tease him. “You’ve got zero self-control now.”

“I’ve never had any self-control with you,” Joshua admitted, reaching for the nightstand. When he rolled over, pinning her with another kiss, his voice dropped to a whisper. “You’re so sweet, baby.”

Shermaine pinched his waist, fighting the shiver his words sent down her spine. A lazy yawn escaped her.

The crisp autumn night carried the scent of roses from the garden through the open window. Joshua settled back into bed, savoring the breeze.

He had discovered the power of the pet name. Shermaine melted under that endearment far quicker than usual. He made a mental note to use it more often.

After their playful tussle, Shermaine yawned, a sudden thought striking her. “Your birthday is coming up, right?” She had memorized the date from papers when they got their marriage license.

Joshua nodded. His birthday was on September 20th, though he had never been one for celebrations. Even Owen rarely remembered, let alone brought it up.

Come to think of it, Joshua had met Shermaine around this season. It had already been over a year.

“What do you need?” Shermaine asked.

“Nothing,” Joshua replied simply. “I’ve got everything I want.”

She sighed quietly.

Chuckling, Joshua pulled her closer. “Sleep. Gifts don’t matter.”

Shermaine closed her eyes and drifted off soon after, her breathing soft and steady in the quiet night.