Distorted Beauty {Pure Illusion Series: Book 4}

Chapter 3

A/N: HEY. So I still haven't moved forward with this book; I had two spring breaks and speant 90% of my time watching my baseball husband at his spring training games. (BLESS BASEBALL PANTS 2K15). ANYWAY, I do plan to start writing again as I have tons of ideas and finally have some quiet time to do so. But for now, please enjoy chapter 3. It's fairly long and I edited it a LOT (aka it wasn't supposed to go this way but it did) so that's why it's taking so long for me to write this book. Go figure it's the one I'm most excited about. As always, enjoy! :) 

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The into Jacob's apartment was just as smooth as the move out of hers, well mostly. Steve grumbled whenever Nat would inform him where to set a box or a piece of furniture, all the while Bucky and Iselda would stifle laughs as to avoid the death looks Steve would throw at them. Jacob’s apartment was bigger than Iselda’s, perks of his salary compared to hers, and had two bathrooms, two bedrooms and a joined living room and kitchen. 

Steve hadn't made any comments about the couple as they moved her belongings into the master bedroom and began to unpack. It had been clearly obvious he felt uncomfortable about the entire situations but he refused to have a second exchange on the matter and opted instead to remain quiet. Natasha had helped her decorate a little, one of her many hidden talents, while Bucky had put away the boxes in the kitchen.

When they had left about an hour ago, she wasn’t nervous about the thought of her and Jake being alone in his apartment. But as the time ticked by and she soaked in the tub, she felt the butterflies rise in her stomach to her chest. Since they had started dating, she couldn't recall a time that they ever had been truly alone. If he wasn't working at night, she was, or Steve was checking in on her or something. She now suspected it was to prevent other activies from happening. Her blonde hair splayed out in the soapy water around her as she listened to the soothing music that played from her phone.

Remembering the text that Jake had sent, she knew she had to get out sooner or later as he would be home in thirty minutes. Stepping out of the tub and drying herself off, she snagged the pink Victoria Secret bag and began to pull out the blue, lacy lingerie. She had bought it for tonight, to celebrate and to finally become a woman, at least according to all the gossip magazines Tony had lying around. Taking a breath, she closed her eyes and attempted to calm her heart that felt like it was beating out of her chest; everything would be okay - Jake loved her and she loved him.  

Though Jake had insisted it would be okay if she didn’t want to when she had first brought up this idea, she knew she had to do this, not for him but herself. Tonight was supposed to be a celebration, an exciting evening of the countdown to their marriage. It was preshow jitters was all it was, and she knew that even if she changed her mind last minute, Jake would understand.

Hurrying herself into a pair of jean shorts and a teal tank top, she combed her hair out and began to braid it to the side, letting it fall over her right shoulder. Taking one last look in the mirror, she headed out into the kitchen to prepare dinner. She had settled on a vegetable stew – at least she would attempt to make it. Iselda had never been an excellent cook by any means; she burned water for her mac and cheese all the time. But again, tonight wasn't about her, it was about them and the rest of their lives.  

Turning on some music, she began to dance around to the song playing of the speakers while she began to gather her supplies and chop up some of the vegetables. Shaking her head and her body back and forth she began to pour some of the veggies into the pan. She danced around to her playlist, hardly caring how ridicioulous she looked belting out the lyrics to the song she secretly loved.