“So, do you want to talk about it?” he asks.
“What’s there to talk about?” I keep my eyes locked on the screen.
“That was a scary experience—it’s okay if it shook you.” He angles his body toward mine. I don’t talk about my feelings much these days. It doesn’t come naturally to me—at least, not anymore. But something about Jasper makes me feel safe, and it’s been a long time since I found that feeling in a person. Maybe I feel even safe enough to open up. Just a little bit and just for tonight.
“I thought I lost Truman,” I say, breaking the unbearable silence. “When I noticed he was missing, my heart sank. Iimmediately thought the worst had happened, and I wasn’t even close to being ready to say goodbye. I couldn’t lose someone else—my heart wouldn’t be able to bear that loss, not this time.”
Suddenly, I notice my blanket feels damp. Before I can process the teardrops staining the blanket, Jasper pulls me into him, tucking me carefully into his side. He wraps his strong arms around me, cradling me, reminding me of how I cradled Truman tonight. I bask in his scent—fresh sandalwood. I give in, pressing into him rather than away from him. More tears cascade, seeping into his charcoal sweatshirt. I squeeze my eyes shut, unable to share more or look into his eyes.
“You’re so much stronger than anyone realizes, Greene,” he whispers into my hair, resting his head on mine. “But it’s okay to lean on others when things get heavy—especially me.”
I open my eyes and gaze upward slowly, looking directly into his stormy eyes swirling with unreadable emotion. Our faces, mere centimeters apart, seem to naturally gravitate to each other with every passing second. His eyes drift down to my lips, lingering there. He draws nearer and then places a gentle kiss on my forehead. Every inch of my body tingles, from my toes to my nose. It feels undeniably right—almostunnaturallyright. Before I can overthink it, I give in to the moment. I grip the collar of his sweatshirt and pull him toward me, giving in to my intrusive thoughts. I close my eyes and part my lips, silently inviting him, waiting for an answer that will change everything as we know it. His lips—softer than I imagined—brush against mine, as he slowly slips the tip of his tongue inside my mouth. He tastes like mint.
He weaves his fingers into my hair as a groan escapes his mouth, resulting in a little gasp escaping from mine. My body vibrates under his grasp, pleading for more, suddenly believing in magic.Damn, he’s good. I knew he would be.In one swift movement, he breaks the kiss. His hungry eyes pierce mine.
“I can’t do this.” He looks away, running his fingers through his hair. Immediately, I feel embarrassed and lean away from him.
“I’m sorry,” I mumble, realizing I probably came on too strong.
“What? Oh, you don’t have anything to be sorry for,” he affirms. “As much as I would love to keep kissing you, Ican’t.”
I pull away even further, folding my arms, flustered by his interruption. Maybe he's afraid of getting too serious. With that in mind, I offer a solution.
“What happened to ‘just tonight?’”
“That’s the thing, Greene,” he stares into my eyes intently, “I don’t know if I can settle for just tonight. I’ve been fighting it, but I want more than just one night.”
Twenty-Four
Jasper
While sitting on my couch with Iris in my arms, I couldn’t be happier that Kai took off after we walked into my home. He wouldnotbe pleased with me at the moment. My criminal eyes drop down to her lips again, now extra pink and swollen, making my arousal even stronger. She tastes likeglazedhoney, even sweeter than I imagined. I’d die a happy—and lucky—man if she were the last woman I kissed.
As much as I’d love to scoop her into my arms and carry her to my bed to devour her, I know it’s wrong. She deserves more. So much more.
“What do you mean you’ve been fighting it?” She scrunches her nose, looking cuter than ever, the glow of the fireplace illuminating her olive skin. She’s still wearing the outfit she wore earlier tonight, enticing me with her curves.
“Iris, you’ve crafted the most striking mask,” I remark, messing with a strand of her hair. “It’s bulletproof. Most people don’t see what lies under your mask, but I do. Not only that—I want to see even more. Quite frankly, I can’t get enough of you if I’m being honest. I can’t keep kissing you because I may want something more, but I don’t want to jeopardize our friendship.”
“What if, hypothetically speaking—” she pauses, thinking before continuing, as always, “I want something more, too? But maybe I’m not sure if I’m ready for that?”
“Then, I’d say we’re on the same page. Hypothetically speaking, of course.” I smirk, caressing her arm.
“So, what do we do?” she whispers, eyeing my lips again. I want to taste her again, but I know better. Kai would be proud.
“How about we change and then figure things out?”
“Um, I didn’t pack an extra change of clothes for our impromptu sleepover, so this is it for me.” She shrugs, motioning to her outfit. Right. I walk down the hallway to my bedroom to grab a gray T-shirt from my closet, throwing it her way.
“I’m going to change into this right now if that’s okay? I am so ready to take off my pants, it’s unreal.” She sighs. I nod, then gulp as she walks away swiftly to change. I don’t know why I assumed she would wait to change until we went to sleep.Idiot.
She prances back out into the living room, truly pantsless, taking my breath away in a single stride.Fuck. Me.Her smooth, bare legs call out to me. As she is about to plop down onto the couch, I intercept her, pulling her to sit right on my lap, holding her so she can’t break free, savoring the feeling of her ass resting on my thighs.
“Jasper!” She squeals. “Let me go, or you’ll regret it!” She attempts to break free pitifully, and we both gasp for air from laughing so hard. I continue to hold onto her, refusing to let her go.
“Hit me with whatever you’ve got,” I quip. In an instant, she elbows me, causing me to release her. She rises seamlessly, taking a little bow as a mischievous glint lingers in her eyes. Just when I think it’s over, she tackles me, straddling me with her legs on either side of my ribs. She has absolutelynoideawhat she does to me, and she’s about to find out. That's great.
She pins me to the couch, looking straight into my eyes playfully. Her eyes widen slightly, signaling that she feels my bulge. Instead of releasing me, though, she chooses to rest her head on top of my chest directly above my heart and collapses on top of me. I wrap my arms around her.
