For fuck’s sake.How am I supposed to hide this from my girl?
Thirty-Three
Iris
The feeling in the air has been different since Thanksgiving. It’s not necessarily bad, but it's not great either. Jasper and I have both been in work mode 24/7 for the last several days now that the masquerade fundraiser is less than three weeks away. His traffic has increased substantially, so he has opened Aged Emporium early and stayed late every night this week. He even hung up a masquerade fundraiser poster on his front door and has handed out flyers to every customer. Over a hundred people have RSVP’d on the event page, which is a major turnout considering the Cove’s small population.
To my disappointment, we had to skip Trivia Tuesday because we were both busy. Not to mention, Jasper isn’t my only client—I still have a couple of other smaller-scale events I’m overseeing, so my team has been heavily relying on me. Joy chose not to pursue Jasper, understandably so, given that he hasn’t tried to keep our relationship private. She and I spoke about it recently. Thankfully, she has been extremely supportive. He dropped by twice this week, bearing gifts from Little Falls each time. Surprisingly, he planted a kiss directly on my lips for anyone and everyone to witness today, which was the first time he kissed me in front of my staff. One of the event planners dropped their physical planner, and an audible collective gasp cut our kiss short.
It feels nice to be so desired. I don’t know if I’ve ever experienced this feeling before. Nothing compares to how it feels to be wanted by Jasper Alcott.
I can only hope he knows I feel the same. I’ve never been great at offering up words of affirmation, but with him, I try. Unfortunately, though, the quick Little Falls drop-ins are the only times I’ve seen him this week. Of course, he looksdamngood every time he nonchalantly strolls into our building, which only fuels my desire for him. We’re planning on spending the evening together tonight, which is just what I need, seeing as in less than two days, we’ll be driving to Katherine’s wedding in my hometown.
I feel mixed emotions about seeing Katherine again. The last time we saw each other was at Kai’s funeral. She checks in on me occasionally, which I so dearly appreciate, but we aren’t as close as we used to be. At one point, I thought she would be my future sister-in-law. I never imagined attending a wedding for Katherine without Kai standing across from her at the altar. However, if Kai were here, I know he’d be endlessly happy for her, so I’ve made an oath to at leasttryto adopt the same attitude.
Jasper proposed a “chill” date night composed of a movie marathon. As a movie enthusiast, I’m beyond ready for this. Of course, Truman is invited, so I’m bringing him along for the evening. Truman absolutely loves accompanying me to Jasper’s home. After getting home from work, I change when my phone pings.
Jasper
It’s been too long, Greene. Feel free to forgo packing a bag. ;)
I hate how giddy those stupid winky faces make me. I’m obviously down hard for this man.
Iris
I’ll be packing a bag, but I can forgo the unmentionables?
Jasper
Well, that’s hot.
Iris
I’ll take that as a yes.
Jasper
Hell. Yes.
I grin, recklessly choosing not to pack underwear or a bra tonight, changing into an oversized sweatshirt and leggings. It’s only been a week since we last spent the night in each other’s arms, but wow, I’m counting down the minutes till he picks me up at this point. Thankfully, he should be here any minute, so I won’t be counting long. Upon arrival, he opens the car door for me. I wouldn’t have pegged Jasper for being a romantic, but I’vebeen proven wrong time and time again already, and we’ve only been seeing each other for a few weeks now.
We walk into his home, and it takes sheer strength not to drag him directly into his bedroom, skipping the movie portion of the evening. Before Jasper, I wasn’t like this. I didn’t feel these types of urges often at all. Since Jasper, I have admittedly had a challenging time fighting them off. My eyes drift down to his pants for only a second.Yep, we are definitely on the same wavelength.Warmth reaches my cheeks as I slump down onto his luxurious plush brown couch.
“It’s crazy—your couch is even cozier than mine,” I moan, sinking into it deeper, stretching my arms.
“It’d be best for you to refrain from making those noises until later, Greene,” he taunts, falling on the couch beside me and folding me in his arms possessively. After a lengthy debate on what to watch, we settle for a thriller. Ilivefor plot twists—I’ve always felt that the most epic endings are unpredictable.
Jasper lounges in the corner spot of his sectional, so naturally, I lay down, nestling my head into his lap. At first, he seems mildly unsure of what to do, but after a few minutes, we mold into each other, fitting perfectly together. Halfway through the movie, our lips meet. One thing leads to another, and before we know it, I’m straddling him on the couch in nothing other than my sweatshirt. He runs his hands down the slope of my back to my behind, tracing every curve delicately while sucking on my neck. A whimper escapes me, resulting in him hardening beneath me.He is too good at this.
“Let’s take this to the bedroom, baby,” he whispers with gravel in his voice. I gaze into his eyes and comply without hesitating. I wrap my arms around his neck, and he lifts me with ease, carrying me to his domain and setting me atop his silky white sheets. I grow wet with anticipation, bracing myself for the pleasure to come. Maybe this isn’t the most unpredictable wayto end our evening, but it’s prettyepicif you ask me. Although, something still feels… off. I can’t quite wrap my head around why I feel this way, so I voluntarily lose myself to the heat of the moment instead.
The day has come. I’m going to Katherine’s wedding. With Jasper. As I apply my makeup, I’m feeling antsy for a multitude of reasons. First and foremost, this is my first public appearance with Jasper as my date. Considering we’ll be in my hometown, plenty of people will have questions I just don’t feel mentally prepared to answer. Secondly, again, this isKatherine’swedding. I know I should feel endlessly happy for my old friend, but I feel a sense of sadness and longing I can’t fully explain or comprehend. Life doesn’t feel exactly fair at the moment. Lastly, I’m quite nervous about the mountain drive. I haven’t taken this route in a long time, and as always, I can’t help but envision Kai’s shining smile when I do.
One discovery I’ve had since his passing is how much it hurts to think about the one you lost in any capacity. Sure, sometimes a fun memory will pop up, and for a moment, you may find yourself smiling at the thought of it. As quickly as the memory sparks joy in you, grief robs you yet again, though, being the great thief it is. Grief takes memories and contorts them, causing people to want to avoid all the old moments—whether they be positive or negative—and the pain they inflict.
This drive brings back many memories, both tremendously good and unspeakably bad. Often, my body reacts before mybrain does. I have no idea how I'll react because it’s been so long since I last took this route. I can only hope Jasper will be okay with potentially witnessing yet another Iris episode.
I complete my makeup and look at my wavy hair, ensuring it’s as smooth as possible for today’s occasion. I chose a forest green long-sleeved satin gown with a classy v-neckline. The sleeves are slightly puffy but not over the top. It cinches in at the waist, funneling out into a long skirt with a high slit, putting nearly my entire leg on display. I take pride in having thicker thighs, so I figured it wouldn’t hurt to showcase them.
