I always will.
After he fades away, I embrace Iris in my arms.Soulmates. Ever since meeting the Greenes, all the logic I stored inside my mind for years on end has been thrown out the window. Oddly enough, I couldn't care less. If letting go of logic is what led me to hold my soulmate in my arms, then I'd give it all up. Without warning, I scoop her up and carry her to the bedroom relinquishing in the sound of her laugh. She jokingly tells me to put her down, but we both know that isn’treallywhat she wants. Upon walking into her room, I realize I haven’t taken a good lookat this room since her apartment flooded nearly two months ago. Her walls are lined with loads of art and decor, and a night mask alongside a jewelry box rests on the nightstand. My attention is pulled away as her body is calling my name.
I lay her on the bed and trace the outline of her body with my hands, pressing firmly along the curves of her hips and thighs. Her starlight dress clings graciously to her body. She really does embody the midnight sky right now. I've said it before, I'll say it again: this woman is agoddess.I motion for her to rise. After she stands, she turns away, prompting me to unzip her gown. As I slide the zipper down her backside, my eyes linger on the slope of it. The starry dress falls to the ground, pooling around her ankles. From behind her, I pull her into me and hoarsely whisper into her ear. “Do you trust me?”
“Yes,” she whispers.
I glimpse at her nightstand. “Close your eyes, Greene.”
She obliges, fluttering her eyes closed.
“Good girl,” I whisper in her ear before wandering over to the wooden nightstand and picking up her sleep mask. I gently lift her head and slip it on, shielding her eyes from any trace of light in the room. I wish I would’ve brought a blindfold, but after putting the mask on her, it's clear this will work just fine. I guide her to the bed and lay her down on the cotton sheets, ready to worship every inch of her. She lets out a breathy moan as my lips graze her waist.For fuck’s sake—I’m already so hard I'm throbbing, yet we have just begun.
After tasting nearly every part of her body and still craving more, I suck on her delicious breast. My hand roams down, finding its way between her legs. I push my fingers against her clit and rub circles around it for as much time as she can take eventually slipping a finger in, and she moans louder, making my head spin. I fall into a steady rhythm, eventually adding a second finger into the mix, all while keeping my thumb presseddirectly on her, resulting in Iris fisting her hands in my hair. As she tugs on my hair, I break away from her breasts, allowing a guttural groan to escape my lips. “Greene, you’remine. Myeverything.”
I slip the mask off of her with my free hand, wanting to look directly into her ethereal green eyes as we bind our bodies together. Her hooded eyes bore into mine.
“Please, Jasper.” Pleasure shoots up my spine upon hearing her breathe my name.
“Say no more, baby.” I pull my fingers out and taste the faint trace of her left behind, causing her head to roll back in pleasure. She tastesdelectable. I need more. I mount her, planting my knees on either side, pressing myself against her. “I’m all yours, Greene.”
Lights dance in her eyes as her wet lips curve into a smile. “And I’m yours.” That sentiment alone is my great undoing. After amindblowingnight, I cradle her in my arms with our legs tangled under the sheets. I hold her all night long making a silent vow never to let go.
Forty-Four
Iris
“Jasper, where are we going?” I ask for the third time since jumping into his car. He insists he can’t tell me, but he and I both know he could tell me if he wanted to. He’s simply refusing to cooperate here, and as endearing as he is, I can only find ignorance blissful for so long.
“Can’t tell you, Greene.” He bites his lip. He seems nervous which is unlike him.
“Can’t? Orwon’t?” I goad him.
“Both are the same in this instance, really,” he remarks coyly while his lips curl into a smile. I haven’t been able to take my eyes off the fullness of his lips since last night. Waking up in hisarms today felt better than it ever has. However, he interrupted our slumber, absolutely adamant about taking me on a drive. As we wind around the mountain, I recognize our surroundings well. Too well.
“Are we going where I think we are?” I ask hesitantly.
“We are.” He sighs, taking his eyes off the road for only a second to glance into mine. “I’m here. I won’t leave your side.”
My heartbeat quickens as I process what this means. I thought I would get more time. How foolishly naive I was to think time would be merciful. We pull around the one last bend, nearing a rustic wooden plaque resting on the shoulder’s edge. I avoided looking at it the last time Jasper and I passed by, but this time, I can’t take my eyes off of it. We slow down and come to a stop on the shoulder next to the railing, overlooking the picturesque mountain range covered by a sheet of glistening snow. Jasper walks over to open my door for me. I gaze into his eyes as he reaches for my hand. “It’s time, Greene.”
I slip my hand into his and allow him to pull me out of the car. I approach the memorial and run my fingers along the plaque’s rim, my eyes fixated on the image of my brother. My best friend. “This is my first time stopping here,” I admit in a whisper. “I honestly didn’t know if I’d ever be strong enough to.”
“He’s here,” Jasper says, pressing a kiss to my temple. “He wants a proper send-off. He figured it’d be best to do it here.”
I peer over the mountainside as dozens of memories of my road trips with Kai flash before my eyes. “Why here?”
“He says he wants his guardianship on Earth to encapsulate the circle of life thing, and because this is where he died, it’s only fitting,” he jokes. I choke back a defeated laugh.
“Kai always did loveThe Lion King,” I reminisce. “He said we were like two of the characters.”
“Which ones, Simba and Nala?” He raises his brows.
“What? Oh, no, of course not,” I scoff. “Timon and Pumbaa. He said I was like Timon and he was like Pumbaa.”
He barks out a laugh and quickly covers his mouth, attempting but clearly failing to hold it back. “Sorry, it’s just… I can totally see it.” He wraps his arm around me.
“Well, I’ll just take that as a compliment.” I look away, withholding a smile. “Timon was always the sensible one anyway. Pumbaa was too boisterous for my taste.”
