Jasmine’s smile widens. “Oh yes. He couldn’t resist showing off a little when I poured him a drink.”
I scoff and shake my head. He couldn’t even last a single afternoon without showing off. “I’d like to say I’m surprised, but I’m not.”
“Here, let me take one,” she says, grabbing the North statue.
My insides twist as I look at her again. “You didn’t say anything to Juniper?—”
Jasmine closes the trunk of my car. “No. Not a chance. Girl is taken by both of you. I’m not messing that up. Especially this weekend.”
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“It’s her birthday weekend.”
I blink, bewildered that I didn’t know already.
“She didn’t tell you?” Jasmine asks.
“It hadn’t come up,” I reply.
I grab the door for her and hold it wide, letting her into the building first. She doesn’t say anything else as she makes her way over to the bar.
I pause in the threshold to take everything in.
North is leaning over the bar, chatting with Juniper, his hand toying with hers. The smile on his face is one I don’t think I’ve ever seen. He appears genuinely happy, like he hasn’t felt such relief and connection in centuries.
And I’m reminded that he hasn’t.
Juniper… If my heart wasn’t already a fucking wreck after spending the night with her, looking at her this now would seal it. She’s wearingmyblack coat that I left there this morning, green and black striped stockings, a ruffled black skirt, and cropped shirt with a quote from the movieElf.
Jasmine slides the North statue toward her as she joins them. She says something that makes Juniper laugh, and she finally looks up in my direction.
Juniper’s grin fades. I see her chest fall as if she’s sighing, and she tilts her head with a soft smile as we share this stare.
God, I really think I’m already in love with her.
North sits back and peers over his shoulder to find what Juniper’s looking at. His own smile broadens across his face. “There he is,” North says.
I cross the room, holding Juniper’s stare the whole time. She comes around the bar to meet me. My heart flips when she presses her hand to my cheek and brings me down to her for a kiss.
“Hi,” she says softly.
“Hi, angel… Ilovethis jacket on you. Where did you get it?”
She draws her bottom lip behind her teeth. “I just found it lying around this morning. Someone must have left it behind, running out of the door.”
“Someone left it behind when they werekickedout the door,” I counter.
“How tragic,” she taunts.
I chuckle and kiss her cheek. Before I can get another word out, North clears his throat behind her. My eyes roll his way, and Juniper sinks her head into my chest, snickering.
“Sounds like someone needs attention,” she jokes, twisting in my arms to face North.
“He’s insatiable. Always has been.” I smirk at him as he straightens and steps toward us. “You look uglier than you did early this morning. What happened?”
North reaches out for Juniper’s hip and slides his hand around her waist, bringing her close enough to squeeze her. “Juniper put me on my back. It was quite the struggle,” he says, smiling down at her. “I don’t know if I’ll ever recover.”
Juniper wobbles slightly as she looks between us, her face turning a bright shade of carmine. “Okay… I think… Wow.Sweet Jesus. Um… I feel really small right now.” She backs out of our grasps and laughs nervously, her eyes darting between us.
