My face is heating up, I’m doing this all wrong. “No. Well? No. It’s just I didn’t want to tell you by text. Maybe you should come in.”
Jasper’s expression remains confused as I usher him into the house and shut the door behind him.
“Max, you’re starting to worry me. What’s going on?”
“I wanted you to call me back so I could tell you.”
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t. I’ll explain in a bit but first, tell me what? Do you not want to go on our date anymore?”
“No, it’s not that, I…I do. I very much do.” I place my shaking hands on his shoulders, then take his hands. “It’s just…we can’t go anywhere until…”
“Until?”
“Until you’ve met my parents.”
Jasper’s mouth topples open and his confused expression becomes one of utter dread.
MEET THE PARENTS
“Jasper? You all right?”
We’ve been standing in the hall for a solid minute and Jasper hasn’t said a word since I told him he had to meet my folks before we went on our date.
“Are…are they here now?”
“They just popped out to pick up their order of Thai food. They’ll be home in a bit. But they said we had to wait so they could meet you before I’m allowed to go anywhere.”
Jasper’s shoulders relax and he exhales. “Okay.” He closes his eyes like he’s meditating, and when he opens them his expression is uberserious. “I’ll meet them.”
I smile.What a champ.“Great.” For a moment we hover awkwardly. “We probably have a bit of time before they’re back. Do you…want to see my room?”
A light flicks on at the back of Jasper’s eyes. “I’d love to.”
Doing my best to seem casual and not at all freaked about having a boy in my house or showing that boy to my room for the first time, I take Jasper’s hand and lead him upstairs.
Outside my room, I stop and gesture for Jasper to go in ahead. He shoots me a sideways grin that makes my stomach do a little flip and then wanders slowly inside. I watch him as he takes in the space. I did, of course, clean up a little bit. The dirty clothes are in the hamper, the bedsheets are pulled up neatly. Jasper wanders in a small circle, slowly, like he’s in a museum, taking in each detail. He runs a hand across the surface of my desk, still sort of messy, his fingers coming to rest on the edge of the sketchbook.
“It’s a good room,” he says, nodding approvingly. “Smells like you.”
“Oh god.” My face heats up and I dart my eyes to the floor. An errant dirty sock I must have missed during my cleaning spree is sticking out from under the bed. I snatch it up and toss it in the hamper, shutting the lid, unwilling to turn back around. Jasper is suddenly behind me, wrapping one hand gently around my waist.
“I love it,” he says, breath hot against my neck. His lips find the curve of my shoulder and I melt under his kiss. He spins me around to face him and pulls me in close.
Moon gods, is this really happening?I’m making out with Jasper Apollo in my little Stony Point bedroom. My raggedy childhood wolf plushie, Mr. Bitey, is watching us from his spot on my dresser, my old retainer is in its box on the desk, and my bed is right there.
Jasper’s kisses intensify. His lips and tongue taste like cherries, his hands are firm on my back, our chests are pressed together. For the first time, we’re alone in a room with no more bullshit keeping us apart. We’re here and we’re together. There’s nothing in our way.
Awkwardly, I take a step in the direction of the bed, and Jasper mirrors my movement. Without breaking apart, we maneuver like two penguins glued together, across the room, unable to stop ourselves from kissing. My toes bump against Jasper’s feet as we stumble a little and then, finding the edge of my bedframe, tumble onto the mattress.
“Ouch,” Jasper says, pulling away. I open my eyes to see him rubbing his head where he must have bumped it against the wall.
“Are you okay?”
He eyes me hungrily, grinning like a wolf about to chomp down on a lamb. “I’m great.”
In a flash he’s whipped off his jacket and is suddenly on top of me and we’re making out again. His body is warm and solid, and I like the weight of it. His hand is on my thigh, which sends a shiver running through me. I slide my hands up his back, firm and taught under my touch.
I don’t seem to be able to catch my breath but I don’t mind. I feel like I could do this for eternity. My whole body is zinging, my skin a mess of tingles, my heart and lungs and stomach filled with golden light. My fingers are lost in Jasper’s hair, his hand cups the side of my face like a pillow. My tongue catches on his slightly elongated fang and I enjoy the prick of it. Jasper’s hand comes to rest on the waistband of my jeans, his fingertips sliding under the hem of my hoodie and finding skin, making me gasp. This is euphoria, this is everything, I never want this to end.
