His scent consumes me. Mint, lemon, and that familiar cherry blossom, that I know now, comes from his mother.
“Missed you,” I mumble into his chest.
“I missed you too.”
I lean back to get a good look at his face. The muscles are tight and his eyes, while warm, have dark crescents beneath them, he looks older somehow. I place my palm on his cheek, run my thumb along his jaw.
“Are you okay?”
“Better now.”
He kisses me tenderly. A short but meaningful peck.
“Catch me up?” I say afterward.
“Not here,” he says, taking my hand and leading me through the living room toward his bedroom.
Jasper shuts his door behind us while I move to sit on the edge of his bed, but before I do, he catches my hand and pulls me back to him. He kisses me again, more forcefully this time, his hands roaming, slipping under my shirt and up my back.
“Shouldn’t we talk?” I ask, breathless but letting him pull my shirt over my shoulders and toss it aside.
“Later,” he says, a growl rolling in his throat.
I return his kisses with the same fierce sense of urgency.
There are important things we need to discuss, but right now, with his breath warm on my neck, his lips soft and moist pressing against mine, his hands pulling me closer, holding me against him, this takes precedence.
In one smooth gesture his shirt is off as well, and I gasp a little as skin meets skin.
Awkwardly, we stumble toward his bed not wanting to break apart, as if allowing even a millimeter of space between us would be too much. The backs of my knees crumple as they hit the mattress, and I topple backward. Jasper lands on top of me, his weight a comforting pressure.
He laughs at our less than graceful descent and wipes the hair from my face.
“You’re beautiful,” he says, and starts up with the kissing once more.
I wake up wrapped in Jasper’s arms. Sleeping peacefully, he looks less tired than when I ran at him an hour or so ago. His jaw muscles are relaxed, his eyes closed gently, fluttering behind their lids.
His long navy curtains are still open and warm afternoon light is shining in. With two fingers I gently trace the curve of hisshoulder and down his arm, then nestle in a little closer and shut my eyes again.
Jasper groans lightly, tensing his arms and locking me in place.
“Mmm, we should probably get up.”
“I would but I’m too comfortable.”
He nuzzles into my hair, kissing the top of my head before loosening his grip, shifting back a little so he can see my face.
“Tell me about your trip.”
I look down, or I guess sideways, seeing as I’m horizontal, and tuck my foot between Jasper’s ankles.
“I already told you Mal won’t ask the rogues to help us. But it wasn’t all bad. Mia and Olivia came back with us. Mia said she’d speak with her father.”
“I know,” Jasper says. “Morven sent word, he’s coming to visit.”
“But that’s great, no?”
“We’ll have to see.” He strokes the side of my face. “But forget pack business for a second.” He looks like he needs a distraction. “What was visiting the rogue settlements like?”
