Djinn in Love (Mystical Matchmakers #4)

Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

Veronica was shockingly calm.

When Leila Bayat announced that Veronica and Jasper would have to share a room, nerves had erupted in her belly, threatening to overwhelm her. She’d been so distracted by the nervous anticipation gripping her that she’d almost missed the wave of smugness that came from his mother.

The sensation had brought her back into her head with a thud. Even with her mental shields firmly in place, Veronica could sense Leila’s satisfaction with the situation. It seemed that Jasper wasn’t the only member of his family who broadcasted his emotions without thought.

It was clear that Leila wanted them to room together. That she’d even taken steps to ensure that happened.

Milo’s amusement washed over her as well, quickly followed by affection. It was clear that he was used to his mother’s machinations and that he was enjoying his brother’s plight.

Veronica decided then and there that she was going to go with the flow this weekend. It was clear that Jasper’s family didn’t resent her presence. In fact, it was obvious that his mother intended to play matchmaker. She deliberately ignored the little voice in the back of her head that said they might not feel the same once they discovered that she was an empath. If his mother and brother were anything like Jasper, they wouldn’t decide that her abilities made her undesirable.

But if they did, Veronica was beginning to believe that it wouldn’t matter to Jasper. That he made his own choices and wasn’t the type to cave to pressure from his friends or family.

Jasper swept her along out to the car, and he insisted on opening the door for her again. He didn’t say anything as he followed the drive in a wide circle back to the narrow concrete road that led behind the main lodge. Veronica noticed that his knuckles were white as he gripped the wheel, but he had his emotions locked down tightly. There wasn’t even a whisper of anger or stress coming off him.

While she appreciated the effort he was making to keep his own mental walls up, she didn’t want him to shut down completely. She didn’t want him to feel the same kind of pressure that she felt when she was with a partner.

He stopped the car in front of the fourth cabin on the left, turning into the drive and pulling beneath the carport next to the golf cart. Before Jasper could open the door and climb out of the car, Veronica put her hand on his forearm.

“Jasper, I’m going to say something, but I don’t want to upset you.”

He turned to face her. “Whatever it is, just tell me. Don’t worry about upsetting me. I’m a big boy and I can handle it.”

Veronica took a deep breath. “Okay. I can sense that you’ve locked your emotions down tightly. I know it’s because you don’t want to overwhelm me, but I also don’t want you to feel like you can’t be yourself.” She tilted her head, gazing into his eyes. “Does that make sense?”

“It does,” he answered. “And you’re right. I’ve been working on my mental shields, so you don’t have to worry about protecting yourself from me. Just like you want me to be myself, I want you to be able to do the same.” He laid his other hand over hers on his arm. “So, what are we going to do?”

Veronica shrugged. “I’m not sure. You’re the first man I’ve ever dated that cared enough to try.”

He suppressed the scowl that wanted to take over his face and focused on what she said. “Are we dating?” he asked.

That tell-tale blush worked its way up her neck to her cheeks again. “Um…well…I assumed after you kissed me that meant…” Veronica stopped speaking and cleared her throat, clearly uncomfortable. She dropped her eyes to the steering wheel, no longer looking at him.

When she tried to withdraw her hand from his arm, Jasper held it fast. “Look at me, Veronica.” He could tell she didn’t want to, but, after visibly steeling herself, she met his gaze. “If you’re okay with it, we are dating.”

“If I’m okay with it?”

“If it was completely up to me, the answer would be, yes, we’re dating exclusively and seeing each other often. But I don’t feel like I can make that decision on my own since consent is an important part of any relationship, so I need your agreement.”

The embarrassment faded from her expression, replaced with a hesitant smile. “And if I agreed?”

“Then, you’ll find out what it’s like to date a djinn. I have to warn you, we can be intense, single-minded, and demanding. Some would even say overwhelming.”

“I think I understand that already,” she quipped back, her smile turning cheeky.

“Then, that’s settled. We’re dating. Which means you’re stuck with me the rest of the weekend because my girlfriend isn’t allowed to abandon me to my crazy family. I need your protection and support.”

“Protection?” she sputtered. “How am I supposed to protect you?” She wasn’t going to even think about the word girlfriend just yet. If she did, her hopes would soar too high, too quickly.

“If you’re here, they won’t try to set me up with their friends’ daughters, cousins, or random women they meet on the street.”

“Women they meet on the street?” she asked.

“They have no shame.”

She couldn’t control her answering giggle. She could also feel the relief emanating from Jasper. He was taking her at her word and relaxing his guard around her. It made her chest feel warm and light to know that he trusted her enough to do so. Strangely enough, his emotions weren’t as heavy or sharp as they had been before. It was as if some part of him relaxed around her. She liked the idea. Probably too much.

“Well, are you ready to go inside and see what the cabin looks like?” he asked.

Veronica nodded.

It took them a few minutes to make it to the cabin because she argued with him about grabbing her own bags. He tried to insist that he would carry them, but she refused, stating that he needed to handle his own luggage, and she could handle hers.

When it became clear that she wasn’t going to budge, Jasper relented and let her wheel her suitcase up to the door of the cabin, but he still carried her other bag along with his own. Though she rolled her eyes, she couldn’t stop the smile that tugged at her mouth.

He gave her the key cards, stating that if she was going to be independent and sassy, she could open the door. Laughing again, Veronica did just that.

As soon as they entered, she stopped and stared. The cabin was small, but still beautiful. The walls were painted a soft white and the molding and trim throughout the open living area was a warm red oak, giving the space a cozy, almost old-fashioned feel. The living area was situated right in front of the entry and boasted a couch, a coffee table, and a flatscreen television mounted to the wall to their right. There was a small woodstove with a glass door in the corner to the right as well.

A small dining table was situated in the space directly between the living area and the kitchenette, already set with beautiful taupe stoneware that appeared to be handmade. With the art on the walls, the potted herbs above the kitchen sink, and the little touches throughout the space, the cabin exuded a homey, comfortable vibe that made Veronica want to curl up on the couch with a cup of tea or glass of wine, a book, and a small fire burning in the woodstove.

“Wow,” she murmured.

“I know. That isn’t a couch, it’s a loveseat,” Jasper commented as he carried the bags past her and turned to go down the short hall leading to what had to be the bedroom.

Veronica followed him, pausing in the doorway to the bedroom to take it in. A king-sized bed dominated the space, draped in a thick duvet the color of slate. Actually, it seemed larger than a regular king. Veronica studied it, trying to figure out exactly what size it would be considered. Since Devil’s Playground catered to the paranormal community, she assumed it was scaled for supernaturals with larger secondary forms. Or huge humanoid builds.

There was a heavy black dresser against the wall to her left and two matching nightstands next to the bed. The walls were painted a pale gray that held a hint of blue. The drapes were open, allowing in the late afternoon sunlight, but Veronica could see that they were heavy enough to keep the light out when closed.

“Wow,” she repeated.

Jasper set the suitcases on the floor at the end of the bed and dropped her extra duffle bag on the foot of the bed. “Yes, apparently all the rooms have Alaskan king-size beds.”

“You could fit two bear shifters on that thing…in their bear form.”

Jasper smirked at her. “I think that’s the point.”

Veronica shook her head. “Sorry, I’ve just never seen a bed that big before.”

He chuckled. “Well, you’ll be able to tell your friends that you’ve slept in the biggest bed you’ve ever seen after this weekend.”

Veronica opened her mouth to tell him that he didn’t need to sleep on the couch. The bed was so big they could both sleep in it and never know the other person was there. Before she could speak, his cell phone rang.

Shooting her an apologetic look, he pulled it out of his pocket. He sighed when he saw the screen. “It’s my mother. I have to take the call.”

“That’s okay,” Veronica assured him.

He lifted the phone to his ear and edged past her to leave the bedroom. “Hey, Mom. What’s going on?”

Veronica didn’t follow him, wanting to give him his privacy. She walked over to her suitcase and rolled it toward the open closet. She spent the next ten minutes hanging up her dresses and the nicer outfits she brought for the parties, lunches, and other gatherings. She’d been embarrassed by how much she’d packed until she saw that Jasper had a suitcase and a garment bag for himself.

She had just finished when Jasper appeared in the open door to the closet, startling her. “Ahhhh!” she yelled, tossing a handful of lingerie at him.

When she realized what she’d done, Veronica covered her mouth with both hands and stared at Jasper with wide eyes. A pair of silky turquoise panties were draped over his shoulder, and he held a lacy white bra in his other hand.

“Oh, my God,” she gasped, rushing forward to grab her undergarments. “You scared me half to death!”

Moving quickly, she snatched the panties off his shoulder, the bra out of his hand, and bent down to sweep up the assortment of panties and bras she’d managed to throw in his direction. Without looking at him, she turned and dumped them all in her suitcase before she slammed it shut.

She knew her face had to be bright red because it felt hot enough to catch fire. When she turned back toward him, she covered her face with her hands and released a hysterical laugh.

“Um, you okay?” Jasper asked.

“Fine. Would you mind leaving the closet so I can die of embarrassment in peace and solitude?”

He chuckled. “I would apologize, but I don’t mind women flinging their underwear at me.”

“Oh, my God,” she repeated. “Oh, my God.”

A deep belly laugh interrupted her mumbling. Veronica peeked through her fingers to see that Jasper had thrown his head back as he guffawed. A smile trembled on her mouth, and she clamped her hands on it to keep from laughing aloud. His mental shields weakened, and she felt his amusement. She couldn’t see it, but the emotion brushed against her skin, as light and effervescent as champagne bubbles.

There was also an undercurrent of affection. He genuinely enjoyed her. It wasn’t something she often sensed from others. Dominique made it clear that she liked Veronica, but her mental shields were so formidable that not even a stray emotion escaped. Her parents loved her, but they were too worried about bombarding her with their feelings, so they always held themselves back. Just a little. Still, she felt that distance keenly.

This was the first time she’d felt such fondness and pleasure from a man she was dating. The thought took her aback, and Veronica dropped her hands from her face. How sad was it that not one of the handful of men she’d dated held such regard for her? She deserved more than that. Why hadn’t she expected it?

Jasper came forward, mistaking her expression for more humiliation rather than an epiphany. His hands cupped her shoulders. “Hey, don’t be embarrassed. If it makes you feel better, when I get back from helping my mother, I can throw my underwear at you. It won’t be as colorful, but I’m willing to go all out and toss in my socks, too.”

He pulled her in for a quick hug. Veronica couldn’t help but laugh at his offer.

“I’ll pass,” she said. “I’m pretty sure my entire head would catch fire if you did that.”

“Why?”

“Because if I blushed any harder, I would spontaneously combust.”

He chuckled, his hand cupping the back of her head to tuck it beneath his chin. She felt the vibrations of his laughter against her cheek and heard the deep rumble of his voice as he spoke again.

“I have to go help my mother with an issue that’s cropped up with the wedding. I shouldn’t be gone too long. I’d bring you with me, but Mom would just turn you into another minion and order you around. Why don’t you relax for a bit? Feel free to order whatever you want from room service. I’ll take care of it before we leave. The party is in three hours and there will be food, but it’s going to be appetizers and little desserts rather than a full dinner. Or we can order food when we get back to the room tonight.”

Veronica wrapped her arms around Jasper’s waist. She liked the way he tried to take care of her. “How about we order something after the party? Then, we can hang out and eat together.”

“Sounds nice,” he replied. His hands stroked over her hair where it fell down her back.

Veronica nuzzled him a second longer, liking the way he smelled and how his arms felt around her. Then, she stepped back. If she didn’t, she would be tempted to stand there and let him hold her as long as he wanted.

“I’m going to take a nap. I’ll get ready when I wake up,” she said.

He studied her face, his hands still clinging to her hair. “Whatever you want,” he said, a smile playing along his lips. “Knowing my mother, I won’t be back until she has to stop whatever she’s doing and get ready for the party.” He didn’t wait for her to reply, leaning down and pressing a quick kiss to her mouth. “I’ll be back before it’s time to head out though. I promise.”

Veronica nodded, but didn’t speak. She watched as he left the closet, lifting her hand to press the tips of her fingers to her lips. Though it had been brief, the kiss hit her in the gut. It was such a simple gesture, yet it meant more than he must realize.

No longer sure she could nap, Veronica decided to focus on unpacking her toiletries. If she stayed busy, she couldn’t think too much about how Jasper made her feel.