Chapter 33
Chapter thirty-three
Lawson
The rest of the house is quiet as I lay propped up against my headboard, glasses perched on my nose, a paperback open in one hand, and a crinkled bag of M&M’s balanced on my chest. The sun is long gone now, so is my shirt, leaving me in only my sweats as I attempt to wind down from all the excitement of the last twenty-four hours.
Attempt being the keyword here.
Fishing a blue M&M out of the bag, I pop it into my mouth and flip a page when there’s a knock on the door. Not hard. Not hesitant either. Just familiar.
“Come in,” I call.
The door swings open, and Jasper leans against the frame like he owns the place. Arms crossed, shoulder relaxed, hat gone for once. His hair’s still damp like he showered not too long ago.
His eyes flick straight to the candy bag on my chest, and he snorts. “You’re gonna lose all your damn teeth one of these days.”
I roll my eyes. “Mama taught me how to brush and floss,” I say calmly, shaking the candy bag in his direction. “Besides. There’s antioxidants in chocolate. Or somethin’ like that.”
Now it’s Jas who rolls his eyes, but he pushes off the frame, steps inside, and closes the door behind him. He doesn’t sit, just stays standing there for a moment, like he’s deciding how this conversation’s supposed to go.
I lower my book and meet his gaze head-on. “You good?”
He exhales through his nose. “Yeah. I think so.”
That answer’s doing a lot of heavy lifting.
I set the bag of candy on my nightstand. “You wanna talk then, or you wanna stand there pretendin’ you don’t?”
A corner of his mouth twitches. “You always gotta call me out.”
“Someone has to.”
Jasper scratches at the back of his neck, then finally drifts farther into the room, leaning his shoulder against my tall dresser. “I just… I wanted to check in. With you, I mean. Make sure we’re good. I’m assuming Beau told you whatever it is that he heard?”
Something warm settles in my chest. “Beau didn’t tell me anything, Jas. But he didn’t have to. The smart-ass smirk on his face told me everything I needed to know. Plus, your zipper was down, and Abigail’s face was… flushed.”
I know from firsthand experience what that pretty shade of pink is from.
“God dammit,” he groans.
A low laugh spills out of me. “We’re good, Jas,” I say without hesitation.
His eyes search mine, sharp and uncertain all at once. “I didn’t mean to cross any lines today. It’s just—I was spiraling and—she was just so—”
“I know,” I confirm without him needing to spell it out for me. “And you didn’t cross any lines,” I add, firm and certain.
He nods, but the tension doesn’t leave his shoulders. “I know she spent the night with you. And I know it’s not my place to ask. But then today happened and—” He cuts himself off, jaw tightening. “I don’t want this to turn into somethin’ messy.”
I swing my legs over the side of the bed and sit forward, forearms braced on my thighs. “Jas. Look at me.”
He does.
“There’s nothin’ messy about feelin’ somethin’ for her,” I say. “And there’s damn sure nothin’ wrong with how today played out. You didn’t scare her, Jas. You protected her.”
I know for damn sure that this is about more than just what happened with Abigail.
His voice drops. “I scared myself.”
That, I understand.
“I’ve been there. That line where you realize how easy it’d be to become someone you don’t wanna be.” Jasper’s jaw flexes. “She sees you. Not just the heat. Not just the anger. She sees the man we all see. The man who pulled himself back before it went too far. A man that’s good.”
Silence stretches between us, then he lets out a slow breath and nods. “We’re okay, then?”
I chuckle softly. “Yeah. We’re okay.” Because the truth is, we’re more than okay. This isn’t about possession. This isn’t about competition. It’s about care. About trust. About choosing not to let fear poison something that could be so damn good.
The two of us stare at one another for another beat, the quiet now settling comfortably around us. “Well,” Jas says, pushing off the dresser. “I should probably let you get back to destroying your teeth.”
I grab the candy bag and toss it lightly at his chest. “Jealousy’s an ugly look on you.”
He catches it easily, smirks, pulls out a yellow M&M, and tosses it in my direction. Tipping my head back, I catch it with ease before Jasper sets the bag back on my nightstand. “Night, Law.”
“Night, Brother.”
He reaches for the door when I stop him. “Hey, Jas?” He turns. “Love you.”
For a second, he just looks at me. Then his expression softens, real and unguarded. “Love you too.”
The door clicks shut behind him, and for the first time since I crawled into bed, I feel at rest.