Chapter 21 #3
“With the way things are, I’ll be Aunt Julie forever and call it even with the universe.
It’s probably for the best, to be honest.” He furrows his brows, looking like he wants to ask why.
Before he does, I confess, “I don’t have money to support a kid.
I’m almost thirty, my job sucks, I have zero financial stability, no light at the end of the tunnel.
Even if I had money, I’ve been single for so long I passed the point where people think it’s cute. ”
He keeps looking at me, confused, deciding whether to take me seriously.
But he’s still standing here, listening, so I keep going. Whether he’s judging me or not.
What else are we going to do at this point? Have sex?
“When my aunts ask about boyfriends, they don’t giggle and say: oh, it’s okay, darling, you’ll meet someone.
Now they shrug and say: well, there are other things in life, At least you’re free to travel.
And then it’s my turn to laugh, because ha-ha, good joke, Auntie!
Where would I even travel with no money?
New Jersey? And maybe they try to comfort me saying: at least you’re pretty.
But I’m not pretty enough for a sugar daddy, so not even that helps. ”
Jasper laughs.
“Well, at least you’re funny.”
“My tragedy is funny to you?”
“Your tragedy makes me laugh so much my ribs hurt.”
“I know something else that’s going to make your ribs hurt!” I say. And punch him square in the abs.
It’s all muscle, but I caught him off guard, so I’m pretty sure he felt everything.
“Jesus, Julie!” Jasper complains, holding his stomach. Then continues to comfort me, I guess, “You’re also very strong! You’ve got big, heavy hands like a WWE fighter.”
I try hitting him again, but he catches my hands this time.
“Like Brock Magnus, the Destroyer!” the bastard teases, laughing.
I squirm, and instead of letting go, he pulls me into a hug. Then leans to my ear, voice low and slow, “You were sexy as hell that day… With your face red from drinking, all sweaty and wild.”
“You knew you wanted to fuck me the moment you laid eyes on me in that jail cell, didn’t you?” I whisper in his ear.
He pulls back just enough to look into my eyes.
“I never imagined it was a possibility.”
“That doesn’t answer my question,” I say, slipping back into my seductive voice. “Have you ever thought about fucking me before that, Jasper? Have you ever dreamed of a threesome with me and, like, Scarlett Johansson?”
“Nah…” his voice softens completely. “Just you.”
“Just me?” I joke, and he nods.
“And what was I doing in this dream?”
He tries not to smile.
“You were quiet.”
“So it was definitely a dream, because that never happens.”
“I know.”
“I stay quiet when you kiss me.”
He narrows his eyes and slides his hand between my legs over the panties, gentle but certain, like he’s done it a thousand times.
“Quiet when I kiss these lips?”
I laugh breathlessly.
Not those lips.
If he kissed those, I wouldn’t be quiet even if I tried really hard.
“No,” I say. And touch my mouth to show which lips I mean. “These lips.”
And just for that, he kisses me.
Our first of the night. First of the whole day.
And it’s one of those kisses. The kind I hate loving so much. Slow, gentle, lips moving against mine with soft precision, like he’s learning and savoring every detail.
It makes everything else disappear. My failing career, the wedding chaos, all my heartbreaks. Everything vanishes as his lips stay on mine, his tongue brushing softly, controlled, making my stomach twist in pleasure and… Butterflies.
My whole body is filled with fucking butterflies.
I don’t want to rush. I don’t want this to turn into something else. I just want to stay like this, feeling every touch, every breath, every beat of our hearts, as if we have time. As if we have all the time in the world.
Which is probably why I ask, between kisses, barely believing it myself,
“Can we not have sex right now?”
Jasper laughs against my mouth.
“We can.”
“We can?” I ask again, surprised.
“What do you want me to say? That we can’t, and we’ll have sex anyway?”
“No. But you could’ve said I had to leave if we weren’t doing anything.”
He pulls back and waves his hand impatiently.
“Fine. Then go. Leave.”
“What?”
“Go back to your room,” he explains, shrugging. “If you can, of course.”
And before I can process what he means, he pushes me back and pins me to the bed with his weight.
“Jasper!” I protest, trying to sound angry but laughing.
He laughs too, chest pressed to mine, lips kissing my neck, my shoulder, my mouth.
“Go on, Julie,” he teases. “If you can get out, you’re free to go.”
“You’re an idiot!” I say, struggling, but he traps my hips with his thighs and holds my wrists with just enough strength to make me work for it.
“You learned nothing from Brock Magnus, the Destroyer?”
I kick the air trying to reverse roles, but Jasper is stronger. Stronger and enjoying this way too much to let me go.
I try to escape, he holds me. I push his arm away, he covers me in kisses… and now we’re just here, pretending we’re fighting.
Me pretending to try to get away.
But the truth is… I don’t even want to leave.
Not right now, anyway.