Chapter Twenty
Then
Avery
Helen and I show up to the Coconut Grove Days late afternoon, ready to listen to live music and snack on amazing treats.
“I’m going to say hi to Joe. His taco booth is on the south side of the vendor row,” she says.
This event is significant for the town and attracts thousands of tourists annually. It’s a chance for local vendors, artisans, and restaurants to showcase their goods and services. From what I’ve heard from Jasper and the guys, the event is also like one big party.
“Of course.” I nod. “I’m going to Duke’s. Jasper said he and Easton would be at their booth.”
With one arm around me, she gives me a tight hug. “Okay, honey. Text me if you need money for anything.”
I smile at my sweet aunt. I don’t need her money, and she knows it. On my birthday two weeks ago, I received the first installment from the inheritance. But her offer means more to me than she realizes. “I’ll let you know, but I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
“Okay. We’ll meet up in a little bit.” She releases me and begins walking toward Joe’s. “Have fun!”
Jasper didn’t sleep over last night because his dad needed help making a few custom surfboards for the weekend.
They worked late into the night. When he texted me this morning, he mentioned their vendor space is toward the front entrance.
As I gaze across each spot, I see familiar restaurants, coffee shops, and even an artist selling beautiful art made from driftwood.
My breath catches when my eyes lock with my other half—my person. I play it cool by giving him a quick wave before walking over.
“Arizona!” Easton yells as soon as he sees me.
I’m still a few feet away from the table when Jasper sprints around from the back, clutches my waist, and lifts me into the air.
“I missed you last night.” I dip my head between his shoulder and neck while wrapping both legs around him.
With his hands tightly grabbing my ass cheeks, he holds me close. “I fucking missed you too.”
I breathe in his salty scent one more time before he releases me. I slide down, then walk over to greet Duke.
“Hey, little lady. Where’s your aunt?” he asks, struggling to angle a surfboard away from the direct sun.
“She went over to Joe’s,” I tell him, sliding my hand into Jasper’s.
“Okay. I’m sure she’ll stop by later,” he mumbles with a convincing tone, more to himself than us. “Social butterfly.”
“I’m sure she will.” I smile, seeing him worry about my aunt. There is something more between them than just a casual thing. In the two months I’ve been here, I’ve seen a deep love and partnership. It’s heartwarming.
Jasper lovingly kisses the top of my head, then brings his dark eyes down to mine. “Want to go grab something to eat?”
“I’d love to.” I flutter my lashes.
“Alright, you two are making me sick,” Easton spats, kneeling in front of a box of shirts.
Duke arches a brow. “Where do you think you’re going? You need to stay here and help us.”
Jasper smirks at his dad. “Relax, I’ll be back. I promise.”
“This is going to be yours one day, and you’re not going to be able just to come and go,” he calls out as Jasper leads me away.
“I know, Dad,” he says over his shoulder, with an arm hooked around my neck.
“I don’t mind hanging out at the booth with you guys,” I say.
His forehead furrows. “No way, Arizona. You need to experience this event to the full extent.”
“What does that even mean?” I giggle.
“It means that you’re going to listen to every song that these local mediocre bands have to offer.” He pauses, dipping down close. “And try food from every single vendor.”
“What?” I laugh. “I can’t eat that much food!”
“Well, you’re in luck because I’m here to help you.” Jasper playfully nuzzles the tip of my nose with his. At the same time, I rise, angling my head to the side to capture his mouth in mine. We both laugh into each other’s lips.
“Fuck man, you two,” Bodhi comments, walking up with his arm around an unfamiliar brunette woman. “Don’t you two have enough sex?”
I gaze up into Jasper’s eyes, ignoring Bodhi’s sarcastic remark. “No, we don’t, actually,” I retort.
“Would you like more?” Jasper’s eyebrow raises. “My truck is only a short distance away.”
I coyly tuck a few loose strands of hair behind my ear. “Maybe later.”
Bodhi extends his arm, raising his hand in the air. “That’s what I’m talking about, keeping my boy here happy!”
I play into him by meeting his palm for a high-five.
Jasper slaps it away. “Okay, enough. We’re going to grab a few things to eat and head over toward the stage. You coming?”
“What do you say, baby?” he asks the woman on his arm.
She shrugs. “I guess so. I just have to be back with my family at least by nine.”
“Are you visiting?” I ask her, wondering why I haven’t seen her with Bodhi before.
“Yeah. We’re on vacation here for a family reunion,” she says excitedly. “We come every year.”
“That sounds fun,” I say friendly.
She loudly smacks her lips together, chewing the gum in her mouth. “My mom said when I’m a senior, I don’t have to come anymore.”
I thought she looked a little young when they walked up together, but now I’m even more curious. “And when will that be? I just graduated this past year.”
“Well, next year, I’ll be a junior, so I have some time.” She turns to Bodhi with butterflies in her eyes. “But if we return here, it might not be such a bad trip.”
My brain quickly does the math. She’s got to be only sixteen, and I know Bodhi is twenty— a year older than Jasper. I’ve just turned eighteen, but there’s a big difference in two years. I wonder if Bodhi knows.
My eyes fly up to take in the expression on his face. He didn’t know.
“I thought you said you were eighteen?” he accuses, inconspicuously removing his arm.
She pulls her lips to the side and tilts her head upward. “Did I?”
His expression hardens. “Yes.”
Jasper clutches my waist, and I know exactly what he’s thinking. He’s never going to let Bodhi live this down. I can feel the laughter bubbly from inside his chest as Bodhi’s face drains of color.
“Oh, oops.” She giggles. “It doesn’t matter anyway, right?”
“Yeah, it kind of does.” Bodhi scratches the top of his head.
“Well,” Jasper says, breaking the awkward tension. “Bodhi, let’s head over to the stage.” Then he turns to the brunette. “It was nice meeting you. I hope you enjoy yourself in Coconut Grove, but at this time, we’re going to go our separate ways.”
I rub my lips together, holding in an eruption of laughter.
She lifts her upper lip with disgust. “Oh, alright.”
“Don’t forget to check out all the local vendors while you’re here!” Jasper tosses over his shoulder while the three of us walk away. Always looking out for the town.
“Okay, so in my defense, I did not know she was that young.” Bodhi grabs complimentary blankets from the event staff booth before we get to the open field.
Jasper shoots him a side-eye, grabbing one of the large blankets from Bodhi’s hands. I follow the two of them toward the middle of the grass. Jasper shakes it out and lays it flat. Bodhi does the same with his.
“You didn’t mess around with her, did you?” I grimace, kneeling next to Jasper. He lies back and clasps his hands behind his head.
“Hell no,” Bodhi answers quickly. “I almost did, though.”
Jasper nudges me down. “Only you would try to hook up with a tourist that young.”
Bodhi sits with his knees bent, facing the band. “What about Arizona?” He cocks his head in my direction. “She turned eighteen like two weeks ago.”
“It’s not the same,” I tell him, knowing it is similar. “Besides, we didn’t hook up until after my birthday.”
Bodhi clicks his tongue and slaps Jasper on the shoulder. “Interesting.”
“Fuck you, man.” Jasper shoves his shoulder, knocking him over.
“My point remains.” He laughs. “I’m starving. I’m gonna go see what everyone else is doing.” He pops up onto his feet. “They’re at your dad’s booth, right?”
Jasper covers his face with his baseball cap and answers Bodhi without removing it. “Yeah, I think Easton is still there.”
Bodhi rubs the top of my head, messing up my hair. “Cool. Later, Arizona.”
“Bye.” I shoo him away.
Jasper and I lay on the grass, cuddling and talking while local bands took their turns on the stage. At one point during the evening, Helen came over to say hello and to tell me she’ll be at Duke’s booth until close. We also saw a few more of Jasper’s friends.
A crisp nighttime breeze brings a chill to my bare shoulders. I shake with a shiver.
“Are you cold?” Jasper asks, reaching behind us for another blanket.
“A little bit,” I say. I glance around the open field, noticing the vendors beginning to break down their booths as the crowds head toward us for nighttime entertainment.
Jasper wraps the thick fabric around me. “Better?”
“Much,” I coo, slipping my hand underneath his shirt and caressing his stomach. He breaks out in goose bumps. “I love spending these nights with you.”
Jasper smiles. His eyes blaze into mine while the back of his knuckles glide across my cheek.
The sounds of the band and the crowds of people are no match for the pounding inside my chest—it vibrates through my ears.
Flutters in the pit of my stomach erupt.
This time, I don’t have to wait until they pass.
Now, I know how to relieve the aches they bring.
“Let’s go to your truck,” I mumble into his ear, then give his earlobe a sharp nibble.
Jasper’s body stiffens. “You got it.”
Adrenaline pumps through my veins as we both get to our feet. Jasper folds the blankets over his arm and grabs my hand with the other. I jump on the balls of my feet as we drop it off at one of the event tables and sprint to his truck.
My thighs clench when we reach the parking lot, and his truck comes into view. It’s hidden in an unlit spot, away from all the commotion of the event. The first time we had sex was painful, but the last couple of times have been amazing.
As we approach the driver’s side door, Jasper reaches out to open it for me.
I waste no time climbing in. Crawling across the leather bench seat, I can feel him slide in after me.
I’m still on all fours when his arm comes around my side, scooping me up by my stomach.
In a full belly laugh, he flips me on my back.
“This is better,” he growls, positioning himself on top of me.
“Finally, we’re alone,” I purr, nipping at his lower lip.
His elbows are bent on either side of my face as his dark eyes flicker into mine. “I love you.”
Nothing else in the world matters except for us.
No one has ever looked at me with the love that he does—not even my parents.
I was treated as a simple fixture in their lives—a piece of furniture that was a part of the house.
When I spoke, they didn’t look at me. They looked over me.
Jasper makes me feel like something. A real person worthy of taking up more than just space in the world.
I swallow hard, feeling his length grow in between us. Slipping my hand between us, I slide under the hem of his pants. “I love you too.”
He lets out a groan when I wrap my hand around his cock. He dips to kiss me, deep and passionate. As I stroke him, his tongue darts in and out of my mouth, swirling around to taste every part of me.
“Can I take off your panties?” His gentle request is enough to make my inside throb.
“Yes,” I mumble into his wet lips.
Jasper’s warm hand glides up the outside of my leg, then around to the inside of my thigh and under my sundress.
He slowly pushes up the fabric before hooking a finger under the string of my panties.
While he inches it down my legs, my core coats with wetness.
Fuck. These sensations are still new to me and highly overwhelming.
I begin to tremble.
He stops. With one leg free, I open for him, letting him position himself between them. “Are you alright?”
“Yes, I’m perfectly fine,” I say, my voice cracking. “These feelings are still new to me.”
“I’ll go slow again.” He smiles into the sensitive skin on my neck.
Do I want him to go slow? The heat building from within is screaming for relief. My eyes fall closed. “No, don’t go slow. Please go faster.”
He makes eye contact, pausing for a moment. “Are you sure?”
Swallowing hard, I nod.
Suddenly, he grips my ass, yanking me closer into him.
Then he lifts and unzips his shorts. His dick springs loose, making my eyes and mouth water.
The sight of him is perfect. Heavily breathing, I reach up to cup his face.
Bringing him down on top of me, his lips connect with mine right as he thrusts into me.
“Oh,” I whimper, reminded of that brief sting.
With his head buried into my strewn hair, he lets a soft groan. Grabbing my leg, he brings it up to my chest, getting deeper. Force travels up my body, causing me to gasp, but he continues to roll his hips.
“Just like that, Avery.” His voice is husky and desperate, making me burn.
I arch my back, enjoying both the dull pain and pleasure of it. I can’t imagine having done this before Jasper. He is everything to me.
After a few more deep thrusts, I feel his muscles begin to shake.
Oh fuck, he’s going to do it. Preparing myself for the last few pulses, I feel his hand move in between us, then his finger goes right to my clit.
On contact, electricity fires off through my body.
He massages me in a circular motion and picks up his pace.
“Oh my god,” I grit out, my foot kicking the steering wheel.
“Same time,” he replies. It takes me a second to realize what he means, but by that time, a tingling sensation bowls over me. My head falls back, and I suck in a breath just as Jasper slams into me one last time.
His entire body goes limp, forcing him to collapse on top of me. I’m out of breath and buzzing all over. Jasper’s head rests on my chest. Our bodies are slick with arousal and sweat. It’s fucking amazing.
“I want to do that every goddamn day.” I giggle uncontrollably with euphoria.
He chuckles into the skin above my nipple that’s now half out of the top of my dress.
“As soon as my house closes, I plan to live only on sex and surfing,” he says.
His house closes in August.
I leave for college at the end of August.
And with that, the high of summer love has dissipated.