Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
NATALIE
Jasper's lips ignited a fire under my skin as he kissed my neck, his stubble scraping deliciously against my sensitive skin. My hands flew to the back of his head and I pulled him closer, urging him on. There'd be time later for gentle and sweet. At that moment, I wanted hot, hard, and dirty. I wanted him to devour me.
We ground against each other, the rough denim of his jeans created the most exquisite friction against my aching core. We were on the couch in his apartment, and I was lying on top of him. My thin cotton dress had ridden up, bunching around my waist. My legs straddled his hips as his calloused hands explored the smooth planes of my thighs, inching ever closer to where I was throbbing for his touch.
"God, Nat," he groaned, his voice a husky rumble that I felt all the way to my toes. "You drive me fucking crazy."
I captured his mouth in a demanding kiss, my tongue delving past his lips. He tasted like whiskey and desire, an intoxicating combination that left me dizzy with want. My fingers threaded through his thick hair, tugging gently as I rolled my hips. I could feel the rigid length of his cock straining against his zipper. Electric sparks of pleasure shot straight to my clit with every thrust.
Jasper slipped a hand between our writhing bodies, his fingers teasing the damp lace edge of my panties. I gasped into his mouth, breaking the kiss to meet his heated gaze. His pupils were blown wide with lust; the love and raw hunger swirling in those amber depths nearly overwhelmed me.
How had I ever thought I could live without this?
A flicker of guilt threatened to pierce the haze of bliss, but I shoved it aside. Now was not the time.
I slid my hand down his chest, savoring the feel of solid muscle flexing beneath his t-shirt. When I reached the waistband of his jeans, I hesitated. A flash of uncharacteristic shyness overtook me.
We'd been dancing around actually having sex for weeks, and while I wanted to—so much it felt like I might combust—it felt wrong. Because I still hadn't told him about the orchard's financial issues. Because I was a fucking coward.
Jasper must have sensed my uncertainty. He cupped my face, the rough pad of his thumb tracing the arch of my cheekbone as he pressed a soft kiss to my lips. "We don't have to do anything you're not ready for, Nat."
The tenderness in his voice clenched around my heart like a fist. I ground down against him in response, relishing his sharp hiss. His hips bucked instinctively, his jean-clad cock hitting me right where I needed him most. Even through the layers of denim and cotton separating our bodies, I could feel how badly he wanted me.
His strong hands held my hips in a bruising grip, guiding my increasingly erratic movements as I shamelessly rode him through our clothes. The seam of my lace panties rubbed against my swollen clit, my arousal soaking through the thin fabric to dampen his jeans.
"Fuck, Natalie," Jasper panted, his fingers digging into my ass. "You're so beautiful. So fucking sexy."
I whimpered brokenly, too far gone for words. My clit throbbed almost painfully, my inner walls fluttering around nothing as I chased my rapidly building release. The coil of white-hot tension in my pelvis wound tighter and tighter, my orgasm just out of reach. I needed... I needed...
Jasper knew my body like no one else. One of his hands slid up my sweat-slicked skin to cup my breast. My mouth fell open as his work-roughened palm scraped against my pebbled nipple. His fingers closed around the aching peak, tugging and rolling the sensitive flesh until I was writhing mindlessly against him.
So glad I'm not wearing a bra.
That added stimulation was all it took to send me flying over the edge. My spine bent like a bow as I threw my head back and cried out. I shook apart in Jasper's arms, tingling pleasure crashing over me in waves.
"That's it, baby," he crooned, grinding his diamond-hard cock against my still quivering sex. "Fuck, you're so perfect, so gorgeous when you come for me. I can feel you, feel how wet you are... shit, Nat... "
His filthy words only prolonged the intensity of my climax, and aftershocks shot down my spine to my curling toes. Jasper was still rocking against me, the movements of his hips growing jerky and frantic. I knew he was close, I felt it in the tension thrumming through his strong body, the way his fingers flexed convulsively against my skin.
I rocked my hips, undulating against the thick ridge of his erection. The orgasm had left me boneless and languid, but I wanted to feel him lose control, wanted to watch his face as he came apart for me.
"Let go for me, Jas," I urged, my lips brushing the shell of his ear. "I want to feel you come, want to feel you lose it in your jeans like a horny teenager."
His head tipped back against the couch, corded tendons standing out sharply on his neck. A guttural moan ripped from his chest as he thrust against me one last time then stilled.
I could feel the heat of his release even through the thick fabric of his jeans. I watched spellbound as a damp spot spread over his fly. Something about knowing I could affect him this way was incredibly erotic.
His arms locked around me, and he shuddered through the aftershocks, face buried in the crook of my neck as he fought to catch his breath. I stroked his damp hair soothingly, pressing tender kisses to his stubbled jaw, his temple, any part of him I could reach.
We clung to each other as we slowly drifted back down to earth, our frantic heartbeats slowing, breaths evening out. My limbs felt heavy and sated, my body humming with contentment.
As the post-orgasmic haze started to clear, reality seeped back in around the edges. I burrowed closer to Jasper, tucking my face into the warm curve where his neck met his shoulder. I wanted to stay cocooned in his arms for a little longer and pretend the outside world didn't exist.
"What are we doing, Nat?" Jasper whispered against my hair.
God, what am I doing? How could I continue keeping secrets from him? I was also avoiding the conversation I knew we needed to have about my life back in the city?
I didn't know what this all meant for us. It felt so good, and I didn't want it to end. But my vacation time had almost run out, and I had a job to return to.
Before I could spiral too far, Jasper's phone rang. He groaned, reaching for it with obvious reluctance.
"It's Elliot," he said, frowning at the screen. "I should probably take this."
I nodded, shifting off his lap so he could answer. As Jasper talked to his brother, I smoothed down my dress and tried to tame my tousled hair. The call was brief, but I could tell from Jasper's tense posture that something was wrong.
"What is it?" I asked as soon as he hung up.
Jasper ran a hand through his hair. "Chase," he said tightly. "He was arrested for indecent exposure."
"What? How?"
"Apparently he got drunk and decided to go skinny dipping in the town fountain." Jasper shook his head. "This isn't like him, Nat. I mean, Chase has always been wild, but lately... I'm really worried about him."
I reached out and took his hand. "Do you need to go bail him out?"
"Yeah, Elliot's already on his way to the station. I should meet him there." He hesitated, looking at me apologetically. "I'm sorry to cut our night short. Turn in for the night if you get tired before I get back, yeah?"
"I will. And don't apologize. Your family needs you. Go."
As Jasper got ready to leave, which mostly involved changing his underwear and pants, I watched him in silence, my secret threatening to suffocate me. The fact that Chase seemed to be disappearing down some self-destructive spiral only reinforced my resolve to come clean about the orchard's finances. I couldn't keep this quiet any longer, not when it could impact the entire family.
Tomorrow, I thought to myself as Jasper gave me a quick goodbye kiss. I'll tell him everything tomorrow.