Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
Jasper
We were in my kitchen, where I wasn’t in danger of swerving off the road when she dropped a bomb on me.
“So Maria resigned, and that was the last straw?” I handed her a cold beer and dug out the plate of marinating chicken breasts.
Her eyes misted over, and if I didn’t have a handful of raw poultry, I’d reach for her. But she’d shrink in on herself and withdraw. She was doing that more and more. Could I put a stop to it? I had the means, but I had destroyed that road.
I could repair. We still had time. Barely.
“Yes,” she said hoarsely. “The last heavy straw.”
“Come out with me to the deck.”
A little outdoor air would lighten the mood. She followed me out to the shaded porch and let out a contented sigh. After I had the chicken over the flames, I downed half of my own beer.
I asked the question that had been on my mind since she made the announcement. “What will you do when you sell?”
She rubbed a hand up and down the arm that held her beer. “I don’t know. I should be used to ditching it all and having nothing.” Her laughter was full of irony and bitterness.
I set my can down and crossed to her. With my hands on her shoulders, I met her gaze. “Hey, let’s talk about this. You don’t have to make a sudden decision.”
She blinked back the tears collecting in her eyes. “It’s not sudden. It’s been coming since Mom died. Maybe even before then.”
At least she didn’t blame herself for the entire downfall of the resort.
“Give yourself time.” Talk to me. Talk to someone. She’d taken her independence and isolated herself.
“And miss the chance? Miss any leverage I have?” She shook her head.
“They’re going to offer Linda enough that she can’t help but sell and then they’ll know I’m in a tight spot.
If I approach them first, maybe they’ll be more generous.
” She tossed her hands up, and some beer sloshed out of the can.
“Who knows? If your aunt doesn’t sell, then I’m still at square one. Then what?”
I needed more time. It wasn’t too late. Those thoughts knocked around in my head. “If Linda doesn’t deal with them, maybe she’ll deal with you.”
She laughed and hiccuped, her eyes glittering.
“I thought I could swing it financially, but I was just hopelessly naive. I should’ve researched any state or federal aid or grants.
I didn’t do it when I was messing around with you, and I can’t do it when I’m staffing the front desk nearly full time and cleaning rooms once Landon goes back to school.
” Her laugh was punchy. “All I need is for Paola to quit and then I’ll be a total one-woman show. ”
“You have me.”
“You’re starting your own business.”
I winced. I had said that. Did I tell her I was lying?
Or did I admit to myself that I couldn’t afford to work for the pittance I got from Sheridan forever?
I had to think about my future, too, and if I wanted Sheridan in it, resort or not, I needed a solid wage and benefits.
I very much wanted Sheridan in my life. Now and forever.
I was in love with the woman.
My heart thumped between my ears. I loved her. I’d never felt like this, and I’d never gotten out of my own way for anyone else. I would do it for Sheridan, but my options weren’t one or the other. “It’ll take me a while to build clients. I can do both for a while.”
“I can’t ask you to do that,” she whispered.
“Good thing I said that’s what I’d do.”
Her shoulders drooped as much as her lower lip. “No. I’m going to sell. Then I might actually be able to afford a roof over my head.”
“Sheridan.”
“What will you call me?” Her smile was wan. “Boss won’t fit.”
“Does that mean you’re going to stick around, no matter what?” We didn’t need the resort to bring us together, and we shouldn’t need it to stay together.
She sighed and sadness emanated from her. “Yeah. It’ll be hard to face everyone in town. I’ll be the girl who lost Bishop’s Landing. The one who couldn’t run it like her parents.”
“Your parents had each other and no life outside of the resort.” I guessed that last part, but it made sense. Her mom hadn’t gotten anyone to replace all the work her dad had done, and that was when the tide began to turn and flood everything.
“I’m tired, Jasper.” She lifted her hands and let them fall, slapping her thighs. “I’m tired and hungry, and I just want tonight to forget everything. Can you help me forget my problems?”
She wanted to forget, but I wanted to solve her problems and save the world for her.
That was how it was between us. Sometimes, she thought my presence was just another sign that she was incapable and incompetent, but she didn’t see what she did for me.
She had seen more in me and hadn’t written me off when she learned I didn’t have a job and the most use I was to the community was being Uncle Jasper.
“Yeah, Sheridan. I’ll help you forget about everything.”
Sheridan
After we finished eating and cleaning up, Jasper didn’t waste time sweeping me away from all my worries. He lifted me onto the kitchen counter and claimed my mouth.
My hands were stuffed into his hair, and my legs were wrapped around him. He held me, and I was secure. There was nothing in this moment I had to be concerned about. No REG. No accounts nearing the red. And no one quitting on me.
He left my mouth to kiss his way down my neck. I tipped my head back to give him more access.
“Jasper.” The word was reverent. A wish. A question. Filled with the need for more that was growing inside me.
“I’ve got you.”
“In the kitchen?”
“Right on this fucking counter.” He dug a condom out and set it on the counter next to me. Then he pushed the skirt of my new dress up.
Oh yes. That would keep all thoughts away. Heat flushed my body, and the throb between my thighs grew stronger.
I placed my hands on the counter behind me and leaned back. When Jasper sank to his knees, I slid to the edge, eager to have him carry me away, higher than the clouds.
He kissed the inside of my thigh. “Your underwear is still on.”
“I can take care of that.”
“I’m trying to decide if I want you to.” Another kiss landed on my other leg, getting closer to my sex. “It’s like looking at a present wrapped just for me.”
“I picked out the underwear just for you.” They were pink lace and a little uncomfortable, but that was all worth it now.
“Ah, Sheridan. You make me a happy man.”
That filled every empty space inside me. I glowed from the inside out. He pushed my legs farther open, and I relaxed even more. The corner of the counter cut into my legs, but he lifted my feet to his shoulders like he knew.
The way this man could read me was like nothing I’d ever experienced. Others acted like they knew me, but Jasper had gotten me from the beginning. He hadn’t assumed. He’d read me. He did the same in and out of the bedroom. Or in the kitchen, as we were.
He hooked his fingers under the hem of my panties and tugged them to the side. Daylight poured through the window, but I wasn’t self-conscious. He had made me comfortable from the beginning. Comfortable with myself and now with us. I wasn’t questioning everything.
When he lapped through my seam, I arched into him, pleasure ricocheting through my core. He wrapped his arms under my thighs and settled in. I writhed against him, taking everything he gave me—ecstasy, acceptance, and support. All mixed together.
“Jasper,” I gasped. I fought off my climax. Could I stay here? Could I live in this moment forever? Everything was going to change again, and the fear and exhaustion that came with it hovered at the edge of my consciousness.
He growled and increased the pressure of his tongue. I was a goner. He didn’t have to do more. All the energy and anxiety swirled into one and erupted.
There was no stopping it. No slowing. I came hard. “Yes!”
He continued licking me up.
“Yes,” I hissed. Wait—I didn’t have to be quiet here. So when he pushed two fingers inside me, propelling me higher, I didn’t hold back. “Jasper!”
I could be blissfully loud, and I was. The orgasm finished sweeping me away until I scooted back out of his reach.
He didn’t rise right away but stayed between my legs. “You make me feel like a lucky goddamn man.”
“I’m the one who came,” I said, still trying to catch my breath.
“Coming is your reward for being so irresistible and sexy. Watching you shatter, having you in my mouth when you do? That’s my reward.”
He rose, unbuttoning his jeans and shoving them down. Did I watch him jerk his cock free or hurry this process up and rip the condom open? I liked the show, but without his head between my legs, I was adrift. Too many thoughts could creep in between us.
He made the decision for me and did both at the same time, using his teeth on the condom while his other hand was wrapped around his hard dick. “I’m not taking the time to get that underwear off.”
He couldn’t get inside me fast enough. Now I felt like a boss, floating high on the afterglow of my orgasm.
Finally, he was sheathed and pushing inside me.
Just what I needed. My panties twisted against my skin, but I didn’t care.
I twined my arms around his neck and pulled his head down to mine.
When his lips hit mine, I didn’t waste any time.
He controlled the thrust in and out of my body, but I licked into him.
He opened for me, and I tangled my tongue with his. More. I needed more. I dug my heels into his ass. His butt cheeks flexed. If I could crawl into him right now, I would. He was my oasis from the world.
If only I didn’t need him so much outside of sex. If only he wasn’t so dependable. So desirable. So damn perfect.
His fingers dug into my hips, again like he was tethering me to him, to this moment, when I was about to soar away.
He tore his mouth away from mine to nibble along my jaw. “You feel so fucking good.”
I could only whimper in reply, clinging to him tighter. Our bodies clashing was enough friction for my sensitive clit to push me closer to another orgasm.
“I can’t get enough of you,” he growled into my ear, and shivers broke out along my skin. “I’ll never get enough of you.”
The way he said it—there was something heavier in his tone. “I’m yours.”
He cupped my chin and tilted my head up. “Stay with me, boss.”
There was more to those words. More than I wanted to take from them. “I’m here.”
I clenched my thighs. I wasn’t the boss. I wasn’t in control. But I was along for the ride.
The corner of his mouth tipped up, and he claimed mine again, pulling me into him tighter. I turned myself over to him. No more thoughts. Only feelings. Smothering pleasure. Euphoria. A fracturing. Like he could break me apart and be the only one to put me back together.
God, I loved this man.
My arms clamped around him so hard, and I soared. I was in love. Really in love. Down bad for this man who took care of me and built me up. I wanted to do the same for him. Could we be true partners?
His pace increased until we were both grunting and swallowing each other’s moans. When he changed the angle of his thrusts, I lost the hold I had on my orgasm and catapulted over the edge.
My cry went straight into him. He went tense, and warmth filled me. Ripples of pleasure rolled over me in bigger and bigger waves. One word echoed through my head.
Love. Love. Love.
I was in love with Jasper Duke.
I needed air. I turned my head with a gasp.
He panted in my ear. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” I dragged in a breath. Then another. Words crowded on my tongue. Before I could think better of it, before I could reconsider something impulsive, before I wondered if it’d cost me anything, I let the words loose. “I love you.”
He went rigid, shock widening his eyes. But he didn’t scramble away. He didn’t even pull out of me. Instead, he stroked his hands down my thighs. My legs were still hooked around his waist. “You do?”
“Yeah.” I swallowed. My body hummed, but all the concerns in my head banged to get out. I kept my arms around him. For security. “I do.”
That lazy smile I adored so much came out like the sun. “Good. I love you too.”
A giggle burst from me. A happy sound. I might lose everything else, but I had this guy. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” He kissed me. A sweet, closed-mouth kiss that somehow communicated as much as when we were devouring each other.
When he pulled away, he trailed his knuckles down my cheek. “Marry me.”