Reading Him Wrong (Book of Love #3)

Chapter One

Jasper

"Ineed a favor."

I press the button to stop the treadmill before slowly turning to face my baby sister. I know that tone. Frankly, the goddamn thing haunts every nightmare I have. Every disaster Olive has ever dragged me into started the same way, with her using that exact same tone and those exact same words.

"Hell no," I say, grabbing my towel to mop my forehead.

Olive pouts up at me like I'm ruining her life. "Jasper! You don't even know what I need!"

She needs Jesus, that's what she needs.

"Don't care. I'm not getting involved in another one of your schemes." I narrow my eyes at her. "I've still got bird shot in my ass from the last one, Olive."

Her lips twitch. "That's your own fault. I told you to teach me to shoot with real ammo, but no. You insisted on birdshot." She rolls her eyes at me. "It was bound to happen."

"You…" I trail off with a bark of laughter. "Jesus Christ. You're unbelievable."

"Yeah, but you love me anyway."

She's right, I do. Doesn't mean I'm crazy enough to put a gun in her hand with real ammo in it. I'd have a bullet lodged in my ass right now instead of birdshot if I were.

"What do you want this time?" I ask, curious. It's guaranteed to be something wild that I absolutely will not do…just like it always is. But at least she's entertaining. I could use a little entertainment in my life.

I'm bored out of my mind. I wasn't built to sit around, doing nothing. But now that I'm out of the military, I've got nothing but a lifetime of it stretching before me. It's been three days, and I'm already losing it.

"Nothing major," she says casually. "I just need you to go to dinner with Sarah tonight."

"Absolut—" I stop talking, a current running through me as soon as Sarah Tolliver's name registers in my brain.

Fuck. Sarah. My whole system lights up at the thought of the shy little goddess who haunts my mind far more than I'm willing to admit to my sister.

She'd never speak to me again if she knew the things I want from her sweet little best friend or the things I've done to her in my dreams.

But there isn't a man alive who would judge me for any of it. Sarah is a walking, talking wet dream. Every time she's in my vicinity, all I want to do is pull her into my arms, run my hands over every lush curve on her body, and then just fucking hold her.

I've spent a lifetime in the military, where the only thing that's soft is the mud we wade through. Sarah is soft. The way she speaks, the way she smiles, the sound of her laugh…it's all so fucking soft.

I've never wanted to protect anything the way I want to use my own body to shield that softness.

I've never wanted to take care of anything the way I want to take care of her, either.

It fucks me up sometimes, how much I crave things with her that I never even considered until she walked into my life three years ago.

But she's so afraid of me, she can't even string two sentences together without stuttering her way through them.

Every time we're in the same room together, she turns into this shy little mess, and all I can think about is how much I want to scoop her into my arms and just fucking hold her until the panic leaves her gaze and she's telling me every secret I see hiding behind those pretty blue eyes of hers.

"Why do you need me to go to dinner with her?" I ask my sister.

"I knew it!" Olive cries, leaping to her feet. "You like her."

"Don't recall saying that," I mutter, trying to play it cool. I'm not fucking cool, though. When it comes to Sarah, I've never been cool. I've been a beast on a chain, just waiting for a reason to snap it.

"You like her!" Olive cries again, jabbing me in the ribcage with a fingernail. "Admit it."

"Cut that shit out," I snap.

"Not until you admit it," she says, poking me again. "You like Sarah."

"Fine!" I growl, backing away before she can poke me again. "Jesus Christ, Ol. Yes, I'm crazy about her, okay? But it's a moot point."

"What?" My sister blinks at me. "Why?"

"For a few reasons."

"Name them."

I pinch the bridge of my nose, sighing. "For one thing, she's your best friend. We agreed long ago not to go there."

"We were kids, Jasper!"

"And now we're adults. Shit didn't get less complicated as we got older, baby sister. It got more complicated," I remind her. When we were kids, life was simple. Now, there's real-world shit to consider, like marriage and babies and entire families falling apart if things don't work out.

Sarah and Olive are inseparable. I won't be the reason they lose each other.

"Whatever," she grumbles. "It's a lame excuse, and you know it. What other lame excuses are on your lame excuse list?"

I shoot her a dark look, but she just bats her lashes at me. "I've been gone for most of the time I've known her," I remind her. I've been stationed overseas for most of the last three years.

I know Sarah well enough to know that she wasn't built for a life on base, or one spent worrying about where I'd be sent next. Putting her through that wasn't an option, not when her life is here.

"Fine, I'll give you that one," Olive sniffs. "It's bad enough that you haven't been here. I'd be pissed if you took her away, too."

"That wasn't on the table since she doesn't even like me."

"Says who?" my sister asks like she's scandalized.

"The look on her face every time I walk into the room?" I suggest, shaking my head. "Or maybe the fact that she clams up like she's terrified to speak to me?"

Olive stares at me like she doesn't even know me, and then she smiles, shaking her head. "You are such an idiot."

I scowl at her.

"She looks at you like that because she's basically obsessed with you and is terrified you're going to figure it out.

And she probably is terrified to speak to you.

" My sister glowers at me. "Half the time, you just grunt at her like you're a Neanderthal.

You know how shy she is. It's intimidating, Jasper! "

"I'm not intimidating."

"Yes, you are!"

"Goddammit!" I growl, grabbing her hand as soon as her nail makes contact with my ribcage again. "Will you stop poking me?"

"Yes, when you stop giving me reasons to poke you," she says sweetly. "But if you're going to continue to be an idiot and annoy me, I'm going to continue poking you."

"Jesus Christ," I mutter, and then relent with a chuckle. "You could hound the devil out of hell, you know that?"

"Thank you."

"Wasn't a compliment, Olive."

"Sounded like one to me." She shrugs. "Are you going to marry my best friend or not?

Because, honestly, Jasper, if you aren't going to step up and be the man who makes her dreams come true, then you should know that I am going to find someone who isn't a big coward and will worship the ground she walks. "

I stare at her for a long moment, my heart pounding a staccato rhythm against my ribcage.

Images of Sarah with someone else run through my mind in a flood.

Every goddamn one pisses me off more than the last. I should be the one on her arm.

I should be the one holding her, kissing her, making her smile. I should be her…no. Not going there.

The point is, I'm not any of those things.

For the first time since I met her a few years ago, we're living in the same place. I'll never be shipped out again. If Olive is telling me the truth, every reason I had for not pursuing her gorgeous best friend is gone.

Sarah could be mine.

Or I can stand around with my dick in my hand and a stupid look on my face while she finds happiness with someone else.

Hell no.

If this is my chance, I'm taking it.

"I'll take her to dinner tonight."

Olive squeals, throwing her arms around me in a fierce hug. "You're my favorite brother!"

"I'm your only brother, Olive."

"I know." She gives me a cheeky grin. "That's why you're my favorite. Be at Coltram's at seven tonight. I'll take care of the rest." Her grin slips, her eyes narrowing on me. "And do not fuck this up, Jasper."

"I won't," I rasp, my voice hoarse.

I have a date with Sarah tonight.

Jesus.

Maybe dreams do come true for motherfuckers like me.