“That’s why his shirt’s off. Because I threw up on him,” Jasmine continued explaining even as Angie was shutting the door. As soon as it was closed, Jasmine’s cheeks reddened. “Oh, my gosh. This is so embarrassing.”
She looked even more mortified than she had when she’d upchucked on him.
“You’re embarrassed? I’m the shirtless one.” He hoped to lighten the mood. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel uncomfortable. Or sad. Or unhappy.
In fact, he was pretty sure he’d do just about anything to put a smile on her face.
“You have nothing to be embarrassed about.” Jasmine’s eyes scanned Leo’s upper body.
He’d always had a lean frame but a lot of the work he’d done over the past six years had been manual labor. He’d probably put on a good twenty to thirty pounds of muscle since he’d started Vets Across the Globe. He didn’t really pay much attention to his appearance, because he was so focused on his work. But he had to admit, in his current circumstance; he was glad that he’d filled out.
“I mean, because you didn’t do anything.” She shook her head and her eyes jerked back up to meet his. “I mean, you did do something. You took care of me. Thank you, by the way.” She reached around him and grabbed his shirt off the counter. When she did, her bare arm brushed his bare arm, and the moment their skin touched, he felt the same electric charge shoot through him.
She jerked her arm away, and he wondered again if she’d felt it too. “I’ll have this cleaned.” She held it up and then took two steps toward the door. Her hand turned the knob but before she opened it, she looked over her shoulder. Her eyes were filled to the brim with raw vulnerability. “And please don’t say anything about…”
“I won’t. I promise,” he said sincerely, knowing he’d promise her the world if she wanted.
“Thank you.” Her chin dipped in a quick nod and then she was gone.
He stood for a moment, stunned by how affected he was from the past ten minutes. Something profound had just happened and he wasn’t quite sure how to handle it. Obviously, nothing could happen between himself and Jasmine.
She worked at the clinic. She was engaged, or at least she had been up until that morning. And she’d just found out she was pregnant.
So why did he feel like something had already happened between them?
Maybe it had simply been too long since he’d dated someone. Maybe he was lonely.
Not satisfied with that answer, but unable to come up with anything better, he back-burnered it so he could get back to work. When he walked out of the room, he found Angie was standing in the hallway with a new pair of scrubs, these in gray.
“Thanks.” He took it from her and pulled on the shirt.
“Mmm, hmm.” A knowing grin tugged at her mouth before she returned to the front desk.
As he walked to the office to take the call from the lab, he passed the photo board. Again, the picture of Jasmine stood out. He had no clue what it was about this woman that was so different, but it didn’t matter.
He wasn’t there to fall in love. So why was he scared that’s exactly what was going to happen?
Chapter 4
“Visualize every good thing you want in your life. Now inhale slowly, drawing those things to you,” Jasmine instructed her class as they all lay on their back in shavasana. “Now I want you to visualize all the negativity, fear, and anxiety that you’re holding and exhale it out of your body. Feel your stomach rising and falling with your breaths.”
Her hands were resting on her own stomach as she spoke, and the reality that she was growing a human being inside her body really started to sink in. All of the feelings that she’d just instructed her class to release were combining inside her to create a thick blanket of anxiety that was smothering her.
So, she guessed it was sort of a do what I say, not what I do situation.
Growing up in the foster system had hardwired Jasmine to detach herself when things upset her, if she was in danger, or was faced with unpleasant truths. Early into adulthood she’d realized that didn’t serve her in living her best life.
Since that had always been her goal, she knew she’d have to do something to rewire herself. Enter yoga. The practice was all about connecting body, mind, and soul. One of the biggest reasons that she’d started doing it was to be more present and aware and in her own body. The good news was, it worked. The bad news was…it worked.
She was very in tune to just how bad her emotional and mental state were.
“Now I want you to start wiggling your toes, your fingers, slowly waking your body back up.”
Tonight’s class had run five minutes over. She knew the reason was because she was avoiding what she had to go home and do. Confrontation had never been her strong suit. In fact, she avoided it at all costs. But, hate it or not, that’s exactly what she was facing.
“When you’re ready, I want you to gently roll up, vertebrae by vertebrae. Now come to a seated position, hands resting on your knees. One more inhale.” Jasmine pressed her lips together and inhaled through her nose before opening her mouth and saying, “And now open your eyes and exhale slowly.”
Her eyes scanned the room and when she saw that she had the attention of the class, she announced, “Thank you all for coming tonight. The spirit in me recognizes the spirit in you.” Jasmine pressed her palms together and bowed. “Namaste.”
“Namaste,” the class of thirty repeated back.
Jasmine stood and wiped off her mat as the group said their goodbyes. The same sick, sinking feeling that had blossomed when she’d seen Corbin in a compromising position must have invited friends to the party, because it was growing by the second.
Call her overly optimistic, but she’d hoped that teaching the class tonight would put her in a better mental place to deal with the situation, but it seemed the opposite had happened.
She’d spent the hour dreading the talk she was going to have to have with Corbin when she got home. She’d spent the hour wondering how she was going to not only break up with him, but also tell him she was pregnant in the same conversation. She’d spent the hour trying to visualize what her life was going to look like without the man she’d spent the past twelve years with, and with a brand-new baby.
Needless to say, she was more stressed out than she’d been before class.
“Hey lady, congratulations!” Krista Sloan exclaimed before pulling Jasmine into a bear hug.
Jasmine’s heart dropped faster than a cart on the Disneyland ride Tower of Terror. How did Krista know that she was pregnant? Her friend worked in the medical field, but she was a physical therapist at the hospital. That was information that only the people at her OB/GYN office had.
And Leo, a small voice piped in.
Yeah. And Leo. She still couldn’t believe that she’d actually vomited all over him, both literally and emotionally. Neither were particularly high points in her life, and she hoped that he’d forget that both of them had happened.
She sure as hell wished she could. She still couldn’t believe that she’d told him, of all people, what was going on. There was just something about the way he’d held her hand, the way he’d placed a cold compress on her neck, the way he’d kneeled in front of her, that had made the words tumble from her.
Never in her life had she felt so cared for and protected. If his bedside manner with her was any indication, the animals he treated were very lucky. And from what she’d seen today, they’d all eaten it up. Every animal and owner that he’d dealt with left eating out of his hand.
Leo had an indescribable air of confidence, authority, and total capability to handle any situation. Kitty hadn’t been exaggerating at all. He completely lived up to the hype.
Which was why her behavior was even more humiliating. She’d basically had a full-fledged breakdown within minutes of meeting him.
The rest of the afternoon, she waited for him to say something, or even give her a look that indicated he was thinking about their unconventio
nal meeting, but he hadn’t done either. He’d been all business.
Part of her was happy about that. But she had to admit there was another part of her that missed the intimacy that she’d felt when he’d kneeled in front of her and took her hands in his. The assurance she’d experienced when he’d told her to breathe, and that everything was going to be okay. And part of her had been looking for that same connection, that same assurance all day.
“It’s about time Corbin put a ring on it!” Her stunning, redheaded friend exclaimed, snapping Jasmine out of her memories.
“What?”
“Corbin. He took his sweet time.”
Oh, the engagement. That’s what Krista was talking about.
“Oh, right. Yeah.”
“Haley told me that your ring is gorgeous.”
Krista’s oldest sister Haley owned the lingerie shop two doors down from Barks, Balls & Bellyrubs, the pet and grooming shop that Jasmine worked at part time. Jasmine had run into her on Saturday and excitedly told her the news. It was weird, thinking back to how carefree and joyful she’d been just a few days ago. Now, she couldn’t imagine ever being that way again, and she wished she’d kept her mouth shut.
Her mind started racing, trying to remember every person that she’d told, because now she was going to have to un-tell them. Then again, maybe not. With the way that gossip traveled in this town, once one person learned the information, it would probably spread quickly. Just like the news that she was pregnant would.
“Where’s the ring?” Krista yanked Jasmine’s hand up. “Are you getting it sized?”
“Um, no. I just—” Shit. She couldn’t tell Krista the truth, but she didn’t feel good about lying to her either. She’d taken it off after she left the exam room with Leo. But since Corbin didn’t even know that she was breaking up with him, she didn’t think she should tell other people. He might be a shitheel, but he at least deserved to be the first one to find out that she was leaving him. “I didn’t want to wear it in class.”
That wasn’t a lie. She just neglected to add that she never wanted to wear it again.
“So…how did he ask? Was it romantic?”
No.
“It was over dinner.” Jasmine explained, crossing her fingers and toes hoping that Krista wasn’t going to ask any follow-up questions, because she really didn’t want to set the scene.
Cut to interior of their home. Night.
She and Corbin sitting at the kitchen table eating spaghetti. Corbin hands her a ring. No box. No preamble. Just the ring. She stares at it. Confusion swims in her head as to what it might mean without any context clues. He then asks a question, just not the one she’s expecting.
“Isn’t that the one you wanted?”
Not the most poetic of proposals. Or…really a proposal at all.
“It’s beautiful. Does this mean…?” she asked.
“Yeah, it’s probably time to do it,” he says distractedly as his phone rings and he steps outside to take it.
Jasmine is left sitting at the table, speechless, staring at the ring. Alone.
End scene.
Jasmine should’ve known then that something was wrong. And, if she were being honest with herself, she had. But she’d ignored it and explained her feelings away by saying that her expectations were just too high.
Apparently, they had been, because one of those expectations was that he wasn’t dating other people.
“Great class!” Sophie Sloan, Krista’s cousin-in-law, rolled her neck side to side.
“Do you guys want to head over to get a drink to celebrate? Chase is in the studio.” Krista clapped her hands together excitedly.
Chase Malone was a musician and bona fide rock star who’d grown up in Harper’s Crossing. He and Krista dated when they were teenagers but broke up, and only rekindled their relationship a few years ago.
“What are we celebrating?” Sophie asked.
Krista motioned to Jasmine. “Someone got engaged!”
“Oh, that’s right. I think Haley said something about that.”
Sophie worked for Haley at Tempting. And this was just one more piece of evidence that news travelled fast in their small town.
“Congratulations!” Sophie gave Jasmine a tight hug. “Yes, let’s do it. Bobby texted in class that Sienna is sound asleep.” Bobby was Sophie’s husband. They had a two-year-old daughter.
“Rain check?” Jasmine responded. “I’m pretty tired.”
The irony was not lost on Jasmine that she needed a drink more at that moment than any other time in her life, and it was the one time she couldn’t have one.
“Of course you’re tired! You have like twenty jobs.” Krista exaggerated, but not by much.
Jasmine’s childhood had been unstable, to say the least. She’d spent most of it having to depend on strangers and the government for basic necessities like food and shelter. At a very young age, she’d determined that she never wanted to owe anyone anything, and the only person she wanted to depend on was herself.
That determination led to her only having one credit card, and she paid it off every month. She’d saved up and paid cash for her used VW. She hadn’t taken out any student loans. And she had a decent savings. A large chunk of it was gone because a few years back, when she and Corbin had moved into the house that his uncle gifted him, they’d done extensive renovations and she’d footed the bill. She’d also done all of the work that didn’t have to be contracted out.
“Speaking of your jobs, does next Friday still work for you?” Sophie asked as the trio made their way to the parking lot.
Jasmine stared at her friend and drew a blank as to why she was asking about the date. Her brain was normally a steel trap, but apparently finding out that you’re pregnant and your boyfriend of twelve years is cheating on you took up a lot of RAM.
“Remind me again, next Friday?”
“Ladies’ Night at Tempting.” Sophie was in charge of merchandising and promotion for the store.
Every few months they had a Ladies’ Night at the shop where they had vendors come and offer products at discounted rates. They always invited Jasmine to showcase Naughty Nights products. She’d been a consultant for a few years and Ladies’ Nights at Tempting was her most lucrative event.
“Oh yeah, right. Sure, that should work.” Normally Jasmine knew her schedule at least three months in advance off the top of her head, but at that moment it was difficult to think past the conversation that she had to go home and have.
The following Friday seemed like a lifetime away.
“Are you feeling okay? You look a little pale.” Sophie’s brow furrowed. “Are you sure you’re not coming down with something?”
Yeah. She had a bad case of knocked-up-itis.
If her concerned expression was anything to go on, Krista must have agreed with Sophie’s diagnosis. “Yeah, are you feeling all right?”
As much as she wanted to tell her friends everything, she knew she couldn’t. She needed to get her house in order first. And by that, she meant she needed to break up with Corbin and then find a house to live in.
“I’m fine. It’s just been a long day.”
“Oh, that reminds me.” Krista perked up, rubbing her hands together. “Did you work at the vet today?”
Jasmine nodded. “Yeah, I’m there Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.”
“Did you see him?” Krista leaned in close and whispered the last word.
“See who?”
“Doc and Kitty’s grandson. Leo the Lion Tamer.” Krista roared comically.
“Leo the Lion Tamer?” Jasmine echoed.
In all the years she’d known Doc and Kitty, they’d talked a lot about their grandson Leo, but she’d never heard him described as that. A saint? Yes. A superhero? Sure. Leo the Lion Tamer? Never.
“It’s what his fans named him after he shared a video of himself petting a lion,” Krista added.
“His fans?” Again, she had no clue what Krista was talking about. From wha
t Jasmine knew about Doc and Kitty’s grandson he’d founded a non-profit and travelled to third world countries teaching local people basic veterinary practices so they could treat animals and make a living once the organization moved on.
He also ran marathons, raised money for endangered species, women’s shelters, and neglected and abused domestic animals. She knew all of that because Kitty liked to brag about him.
Still, none of that told her why he’d have a fan base.
“Yep, his fans,” Krista confirmed. “One of his followers commented calling him Leo the Lion Tamer and then somehow one thing led to another in the thread, culminating in a different follower posting that Leo could tame her pussy anytime with the hashtag #LeoTheLionTamer. The video went viral and the hashtag #LeoTheLionTamer sort of caught on.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that’s where it came from!” Sophie commented.
“You knew about it, too?” Jasmine had grown up with serious FOMO. She’d always felt different, like she was on the outside looking in. Interactions like this brought her right back to that time in her life.
“Yeah.” Sophie’s brow creased as if it was strange that Jasmine didn’t.
“How?” She worked at the clinic with Doc and Kitty, how was she the last one to know about this?
“I follow him on Instagram. Don’t you?”
“No. I didn’t even know he had one.” Doc and Kitty had never mentioned that Leo had an Instagram. Of course, they never mentioned that their other grandson Lance, who was a tattoo artist had one either, and he had over a hundred thousand followers. Come to think of it, maybe they just didn’t know much about Instagram.
“Oh, you are missing out, girl.” Sophie pulled out her phone, tapped on the screen to open the app and handed Jasmine her phone. As she scrolled through the page she saw picture after picture of Leo with animals, exotic and domestic. In some of the pictures he was shirtless. Jasmine’s mouth watered, not so much from the photos, but from the memory of seeing that chest in person.
“Did Corbin know that Leo was coming back home before he put a ring on it?” Krista asked.
When Jasmine looked up she saw her friends sharing a knowing look.
Just One Touch - Leo & Jasmine (Crossroads Book 16) Page 4