Harper smiles and continues on like he didn't just feed me in front of Jasper. I can feel the hatred pouring off of Jasper, and when I look at him, I instantly regret it. I can’t blame him for the slight murderous glare in his eyes, but its actions which leave me breathless. He is leaning back in his chair, his hands interlaced behind his head, watching me candidly. A slither of his firm stomach is exposed, and his dark snail trail is taunting me with its perfection.
He knows I am all but salivating all over myself, because as he leans further back in his chair, his t-shirt rides higher up his tummy, exposing more toned flesh. Lucas’ grandparents are going to have to turn away, because I am about to do unspeakable things to their grandson’s best friend.
“Did you want some wine?” Harper asks, snapping me out of my daydream to hurdle over the table and into Jasper’s lap.
Turning to look at him, I notice he has a bottle of Riesling in his hands, poised over my glass.
“Thanks,” I reply as he picks up my flute, filling it to the brim.
I nearly down the whole glass because Harper’s chivalrous act is getting me into Jasper’s bad books-a place I just got myself out of. This is a total disaster, and I wish I could fake a case of food poisoning, so I could run out of here faster than the wind. Sadly, as I look at my untouched meal, I know that excuse isn’t going to fly, and I also don’t want V worrying that the food is bad. I just have to toughen up, and hope Harper lays off with the good manners.
V has hired a cover band for the night, and thankfully the music starts. Hopefully I am off the hook from having to interact with Harper for the next twenty minutes or so. The band begin with the identifiable intro to Johnny Cash’s, I Walk the Line, but they have slowed it down, so it is now a little more appropriate to slow dance to.
Taking a small sip of my wine, I thank the stars I don’t dance, a fact Harper and Jasper are well aware of.
“Dance with me?” Harper asks loudly enough for Jasper to hear over the music.
Oh for the love of God, is he serious? He never wanted to dance when we were together, why now? I know why, and that ‘why’ currently has smoke coming out of his ears. How ironic this is the song Harper has chosen to ask me to dance to, because at the moment, I feel like I am walking the line, a thin line.
I shake my head quickly, afraid that Jasper might jump over the table. And if that happens, the only dancing Harper will be engaging in, is with Jasper’s fists.
“You know I don't dance,” I reply.
Harper places his napkin on the table and stands, extending his palm to me. “I know. But for old times’ sake?”
Everyone at the table is looking at me, and that everyone includes Jasper. They are all waiting to see how I will respond to this awkward situation. So with no other choice, as I don’t want to make a scene, I accept his hand and stand up.
I look at Jasper apologetically, but he won’t look at me, as he is facing in the opposite direction with his arms crossed over his chest, which is rising in accelerated breaths.
His body language tells me exactly how he is feeling, and it is all but screaming that he is about to explode. He kicks his chair back which makes a loud scraping noise across the polished floorboards, and storms off, fists clenched by his sides.
Great!
I attempt to chase after him, but Harper has already led me to the dance floor. He pulls me close, swaying to the music while looking at me lovingly, but he seriously needs to stop with the love eyes. And what else needs to stop is this song, so I can talk to Jasper.
Finally my prayers are answered, and the next song commences, which is my cue to get the hell out of here.
“Thanks for the dance.”
Giving Harper a small smile, I don’t wait around as he opens his mouth, ready to say something, because I need to go find my man.
Searching the venue for a couple of minutes, I don’t see Jasper anywhere, but I have an inkling as to where he will be. Exiting the building, the fresh breeze off the lake hits me in the face, and I sigh contentedly, because after the heated evening I’ve just had, I embrace the coolness.
Walking through the enchanted gardens at night is simply stunning, and it really will be breathtaking for V’s wedding tomorrow. I can smell lavender, lemongrass and fresh pine needles the further I extend into the gardens, and the smell is heavenly, and somewhat calming. I need all the serenity I can get at the moment, and will treasure anything to calm my racing heart.
Approaching the grassy hill, I find him where I thought he would be. He is standing near the red boathouse, overlooking the lake, while taking a drag of his cigarette.
Advancing cautiously, not wanting to startle him as he looks to be deep in thought, I watch the love of my life closely. His messy hair is catching in the gentle wind, ruffling it further, and I chew the inside of my cheek when I stop to take him in. He is simply beautiful. I know the word handsome is usually better suited to describe the opposite sex, but Jasper, he is nothing short of mind blowing.
He senses my approach, and turns around to face me. The hurt in his eyes drowns my heart in grief, and I mumble, “I’m sorry.”
But he doesn’t reply, he is merely motionless, searching my face. I shuffle slightly when I witness him raking over my body, from head to toe.
“You're mine,” he sneers after a minute of silence, meeting my eyes.
Nodding quickly, slightly stunned by his possessiveness, I whisper, “I am. I always have been.”
I am trying, but coming up short with anything else to say. He has that unreadable look on his face, and even though I don’t know what he is thinking, I do know that it is not good.
However, he surprises me by closing the distance between us in three quick steps, pressing his eager mouth to mine hungrily. I let out a stunned gasp, but as I feel him coaxing my mouth to open under his, I welcome his passion, and kiss him back readily.
The passion behind this kiss is different to others we have shared, and I know he is trying to prove a point, and that point being, I am his. Whether he is trying to demonstrate that to me or Harper, I don’t care, because right now, all that matters is this moment with the man I love.
He scoops me up into his arms, and I comply by jumping up onto his waist, straddling him, throwing my arms around his neck. We are devouring one another, and his scratchy stubble is causing me some pain, but I don't care and just kiss him harder. We both need this because I know where this is headed. And I so want it. I want him.
He walks with me clinging to his front, while kissing me frantically, and it isn’t until I am pressed up against the sidewall of the boathouse, out of sight from anyone who may be looking out from the house, that he stakes his claim on me.
He reaches under my denim skirt with one hand, and hisses out a breath when he finds me wet for him. Mewling softly when his long fingers stroke me quickly, my body welcomes his assault because it’s been so long. Kissing down my chin and nipping at my collarbone, he then leads back up, sucking on my neck intensely. I know he is trying to leave his mark on me, and I mean that literally.
Pulling back, I pant, “No... don’t. It'll leave a mark.”
He looks at me unhappily, the moonlight reflecting off his clear cerulean orbs.
“Why is that a bad thing? Are you ashamed of me?”
I gasp, is he serious?
“What? No, of course not.”
He looks away unbelieving, and I crawl down his body so I am steady on my feet. The look on his face crushes me because he actually believes I am ashamed of him.
I grasp his strong jaw when he attempts to turn away from me.
“Never think that. I'm proud to wear a thousand of your hickies on any other day, besides the day of my best friend’s wedding.”
Jasper half smiles, thankfully he seems to understand my reasoning.
“Okay?” I reinforce.
He nods. “Okay.”
I hate that we have gone from making out like wild animals, to this detachment. I need to cha
nge that, and I know exactly how. I have waited so long for this to happen, and I am not going to stop now.
Running my hands through his hair, I tug harder, tipping his head back, exposing his Adam's Apple. Kissing his neck gently, I make my descent down his glorious body, kissing him through his shirt, until I end up on my knees before him. He peers down at me, looking a little confused as to what my next move will be. However, my intentions are clear when I unbuckle his belt and undo his top button. As I slide down his zipper, and stop about halfway, he lets out a hiss when I place one hand against his hip for balance, and place the other inside of his pants.
My hand stops, a little startled when I feel he has once again gone commando.
“What‘s up with you and no underwear?” I mumble under my breath, looking up at him.
Not that I am complaining, because I am SO not complaining.
Jasper shrugs. “They just get in the way. This way, you have one less garment to remove. I was only thinking of you.”
I bite back a laugh.
Gee, talk about cocky and presumptuous.
“Cocky much?” I ask, arching my eyebrow playfully at him.
He looks down at me, and a grin spreads from cheek to cheek. “Do you really want me to answer that? I mean you’re the one who’s holding my c...”
Before he can finish his wicked sentence, I begin palming him, which silences him quickly.
Stripping him of his pants and hoping no one will be walking around the corner anytime soon, as they will be getting an eyeful of Jasper’s tight ass, I kiss lightly over his thighs, nipping him softly.
Feeling him quivering under my mouth, knowing he is anticipating my next move, I lick my way up to his impressive length, taking him into my mouth. We both moan in ecstasy and he drives his hips forward, so I take him deeper.
Seizing onto his hips, I work him over until his needy breath hitches in his throat, and I know he is about to explode as I twirl my tongue around his sensitive tip.
Suddenly he pushes me away lightly, yanking me up by my arm, and fanatically claiming my mouth with his. I am almost pouting because I wasn’t done, but that pout is short lived when he lifts me up onto his waist, pushing aside my thin underwear and pressing his impressive length at my entrance. Moaning loudly, because it has been so long, I can’t wait a minute longer.
He looks at me, asking for permission, and I comply by arching my back, welcoming him home. He pushes himself into me slowly, and I feel a sharp pain as I have not been with him for a long time, and I haven’t been with anyone else since we broke up, not even Harper.
The feel of him is amazing and I scream noisily, unable to stop myself. A small smile tugs at the corner of his lips, and when I start cursing loudly because he feels SO DAMN GOOD, he cups his hand over my mouth to silence me. The heated look in his eyes, reveal just how much he enjoys the reaction he is eliciting in me, so he starts moving faster, and the friction is amazing.
Throwing my head back, I can feel my upper body getting the bejesus scratched out of it, as my back is rubbing against the rough wooden wall I am pressed up against. But it doesn’t matter because in this moment, nothing other than us matters.
Jasper’s movements quicken and we’re both panting, our moans and the hard slapping of flesh are amplified out here in the silence, and the sound is a total turn on. Although we are being extremely loud, I am not bothered by it as I may have once been. This is what I have wanted for so, so long, and I refuse to be ashamed of two people expressing how much they love and need one another.
Wrapping my legs tighter around Jasper’s waist, I clench my inner muscles tightly around him, while sucking on his bottom lip.
He inhales a large gulp of air. “Fuck. Fuck. Oh fuck. Ava. Fuck,” he roars at full volume.
This time I am the one to cup my hand over his luscious wet mouth, muffling his cries of ecstasy. The sound is music to my ears, and I use his body as leverage as I begin rocking into him, riding him hard.
He begins panting heavily, his wild eyes meeting mine, and he does nothing to hide the passion in his lustful gaze.
He shakes his head, shrugging out of my grip, and pants out of breath. “You feel so fucking good, holy fuck. I’ve missed you,” he exhales, his hips never stilling.
If he keeps talking, I am going to be useless to him in about .two seconds.
“Shut up and kiss me,” I say with bated breath, because his voice alone is enough of a trigger for me to explode.
“Yes ma’am,” he replies, giving me a crooked smile before latching onto my mouth, and pulling with a delicious wet suction.
The feel of him moving against me, mixed with his smell, is enough to almost propel me over the edge, but not yet. He’s not done, and I won’t come apart without him. I have lived through too many hours without him, and this, now, we’re doing as one.
My eyes roll into the back of my head.
Oh God, so close.
I move up and down his body, my hands wrapped around his neck, tugging on the sweaty curls that have formed at the base of his collar. His hands are wrapped under my ass, and are encouraging me to move faster, and I happily comply.
Holy shit, I am going to...
We both groan and come apart together, just as it should be.
We are both panting heavily against one another, and I rest my head into the crook of his neck, totally satisfied. I am afraid my jelly legs won’t hold me up when he puts me down, so I hope we stay this way for a while.
After a couple of minutes, he slowly settles me onto my wobbly feet, holding onto my waist. We quickly rearrange our clothes, and everything about this moment is exactly how I wished for our reunion to be. It’s not awkward, it’s simply comfortable.
Well, it was comfortable until Jasper’s afterglow fades.
“What’s wrong?” I ask apprehensively.
If he tells me he regrets what we just did, I will honestly jump into the lake and swim to China!
He places his hands into his pockets and bows his head, his dishevelled hair sticking onto his damp brow. Is Jasper... embarrassed?
Wow, this is a first.
“I'm sorry I didn't...” he replies, gesturing an obscure sideways movement with his hand.
“Play tennis?” I ask, raising my eyebrow at him, totally confused with what he is trying to tell me.
He lets out a soft chuckle. “No. I didn’t...pull out. You just felt so good, and I, well... couldn’t stop. I fucked up, sorry.”
Oh, shit. I was too caught up in OH MY GOD I am having sex with Jasper to realize.
We’ve always been safe in the past, so this is definitely a first.
“Oh,” I reply, while quickly doing a mental calculation in my head to when I am ovulating.
Luckily, I think we’re in the clear.
“It’s okay, I’m not...you know,” I say awkwardly, gesturing a rolling motion with my hands. This motion is meant to signify being fertile, but of course looks nothing like what I am trying to articulate.
“Swimming?” Jasper asks with a dimpled smile.
I smack him lightly on the chest, glad he understands my lame ass signalling.
“It’s fine, we’re in the clear. But I’ll go to a twenty four hour drug store to get something, just in case.”
Jasper nods, lightly interlacing his fingers with mine. “Okay. I will come with you.”
This is something the old Jasper would say. The old Jasper that used to love me. Could it be, that maybe, maybe the old Jasper has allowed the new Jasper to love me? My cheeks hurt under the huge grin I am currently wearing at that possibility.
“What?” he asks, pulling me towards him so we are standing chest to chest.
“Nothing,” I reply, gazing into his baby blues.
Reality sets in when we both hear muffled music coming from the house. I don’t have a watch or my phone to check how long we have been out here for.
“We better go back in,” I say unhappily, not wanting to move an inch.
&nb
sp; Jasper sighs, looking back at the house with a look of annoyance. “You’re right. I am sure you have been missed,” he barks, and I know he is referring to Harper.
Leaning up on my tippy toes and kissing the tip of his strong nose, he gives me a small smile which lets me know I am off the hook- for now. But I know when the wedding is over, it’ll be a different story.
He takes a hold of my hand, and his simple gesture warms my heart, but I am too scared to over think anything right now, so I will enjoy this, whatever it is.
We head up the hill, swinging our interlocked fingers like school kids, and I am giggling loudly as Jasper is retelling a story of when he was in kindergarten. This is one of the only memories he has that isn’t tainted by neglect or abuse.
However my giggling halts before we reach the front door as Jasper stops, spinning me by my shoulders to face him.
“If he touches you, I'm going to break his hand,” Jasper calmly says, meaning every word.
Pulling a face, I tease, “Are you...jealous?”
Could I really be that lucky? If he was jealous, that would mean that he...still cares.
He wraps his hands around my waist, pulling me forward. “Damn straight. No one touches what's mine.”
I roll my eyes dramatically. “I am not anyone’s.” My insides are cartwheeling in excitement because he just called me his, but I play it off, not wanting to jump up and down prematurely.
“C’mon caveman,” I say, grabbing the scruff of his collar, pulling him inside.
As we enter, Jasper lets out a bad impression of a caveman call which echoes off the foyer walls.
“You're a dork,” I chuckle, slapping him playfully on the arm.
Jasper catches my hand and brings it up to his lips, kissing the back of it. “But I'm your dork.”
Holy Moly, I have just melted into a pool of goo. Can this night get any better?
I smile happily. “You bet you are.”
He pulls me in for a kiss which is sadly interrupted when we hear a throat clearing-loudly.
Well, there goes my perfect night!
Turning around guiltily, I see Harper standing a few feet behind us, arms crossed, watching us unimpressed.
Surrender to Me (I Surrender Trilogy Book 2) Page 22