Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 39840 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 199(@200wpm)___ 159(@250wpm)___ 133(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39840 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 199(@200wpm)___ 159(@250wpm)___ 133(@300wpm)
She trails off and closes her eyes, still awake, but just tired and obviously still weak. This is what she wants to tell me. She needs me to know.
If she wasn’t so ill, I could tell her everything. Tell her how James and I…
Well… that’ll have to be a story for when her heart can handle hearing the juicy details. Nothing gross, just I’m already dying to tell her about James and me. I want to tell her how much I’ve fallen for him.
Now that I know what he was putting himself through earlier, I couldn’t fall much harder or faster for the man. I know I’m in love, and it’s the forever kind, just like James was saying.
More a man of live-action demonstrations, James has certainly opened my eyes and a few other places to show just how he feels.
“I’ll come to see you in the morning,” I whisper to Iris, getting up to go and pecking the top of her head gently as she nods.
“I’ll be okay. Promise,” she assures me. “And tell Phil to go home, will ya? He’s a pain in the ass when he sees me like this.”
I stifle my laugh and promise her I will tell him right away.
“Now get outta here,” she murmurs. “Go get what’s his name and make him buy you a steak dinner. And whatever you do, Jaz, don’t let him out of your sight. He’s a keeper.”
I smile at the thought and feel like she will be fine.
It isn’t until I’m back out in the corridor and spot James that it clicks. Iris does know. Of course, she does. She always knows everything before I tell her. If I know her, she would’ve been so mad at herself for not seeing what was so obvious between James and me, she probably did give herself a turn.
James looks more like he’s standing guard than just waiting for me, and I rush into his arms as soon as I get close enough.
“Everything okay?” he asks, making me feel safe and comforted in a way that only he can.
I give a nod and look up at him, smiling. “She said you have to take me out for a steak dinner,” I tell him, making him chuckle.
“Oh, she did, did she? And what else did she say?” he asks, holding me close as he walks us both out toward the exit.
I think I’ll save the last thing Iris said for later. That whole “never let him go” thing.
Because she’s right. James is a keeper. And I’m never letting go.
Not even for a second.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
James
“I guess I should’ve taken you out on a date before I had you all to myself,” I tell Jasmine, after helping her into the car.
She pouts a little. Then, before being able to stop it, she smiles.
“I think I know which I prefer already,” she croons, meaning it, too, by the tone of her voice.
Jasmine and I smashed straight into each other, and that’s what makes this so amazing.
“I just hope you don’t think… I mean…,” I try to explain.
I’m not sure I need to, but I want to be clear. I want her like nothing else, and if I had to go through another day without doing what we both need so badly? It would’ve been a very short date. We were destined to be bunk buddies long before choosing salad or soup and an entrée.
“I kinda did suggest we go straight to your place,” Jasmine tactfully reminds me, not letting me take all the credit for claiming her.
I think she’s done a bit of claiming herself. My heart. It bursts every time I look at her. It’s only been a day, but I already feel like I could…
“Married sixty years,” Jasmine says aloud thoughtfully, breaking my own thoughts as I have to do a double take.
“Huh?” I ask, confused.
Here I am, thinking about how fast things are moving, and she’s talking sixty years?
“Iris and Phil,” she chimes, crimping her lips and sighing to herself.
I watch her eyes move out the window, reminding myself to keep my own on the road. It’s still wet outside, and apart from wanting to take her home, I’d love to show Jasmine a good time in another way.
I just hope she likes food as much as I do. I eat. A lot. The suggestion of food at any hour is going to get my attention.
“I’m not exactly dressed for dinner, though,” she says, suddenly wincing to herself. “Maybe we could swing by my…,” she starts, but stops herself.
“You want to get changed? You look great,” I remind her, craving her whatever she’s wearing. Especially now that I know what’s underneath and just how good it feels.
I can see she doesn’t want me to see her apartment. This leads me to make a confession of sorts.