Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 29962 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 150(@200wpm)___ 120(@250wpm)___ 100(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29962 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 150(@200wpm)___ 120(@250wpm)___ 100(@300wpm)
I kind of like the mystery of what we’re doing. Hanging out with Jasper is fun, and I’m glad I don’t have any work this weekend. I’m sure I’ll have plenty to catch up on when I return to the office. But for now, I’m tucked away in this quiet little cabin in the middle of the forest.
“Tell me a secret about yourself,” he says after we’ve been working for a few minutes. “Something no one else knows.”
I think for a moment. “I can’t stand the sound of silence when I’m alone. I always have music playing. Your turn for a secret.”
“I have your red dress from the night we were together. Still smells like you.” He glances back down at the heart he’s cutting a little too quickly, his skin turning pink beneath his beard.
I can’t help but find his embarrassment endearing. Maybe that’s why I admit to him, “I still have your flannel shirt. I wear it every night. Sometimes, I even touch myself when I do.”
He chuckles. “I like your secret.”
I’m about to tell him that I’m keeping this shirt, too, the one he must have put me in last night, but he looks up and glances out the window. “The snow has stopped. It’s time.”
Chapter 10
Jasper
The visual of Thea wearing my shirt and touching herself has me biting back a groan. I want to push for everything with her, but I already came on too strong on the porch. I thought when I held out the ring that she’d say yes.
We were strangers, but on the night we met, my soul recognized hers. All it took was one look and I was completely gone for the curvy bombshell in the red dress. Now I need to convince her to trust that what we have is real and worth taking a chance on.
When I finally realize the wind has stopped howling, I look up to see the snow is easing. There are a few flakes fluttering about. It’s the perfect time to put my plan into action. “The snow has stopped. It’s time.”
She frowns at me. “Time for what?”
“We’re going outside. Let’s get you dressed,” I say rather than answer her. Back in my bedroom, I lay out some clothes for her and even manage to find a pair of boots to protect her feet.
I leave the room before she starts getting dressed because if she gets naked around me again, I’m going to convince her to come on my tongue. Just the thought of it has my mouth watering and my cock growing hard.
While she’s changing, I trudge outside and open her rental. I grab the project bag and her purse, bringing them into the cabin for her. She mentioned needing to do something with her hands. While I can definitely think of something to put in her hands, I want her to be happy while she’s here.
By the time I’m done, my cock has started to relax. But then she breezes into the living room, looking fucking delectable in all of my clothes, and I want to forget about my whole dumb idea and rut into her instead.
She beams at me, excitement shining on her face. “What are we doing?”
“Follow me and find out,” I tell her and lead her outside with a shovel thrown over my shoulder. We traipse through the snow, hand in hand until we get to a good spot in the forest.
I spread my arms wide and gesture around me. “Pick a tree. Any tree.”
“For what?” She eyes a little thing that’s barely taller than she is.
“For a Valentine’s Day tree,” I explain. It broke my heart when she told me she’d never had a Christmas tree, not even as a kid.
In a lot of ways, we’re alike. We’ve both had difficult lives and been alone in our pain. But she’s not alone anymore. Now she has me by her side, the mountain man that’s going to spend his days trying to make her smile.
She puts a hand to her mouth, her eyes filling with tears. Fuck, I messed this all up. I shouldn’t have said that. The whole idea was dumb. I open my mouth to tell her to forget it and that I’m sorry, but then she throws herself at me.
I wrap my arms around her, catching her weight easily.
“This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me,” she whispers.
I hold her tightly, wishing all of the love in my heart and body could be transferred to her. I want her to know every day for the rest of her life how precious she is. What we’ve got is special, and I’ll always protect it.
Thea
Three hours later, the tree is set up in Jasper’s living room. He pulled several boxes in here from his art room, and I’m searching through them eagerly, looking for things to add to the tree.