Page 58 of Trust Me

It may make things awkward at work for me, but it’s a price I’m willing to pay to be with her. I’d do anything to keep her.

Jasmine wraps her arms around my neck, her hands playing with the tuft of hair at the back of it. “I know you will. That’s not the issue. I don’t want him to ruin this, you know? My whole life they’ve told me what to do—hell, my father told me explicitly to stay away from you and I finally want to do something for myself. Let’s keep it between us for now. Is that okay?”

Ned did what? My stomach twists at the information, not because of the potential crap he said about me, but because of how it’s made Jasmine feel.

“Wait, when did he say that? What did he say exactly?”

“It was the day we talked in his office three years ago. When you were skating with the team, he must’ve seen how I was looking at you, so he told me that you wouldn’t be interested in me. Basically you’re up here, and I’m way down here,” she explains, bringing her hand up and down.

“What the fuck,” I groan, my blood boiling.

Jasmine places a finger on my lips, shushing me. “Don’t. It’s not worth getting upset over. We ended up in this moment, right here. Let’s focus on that.”

I rub small circles along the small of her back, my hands always moving when they’re on her. “You’re right. And I want to make you comfortable as we explore this thing between us, so we can keep it a secret.”

“Okay, good.” She releases a breath, her eyes on my lips. She wets her lips with her tongue, her mocha eyes slowly making their way back to mine.

I give in to her before she even bothers asking, kissing her like I know she needs to be.

I break apart from her, needing to clarify something else that she said. “What did you mean when you said he told you to stay away from me?”

“When we met three years ago, while we were watching you skate with the team, he told me that you were off-limits. That you were too old and too much for a girl like me.”

My face screws up at that. What the fuck does that mean? “A girl like you?” I scoff, my jaw ticking as I grind my molars. “You’re perfect for me, absolutely perfect. Don’t listen to him, dolcezza. You hear me?”

Her eyes shine with unshed tears, so I stroke her cheek with my thumb soothingly. “Why are you upset? Talk to me.”

She sniffs, blinking to prevent her tears from falling. “Because I never thought this would happen to me, being with someone, hearing words like that. I know that sounds lame, but—”

“It’s not,” I cut her off. “There’s nothing wrong with knowing what you want and waiting for it, instead of settling.”

Jasmine’s eyes narrow, her lips folding in as she tilts her chin down. “I’m scared because what if he tries to ruin this? The first thing in my life that I’m doing for me?”

“You’re an adult. He can’t control your life.”

I’m poking the bear, hoping she’ll open up about her parents and why she feels the incessant need to live up to their demands.

“Rationally, I know that,” she starts, pausing as she takes a deep breath, then begins again. “You know that my parents couldn’t have any more kids, and that crushed them. They always wanted at least five or six. Once they knew that wouldn’t happen, they began to focus all of their energy on me, making sure I was the perfect daughter. It makes me feel this strangling pressure to live up to their demands, to make their wishes for me come true, to make them happy, even if it’s not going to make me happy.

“Doing anything for myself always leaves me with guilt, because I’m worried I’ll mess up their grand plan for me and ruin their one and only experience they will have with a child. My mother insists that I become a financial analyst or an accountant, something steady that makes good money. She’d never support my true dream of opening up my own bakery.” Her voice cracks, a tear making its way down her cheek.

I swipe it away, the sight of her tears making me want to fucking destroy anything that’s hurting her. I hate it.

“I’m sorry, dolcezza. That’s a lot to be dealing with, but I’m sure they want you to be happy, no? Have you tried talking to them about this?” I squeeze her to my chest, putting my hand protectively on the back of her head as I hold her to me.

“I tried to bring up the idea of me owning a business, not saying exactly what, and they shut it down so fast, claiming it’s too risky.” She sniffles against my chest.

“You can do anything you want. You’re smart, driven, and motivated. You need to decide who you want to live your life for.”

“You make it sound so easy,” she says as she lifts from my chest, disbelief in her tone.

“It’s not, but there’s a quote somewhere that says the best things in life are the ones that don’t come easily. I usually hate that inspirational crap, but it’s true nonetheless. Crossing the line with you wasn’t easy. I fucking tortured myself over it for weeks, but when you want something badly enough, nothing else matters.”

“For weeks, huh? You like me or something?” She winks, smiling coyly at me.

She’s trying to change the subject and I let her. She still has time to think about what she wants to pursue.

I tickle her sides instead, her laughter bubbling out of her as she falls back to the bed, trying and failing to push me away as I hover over her, my hands still making her squirm beneath me.

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