Page 86 of Broken Pact

I fold my arms across my chest and nod toward the brown paper bag. “What’s that?”

Hawke pokes his head around Jasper, grinning widely. “Crazy to find you here, Carter.”

I tilt my head to the side and regard him. “Funny, I was just thinking the same thing.”

His grin widens further, excitement brightening his eyes. “Lookin’ good today, Carter. Really went for that minimalist chic shit I hear so much about, yeah?”

I glance down at myself, suddenly aware that I’m still wearing Jasper’s oversized tee in the middle of his foyer. The hem brushes the tops of my thighs, so it’s basically a dress.

“I’m not surprised you’re into it. The girls and I thought you might’ve been allergic to shirts at one point,” I tease with an exaggerated shrug.

“You hear that, Jagger? Your girl’s been watchin’ me,” Hawke taunts, giving me that bedroom-eyed look of his.

Jasper steps in front of him, blocking his view of me. “Get out.”

“Bro,” Hawke protests with a laugh, trying to lean around him.

Jasper stops him with a hand to his chest. “Thanks for the update and the food. Time to go. My girl and I are busy.”

“Damn, Jagger. When did you get so cold,” Hawke teases, letting Jasper nudge him out the front door. “Later, Carter.”

“Hawke.” I dip my head toward him, not that he can see me through Jasper acting as a wall between us.

Jasper shuts the door, flicks the lock, and stalks toward me. He crowds my space with an arm on either side of my head. He twirls a lock of hair between two fingers and leans into me. “What did I say about flirting with my boys, baby?” His voice has that faux innocence right now, the tone too deep to be convincing though.

I swallow as a bolt of lust shoots straight to my core. “I wasn’t flirting. I was saying hi.”

“Then I guess I’m editing our rules, baby. Rule number six: no saying hi to any Reapers but me.”

I roll my eyes at his absurdity. “That’s not a rule. You can’t control who I say hi to, Jasper. If you’re jealous, then why don’t you just say that.”

“I’m fucking jealous,” he says instantly.

I’m shocked speechless for a moment. I wasn’t expecting him to actually say it. I thought he was just, I don’t know, joking or something.

I shake my head. “There’s no reason to be jealous.”

“Doesn’t work that way, Coraline.”

I don’t know what the fuck is going on with me, but somehow I’ve entered this weird time space continuum or an alternate universe, because a month ago, I would’ve told you that any pet name from him would sound weird, like a too-small wool sweater. And now, it feels fucking uncomfortable when he doesn’t call me baby.

I don’t like it.

I push onto my toes and grab his bottom lip between my teeth. I don’t bite hard, just a little nip to snap him back. “I’ll remind you if you ask me nicely. But first, let’s eat. And maybe start that movie over again because I definitely slept through the whole thing.”

I settle back onto my feet and he closes his eyes on a long exhale. He places a kiss along the top of my head and pushes off the wall. “C’mon, baby. Let’s eat before our food gets cold.”

I follow him to the table between the kitchen and the living room. There’s a comfortable silence between us as we sit down and eat, a different movie playing softly in the background. It’s nice, this feeling of ease and familiarity. I glance over at Jasper, catching him watching me with a small smile.

“What?” I ask, feeling a blush rise to my cheeks.

“I’m glad you’re here. And thanks for talking to my mom earlier.”

I smile, feeling a warm flutter in my chest. “I’m glad too, and your mom is great. I might have to get her number from you, so I can chat with her. I bet she has some amazing stories to tell about little Jasper.”

“Don’t even fucking think about it, baby,” he warns, but there’s no heat it in.

We continue eating, the conversation flowing easily between us. We talk about everything and nothing. It’s light and easy, the kind of conversation that makes you forget about time.

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