Page 36 of Beautiful Chaos

“Do you need a ride to work?” he inquired, as we reached the parking garage where Hector waited for us. He opened the car door for me. I slid over making room for Jasper to get in beside me. Our hands were no longer locked together. As soon as he was situated in his seat, he sought out my hand again, lacing his fingers between mine.

Hector glanced down, acknowledging the gesture before he closed the door and walked over to the driver’s side. I could swear I saw him smirk as he buckled his seat belt, but it might have just been me overthinking.

“So?” Jasper turned and looked into my eyes. Unsure of what he was asking, I stayed silent.

“Work?” He added.

“Oh, actually I won’t be going in. My boss requested that I work from home today.”

I blurted out with unexpected excitement. I looked up to see Hector look into the rear-view mirror at Jasper as they exchanged a look. Jasper smiled.

“I can set up the desk in the spare room for you to work from today if you’d like.”

Hector let out a forced cough.

It wasn’t long and we were pulling up to my apartment building. Jasper insisted he walk me up to help carry my things down.

“He might need to move the car, they like to give tickets here,” I warned, nodding toward Hector.

“He will be fine, Doll,” Jasper said confidently. I didn’t argue.

* * *

We walked in together as I turned to disarm the alarm system. Jasper wandered around, peering into rooms and glancing around doors. It seemed like a natural response to escorting a woman into her home, and I couldn’t help but feel grateful for his actions.

I’ve never had anyone show protectiveness over me. It felt strange, I couldn’t quite explain.

He came from the bathroom, content with the uneventful security check, and settled onto a bar stool at the kitchen counter.

“Can I offer you a drink?” I smiled nervously.

“No doll, I’m fine. Thank you.” He declined.

He looked so comfortable, not a bit out of place. If Aster were here, she’d be already into rounds of drilling him, and I’d have no choice but to sit back and feel sorry for him. The thought had me smiling to myself until I was startled by a voice coming over the intercom of the alarm system, the operator’s intercom.

“Harper? Are you home Harper?” I’d recognize that voice from anywhere. It was Mr. Jenkins.

“Yes. Is everything okay?”

“Oh yes dear, I’m fine, it’s just I spoke with Aster this morning, she said you were home alone, but I couldn’t get you on your cell,” he said, with a questioning tone. He’s not my dad, but he often spoke to me in a fatherly way.

I wonder why Aster hadn’t been blowing up my phone.

“Yes, sir, my phone died,” I reassured him.

“Oh good, I was worried because my office alerted me that your system was breached for about fifteen minutes last night. I’m sure it wasn’t anything to worry about, but I’d still like to take precautions.” I could hear papers swishing around.

“Looked like it happened around… midnight.” I let out a small gasp as I realized it was the same time I woke and thought I had seen someone standing in my doorway.

“I’m sending over a gentleman named Gunther to take a look. I’m installing some inside cameras in the necessary rooms. I know you two want privacy, but could you just agree to this for a little while?”

I was against them in the beginning, I felt like it was taking away from our privacy but given the new threat, I thought it was a great idea.

“Sure, but I can’t answer for Aster,” I chuckled. “Will I need to be home for him?”

I was hoping he would say yes, then I could stay and work from home and not seem like an asshole for declining Jasper’s gracious offer to stay at his house.

“Nope, Gunther can get in, and he can lock up when he’s done,” he proudly stated.

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