Page 78 of Beautiful Chaos

I’m so damn impatient.

Harper opened her mouth but then snapped it closed. Her eyes fixed on mine.

“Tell me Doll. What’s on your mind?”

There was a small moment of hesitation. Her eyes threaten tears.

“What happened to me when I was a young girl was terrifying, but I escaped it. I’ve spent the rest of my life, up until now, never letting anyone close enough to hurt me. Close enough to break me, any more than I already am. I’ve held on to the pieces of me that were left over from what they did to me and alone I’ve slowly tried to put them back together, mending the parts that were too shattered. You have opened my heart and showed me things I never thought I would see. You made me feel things I’ve only read about in books. You make me feel alive.” She said as she held back tears. “I could never thank you enough for that.”

She lowered her head, letting a sole tear drop onto the blanket draped over her lap.

She pulled her hand from mine, swatting at tears from her cheeks aggressively. When she looked up, the emerald green with the smallest amount of brown hues in her eyes shined brighter than I’d ever seen, filled with emotion.

I stayed quiet, sensing she wasn’t.

“I’ve always had to shut myself off from everything, protecting myself from everyone. I’ve never felt like I needed to shut myself off, to protect someone else as much as I do right now,” she said those words with so much pain and hesitation behind them.

“They wouldn’t have targeted you if they weren’t looking for me.”

I shook my head not saying anything.

She had it all wrong.

I held my breath knowing exactly what was to come next. She put her head down into her palms and let out small sobs.

“What is it that you think you have done Harper?” I asked before she could say the words.

“I bring chaos to your life that you don’t need, Jasper. I can’t do this to you anymore.” Her voice was a forced whisper. She didn’t want to say the words, and she didn’t want to feel the feelings behind them either.

Pressing my finger to her chin, forcing her to look at me, I sought the right words to ease her pain. I understood she had so much more to confront on her own, but I would be right by her side throughout her journey to recovery.

“Harper, before you my life was meaningless. I had money and my firm, but I lived my life on repeat every day. I threw myself into work and never enjoyed the fruits of my labor.

When you came along you, showed me there is so much more to life. I never imagined wanting to be married or to have children. When I look to my future now, I see you in it. I want a type of love that makes me do crazy things, like going to the same bookstore, and reading the same book every day for the rest of my life, just because it reminds me of you. I want you Harper, and if that means added chaos, well it will be the most Beautiful Chaos I’ve ever enjoyed.”

She wrapped her arms around my neck and almost leaped into my lap, but the IV she was still connected to, halted her mid-straddle. I gently moved her back to her pillow and lay down beside her. She leaned into my side pressing her face against my chest. I completely understood her need to be closer. I pushed the hair from her face behind her ear and caressed her cheek with my hand, as she looked up at me through her lashes.

“Kiss me,” she demanded softly, yet her voice carried an undeniable need.

I smiled. Happy to oblige, I grabbed her by the nape of her neck, wrapping her hair around my fingers, I smashed my mouth to hers, parting her lips she let me deepen the kiss, her tongue softly caressing mine.

“Mine,” I growled.

“Get a room,” Aster made gagging noises pretending to be disgusted, her voice filled the space when came through the door with impeccable timing. Harper stopped kissing me and stilled. Her lips still pressed against mine, she laughed into my mouth.

“What did I miss?” Max asked walking into the room that was suddenly filled with laughter. One laugh in particular had my heart soaring. The most beautiful sound my ears could ever hear.

Enjoying that remarkable sound for the rest of my life wouldn’t be the worst thing to bear.

I smiled to myself.

Chapter 55

HARPER

Jasper took some time off work and insisted I stay at the penthouse, instead of mine and Aster’s place. Aster stayed to enjoy the amenities, particularly the rooftop pool, and the in-house gym. Max stayed too. Jasper said it was for selfish reasons, being his ability to gawk at Aster whenever he wanted to. I knew there was some truth to that, she was her flirty self toward him, but oddly as soon as he made any advances, she shut him down.

Once Aster returned home, Jasper arranged for a protective detail to watch our place. Aster wasn’t happy about it, she said she already had a protective, overbearing father and didn’t need another one, but when she realized she would be watched by big handsome guys in suits 24/7 she changed her tone, like I knew she would.

---