Page 11 of Off-Limits Mate

“I’m not the one refusing help,” he says, his voice a deep resonant sound in my chest.

“I’m not refusing help! Why can’t I just do this the way I want to do it?” I practically scream.

Jasper shrugs. “I’m not taking over. I just know that Nolan feels bad about the fact that he can’t help much, and it’s pretty obvious that you don’t want to live here with him or spend all of your time waiting on your house to be fixed. So, Amara, why not just ditch the whole pride thing and let me fucking help you?” he snarls.

He said my name.

It takes me a full five seconds to recover. The sound of my name on his lips is… Okay, no one should have that type of a reaction to someone saying their name. I don’t know if he’s ever said it before. I’m sure he has. But he calls me other things. Kid. Squirt. Small fry.

My name. It’s the second time he’s said it in as many days. The second time that deep, luxurious voice has made its way into my ears, tugging at my chest.

I shut my eyes. He said one way or another. He’s going to either get my input on rebuilding, or he’s going to do it on his own.

Like hell am I going to let him rebuild my house without any input.

I pull myself up straighter. I look at him, my eyes narrow, trying to keep him from realizing that my heart is slamming against my chest. “Your truck is too freaking nice.”

It takes Jasper a second to realize that I’m not arguing, and that I changed the subject. He blinks, those gray eyes confused for a second. “What?”

“We can’t take it to the hardware store like it is now. It literally looks like you drove it off the lot yesterday.”

“I did,” he says. His lips curl slightly, like he’s trying to fight off a smile.

I look away. “It’s too nice. Too shiny. They’re going to charge you double and pretend you don’t know shit about construction.”

“I can pay it,” he says, the amusement in his voice now.

Brand new truck? Paying double? How rich is he? “It’s embarrassing,” I say instead.

Jasper looks at me for a second longer. Then, his lips tuck up into an actual smile, and my heart goes from slamming against my ribs to running a million miles an hour.

That smile. That’s what should be illegal. Not the way he moves or the way he says my name. That smile is going to kill me.

“You think my truck is too shiny?”

“By a long shot,” I say, hoping he can’t hear the tremble in my voice.

Jasper looks at me for a second before he winks.

Winks.

I must be crazy, because I nod and agree to the next thing he says, too.

“Let’s go fuck it up.”

Chapter 6

Jasper

“Hit it!” Amara shrieks.

I laugh, slamming on the gas while the truck spins in the giant mud puddle. Mud flies through the air, rocks beat themselves against the outside of my new truck, and I’ve never been happier to screw something up in my whole life.

Amara’s point about the truck was valid. I would get charged double for any supplies at the hardware store, and while I could definitely pay it, she was clearly bothered by that. So I decided to just do what she wants. Which turned out to be so much fucking fun, I don’t know why I didn’t think of it earlier.

Amara squeals as I throw the truck into a donut, the whole thing shuddering as we slide through the mud. This particular mud pit is designated for off-roading, so we don’t tear up the mountainside and destroy the ecosystem in the process.

“Jasper!” Amara laughs as she bounces around in the seat. “I think you’re probably good now!”

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