Page 25 of Off-Limits Mate

Amara and I exchange a glance. I move over to the stove.

“Jasper’s been learning all kinds of skills between the house stuff and this,” Amara says helpfully. I think it’s helpful, anyway.

“Huh. Well. I never pictured you as a cook,” Nolan says, his eyes narrowing at me. “Isn’t that a little too domestic?”

“It’s nothing,” I say. I’m a little too tense when I do.

Nolan looks between Amara and me. My heart sinks.

He seems suspicious. Not in a good way. In a way that feels like… he’s mad.

Amara’s staring at me. Nolan looks at her. Then, he looks right in my face. “Is something going on here?”

“Nolan, we?—”

“Nothing, man,” I say, cutting her off.

I don’t want Amara to be here when I talk to him. I need to tell Nolan how I feel about her, and I haven’t told her yet. I’m not ready.

Amara looks at me, and her hazel eyes are wide with shock. I realize that I came off as more than a little harsh in that moment.

Fuck.

“I’ll be in my room,” Amara says sharply. She stands and leaves.

Nolan looks at her. “Amara…”

“I’ve got it. Watch the pancakes,” I say. Without waiting to see if Nolan agrees, I rush after her.

I just need more time. I need to explain to Amara that I’m going to tell him about us.

I just need a tiny, tiny little extra time.

Chapter 11

Amara

What the hell just happened?

I don’t know what I expected, exactly.

When Jasper said he was going to talk to Nolan about us, I did kind of assume that it would be… soon? I wasn’t trying to just blurt out and say it earlier. Nothing like that. But I had thought that maybe, I could at least just… I don’t know. Prompt him?

Jasper’s sharp words, however, sucked. They made me think that maybe I didn’t know what I was doing. That maybe, he hadn’t said anything that he meant.

Men will say all kinds of stuff to get you to sleep with them. Heartbreakers like Jasper would probably say whatever they wanted.

Did I misjudge him? I mean, I don’t think Jasper is a liar, but I also… I don’t know him.

I slump into my bed, the sheets still rumpled from the night that we spent together. If I lean down, I can still smell Jasper on my pillow.

I’m staring at the sheets when I hear my door creak open.

“Hey,” Jasper rumbles.

I don’t look up.

“Sorry. I just?—”

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