“I of course told him to leave,” I said. “But he wouldn’t listen.”
That definitely caused a reaction. In a single breath, Jasper’s hands were on my shoulders. He looked me over like I might be bruised or something.
“Are you all right?” he asked, concern softening his expression.
I wasn’t fragile, even if he thought I was.
“Of course I’m all right. He didn’t hurt me. He wouldn’t. He’s harmless,” I said.
“Anyway, the point I was trying to make was that I told him about the baby.”
Jasper’s eyes searched mine. He stilled.
“And he ran away,” I said.
“Asshole.”
“Totally,” I said, feeling both lighter and more nervous at the same time. “And while I wanted him to leave, it made me think about how different your reaction was.”
A small, self-satisfied grin spread over his face. “So you’re here for a repeat of Turtle Beach.”
I laughed. “What?”
He grabbed my hips and pulled me flush against him. He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. “Turtle Beach.”
We were back to light and fun. We were back to him touching me, and so everything was the way it was supposed to be, right?
“Turtle Beach.” I tapped my chin. “Is that what we’re calling it now?”
“Definitely.”
“Well, that’s not why I came here,” I said, my body on fire.
He glided his hands slowly down my ass and kissed my cheek slowly, softly. “Are you sure?”
No.
Please keep touching me.
I glanced toward the bed.
I definitely didn’t want to have sex where Jules and Chester had done it, where Jules and Jasper…I didn’t want to think about that. I shivered and pulled away. “Totally sure.”
He watched me with a look that said he knew I wanted him, but he would never push me.
It hit me then that it was ridiculous that I had worried that it was Jasper’s luggage in the hall. His suitcase was still missing.
“I thought you might want company hunting down your bag again,” I said. “Steal it back from the ghosts.”
“Sure, Bramble,” he said, his voice deliciously rough. “I’d like that.”
While we rode down the elevator, he held me close to his side, his hand possessively tight on my hip. I could get used to this. It was a dangerous thought, but it felt so good to feel so claimed, like his grip was a brand.
“You can’t sleep in the same sheets where Chester…sprayed his cheese,” I said.
He laughed. “I haven’t slept in the bed since I told Jules I wasn’t interested in her anymore.”
That was good, just like he’d said. “You slept…in Chester’s room? Even though Jules hasn’t been around until she showed up for the bang show.”