Page 5 of Irreversible

“You have to say that. You’re my agent.”

“If I were only your agent, you’d have a sexual harassment lawsuit on your hands right about now.” Despite the crowd of partygoers, Jasper edges his palms down my hips and starts to inch the hem of my silver sequined slip dress up my thighs. “I’m your husband. And I’m going to make love to you all night, until you believe with undeniable certainty that you’re perfect in every way.”

Oof.

Wetness pools between my legs, and I’m two seconds from allowing him to take me right here in the middle of this ballroom packed with fashion designers, high-demand models, and a ferret nibbling through a table full of French baguettes?—

I blink, distracted, then shake myself from the lusty haze. “We’re getting looks.”

“Let them stare.” He sucks the skin along my neck between his teeth, nibbling gently. “Let them stew in their jealousy, knowing that I’m sleeping with the most gorgeous woman here.”

Spinning in his arms, I plant my hands against his chest and look up. His eyes are hooded, glittering with future promises of late-night lovemaking.

It’s been three years since I was introduced to Jasper Cross at a wine bar while studying for an exam. On a whim, I stopped by his agency later that week for a modeling audition. The audition turned into a paid job for an eyewear company’swebsite banner, which then manifested into a hot and heavy relationship with the dreamiest agent I’d ever met—which, eventually, spurred a marriage proposal at the same wine bar, one year later.

I never really saw myself getting married or falling in love. I had plans, dreams to live out, rooted in the field of entomology and science. I grew up with an exotic dancer for a mother and a father who died when I was five months old, which gave me a burning desire for independence and stability. Mom and I are close, but I saw how her career choices had weighed on her throughout the years. Overnight shifts. Necessities, dependent on her tips. I never judged or resented my mother for doing what she needed to do to keep a roof over our heads, but I wanted something different.

Now, I can’t imagine my life without this man.

Before I melt beneath his molten stare, he plants a kiss to my hairline, cupping my face between two large palms. “I’ll try to keep my hands from misbehaving for a little while longer.” Jasper smirks, lowering his head until our foreheads press together. “Mostly because I’m dying to hear what Trevor Scott said to you.”

Out of my peripheral vision, I catch sight of Trevor wrangling the ferret that just skittered over to an adjacent table and is now chewing through the burlap table runner as guests flee the scene.

I snicker under my breath and return my attention to Jasper. “He said Abner was impressed with my work on that ad last month.”

“For the swimwear?” Curling his fingers around my upper arm, my husband guides me toward a quieter corner of the room. “Your hashtag was trending on TikTok. I knew he’d notice.”

“It’s such a surreal feeling,” I breathe out, gnawing on my bottom lip as my pulse thrums with adrenaline. “He said Abner called me ‘the next big thing.’Me.The pint-sized girl who had zero modeling experience and wanted to be a bug scientist.”

“Shit, baby.” His onyx eyebrows lift to his hairline, his smile stretching as wide as the tickle in my heart. “That’s fantastic. This is fucking huge.”

More elation sweeps through me, more ecstatic disbelief. “What does it even mean?” I don’t realize my knees are wobbling until I reach for Jasper to hold myself steady.

“It means you’re going to take this industry by the balls, and you won’t stop until Everly Cross is a household name. It means you’re going to light up billboards and television screens and runways, and you’re going to prove to the world that a five-foot-two spider enthusiast can become a renowned supermodel.” He clasps my face between his hands and pulls our noses together, breathing against my lips. “It means I get to stand by your side and shout to anyone who will listen,‘That’s my beautiful wife,’ while cheering you on, feeling so goddamn proud.”

Tears rush to my eyes. I choke on a strangled laugh, the kind of laugh you make when you’re obscenely high on emotion and too overwhelmed to speak.

“Personally, I’m ready to celebrate right now.” He kisses the tip of my nose, then the bow of my lips. “Us, tangled in our new French linen sheets.” Jasper cradles my cheek, gifting me another lingering kiss. “All this hair spilling down your back like a fine champagne while you moan my name and drive me wild.” Dragging his lips to the shell of my ear, he finishes in a low voice, “Putting a baby in you.”

My heart jackhammers.

A baby.

Anxiety swims through me at the notion.

“Not yet,” he clarifies, smirking. “I know your career comes first. I just can’t stop imagining how stunning you’ll be, glowing from head to toe, this body carrying my child.” Jasper presses a palm to my flat stomach, his eyes sparking with heat.

My pulse steadies as I stretch a teasing grin. “Apparently, you’re not the only one eager for that.”

He drops his hand. “Mm. That’s never going to happen.”

“The couple is persistent.”

“Let them persist. The only child you’ll bear ismine.”

I chew on my cheek, nodding as I gaze up at him.

A few months ago, I was approached with an offer to become a surrogate for an anonymous couple. After my bathing suit ad went viral, a slew of unique opportunities had been presented to me—surrogacy being the most unanticipated.

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