Page 75 of Fallout

He grinned.

“You’re sure you wouldn’t rather be out on the streets?”

“Would you?” he asked her. “Because I can drive you around, but I don’t like you being in danger. It’s too risky.”

“I can’t be shut up where it’s comfortable forever.”

“But you can take care of yourself.”

“Blake has already started in, asking me if I’m sure I want to live at Vanguard. Don’t I want to have the girls around me. Don’t I want Granny to help me.” Destiny loved her family, but she probably also wanted to live her life. “Maybe that’s part of why I didn’t tell him, even though I know it’s just because he cares. But he’s still my big brother.”

Jasper knew the guy well enough to know that was accurate. But Blake should know that Destiny could take care of this—and his friends should knowhehad this. Whatever she needed, Jasper was here. “So, we know what he wants. Tell me, what do you want?”

She looked at him then, and he saw so much yearning in her eyes. Enough that it made him say what was in his heart rather than worrying about her reaction.

“Because I want to be the one that helps you, Destiny.”

She glanced at their hands. “This baby shouldn’t be your burden.”

“What if it’s a responsibility I would cherish?” He felt the same way about her.

“How is this, now, any different from when you and Tessa were—” She cut herself off, maybe realizing she’d implied that marriage was in the future.

“Tessa and I? We looked great on the surface. But she and I would never have meshed.”

“You didn’t want to live in the K-9 training center?”

“She wouldn’t have stayed for anyone but River.” Jasper knew that now. “And then I had to watch you leave for Africa. I knew if I said anything, you might have actually thought about staying.”

She bit her lip. “Maybe that would’ve been for the best. Considering what happened.”

“We never know what’s going to happen or how our choices will pan out.” He traced his thumb across the back of her hand. “But I do know that whatever is in front of you, I want to be there.”

“Because you’re in the market for an instant family?”

He leaned in a little. “Because it’syou.”

She closed the gap. Mostly. Jasper touched his lips to hers. Like the kiss they’d shared in Backdraft, it ignited quickly. Sweeping him up in all that she was, and now it was so much deeper. The strength and resilience he’d seen in her over the past few days only impressed him even more, and he had already been seriously impressed.

When he pulled back, he said, “You’re amazing. You know what to do, and you go for it. You follow the path, and you’re certain.”

Maybe she could be certain about him.

Jasper continued, “This life is far too short to hold anything back. I feel like I’ve missed so many opportunities. I don’t want to miss another one just because, this time, the stakes are so much higher. I want you to know how I feel about you. And I’ve felt this way for a while now, Destiny.”

She touched the back of his neck. Jasper leaned close again, and they kissed. He put all his wants and desires into it, the things he needed and what he knew he needed to give to her. The sweetest kind of exchange, and hopefully, one that would continue for the rest of their lives.

No matter what was in front of them, he wanted to face it side by side.

Together, as a family, with this baby and whatever children came.

The door opened. “Hey, son, I…ah, oops.”

Jasper turned and saw his father in the doorway.

THIRTY-THREE

Heat flashed through Destiny.

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