Page 85 of Born in the Spring

Thirty-Five

Elara

My ears look so depressing without my pearls. And they just feel wrong with anything else.

I’ve tried on three different pairs of earrings, rooted out from the bottom of my jewelry basket and none of them work. They look nice, and I like them, but they’re for a different night.

I’ve worn those pearls for all my Christmases here.

I thought about leaving my hair down, but that would break my holiday tradition more. My dress and my shoes change every year, but the hair and the makeup and the earrings have been uniform.

I shouldn’t have decided to extend that to Just Dinner with a man I never wanted to eat with.

The breaking was a message, and I didn’t listen.

Then Jasper got his message, and he listened.

A smile sneaks to my bronze lips at my way of thinking about that, about the night he mademe listen too. Now I’m getting ready for Christmas in his bathroom, my jewelry basket, my small makeup bag, my toothbrush, my lotion, my hair ties…all spread about.

A lot of my stuff hassomehowfound its way in here. I’ve made my marks on his skin and now on the surfaces of his lodge.

I meet my reflection in the mirror, the light in my eyes, glossed with hope. Happiness. I’ve been getting used to this unwavering soft upturn in my features. Even as things and people are missing. Missed.

It’s perfectly okay to laugh, to smile, to be happy and live.

I inhale a deep breath through the burn, then blow it out slowly, dusting myself off as I look myself over once more. I’m wearing a gray sweater dress with knee-high black boots. My hair is pulled half back, two single pieces framing my face in a wave.

This outfit makes me feel both classy and sexy.

Classy for the occasion and sexy for—

Jasper’s reflection slides in behind me. His gaze goes right for my exposed skin between the hem of the dress and the tops of my boots, before dragging up to myseriousass, as he drops against the jamb of the door.

“Elara.” He says my name like the best curse word, a flare in his nose and a tight jaw.

I spin around and drop against the sink as I take him in again, in his pants that match the shade of my lipstick, and his white button down with the first few buttons undone, for my exposed viewing pleasure.

“We might be staying in tonight,” he says as a half tease as he approaches me with intention in his steps, and I smile as I put my hands on his chest, as his hands find my hips.

“We will be staying in tonight,” I say back, letting my own tease linger to the anticipating lift in his brows before I add, “When we get back.”

He groans, but he’s grinning at my promise that no matter how the night ends for everyone else, it’ll still end withus.

We’re officially moving forward tonight. Everyone will know we’re together.

Well, everyone but my mom. She can’t make it tonight, so we’ll be seeing her tomorrow when the Cassidys have their smaller, closed-door Christmas at their family house, where my mom and I are always welcomed. I’ll reintroduce Jasper to her as my boyfriend.

She’ll be easy. The world will be easy. Most everything is when you have love guarding your heart.

It’s Amie that has my chest constricting, just a little.

You’re a part of this family. Always,her promise reminds me, and I hold to the hope I’ve had, because my heart’s decided. I have to be with him.

I fist his shirt, risking some wrinkles, in a tug closer as he pulls me into him, his forehead on mine, our sighs released at the same time between us.

Subtle risks and big risks, I’ll take them all with him. Being with Jasper is being alive. Carefree. Young. Everything that’s good for me.

His fingers circle my wrists as he whispers, “Come here.” He spins toward the door with both of my hands in his as I follow him out to the living room with a beat of intrigue as I glance past him to see what he’s taking me to.

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