Page 65 of Bulletproof Love

Damon and Blake don’t seem too put out. “We’ll take this side,” Damon says pointing to the right. “Do you want the metal detector first?”

Blake’s holding onto it like a kid with a new toy. There’s no way I’m taking it from her. “No, it’s fine. We’ll just look for places where someone’s been digging.”

“Okay, call us if you find anything.” He reaches for Blake’s hand and they start heading in the opposite direction.

Jasper stretches his arms above his head, groaning suggestively. “Lead the way. I’ll hang back a step and enjoy the view.” I rest my free hand on my hip and glare at him. “I meant the stars… my God, woman, who’s the cocky one now?”

“Keep your eyes on the ground, not my ass,” I say as I almost immediately trip over a rock.

Jasper’s hand shoots out, catching me around the waist. “You should take your own advice.”

I don’t have a comeback for that one.

We walk, and walk, and walk some more. Shining my flashlight on the ground, I pay extra attention to anything that looks out of place, but really, I only manage to scare the shit out of a raccoon.

“Should we call them and see if they’ve picked up on anything with the metal detector?” I ask. I’m getting frustrated and cold and Jasper’s gone irritatingly quiet. He’s not even humming anymore.

“I’m sure they’ll call us if they find something.” He pokes a pile of sticks with the end of the shovel, sighing when there’s nothing but frost-covered earth beneath them.

“What are you thinking about over there?” I stop and lean against a tree, dropping my shovel to rub my cold hands together.

He smooths a mound of dirty snow haphazardly. “Stuff, nothing important.”

Of course he’s going to make me dig for more. Who knew I’d be metaphorically digging as well as physically digging tonight. “How have your cravings been?”

He lets out a dry laugh. “Loads of fun.”

“I bet.” I soften my voice. “I’m proud of you.”

His eyes drift up to meet mine, blue irises sparkling in the moonlight. “I have you to thank, Trouble. I’ve traded one addiction for another.”

I’m caught off guard and my pulse speeds up. “What do you mean?” His feet crunch against dried branches and dead leaves as he closes the distance between us. Once again, I’m trapped against his hard body, his delicious warmth soaking into my skin.

Gently, like I’m made of glass, he trails his knuckles down my cheek, cupping my jaw. “Your rose scent. That smart mouth. The kindness you try to hide. Your fierceness.” His voice wavers and he wraps his palms around my waist. “And God, your body. I won’t pretend I don’t love the way you look. You’re beautiful, every damn inch. I can’t get enough. You’re even in my dreams, and it terrifies me.” His eyes find mine again, wide with vulnerability. “So yeah, Trouble, I’m addicted to you—even though I know I’ll probably mess this up like everything else.”

“Jasper.” His name catches in my throat. I want to understand every thought in his mind, to fight against his self-doubt and show him he’s more than what people give him credit for. But right now, words aren’t enough. I hold his face and rise on my tiptoes, slowly pressing my lips to his.

When our lips meet, it’s like the first crack of lightning in a storm—electric and blazing. Our hands can’t get enough, mine fisted in his hair, his cradling my face. His taste is intoxicating. Wintergreen and spice. When I press my tongue to the seam of his lips, he lets out a desperate curse, opening for me. Our tongues brush, gently at first, until I hum into his mouth and he deepens the kiss. He lifts me, and I wrap my legs around him as his body pins me against the tree. His hard cock is pressed so deliciously into my core. Everything in me wants to reach down and pull it out so he can fuck me shamelessly against this tree.

I yank on his hair, eliciting the hottest whimper. “Fuck, baby, you taste so goddamn good.”

He squeezes my ass while I kiss his jaw and say, “So do you.”

“Been waiting so long for this,” he manages between breaths.

I capture his lips again, and this time our kiss is slower, deeper. Memorizing every part of each other. His hands spread me wider, fingers roaming closer to my core. I nibble his bottom lip, loving the way he moans my name.

“Christ,” he breathes against my mouth, his forehead resting against mine. “You’re going to be the death of me, Trouble.”

“I’ll dig the grave.” I let out a breathy laugh, resting my head against the tree. He leans in again, peppering kisses along the slope of my neck, pressing his hard length into me.

“I’d die a happy man.” I wrap my fingers in his hair and his eyes meet mine. They’re dark but softer than before, like he means every word he’s said.

The way he looks right now has me questioning everything. But before I can pull him back to me, a branch cracks in the darkness. We freeze, reality crashing in.Fuck.

The woods. The shovels. The dead guy.

My body screams but I motion for him to put me back on my feet. “We should…” I gesture to the shovels.

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