Page 52 of Thinking It Over

We gathered around one of the outside heaters. The early spring air was cool and fresh.

“I think Mom’s ready to go, is that okay?” Jasper said while the conversation around us continued.

I looked over at Sarah. Her laughter filtered through the small gathering, the sound light and easy, but her eyes were less bright, and at the end of her laugh, she attempted to cover up the yawn behind her hand.

“Absolutely,” I answered. “What about Ian?” Dartinga look around me, I couldn’t spot him. “Have you seen him recently?”

A wicked smirk shot my way, and I wondered what he knew that I didn’t. “I received a text about thirty minutes ago,” Jasper said. “One of Davis’s out of town friends is staying at one of the local motels. It seems Ian has somewhere else to sleep tonight, so won’t be coming back to Mom’s with us.”

My brows dipped. “How did I not see any of that unfold?” I shook my head in wonder. One of the necessities of my job was being aware of my surroundings and having eyes in the back of my head. It seemed those skills weren’t functioning.

“Well,” Jasper said, quirking one of his brows high, “after whatever number glass of wine and the shots Ted gave you, you’ve either been attached to my ear whispering dirty things to me, which I’m telling you right now, I’m totally up for. But not tonight at Mom’s,” he hastened to add, making me laugh and sway a little. That gave me pause. A lot of booze had passed my lips, and just maybe I was a little more unsteady than I realized.

“And if not that, you thought it would be awesome to request some godawful music and challenge everyone to dance-offs.”

I snorted at that. “I rocked it, though.” I wiggled my brows.

“If you say so.” Jasper pursed his lips, and I squinted a little at him.

“You saying I haven’t still got it?” How had I not noticed he had the cutest ears? I just wanted to nibble them.

“Baby, you need to take me home if you’re doing things like that to me. Christ.”

I pulled back, my brain taking a moment to realize his siren ears had drawn me in. “But they’re the sexiest ears I’ve ever seen.” I closed one eye and focused.

“Can ears be sexy?” Jasper said, laughing.

“Everything about you is sexy,” I said, perhaps a little too loudly, considering Jasper hushed me while laughing loudly. “What? Was I not whispering?”

He shook his head. “Not quite, no, but that’s okay. You can call me sexy all you wish.”

I nodded my approval of this brilliant plan. I leaned into him again, saying, “I think I had a bit to drink.”

As Jasper bit his bottom lip, he nodded, lips twisting a little. “Just a bit,” he said, lifting his thumb and pointer finger. “I managed to get two glasses of water in you, though.”

My brows lifted high. “You did?” I so did not remember drinking water.

“I did.” He stood, and I rocked a little on my stool. “You wait here and let me get Mom.”

“Okay. We need to say goodbye to the new married people.”

Jasper snorted. “We already did. They left over an hour ago.” He placed a kiss on my forehead, and I closed my eyes, relishing the contact. “Give me a second.”

I nodded, but I was sure only a second had passed by before Jasper was hauling my ass off the stool and leading me outside.

Cool air hit me once we were out on the street. Away from the heaters and the windbreaks of the walls, it was surprisingly bitter. I shivered, becoming more aware of my surroundings.

“You okay?” Jasper’s voice was quiet.

“All good,” I mumbled, a little sleepily. Feeling a little soberer, I felt the cold a bit more fiercely, and while it seemed to help with clearing my head, it did nothing to keep at bay the exhaustion beating at me. “You okay?”

“I am.”

“I’m happy I got to spend the day with you.” I leaned into him a little as we walked side by side.

“Me too,” he answered quietly.

“And I remember each of those dirty things I whis—”

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