Page 19 of Jasper

The tasteof Vanessa’s pussy lingers on my tongue, long after I dropped her off at her hotel room. Fuck, how I’ve missed pleasuring her. How I’ve missedher. Had it not been for the work emergency—legit because Erin was in tears when Vanessa slipped into her hotel room—I’d have insisted she stay with me tonight.

I head instead to the festival grounds to see if Mom and Annie need help with the food truck.

“Nice timing,” Annie says, the sarcastic edge to her voice letting me know that I missed the rush.

“I can help clean up,” I offer.

“Get your butt in here,” Mom insists, shoving a rag at my chest.

“Where’s your girlfriend?” Annie asks, looking out the open doorway, as though searching for her in the dying crowd.

“She’s not my girlfriend,” I admit.Not yet.

“Why not?” Mom asks as she washes out a large metal soup cauldron.

Last night, when I brought Vanessa to the food truck to try the famous family clam chowder, Mom had instantly fallen inlove with her. Understandable. It was easy to do. I allowed my family to believe she was my girlfriend then without correcting them because it seemed to trip Vanessa up, which only made her more fucking adorable.

And maybe I was being a bit selfish.

I wanted to see her reaction. I needed to know if it was something she thought about. She never once told Mom or Annie they were mistaken about the two of us.

That had to mean something, right?

“She’s the admiral’s daughter,” I say.

“So?” Mom asks, not understanding.

“He doesn’t want to get court marshaled,” Annie says, reaching for the broom.

“They can do that?” Mom asks.

I shrug. “I wouldn’t put it past him.”

“But you’re his favorite,” Mom points out. “Don’t you think he’d want you to marry his daughter?”

“Whoa, we went from girlfriend to wife real fast there,” Annie says, shoving me out of the way so she can sweep the floor where I stand.

“Vanessa’s life is in Houston,” I say, continuing to wipe down the stainless steel countertop, away from my sister’s aggressive sweeping.

“Do they have coast guard bases in Houston?” Mom asks.

“Yes they do,” Annie answers for me.

“How do you know that?”

She shrugs, flashing me thatI’m not going to tell yousmile she’s worn so well since she was old enough to talk.

“You want to move to Houston?” Mom asks.

I never thought about it before. Ever since I was lucky enough to get stationed in North Haven, I’d been dead set on doing everything I could to stay until retirement. It wasn’t guaranteed, but as long as I stayed on Admiral Wheeler’s goodside, the odds were just slightly in my favor. I loved my hometown. And I loved that the J-Squad—my brothers in arms—were here too. More than once, we’ve talked about all of us retiring here and raising families. Watching our kids grow up together.

Could I really give that up?

For her, yes.

“Wouldn’t you miss me?” I ask Mom.

“Oh Sweetie,” she says, giving me a side hug. “Don’t worry about me. I wantyouto be happy.”

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