Page 19 of Stranded with the Kraken
I twist my head away with a sniff because I realize how self-conscious that sounds. I admitted more than I wanted, and now Jasper’s staring at me with those gorgeous hazel eyes, his forehead furrowed.
“Maybe,” I croak finally, feeling silly. “But it goes beyond the human-monster thing. Consider this house.” I motion at the gorgeous, state-of-the-art kitchen, the living room beyond, and the snowy garden outside. “Everything about us is uneven. I live in a shoebox of an apartment. I make what you probably spend on fancy organic coffee beans each month.”
I grasp the cup of lukewarm coffee and grumpily take a sip because it’s too good to waste. Jasper stares at me like I’ve lost my mind because he clearly doesn’t understand my dilemma.
“What do I bring to this relationship, Jasper?” I ask, exasperated now. “I’m not being afflicted with false modesty when I say there are thousands of women like me out there. So I have to wonder—are you feeling this way simply because I’m the only one who didn’t run away?”
Jasper’s nostrils flare as he drags in a quick inhale. His cheeks flush a darker shade of red, and a muscle twitches in his jaw from how hard he’s clenching his teeth.
I’ve pissed him off.
My heart flutters at the thought then sinks when he takes me by the hips and lifts me off his lap and into my chair. Then he stands and strides to the living room windows, his hands on his hips. He stands there for a long while, staring out into the falling snow.
I curl into myself on my chair, still nursing that cup of coffee, and wish we could erase the last hour. I could have avoided this entire conversation and spent some lovely time with Jasper. We could have left all the difficult topics for another day.
But that’s not how I want to start this…this relationship, if that’s what we’re doing here. I don’t know if we’ll ever get past this talk, really. When this was going to be just a one-night stand, I didn’t mind as much, but then we suddenly brought up kids and fates and serious shit like that.
From the way Jasper’s shoulders bunch under his t-shirt and the rigid tilt of his head, I know I went too far, though. The poor man didn’t ask for this. He probably only wanted some company for the holidays and thought we’d evolve naturally to discuss these important issues. But I’m beginning to fall for him, and I don’t want to get my heart all bruised up when he eventually realizes what I said is true.
“How do you not see yourself clearly?” he asks quietly.
I set my mug on the kitchen island. “What?”
He swings toward me, his eyes blazing with gold. “You asked me what you bring to this relationship, yes? Well, I’m asking you how you can be so blind about yourself.” His voice is harsh, his words clipped. “You showed compassion last night, Arielle, and more bravery than I’ve ever encountered in a human. You’re so beautiful I want to lock you up and keep you all to myself, and the thought of you going off and dating another man makes me want to punch through a wall. You’re fuckingmagnetic. I don’t know how else to explain it to you, but you’re everything I’ve ever dreamed of in a mate.”
He walks forward and braces his hands on the kitchen counter opposite me. He’s close enough now that I get a whiff of his delicious ocean scent, and it messes with my senses.
“And I don’t know about you,” he goes on, more fired up by the second, “but I’ve never had sex like we had last night. Or this morning. Was it ever like that for you with any of your previous lovers? Because if you tell me that this is how humans always fuck, I might believe that you’re interchangeable, but that definitely isn’t something I’ve ever experienced. Have you?”
I press my trembling hands to my thighs. “No.” My entire body hums with the memory of the pleasure I experienced with Jasper. Still, I have another objection to voice. “But I don’t know if great sex is a good foundation for arelationship.”
Even as I say the words, I wince, and Jasper’s frown tells me exactly what he thinks of my protest.
“What else would you base our relationship on, Arielle?” he demands. “If not this? What do humans do in this case?”
I squeeze my fingers into fists, fighting the urge to jump up, round the kitchen island, and throw myself in his arms. I want Jasper to hold me close and tell me everything is going to turn out all right.
“We-we go on dates,” I say weakly. “Um. When we’re looking for a serious relationship, I mean. Hooking up through an app like Bone-R is different. We’d go on several dates, usually, where we’d talk and see if we’re compatible.”
“I will take you on dates,” he barks. “As many as you’d like. What then?”
Why is he so impossibly determined to win me over?
“After a couple of dates, we’d usually go to bed together,” I squeak.
Jasper’s golden eyes narrow. “And fuck?”
“Yeah,” I admit. “But only after we realize we have other things in common.”
He prowls around the kitchen island and comes to stand in front of me, looming over my chair. “How many dates does it take you to invite someone into your bed, Arielle?”
I swallow thickly, then clear my throat. “I don’t know. There isn’t a set rule for it. You just go by feel.”
He leans in, bracing his hands on the counter on either side of me. His face is so close, his warm breath falls on my lips as he stares down at me.
“So let me get this straight,” he purrs. “What you need for a successful, serious relationship is to find things you have in common with someone, then spend some time dating, then take them to bed to see if you’re a good fit?”
I focus resolutely on his chin. “That’s right.”
