I’d started crying until I felt him wiping away my tears. And then he was gathering me into his arms, pulling me back against his chest. He tucked my robe more tightly around me and pressed his lips against my temple.
“I’m sorry, Shae.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong.” I sniffled.
“Then what is it?”
I shook my head. I couldn’t talk about it. Not with him.
“It’s okay, Shae.” His hand slid beneath my robe to rest on my stomach. There was nothing sexual about his touch now, only comfort. “You can talk to me about anything.” His fingers made soothing circles on my stomach. “Even Allen. It’s okay.”
“I don’t want to talk right now.” I twisted my head around so I could see him. “Please, Jasper.”
“Whatever you want.” He tucked some hair behind my ear. “I’m here.”
I turned in his arms and put my hand on his face. The stubble on his cheek was rough against my palm. I didn’t know what this thing was between us, or even if I wanted to define it, but there was one thing I needed to be clear about.
“I want you.” I slid my hand down his chest and cupped him. He was so hard that it had to be painful, and yet I knew he’d walk away if I asked him to.
“Are you sure?” The words were strained.
I didn’t bother with an answer. Not a verbal one anyway. I unzipped his pants and slipped my hand inside. His long eyelashes fluttered as I wrapped my fingers around him. Heat spread through me and I began to stroke him. He swelled even more under my touch and my stomach twisted. I hadn’t realized just how much I wanted him until now.
I hooked my leg over his waist, shifting until the tip of his cock brushed against me.
“Shae,” he groaned my name as he put his hands on my shoulders. “We need...”
I shook my head. “No. It’s okay.” I slid the head inside me and we both moaned. “Please.”
His lips found mine. “Anything,” he breathed the word before he kissed me.
He pushed his hips up, burying himself inside me. I was still wet from what he’d done before and he slid into me easily. I clutched him to me as our bodies moved together. The kiss became hard and fierce, his teeth nipping at my bottom lip. The base of his cock rubbed against my clit, sending near-painful shivers of sensation through me. I whimpered, biting down on his lip.
Jasper made a sound low in his throat and then he was flipping us, driving hard and deep into me until I exploded. My nails dug into the back of his shirt, clawing at the material. He pressed his face against the side of my neck, teeth worrying at the skin until I knew he was leaving a mark. I didn’t care though. I just wanted him.
And then he was coming too, his cock pulsing and emptying inside me.
At some point, we disentangled and cleaned up, but Jasper didn’t say that he needed to go, and I didn’t ask him to stay. Instead, we slid under the covers and he wrapped his arms around me, neither of us having to say a word to know that we both needed to be held.
Finally, I broke the silence. “I can’t accept the money, Jas.”
“It’s okay.” He pulled me tighter to him.
We were both naked and the feel of his skin against mine warmed me in a way that had nothing to do with temperature. And it wasn’t sex either, at least not right now. He warmed something inside me that had been frozen since Allen died.
“I don’t want to do that to you,” I said.
“It doesn’t matter, Shae. I’ll get the money for the clinic some other way. I’ve been saving for it. I’ll just keep on that plan.” He kissed the spot under my ear that made me shiver. “You do whatever you need to do.”
We fell silent again. My fingers traced patterns on his arm and I just let myself relax. Relax into his embrace, into his body. I could feel his heartbeat against my back, feel him breathing.
“I wish I hadn’t thrown away my pictures,” I spoke softly, not really expecting an answer.
“You didn’t,” he murmured. His voice