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I had a steady stream of visitors all afternoon, from gym clients asking about buying snacks and smoothies, to repeated drop-ins from Tane and then Andy, when he started his shift. I didn’t mind the interruptions. In some ways, I enjoyed them. By five, I’d done enough. I was in the process of cleaning up, when Holly arrived.
“Hi,” she said, all smiles. “This is so cool. What are you doing this evening?”
Pleasure flickered inside me at the thought of hanging out with her some more. “I don’t have plans.”
“That’s settled, then. I’m cooking tonight, and I’d love for you to come over.” I was about to refuse, when she gave me a quick hug. “I’m glad you’re staying here for a while. I’d like us to be friends.”
“I’d like that too.” We could be friends without me having to see Jasper, right?
“That’s settled, then. Dinner tonight at our place, any time after seven. You like chili?”
Goodbye, diet. “Love it. Can I bring something?”
Holly’s gaze drifted across the work surface, taking in the sturdy plastic storage boxes. “Any cakes left?”
There were plenty to spare. I promised to see her later and went back to my cleaning. Like iron filings jumping at the presence of a magnet, I knew the moment Jasper stepped into the kitchen. I glanced over my shoulder, and he stood in the doorway, watching me.
“Hey.” I turned to face him. “Holly invited me to dinner. I hope you don’t mind. I thought it might be a bit weird, but I found it hard to say no.”
He huffed a laugh. “That’s my sister. And yeah, I’m cool with it.” He shifted, and then stepped closer. “It’s been a weird few days. It’ll be good to chill out tonight.”
“It’s been hectic.” I shouldn’t say anything about Cindy, but I couldn’t help myself. My inner bitch-goddess was looking for an outlet. “You’re helping Cindy get ready for her movie? I may be wrong, but I thought you couldn’t stand her.”
“Yeah, about that...” Jasper ran a hand over his eyes.
I kicked myself. Did I want to hear they got back together? “It’s none—”
“You’re right. I ask myself what I ever saw in her. It’s like I was a different person. Maybe I was.” He came to an abrupt halt, and I was unsure how to reply.
“You looked good together. You know—today.” Why did I say that? He told me several times he was glad they were no longer a couple, so why was I doubting him?
“She promised to promote the gym. To recommend it to her friends and mention it in interviews. That kind of celebrity endorsement could be great for business. Way better than paid advertising.” He shrugged. “If it means I have to treat her like my best friend, I will. It’s only for a few weeks, and then she’ll fuck off back to Wellington.”
And Jasper would fuck off to Europe. I didn’t want to bring that up.
He took another step toward me, coming almost close enough to touch. “I was shitty to you, Caitlin. I’m sorry.”
I waved his words away. “It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not.” He moved closer, right into my space. I had to lift my head to meet his gaze. He looked at me with undeniable heat in his eyes. Not apology. Not guilt. Desire. I wasn’t imagining it. “I spent half the day playing nice, but all the time I wanted to be in here. With you,” he said.
Yet again, I had no idea how to react. Half of me wanted to wrap my arms around his neck and claim a kiss, but the rest of me shrank away. Jasper complained about headfuckery, but that was exactly what he was doing to me. Did he realize?
He smelled amazing. His hair was damp and crinkled, and he wore jeans and a hoodie instead of the sweat pants and T-shirt he wore in the gym. Not that I was looking, but if a guy was made for distressed denim, it was Jasper.
He blinked, and apology flickered across his face, along with resignation. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I was a giant ass and took my frustration out on you. And you absolutely did not deserve it.”
Common sense surfaced. “Apology accepted. So where does that leave us?” I swallowed my nervousness, and it jammed in my throat. “Are we friends? Or more?”
“Here’s the thing.” His voice was husky. “You know I’m leaving soon, and I plan to be away for a year at least. It’d be dumb to start something new.” He hesitated. “But we’ve already done that, and I can’t stop thinking about you.”
I could say something vague or go for brutal honesty. “Because you feel bad for hurting me?”
He flinched, as though I’d hit him. “You made me feel alive, Caitlin. Having to think about someone else, instead of being stuck inside my head all day... It’s like I was frozen, and you thawed me out.”
“I think that’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.” It was getting harder to keep my hands to myself. I itched to touch him.
“I’m glad I could say something nice for a change.” He fixed his gaze on my mouth. “Every time I speak to you, it feels like I’m digging myself a bigger hole.”
Fuck it. Even if we only had a few weeks, I’d rather spend them with this delicious man than be alone. I closed the scant distance between us and rested my hands on his broad shoulders. “Maybe don’t say anything at all?”
Jasper made a muffled noise and spun us around, so he leaned against the counter. His stick clattered to the floor, and he cupped my cheeks with both hands. “Okay.”
My heart raced like an express train. I wanted to punch the air in delight. To sink into his embrace and not emerge for a week or three. “You’re still talking,” I whispered, and he laughed.
His kiss was everything I wanted. Soft, gentle, and reassuring, as though he was still apologizing.
And then he turned up the heat, and my heart melted.
Without thinking about it, I wrapped my arms around his body, sneaking my hands under his hoodie and searching for the hot skin underneath. Jasper hummed his approval, and I pressed against him.
In the distance, I heard someone call his name, but they could wait. I’d waited for this moment and didn’t want to release him until I had to.
The voice came closer. It sounded like Rose. “Caitlin, have you seen...” Her question dissolved into a cough. “Ahem. It’s okay. I’ll... catch him later.”
Jasper lifted his head. “I’d better see what she wants.”
“Yes.”
He didn’t move. “Stay with me tonight?”
That was easy. “Yes, please.”