Page 57 of Reclaimed Roots

She smiled and kissed my palm. "I'll hold you to that, Jasper Everton."

"You better. Now what do you say we round up the crew and head back to the house? I'm pretty sure Mom's got a peach cobbler waiting with our names on it."

"Lead the way, country boy. I'm ready to follow you anywhere."

As we gathered our things and herded everyone off the boat, as Charlie chattered excitedly about her upcoming semester and Chase slumped on Elliot's shoulder, as the crickets sang in the grass and the stars began to peek out overhead, I believed her.

I believed in second chances and fresh starts.

Rebuilt trust.

Renewed love.

Reclaimed roots.

Chapter Twenty-Four

NATALIE

Jasper's lipsignited a fire under my skin as he kissed my neck, his stubble scraping deliciously against my sensitive skin. My hands flew to the back of his head and I pulled him closer, urging him on. There'd be time later for gentle and sweet. At that moment, I wanted hot, hard, and dirty. I wanted him to devour me.

We ground against each other, the rough denim of his jeans created the most exquisite friction against my aching core. We were on the couch in his apartment, and I was lying on top of him. My thin cotton dress had ridden up, bunching around my waist. My legs straddled his hips as his calloused hands explored the smooth planes of my thighs, inching ever closer to where I was throbbing for his touch.

"God, Nat," he groaned, his voice a husky rumble that I felt all the way to my toes. "You drive me fucking crazy."

I captured his mouth in a demanding kiss, my tongue delving past his lips. He tasted like whiskey and desire, anintoxicating combination that left me dizzy with want. My fingers threaded through his thick hair, tugging gently as I rolled my hips. I could feel the rigid length of his cock straining against his zipper. Electric sparks of pleasure shot straight to my clit with every thrust.

Jasper slipped a hand between our writhing bodies, his fingers teasing the damp lace edge of my panties. I gasped into his mouth, breaking the kiss to meet his heated gaze. His pupils were blown wide with lust; the love and raw hunger swirling in those amber depths nearly overwhelmed me.

How had I ever thought I could live without this?

A flicker of guilt threatened to pierce the haze of bliss, but I shoved it aside. Now was not the time.

I slid my hand down his chest, savoring the feel of solid muscle flexing beneath his t-shirt. When I reached the waistband of his jeans, I hesitated. A flash of uncharacteristic shyness overtook me.

We'd been dancing around actually having sex for weeks, and while I wanted to—so much it felt like I might combust—it felt wrong. Because Istillhadn't told him about the orchard's financial issues. Because I was a fucking coward.

Jasper must have sensed my uncertainty. He cupped my face, the rough pad of his thumb tracing the arch of my cheekbone as he pressed a soft kiss to my lips. "We don't have to do anything you're not ready for, Nat."

The tenderness in his voice clenched around my heart like a fist. I ground down against him in response, relishing his sharp hiss. His hips bucked instinctively, his jean-clad cock hitting me right where I needed him most. Eventhrough the layers of denim and cotton separating our bodies, I could feel how badly he wanted me.

His strong hands held my hips in a bruising grip, guiding my increasingly erratic movements as I shamelessly rode him through our clothes. The seam of my lace panties rubbed against my swollen clit, my arousal soaking through the thin fabric to dampen his jeans.

"Fuck, Natalie," Jasper panted, his fingers digging into my ass. "You're so beautiful. So fucking sexy."

I whimpered brokenly, too far gone for words. My clit throbbed almost painfully, my inner walls fluttering around nothing as I chased my rapidly building release. The coil of white-hot tension in my pelvis wound tighter and tighter, my orgasm just out of reach. I needed... I needed...

Jasper knew my body like no one else. One of his hands slid up my sweat-slicked skin to cup my breast. My mouth fell open as his work-roughened palm scraped against my pebbled nipple. His fingers closed around the aching peak, tugging and rolling the sensitive flesh until I was writhing mindlessly against him.

So glad I'm not wearing a bra.

That added stimulation was all it took to send me flying over the edge. My spine bent like a bow as I threw my head back and cried out. I shook apart in Jasper's arms, tingling pleasure crashing over me in waves.

"That's it, baby," he crooned, grinding his diamond-hard cock against my still quivering sex. "Fuck, you're so perfect, so gorgeous when you come for me. I can feel you, feel how wet you are... shit, Nat..."

His filthy words only prolonged the intensity of my climax, and aftershocks shot down my spine to my curling toes. Jasper was still rocking against me, the movements of his hips growing jerky and frantic. I knew he was close, I felt it in the tension thrumming through his strong body, the way his fingers flexed convulsively against my skin.

I rocked my hips, undulating against the thick ridge of his erection. The orgasm had left me boneless and languid, but I wanted to feel him lose control, wanted to watch his face as he came apart for me.

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