Page 12 of Djinn in Love

“What?” Jasper asked in exasperation when the silence went on too long.

Milo grinned as he pushed himself to his feet. “Oh, nothing. I’m just enjoying the fact that you admitted I was right about something.” He pretended to buff his fingernails on his chest. “It’s the best wedding present you could’ve given me.”

“Fuck you,” Jasper replied, but it was without heat.

Milo came around the desk and clapped a hand on his older brother’s shoulder. “You’re also right that you need someone who calms your fire instead of feeding it. A woman like Mom or you would go head-to-head with you on everything. Considering how tightly wound you are here at work, that’s the last thing you need at home.”

“Double fuck you.” Despite his words, Jasper laughed.

“I’ll back you up with Mom this weekend,” Milo assured him. “And I can’t wait to meet the girl who required convincing. You’re almost as pretty as me, so I find that shocking.”

Jasper couldn’t let that insult go. His fist shot out and connected with Milo’s ribs. His little brother grunted, hunching forward at the contact.

“One, she’s a woman, not a girl. And two, I’m not pretty, I’m handsome.”

“It was a compliment,” Milo rasped.

“Sure, it was,” Jasper said.

“What’s her name anyway?”

“Veronica. Veronica Salt.”

“Like the chick from the movie about the chocolate factory?” Milo asked.

“No, that’sVeruca Salt. And don’t bring that up because I’m sure she gets it all the time,” Jasper insisted.

Milo raised his hands in surrender. “No worries, big bro. I’m sure Mom will go there before any of us ever could anyway.”

Jasper let his head fall forward and pinched the bridge of his nose. By the fire in his veins, his brother was on a roll today with his observations. Because he was right again. Leila Bayat would be the first to make a snarky comment about Veronica’s name.

Shit. Maybe he should have pursued Veronica well before now so he could have introduced her to his mother in a calmer setting. A setting that he had complete control over so he could whisk Veronica away if it was clear that his overbearing mother would be too much for her.

Milo patted his shoulder again, this time in sincere sympathy. “I mean it, Jasper. I’ll have your back with Mom at the wedding. And Aunt Samira. And the others.” When Jasper lifted his head, his younger brother squeezed his shoulder. “Besides, as soon as they realize how much you like her, they’ll go straight from making sure she’s good enough for their precious baby boy to trying to mold her into the perfect Bayat bride.”

Jasper had no words as his brother sauntered to the door and unlocked it.

“See you Thursday night at the resort,” Milo said, waving a hand before he left the room.

Jasper stared at the empty doorway for several minutes, trying to figure out the best way to move forward. It was already Tuesday. There wasn’t enough time to arrange a casual drink or meal with his parents and Veronica before they left for the resort Wednesday morning. Milo, his fiancée, and their parents would be at the resort the day before the weekend festivities began on Thursday. What began as a small family wedding had become a gigantic extravaganza with every person Milo and Prema or their parents knew getting an invitation.

His only option was to make sure that Veronica was as comfortable as possible with him before they left. If she trustedhim, she would lean on him when she needed it. Or tell him when she needed a break.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket. He needed to see her again. Today.

CHAPTER FOUR

Veronica triedto ignore her phone when it dinged, but she couldn’t. Not when there was so much going on at the office today and Dominique was out for meetings with clients until after lunch. Her boss needed to hire someone else and soon. They were so swamped with work that they could barely keep up.

With a sigh, she made sure to save the progress she’d been making on the spreadsheet before she picked up her phone from the desk. A message from Jasper waited for her.

Jasper: I want to see you tonight. Are you free?

Veronica couldn’t stop the smile that tugged at her mouth. She enjoyed her dinner with Jasper last night and, once she got home and was no longer overwhelmed by his presence, she realized that he had enjoyed it as well. Even though he’d tried to erect a mental shield, a few of his emotions had leaked through. At the time, she’d been too nervous to truly let it sink in, but in the dark peace of her bedroom she finally took the time to process what she’d felt from him.

Still, she didn’t want to get her hopes up. Jasper made it clear that he was only interested in a date for his brother’s wedding.And past experience told her that very few men could handle her abilities over a longer period of time.

As she stared at his question, disappointment overwhelmed the fragile hope. Though she wanted to see him tonight, there was no way she could manage it. She had a late intake interview scheduled at six and that wouldn’t be done until at least seven, maybe seven-thirty if the client needed a little more handholding.

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