Page 19 of Djinn in Love

The wedding was at an exclusive resort two and a half, nearly three, hours out of the city and the first event scheduled was a party meant to welcome all the guests who were able to come two days early. There were more events on Friday, as well as the wedding and reception on Saturday. Each one had a different dress code. Jasper offered to take her shopping when they were on the phone last night, but Veronica assured him she didn’t need to purchase anything for the events.

He'd argued for a bit, but she explained that her time working at Mystical Matchmakers had involved attending all kinds of events from cocktail parties to galas. While her wardrobe might be a bit boring, it would be adequate for the long weekend. It had taken her longer than she expected to convince Jasper, but he’d eventually relented and accepted her insistence that she didn’t need new clothing.

“I asked my mother to arrange for us to have adjoining rooms,” he continued. “I wanted to keep up the appearance that we’ve been dating but I also wanted you to be comfortable.”

God, Jasper was so unexpected. He was so blunt and abrupt that she could barely believe how considerate he was being. Once again, he was trying to shield her from his emotions. Shecould tell by the muted sensations she experienced around him. It was clear he was out of practice because they occasionally leaked through.

Like right now. She could tell he was sincere. He wanted to have lunch with her the next day before they drove to the resort. He wanted her to be comfortable. He genuinely liked her.

Maybe it was time for her to be as honest about her feelings as Jasper was about his. She took a breath, preparing to ask him if what was happening between them was real. If he wanted to keep seeing her after the wedding.

But his phone rang, the opening strains ofRun the World (Girls)filled the conference room. Grimacing, Jasper put down his plastic fork and fished his phone out of his pocket.

“Sorry. It’s my mother. I have to answer it because, not only is she my mother, she’s also my boss.”

Veronica bit back a smile, both at his words and the ringtone. But she couldn’t stop it from spreading across her face when she heard his next words.

Lifting the phone to his ear, Jasper said, “Hi, Mom. I see you’ve figured out my passcode yet again. Nice pick for the ringtone.”

Veronica couldn’t hear anything his mom said, but she shamelessly listened to Jasper’s side of the conversation.

“Oh, I see. You bribed my little brother to do it. I thought you preferred to do your own dirty work.”

Though his words were said in a stern tone, his mental shields had dropped a bit, and Veronica could sense his affection for his mother. And healthy doses of mild irritation and amusement. Resting her chin on her hand, Veronica turned her body so that she faced Jasper, and her elbow was propped on the table.

He noted the movement out of the corner of his eye and glanced over at her. He winked when he saw her smile, which made that fizzing sensation return to her belly.

“What was that?” he asked, breaking the trance she’d fallen into. “Mom, I’m not coming down until tomorrow. I told you that.” He paused. “Her name is Veronica, remember? She has to work today and I’m sure she needs time to pack and handle her own stuff before she leaves for four days.”

The fizzy sensation turned into lead bubbles that fell directly into the pit of her stomach. He’d talked to his mom about her. She reached for her drink, hoping to wash away the heaviness in her gut.

“She’s very special. I have no doubt you’ll love her and that Dad will ask me how I managed to convince someone so far out of my league to date me.”

Veronica had just taken a sip from her straw when he said those words and immediately choked on the iced tea and lemonade mixture. Coughing uncontrollably, she shoved her chair back from the table. She didn’t want to interrupt Jasper’s conversation by choking to death.

Before she could get to her feet and walk out of the room to give him privacy, Jasper’s hand clamped down on her knee, holding her in place. Veronica’s body stiffened, but his fingers remained wrapped around her leg. The heat of his palm seared the bare skin of her thigh where her skirt had ridden up. Veronica stiffened but didn’t try to pull away.

By the time she stopped coughing, Jasper was off the phone and had turned his chair to face her completely.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

She nodded, clearing her throat one last time before she answered, “I’m fine.”

“I know I warned you once, but I should warn you again. My mother is a handful. She’s great, but she will steamroll rightover you if you let her.” When he saw the look on her face, he chuckled. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you this weekend. I’m just warning you in case she manages to get you alone.”

Veronica nodded again. If Jasper’s mother was anything like him, she was going to be difficult to say no to.

“I hate to cut our lunch short, but I have to get back to work.” He released her knee and got to his feet. “But I’ll see you tomorrow at eleven.”

“I’ll be ready,” she replied.

He gathered his food and drink. Unlike Veronica, he’d already eaten most of his lunch. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call or text me.”

Jasper leaned over her chair and Veronica stared up at him from her seat, frozen by his sudden nearness. His lips pressed against her cheek, perilously close to the corner of her mouth. The breath stuttered in her lungs and her throat closed.

He pulled back a few inches, but his face was still so close to hers that she could see that his eyes weren’t actually black, but a deep, dark brown. From this close, she could see the difference between his pupils and irises.

“You’ll call or text if you need anything, right?” he repeated.

---