Page 37 of Djinn in Love

Finally, she asked, “What spa treatments did you book for me?”

He grinned up at her, his thumbs massaging her hipbones through her shorts. “A facial, a sauna session, and a massage.”

An answering smile spread across her face. “I think I’d like to do that, especially if it’s just me.”

“Good.”

Jasper looked so satisfied that she laughed. She realized that her mental shields were down, that she’d never put them back up after the kiss. All she sensed from him was peace.

Her surprise must have shown on her face because he asked, “What?”

“You’re so peaceful. I don’t even need to shield myself from you,” she answered. “It’s nice to be able to let my guard down.”

His smile faded and his hands clutched her tighter. His usual intensity returned as he stared up at her. “You make me calmer. Being near you eases the chaos in my mind. I’m usually as loud and quick-tempered as the rest of my family, but you…you bring out something inside of me that I’ve never felt before. I like who I am when I’m with you.”

Her stomach clenched. “I don’t want you to change for me.”

That was the last thing that she wanted. She liked what she was learning about Jasper. And she knew what it was like to have the person you were with want you to change. It hurt.

He shook his head. “I’m not changing for you. I’m changingbecause of you.” His hands slid up to her shoulder blades, tugging her down until their faces were a few inches apart. “I like it.”

He kissed her and, once again, Veronica felt his pleasure and his sincerity. He released her mouth and rolled them over so that she was beneath him.

“I don’t want you to be anything but who you are, Veronica,” he said. His hands brushed stray strands of hair from her face. “I’m learning more about you every day and I like what I know so far.”

She nodded and he kissed her one last time before he levered himself off the bed. She blushed when he adjusted his erection in his lounge pants but didn’t take her eyes off him as he picked up the phone.

Glancing at her, he asked, “What do you want for breakfast? And you like coffee, right?”

“Something light. Toast or fruit. I’m not very hungry in the morning. And I do like coffee, but with cream and sugar.”

He nodded and pressed a button on the phone. A few moments later, he placed an order for croissants, fruit, bacon, and a pot of coffee. There was a single-serve coffee machine in the kitchen, but there weren’t many pods.

They took turns in the bathroom and Veronica took a minute to wash her face and brush her teeth. When she emerged, breakfast had arrived. The service at Devil’s Playground was top-notch, that was for sure.

Glancing at his watch, Jasper said, “I need to shower. Are you done in the bathroom?”

Veronica nodded and took a bite of bacon as he disappeared inside the bathroom. Thank God she was done with her light breakfast when he came out fifteen minutes later. The door opened with a puff of steam that carried the scent of his soap.Jasper emerged in nothing but a white towel wrapped around his hips.

If she’d been eating, she would have choked at the sight of him. His arms, shoulders, and chest were roped with thick muscle. Hair covered his pectorals and taut belly. Veronica swallowed hard because her mouth was watering at the sight of him. His black hair was damp and messy, and he hadn’t bothered shaving the scruff on his cheeks. He could have stepped out of the pages of one of the romance novels she liked to read.

She tried not to gape as he walked into the closet, giving her an excellent view of his bare, muscled back and round backside covered by the towel.

Veronica grabbed the neck of her t-shirt and fanned it, trying to cool down. Was it suddenly hot in the cabin?

Jasper came out of the closet with a stack of clothes in his hands. He tossed them on the end of the bed and pulled a pair of black underwear off the top. She couldn’t control her eyes as he stepped into them and pulled them up beneath his towel. Her gaze followed his movements until she realized what he was doing, and she forced herself to look down at the coffee cup in her lap.

A second later, she heard the towel hit the floor and the blood rushed to her face. Dear God, he was standing less than five feet in front of her in nothing but his underwear. The temptation to look at him was intense, but she didn’t dare. At least not until she heard the rustle of fabric followed by the sound of a zipper.

She glanced up and found herself staring into Jasper’s black eyes as he shook out a t-shirt. Veronica could barely breathe when she saw the heat in his stare. He tugged the shirt over his head, breaking the intense eye contact and covering his torso. Veronica couldn’t help one last glance at his chest before the fabric fell over it. He followed the t-shirt with a light sweater. Shesupposed he would need it if the groomsmen were going to play golf this afternoon.

Jasper’s hair was messy from pulling on his shirt. He ran his fingers through it as he came around the bed and sat down next to her hip. Veronica let him take her coffee cup, watching as he put it off to the side.

“Look at me,” he murmured.

She did as he said. He leaned closer, placing his palm on the bed on the other side of her body, bringing his face a few inches from hers.

“Your spa appointments are at two o’clock this afternoon. We should both be done by five-thirty and we’ll have the evening free.”

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