Page 55 of Djinn in Love

She relaxed a little. “I’m sure I will. It’s just…” She paused and he could tell she was choosing her words carefully.

“You don’t have to worry about hurting my feelings. I’d rather you be honest about what you’re thinking and feeling.”

“It’s not that,” she replied. “I’m just not sure how to describe it in a way that won’t come across as entitled and that you’ll understand.”

“How about you say whatever it is you’re thinking, and I’ll understand that you’re not trying to be entitled, but just telling me how you feel?”

“Okay.” She took a deep breath. “Changes in environment are difficult for me. Especially coming off a weekend like this one where I’ve been around a lot of people. I’ll recover faster at my own apartment with my own things around me. And I’ll be able to relax more.”

“I completely understand that. How about I drop you at your apartment, go home to get some clothes, and come back to staywith you for a couple of nights. Once you’re feeling back to normal, we’ll spend some time at my place.”

Her hands tightened around his. “Are you sure you’re okay with that?”

“Will I get to see you this week if I do what I just described?”

She nodded, looking confused.

“Then, of course I’m okay with that.”

Her hands tightened on his and she blurted out, “I’m so sorry I didn’t say yes the first or second time you asked me out. I really wish I had.”

Jasper pulled her into his arms, and she wrapped hers so tightly around his waist that he had a little trouble breathing. She took a shaky breath, as though she was fighting back tears.

“Hey,” he whispered. “We’re together now. That’s what matters.”

“But I wasted time I could have spent with you. That we could have spent with each other.”

“It might have felt like years to me, but it was only a few weeks in the scheme of things, Veronica.” He drew back a little and looked down at her. “Besides, I knew it was only a matter of time before I had you exactly where you are right now.”

“At the wedding?”

“No, in my arms.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

They settledinto a routine almost immediately. Jasper stayed with her for three nights after the wedding. When he asked her if she was ready to come stay with him, she said she was.

And, once she saw his house, she understood why he wanted her to come to him. Her apartment was nice. Cozy, clean, and calm.

Jasper’s home though? It was spacious and it had anything and everything her dream home would have.

Though he had a formal living room, they spent most of their time in what he called theden. In reality, it was basically a mancave. Slouchy furniture in a fantastic greige was spaced throughout the room. A huge flatscreen television was mounted to the wall. It was also hooked up to some sort of lighting system that emanated from behind the TV. The colors of the lights mimicked the screen, giving anyone in the room the sensation that they were immersed. The couches even had surround sound speakersinsidethe arms and back.

He also had every streaming service known to man, explaining that, with his work schedule, by the time he got home, all he wanted to do was unwind. He didn’t get to watch often, but he liked to do that with a television series or movie. Sometimeshe watched soccer or hockey. Occasionally even a boxing match or a MMA fight.

Veronica understood. She felt the same way about reading romance novels. That was how she liked to unwind.

What she liked even more is that he was perfectly content for her to curl up against his side and read while he watched television.

He didn’t cook often, again because of his work schedule, but when he did, it was delicious. Jasper appreciated when she cooked for them as well.

After the first week, they talked and agreed that they weren’t ready to spend time apart unless they had to, so they came up with a schedule. From Sunday to Tuesday, Jasper would stay at her apartment. From Wednesday to Saturday, she would stay with him at his house. They also agreed that they would talk to each other if they didn’t feel like it was working out well.

Fortunately, their first week of that schedule seemed to work out well for both of them. Even though they’d only been dating for two weeks and five days, Veronica was more comfortable with Jasper than she’d ever been with anyone else. Even her own parents.

He truly accepted her for who she was. He wasn’t a mind reader, but he paid attention. He asked how her day went, what her childhood was like, and who her best friend was.

When Veronica was embarrassed about her answers, he made her laugh by saying, “Hey, my answers to those questions are even more boring. I worked at my computer all day, my childhood was a montage of pranks, fights with my brother and cousins, and getting grounded. Which is what makes my last answer the craziest—my brother is my best friend. Apparently, trying to kill each other in our formative years solidified our relationship.”

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