Page 6 of Nighted

Jasper grinned, pulling me back against his toned body again. “Green, you telling me you wouldn’t ever want to marry me?” His teeth tugged gently on my earlobe. “Because if I need to be more persuasive, then just say the word.”

“Hmm…” I leaned into his body. “I’m not sure I’m entirely sold yet. What else do you have to offer?”

Jasper’s hands circled around my thighs, lifting me up and wrapping my legs around his body. He carried me inside the front doors. “I thought you’d never ask.”

* * *

Surely it was morning by now. I had been lying awake staring at my ceiling for so long the time had to be early morning. I rolled over to blindly snag my phone off the bedside table, hoping my clock would say a reasonable enough time I could at least go for a run. Unfortunately, the blurry numbers read 12:04 AM. Shit.

I sighed heavily, turning back over to lay my head against Jasper’s chest. He sleepily raised his arm to circle my body, falling back asleep easily. Within moments his breath evened out, and he was deep asleep once again. As long as we were in the same bed, Jasper could sleep through anything and come out rested the next morning. If only we all could be so lucky.

I must have fallen asleep eventually, because the next thing I knew I woke up to screams. The piercing sounds filled my ears, ringing through my body. The screams of pain.

“Ava. Ava!” I could feel Jasper shaking me, and it was then I realized the person screaming was me. I took a deep breath, slowly opening my eyes to Jasper’s face, the moonlight illuminating the concern written all over his perfect features. “Ava. Baby. Are you okay?”

I nodded, focusing on my breathing. The dream wasn’t real. But anxiety was already flooding my veins and numbing my fingertips.

He kept one tattooed hand on my pounding heart, stretching over me to flip on the small light next to the bed. “Why didn’t you tell me your nightmares were back?”

The taste of something evil still lingered in my mouth, like a forgotten apple left to rot. “I didn’t know. But this one was… different.”

“Different how?” Jasper’s voice was husky from waking up, but his tone was serious. The nightmares he was referring to started after Christmas Eve. Dark figures hiding in trees, Jasper’s broken body on the ground, and a feeling of utter despair. These dreams felt so real they usually ended with me screaming myself awake and they made him uneasy. Something he blamed himself for, but something he had no explanation for. Nothing more than the residual of a life left behind, or of a path not taken. The ghost of the dream still lingered around me, tendrils snaking up the back of my neck.

“The monster was me,” I whispered. Jasper blinked, waiting for me to continue. “I was the dark thing hiding in the trees. And you came toward me, like you were going to kiss me. Your face was serene, Jasper, peaceful. And… and then…”

Unwilling tears sprang from my eyes, and Jasper gently wiped them away. “It’s okay, baby. You don’t have to tell me the rest.”

But I could see in his eyes he wanted, or needed, to know. Whether I liked the idea or not, I was a part of a world now where my dreams meant something more than what I had seen on Netflix the night before. So I shook my head. “It’s okay. It’ll feel better once it’s out.” I counted to five in my head and started again, this time without emotion. “You came toward me. Trusting me. And I opened my mouth to speak to you, and all of this black smog came out of my mouth. The smoke was thick, and I couldn’t breathe. It covered everything, and I couldn’t see. And then when everything cleared, you were…” I paused, unable to say the word. Jasper nodded, understanding what I meant. His face was unreadable. “But it was my fault, Jasp. The monster was me. I was evil… I hurt you!” My voice steadily grew more agitated, and Jasper pulled me to him, stroking my hair.

“Shh… shh. Baby. It’s okay. All of that was just a dream. I’m okay. I’m here.” His voice was reassuring, but we both knew he didn’t entirely believe what he was saying either. “We’ll figure out why you’re having these dreams. Together. Someone has to know what all this means.”

The unspoken answer hung heavily in the space between us. My parents would know. But asking my family wasn’t an option. My mother was missing, a trial awaiting her return, and I wasn’t about to go have a cuddly talk with my prison-bound father.

Jasper kissed my forehead. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m okay. I’m glad it all wasn’t real. I don’t know what I would do if…”

Jasper pulled me up so I was looking at him. “Hush. Look, I’m okay. I’m here. Nothing is going to hurt me. And I’m never going to let anything hurt you.” I nodded, trying to believe him, and leaned in to kiss his bottom lip softly. Greedily, I deepened the kiss, wanting to feel more.

He caught my lip between his teeth, gently tugging. The motion sent a shiver down my spine. Jasper noticed and raised an eyebrow. Despite everything that had happened, I wanted him. I needed to feel him here, with me. Alive.

Jasper knew and tucked his mouth against my ear. “You need me, don’t you?” he whispered darkly, trailing a finger up my thigh. “You need to feel my body against yours. My heart beating in time with your own. You need to feel whole.”

Every word he spoke sent a shock to my core. Both because of what he was saying, and the fact he knew what I needed more than I knew myself. He slid his hand underneath the oversized tee I wore as a nightshirt, seamlessly hooking a finger into my underwear and tugging them down. Jasper’s body was perfectly fitted to my own, filling all my physical spaces the same as he did my emotional ones. He pulled my shirt over my head, dipping his head lower to caress my breast between his full lips. I put my hand on his shoulder tugging him up and he looked up at me with confusion. I normally let him take command, but tonight I needed to feel like I was in control.

I pushed him onto his back, watching the confusion in his eyes shift to satisfaction. I straddled him, tossing my messy hair out of my eyes.

Jasper’s eyes were black, his gaze running over my skin with a passion that could have set me afire. “You’re the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen. And you’re mine.” He dragged the back of his hand down my neck, down my waist, coming to rest on my hips.

I smiled softly at him, emotions I couldn’t explain threatening to spill out. “And you’re mine, Jasp.” I traced the delicate lines of the roses on his chest. Jasper closed his eyes and held still as I did so. I trailed down across the muscles of his stomach, and across the sharp contours of his hip bones. I could feel his arousal growing beneath me, and I was surprised he hadn’t stopped me yet.

As if I had conjured it, his eyes flew open. “Baby. You’re naked, and perfect, and on top of me. I can’t be responsible for my actions from this point on.”

I laughed, running my hand down the soft skin of his cock. Jasper groaned beneath me.

I repositioned myself, letting the tip of his dick inside me slightly. His eyes were hooded, watching me intently. I met his gaze as I slowly lowered myself back onto him.

Feeling complete and whole once again, my moans mixed with his.

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