Page 13 of Nyctophilia

This was why bad boys were so dangerous. I wasn’t even bothered by his forward use of “baby.” In fact, I was surprised to find it turned me on. So I nodded again, the briefest tilt of my chin. It was all I could force my body to do.

His fingers dipped up to brush against the edges of my panties. “I need to hear the words, baby.”

I shivered at his touch. Was this what attraction was actually supposed to feel like? His face was a breath away from my face again, and I was sure Jasper could hear my heart beating out of my chest.

“I want you, Jasper.” It didn’t even sound like my voice, it was so raspy with need. But it wasn’t a lie. I did want him. No, I needed him. His eyes darkened so much with my response, they looked black as they stared into my own. His lips closed over mine again, this time with so much passion I was sure everyone in the restaurant was staring at us. I had to force myself not to care.

Pulling away, he put his lips to my ear. “Good.” He took his hands out from under my dress, but before I could protest he pulled me to my feet. “Let’s get out of here. Your place is close, right?”

Was I really going to bring Jasper back to my place on a first date? Stupid question. Of course I was. “But wait, don’t we need to pay the bill?” I protested weakly.

Jasper pulled out his wallet and threw a mess of bills down on the table. “That should cover it.” Then, pulling me close, he led me outside. We reached my car and Jasper turned to me. “I’d say we should take my bike, but that dress looks so beautiful on you I’d rather not ruin it.”

My heart couldn’t possibly beat any faster, so it settled for beating harder. “I think I’d rather you not ruin it, too. Are you okay riding with me then? Or did you want to drive separately?”

He pulled me so close I could feel his lips against mine, our bodies touching at every possible point. “I’d rather not be apart from you any more than I have to tonight.”

As much as I wanted to stay in this spot all night, locked in Jasper’s tight embrace, this was still Merrillan, and I was still worried people would talk. I disentangled myself, and got my keys out from my bag. “Hop in.”

Jasper slid into the passenger seat, smoothly putting his hand back on my thigh. “I hope you don’t mind this. It’s much more comfortable here.”

I didn’t mind. But… “Can I ask you a question?”

Jasper grinned. “Haven’t you been doing that all night?”

I couldn’t help but smile too. “Yes. But no. I meant a personal question. I mean, I barely know anything about you and your hand is on my leg. I know this sounds crazy, but I don’t normally do this kind of thing.”

Jasper started gently massaging my thigh with the hand in question. “I don’t usually either. It doesn’t feel wrong though, does it?”

I was surprised. Jasper’s persona had me pegging him for a playboy, sleeping with hordes of busty blondes.

“I know what you’re thinking, Green. I’m not that person anymore. I haven’t been for a long time.”

I played dumb. “I wasn’t thinking anything like that!” But I was.

He shot me a look that said he didn’t believe me. “Shoot. What would you like to know?”

“Your accent. It isn’t from Chicago.” I tried to not think about what he said -- he wasn’t that personanymore.

“It’s not. I was born in Louisiana.”

“How the hell did you end up here?” Merrillan was pretty far off the beaten track.

“We moved to a small village a few miles away when I was younger. My parents split up, and my mom moved to Chicago, so I never really saw any point in going back. Never lost the accent though.” No, he definitely had not. I didn’t mind one bit.

It was addicting, finding out who he was underneath it all. I needed to know more. “Do you like your job?” I asked him.

“I love being an investigator. I travel a lot, so it can be lonely at times, but it’s such a rush I don’t think I could ever do anything else.”

The whole time he watched my face, trailing light fingertips down my bare arm and by the time I pulled into my building I needed more. Jasper must have been as bad as I was, because as soon as we were out of the car, he was kissing me hard, his fingers tangling through my hair. I brought my own hands to either side of his face, trying to bring him impossibly closer. We stumbled towards the main door, and for once I actually didn’t care who saw us. There was a sense of freedom, being this person. It gave me a bigger rush than running. I raced up the stairs to unlock my front door, giggling, Jasper hot on my heels. I paused to kiss him again, and then turned back to unlock the door, fumbling with my keys.

This whole thing was crazy. I must have lost my mind. And yet, there was no way in hell I was going to stop now.

I pulled Jasper into my small entryway by his shirt collar, and he pushed me back against the door, grabbing my wrists with one hand. He pulled them over my head, pinning them there, never losing the contact between our mouths. God, he was strong. I could feel him holding back and I wanted to tell him not to. He pulled away for a moment, to ask, “Are you sure you are okay with this?”

I was sure. But before I could tell him, Betty came around the corner. My normally docile cat went berserk at the sight of Jasper. Back arched, she hissed and slashed at him.

I knew it was too good to be true. Of course my cat had to ruin the moment. I was burning with embarrassment. “Oh, my God, I’m so sorry. She’s never like this. I don’t know what got into her.”

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