Page 29 of Jasper

“She is, but she’s stubborn, and she has a mean streak, so be forewarned.”

“Noted.”

“Seriously, though, she’s a good girl.”

“Yeah, I know. I’ve only known her for a few days, but she seems nice. A little too Christmas happy, but she’s cool.”

“If she could leave her Christmas tree up all year, she would.”

“I’m surprised she doesn’t.” The whole house looked like a Hallmark Channel movie. Yes, he’d been forced to watch that garbage by his sister and his mother. Sloane was probably going to make him watch it too. God help him.

“I have to get off, Jasper. People are waiting behind me to talk to their families. You’ll make sure Sloane is safe?”

“I swear I’ll do everything in my power to make sure no one touches her.”

“Thanks, man. Talk to you in a few days.”

Jasper disconnected the call and let his head rest against the horse’s stall. She was running from drug dealers, possibly the cartel. No wonder she was so skittish.

And then there was Jarrod basically giving him permission to hook up with Sloane. They’d be good for each other, he said. Jasper understood the man wanting his cousin with someone who would treat her right, but he wasn’t looking for a relationship. He meant that, no matter what Jarrod said. He wasn’t good for anyone right now.

But that didn’t negate the fact she needed help. Jarrod saved his life more than once, even dragged him off the battlefield. He’d keep Sloane safe because he owed Jarrod his life. He hoped. He’d failed Angel and had come here to figure out what was wrong with him. Sloane needed him now, not when he worked out what the hell his problem was.

He’d do everything he could for her. He only hoped it’d be enough.

Sloane yawned and came downstairs, her movements slow and her eyes blurry with sleep. She hadn’t slept much last night, but then images of Jasper kept invading her dreams, images that led to dreams of an entirely erotic sort. Dreams that caused her frustrations she did not need.

The heavenly scent of coffee tickled her nose, and she followed it to the kitchen. A sticky note was on the coffee maker.

Had to run to town for a few things. Call if you need me.

She snorted. She needed him in an entirely inappropriate way, but that was one desire she wasn’t going to give in to. She’d had enough of alpha males to last her a lifetime.

Jasper made good coffee, though. She’d give him that, she decided as she took several sips. It wasn’t bitter. It was hard to make coffee just right. She hated the taste of bitter coffee. Granted, she just drowned it in creamer when that happened, but it was nice not to have to do that.

She found a bagel and some strawberry spread to stave off her hunger pains before she went back upstairs and got dressed. Then she checked her computer again for news of the case. Nothing new. That had to be good, right?

With nothing left to do, she wandered downstairs. All the Christmas decorations were up, and the house was clean. Maybe she should have paced herself instead of doing everything all at once yesterday. Hindsight and all that.

Her gaze landed on the suitcase that housed her cameras sitting in the corner of the living room. There was one thing she could do and enjoy last night’s snowfall as well. Giddy as a kid on Christmas morning, she rushed to get her boots and coat on. After digging out her favorite camera, she made sure it was loaded with film and headed outside.

The farm was big. She could stare out and see nothing but open space for as far as the eye could see. She used to love coming here for summers and holidays. She and Jarrod would roam the land pretending to be pirates, spies, and any other manner of crazy, adventurous people. It had been a much simpler time, and she missed it now that she had to be a grown-up and adult every single day.

Shaking herself out of her morose mood, she started snapping pictures of the landscape with the snow gently falling all around her. The air smelled clean and fresh, unlike Miami. The fresh air was another thing she missed. Maybe if she ever did start her own business, she’d try to move to a small town farther up north, but not too far from a major city. She had to be able to support herself, after all. But snow definitely had to be part of the equation.

She walked for over an hour, snapping photos and relishing the crisp, cold air. It was the most at ease she’d felt since the whole murder thing. Well, if she were being honest with herself, this was the most at ease she’d felt in years.

Perhaps if she got fired, it would be for the best because it gave her a reason to leave Miami. She always rationalized her decision to stay because it was where her life was…her life that basically revolved around work. The job she hoped would launch her into the movie and TV scene.

But she could do that in New York. There were plenty of opportunities there, and she could have snow. Fear held her back. She admitted that to herself even if she’d never say it out loud. She was afraid she’d get there and fail. What if she never broke out into the path she really wanted?

What if, what if, what if?

It was the what-ifs that were killing her. She needed to get past herself and just do it. Then again, Brad always told her she wasn’t good enough for the big leagues. He’d said it so often, deep down, she still believed him. Even though she knew it was a lie, when you heard something often enough, it took on the façade of being the truth.

She needed to get out of her own head if she was ever going to accomplish her goals. Sloane was more thankful to Jarrod than she could ever really convey. Sometimes you didn’t see what was going on around you because you became desensitized to it.

People didn’t realize how easy it was for someone depraved to isolate you when you were at your worst. To wear you down without you even realizing it.

---