Page 105 of Love, Magic and Misfortune
He snorted in a laugh. “No,but, good God… You keep moving your hips against me and I can’t focus—”
“You want to be my partner.” Violet lifted, facing him and keeping her hips still.
“Yes.” He swallowed, his throat bobbing. “And I don’t want you to joke anymore about your future husband letting me sleep on your pillow.”
Violet giggled, snuggling down to kiss his jawline. “Aw, I think that’s funny—”
“It’s not. I love most of your jokes, but not that one. And please don’t bring up René or Freddie kissing me anymore, either. That’s also not funny. I’m not angry with them, but I don’t like that they thought it was okay to just do that to me. That I didn’t have a say—and I’ve never hadanykind of intimate relationship with either of them. I ended up talking to my therapist about those situations because I couldn’t figure out if I had done something to encourage them.”
Sensing the shift in his mood, Violet crawled back and off of him, sitting up on her knees. He pushed up as well, then reached and grabbed one of her hands.
“We’ve been casual in spending time together these past several months, just going with the flow… But I have been scared to death, Violet. I’ve been in love with you since I was six years old. You being back in my life has been an emotional rollercoaster—wonderful and terrifying, incredible but stressful to the point where some days I thought I would throw up or have a heart attack. Ireallywant you. You have no idea how much I’ve always wanted you and thought about you. And I don’t want to just play together naked, or have lunch sometimes or drink tea occasionally. I want everything.”
He took a breath, running his free hand into his hair before looking up at her once more. “You… You accept me, like this. The way I am… Right?”
“Of course.”
“So, I want us to make it clear. That we’re together—not just best friends, but more. Partners. Without making jokes or just haphazardly wandering along. We’re choosing each other, on purpose. I… I need to know that.”
Violet swallowed, her shoulders stiff. She dropped them and took a breath. “I want you too, Jasper. On purpose. I choose you.”
“Okay… I love you, Violet.”
“I love you, too.”
He lifted his hands to cup her face, then pulled her into a kiss—urging her to open and fall into his rhythm and intent. Slow and deep. It was as if he longed to seal the words and assurances spoken between them. When he finally pulled away, Violet’s heart was so warm and full, it felt as if it might burst.
Jasper grinned. “If… you still want me naked in bed, I’m ready now.”
“Can I make a joke?”
“Yes…”
Violet chuckled. “It genuinely feels like I had to pseudo marry you before I could have you.”
“It’s not like that.” He stood from the couch, pulling her up and gripping her hand as he walked toward the doors of the study. “I just need to know that I canbreathe. Spending all this time with you… It’s something I’ve always wanted, but I keep waiting for the bottom to drop out from underneath me again and I can’t… I’ve been trying to act calm, but I need to know that I’m finally standing on solid ground.”
“You don’t ever need to act. We’re solid… I might joke a lot, but I’ve always been serious about you, sexy fox-man.”
Jasper laughed, pulling her up the stairs. “I amnota fox.”
“I bet you were in a past life. Foxy, long-legged—”
“Vi, enough.”
“Nope. I’m going to keep saying it until yougetit. Until it sinks in.”
He stopped on the stairs and turned to face her. Dead serious. “I get it. I believe you.”
They stood looking at each other in silence until Violet moved swiftly and poked him in the stomach, making him laugh and double over.
“Liar.” She walked up ahead, pulling him forward. “That’s alright, because about fifteen minutes from now, you’re going to be so out of your mind, you won’t be able to say a word.”
42
And Later Still
The wind whipped Violet’s raincoat and deep maroon dress as she dashed from her car, through the parking lot and toward the large glass doors of the Libellule Heritage Art Museum. Rain pelted her upside her face. Rude. She squealed as she ran past a stunning bloom of bright tulips all along the front—like happy sunbursts of deep pink, yellow and red despite the gray gloom of April showers.
