Page 17 of Glass & Groundwork
He responded by leaning forward and throwing his arms around my neck. “Thank you, Gio.”
“Anytime.” As he clung to me, my arms found their way around his back. It was amazing how easy it felt to hold him like this, and how much I wanted this to be a regular occurrence. Without the hurt and despair, of course.
Jasper sighed and sat back. “I don't have a lot of people in my life who support my dreams. So, uh, thank you, again. You've been so kind to me.”
“You've got more than you know. You have me—us—the kids care, too. Plus, you have the Heartcraft folks. I know Marley has taken a liking to you, though, admittedly, that's not hard. He likes everyone.”
Jasper smiled, a real one, one that made him look angelic. I only missed the sparkle of the septum rings he usually wore which highlighted his sweet mouth. “He does. I don't know how a serious guy like Derek ever landed someone as sunshiny as him, but, I gotta admit, they are adorable together.”
I grinned, happy to see some of his shadows disappear. “They really are. Speaking of which, Heartcraft is tomorrow. It might be a good mood booster. I know I always come away from it feeling refreshed. And, there's the Maker's Mall. There's nothing like being around art to inspire art.”
Jasper's head bobbed slowly. “You know what? I think you're right. Heartcraft is as far removed as I can get from my parents’ world, which is exactly what I need right now.”
“I'll be going early, if you want to come with me. You can keep me company at my booth.”
His brown eyes looked a little more golden when he responded happily, “I would love that. It's the least I can do after you let me cry on you.”
I smiled warmly and put my hand on his knee. “I don't mind.”
“Thanks again. I know I keep saying that, but I don't know how else to express my gratitude to you for just being there. I, um, should probably head home if we're going to have an early morning.”
“Or you could stay.”Fuck! Where did that thought come from? Well, I knew where it came from, I wasn't ready to lose Jasper's company yet, but I didn't expect to say it. I coughed to clear my throat and my mind. “We have plenty of room.”
“Actually… that sounds really nice. I know once I'm alone, my thoughts are going to get loud again, and I'd like to put them off for a little while if I could.”
“Great!” I barked out, louder than I meant. “Um, great. We can set you up in the guest room, if that works.”
Jasper pursed his lips and looked around my bedroom. “Would it be terrible if I stayed with you? I don't want to impose or anything, but… I don't want to be alone.”
“Yeah, yes, of course. That's fine.”Slow your roll, Gio, don't sound too eager.
“Thank you.” Jasper leaned forward and pressed a kiss to my cheek. “I'm going to go freshen up, I feel like a mess.”
“You're not.”
Jasper tapped my cheek lightly with his palm and smirked. “Liar.”
The playful action had me grinning widely as he went into the private bathroom attached to my bedroom like he belonged here. The idea of him being comfortable enough to stay with me, made my heart trip over itself.
I was going to have someone in my bed.What the fuck was I supposed to do with him?
Jasper
Seeing my reflection in the bathroom mirror, I was surprised nobody had said anything. Dark bags sat under my eyes. My shirt, which was all askew, had a stain from the spaghetti sauce I didn’t notice spilling on the white material. Furiously, I undid the rest of the buttons and yanked the shirt off. It was saveable, but at this point, I didn’twantto save it. Not with everything it represented. Shoving it into the small waste basket made me feel a little better.A little.
I washed my face and snooped around the bathroom, admiring the fact that Gio kept some of his own homemade lotions and balms in here. Loved a man who cared about skin care. Seeing a honey-based face cream, I opened the tub, scooped up a dollop, and rubbed it into my face. The coolness of the cream and the silky way it melted into my skin went a longway to helping me feel like my world wasn’t collapsing. Perhaps it still was, but at least my skin felt nice, so there was that.
With another look in the mirror, I shrugged. This was as good as it would get at the moment. At least I wouldn’t have to sit in my quiet apartment alone, and I had Heartcraft to look forward to. Gio was right. I always felt better after seeing the different crafters and artists as their work sparked ideas.
When I walked out of the bathroom, I caught Gio putting clean sheets on his bed. Seeing him make the bed was surprisingly endearing. It was a simple act, but one that felt very homey. This poor man had seen me at my worst and had been absolutely the sweetest each time. I tilted my head to watch him stretch across the bed as he tucked the corners in. Not a bad view, either. Gio wore the hell out of those jeans. That denim-hugged ass could have been in aWranglerad selling the cowboy lifestyle to cityslickers like me and I would have been first in line.
“Do you need any help?” I offered, in an effort to refocus my drifting mind.
“I’m almost done, but you can do the pillowcases. They are on the chair,” Gio said without looking up.
Happy to have something to do, I walked to the chair and unfolded the pillowcases. They looked like they were handmade with multiple fabrics quilted together, all with varying bee prints. A smile stretched my lips. “Cute.”
“What?” Gio asked.
