Page 76 of Ruthless Alpha Beast

---

I take my opportunity to move, about to roll, but suddenly his arm comes crashing around me again.

I give up.

“Jasper,” I whisper.

Silence.

“Jasper,” I say louder.

He’s still breathing loud and slow.

“Jasper!”

He gets up. “What happened?”

His muscles are clenched, his eyes cautious—damn, he looks good.

I didn’t mean to concern him; I just need to get out of here. Before he touches me again…

“No, nothing,” I say. “I, well, you were on me and I wanted to get up.”

He nods. “Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“So last night was—"

I finish his sentence for him. “Hectic, a lot happened. I’m still pretty shaken up.”

I avoid his gaze like the plague.

One look into those smoldering eyes and I’ll be done for.

“Yeah. I bet.”

“Yeah.”

We both stare at the ceiling opposite, side by side, in silence.

I should leave. Why aren’t I leaving?

I go to fill the silence, but he gets there first.

“Do you want anything to eat? It’s a little later than breakfast, but I’m gonna make lunch or something.”

“No,” I shake my head.

I’m starving, and that sounds amazing, but I need time to process what just happened. What’s been happening, I suppose.

And I need to do that away from him.

“That sounds good,” I add. “Thank you, but I’m not hungry. I actually feel like I need to get some air.”

“Some air?”

“Yeah,” I run my hand through my hair before finally getting up. It feels like leaving everything that’s good and warm.

“I don’t know, I feel a little just cooped up, I guess. It’s fine. I’m fine. Just—yeah, I’m gonna go.”

---