Page 28 of Jasper

"I've never been," I admit. "What if they don't like me."

He snorts. "They all know you, and two of your three BFFs will be there. It's a good time, and I don't know about you, but I am absolutely starving, right now."

Now that he mentions it, my stomach growls loudly between us. He laughs, and my face heats with embarrassment. "Yeah, I think I need some food. Let’s go get something."

"Then we better get up and get dressed. Can’t have you either one of us starving."

I get up, unused to the wetness between my thighs. "I'll be right back."

When I get in the bathroom, I have a seat and have to take a few deep breaths. Everything that's happened here today is everything I've wanted, and I'm slightly overwhelmed. Tears spring to my eyes as I have a realization that if we're lucky, this will fulfill one requirement of Jasper's grandfather's will. Not just that, but a dream of mine I haven't allowed myself to hope for. Back when we were dating previously, I thought about us being parents. I'd thought about how we would be. I'd be the one who offered the love and understanding, Jasper would offer the hard lessons and discipline, but our kid or kids would forever know that they were loved.

I gave up on that dream when we broke up. Right about the time he walked away from me, and I haven't thought about it since. Not even when he asked me to marry him. Until last night, before he entered me and reminded us both of what that meant, I don't think it had fully hit me. Right now it has. Reaching down, I cradle my stomach in my palm. Could it only have taken once?

"Daisy Mae, are you okay?" His voice is soft and warm on the other side of the door.

"Yeah, be out in a sec."

Because I've been sitting in here so long, he's got to be wondering if I'm having second thoughts. I quickly get done and walk out. He's sitting on the bed, the sheet pulled up around his waist. "Hey." He smiles so wide I can see the dimples in his cheeks.

"Hey," I answer back, suddenly embarrassed. "Sorry I took so long in there."

"Were you spiraling?" He pulls his bottom lip between his teeth, tilting his head to the side.

"Maybe. I don't mean to."

"It's understandable." He reaches out his arms to me, circling me in them. He bends my head so that our foreheads are touching. "This is all pretty heavy and it's happening fast. I don't think either of us realized how much we've dealt with in the past month."

"You're right, and I'm not really used to you being the voice of reason, yet here you are." I give him a little smile.

"What do you say we go grab something at Let's Taco Bout It, and then go get dessert at Get Baked?" he questions, the stubble on his face rasping against mine slightly.

We haven't gone out much together. "You mean you want to be seen with me?"

"I wanna paint the fuckin' town red with you." His voice dips down lower, seductive, a tone just for us. "The same red these nipples are." Calloused palms cup them. I close my eyes, savoring the touch. "Are you good with that?"

"I'm great with it." This is all so much more than I expected, but in a good way.

"Let's get dressed and head out. I'm starving."

In answer, my stomach growls. Wordlessly, but sneaking glances with barely suppressed smiles, we get dressed. I go to the closet to see what I want to wear over the t-shirt I've put on. It's chilly, but not cold enough for my big jacket. "How cold do you think it is?"

He turns from where he's putting a hoodie on over his body. "One of these should be okay." He pinches a piece of the fabric between his fingers, pulling it away from his body.

I frown. "Too bad I don't have one unpacked yet. I'm afraid if I wear my big jacket I'm gonna be too hot. If I go out in this, I'll be cold."

Without saying anything, he reaches into his drawer and pulls out another hoodie, before tossing it my way. "Here, wear this."

My heart stumbles to catch up to the reaction in my stomach. It's bouncing with excitement as if on the balls of it's on feet. "Are you sure? You don't allow other people to mess with your things." I once tried to wear his jacket in college, and he'd scowled.

"That was before I realized you aren't just other people." His voice is low.

My chest tightens as I think about the kid he was. "What's changed?"

"Seeing you every day. Realizing you’re my home." He plays with the strings on his hoodie. "You consistently being here. Knowing I have a future with you. It's opened up a part of myself I didn't realize I had closed off."

I snort, giggling as I roll my eyes heavenward. "You didn't realize you were closed off? Are you feeding me a line of shit?"

"No, I swear." He holds up his hands in front of him. "I knew I didn't share things with others easily, but the more I've looked around at people and their relationships - even the last few months before we got married - I realized I was holding back. It's been a conscious decision to try and be more present, which is the only reason I was able to come to you and ask for help."