Jasper

“Jake and Eric are anxious,” Sam told me as we shared a drink. I had to leave soon. I was due at the bar to work, and I was exhausted. It had been a long, satisfying night and a long, grueling day. I’d woken up next to Mina, wondering if I was dreaming, but as she rolled over and put her lips around my cock, I remembered just how real she was.

After that, we’d both showered, and she’d taken off for a visit to the gym, while I’d gotten ready to meet the guys at the MC. I’d missed several calls and texts while feeding my starved libido, and apparently, the meeting was urgent. Jake and Tyler had a lot of ideas regarding our next target, the one I’d told Mina I didn’t want to hit, and I had to shuffle around and dodge any kind of commitment to the team. I didn’t need the money. I didn’t need the heartache. But I couldn’t just let my friends down, either. It felt like being pressured to take a hit from the joint back in high school.

But Sam must have noticed my hesitation. It wasn’t surprising; he knew me better than anyone else in my life. “I can see that,” I replied. I had a feeling I knew where the conversation was going.

“You were distracted today,” he said in an offhand tone I knew wasn’t nearly as aloof as he wanted to sound. “I’m not stupid enough to think you want any part in another complicated fucking plot, but if you want to fool everyone else, you need to be on your game.”

I sighed and nodded. “I just haven’t been getting a lot of sleep. I don’t know, maybe I’m more institutionalized than I thought.”

He laughed that deep gut laugh and shook his head, his wild curls flying out around his face. “That’s a crock of shit, Jasper. I know you better than that. So, just tell me who it is.”

That was a twist I hadn’t expected, and I decided to play dumb. “What are you talking about?”

He turned to face me fully, a serious expression on his face. “In Afghanistan, no one could ever break your concentration. And when we planned the heist, went into Cohen’s museum of a house, you were fucking single-minded, focused to a fault. You’ve always been that way. There was only one time I ever saw you distracted, and that was with Cindy. And instead of that cold, dead stare you get when you’re concentrating so hard you look like you’re trying to shit bricks, you get this bright twinkle. You’ve got that look now. So, I’m going to ask you again. Who’s the piece of tail you dipped your stick in last night?”

I had to think fast. I couldn’t deny it. Sam was right, and if I didn’t give him a good, believable story, he’d just dig it up himself. But I obviously couldn’t tell him the truth. And I needed his support to keep it away from the others. I couldn’t have them razzing me and digging into my personal life to assure I wasn’t going to be a problem when it came time to hit the next mark.

“I met her at the coffee shop,” I told him in a resigned tone. It was close enough. I’d met Mina when I brought her coffee from the coffee shop. “Look, I don’t know if it’s going anywhere, and I’d really rather the guys not have leverage on me, so can we just drop it?”

“No,” he laughed hard. “We can’t just fucking drop it. But I’ll make sure they’re blind to it.” His smile faded, and he considered me carefully. I didn’t like the scrutiny. Sam was probably the only guy I knew that I truly believed was smarter and more intuitive about people than me. I was terrified he was going to see through my lie. “You must care about her. That doesn’t sound like someone you just met a couple days ago.”

“Whatever,” I said, scoffing. “I just like her, and I don’t want the guys ruining things before they even get started. Think about my luck with women.” I would play the grief card, the loss card, and any other sympathy card necessary to divert his attention from the path he was about to take.

Sam turned up his drink and drained it, but he didn’t take his eyes off me. “I know you’re not telling me everything. I don’t know if this chick is someone you were corresponding with in the joint or if she’s completely vanilla and knows nothing about your past or what. But I’m giving you a pass because you deserve to have a little happiness. And a lot of sex.”

I had to laugh. “Is that what you think?”

Shrugging, he threw a twenty on the bar. “It’s what I know. But you have to pay more attention, especially if you don’t want any of those asshole friends of ours catching on. And if you’re not up for the job, I don’t care. I’ll wiggle you out of it, if that’s what needs to happen. But you need to at least act interested for a while, and you can help us plan it. You’ve got that gift.”

I supposed it wouldn’t hurt to help them plan things, as long as my participation wasn’t part of the plan. I had no idea how Sam intended on ‘wiggling’ me out of it, but I trusted him, just like I trusted him to keep his word about helping me shield Mina from the rest of the MC. I just wondered if, when he eventually found out what I was up to, he’d change his mind.

I left with a sense of apprehension and uncertainty, but that had more to do with the fact that I hadn’t heard from Mina since she left than anything else. I should have taken her back to her car, at least. She wasn’t a Bronx girl, and I didn’t like her riding the train alone. But she’d insisted, and I didn’t really have a big enough place in her life to argue.

So, I rushed to the bar, getting there early enough to text her and make sure everything was alright. I lit a cigarette and waited for a reply, pleasantly surprised when she responded right away.

All good. With some friends tonight. Call me when you get a break.

I knew I was acting like a damn teenager, but it made me smile that she wanted me to call her. A girl only said that when she meant it, so I sent her an okay and tucked my phone away for the next couple of hours. I had a job to do, and I would end up with a broken jaw if I got distracted.

Mina

“Oh, boy, I know that look,” Meghan razzed as I put the phone down.

I frowned at her, though I knew it was more of a smile with a furrowed brow. “What look?”

Chastity giggled and rolled her eyes. “You checked your phone and got a goofy grin on your face. Did you meet someone and not tell us?”

“It’s more than that,” Meghan argued, twirling her wine cooler on the kitchen island, where we were sitting, eating strawberries and nursing drinks. “She’s either sexting someone or she got laid.” I gaped at her, but she just raised her eyebrows expectantly.

I looked around the group for support, but they all sat staring at me with bated breath. What was I supposed to say? I couldn’t tell them about Jasper. They’d freak out on me and tell me how dangerous it was to mess around with a criminal, followed by disgust that I would choose that particular man to consort with. Having no other recourse, I had to lie. “It’s this guy I met at the gym. It’s just a fling, really. I mean, it’s been a while, and he’s really hot.”

I felt terrible, not for lying to them because, if I was honest with myself, I was friends with them out of habit. I’d never quite felt as close to them as I’d pretended, and while they referred to our little group as ‘sisters,’ I still very much felt like the odd one out. I just didn’t feel the need to go out and make new friends, and I’d known the three of them most of my life.

Becky slapped my arm to get my attention. “Tell me you have a picture.”

“No, I don’t.” Not without pulling out the PI file Wesley Morton had given me, anyway. I doubted they would recognize his face, but they would know the name. And there was no way I could pull out an entire file on Jasper Cunningham without them noticing who it was. “I haven’t gotten a picture yet.”

“Oh, come on,” Meghan cried. “I know there’s a dick pic on your phone! You could at least share the wealth.”

“You’re disgusting!” I told her. “And no, I don’t. Search my phone.” I held it out, knowing they would drop it if I seemed like I had nothing to hide. Honestly, the texts would be incriminating because I’d been stupid enough to put Jasper’s real name on his contact.

“You’re so vanilla,” Meghan groused, wrinkling her nose in disappointment. It wasn’t a good look for her. Her nose was too small to start with, and it practically disappeared when she did that.

“Maybe, but at least I’m getting laid. What are you doing these days? Counting on your vibrator?” I challenged. If I countered with more dirt, the heat would shift from me, and I could avoid more questions.

But I had high expectations and was sorely disappointed. “Don’t try to turn our attention elsewhere. What’s this guy’s name? What does he look like? Does he have money?” Becky peppered me with questions, and I didn’t know what to say. How deep of a hole would I have to dig, and would I even be able to remember what I told them if I lied through my teeth?

“His name is James,” I lied, thinking fast and logging away the information. At least it started with the same letter. It should be easy to remember. “And no, he’s not wealthy. He’s tall, dark, and handsome, and he very obviously spends a lot of time at the gym.” That was all pretty accurate, at least. I could play with the truth; I just couldn’t give it away completely.

“I take it he’s good in bed,” Chastity said, as if there was no question.

I nodded. “And an amazing kisser. But I’m not telling you anything else. Like I said, it’s just a fling. It’s not going to last, so I don’t need to give you anymore details.” I shut them down solidly, and I told myself I was right – it wouldn’t last. I had no reason to believe Jasper’s interest in me was more than a passing fad for him. He was fresh out of prison and hadn’t been with a woman in what amounted to forever. He could have all the emotions in the world in the moment. They wouldn’t last.

And my interest in him was probably pure fascination. My friends would call it ‘slumming’ or going ‘below my station.’ I’d never done that before in a serious way, and I thought maybe that was part of the reason I found Jasper so attractive. Men without money made up for it with substance, and I was intrigued by that.

“The look on your face says you’re more interested in him than that.” Chastity leveled a serious gaze at me, and I knew I hadn’t convinced them completely.

I struggled with an explanation and finally found something that made sense. “Listen, it’s not serious, and I don’t think it will be. But I guess there’s a part of me that likes to think something will come of it in the end. Are you satisfied?” I had to admit I meant it. For all that I could try to convince myself otherwise, I held out some hope that this thing with Jasper, whatever it was, amounted to more than being temporarily enamored.

Now, though, knowing that he was going to call tonight, I started working on getting the girls to leave. I couldn’t exactly hold a conversation with Jasper in front of them without giving something away. I started yawning, barely having to work at feigning exhaustion after the night I’d spent with Jasper and the brutal workout in the morning, and I let them tease me about how good the sex must have been for me to be so tired. At least they took the hint and left.

After that, it was a waiting game.

I didn’t know when he would call, and I couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t forget altogether. He was working, and if things got rough, he might not have time. I fidgeted and munched on carrot sticks. When that didn’t satisfy my worry, I switched to potato chips, which my trainer would have lectured me for. Why was I so anxious? What was the big deal? Did I still not trust him? And why did it mean so much when I barely knew him?

“Stop it!” I finally yelled at myself, pushing away from the island where my phone lay in wait. I’d been alone for a long time, and I didn’t need a man in my life. I’d proven that over and over since I lost my father, and I didn’t intend to fall back into the habit of depending on someone else, especially a man. If Jasper called, great. Having him around would be a bonus. But it wasn’t a necessity. If he didn’t call, life would go on as it always had.

Determined not to let a simple infatuation ruin my night – or my life – I walked out of the kitchen and got halfway down the hall before I heard the phone. Pivoting instantly, I tore back down the corridor and into the kitchen, pounding at the screen to answer the call. “Hello?”

“Hey, gorgeous.”

The two words in that smooth, teasing voice of his eased the tension in my shoulders and made my stomach flutter. It was almost like being fifteen again and talking to that boy who kept watching you from across the coed dance hall. It was stupid and wonderful all at the same time. “Hey, how’s work?” I asked, not exactly good with compliments.

“It’s actually pretty quiet tonight. Are you still with your friends?”

I wondered why he asked, but then, I had put him off for them. “No, I got rid of them. They were obnoxious tonight, and I realized early I wasn’t in the mood.”

“Good. Because I’ve been thinking about you all day, and I just need to hear your voice for a while.”

Was that a plea in his tone? My heart skipped a beat at such a vulnerable admission. “I’ve missed you, too.” I glanced at my hand, which had started twirling my hair without my permission. I rolled my eyes and shoved my hand under my thigh, sitting on it to keep it from rebelling childishly again. “Are you working tomorrow night?”

“Yeah, unfortunately I don’t have another night off for a few days. But if you’re not busy tomorrow, around lunch, I’d like to see you.”

He sounded so hopeful, and I was crushed. I was supposed to be at a charity brunch that would last until nearly three. I bit my lip, considering the implications if I turned him down. And the consequences if I missed the event. If I texted Chastity, I was pretty sure she’d understand and cover for me, even if it meant I had to make up more stories to satisfy her curiosity in exchange for the favor. On the other hand, if I denied Jasper, the decision might completely eradicate any tiny chance of a future together.

I winced at that thought. Should I really be thinking about the future with him at all? I set that aside and made a decision, knowing that, at least this way, it wouldn’t matter if that option was on the table. “I can arrange some time,” I told him.

“Squeeze me into your busy, luxurious lifestyle?” he teased, but I didn’t like the self-derision in his tone.

“Don’t do that,” I told him, sharper than I meant to. “I don’t want you to refer to my money or position or anything like that. I have to play a part from time to time, but that’s not who I am. And when I’m with you, I don’t care about my station.” I knew it came out completely wrong and might have offended him more, but I meant he was as important as I was, not that I was coming down to his level.

He sighed. “Let’s be honest, though, Mina. I don’t fit into your plush lifestyle. How long will it be before you decide you’ve had your fun and want to move on?”

I should have been offended, but I laughed. “You know, maybe we have more in common than either of us realizes. I was just wondering the same thing about you while I waited for you to call.”

It was quiet for a minute, and then I heard him chuckling softly. “I’m guessing you haven’t mentioned last night to your friends, then.”

“Mentioned? I didn’t have a choice. Apparently, I was glowing. The explanation was a little vague and dishonest, though.”

“Me, too. If we’re even going to try to make this happen, we’ve got a lot to figure out.”

Did that mean he wanted to work it out? Because my heart beat faster at the thought of it. I didn’t know the eventuality of whatever relationship we could manage, but I knew I wanted to find out. Everything in between would be incredible. “I’m game if you are.”

“Then I’ll see you at lunch tomorrow.” I could hear the smile in his voice, and it made me giddy. “I have to get back in there, but I’ll text you a time and place.”

“Let’s just make it your apartment, if that’s okay.” My nipples tingled, and I closed my eyes, trying not to see his naked flesh in front of them. It didn’t work.

“I can handle that. Goodnight, Mina.”

“Goodnight, Jasper. Be safe.” I hung up and felt like I was going to pass out standing up. I was so incredibly tired, but I was also content. I couldn’t make heads or tails of it. I’d been a happy child, if a little restless, but I was never particularly satisfied. And since I’d lost my father, I’d felt so alone, like nobody understood me or really cared to try. Wasn’t it strange that the man I had always blamed for that loss and that emptiness seemed to fill a hole in me that had always been there and grown larger over the years?