Olivia

"It's gone. . . thank you." I drop my head to his chest, and my head still feels hazy from the whiplash of being in two places at once.

"You did great, I'm so proud of you," he murmurs against my hair, placing a tender kiss. "It will get easier, I promise. Soon, I'll teach you how to drift."

"Can we. . . do other things?" I ask. "I don't want to throw fireballs from my hands or anything."

He laughs, and the act has me shaking with him. His arms fall around me as he resumes caressing my back. "No, little dove, no fireballs. We can absorb light, and it's the energy that helps us drift—a gift from the Gods, I guess."

"Gods?"

His eyes soften when I lean back, and I can see the sympathy and guilt within them. "There's so much for me to tell you, my love. Please forgive me, darling."

The pain in his gaze and how his lips fall is enough for me to understand how much of a burden this is for him. He's eager, and I wish for nothing else but to relieve him of this.

"You said you will tell me, and I believe you, and I'll wait. . . but why can't you tell me?" I plead, cupping his cheeks this time.

His hands settle over mine, and his eyes are heavy. "I didn't want to scare you, but those visions of yours are old memories. If you force them to a great extent, it can hurt you, and that's the last thing I want to do to you." He lets out a ragged breath. "Olivia, if it means this takes years, I would rather that than see you in pain."

"Oh, Jas. . ." I whisper, brushing the pad of my thumb over his cheek.

"Would it be greedy of me to ask for a kiss?" he murmurs, and I'm thankful for the change of topic.

"Yes," I reply in the same tone, flicking my sight between his and his lips.

I wouldn't mind the distraction now.

"I said I wouldn't touch you like that unless you wanted it," he reminds, and there's a heated hue to his gaze.

The mere reminder makes my skin sensitive, and I'm on the line of wanting his mouth on me again.

"I remember."

Jasper traces a finger across my jaw, tipping it down to follow the curve of my neck until it reaches my neckline. His breath fans my ear as the tip of his finger slides over my chest, between my breasts in a way that avoids sparking that desperate taste of pleasure it would give if he really touched me.

"Do you? Then enlighten me, little dove, do you want me to do something?"

Yes. "N-No, Jas."

A low groan comes from him. "Are you sure? Not one little kiss?" There's a deeper chuckle. "Just like this?"

I feel his lips brush my ear before they apply the lightest amount of pressure, and it makes me squirm against him. I drop my hands to his forearms, gripping him tightly like he's my lifeline. "Jasper. . ."

Pulling back enough to stare into my eyes, a smile plays on his lips. "Yes, my little bride?"

"Kiss me," I breathe, "just once. Kiss me."

His grin turns feral, and to say it does something to me is an understatement. Jasper slants his mouth over mine, and I'm the first to moan into it. He tastes like mint mixed with a tinge of beer. It's maddening, and I'd give anything to keep this up.

He lowers me down to the mattress, and I can feel his body stretching over mine, careful to apply any pressure. Jasper sucks my lower lip into his mouth, trailing the tip of his tongue over it after his teeth snag it deliciously. Gasping, he slides his tongue in, giving confident flicks against mine before sucking it into his mouth. Offering a few tentative strokes back, I follow his pace, enjoying the control and comforting motions he sets.

"Jasper. . ."

I writhe, the need for him to touch me beyond words. I've read enough books to know that this ache building in me is pleasure, and it needs releasing. I've never wanted to be touched so badly in my life.

"God, baby. . . you have no idea what you do to me," he breathes. "I'd do anything to give you that bit of pleasure right now." He kisses me deeply. "I know I shouldn't say this, but damn it, the need to touch you is maddening."

He has no idea how much it pleases me to know I have the same effect on his mind. All I want is to touch him, maybe not exactly the same way, but I want to trace over his muscles for starters.

He flicks his tongue against mine, and before I can grow enough courage to lower my hands, my phone vibrates. The noise startles us, and I can feel that buzz beneath my skin again. Taking a deep breath to control my raging heart, I stare into his heated gaze and feel myself mellowing out, and I can see Jasper's trying to control himself as well.

Leaning up, he pulls me into his chest and places a delicate peck to my temple as he curls a lock of hair behind my ear. "I'm sorry, I got carried away."

I shake my head against him. "It's OK. . . I liked it."

His chest deflates in relief. "I'm glad." A moment of silence passes through us, and then he carefully lays me down on the mattress, making sure I'm comfortable on the pillows. "I've got to make a move, my love. Tomorrow is a busy day."

Cocking my brows, I lean up on my elbows. "How come?"

Brushing his knuckles over the curve of my cheek, he offers a sheepish smile, something I've never seen him do before. "You have a Hen Night—evening. Mother thought having it early would mean less of a hangover for the big day."

Slumping back onto the pillows, I throw my hands over my face with a groan. "I was hoping to practice walking on tiptoes all day until I could master enough balance to tackle those heels." Dropping my hands to my side, I grumble with a smile, "Kill me now."

"Nope," he says, popping the 'p' while patting my knee. "I would miss you too much."

"You'll move on," I tease.

"I doubt it; five years and you were all I could think about," he retorts, but there's nothing joking in his tone.

"Really?"

He makes a noise in the back of his throat. "I wouldn't lie to you."

And he hasn't. Ever. The deal was Emit's lie, I didn't have contact with Jasper through it until I saw him at the ball. And I don't think he ever will.

Deciding to play it off cool, I roll my eyes and gently nudge him off the bed. "Get out you, I'm going to spend the day and a bit I have left Jasper free, shoo."

Jasper chuckles in response as he heads for the window. "Aye, aye captain."

Before I can protest about him going out the window, Jasper salutes me, and adds, "Don't forget to keep this closed when you're out, sweet dreams, little dove."

Then he's gone.

Sighing, I let exhaustion weigh my limbs to the bed, rolling over onto my side and inhaling the section of the pillow where his hand had been.

It smells faintly of him.

Groaning, I grab my phone to see what the disruption was.

Emit. Of course it was Emit.

From Emit: Heya, I hope you had a good shopping trip, ours was tough. If Jasper said it was just us who messed up, he's lying! Don't believe him. Here's proof:

Below it sits two files. The first is a two second video of Jasper in a suit that's torn in the arms and the back, and the second is a picture of him flexing it with a shameless smile, one that I have a feeling is intended for me.

Tears stream down my face as I laugh, making sure to send a hasty reply of what I think, what Jasper told me, and bidding him a good night before setting the device on the bedside cabinet.

The thought of facing tomorrow is enough to tip me over the edge, knowing it's going to be busy. Shutting my eyes, the last thing to enter my mind is that tomorrow is going to be my last day as Olivia June.