Jasper Vale (The Edens #4)(46)

The sun streamed through the balcony’s sliding glass door, illuminating the loft. I set Eloise on her feet, and she reached for the hem of her dress, dragging it from her body before I had a chance to strip it free myself.

Her body was a fucking dream, firm but soft in all the right places.

My own clothes puddled on the floor beside hers as she unclasped her bra and shimmied out of her panties.

Then we collided. Mouths. Hands. Skin. When we fell into bed, her legs spread wide. My hips settled into the cradle of hers, and then I slid home.

“Jas.” Her fingernails, also white, dug into the flesh of my shoulders. It wouldn’t take more than a few strokes and she’d come apart. The flutter of her inner walls was as addictive as her tongue.

There was only so much I could demand for myself. Her orgasms were mine, for now. Then she’d give them to another man. Just the thought sent red through my vision, a jealous rage as powerful as any feeling I’d had in months.

I thrust into her body hard, wanting her to remember what it felt like when I fucked her.

“Look at me,” I ordered, my breath hot against her ear.

When I leaned back, her eyes were waiting. I slammed inside of her, all the way to the hilt.

“Remember.” Remember me.

Her hand came to my cheek. “Will you?”

For the rest of my life.





CHAPTER FOURTEEN





ELOISE





Mateo leaned against the reception counter at the hotel, looking like he was about to broach the subject I’d managed to dodge for over a month.

My marriage.

“So . . .” he said.

“We still have three guests coming in tonight.” I clicked the mouse, waking up the computer. “Hopefully they’ll get here soon. I’d love to check them in before I go home tonight. There’s been a lot of changes to the reservation software since the last time you worked the desk.”

As promised, Mateo had spent the past month helping me at the hotel. He’d mostly been covering shifts in housekeeping. There’d been a few maintenance projects I’d asked him to tackle too, but this was the first time I’d needed him as a desk clerk.

My regular night desk clerk had called in sick this morning, and I’d planned to cover myself. But I’d been here since seven, and when Mateo had come in this afternoon, he’d volunteered to work tonight.

“I can figure out the software,” he said.

“Okay.” I looked to the doors, praying a guest would walk inside so the two of us weren’t alone. So we didn’t have to talk about Jasper.

“What’s Jasper going to do now that Foster is retiring?” Mateo asked.

I shrugged. “He’s not sure yet.” Or maybe he had a plan. Mateo’s guess was as good as mine.

It had been a week since Foster’s retirement had been announced, and if Jasper was sure of his next steps, he hadn’t shared them with me. Why would he? We only had a couple more weeks to go until the wedding, then I’d no longer be his fake wife.

I was trying my very best not to let that chafe.

Just like I was trying my very best to not think about what July would bring.

Divorce.

Dread had become a constant companion these past couple of weeks. It was as unwelcome as it was troubling. Wasn’t I supposed to be looking forward to this divorce? To having my normal life back? To righting the wrong I’d made in Las Vegas?

This marriage had to end. Jasper and I weren’t in love. This wasn’t some fairy tale. Yet the idea of watching him leave made my heart sink.

“How’s it going with Jasper?” Mateo asked. “Be honest.”

“Good.” Not great, but good.

Good enough.

When Jasper and I were at the A-frame, when the rest of the world was a blur beyond the bedroom, it was easy. But the other twenty hours of every day were a bit more difficult.

Prying anything but orgasms out of that man was impossible.

I still didn’t know anything about his family. He never asked about mine. I had no clue what had happened with his ex-wife and why this wedding was so important.

Was I just a tool to spite her? Or did he still love her? When the officiant asked if anyone objected to the marriage, would Jasper raise his hand?

Either way, I doubted I’d like any of the answers to those questions. My curiosity was crippling, but I refused to ask.

Mateo glanced around the lobby, making sure we were alone.

Unfortunately, we were. Why was it that whenever I wanted a quiet minute alone at the hotel, I’d be swamped, but when I needed someone, anyone, to provide a distraction, the lobby was as silent as a grave?

“You should know . . . Mom and Dad are worried.”

My stomach pitched. It shouldn’t have surprised me, but it did. “Why? I’m fine.”

“They don’t like Jasper.”

I winced. “Ouch. That’s pretty severe, don’t you think?”

“Is it? Come on, Eloise. Put yourself in their shoes. Their youngest daughter goes to Las Vegas for a weekend and comes home married, which she then hides for a month. The truth finally comes out, and when they attempt to get to know their new son-in-law, he blows them off.”

“Jasper came to dinner.”

Mateo arched an eyebrow. “And wanted to be anywhere else. That was the most awkward dinner that table has seen in years.”