Legally Bound 4: Allegations of Love (5 page)

Chapter 8

As he rummages through the refrigerator, Jas notes what they have stock of by way of food. Finding fresh lamb, he decides to make a dish his aunt had taught him. He finds himself wondering what she would think about how his life turned out. His eyes mist over as he realizes what really drew him to Olivia. It wasn’t the sex, it was the comfort. She had been to him what his Aunt had been, his sounding board, someone to share with.

Aunt Raquel taught him how to make his way around the kitchen. She had listened to him when he realized just how deep his feelings were for Marie. She had even gone to bat for him when he wasn’t sure about joining the family business and thought about discontinuing his training.

Olivia had listened to him when he talked of leaving the family business. She had taught him more than pleasure. Jas knew if he could have been what she needed she would have gone to bat for their relationship. Again he thought about her gifts.

He had to tell Marie the truth about Olivia. Jas’s time with Olivia molded and shaped who he was now. If Marie wanted to really know who he had become, she’d have to know it all. He let the war of how to tell her play in his head as he got into the flow of cooking.

As the fireplace warms the cabin, he starts to shed layers of clothing. First his sweater, then his socks, soon he felt like he right at home in just his jeans as he pulls the roasted vegetables from the oven. Wiping his brow, he looks around the kitchen at all he has done without noticing the time that has passed.

It is the clicking of heels and Marie’s voice calling his name that brings him back to the room. Looking up, he almost swallows his tongue. Marie stands before him in a black silky looking dress or ….robe?

She is in a robe. He was sure of it. Around Marie’s neck, she has a black wool scarf as if she is trying to ward off the cold. That just doesn’t make sense with the thin robe. Jas’s eyes raked her body from the fuck me patent leather black heels to the silk stockings, further up to the robe that clings to her curves. It is so thin he can see her nipples beading through the fabric.

Marie had always had a smoking hot body. Not too thin with nice curves to complement her long legs. Her face is scrubbed free of makeup, the way Jas loved it and her dark hair is pulled back into a slick ponytail, away from her beautiful naturally tanned face. Even from this distance, he could see her eyes had that sparkle that called to him every time.

“Something smells great,” Marie smiles nervously as Jas continues to devour her with his eyes.

Jasper clears his throat and tries to adjust himself without her noticing. Jas figures he failed completely when Marie’s eyes drop to his bulge and a smile genuinely tugs her lips.
Fuck, what are you up to?

He clears his throat again. “I made lamb and that wild rice you love with roasted vegetables. Let’s eat then I will make some calls about your shoot,” Jasper’s voice comes out more husky than usual.

Marie had loved when Jasper’s voice dropped in high school. It had become a sexy rumble and was no different now. Marie’s eyes stay glued on Jas as he moves to get their dinner on plates. He looks absolutely edible in just a pair of well-fitting jeans.

Marie licks her lips as she watches his muscles play beneath his skin. Jas had always had been in shape for as long as she could remember. It came with the family business. He worked out all the time when they were younger, but this version of his body speaks of a different type of discipline.

There is a wooden dining table in the open space, but Jasper walks their plates over to the wooden coffee table set in front of the fireplace. It is the first time Marie notices that he has set up candles there and lit them.

Marie couldn’t deny Jasper being a romantic. In the year and six months that they were learning to be friends again, he had done plenty of romantic things, despite the nonromantic nature of their relationship. He was always surprising her in some way.

From random text messages to sending flowers on random occasions from their past, like on the anniversary of their first kiss or on the date of her first commercial when she was in Europe. Jasper had been the first one she called when she booked and shot the commercial on the spot. It was nothing big, but it was a big deal to Marie and Jasper had been just as excited as she was.

Marie couldn’t believe Jas remembered that or the tons of other events he had sent her flowers and sweet gifts in commemoration of. If Marie weren’t already in love with him, she knew she would have fallen a million times over by now. They both knew the only reason they are not where they want to be is because of the elephants they both allowed into the room.

“Come on, you can’t stand there staring at me all night,” Jas says with a crooked smile. Jas was doing all he could to ignore the energy swirling around them. “Our food is getting cold.”

Marie walks over to the coffee table and Jasper holds out his hand to help her sit on the rug beside the table. Marie smooths a hand down her robe to ensure it remains closed as she sits. She was not ready to reveal all just yet.

Once settled on her knees before her plate Marie’s eyes travel up Jasper’s length to find him giving her a heated stare. His eyes are hooded and almost black with lust. Marie couldn’t prevent herself from squirming under his gaze.

A cell phone rings breaking the trance. Jasper turns to retrieve his phone from the large butcher block island top where he had left it. Marie takes the moment to breathe. She second guesses her intentions for tonight. Jasper can be so intense.

Marie shakes the thought off. Her preparation had been just as intense. She would not be a coward. Marie’s family already treats her like she is so fragile. Granted she had made some decisions that gave them cause to, but things had changed, she had changed. Marie knew she was no longer the naïve push over everyone had coined her for.

Things with Whitney had shown her a lot. Marie knew she was just a trusting person by nature. That is what got her in trouble every time. Marie just hoped that wouldn’t burn her this time.

Jasper looks down at his phone and his lips curl into a smile. He had a feeling he knew what was coming from this call. Jas lifts his head and looks out of the window and, sure enough, the snow was still falling unrelentingly. He could barely see the SUV they had driven in. The large picturesque windows themselves were starting to become covered.

There was no way they were getting anywhere out in that mess if they could get off the property at all. This storm is no passing wind. Jasper knew from the report he turned in to his dad that there was a very good chance they are going to be snowed in for a few days. It’s just what he needed to make things happen once and for all.

Jasper answered the phone and placed it on speaker so that Marie would hear. Turning to face her he leans his back against the countertop. Jasper watches Marie’s head pop up at the groggy voice that comes through the line.

“Hey Jas, it’s me, Pam. Did you guys make it in okay,” Pam yarns.

“Yeah, we made it in just before the storm prevented it,” he replies.

“Yeah, about that, my assistant told me that the shoot had been postponed when you guys first arrived. I just received a call and it looks like the crew is already snowed in and the location is useless at this point.

“I feel terrible. Why don’t you guys use the cabin for as long as you like, it’s the least I can do for this mess I’ve gotten you into. Don’t worry about anything the trip is totally on me. I’m sure Marie is just happy to get away for a bit.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Marie speaks up. “I’ll just stick around for a bit just in case they decide they want to shoot once the weather clears. Will you give me a call to keep me posted?”

“Sure,” Pam chirps. “I tried calling your phone, but it went straight to voicemail.”

“Oh,” Marie frowns. “I’ll have to see what that is about.”

“If you can’t reach Marie just give my phone a ring. Thanks, Pam,” Jasper pipes in.

“You’re welcome, Jas,” Pam giggles before the line goes dead.

“It really is looking bad out there isn’t it,” Marie asks as she looks out the large cabin windows.

“Yup, we should be fine in here, though. We have plenty of firewood and the cabinets are well stocked. I’ll look around for other supplies we may need after dinner,” Jasper shrugs placing his phone back down on the countertop and strolling back over to their makeshift dinner table in front of the fire.

Marie bites her lip and looks up at him through her lashes. “Um, did you know this place only has one bedroom,” she asks coyly.

“One of the things I hate about the job. While the client gets all the comfy accommodations I usually get stuck on the couch,” Jas chuckles slapping the sofa behind him.

Marie looks at the sofa and frowns. “You would never fit on that thing,” Marie presses her lips.

“I always manage to fit,” he says with a hot stare and a wink.

Marie can feel her cheeks flush. The temperature is definitely rising and it is not coming from the fireplace. It is the man that is sitting across from her, his words, his eyes, that chest.

Marie wanted to ask Jas to put his shirt back on. It was her goal to have him completely naked, but right now he is distracting her from the task at hand. They have some talking to do before they can get to any of that.

With the shoot now officially canceled for the night Marie felt herself relax. She didn’t have to rush this. She planned to take her time now. Redirecting her eyes to the fire, she starts to think of how to start things. Marie knew where she wanted them to end, she just didn’t know how to get there.

Marie starts in on her dinner as she watches Jasper do the same. It isn’t the first time he has cooked for her. The thought of the first time he did comes to mind and puts a smile on her face.

Jasper tilts his head as he watches her back and smiles. “What are you thinking about,” he prompts.

“Remember the first time we sneaked off to the old lake house,” Marie felt her smile grow wider.

Jasper throws his head back and laughs. “Do I, I was so nervous. I hadn’t been in the kitchen since,” Jas pauses as his smile fades a bit. Marie knew he was thinking of his Aunt. It had been about a year after they lost her if Marie remembered correctly. “I wasn’t sure I could pull it off by myself.”

“You did a great job,” Marie smiles at him and reaches to place her hand on top of his.

Jasper laces his fingers through hers and gives her a heated stare. “Is that all you remember from that day,” his voice rasps out with enough heat to set her body on fire.

No
, it was not the only thing she remembered from that day.

~B
~

Marie had been seventeen and Jasper was nineteen at the time. It was his birthday and he had asked her to spend it with him. They had been sneaking around for a year now. Well, as much as they could with Jasper in college.

Many weekends Marie would get Rita to cover for her and she would meet Jas and spend the weekend with him in his dorm. Being that he had chosen to stay closer to home for college, they had made it work with only two close calls. Jas had come up with the idea to spend this weekend at the lake house instead of his dorm.

No one would be going to the house this time of year and the family hadn’t been there in forever. Rita was going to a sleepover at their friend Emma’s and as far as everyone else was concerned Marie would be there for the weekend as well.

“What are you making, it smells so good,” Marie chirped from her seat at the kitchen island. The lake house had a brand new chef’s kitchen, despite the house’s lack of use.

“Roasted eggplant parmesan, salad, and garlic bread,” Jas smiled at her from the stove.

Jasper couldn’t believe she was there with him for his birthday. Sure they had been sneaking around for some time now, but Jasper had been nothing but a gentleman with Marie. He loved her; just getting to spend time with her was enough to make him happy.

In his dorm, his roommate was always in and out of the room. Here they could just be alone. He would have all her attention and like always she would have all of his.

“Can I help with something,” Marie asked eagerly.

“No,” Jasper said a little too quickly and laughed when Marie’s face fell and she started to pout. “Come on, Baby, you burned water.”

Marie’s mouth fell open in horror. “That was not my fault and you know it. If you didn’t have your tongue down my throat I wouldn’t have forgotten about it,” Marie pouted and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Okay fine, I’ll give you that, but what happened with the Ramen noodles,” Jas lifted a brow at her.

This time, Marie bursts into laughter throwing her head back. He was right, she totally ruined the simple meal she tried to make them. She had been too busy on the phone with Rita trying to get help making it.

“That wasn’t my fault either. Rita could have explained it better,” Marie laughed.

Jasper gave her a pointed look. “Marie…it was Ramen noodles.
Ramen
noodles
,” Jasper drawled.

Marie huffed and gave him a pout. Jasper laughed and sauntered over to plant a kiss on her lips. As he stepped between her legs, Marie wrapped her arms around his neck. Jasper wrapped his arms around her waist.