Page 203 of Romeo

He walked me to the porch with his hand resting lightly against my back. At the door, I turned before he could say goodnight.

“Jasper.”

His gaze settled on me.

“Why did you come tonight?”

“Because I promised I would.”

I studied his face. “Why?”

For a moment, he didn’t answer. Then he stepped closer, slowly enough that I could’ve moved if I wanted to.

I didn’t.

“Because I needed to see you,” he said. “I’ve spent weeks trying to get back here, and every damn time something got in the way. Then I finally saw you at the clubhouse and got ten fucking minutes before I had to walk away again.” His voice lowered. “I’m tired of walking away from you, Fiona.”

Everything inside me seemed to go quiet.

He lifted both hands to my face, his palms warm against my cheeks. His thumbs moved lightly beneath my eyes while he studied me with an intensity that made it impossible to pretend I didn’t know where this was going.

“Tell me to stop.”

“What?”

“Tell me you don’t want this. Tell me to walk back to my bike.”

I looked at his mouth.

For months, Jasper had been the one stopping. Holding back. Deciding we should wait when I wasn’t even sure what we were waiting for anymore.

Tonight, he’d put the choice in my hands.

“I can’t.”

His eyes darkened. “Why not?”

“Because I want this.”

Something in his expression broke loose. “Say it again.”

“I want this.” I swallowed. “I want you.”

His forehead dropped against mine as a rough breath left him. “Fiona.”

“Kiss me, Jasper.”

His mouth covered mine.

From the moment I met him, I’d wondered what kissing Jasper would feel like. I’d imagined everything from the gentle kiss he seemed determined to give me someday to the kind of kiss that matched the way he looked at me when he forgot to hide it.

The reality was neither.

At first, his mouth moved slowly against mine, warm and careful, his hands still holding my face as if he were giving me time to change my mind. The restraint almost made it worse. Every soft movement left me wanting the next one before it came.

I gripped the front of his cut and pulled him closer.

A low sound left him, and the kiss changed.