Chapter 24

HARPER

W hen I opened my computer to look up the closest bus stop, I noticed an urgent message from Mr. Kelvin. He likely attempted to call, but my phone wasn't charged, and I awoke to find it completely dead. Fortunately, I have a reliable internal alarm clock that prevents me from oversleeping. If not for that, the morning might have turned into a disaster.

Harper,

Sorry for the late notice, but I'm going to send you a list of contacts to reach out to for the ‘Plaza story'. You will work from home today. I'll reach out Via Skype this evening. Have a great day.

-Mr. Kelvin

" That's so weird, " I thought to myself.

We have never worked from home. Mr. Kelvin was too controlling and overbearing by nature to give me the reins on a big story like ‘The Plaza Story' or any story.

I shrugged it off and packed the rest of my things in my overfilled duffle bag, grabbing my toiletries from the bathroom. I turned down the light, doing my best to leave everything the way it was when I got here.

I was stuffing my charger into my purse when I heard a light knock at the door. It was so light that I stopped to see where the noise had come from. Then a second knock came a little heavier than the last.

"Come in," I hollered as I bent down, placing my purse on my duffle bag, and quickly grabbing my computer from the bedside table.

When I turned around, I locked eyes with the most handsome man I had ever seen. I thought he looked good in his three-piece suit and loafers but seeing him in denim and a V-neck t-shirt that showed his tattooed chest and neck had me absolutely screaming .

His hair was ruffled. I could smell his body soap and cologne as their masculine aroma floated to my senses.

A smile spread across his full lips, revealing dimples nearly concealed by his well-groomed beard. He posed in the doorway, leaning on the frame with one shoulder, hands tucked into his front pockets, accentuating the veins in his forearms. His tattoos moved like animated paintings, stretching over his firm, flexed muscles.

My eyes wandered, at his chest, to the bulge in his jeans. Jasper cleared his throat startling me back to reality.

"See something you like, Doll?" He teased as I stood there with my lips parted, saying nothing. I snapped my mouth shut quickly and looked at the floor as the heat of humiliation flushed over my face and chest. I realized I'd just stood there ogling him like a horny teenager.

"Um, sorry. I just um. I've only ever seen you in suits." I said with a shaky tone from both the foreign feeling of arousal and embarrassment. He chuckled at my stuttered remark.

"Well, if I knew it had this effect on you, I would have dressed down when I asked you out last, maybe I wouldn't have been rejected," he said teasingly with a wink as his tongue snuck out to moisten his bottom lip. It sent a pang of guilt, straight to my gut and something else I couldn't quite explain. Arousal?

He must have felt the shift in the atmosphere when he scrunched his eyebrows at me and started to walk into the room. I subconsciously took a step away from him. He noticed and stopped immediately.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you, Doll. I was teasing you," he announced with his hands in front of him in a signal of surrender. I rubbed the back of my neck at the awkwardness that blanketed the situation.

"Okay, so things just got a little awkward due to my tasteless joke, how about some breakfast to restart?" He offered flashing another one of his breathtaking grins.

I couldn't resist smiling back with a nod, agreeing to the whole fresh start idea as my body was trembling with energy. Just then, he extends his hand out for me to take in return. I hesitated a moment but then laid my fingertips in his palm. His warm skin against mine made my mind go quiet, only focusing on the sensation of our shared touch.

He led me through a long hall, the walls were covered with pieces of aged art, some I recognized, most I didn't. Everything looked a bit different in the daylight, more lived in.

He guided me further into the dining room where breakfast was already waiting. The ornate dining table was covered in pastries, breakfast meats, and eggs cooked to all different temperatures. With wide eyes, I looked to see Jasper standing back, taking in my reaction.

"Are you having company?"

He shook his head, smirking.

"I didn't know what you liked so I had a little taste of everything brought up. Please sit. Indulge." He pulled my chair out, gesturing for me to sit before he himself sat across from me.

Uncertain, I hesitated to move, even when my stomach growled loudly—a sound I was sure he heard, given the soft chuckle that followed.

After a few minutes of awkwardly staring at the spread, his chair scraped across the tile floor, and before I knew it my empty plate was in his hand. He grabbed all sorts of delicious things and piled them onto it.

"Please don't tell me you are one of those girls that eat like a bird around a man," he scoffed. He placed the plate in front of me, then nodded for me to eat.

"Eat, please."

I looked up at him where he stood tall. Standing so close with a puzzled expression, not for the reason he might think, but because, for the first time in ages, I'm not panicking. Considering I was in his home, he could potentially trap me and harm me, a fact of which I was very conscious.

But right then, all I felt like doing was having a meal and hanging out with him.

I should be intimidated at the very least.

"You wish," I retorted, with a smile.

I slipped off my heels to get comfortable. I drew my foot up onto the seat, tucking my knee between the table and my chest as I reached over to grab a croissant from my plate. I broke it with my hands, biting into one half while holding the other half close by.

It was sweet and warm and absolutely delicious. I closed my eyes and let out a quiet moan in appreciation of the explosion that my taste buds were experiencing. Jasper, still standing beside me in a silent trance and staring, began to smile with his eyebrows raised.

"I hope you aren't one of those guys who expects a woman to eat like a bird and sit like a lady," I teased with my mouth full,and nodded to his seat reminding him he was hovering. He let out a belly laugh as he walked over to his chair, almost tipping it over when he missed the seat through his blurred vision as he continued to laugh. It was a beautiful sight.

His blue eyes somehow even more blue from the tears that refused to fall from laughing so hard, between gasping for air he said,

"You're perfect aren't you, Doll?" Shocked at his question, I couldn't help but join in on his laughter.

Once we managed to pull ourselves together, he got up to grab some food and then sat down with me for breakfast. I tried some of everything, and it was all delicious—even the eggs were just right.

"That was delicious. I'll have to skip lunch after a meal like that." I said as I leaned back and patted my stomach like I'd seen Aster's uncle Charlie do after Thanksgiving dinner during the holidays. Jasper did the same.

"I don't usually eat breakfast," he confessed, sipping his orange juice that I was certain was freshly squeezed.

"You did all this for me?" I asked, feeling embarrassed again. He had already done so much.

"Yes, but don't get used to it, I'm not usually this nice," he said, wearing a sarcastic smile. His kind gestures came so naturally that it would be hard to believe him not to be.

I rose and began rearranging items to take the leftover food to the kitchen when Jasper grabbed my wrist through my shirt, instantly leaving me breathless.

"What are you doing?" He asked, stopping me from lifting another finger.

"I'm going to clean this up," I declared, looking up at him. He's so tall, towering at least a foot above me. If he were any nearer, tilting my head back to see him would be uncomfortable. "No, leave it," he urged. "I have someone coming to clean today."

I didn't want to leave such a mess, but I didn't want to offend him, especially after letting me stay in his home.

Last night I acted like being home alone was fine with me but if I'm honest, after my nightmare I was terrified at the idea of going back to sleep and being home alone with nothing but my fears and memories.

I took a deep breath and smoothed over my clothes with my palms.

"Well, I guess I'll go ahead and get out of your hair. I really appreciate your hospitality. Thanks for everything." Then, I raised my hand in a small, awkward waist-height wave. Before I could turn to grab my bag from where I had left it, he was in front of me, stopping me.

I stepped back, creating some space between us out of habit. He noticed and moved back a step as well.

"Where are you going? You said your roommate would be gone for several days…" His voice carried a note of concern, turning the statement into more of a question.

"She will be back in two days. I'll be fine on my own. I was a little shaken up last night because of my dream," I started to babble. I didn't know who I was trying to convince more, him or myself. I looked up to meet his gaze. He tilted his head and raised his eyebrows as if reading the doubt straight from my head.

"Doll, I think you're a bit more bothered than you are putting on. You can stay here with me until she's back. I'll take you to get your things to make you comfortable." His face brimmed with satisfaction.

The nickname I seemed to have adopted permanently rolls off his tongue.

He walked toward the elevator without waiting for me to accept his proposal. I stayed behind, stunned at his bold behavior. He noticed halfway through the living room and turned to face me.

"You coming?" He asked with his hand out for me to take. I hesitated a moment longer, but then I fell into place behind him, and I was surprised at myself for taking his hand, just as I had before breakfast.

"Do you need a ride to work?" he inquired, as we reached the parking garage where Hector waited for us. He opened the car door for me. I slid over making room for Jasper to get in beside me. Our hands were no longer locked together. As soon as he was situated in his seat, he sought out my hand again, lacing his fingers between mine.

Hector glanced down, acknowledging the gesture before he closed the door and walked over to the driver's side. I could swear I saw him smirk as he buckled his seat belt, but it might have just been me overthinking.

"So?" Jasper turned and looked into my eyes. Unsure of what he was asking, I stayed silent.

"Work?" He added.

"Oh, actually I won't be going in. My boss requested that I work from home today."

I blurted out with unexpected excitement. I looked up to see Hector look into the rear-view mirror at Jasper as they exchanged a look. Jasper smiled.

"I can set up the desk in the spare room for you to work from today if you'd like."

Hector let out a forced cough.

It wasn't long and we were pulling up to my apartment building. Jasper insisted he walk me up to help carry my things down.

"He might need to move the car, they like to give tickets here," I warned, nodding toward Hector.

"He will be fine, Doll," Jasper said confidently. I didn't argue.

* * *

We walked in together as I turned to disarm the alarm system. Jasper wandered around, peering into rooms and glancing around doors. It seemed like a natural response to escorting a woman into her home, and I couldn't help but feel grateful for his actions.

I've never had anyone show protectiveness over me. It felt strange, I couldn't quite explain.

He came from the bathroom, content with the uneventful security check, and settled onto a bar stool at the kitchen counter.

"Can I offer you a drink?" I smiled nervously.

"No doll, I'm fine. Thank you." He declined.

He looked so comfortable, not a bit out of place. If Aster were here, she'd be already into rounds of drilling him, and I'd have no choice but to sit back and feel sorry for him. The thought had me smiling to myself until I was startled by a voice coming over the intercom of the alarm system, the operator's intercom.

"Harper? Are you home Harper?" I'd recognize that voice from anywhere. It was Mr. Jenkins.

"Yes. Is everything okay?"

"Oh yes dear, I'm fine, it's just I spoke with Aster this morning, she said you were home alone, but I couldn't get you on your cell," he said, with a questioning tone. He's not my dad, but he often spoke to me in a fatherly way.

I wonder why Aster hadn't been blowing up my phone.

"Yes, sir, my phone died," I reassured him.

"Oh good, I was worried because my office alerted me that your system was breached for about fifteen minutes last night. I'm sure it wasn't anything to worry about, but I'd still like to take precautions." I could hear papers swishing around.

"Looked like it happened around… midnight." I let out a small gasp as I realized it was the same time I woke and thought I had seen someone standing in my doorway.

"I'm sending over a gentleman named Gunther to take a look. I'm installing some inside cameras in the necessary rooms. I know you two want privacy, but could you just agree to this for a little while?"

I was against them in the beginning, I felt like it was taking away from our privacy but given the new threat, I thought it was a great idea.

"Sure, but I can't answer for Aster," I chuckled. "Will I need to be home for him?"

I was hoping he would say yes, then I could stay and work from home and not seem like an asshole for declining Jasper's gracious offer to stay at his house.

"Nope, Gunther can get in, and he can lock up when he's done," he proudly stated.

"Great – thank you, Mr. Jenkins."

He let out a sigh. I could imagine him running his hand down his face like I've seen him do so many times with Aster.

"Harper honey, when will you drop the formalities and call me Daniel, I'd even be happy to hear dad from you sweetheart." I giggled. He's right, he and Sylvia have been more like parents to me since I was a little girl than my own before they disappeared completely.

"I'm sorry, Daniel ."

"Better." I could hear the smile he must have been wearing.

"Call if you need anything, sweetheart. Love you."

"Thank you," I said before the intercom made a clicking noise and the line went dead.

I glanced at Jasper, and he was busy typing away on his phone, he seemed to be unfazed by the interruption.

I would've packed my bag much quicker if I hadn't been daydreaming.

Everything last night happened so quickly that it was still hazy, but I did remember waking to the feeling of being watched and my bedroom door was open, when I looked at the clock, I remembered it being midnight. I may be overthinking, but the thought that someone was there watching me was weighing on me.

Being under Jasper's protection didn't seem so overbearing.