48. Jasper Ridge

48

Jasper Ridge

“ H ey Jasper?” Poppy whispered, green eyes glistening under the moonlight that filtered in through my blinds.

“Yeah?” I hummed, threading my fingers through her curls, admiring the masterpiece that was her.

There was no place I would’ve rather been than tangled in the essence of her, spread across my bed sheets with Marvel’s Civil War playing in the background.

“We’re for reals, aren’t we?”

I perched up onto my elbows. “Of course we are, Wellsy.”

Poppy copied my movements, resting her head against the headboard, eyes fluttering closed.

Her quiet voice filled my room.

My lifeline in the silence.

“Will…will you hold me?”

Her raspy breath kissed every inch of the exposed skin at my neck. Those eyes–those damned saddened green eyes stared into mine, so round, so full of uncertainty. They were my own personal riptide, and I found myself entirely willing to be swept away by their ferocious currents.

“You know I will, Wellsy.” I smiled, tugging her into my side as she buried her head against my chest. “I will always hold you when the darkness gets too close.”

“For infinity?” She asked, voice quiet and small.

I reached for her, pulling her body flush up against mine as I pressed a kiss to her forehead. “For infinity,” I promised her.

Tomorrow, I wanted to take her down to the records store after finishing our shifts at the surf school. I’d asked them to put aside one of their new Harry’s House vinyl so I could surprise her with it. Because that girl, who believed with her entire heart that she was devastatingly broken to the point of being unfixable, needed to be shown that she was anything but broken .

I had never been one to believe in love but for Poppy Wells, I felt like I was full of it.

She was my religion, my addiction, my heart and soul.

Every atom inside me worshipped her.

I loved her. I did .

Young and naive, I didn’t care.

I knew my heart and my heart had chosen her.

That was all the proof I needed.

I knew she had trouble trusting others, it came as no surprise to me after learning more about her past…but I would wait for her because unlike everyone else in her life, I believed she was worth waiting for.

“Close your eyes, Wellsy,” I whispered, idly drawing small patterns across her stomach. “You’re safe with me.”