“I think so. Although I spent an awful lot of time at Christmas parties.”
He rolled his eyes and laughed. “Poor you.”
“Yeah, I know. But I didn’t really know anyone apart from the guys I’d gone to see, and everyone gets drunk at these things.” I shuddered. “And there was mistletoe.”
That had him stopping and sitting up a little straighter. “Oh?”
“I’ve had more drunken women stop me for a quick kiss under it this past week than I ever thought possible.”
“What about men?” he asked, expression darkening. And I couldn’t help but smile at his display of jealousy.
“No men.” I didn’t miss the way Jasper smiled at that. None under the mistletoe anyway. There were a couple who’d asked me elsewhere, but I’d politely turned them down. No point mentioning that.
My gaze dropped to his cast. I’d not had chance to get a very good look at it last night. “That doesn’t look like the cast I was expecting you to have.”
He lifted his arm so I could see his wrist better. “They’re fibreglass these days. A lot lighter than the old ones.” He moved it around carefully. “Thank god.”
“How’s it feeling? Still sore?”
“Yeah, not half as bad though.” He still reached for the painkillers I offered.
Sun shone through my kitchen windows, bathing us in warmth, and I had the sudden urge to go for a walk. It felt like I hadn’t been outside for days.
“You up for a walk?” I asked, turning to him with a grin.
“Um...” His eyebrows scrunched together. “What did you have in mind?”
“Nothing too strenuous, I promise. I just fancied a bit of fresh air.”
“Okay. But you’ll have to help me with my shoes and stuff.”
“Deal.”
We stuckto the bike path so Jasper had a nice even surface to walk on, and with the winter sun high in the sky, the ground wasn’t slippery. I’d made sure of that.
He couldn’t get his coat on over his cast, so he was wearing one of my bigger fleeces. A fact which thrilled me to no end. “All right?” I asked as we walked out into the countryside, desperate to take his hand but not knowing if I could.
“Yeah.” He obviously read my mind, because his gloved fingers found mine a few minutes later. “This okay?” he raised our joined hands, and I smiled.
“Yeah.”
I ran through a dozen ways to start the conversation we needed to have, but before I decided, Jasper beat me to it.
“I’m going to move out.”
“What?” I stopped in my tracks and turned to stare at him.
He smiled at me and squeezed my fingers. “Keep walking, and I’ll explain.” He tugged on my hand to get me moving. “And don’t look so panicked, Finn, this is a good thing.”
We resumed our stroll down the path, and I waited for him to elaborate, my heart still beating faster than normal. “Talk.”
Jasper laughed, the sound echoing through the trees, and I relaxed slightly. “I’ve been thinking about everything, and I believe the main problem you have withus, is that we live together. Maybe more specifically, that I pay you rent to live in your house.” He looked at me. “Am I right?”
I’d done nothing but think about this for the week I’d been away. I liked Jasper. Liked him a lot. And while the age difference and the fact that he was Cole’s best mate weren’t ideal, they really didn’t bother me all that much anymore. “I guess.” I sighed, my breath misty in the chill air. “I know it probably sounds ridiculous to you, but yeah it does bother me.”
“It’s not ridiculous,” he said, voice soft, and he gave my fingers a squeeze. “Tell me what about it bothers you the most. Doesn’t matter what it is, just tell me the truth.”
I took a deep breath in and let it out slowly.
