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But then his gaze landed on her. Flames licked at her innards. She’d never had a man stare like he wanted to take a bite out of her. She dropped her gaze, breaking the connection. She had to. Sleeping with Jasper might feel amazing, but the consequences were too dire to even entertain.
“You know what, baby? Why don’t we go change the laundry over and get out of their way for a bit. Then once everything’s in, you can see what Jasper got you.”
“Yay, Mama. Snack.”
“All right, we can do a snack too.” Anything to keep them occupied. She needed time to decompress from that kiss.
9
Jasper watched Freya hurry away with Maddie, her body a coiled spring of nervousness. Woman was as skittish as a newborn colt. He knew he had been forthright down in his private dungeon—how could he not when he had seen the way she looked at the furniture, her eyes alight with longing? A physical force had drawn him to her, an unseen tether that left him shaken and wanting more than they had agreed upon.
Because she’d stared at the furniture with arousal painted across her gorgeous features. It hit his system like dropping a match on nitroglycerin. Lust hammered him. He’d wanted her with a fierceness that left him shaken.
And then, she made the first move, kissing him with a kinetic hunger that spoke volumes. From the first taste, he had wanted to devour her. His cock had been hard instantly. Freya had been electrifying in his arms, and something inside him yearned for her. And he wanted to do everything he mentioned and more. The intensity of his own desire had stunned him with its power and depth.
Although it wasn’t all horrible, considering they were getting married this week. But he didn’t want to give her hope that their relationship would be anything but physical since love was out of the question. He wanted her in his bed and his dungeon. Because no matter how hard he tried to deny it, something about Freya called to him. She beckoned him through every action and gesture. He felt it in her kiss, in her spirit.
It scared him how much he craved her. He wanted her with an intensity that made him tremble. Yet he knew entertaining a relationship with her would be risky and could make this entire thing blow up in their faces. Jasper didn't do longevity, but it felt as though Freya was permanent in his life, no matter how hard he tried to fight it.
Because Freya had permanence stamped across her cute behind.
Jasper directed the movers. He had them erect the furniture for Maddie in the spare bedroom. Downstairs in the living room, the movers set up the play area with all the toys he’d bought her. He should have bought stock in Playskool, considering the sheer volume of items he’d purchased, like the play kitchen and the tiny house. There was the princess tent with starry lights. And then there were the dolls, stuffed animals, blocks, and the shelf with storage bins to house all the toys.
Standing in the middle of the warmly lit room, with Maddie's toys strewn about, he was full of conflicting thoughts. He couldn't deny the overwhelming pride and joy that filled his heart at being able to provide for her. But there was something else too—an unfamiliar tug on his heartstrings, as if he were naturally inclined toward cherishing these two.
There was even a play tea set stationed on the pink table and chairs set so she could have tea parties.
As the movers left, Jasper surveyed his work with a sense of wistfulness. Even though he knew his time as Maddie’s stepfather would be fleeting, he wanted to provide her with the best possible experience while she lived in his home. He had put effort into providing an environment where she would feel comfortable and cared for, creating a makeshift nursery complete with all the toys.
Then he went searching for his girls.
His girls.
In that moment, he recognized that even if he couldn’t express it in the traditional way, he could still give them everything they needed: a sense of security and safety. He didn’t know why, but he liked the sound of that. He liked the thought of them belonging to him. And it was totally at odds with his normal mode. He didn’t love them and leave them per se, but he didn’t fall in love with them. He truly didn’t believe he was capable of romantic love. It was an emotion he had never experienced before.
Not even when he was a randy teenager.
He located them in the kitchen. Maddie was happily shoving Cheerios into her mouth. The moment she spied him, she beamed and held out her little arms. God, there was something about this kid that got to him too.
He grinned. “Hey Maddie, my little lassie, are you ready to see your presents?”
She screamed in high-pitched decibels. He chuckled at her antics. He strode over and held out his hands. She leapt from her mother’s arms into his hands. He caught her and winked at Freya.
Then left Freya in the kitchen and headed into the living room. He felt Freya follow behind them. She didn’t trust him yet. They would have to work on that. If there was one thing he needed, it was the full story about her ex, who he assumed was Maddie’s father. But until Freya trusted him enough, he doubted she would confess.
There was a lot he didn’t know about his future bride, which he intended to rectify. Because sometime over the last twenty-four hours, he’d decided to seduce her. It might not be the best nor the soundest plan, but he would not worry about the potential pitfalls now.
Maddie squirmed in his arms the moment she spied all the loot.
“Go explore all the toys, little lassie.” With a chuckle, he set her on her feet. She raced over, going from one thing to the next. Her blue eyes were wide with excitement. Maddie scampered across the floor, filled with sheer joy and excitement. Her giggles were infectious. He found immense pleasure in watching her. The sight of Maddie's sheer happiness brought a smile to his lips. He was captivated by the innocence of her delight, realizing for the first time that anything was possible with this arrangement—even his own happiness.
Jasper glanced at Freya. She had tears in her eyes watching her kid’s happiness. A feeling of contentment washed over him. Whatever happened next, this moment—right here and now—was special. It was moments like these that taught him to cherish life and all it offered.
It was almost as though he had stepped into a new realm—one where tenderness and love intertwined effortlessly to create something entirely new and remarkable. With each passing second, his vision of the future shifted and changed. He suddenly found himself filled with an overwhelming determination to make this relationship work, whatever it took. He was not sure how it had happened so quickly, but here he stood, determined to win Freya's trust, possibly even her love, and uncover the story behind her troubled eyes.
For now, he would savor this moment. And so, he stood and watched, a peaceful serenity radiating from his very being as he embraced the depths of his newly discovered sentimentality.
She made him feel things he’d never felt before. Though Freya seemed hesitant toward him, he was determined to seduce her. In fact, he had every intention of getting beneath the surface and discovering who she really was. And he didn’t know what his unexpected desires meant, only that there was no walking away from this path.
