Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 128313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Years of hero-worshipping this man, and a decade of finding him the most attractive man in the world, came crashing down onto my soul as he uttered those words. I fought the smile that threatened to pull on my lips and could feel heat bursting on my cheeks in a bloom of red blush. I tried to speak, but nerves held me a silent captive.
Jasper stumbled closer. He smelled of a heady mix of sandalwood, mint, and horse. And right now, of whiskey. His eyes glazed as he stepped closer still, and I ceased breathing. Jasper raised his hand and gently took a strand of my hair between his finger and thumb, stroking down its full length.
“So soft,” he said, then lost his footing. I reached out and caught him before he hit the floor. Jasper was much heavier than me, but I managed to walk him backward and balance him against the wall between Lord Henry’s stall and Lady Dahlia’s old one. Like his body couldn’t take any more, Jasper slumped to the floor, legs spread out before him, still clutching the whiskey bottle like it was his lifeline. My hands held on to his arms, and the force of his fall had me slumping down before him too. I looked up to see Jasper grinning, and the sight should not have been as hot as it was.
He then proceeded to laugh. My heart skipped at the melodic sound. “Angel,” he said, and took hold of my hand. I stared down at our intertwined hands. His were rough and calloused from all his years riding, I presumed. But they were warm and seemed to fit perfectly within mine. “I’m sent an angel to get through tonight, and she finds me like this,” he said again, forcing me to meet his dark eyes. He was still chuckling, but the pain that poured from his gaze made my stomach churn in sadness.
Without releasing my hand, Jasper took another swig of his whiskey, shaking his head as he swallowed. He held the bottle out for me, then pulled it back before I could refuse it. “Silly me. Angels don’t drink whiskey. Only fucked-up souls do.”
“Jasper,” I said, searching around me for any sign of help. I needed someone stronger to help me lift him.
“You know my name,” he whispered, causing me to face him again. He set his bottle of whiskey down and ran the tips of his fingers down my face. “Such beauty,” he said, then stared at my eyes. “Your eyes look turquoise, like a tropical sea.”
I tried to stop my foolish heart from melting at his compliments and vowed to keep to the task at hand. “I need to get you home,” I said, worried about how the hell that could be done when he could barely walk.
“Not home,” Jasper said, firmly, almost panicked, shaking his head and dropping his hand from my face. He took another swig of his whiskey. He looked up to his left at Henry, whose head was over the stable door, watching his owner crumble. “Anyway, he’s my home,” Jasper said, and the softly spoken sentiment brought tears to my eyes. “My proper house is a cell.” He huffed a humorless laugh. “A big cell, but a cell nonetheless.”
I tried to pull back my hand from his, but he held on to me tighter. “Don’t leave me yet, Angel. Please . . .” he begged, all playfulness gone and only devastation causing his body to slump. “I . . .” He choked on his words. His head fell back against the wall. “I don’t want to be alone tonight.”
I warred with what to do. This was Jasper Knighton. I had broken into his private stables, and worse than that, he was, in a roundabout way, my employer. I was pretty sure any fraternizing was frowned upon.
“Please, Angel,” he begged again, and when I looked to his face, I didn’t stand a chance. I’d been this broken once in my life. And I still remembered that pain like it was yesterday.
Pushing my worry aside, I released my hand from Jasper’s and got to my feet. Jasper’s shoulders slumped, and the sadness that engulfed his perfect face cut through my chest. He watched my every step with his dark-brown eyes, a plea to stay within their chocolate depths.
I rocked on my feet. I needed to leave. I needed to reach the main house and get one of his cousins to help. I didn’t know Jasper personally, but I believed he wouldn’t want any of the professional riders here seeing him in this state. But then, I didn’t want to give away that I’d snuck into the private section of the barn either.
Shit.
Then I looked down at him and saw the silent tears falling down his stubbled cheeks. In that second, I knew I wouldn’t be going anywhere.