Is this destiny?

Jasper woke up and stretched lazily in the bed.

He had an amazing dream: Ellie spent the night with him. Too bad it was just a dream. He never had such a vivid dream. He remembers the sounds and the smells and the touch. Oh, yes. She was touching him and allowing him to touch her as well… and she even said that she likes him very much.

Jasper paused. Why is he sleeping naked? Usually he has at least underwear on. And why are his clothes all over the place? Since when is he this messy? He tried to think how he ended up in the bed last night, but other than that dream, nothing else comes to his mind. Did he end up drunk somehow?

There is a faint feminine smell on the pillows. Oh, God! Did he bring a girl to his place last night? He does not bring girls here for hookups, this is his sanctuary! Just how much did he drink last night? Wait a minute, that is not the problem! What if Ellie finds out?! She will never speak to him again. Shit! He needs to make sure that Ellie NEVER finds out about this. But how can he hide things if he does not remember what happened?

Jasper took few deep breaths to calm down and analyze the situation. He buried his face in the pillow and inhaled for a confirmation: there was definitely a girl in his bed recently. Yesterday Ellie came to spend the afternoon with him, and his father showed up, and they talked, and then they watched movies, and then… Other than that dream, nothing else comes to his mind. What if… that was not a dream? But then, where is Ellie?

Oh, God! Did she leave?

He scrambled off the bed and grabbed his jeans. It took him few tries to realize that his leg is not fitting. What the…? He saw another pair of jeans on the floor nearby, and that means… these are Ellie's!

He pulled his jeans pants on and rushed to the bathroom. He can feel the increased humidity and lingering scent of his shower gel. So… she took a shower. Not long ago.

Jasper swiftly washed his face and went back into the bedroom.

His sight fell on the bed, and how the cover shifted when he got up... he can see a red stain on the bedsheet. Jasper moved closer to the bed and lifted the cover. He smiled. Definitely NOT a dream.

He took a deep breath while thinking that even if she left (and left her pants behind), there is no way he is letting her escape him. Not after this. He will pursue her to the ends of the world if needed.

That deep breath allowed him to inhale a faint scent of coffee. Oh, what if she didn't leave? There is a possibility that she woke up, showered and made coffee?

He pulled the bed cover up, because if Ellie is here and she sees that bloodstain, she will be embarrassed. He remembers how uncomfortable she was about the wine incident, this will be many times worse.

He considered changing the bedsheets, but it will take too long. He wants to go and check if she is still in the apartment.

In the living room he spotted a coffee mug on the table. He touched it and confirmed that it's still warm.

He held his breath when he saw Ellie on the terrace, facing the Lake Michigan. She didn't leave. And she is wearing his shirt, with no pants on… very seductive.

Jasper observed that she hugged herself and is rubbing her arms. Silly woman. Does she think this is Los Angeles? Chicago is cold and windy in October!

"Make sure to stay warm.", he said while draping a blanket around Ellie's shoulders.

She stiffened at the sound of his voice but didn't reject the blanket.

Jasper wrapped his arms around Ellie and kissed the back of her head.

Ellie noticed that his arms are bare. When she tilted her head, she saw that he is not wearing a top.

"Aren't you cold?"

"I'm a Chicagoan. I'm used to this weather."

Ellie rolled her eyes. Typical of men. He will not admit that he feels cold. And if she asks him about those goosebumps on his arms, he will come up with some random excuse. "Let's go inside. I made coffee."

Jasper followed her inside and as much as he wanted to have coffee made by Ellie, there was something else…"I need to shower first."

Ellie nodded in acknowledgement of his statement. She didn't want to say that faint scent of his sweat is close to irresistible. Very manly. And even though she didn't dare look him in the eyes, she was staring at his toned chests and abs.

When Jasper got out of the bathroom after shower, he found Ellie frantically removing the bedsheets from the bed.

"What are you doing?", he asked even though he guessed that her behavior is due to the bloodstain.

"I was looking for my underwear and thought that it might be under the cover… and then I saw this." She pointed at the red-stained bedsheet. "And… Oh. My. God. It's even on the mattress." Ellie was sure that she will die of embarrassment.

Jasper chuckled while thinking that she is adorable when she panics. "Don't worry about it."

"How can you say that?! What type of mattress is this? I will order you a replacement right now." She looked around while trying to remember where she kept her phone.

"I'm not getting a new mattress. Remember? You bring colors in my life.", he half-teased her.

"It's not sanitary!", Ellie covered her face with her palms.

"Instead of worrying about the mattress, how about you think what you want to do today? The day is still young."

"I was thinking of going back and work.", she admitted her thoughts.

Jasper was not happy to hear that. "Today? Unless your boss comes to pick you up personally with a company-will-end reason why you need to work, supported with an ironclad evidence, I'm not letting you go. It's Sunday!"

Ellie thought that maybe now is a good time to tell him that there is no boss. But how will she say that?

Jasper saw that Ellie lowered her head… and she bit her lower lip while looking troubled… and he interpreted that like a resignation. She will not work today. "Good. Now, what do you want to do today?"

Ellie exhaled and told herself that she can reveal that boss-mystery some other time. And there is no pressing work anyway. For today, she can take a break from work. With Jasper. "Yesterday was my choice. How about today we do what you want to do?"

Jasper looked at Ellie who is sitting on her knees on the bed, surrounded with messed up bedsheets and covers, wearing his shirt… and did she say that she was looking for her underwear? He swallowed with difficulty. "What I want to do? Are you sure about that?"

Ellie nodded, unaware of the storm brewing inside Jasper.

By the time she realized his intentions, he was already kissing her, and his hand glided from her knee up her thigh. She wanted to say that the bed is all messed up, and there is a bloodstain on the mattress, but then she realized that he pulled the cover over the mattress and everything else was on the floor, and few seconds later she forgot about the mess and the stain.

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