Best Kept Lies (Best Kept #3)

Chapter 37: Boyfriend, Knight, Or Warrior

Song: Satellite by Starset
"Far across the emptiness I walk the night
And search the silence in the dark you left behind
I seek the stars above worlds to be the guides
But they all pale against the light in your eyes."

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         "Give me the cookie!" I demand.

            Jasper slides on the kitchen tile to get to the other side of the island. "It's the last one!" He protests. "I only got three."

            "Only got three," I mock and press my hands to the cool counter surface. "Your dad said I could have it!"

            His chest heaves from breathing too hard. "And what's stopping me from eating it right now?"

            "Because you're not done taunting me with it!"

            We stare at each other and I narrow my gaze into a glare. I run around the island, but Jasper's quicker and runs ahead with the chocolate chip cookie still in hand. "I live here. I think I deserve this cookie."

            I bark out a sarcastic laugh. "That doesn't matter. I want the damn cookie and I'm going to get it."

            Jasper slowly grins at me. "This cookie?"

            "Obviously!"

            He raises it to his mouth and takes a bite out of it. Half of the cookie is gone now and my mouth drops open.

            Jasper lets out a dramatic moan. "So good!"

            I take the chance, rounding the corner until I'm close. Jasper's too busy savoring the half he ate. I snatch the rest of the cookie out of his loose fingers and stuff it in my mouth before he can get it back.

            "Hey! That was rightfully mine!"

            With a mouth full, I shake my head.

            It's Jasper's turn to glare, but I feel a small pinch of victory getting the last half of the cookie. Did he think I wouldn't eat after him? Getting that half of the cookie was definitely worth it. My mouth waters for more.

            "That was fair," I say. "Don't you think?"

            He saunters towards me and points to my mouth. "You have chocolate on your face. The remnants of a cookie that should've been mine."

            I use my thumb against the corner of my mouth. "Cry me a freaking river."

            Jasper's gaze follows my finger as I lick the chocolate from it. When I smile at him, he shakes his head at me. "I'm telling my dad."

            My hands slide up his chest and I fist his sweater into my palms. "I'm so scared, I'm shaking," I whisper.

            Jasper looks down at me with a vicious smile. "Good."

            I pull him down to my lips. Instantly, I can taste the chocolate and sweetness of his kiss. When my hands start to throb from the tight grip I have on his sweater, I loosen my fingers and slide my hands to his back. Jasper lightly caresses my face with one hand and braces the other on the nape of my neck.

            "Thought I heard fighting in here," Jacob says behind Jasper.

            We quickly jump apart.

            He grins at both of us and pulls open a drawer to get a dishtowel. "I see everything's okay," he goes on. "The storm is getting worse, so we might lose power. Ella, for now you'll be spending the night unless the storm blows over soon."