Christmas Candy

6- My new friend

Jasper may have told Harmony he'll be able to sleep after knowing she had a good time, but he couldn't. He tossed and turned, then he got out of bed and paced around the room, and he even took a shower, trying everything he could to get himself to fall asleep, but nothing was working.

His mind was a mess, and it was working harder than it ever has.

The thoughts of Amelia's words and the look on her face consumed his mind, along with Harmony's sincere apology. Then he thought about when he skated with her and her kids and witnessed the smiles on Harmony's little girls' faces. He enjoyed seeing the girls smiling, but he was bothered by the thought of Harmony hiding them from any of the holiday fun. Hearing their giggles and their squeals and knowing they were having fun was a good feeling. He also felt it was also euphoric to be included in seeing their happiness. And it made him happy to see they were having a blast and that they were having the time of their life.

But the topper of the night was before he left Harmony standing by her car. The urges Jasper was feeling to kiss her were strong. And as his hands cupped her face with his eyes focused on hers. Those feelings intensified the longer he held her face in his hands. Then to see her eyes close as he was nearing, her face was more than enough to want to crash his lips to hers and taste her. But when his lips were just about to touch hers, he heard her breathing hitch, and it awoke him from what he wanted to do, causing him to resort to kissing her on the cheek.

As he walked away, he was still smelling Harmony's scent around him, as if she was following him. He knew she wasn't but stopped and turned around, anyway. Seeing she wasn't anywhere near him, he knew the scent he was smelling was because of him touching her. His hands raised, cupped them around his nose, closed his eyes, and breathed in. And when the smell he thought he was smelling was Harmony's, he breathed in deeper.

He felt like he was some weirdo and lowered his hands. Knowing he wasn't there to fall for a woman, he continued walking to the hotel.

The thing was. Jasper liked her, and Harmony caught his eye the very first day he came to town; and felt she's the most beautiful woman he's ever laid his eyes upon in his life. He likes that she's stubborn, and he likes how she's playing the game of her not enjoying him. He also noticed that anytime she nears him, her chest rapidly rises and falls. And that was a turn on for him. He's also seen the changes in her breathing when she talks to him and how she'll stutter when responding to his questions. And the thing he enjoys the most is the way she looks at him.

Jasper isn't stupid. With all the people he's dealt with through the years is, he's learned how to read people. And the one thing he noticed with Harmony is, she's confused with her feelings, and because of the circumstances, he understands why. Had he kissed her like he wanted to, he felt it would've only confused her more, and it would have pushed her further away.

He climbed back into bed, pulled the sheets up over his head, then closed his eyes, and forced himself to go to sleep. He only slept for a few hours, and as he laid in bed watching TV, flipping through the channels, his phone made a noise, alerting him a message came in.

He reached to the nightstand, grabbed his phone, then groaned as he read the message: Are you not coming to Nebraska? You should have been here two weeks ago.

Jasper dropped his phone beside him, covered his face in his hands, and rubbed hard while groaning, No, I'm not coming...

He knew since he never let his sister know he couldn't make it to town, he better respond to her. And if he didn't, he felt she'll have a search party out after him, and she would make sure to plaster his face all over the news and internet.

Jasper: I'm sorry. I forgot to tell you I couldn't make it this year. There was a last-minute location change. Please let Caleb know I'll make it up to him.