His touch is lighter than the summer breeze rustling the leaves at sunset, but I feel it in every part of my body. It’s nice.

It’s more than nice.

I’ve never had that before. My friends have told me about it, but I always thought they were full of it. I’ve spent nights with men who never elicited a fraction of the feeling Jasper caused with a brush of his fingertips.

Jasper is just supposed to be a friend, but knowing that doesn’t prevent my body from reacting. The hairs on the back of my neck rise, and chills shoot down my spine. My stomach clenches and my legs spasm. I try to keep my eyes open, I try my hardest, but I can’t. They fall shut and I lean into his hand, not wanting to lose his touch. Maybe Jasper is a magician after all. Because with the barest hint of contact, I’m not in control of myself anymore. This is Jasper’s body now.

When I open my eyes, the few inches separating us before have ceased to exist. And so has the sweet, understanding Jasper who touched me with such gentleness. This Jasper is new and it’s like a siren call I couldn’t resist even if I tried.

“Jasper?” I try to say his name, but it comes out as a whisper. A moan.

I know this is a bad idea . . . the worst, actually. If I was smart, I would send him out of my office and cancel this entire ridiculous deal between the two of us. I’ve never been this affected by another person before and I’m sure I’m going to send him running for the hills.

“Do you know how hard it was for me to control myself at Seven Falls?” His hoarse voice sends another shock wave throughout my body, like the frequency of his tone is affecting me on a cellular level and I’m not sure I can even comprehend what he’s saying. “I’ve wanted to kiss you from the first time you turned around and I saw your face. I don’t know what it is about you, but I can’t make myself walk away.”

His words have my world spinning. None of this makes any sense and I’m still not sure I’m not imagining all of it.

But on the off chance this is real life, I don’t hold back. “I don’t want you to walk away.”

Nothing about Jasper is right for me and yet I can’t find it in myself to care. This has a definite end date, but I already know that nothing lasts forever—not the bad and definitely not the good. All I can do is indulge in the now and appreciate every beautiful second it lasts.