Kapitel 14: Dinner Invitation(Part 4)
While Travis busied himself with setting up the laundry, I found myself lost in thought, pondering the strange turn of events that had brought Jasper into the home. Despite my initial reservations about him, I couldn't deny the genuine kindness he had shown in the face of my clumsiness. It was unsettling how easily he seemed to brush off my mistakes, as if they were of little consequence to him.
As the sound of running water echoed from the bathroom, I couldn't help but wonder what Jasper was thinking. Was he as unaffected by the situation as he appeared, or was he simply putting on a nice front? It was clear that there was more to him than met the eye, and I found myself growing increasingly curious about the person behind the charming facade.
Lost in thought, I barely noticed when Travis called out to me, snapping me out of my reverie.
Travis told me to get my shit together, his tone laced with a hint of frustration. I sighed, feeling the weight of his words as I reluctantly began to clear the table. As I stacked dishes, Travis prodded me about why I wasn't willing to give Jasper a chance, insisting that he seemed like a decent guy.
I shot him a skeptical look. "I just don't trust him," I muttered, avoiding Travis's gaze. It was hard to put into words the unease I felt around Jasper, the nagging suspicion that there was more to him than met the eye.
Travis sighed, leaning back in his chair. "You can't just judge him based on your assumptions because you're wrong," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "Jasper's a cop, Alex. You can trust him."
I scoffed, shaking my head. "It's not that simple, Travis. Jasper might wear a badge, but that doesn't mean he's trustworthy," I argued, frustration creeping into my voice. "He's tight with Sam Reynolds, for god's sake. You know how shady that guy is."
Travis frowned, clearly unconvinced by my reasoning. "Sam Reynolds might be a piece of work, but that doesn't mean Jasper's in on whatever he's doing," he reasoned, his brow furrowing in concern. "You can't let your paranoia cloud your judgment, Alex. Give Jasper a chance."
I sighed, feeling torn between my gut instinct and Travis's insistence. Maybe I was being too harsh on Jasper, letting my past experiences taint my perception of him. But something about him still didn't sit right with me, and until I could shake that feeling, I wasn't sure I could trust him, badge or not.
As I stacked plates and gathered utensils, Travis leaned back in his chair, watching me with a mix of concern and exasperation. "Seriously, Alex," he began, his voice soft but firm, "you've got to stop being so closed off. Jasper seems like a decent guy, and you're not giving him a fair shot."
I shot him a skeptical look, pausing in my task to meet his gaze. "It's not that simple, Travis," I muttered, my tone defensive. "I just can't trust him. There's something that's off about him, something I can't quite put my finger on."
Travis sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "But why?" he pressed, his brow furrowing with concern. "Jasper's has a crush on you, Alex. He's really putting himself out there. You can trust him."
I shook my head, my frustration mounting as I struggled to articulate the unease I felt around Jasper. "It's not about his crush, Travis," I explained, my voice tinged with irritation. "It's about the vibes I get from him, the way he carries himself. He's too smooth, too polished. It's like he's hiding something."
Travis frowned, clearly unconvinced by my reasoning. "Just because Jasper's not an open book doesn't mean he's hiding something nefarious," he countered, his tone gentle but insistent. "You can't let your paranoia cloud your judgment, Alex. Give the guy a chance."
I sighed, feeling torn between my gut instinct and Travis's unwavering trust in Jasper. Maybe I was being too harsh on him, letting my past experiences taint my perception of him. "I'm not the type to deal with those kind of people."
"I'm going to my room, sort it out." With a weary nod, Travis retreated to his room, leaving me alone in the kitchen to ponder his words. As I continued to tidy up the dishes, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the air. Travis had a point—I needed to sort out whatever was going on with Jasper. But where to begin?
As Jasper emerged from the bathroom, clad only in his briefs, I couldn't help but feel a sudden surge of discomfort. My eyes involuntarily darted to the enormous bulge on full display, and I quickly averted my gaze, cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
"Uh... Jasper, maybe you should put some more clothes on," I stammered, my voice betraying my unease.
Jasper glanced up from his task of drying his hair, a playful grin tugging at the corners of his lips. "What's the matter, Alex? Can't handle a little eye candy?" he teased, his tone light and teasing.
I forced a laugh, attempting to brush off my discomfort. "It's not that, it's just... you know, common decency and all. Do you think you live here now?"
"I'm just airing out, if you don't mind."
"I mind very much!"
Jasper obviously had no shame. He stayed in his underwear and explained that his clothes were being washed by Travis at the moment and nothing in the house would be able to fit him and he wasn't exactly keen on wearing a blouse.
"You come here a lot?"
"Not as much as when I was in police academy. Jasper's nonchalant explanation did little to alleviate my discomfort. If anything, it only served to deepen my suspicion. The fact that he seemed so at ease in Travis's apartment, as if he were a regular visitor, only added to my unease.
"How often do you find yourself in this situation?" I asked, unable to keep the accusatory edge out of my voice.
Jasper shrugged casually, seemingly unconcerned by my line of questioning. "Whenever the need arises, I suppose. Travis and I go way back," he replied casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
I frowned, feeling a knot of unease forming in the pit of my stomach. There was something about Jasper's easy familiarity with Travis's apartment that didn't sit right with me, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.
"Rest assured, I don't mind you staring," he said, his grin widening.
I rolled my eyes in response. "You really have no shame, do you?" I shook my head, trying to shake off the frustration that was building inside me. The pain in my hip from the earlier fall served as a harsh reminder of my current predicament. Ignoring Jasper's amused expression, I turned away, hoping to distract myself from the conflicting emotions swirling inside me.
"Are you in pain?" Jasper's voice broke through my thoughts, his concern evident as he hovered his hand over my hip where the pain throbbed. I tried to suppress the instinct to flinch, but failed miserably, feeling a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment wash over me.
Damn it! Now he knows I'm in pain, and he'll use it as an excuse to tease me, I thought, frustration bubbling up inside me. But before I could protest, Jasper's hand made contact with my hip, and I couldn't help but slap it away. "Get your hands off me!" I snapped, my irritation evident in my voice.
Jasper seemed unfazed by my reaction, his expression calm and understanding. "I've got years of experience in massages," he insisted, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes as he tried to reassure me.
I scoffed skeptically. "I doubt it," I retorted, unconvinced that he could compare to the professional masseurs I used to see weekly.
But Jasper was persistent, his tone earnest as he explained, "No, I used to do sports, and I had to massage myself a lot. I'm pretty good at it."
Reluctantly, I conceded defeat, realizing that Jasper wouldn't let it go until I relented. "Fine," I muttered begrudgingly, shifting to lie on the couch. "But don't touch anything weird, and don't cross the line," I warned, my voice muffled by the pillow, my frustration still evident.
As I lay there, reluctantly allowing Jasper to work on my sore hip, my mind drifted back to the professional massages I used to indulge in weekly. The expert hands of those masseurs had a way of kneading out every knot and tension in my muscles, leaving me feeling utterly relaxed and rejuvenated.
I remembered the luxurious spa atmosphere, the soothing scents of essential oils, and the tranquil music that accompanied each session. It was a pampering experience that I had sorely missed since my financial situation had taken a hit.
But as Jasper's skilled fingers began to work their magic, I couldn't help but be surprised by the level of skill he displayed. His touch was firm yet gentle, his movements calculated and precise, much like those of the professional masseurs I had once frequented.
As he applied just the right amount of pressure to alleviate the tension in my hip, I found myself begrudgingly admitting that Jasper was almost as good as those professionals. I couldn't help but acknowledge his talent, even if it came from a completely unexpected source.
Despite my initial reluctance, I began to relax under Jasper's ministrations, the tension melting away with each soothing stroke. It was a strange feeling, allowing someone I barely knew to tend to my aches and pains, but there was an undeniable comfort in his touch.
As the minutes passed, I found myself sinking deeper into the couch, my muscles loosening and my mind drifting into a state of blissful relaxation. Perhaps Jasper's unexpected talent was a silver lining in an otherwise frustrating situation, a reminder that sometimes, help can come from the most unlikely of sources.
"Is it helping?" Jasper asked.
"Not to bad, press a little harder." I said feeling the relief wash over as Jasper did just what I told him.
"Told you I was good."
As Jasper adjusted his pressure to accommodate my request, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of surprise at his revelation. "You don't seem like the type who's good with his hands. I'd never assume you were just a policeman after that," I admitted, acknowledging the unexpected depth of Jasper's skill.
With a chuckle, Jasper continued to work on my hip, his movements confident and assured. "I had a lot of injuries during my time as a cop, so naturally I'm good at this," he explained, offering a glimpse into his past that I hadn't expected.
It was strange to think of Jasper as anything other than the charismatic and slightly annoying presence he'd been since I'd met him. But as he expertly worked out the tension in my muscles, I found myself gaining a newfound respect for him.
Despite our initial clashes and my reservations about his intentions, Jasper had proven himself to be a surprisingly capable and compassionate individual.
With the tension in the room eased by Jasper's skilled massage, I decided it was as good a time as any to broach the subject of his involvement with Sam Reynolds. Clearing my throat, I turned my head slightly to address him. "So, Jasper, about Sam..." I began, my tone hesitant yet curious.
Jasper paused in his ministrations, his hands stilling momentarily as he glanced down at me. "What about him?" he asked, his expression guarded.
I hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. "I couldn't help but notice your association with him," I replied carefully, choosing my words with caution.
Jasper's features softened slightly, as if he understood the underlying implications of my question. "Sam and I go way back," he admitted, his tone tinged with a hint of nostalgia. "We are partners on the force."
I nodded, absorbing this new information.
Jasper explained that he had same met in police academy and became fast friends. "When I met Sam he told me that he was a terrible friend, but I haven't experienced anything. Little did I know he was talking about you, but he won't tell me anything about it. He refuses to even speak about you now that I figured out that you two have problems."
As Jasper continued his massage, his words caught me off guard, and I shifted slightly to look at him, surprise evident on my face. "Sam said that?" I asked, my voice tinged with disbelief. "He wouldn't tell you anything about me?"
Jasper nodded solemnly, his expression troubled. "That's right," he confirmed, his hands pausing momentarily before resuming their gentle kneading motion. "He's always been tight-lipped when it comes to certain topics, especially when it concerns you. It's like he's trying to protect something."
I frowned, the mention of Sam's secrecy only adding to the mystery surrounding him. "What do you think he's hiding?" I ventured, my curiosity piqued despite my reservations about delving too deeply into the matter.
Jasper shrugged, his gaze distant as if lost in thought. "I'm not sure," he admitted with a sigh. "But whatever it is, it must be significant if he's going to such lengths to keep it hidden."
As the conversation lapsed into a contemplative silence, I couldn't shake the feeling that Sam Reynolds held the key to unraveling the enigma surrounding my past. But with Jasper's revelation, it seemed that unlocking those secrets would be no easy task.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein