The Abandoned Wife's Second Chance (Scarlett and Jasper) novel Chapter 154

Chapter 154

(Scarlett’s POV)

“One more lap around the hallway, and then we’re done for today.”

+25 Points

Jasper groans but doesn’t argue. His hand tightens on my arm as we take another slow step forward. He’s been working with the physical therapist all week, but he insists on doing extra practice sessions with me.

“You’re a slave driver,” he mutters, though there’s no real heat in it.

“You’re the one who said you wanted to get out of here faster.”

“I changed my mind. Hospital life is growing on me. Three meals a day, someone else making my bed, a beautiful woman at my beck and call.”

I roll my eyes, but I can’t help smiling. “Keep walking, smart mouth.”

We make it to the end of the hallway and back. By the time we reach his room, Jasper’s breathing is labored and a light sheen of sweat covers his forehead.

“Okay, time to rest.” I help him back to the bed, adjusting the pillows behind him.

He lies back with a sigh of relief, but his eyes track my movements as I fuss with his blanket. “Letty.”

“Hmm?”

“Come here.”

I look up to find him watching me with an intensity that makes my pulse quicken. “I’m right here.”

“Closer.”

Against my better judgment, I sit on the edge of his bed. He reaches for my hand, threading our fingers together.

“Why haven’t you kissed me?”

The question catches me completely off guard. “What?”

“It’s been almost a week since I woke up. You’ve been here every day, taking care of me, sleeping in that terrible chair.” He gestures to the recliner in the corner. “But you haven’t kissed me once.”

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<Chapter 154

My mouth goes dry. “Jasper-”

+25 Points

“Are you still mad about the honeymoon? Because I meant what I said to Virginia. We’re going. Just the two of us. As soon as I’m cleared to travel.”

“I’m not mad,” I manage.

“Then why?” His thumb traces circles on the back of my hand. “You barely let me touch you. Every time I try to hold you, you tense up. Did I do something wrong?”

Yes. Everything. You did everything wrong.

But he doesn’t remember that. In his mind, we’re still happy. Still in love. Still building a life together.

“You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Then prove it.” His voice drops lower, almost a whisper. “Kiss me.”

I look away. “We’re in a hospital.”

“So? Is there a policy against kissing your spouse in the hospital?”

Now I have nothing to say to that. I should make an excuse about his recovery or list a dozen reasons why this is a terrible idea.

Instead, I lean forward and press my lips to his cheek. A safe kiss. A friendly kiss.

But when I start to pull back, his hand comes up to cup the back of my head, keeping me close.

“That’s not what I meant,” he murmurs against my skin. “Kiss me like you mean it, Letty. Like you used to.”

My heart hammers against my ribs. This is dangerous. This is playing with fire. This is-

His lips find mine before I can finish the thought.

The kiss is soft at first, tentative. Like he’s afraid I might pull away. But when I don’t–when I can’t–it deepens. His arm snakes around my waist, pulling me closer until I’m half–lying on top of him.

And just like that, I’m transported back in time.

Back to late–night study sessions that turned into make–out sessions. Back to stolen kisses in the library stacks. Back to the early days of our marriage when we couldn’t keep our hands off each other.

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<Chapter 154

Back to when loving Jasper Blake was the easiest thing in the world.

+25 Points

His tongue traces the seam of my lips and I open for him without thinking. The kiss turns hungry, desperate, like we’re both starving for something we’ve been denied too long.

I forget where we are. Forget that this isn’t real. Forget everything except the taste of him and the way his hands grip my waist like he never wants to let go.

“God, I’ve missed this,” he breathes against my mouth. “Missed you.”

The words snap me back to reality. I pull away abruptly, my breathing ragged.

Jasper’s eyes are dark with want, his lips swollen from our kiss. “What’s wrong?”

Everything. Everything is wrong.

“Nothing. I just…” I scramble off the bed, putting distance between us. “You need to rest. The doctor said-”

“Screw what the doctor said.” He sits up, reaching for me. “Letty, talk to me. What’s going on?”

“I can’t do this.”

“Can’t do what? Kiss your husband?”

The word hits like a punch to the gut. Husband. I’m not his wife. Not anymore. Not for years.

“Jasper, please. You’re still recovering. We shouldn’t be-”

“Shouldn’t be what? Affectionate? Intimate? Letty, we’re married. This is normal.”

“Nothing about this is normal!”

The words come out sharper than I intended. Jasper flinches, confusion and hurt flashing across his face.

“What does that mean?”

I press my hands to my temples, feeling a headache building. “It means you just got out of a coma. It means your brain is still healing. It means we need to take things slow.”

“We’ve been married for two years. How much slower can we take things?”

Two years. In his timeline, we’ve only been married two years. He doesn’t know about the third year, when everything fell apart. When Virginia moved in and I moved out.

“I’m just tired,” I lie. “Can we talk about this later?”

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<Chapter 154

+25 Points

He studies my face for a long moment, and I can see him trying to puzzle out what’s wrong. Why his wife is acting like a stranger.

“Okay,” he says finally. “But Letty? Whatever’s bothering you, we’ll figure it out. Together. That’s what marriage is, right? Figuring things out together.”

Tears burn behind my eyes. “Right.”

“Come here.” He pats the bed beside him. “At least lie down with me for a while. I know you’re exhausted.”

I know I should refuse. Should maintain the boundaries I’ve been desperately trying to establish. But I’m so tired, and he’s looking at me with such open affection, and just for a moment I want to pretend.

Pretend that we’re still those people. That our love survived. That I’m still his Letty and he’s still my Jasper and nothing else matters.

I kick off my shoes and carefully lie down beside him. He immediately wraps his arms around me, pulling my back against his chest.

“Better,” he murmurs into my hair. “Much better.”

I close my eyes, trying not to think about how right this feels. How perfectly I still fit in his arms after all this time.

“Letty?”

“Hmm?”

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