“But it will still be yours to decide.”
Something inside her surrendered.
Not to him.
To trust.
“Then kiss me.”
Jasper did.
Slowly.
His hand remained against her cheek.
Ellie gripped the front of his shirt.
The kiss deepened only when she leaned closer.
Jasper’s other hand moved toward her waist.
Stopped.
Ellie noticed.
She took it.
Placed it against herself.
His eyes opened.
“Certain?”
“Yes.”
His large hand settled carefully at her waist.
Ellie had spent half her life imagining how a man might touch her body.
Usually the imagination ended in embarrassment.
A joke.
A disappointed look.
Comparison.
But Jasper held her as though the shape beneath his hand was exactly what he hoped to find.
Ellie broke the kiss first.
Breathing hard.
Jasper rested his forehead against hers.
“That was a terrible idea.”
Her heart dropped.
Then he continued.
“Because now three days sounds impossible.”
Ellie laughed.
She swatted his chest.
He winced.
She froze.
“Your ribs!”
“Worth it.”
“Idiot.”
“Stay.”
The word became serious again.
Ellie looked at him.
“I can’t decide my life because we kissed once.”
“I know.”
“I don’t have work here.”
Jasper hesitated.
That hesitation mattered.
Ellie noticed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“No.”
She stepped back.
“You know something.”
Jasper looked toward the table.
There was an envelope beneath a stack of papers.
Ellie frowned.
“What is that?”
Jasper sighed.
“A mistake.”
“Whose?”
“Possibly mine.”
He picked up the envelope.
Handed it to her.
Ellie opened it.
Inside was a legal deed.
She unfolded it.
Read the first line.
Then looked at Jasper.
“What is this?”
He remained silent.
Ellie read again.
Property description.
Lot numbers.
Copper Falls.
Main Street.
Building currently used as clinic and boarding infirmary.
Ellie’s pulse accelerated.
She looked up.
“You own the clinic?”
“Land underneath it.”
“What?”
“My father bought half that block before I was born.”
“Sheriff Mercer said the town owned it.”
“The town leases it.”
Ellie stared.
Jasper looked almost embarrassed.
“I don’t spend much time there.”
“That building…”
“My family’s.”
Ellie returned to the paper.
Something else was written beneath the legal description.
Transfer.
To Eleanor Caldwell.
Her mouth opened.
She looked at Jasper.
He did not move.
“What did you do?”
“I signed it yesterday.”
Ellie’s face heated.
“You gave me a building?”
“No.”
“That document says otherwise.”
“I gave you land.”
“That is worse.”
Jasper frowned.
“How?”
“It’s more!”
He almost smiled.
Ellie waved the deed.
“You cannot hand someone half a town block because she changed your bandages.”
“This isn’t payment.”
“It looks exactly like payment.”
Jasper’s expression became serious.
“I know.”
That stopped her.
He stepped back deliberately.
“I knew it might.”
“Then why?”
“Because Samuel told me they fired you.”