Page 75 of Beautiful Disaster

“But you did get buried in your past,” he corrects.

“You’re right. I did. Why do you think that is?”

He thinks about it a moment, sliding his leg over mine. “Because you can’t run from your past?”

I smile and kiss his head. “Exactly, but I tried to anyway.”

“I’ll protect you,” he tells me again, making me more curious.

I roll over to face him, fingering the bangs from his face, which try to live permanently over his eyes. “You said that earlier. Protect me from what?”

“Everyone. Everything. Like that asshole tonight. He just wanted to be all up in our business.”

I chuckle. “He did.”

“It’s just… You see me, you know? All of me. And you’re not running for the fucking hills like everyone else… sorry, that slipped. Anyway, I never thought that would matter. I didn’t think I’d even care, but now that I have it, I don’t want to let it go.”

This is definitely my favorite time with Jinx.

“You’re a remarkable and beautiful man. I’m sorry they couldn’t see that.”

“Meh, it’s also my fault. It’s not like I’m an open book, except with you. I’m a disaster, just like you said.”

“I didn’t mean it like that. I said that to show how perfectly imperfect you are. What I meant was you are beautiful in all your imperfections, Precious. None of us is perfect, especially me. I truly wish you’d never suffered. I wish I could take away all your pain. All I can do is be there for you, protect you, and help give you a safe place to be yourself without judgment.”

Jinx rolls on top of me, and I wrap my arms around his smooth back. “I do feel safe.”

That right there makes it all worth it. He’s quickly become someone special to me.

Chapter 21

Jinx

I’m rushing around the house, picking up the place, lighting scented candles everywhere to make sure the house doesn’t smell like dog. Once I clean one thing, I see something else that needs cleaning or organizing.

The dogs have been constantly at my feet, so I have to put them outside. “Shoo! I can’t get shit done.” They bark and chase each other as I try to get them into their kennel, where it’s warmer than outside. “Too many damn animals.”

I love them all, but shit, there are a lot of them. The amount of dog shit we have to clean is insane. Shit in general, from the horses to the two new goats to the dogs… We’re drowning in it, I swear.

“Can’t we just put all the animals in diapers or something?” I huff when I come back inside and walk into the kitchen.

Julien laughs and shakes his head as he chops some onions and celery. “Bro, it’s going to be fine. You’re so nervous.”

“I’m not nervous. You’re nervous.”

He rolls his eyes. “Yeah, I’m not.”

Aleks pats my back as I look for something else to do, something that doesn’t involve cleaning up fucking poop. “It’s okay to feel that way, Jinx. It’s gonna be fun.”

My shoulders droop, and I sit on the stool; otherwise, I’ll never stop moving. “But what if you don’t like him?”

Julien raises a brow. “I didn’t think you’d care, to be honest.”

“I fucking care about a lot of shit.” I hop off the stool and start pacing. “He hasn’t had Thanksgiving in like forever. I want him to be happy. I want everyone to get along.”

Julien sets the knife down, scoops up the chopped vegetables, and tosses them into the heated skillet with butter. It doesn’t take long for the smells of onion and celery with some sage to fill the kitchen. “My only concern is his age, and I worry that he’s taking advantage of you, but I don’t really know him, so I want to give him the benefit of the doubt. Besides, if you trust him and you’re happy, who the fuck am I to say?”

I stop my pacing and make praying hands. “Just please be nice. Don’t fucking tell him that.”