Jasper

By TK Lawyer

Why was it so hard to find a good man?

Single female seeks rare, coveted treasure.

That was the announcement Tatiana wanted to post.

A strong, loving, committed male partner was what she sought. What she found, instead, were several frogs and too many toads. Where was her elusive prince? Did he exist or did she miss her opportunity?

Jasper isn’t seeking a mate. His only intention is to rescue Tatiana from a near-fatal car accident and then go in pursuit of his next assignment. However, intent and reality don’t always coincide. Saving Tatiana altered his world and now he can’t leave. But making introductions and claiming her heart was not going to be easy. He has a secret he is forbidden to disclose.

As much as Jasper craves Tatiana, he can’t override her free will. In the end, whether being with him or not is her decision. Will Tatiana welcome the powerful being who adores her and only wants to protect her, forever? Or will his secret be too much for her to accept?

Reader Advisory: A loving, protective angel intent on winning his enchanting, curvy, human weaves a fun tale interlaced with flirtatious foreplay and sensual, passionate moments.

PUBLISHER NOTE: Paranormal Romance. Angels and Demons. Rubenesque. 90,000 words. All characters depicted in this work of fiction are 18 years of age or older.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Luminosity Publishing LLP
• Release date: Sep 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215381595

TK Lawyer

Passionate * Playful * ParanormalMulti-award winning, International Bestselling author, Tamara K. Lawyer, who writes under the pseudonym TK Lawyer was born in Colon, Panama. She moved to the United States with her family to pursue her post- secondary education aspirations and found her love of writing sometime in 2013. Her first book, Nightfall was published shortly afterward, in October 2014.She writes steamy and heartwarming paranormal, urban fantasy, new adult and contemporary romance. Her books often toe the line, straying from traditional ideas and opening readers’ minds and hearts to unlimited possibilities. She loves exploring new ideas and new ways of thinking.When she isn’t reading or writing, she is likely spending time with her husband/best friend or catering to their lovable American Foxhound misfit who steals all the attention in their house.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Tatiana Baker bolted upright. A terrible, shrill sound echoed throughout her bedroom, and it came from her. She cupped her hand over her mouth, listening out for any neighbors who might be calling the police or, even worse, the paramedics. The last thing she needed was an exorbitant medical bill for a truly vivid 3D nightmare.

She blew out a long sigh, glanced at the alarm clock and rolled back into bed. It was six-thirty in the morning, and she ardently wished she could return to the amazing dream with the unbelievably handsome, mischievous male she encountered at the dance; that is before the dream ended in a horror movie. She recalled her lifeless body lying atop a cold cobblestone street after being run over by a car. The dream was vivid, loving and magical up until that point. She molded her head back into her semi-damp pillow and pictured stripping the delicious male down to almost nothing amidst pleasant, tropical surroundings. However, he could keep his decorative black and gold-colored mask on. That would make things even more interesting.

She grinned, wickedly.

His name, his name—the wonderful man with the beautiful brown eyes. Did it start with a J? Maybe a Jisper, Jester, no, Jusper? Oh! she shouted with the cacophonous noise of the alarm clock. She slammed her hand down to stop the deafening sound just before she fell back onto the bed.

She lamented the monotonous day ahead of her. Just half an hour more, please, she negotiated with the air. Where was her handsome prince with the incredibly thick, short brown hair to rescue her and sweep her off her feet, back into dreamland once more? The long drive to work, the upcoming appointments with clients, the stress of her job and her dog, Lady, were enough to drive her completely insane.

Oh, no! Her eyes widened. Now I do have to wake up! She pictured Lady on her back with all four paws in the air, tongue hanging out of her mouth, starving and holding her bathroom duties just because her mistress had other, albeit naughty excursions in mind.

That’s just plain cruelty to me, Lady! She giggled while coaxing herself to sit upright. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed and planting two feet onto solid ground, she murmured under her breath, Okay, okay. I’m getting up, but I don’t need to like it.

Good morning! she said to her furry misfit, grabbing Lady and kissing her on top of her warm, fuzzy head. Lady was a sweet girl. An eight-year-old German Shepherd–Golden Retriever mix: she was a rescued dog that couldn’t walk when Tatiana adopted her at six months old. But now and ever since the operation to restore her legs, she was able to walk and run with the best of them.

I’m so happy I have you, sweetie, she exclaimed with delight as she ruffled Lady’s fur. She turned on her heel with Lady close behind. Like a loyal bodyguard, Lady followed her mistresses’ every move, backing up on certain occasions to move out of Tatiana’s way and sitting back on her rump on others, to move her head side to side as she perused her mistress with curiosity. Tatiana gathered up all the ingredients she needed for her bowl of cereal, grabbed her yogurt and then placed Lady’s bowls of food and water into her raised feeding station. Afterward, she sauntered over to the couch to watch TV. One of the best inventions in the world was her DVR. How she loved relaxing on the couch, eating her cereal and catching part of a show before heading to work. She scanned through the list of episodes and selected one with vampires. Now if she could only find someone as sexy and handsome as the leading male character—one that was alive, not dead, and, of course, not a vampire. She snickered at the thought but sobered quickly knowing she needed someone inspiring in her life.

No, Tatiana, just face it! Your life is boring with a capital B, and you need adventure!

Coming up with a list of qualities she wanted in a man was easy; however, finding a man with those qualities and one that, additionally, would inspire her didn’t seem to exist. Was her elusive male alive and on Earth?

After rinsing out her dish and putting it into the dishwasher, she picked up Lady’s bowls and put them away, too.

Hey baby, I gotta get dressed. I love you. She grabbed Lady’s furry face and kissed her on the forehead three times before proceeding to the bedroom.

She said goodbye to Lady, grabbed her keys and her endless assortment of work bags and walked out the door to start her day.

Sweeping a stray strand of straight, dark brown hair from her face, she walked from her apartment door down the stairs to her waiting car. The walk seemed especially long today. Maybe it was because she hadn’t guzzled down her two magical cups of coffee yet. Without it, she’d be a complete zombie, unable to function, much less intelligently answer any questions her clients cleverly came up with.

Her car jolted alive, and she started the forty-minute drive to work, reciting her prayers as she did every morning. Was she crazy? Did heaven really exist? Sometimes, she questioned if angels existed though many people around the world believed in them. Other times, she figured she was just plain nuts and everything she read about was fantasy. Was she extending greetings to the air instead of speaking to actual entities that lived on the other side? What if they weren’t real? She shook her head quickly, dispelling the thought. She couldn’t think that. She had several genuine experiences and too many revelations she couldn’t truthfully doubt what she already knew. She listened to the upbeat song pouring out of her radio while her head ping-ponged side to side with the energetic beat and then… whammo, in a mere second, her life changed.

A tornado! That must’ve been what hit her. That was the only logical explanation for the sudden whirlwind rush that just upset her entire existence. She screamed silently in terror as her brakes squealed and her car spun out of control before careening over the edge of a grassy embankment. Helpless, she watched each segment as if she were stuck in a horror movie she couldn’t escape. As the main character, it all graphically played out in front of her and her heart beat wildly as she anticipated the unexpected, twisted end. Would the movie end first, or her life? She hoped it was the former.

Her car violently slammed against the newly mowed ground. Instantly, she knew her beautiful, trustworthy car must’ve shattered into a gazillion jagged metal pieces. But no, it hadn’t, she realized, as she looked around and her fingers slowly unlatched the seatbelt holding her tightly in place. Then boom—the airbag propelled all at once and slammed her head back onto the headrest, jolting her into a state of surreal unconsciousness.

Oh, God! This can’t be happening.

She recalled the events leading up to the horrific crash. She waited at a stop light when it turned green, and her car crept forward. Then suddenly, it seemed all hell broke loose. Her car was slammed, driver’s side first, by another and she careened out of control through the middle of the intersection and off to the far end of the street, unsure whether her car hit any others along the way.

Wake up! Wake up, she told herself, but all she wanted to do was sleep. A loud, obnoxious knocking on the window jarred her. Knock, knock, knock, knock. That sound again. Would it ever stop? It was getting louder by the second and was soon followed by a strong male voice.

Tatiana, wake up! It’s not your time. Wake up, dear.

Huh? Who called her? He sounded concerned and handsome if you could tell that from the mere timbre of a voice. She happily dreamed away, drifting back into dreamland. Maybe her handsome escort from this morning would come for her and rescue her?

Knock, knock, knock. The sound continued.

She bolted forward in her seat and grimaced as her shoulder protested. "Ugh!"

That sound again but it was coming from the passenger side of the car and not her side as she previously thought. The passenger door suddenly swung open. No, it couldn’t have. It was locked from the inside. Next, she found herself standing outside of the car beside a complete though very handsome stranger. He was radiant. He positively glowed from somewhere within and his winning smile was impeccable. He was the most magnificent male she’d ever encountered. She looked down at her disheveled clothes and groaned. In comparison, she looked horrible, in front of this Adonis.

No, you’re beautiful. Gorgeous.

Huh? No male ever called her gorgeous; to her friends, maybe, but never to her. Did he even notice her more than ample curves? She wasn’t a little thing! He was amazing and she was short, frumpy and pudgy—especially now. She wanted to laugh at his comments but as she lifted her chin up to stare at the incredibly beautiful male in front of her with thick, short, medium brown colored hair, words escaped her, and she could only stare in awe. He must’ve been the most handsome male she ever saw, and his boyish smile was captivating her, wooing her, doing all kinds of crazy things to her stomach and legs. His eyebrows furrowed and he spoke words she only now heard.

Are you all right? His voice was deep and filled with concern.

She bit her lower lip and nodded slowly.

She marveled as he smiled again. Such a genuine, loving smile that was rare nowadays in this sometimes chaotic world. His smile was more powerful than any combination of words or sentences put together. But wait. How could he be having this effect on her? Was she delirious, or maybe she wasn’t alive anymore and he was heaven? If he wasn’t heaven, he was certainly some version of it. Someone needed to snag him, bag him and copyright him before he got away!

I’m glad, he continued as he reached for her hands. His fingers briefly intertwined within hers, but she could’ve sworn his simple touch warmed her straight through to her soul. He smiled again. Damn. He could weaken armies all over the world with that heavenly grin.

Words tumbled out of her mouth before she could think.

Uh, am I dead? Are you an angel?

She was wrong. His melodic laughter was far better than his smile.

She blinked her eyes and looked around her. Not only was she unharmed but her vehicle was too, it seemed. But how, she wondered as she crossed her arms over her chest. And how did she land here, on the opposite end of the street, unscathed? She glanced across the road to find traffic flowing as usual as if nothing occurred. Strange. But she knew it happened because here she was with her vehicle off to the side of the street, standing next to an incredibly handsome stranger with soft waves of short brown hair and beautiful deep brown eyes. She turned to him. Her rambling thoughts once again formed into words.

Am I in heaven? This must be heaven, because you’re so beautiful.

His lips curled up into a wide grin of amusement. Well, at least she entertained someone today… now if she could only get some answers.

She tried to shake away the hazy fog clouding her awareness but, for some reason, it wouldn’t go away.

Well? She looked up expectantly when he didn’t reply.

No, you’re not dead. You’re very much alive. But are you really okay? He entwined his fingers within hers again. Her cold hands warmed instantly at his touch.

Yes, I think so. I think I’m okay. Though I don’t know what happened. One minute I was crossing the intersection and the next I’m here in the grass standing next to you.

He smiled again, that devastating ship-sinking, toe-curling grin.

She turned toward her car, wanting to scan over the metal body and make sure there was really no damage done but she was hesitant to leave the side of this perfect stranger… at least not yet. He had such a wonderfully peaceful, calming presence and besides, she still needed answers. She turned back to him to find nothing by her side.

Hey! she yelled, darting quickly around the area, scanning the trees, the walkway and the apartment complex nearby. She glanced back at her car, at the shrubbery nearby and at the open land beyond it to make sure he hadn’t headed in the opposite direction.

Where’d you go? she shouted. She searched a while longer but could find no trace of him. How bizarre. Why did he take off and where did he go?

Darn. I was just getting to know him. He was so, so… Her thoughts wandered and she couldn’t complete her sentence. I just wanted to talk to him. She hung her head down as she trudged back to her car, feeling incredibly sad. Why was she feeling this way and over a complete stranger? It was just plain nuts. But she couldn’t deny the nasty, empty, hollowness possibly, paired with mild distress stemming from the pit of her stomach. And she could’ve sworn her heart felt a loss of his presence too. Geez, he’s just a stranger, Tatiana. How are you feeling so overwhelmed by someone you don’t even know?

Oh, God! She smacked the palm of her hand across the top of her forehead. I really need to get to work and get my two cups of coffee in me.

The sporadic green and brown patches of grass crunched under her feet as she made her way back to her car. Circling around it, she found what she was looking for but hoping not to find. The jagged, crushed, concave metal on the driver’s side was a jarring reality check. The metal was so deeply gouged into the driver’s seat that she knew just by glancing at it that there was no way the driver’s side door would open. She looked into the car as much as she could, trying to walk around the varied sizes of broken glass dotting the surrounding area. Her head jerked up as a shrill noise increased in intensity and approached her. It was an ambulance followed by a fire truck. Someone had called 911. She looked back at her car and gulped as she saw the devastation she couldn’t deny happened. She looked at her car with incredulity and fascination as she peered in at the jagged, wicked, broken pieces of metal that would’ve pierced her body completely, rupturing through her left torso all the way down to her left leg.

Reality settled in and the gravity of the situation gave her a cold shiver straight down her spine. She shouldn’t have survived. At the very least, the firemen would’ve had to use the Jaws of Life to pry her out. What could’ve taken several hours to extricate her from her car only took a few minutes with the help of the handsome stranger that was, somehow, no longer around. How was she walking around, with only a few bruises across her left arm and a red rash across her face where the airbag burned her when it deployed? It was nothing short of a miracle. She glanced down at her legs and found nothing wrong with them, not even tightness or any type of soreness to claim. There was no rational explanation for what happened.

She should’ve died.

CHAPTER TWO

She was lucky. That’s what the paramedics called it after she declined any injuries needing immediate medical attention. Her mind wandered to thoughts of the mysterious stranger as she pulled out into traffic with the brand new Toyota she just rented. For some reason, she couldn’t help thinking the incredible stranger looked familiar, but she couldn’t seem to place him. Regardless, she wouldn’t mind seeing him again if the opportunity ever presented itself. She hoped it would, though part of her doubted it.

Oh, well, she muttered, sarcastically. I’ll probably never see him again. Story of my life.

She walked into her apartment, fed Lady and then collapsed onto the couch.

Boy, what a long day, she exclaimed, reaching for the TV remote. Suddenly, she stopped her hand in mid-air and froze when she felt a slight, tingly breeze against her skin. She craned her head up to look at the stationary ceiling fan and then over at the A/C she knew hadn’t kicked in yet. Where was the cool air coming from? Jumping off the couch, she walked around her immediate area to investigate but she found that her screened windows were all locked, and so was her front door. It was strange, but what was even stranger was that she didn’t feel frightened in the least by the momentary breeze, though she probably should be. She shrugged her shoulders at the weird occurrence, turned the TV on and increased the volume slightly for background noise before proceeding with the rest of her night, which was tending to stuff needing to be done around the apartment.

 Several hours later, she slipped under the covers of her bed, yawned, stretched out her arms and recalled the events from this morning. She smiled as visions of the handsome stranger danced through her thoughts. He was incredible and very sweet, making sure she was okay before he left. An amazing individual who came to her rescue when no one else did.

She pictured meeting him again and wondered what she’d say to him, besides thank you. Never one for small talk, she was at a complete disadvantage when it came to him. He was stunningly handsome, and she was—less than perfect. He radiated a quiet strength from within and a kind, warm personality. She wasn’t sure how she knew these things about him, but she knew it wasn’t just because she was very attracted to him though there was no denying the fact she truly was. He was caring, genuine and gentle. When he looked at her, his soft brown eyes seemed to penetrate straight through her as if he was hiding nothing. They seemed to encompass more than just him, as if he were wiser beyond his youthful years. No, there was no way she’d come up with anything half-way intelligent to say to him if she ever saw him again.

She closed her eyes and welcomed the short escape that was sleep. Almost all the way through the downward spiral of her subconscious to dreamland, her body suddenly jerked in response to the soft, tender brush of something across her left cheek. She snapped her eyes open and remained still, her heart beating wildly in the middle of the darkness surrounding her. Instinctively, she reached her hand up to her left cheek.

No, it was nothing. It was nothing, go back to sleep, she murmured, trying to convince herself that everything was okay. She looked down at Lady, sleeping by her side on the carpeted floor next to her bed. If anything or anyone had been in the room, Lady would’ve surely barked. True. But Lady was sound asleep, breathing lightly, her paws thumping softly against the floor, running toward something unknown. Lady would’ve still woken up if there was someone in the apartment, right? She nodded her head, convincing herself what she said was true. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and tried to coax herself back to sleep.

The night was beautiful and so was Tatiana. Words couldn’t describe this magnificent woman and the confusing but consuming fire blazing within her like an inferno. It was incomprehensible that a woman so kind, generous and loving was filled with such incredible, untapped passion. He marveled at her as he watched her fall back to sleep. One thing was true. Tatiana wasn’t crazy—far from it. She was amazing. He felt the difference in her from the start when he met her at the scene of the car crash. There was something unique about her, unlike any other female he met. At the moment, he wasn’t quite sure what that ‘one thing’ was; that rare, singular attribute that made her stand out from the crowd. So many other human beings possessed her same qualities and yet he was drawn to her like no other before, and he couldn’t explain exactly why. The need to protect and defend her above all others confused him. Why she, in particular, when there were so many others out there that needed the same from him? He couldn’t explain it and he couldn’t begin to understand it but, nonetheless, it was there and so being the strong attraction he felt toward her. It was crazy, but he felt almost as if he was coming alive inside for the first time ever.

Like a black widow spider, she drew him to her, willingly and completely, into her sensuous web. But he hoped the outcome of whatever this was between them wouldn’t end him, falling into the same predicament as the unfortunate male spiders. She was enticing, alluring, and–he paused to look over at her–incredibly sexy in so many ways. Tatiana held incomprehensible power over him that could very well end up in his demise.

Already she had him questioning things he never worried about in the past; things that, truthfully, he wasn’t even aware of before, that now bothered him. Things like his single status. Why was he still single and why didn’t he realize he didn’t have to be? He never sensed before the small emptiness inside of him that could only be filled with love. Sure, he was surrounded by love and, essentially, he was love, but to have the interest and respect of a specific human who loved him was something he never considered before.

Several of his fellow comrades fell into this form of love with their own human mates and he wondered now, as he captured Tatiana’s beautiful features in his eyes and felt her true essence within, if he, inadvertently, stumbled upon his own. It would explain a lot of things and the instantaneous, powerful feelings he had for her. Now that he felt the small yet empty space in his heart from knowing he wasn’t already with his partner, his fated mate, he wondered if the rumors of one human mate per each of his kind were true.

Tatiana stood in the middle of a lush, grassy, open field. A large, white, stately building with incredibly tall, Grecian columns stood off to one side of her. She sat down on the manicured green lawn among a small crowd of people she didn’t know but instead of feeling self-conscious and nervous, she found she was not frightened at all, or even remotely shy. Instead, she was comfortably chatty and relaxed. She rambled on and on about silly things that, at the time, seemed extremely important with these complete strangers whom she treated just like they were her dearest friends. She turned her head to the right and smiled, finding Lady lying peacefully beside her. She was just about to reach her hand out to pat her on the head when she sensed a new, welcoming presence nearby. Lifting her head up, she smiled enthusiastically when she spotted him. Her eyes followed him as he approached. He walked barefoot on the crisp, green grass toward her. A magnificent beautiful white glow radiated and surrounded him. He paused and greeted everyone before he sat on the ground beside her. Then he turned to her and smiled.

I’m happy to see you again, Tatiana.

Me too. She paused and stared at him wide-eyed. He was incredible.

But who are you? she asked, her eyebrows knitting together with her question.

You will see me again very soon. Don’t be alarmed when you do as we are meant to meet again. He intertwined her fingers with his, the soft brush of his skin against hers intoxicating.

That’s wonderful. I want to see you again.

There was that winning smile; the one that could collapse buildings down to concrete rubble with a single flash of his pearly white teeth. She placed her head on his shoulder and wished the moment would never end. Suddenly, Lady was by his side, nudging her nose into his other arm. He turned with a grin, patting her head and stroking his fingers through her soft, fluffy fur. She stretched her neck up, encouraging him to continue.

Pushover, Tatiana giggled, watching Lady eagerly soak up his attention.

Stretching her own neck up, Tatiana looked fondly at the handsome male who stared back at her with a wide grin. She sensed the affection he had for her pouring out of him and into her, warming her extremities and searing straight through her heart. She smiled and closed her eyes. What a beautiful day!

Before she knew it, the vivid colors around her faded.

No, no, no, she silently screamed. "No! Her eyes flashed open, and she grunted in disappointment. No, no, no, no, no… I want to go back, please. She tossed her head side to side on her pillow, her arms flailing about on the bed. It’s not fair!" she groaned, closed her eyes and tried hard to fall back sleep.

Tatiana sighed heavily as her fingers hit the keyboard. She glanced to one side at the work piled up around her and across her desk and rolled her eyes. She was almost certain that she could, literally, live at her job and still not get all of her work done.

But who wants to live at work. Not me, she murmured with a slight shake of her head and a chuckle.

Talking to yourself again? Boy, you have gone crazy!

Tatiana jerked in her seat and whipped her head around to chastise the person who interrupted her train of thought.

Ooh, you’re a little jumpy today. Too much caffeine already? I haven’t had enough, the slim, dark-haired female standing by the doorway said, lifting her coffee cup up in a feigned salute.

Dee, my God, do you have to come in here and scare the daylights out of me!

For your information, missy, I was going to ask if we were still heading to the mall, but if you have something more important to do like meditation, office voodoo, or even talking to yourself some more, I’ll leave you alone, you kook.

Tatiana burst out laughing. You silly thing, Dee. She lifted up from her chair and hugged her friend.

Hey, be careful with my coffee cup, Dee chided.

I love you, you crazy thing, Tatiana said. It was true. Deanna was her closest and best friend in the entire world. The fact that they only knew each other for