The Desires of The Heart

Jasper's Surprise

Blinking my eyes to adjust to the darkness around me, I didn't think I had fallen asleep that quickly while in the car.. I look through the window to see snow covered trees and I know we aren't in Washington any longer and so I look over to Jasper, his face illuminated by passing street lights and he smiles while sensing my staring. 

"Welcome back sweetheart. We're nearly there." He places a comforting hand on my leg and I intertwine our fingers as I take in our surroundings.

"Is it even worth it to ask where we are?" I say with laughter knowing how secretive he's been with this whole adventure.

"Up north." He leaves it at that with a smirk and I just shake my head with a smile as I wonder just how far north we are. The car ride continues for a little while longer and I watch as the forest around us becomes more dense before opening up to a beautiful coastline and I instantly know where I am.

"Vancouver Island? How did you know?" My excitement is evident. This has been a place on my bucket list for so many years and before I had met Jasper I was working to save money for a weekend trip to explore and just revel in the beauty of this place.

"I might have had a little bit of help."

"Alice." I state figuring I should've known she'd see something like this.

"Actually it was Charlie." I look to him, eyes wide in surprise. "He mentioned this was a place you've always wanted to go and that it would go nicely with my surprise." 

"Wow Dad, I'm surprised. So what is this surprise then?" I try my luck again, but he simply laughs at me and shakes his head.

"Nice try Soph. I'm not giving anything away." 

I jokingly pout, before getting distracted by the coast again and wondering where it is on this island we are going. I don't have to wonder long with Jasper's driving, and we curve our way up a section of the coast when I finally see a cute little cottage tucked away within the trees overlooking the water. Looking at it in awe, I've never seen anything so beautiful before..it's like something straight out of a fairytale.

"What is this place?" He smirks as he parks before getting out of the car and rushing to my side, my bag somehow already in his other hand and he opens my door for me.

"It's our own little getaway." My eyes widen as he helps me from the car and I get a better look at the beautiful piece of land.

"You mean own like..." 

"Like we own it. It's our own private spot." I turn in shock looking at my soulmate in amazement not expecting anything like this, especially not now.

"Wha...why?" That's all I can formulate as my thoughts swirl around in my mind, attempting to think of a reason why Jasper would've done such a thing.

"Between the two of us, we've sacrificed so much during the last year or so of our relationship and I wanted a place where we could find refuge if needed. Where it could just be us away from the drama of our families, where we could focus on our relationship and just be one in each other's presences." He pulls me in close as we stand just outside the door and looking from the cottage to Jasper I realize how lucky I am, and how necessary this little escape is for us.

"This is perfect Jasper. Thank you so much." 

Wrapping my hand around his neck, I pull him close to me and capture his lips in a loving embrace and he winds his arms around me tightly kissing me back with the same amount of fervor. He reaches around me and opens up the door, carrying me over the threshold and then I break the kiss as he sets me down inside and I look around at the beauty of the inside. Just inside the door the cottage opens up to a wonderfully open floor plan, and to the left is an open and warm living room with a couch and loveseat surrounding a brick fireplace decorated with warm and inviting nicknacks. Behind that is an open dining room area that I wander through loving the homey feel of this place, and enjoying the natural light that floods in from the windows that over look the water and forest. I look back at Jasper and he's just watching me with a smile making me grin widely and make my way back into his arms.

"This is so incredible."

"You haven't even been upstairs yet." He chuckles as my eyes widen at the prospect of seeing more of this beautiful home, our beautiful home. 

With a wide smile, I make my way up the wooden stairs feeling him follow behind me, and I stop in surprise at the top of the stairs as it opens up into the master bedroom with vaulted ceilings and rustic exposed beams. A large bed centered on the far wall with warm blankets strewn over the top, as I run a hand over the soft material I notice two doorways leading to the closet and bathroom and head that way next. A variety of warm clothes are found in the large walk-in closet both for Jasper and I, no doubt from Alice making me laugh lightly, and noticing the large walk-in bathroom the thought of a bath crosses my mind.

"How long have you planned this?" Walking back into the bedroom and seeing Jasper sitting on the bed with a large smile.

"It's been a work in progress for a while now, but I didn't want it to seem like I was wanting to move things too quickly until more recently. When it began to feel more right."

"And it's feeling more right?" I ask timidly wanting to know where his heart and mind are..

"Yes. More right than it has felt in the last two hundred years." He smiles and my heart swells knowing this is the most at home I've felt since we knew each other in the other life.

"I couldn't agree more. This is incredibly wonderful and a next step that I think I'm ready to make." He pulls me close, kissing me deeply and for the first time in a very long time, my life feels like it's finally coming together and Jasper and I can finally have the life we couldn't so long ago. The rest of the evening is spent in front of the fireplace enjoying the quiet and warmness of our own slice of paradise and I cannot wait to spend the rest of my weekend and hopefully more future days in this exact spot.