Book 2: What Happens Here - Chicago (What Happens Here Series)

Chapter 19 - Jasmine

After their flight landed in Chicago, Jasmine smiled as she and Ethan walked hand in hand outside to catch the shuttle that would take them to Ethan's truck in long-term parking. Excitement had filled her, as well as tons of anxiety. Jasmine was meeting Ethan's parents soon, and she was dreading it. Not because she didn't want to meet his family, but because she was MEETING HIS FAMILY!! Was it too soon? Would they like her? What if they didn't like her, would that change the way that Ethan felt about her? OMG...okay, she was going to have a damn panic attack if she didn't calm herself down. She closed her eyes and slowed her breathing by inhaling through her nose and exhaling through her mouth.

Jasmine opened her eyes when she heard Ethan's soothing voice as he said, "Baby...it's going to be okay. They are going to love you...I promise." When he pulled her into his arms, she relaxed and laid her head against the hard muscles of his chest. She inhaled his scent, and said, "You smell amazing Ethan. Is that Tom Ford you're wearing?" The sound of his chuckle rumbled in his chest, and she smiled before she looked up into his hazel eyes. Jasmine loved looking at Ethan, and when he smiled, it lit up his entire face. He was a good man, and the fact that he was hers, truly floored her.

Jasmine never could have imagined that a man like Ethan Daniels actually existed in the world. Hell, he was like every unspoken prayer that she'd ever had about the man that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Ethan checked off all of Jasmine's "What I Want and Need in a Man" boxes, and as she sat wrapped in his arms, she felt the urge to cry, but she suppressed it.

As the shuttle stopped at the lot where Ethan's truck was parked, he helped her to her feet as he said, "Yes, it is, but I don't wear it often. I'm glad that you like it." Giving him a flirtatious wink, Jasmine said, "Oh, I most definitely like it, and you should wear it all the time." Nodding in contemplation, Ethan said, "For you...I will." Smiling, Jasmine walked by Ethan's side as he led her towards a very nice, and very masculine black Ford F-150 King Ranch truck, with blacked-out rims, and matching running boards. She smiled and shook her head as she thought just how well Ethan's vehicle matched his personality. It was very practical, and with the line of work that Ethan was in, a truck made sense.

"This truck suits you Ethan." Smiling he said, "Yeah, I thought so too." He winked at her as he said, "I'll share a little secret with you..." Walking closer, so that he could whisper in her ear, Ethan's voice was husky as he said, "The front seats recline. So, if you ever wanted to take advantage of me on a road trip, or whenever, I could just pull over and lay the seats back." Jasmine's eyes widened, and her heart rate sped up at the thought of doing just that, and when Ethan placed a whisper soft kiss to that spot just below her ear lobe, shivers raced through her. When he pulled back and she saw the smug look on his face, she knew that he'd noticed the reaction that his touch had on her body, and she narrowed her eyes at him.

Ethan chuckled as he smacked her on the ass, causing her to jump in surprise. And just like with every other time that he'd done so over the past 72 hours, her body responded. Her nipples hardened, and her core clenched. His eyes scanned down her body, lingering on her chest for a few beats, before he gave her a knowing smile, with his damn dimples on full display. The cocky bastard had the nerve to wink at her before he opened the passenger side door for her with a flourish as he said, "Welcome to Chicago. Your chariot awaits, my lady."

Jasmine laughed before she said, "Thank you very much", and accepted his offered hand, allowing him to help her into the passenger seat of the truck. After ensuring that she was safely tucked inside, Jasmine watched as Ethan closed the door and moved to the rear of the truck to place their luggage inside. Once done, Ethan moved to the driver's side and opened the door before sliding behind the wheel.

Jasmine glanced around the interior of the truck and smiled. Being inside of his space felt nice and intimate, and she loved how the interior smelled of him. Ethan's masculine scent always had a way of comforting her, and glancing over at him, Jasmine found Ethan watching her. He smiled as he asked, "Everything okay?" Jasmine returned the smile and nodded her head as she sighed and said, "Yes. Everything is great. But I have to admit, this feels a bit surreal to me Ethan." Chuckling Ethan pressed the start button of the truck, and a moment later, Jasmine felt the slight vibration as the engine roared to life. She watched as Ethan expertly backed out of the space, before heading towards the main entrance of the parking lot. After paying the attendant, he pulled out onto the street and headed towards the interstate. Jasmine heard Ethan release a breath before glancing her way briefly as he said, "I can completely understand what you mean, because from the moment that I caught your scent in that airport restaurant on that first day, everything from that point on has been surreal to me as well Jasmine." Confusion filled her, and she turned slightly in her seat before she asked, "You caught my scent? What do you mean?" Ethan reached over and gently gripped her hand, lacing their fingers as he said, "The day that we met in the bathroom hallway at the airport, I... um..." Jasmine watched as Ethan gave her a sheepish look, and releasing her hand, he rubbed the back of his neck as he said, "...I had caught the scent of your perfume, and it intrigued me." Jasmine sat quietly, as she listened to Ethan's recount of how he had initially thought her scent was a restaurant dessert before he'd caught the sight of her moving through the crowded restaurant. She had blushed when he'd mentioned that he'd caught sight of her "be-hind", from behind, and it was as he'd described, "a sight to remember." Ethan admitted to following her scent through the restaurant, which had led to them accidently bumping into one another in the bathroom hallway.

Jasmine had laughed, and playfully slapped Ethan on the arm as he'd mentioned how her scent had literally drawn him to her like a magnet, and how he had started falling in love with her before he'd ever laid eyes on her. Jasmine had been surprised by his declaration, and her heart melted when he'd again mentioned how meeting her had been the best thing that had ever happened to him. He'd pulled her hand up to his lips and kissed her knuckles as he'd driven them towards his parent's home in Glencoe, Illinois. Ethan had mentioned the drive would take close to forty-five minutes, and Jasmine decided that she'd use that time to calm her nerves and to fight down the demons from her past that were telling her that Ethan's family would hate her, and that she was making a huge mistake by spending these next several weeks with him at his home.

Jasmine closed her eyes, and slowly inhaled a breath before releasing it. In her mind, she grabbed her mental demon by the throat and choked the shit out of it, before flipping the little fucker the bird, and drop kicking it into a ten-foot metal cage and slamming the door. She was determined not to allow her past to dictate her future anymore, nor was she going to allow her doubts to cause her to miss out on getting to know Ethan and seeing just what the future held for the two of them.