How to love

chapter thirty - Love

"You wouldn't dare." I say. He cocks his brow with a challenging smirk and reaches his hands out, I squeal loudly and hold my hands up in surrender. "Fine, but I swear if you drop me I will make it my mission to dye every single white shirt you own, pink."

He laughs loudly. "If that is your only threat, Miss Fields, then I'm perfectly fine with that."

Huffing a breath with a shy smile, I hook my arms around his neck and lift my leg to his hip. Yelping with laughter as he effortlessly throws me onto his back. My heart felt like it could explode and coat him in blood and guts with the sheer delight as he twirls in circles, making another cat-call cry crawl from my throat. Lowering me back to my feet as we come to a stop, I look up to the towering building and narrow my eyes.

"Is this not your hotel?"

"First hotel, first home." He tells me. His hand had never left mine, and the unshielding butterflies didn't care enough to settle. I didn't care either. Jason nods his head to the doorman who greets him with a formal tip of his hat, before nodding again at the receptionist staff who straighten their posture and greet the owner. "This was the first hotel we built and the first place I moved into."

"Wait, why do you have a key for this elevator?" I question as he swipes through the white card.

"Because this is specifically for my penthouse." He tells me. "Nobody has access to this private elevator, apart from myself."

I bite my lower lip as my stomach soared with the rush of the elevator and flinch when it dings at the top. He slides the card through another door as pushes it open to the jaw-dropping, open-planned apartment. Unlike the monochrome I was so used to seeing around him, this house was filled with colour. A red, leather cornered couch and a flat screen television bigger than anything I could imagine.

I jump at the feel of his hands resting on my shoulders, shivering as his lips brush against my ear and his chin nestles in the crook of my neck. The gesture making my insides knot. "Take of those shoes and go make yourself comfortable. I'll grab us a drink."

Releasing me from his hold, he wanders to the neat little bar on the other side of the room. I step from my heels, kicking them to the side and sighing at the feel of the cool floor on my bare feet. I shrug of my jacket, draping it over the back of the couch before tucking away a strand of hair and padding towards the beautiful windows. The view was incredible. Overlooking the crowds below, the lights and celebrations; it made my insides warmer than what they already were.

"Told you we could still see." He speaks. He sets two glasses of red wine down on the coffee table before making himself comfortable on the couch. He pats the space beside him and I can't hide the blush that creeps upon my cheeks. "I'm sorry I was late."

I curl my legs beneath me. "I didn't think you were coming."

"I was always coming." He replies. "I just needed to pluck up the courage because I knew tonight I was going to tell you the truth."

"I just - I still don't understand. How? When?"

He reaches for my wine glass and sets it down on the coffee table along with his own. Sitting back in a sidewards position, he reaches for both my hands and grasps them in his. His thumb rubs over my knuckles, soothing me.

"I don't know when, but I'm so sure I know how." He says softly. "Do you remember what you said to me that day when I made that ridiculous propersistion?"

I shake my head.

"You told me that a heartfelt gesture could turn a woman into, a puddle of goo, I believe you said." He chuckles. "Then, shortly after that you asked for nobody to find out about our arrangement. That's when I realised you were different. You were genuine. You weren't going to be in for money, you wanted to help me."

I blush. "You don't know how hard I wished for the ground to swallow me up that day."

"Thank god it didn't." He laughs, his soft touch still calming me. "Then, everyday you surprised me more and more. You showed me things, taught me a lot and made my eyes open to what was in front of me for the past three years. You."

"Jason-"

"The whole plan, to learn how to love, I didn't know where I was going with it." He interrupts. "But I knew I wanted to know who you were. I wanted to know why you had such a strong opinion, I wanted to know why you said the things you did when you didn't know me or Natasha. I quickly learned why; because you're different."

I kept shut, letting him explain myself all while my heart was racing like a horse doing laps around a course.

"Frankie, you taught me more than just how to love." He says. "You made me love."

And that's all it took before I done something just less than bodyslaming him and capturing his lips with mine. His fingers dug into my hips, burning my skin with the lace material as my hands hold his neck and my knees clench his hips. Our breathless chests heave and warm breaths brush against each other lips as we pull away reluctantly.

"I love you, Frankie." He mutters. "And if you say it back, then I want us to begin. I want there to be a us. I want to wake up with you, sleep beside you, come home to you, eat with you and be with you. I want you Frankie."

I grin and with a small giggle, I bite my lip and nod. "I love you, Jason."

A squeal of surprise and delight escapes me as he jumps to his feet with still a firm grip and spins me in a circle. Neither of us can suppress our laughter as he settles on one spot. Lowering me to my feet, he still keeps hold by entwining his arms around my hips and snuggling his chin back into my neck, kissing the exposed skin beneath my ear softly as we both overlook the busy Time Square.

"Jason, can I ask you something?" I question and he hums, still feathering kisses upon my neck. "If you were always coming tonight, why did you look upset when I asked if you wanted to go to Rosie's after the ball dropped?"

I can feel him smile. "Because we needed a early night."

I turn with a confused look. "Why?"

"Because tomorrow," He grins, pushing my hair back behind my shoulders. "Tomorrow, we're going to Paris, baby." 

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The end. 

I don't think I words can comprehend how thankful I am to every single one of you who has read, voted, commented and messaged me about this book and I you will never know how grateful I am! This started of as a silly idea that I had dreamt about one night and got stuck with for weeks until I wrote it down. To have it take off to this extent is beyond my imagination so thank you, thank you so much! 

Now, sequel: 1 week today. March 8th 2019, it will go live. I will post the link on here so don't panic! 

Again, the biggest thank you to everyone. #FRANSON 

Lots of love xoxox