Chapter 4

The next morning around 10:30 my doorbell rang, I opened the door and there stood a florist holding a box. "A delivery for Alice Juliet."

"I'm Alice."

"Here you go," and he handed me the box. "Please enjoy," and I turned to get him a tip.

"No, Alice. It's okay it has already been taken care of."

"Thank you very much, Sir," and he was gone. I closed the front door and went into my living room, sat down and put the box on the coffee table. I pulled the ribbon and opened the box.

There lying in the center of the box was a dozen beautiful long stem roses. The scent was amazing and intoxicating. As I lifted the box to smell then even more, I noticed a single white rose in the center of the bouquet. That was different I thought to myself. But it was also beautiful and striking as well. I set the box back down and lifted the card from the bottom of the box. I opened the envelope and pulled out the card. It said –

Alice –

In every bunch there's one who stands out -

and You're that one.

Jasper

I picked up the box and the card. I took them to the kitchen and put the roses into a vase. Making sure the white rose stayed in the center. They really were breathtaking. I sat them in the parlor room in front of the window facing the ocean. I started painting them and the ocean view behind them. I took a quick break for a sandwich and while I was painting in the afternoon, I saw Jasper walk by the window. I jumped up, put my paint brush down and went running out the front door. I ran down my steps and ran into his arms. He easily scooped me up into his arms. "What did I do to deserve this welcome?"

"As if you don't know," I punched his arm. He sat me down in the sand and brushed my wild hair out of my face.

"Then what?"

"Thank you for my roses. I'mthe one stands out, am I?"

"Yes, everything you do stands out. You're beautiful as well as your artistry. The day I walked down the beach; I couldn't decide which way to go and something told me to go north. I did and now I know why! I found you."

"Jasper that's almost as beautiful and amazing as your card was." Then I reached up on tiptoes and tried to kiss his lips. "Jasper, You're too tall." Jasper easily put his hands around my waist and lifted me up so that we could share a kiss. It was so gentle. We continued the kiss and I put my arms wrapped around his neck - holding his beautiful soft wind-blown hair. He held me closely and we continued to share a simple kiss. Though it was just a simple kiss on my lips, Jasper held me close and I just wanted to kiss his lips even more. A few times he simply ran his tongue over my lower lip but he never pressed me to open the kiss.

"Wow," we both said as Jasper lower me back down to the ground.

I gently pulled back from the kiss and said, "Come here, I want to show you something." I pulled Jasper into my house and we both slipped off our shoes; then I led him into my parlor. I pulled him straight over to my easel. "What do you think?" I asked.

"All I have to say, what are you doing with the painting?"

"What I asked? I was making myself a memory of your beautiful flowers."

"What about me?" he asked.

"Would you like one?" I asked.

"Yes, I would love one." We sat down together and I started painting again.

"You have me inspired to paint again Jasper. The flowers aren't the only thing that inspired me. I owe you this painting and you will receive the first one."

"Thank you," and he leaned over and again we shared a simple gentle kiss.

"Okay, I need a break. Would you go for a walk on the beach with me?"

"Of course, could we head further north so that I can see, what is up there?"

"Yes." We spent the next hour or so meandering up and down the beach; we returned to my house. Jasper and I had held hands for the entire walk.

"I need to get back to my painting."

"Only, if I can use your kitchen and make you dinner."

"That would be nice; but someday, I'mgoing to owe you some of my home cooked meals."

"I can accept that trade, as well."

I continued painting in my parlor and then Jasper said, "You have ten minutes until your dinner is ready and the table is already set. Go clean up, Alice."

When I returned to the kitchen after cleaning the paints off of me, Jasper had the kitchen set for both of us. "Please sit," he said and he handed me a glass of wine. Jasper sat our plates down in front of us. Over dinner, we talked about our families and childhood.

"I have dessert," I said.

"What is that?" he said.

I went to my pantry and pulled out brownies that I had made this morning. We enjoyed them together. As I went to get up to start cleaning up the kitchen, Jasper said, "Wait?"

"Why?" and he reached down into my lap and picked up a brownie crumb and said, "Open up."

I ate it and then together we cleaned up the kitchen. I walked him to the front door, reached up on tip toes and gently kissed his lips after he tilted his head down to me and said, "Good night, Jasper. Thank you for my flowers and dinner."

"Good night, Alice. I'msure we will see each other again soon."

"Good night, Jasper" I know we will see each other again. I enjoy your company, kisses and look forward to finding other things we enjoy together. With that, he kissed my cheek went down my stairs and waved good bye to me.

Jasper's furniture had arrived during the week and he was getting settled in. I had gone up and delivered the painting of my roses. We sat outside, talked and watched the ocean enjoying lemonade Jasper made us. While we were talking, I mentioned I had a hankering for going sailing for a day before it cooled off too much more.

Jasper looked at me and said, "Have a good time. Enjoy the water and the weather. You have a beautiful boat."

"Thank you. Would you like to come along?"

"I would love to spend the day with you on your sailboat. But I'mbringing all the food and drinks for the day."

"Okay, but I have one rule. I don't mix alcohol and sailing."

"No problem. When should we go?"

"How about Monday when the ocean has fewer boats?"

"That's a plan."

"I would like to shove off around 7:00 am and we will be back around 6:00 pm."

"I'll be at your door at 6:30 am."

"Okay," and we shared a simple kiss goodbye.

I giggled a little bit as we pulled away from the kiss.

"What's so funny Alice?" Jasper said as he captured her hand.

"It's so much easier to kiss you though when We're both sitting down."

"I agree, my little Alice,"

We saw each over on and off over the weekend. On Saturday, we went into town together and went to the market for fresh food. When we returned to our houses, Jasper came back down to my house for lunch. I made a healthier version of chicken fried chicken and we both loved it.

Jasper smiled at me after his first couple bites and said, "You do know how to cook."

"Yes, I do mister," and I kicked him under the table.

We had brunch together on Sunday. Jasper even made us Mimosas to go with our brunch. Once we finished eating and cleaning up the kitchen, we cuddled on my porch for a little while. The extra half of the Mimosa I had was having an effect on me. I must have fallen asleep in his arms; because when I woke up, I was laying in my bed with a quilt on me. There was a note on my night stand that said, 'You looked so beautiful sleeping in my arms that I just put you to bed though it was hard to leave you there sleeping alone.'

The next morning I was getting all my things together, when I heard a knock at my door. I opened the door and there stood Jasper with a large picnic basket and cooler. I smiled and said "We're only going for the day; do we really need that much food?"

He smiled and set the cooler and picnic basket down, pulled me into his arms and said, "You never know how long we may decide to sail for. You may decide to kidnap me and not share me with anyone ever again."

I punched him and said, "Stop that. Now let's go." I reached up and kissed his lips gently. Together we picked up all our bags and down to my dock we went. I showed him to the galley and he stored the food and drinks. I easily had us setting sail by the time he came back up on dock. Once the sails were locked in, we sat back together by the keel, steered and relaxed. Once we could barely see the shore, I dropped anchor and the sails. Jasper brought me hot chocolate and French toast.

"Thank you, this is delicious," I said. "I normally, just have pop tarts or something like that for breakfast on the boat."

"You're welcome," Jasper said and we then quietly finished eating our French toast. I had set my plate away from me and just finished sipping on my hot chocolate when I realized Jasper was done, as well.

After I set my mug aside, I said, "Jasper."

"Yes," and he leaned in close to my face and brushed the loose strands of hair out of my face. Then his lips gently settled on my lips and used his tongue to gently nudge my lips apart for him. When I let his tongue enter my mouth, Jasper pulled me in closer to him and a very fast fire built his natural taste along with the maple syrup and chocolate taste was intoxicating. I couldn't get enough of him. Slowly, the kiss came to a quiet end. He looked down into my eyes and said, "I didn't know that syrup and chocolate would have that effect on our kisses."

"Really, what did you think?"

"That you were intoxicating; what did you think?"

Alice smiled and said, "That was the same word I was thinking, too. Are you sure you didn't come along to seduce me out here?"

"No, I did not and to prove it, I'll not kiss you for the rest of the time We're on the boat."

Then Alice got up and said, "You can go clean up the dishes because I'mheading back to shore. I dropped my motor and started to pull up the anchor."

Jasper caught both my hands and pulled me into him then said. "I'mjust kidding; and It's definitely nice to know that you like our kisses as much as I do. Yes, I'll continue to kiss you while We're on the boat now that I know how You're thinking."

We sailed a while longer and it was now the middle of the day, I caught Jasper resting stretched out on the haul of my boat so I started to sketch him. When he caught me, he went to move and I shook my finger no stay put. I eventually finished and moved over to him and kissed his lips gently and he pulled me into a hug and we continued kissing.

Jasper asked while we were kissing, "Why have you talked about everything in your child hood, except college?"

"Jasper, the first year and a half in college was fine, pretty boring and normal. I was into my painting and my art classes. Though I liked biology and chemistry, I loved painting. The spring semester during my sophomore year was when my parents died in our house. The fire started at one of their night stands and the bed and headboard went up very fast and there was nothing that could be done for them." By the time I had finished telling the story, I was crying in his arms.

"Sshhh Alice, it's okay. How did you manage to finish school?"

"My grandmother and her support and love. As soon as classes were over that May, I bought a boat and moved to the water, I couldn't stand the idea of living in a house with a roof over my head. I had nothing but nightmares. Fortunately for me, my college was already near the water and I just lived in a nearby marina. I wake up everyday to fresh outdoor ocean air and I could be outside in five steps. Everyday, I could take my boat out if I wanted to; the weekends I could float on the ocean. I would spend time with my grandmother at her house; but eventually, I always land up back on the sea."

"How are you doing this staying in your grandmother's house?"

"I'm starting to get very antsy. I may have to start sleeping on the boat again and then painting in the house."

"Alice, please tell me before you decide to leave and don't just disappear into the ocean on me."

"I'll try, but no guarantees. Now it's my turn. You have talked about school and college but never mentioned your parents or any siblings?"

"You're very observant, Alice."

"I'man orphan and was raised in Brooklyn in foster care. I was in four different homes going through public school. Once I was in high school, the stories were all true; however, I truly studied every day and my best friends at the school were the guidance counselors. I turned eighteen in October of my senior year and my foster parents made me pay rent until graduation to stay. The counselors helped me find a job and helped me apply to colleges. They helped me find grants and scholarships that paid for my entire college education. College was an amazing experience for me, the freedom and the choices I had worked so hard for. I lived on campus and had a job then found my calling in finance. During my senior year, I found a job with an investment company and you can say the rest is history. So yes the stories that I told you were always about friends, I had no siblings and parents."

Alice then hugged him and said, "I'mso sorry; at least I had my parents for the first 20 years of my life."

"Yes, count yourself fortunate."

"I do, but I just don't want a home anymore."

"I understand I always called my apartment in Manhattan a home; but I guess you're right it was just my house the only love that was in it was my own and that is not a home. Plus there were no real memories in it."

"And that is the difference between a house and a home. I had the home with the memories and it all went away in the blink of an eye. My grandmother's house was the next best place and I accepted it. But I couldn't call it a home. I loved my grandmother and she gave me only love. I easily gave the love back to her but I just couldn't call her house a home. Someday, maybe it will happen but being at sea is the best place for me now."

We just laid in each others arms for awhile longer on the boat enjoying one another's quiet company.

In the late afternoon, we had dinner. While Jasper cleaned up the galley, I started sailing us back in. Jasper came up by me and helped me bring my boat back to the docks. He was a good sailor, as well. Together we made a great team on the boat. Once the sailboat was docked and secured, we walked back up to my house and I set my things inside. We sat outside on the porch swing and made out. We liked one another's kisses. As the last kiss came to a slow end, I smiled and said, "You got me into your lap."

"Yes, I did. You belong on my lap when We're kissing."

"Really."

"Yes, really, my Juliet, Alice Juliet."

"Jasper, are you referring to Juliet, from Romeo and Juliet?"

"Yes."

"So does that make you my Romeo, Jasper Rome? I noticed that, too."

"Maybe," And then we waved good night to one another without any other words spoken.