I own nothing but the mental pictures of Jasper without a shirt. Steph owns the rest.
A/N: My first attempt on a lemon, ever. Please review and tell me how it went.
More at the bottom.
Valentine's Day Of The Year
Yet another Valentine's day alone. I hated it. I wanted someone who could take me to a small and homey diner to eat, and kiss me chivalrously on my cheek when we met. I wanted a pair of beautiful eyes to look in while dining. Beautiful eyes full of love.
Who was I trying to fool, other than myself? I would never find someone like that, someone who could love me totally unconditionally. I've had many dates in my twenty-nine years of living, but they'd all been scared away someday.
I admit it, I'm not like the usual girl. I'm so very different in so many ways, and the boys can't handle that. They tell me, "I'll call!", but they never do. The sweetest ones send me sometimes a text, reading that it just wasn't right. Yeah, right.
I'm beginning to think that I'm not right for anyone. I mean, I've been dating a lot lately, but I never find Mr. Right. Maybe there's no Mr. Right just for me.
Both of my best friends have found their Mr. Right. One in my brother, the other in my cousin. They were both married too.
Why aren't there one for me?
If I could have just a tiny bit of the love I saw in my friends, I would be happy. I would be content, but no. Whoever ruled this universe had either forgotten to place my love in this world, or had purposefully made my soul without a match.
Yes, I believed in soul mates. I've observed the instant love bloom in my best friends, my brother and my cousin. There was no other explanation. But the force that lead them together chose not to give me one.
"Oh Alice, don't be so sad! I'm sure you'll meet him soon. He'll get to you when you expect it the least," Rose said, her voice obscured by the phone line and the background noise of her two kids and playful husband. I knew she wasn't up to something romantic like my other best friend, Bella, because of her kids, so I called her while walking the streets. We talked about nothing in general, a thing I loved dearly about her. Even on the phone, she felt that I didn't want to speak more of it, and made other conversations.
I was walking around without destination, just looking at the shifting surroundings. As I reached the park, Rosalie and I ran out of topics. She was silent for a second, but continued quietly.
"He'll come, I'm sure. Give him some time to show up. No, Emma, not that...! Shit, gotta go girl, see ya!"
And she hung up. I was close to screaming at her.
I have given him time! Lots of fucking TIME!
I didn't want to wait forever. Couldn't he just be here already?
I found a vacant bench under a huge oak and sat down angrily. The sun was flying high in the blue sky, and the weather was chilly. God bless the big coats these days.
After rummaging a little in my too-big-to-be-a-purse purse, I pulled my iPod and my sketchbook up. I touched the big screen a couple of times, and Coldplay flowed through the earbuds. I'd always had a thing for them. I turned the volume a bit down and started drawing.
I drew a face. I had no idea who it was, but I think I was just drawing from my imagination of the perfect guy. The eyes formed beneath my pencil, deep and expressive. Shadows were formed, lines were made. I rubbed a shadow with the pad of my thumb to make it look right, and suddenly, a face surrounded by chin-length, slightly curled hair had drawn itself on my paper.
His face was a bit angular, with a strong jaw and a slight stubble. He was smiling small, his full lips a slightly darker color than the rest of his skin. He had a long, straight nose, all perfection. His eyes were looking a tiny bit to the left, with an expression that made you long to know what he was looking at, long to know what made him smile.
I sighed and scribbled a small note in the top. Where I was and when it was. I'd made it a habit to write such things, because I liked to go back to the place I drew a particularly beautiful drawing and see if I could draw one more. I'd never drawn anything here before.
While finishing the small note by looking at my iPod for the date, grumbling when I remembered, I stopped the music and stuffed both the iPod and the sketchbook back into my bag-purse. My watch said it was about three o'clock, so I decided to move on instead of just sitting there and being sad.
So I walked the streets again until I noticed that I needed some coffee.
"Coffee is my soul mate," I mumbled as I opened the door to a small place called "Betty's". The door bell dingled beautifully.
I knew in an instant that I had chosen the right place. The counter wasn't piled with pink stuff, and no hearts hung from the ceiling. They had a small sign reading something about a "Valentine's Coffee" with a strawberry cake, but it wasn't big and not pink at all. I guess the owner missed a Valentine too.
A small waitress came towards me. She wore a black apron, but her clothes underneath were bright and colorful. She was dressed in fitted blue jeans and a plain icy blue, long sleeved t-shirt and had a red, purple, blue, green, orange and yellow checkered scarf on top. She wasn't tall, but still taller than me, thin, and graceful like an old dancer. Her face was pretty, her greenish eyes surrounded by light pink, angular glasses. Her nose seemed a bit big to match the rest, but it was still pretty. Her hair was boy-ish-ly short with a bit length in the front and light bangs, and it was dyed a shocking red color. She smiled and seemed ten times more beautiful.
"Hey, welcome to Betty's. What can I get you?" she asked kindly. I couldn't help but smile, even through my foul mood.
"I'll have that Valentine's Coffee, with the strawberry cake, please," I said and she scribbled hastily with the tip of her tongue in the corner of her lips.
"Cream? Sugar?" she asked and flashed me another happy smile. It was infectious.
"Both, thank you," I answered, and could help but think of giving the girl a large tip.
"Just a second," she beamed and danced away.
She was absolutely one of these girls who had found their soul mate, and probably had a date later. I envied her. She had such a simple life, just working, living and loving. She would be married, have kids and just be happy. I sighed and looked out on the streets, only seeing couples strolling hand in hand from one shop to the next.
"Here you go."
The waitress' voice startled me. I smiled at her and thanked her. She smiled nervously back.
She stood and shifted her weight from one foot to another for a second while I stirred the coffee.
"Can I ask you something?" she suddenly said. I smiled and motioned for her to sit in front of me on the other side of the table. She slid down onto the stool quickly in a jerky movement.
"I-I don't know why, I just felt that I could talk to you, and those feelings are always true, so..." she stammered and looked down, blushing all the way down her neck. I laughed a little and smiled at her as she looked up again.
"It's fine, it really is. I don't mind having company, and if I can help, it'll only be better. Say what you have in mind," I said to her and she smiled timidly back.
"It's because... My boyfriend," she gushed with a lovey expression, "is coming all the way from Europe to spend Valentine's Day with me, and I think he'll propose."
I nodded, for the first time noticing her vague accent.
"But what's wrong with that?" I asked, again with a smile, and she blushed again.
"It's because of two things. Firstly, I'm only turning twenty next month! I just feel way too young, and my parents never married, and their relationship is wonderful," she said and looked down to the side again. I could feel her seriousness behind the slight embarrassment.
"Well, you could always have a long engagement. No one says that you have to marry within a year or something. And what does your parents relationship have to do with yours? If the no-marriage-thing have saved their relationship, it's great, but you aren't you parents. You've got to do what you feel like doing," I told her gently, and she nodded in response.
"Now, what's the second problem to shoot?" I grinned and she gave me a weak smile.
"It's the worst. I know he want a family, with dogs and station cars and kids, but..." she ended whispering, looking down at the tabletop. I leaned forward, trying to catch her eyes.
"But that's not what you want?" I asked and her head snapped up and she nodded furiously.
"Yes! Yes, it's what I want! I want to grow old with him and watch our grandchildren play in our garden, but... but I can't have kids," she whispered, "And I know he loves kids so much, and he want them, but I can't give him them. He doesn't even know!
"I don't know what to do..." she whispered and lowered her head again. I laid my hand on hers on the table and she looked up again.
"The first thing to do is to tell him. Always be honest to your man. Give him the choice. Tell him how much you love him and want that future, but you can't give him that naturally. If he loves you enough to say "Screw it," he's the one. If he dumps you, he's not worth loving, even if I can see you do. If he loves you just a tenth of how much you seem to love him, he'll marry you anyway. My cousin -" I made quotation marks with my fingers, "- is adopted because my aunt couldn't have kids. My uncle didn't care. He threw his whole dream of his own kids away because he loved her so much. It'll make no difference if love is there, trust me," I said, and she seemed convinced after my little speech. She reached across the table and gave me an awkward hug.
"Thank you so much," she said, and suddenly blubbed something in a weird language. I smiled as she left, wiping her eyes a little, to be the perfect waitress for yet another new customer.
I looked out the window again with whole new eyes, still smiling to myself. The waitress' story told something about love in it's purest form, unconditionally and irrevocably. If only someone could love me like that, I thought and sighed. In the same second, I felt a small tug on my nerves, as if someone called my attention. But nobody was speaking loud enough for me to hear the exact words. I raised my head to look up as a reflex, and that was when I saw him.
Right in front of me, but several tables ahead, sat the very same man I'd drawn not an hour ago. I had never seen him before in my entire life, and I was good at remembering faces. The same nose, the same lips, the same slight smile and he looked a little to the left, out into the streets. He looked exactly like the drawing I had made.
His eyes suddenly snapped to mine. They were dark, but I couldn't pinpoint the exact color.
I couldn't tear my eyes from his, and he seemed just as trapped in my eyes as I was in his.
After a minute, the friendly waitress returned with his coffee. The distraction broke the trance between us, and I blushed furiously when he let my eyes free.
I ripped the sketchbook out of my bag-purse again to look at the drawing, and sure enough, there it was. The exact snapshot. Maybe the best I'd ever made. I stared at it for a long time, still feeling the small tug in my nerves towards the stranger.
"Wow, it's great. By the way, he told me to give you this."
The redheaded waitress startled me again. She stood at the end of the table with a clear view to my drawing, holding a small note in her hand. She gave it to me grinning, and turned to walk away again. I put the sketchbook into my bag-purse again and unfolded the note.
Since you already have coffee, so I can't buy you one, can I come and sit by you?
Nobody deserves to be alone on a day like this.
- Jasper.
I smiled and looked up at him again. He was looking at me too, and he raised his eyebrow questioningly. I had to stop myself in swooning. God, he was gorgeous. I nodded to him and bit my lip. His face split into a huge grin that was a tiny bit uneven. I averted my gaze and looked at the note again. His handwriting was nice and straight, but still slightly messy. It looked nice.
"Tryin' to read what's between the lines? I assure you, there's nothin'," a deep, Southern voice sounded from above. I looked up and met those eyes again. They were a deep green, like the forest in August. I smiled.
"No, I'm just analyzing your handwriting," I winked, "Sit down. It hurts my neck to look up this much."
He laughed quietly and sat down. I reached over the table to shake his hand.
"I'm Alice."
He took my hand and shook it gently. His hand felt big, rough and warm.
"Jasper. But you already know," he winked. He let go of my hand just a second later than he should have. It left my hand tingling.
"So, why are a girl like you all alone on a day like this?" he asked. I looked embarrassed down at the table.
"I'm not... seeing anyone right now," I mumbled and looked back up at him. He still smiled his untroubled smile, but I had been lying if I didn't say it got a tiny bit bigger.
"Why are you here, all alone on a day like this?" I teased. He chucked and sighed.
"My best friend, or should I say ex-best friend, just blew up our entire friendship. We were having a cup of coffee, just like every other Friday, when she apparently got caught up with the "romantic mood around us", and admitted her year-long crush on me. She said that she would rather not be with me than just be friends, so I ran away," he said, and I could see he really was sad about it. His last sentence angered me, though.
"You just ran away?" I said incredulously. He blushed slightly and looked to the side.
"No, not exactly. I told her how I'd always just seen her as a friend, and she began to cry, but what was I supposed to do? I was horrified, so I left."
I couldn't contain the laughter by the sight of his scared face. He was truly terrified, and his beautiful face looked hilarious. He shot me a confused look, and I tried to stifle the giggles.
"I'm... sorry! You just looked... so funny," I gasped between laughs and he smiled and eventually laughed too.
"I guess it could seem pretty funny to some bystander," he said when we calmed down a bit, "But I was still terrified, and now our entire friendship is ruined. I just can't be with her anymore, knowing she loves me more than just a friend, and it doesn't go both ways."
"I know what you mean. I guess it would be rather uncomfortable," I giggled again, "And I'm sorry. It must be sad to lose a friend like that,"
He smiled crookedly and my heart skipped a beat.
"By the way, this isn't uncomfortable for you? You know, me, a complete stranger, intruding your personal space on Valentine's Day? I just felt like I should talk to you," he said and looked me square in the eyes.
I swear, throughout my entire life, I had never had this many butterflies in my stomach.
"No no, it's fine. I like it, actually. Like you wrote -" I waved his note in the air, "- no one deserves to be alone, not you, not me. And you seem like a good guy, not some crazy rapist or something, so it's fine. And actually, I..." I paused, not knowing what to say, and looked at my bag-purse. The sketchbook seemed to burn in it.
Jasper smiled and nodded as I spoke, but when I paused, he looked at me with his eyebrow raised. Sexy as Hell.
"You...?" he questioned and made wave towards me with his hand. I blushed and he smirked.
"Just remember that we've never met before, okay? Only -" I checked my watch and counted in my head, "- forty-seven minutes ago, I drew this. I just sat in the park and listened to music and thought of nothing, and then this appears on my paper," I said and jabbed the sketchbook at him. I'd never liked showing a sketch like that to anybody, and I kept my eyes away.
Then I heard him gasp and my gaze flickered to his face again.
He was staring slack-jawed at the sketch, and subconsciously reached up to his eyebrow, where a thin scar broke the white trail of hair. I hadn't noticed it before.
"You drew all the small details too, like you've been studying my face for hours. Creepy," he said and looked at me incredulously. I shrugged.
"Yeah, I was pretty freaked out myself, but not as freaked out as when you decided to show up here, sitting directly in front of me. The drawing is the exact picture of you when I saw you for the first time, looking out of the window, right before we made eye contact, you know," I mumbled at the end, blushing slightly. He still seemed shocked, and his face made me giggle once again.
His head snapped up again by the sound of my giggle.
"Sorry, I'm just... wow. It's really detailed and beautiful. This is pure talent," he complimented, and I blushed even more.
"I mostly draw clothes. It's my job," I said, and pointed at his black woolen jacket, "That's my design, for an example."
"But you said your name was Alice..." he trailed off and I laughed at his confused expression.
"It is. I just use the alias Mary Brandon when I design. It makes the everyday life a lot easier when people don't stare at me when they get to know my name. Alice Cullen is a little bit less conspicuous," I laughed. He still looked amazed.
"Here I am, a mere teacher, having coffee with the famous Mary Brandon on Valentine's Day," he mumbled to himself. I grinned at him as I stuffed the sketchbook back into the bag-purse.
"I don't usually tell people, 'cause it causes a lot... troubles, if you know what I mean," I sent him a look and he nodded, "But again, you seem okay, and I kinda knew you before we met."
I gestured to my bag-purse and he kept nodding.
"Just talk to me like I'm an ordinary girl, okay?"
"There's no way that you ever would be ordinary, but I'll try" he said and winked at me with a gleam in his eyes that made me blush.
"Well, I noticed you called yourself a stranger, so why don't we end that? You said you are a teacher?" I asked to turn the conversation topic away from myself.
"Yeah, I teach history in grade school. I love the kids," he said and leaned back to stretch his legs. Now we're at it, they were incredibly long. Great, I thought, In my ballets I'm only five foot tall, and he's like, six foot tall.
"So, it's your dream job?" I asked.
"Pretty much. I can't decide between high school students or grade school pupils, though, both have their pros and cons. I can obviously have better conversations and discussions with the teenagers, but the kids are so cute. They love it when I tell them stories," he grinned, and I saw the affection to the kids easily in his eyes. It made me smile and I leaned forward and rested my chin in my left hand.
"Why don't you get some coffee, then we'll make up three questions each, and then both of us answer all six questions?" I asked and he laughed a deep bass laugh. There was something incredibly sexy about that laugh.
"Right. Then we probably don't have to answer questions we don't like," he grinned and let his head fall backwards.
"Katie!" he bellowed and a woman's voice yelled something back in another language from the kitchen. Jasper turned to me again and grinned wider.
The small redheaded waitress came from behind the desk and strode towards Jasper to promptly smack the back of his head.
"You shouldn't be scaring the customers away, moron. What do you want?" She, Katie, asked. Her and Jasper obviously knew each other, and I was helpless to the sudden jealousy burning the bottom of my stomach. I leaned back, but couldn't stay angry at Katie's broad smile.
"I'll have the usual, and this beautiful lady here will be having..." he trailed off and gestured for me to talk.
"Just a latté, please," I smiled at Katie. She nodded, still smiling.
"Just a minute, pal," she grinned at Jasper and skipped into the kitchen again. I immediately sent Jasper a questioningly look.
"How do you know her?"
"I come here nearly every day after school," he shrugged, "She started working here just past New Year, and we quickly became friends. She's an open minded person, and she needed a friend in the new country. She's a bit like a sister." I smiled at his kindness to this girl.
"Where does she come from? I don't think I've heard the language before," I speculated and Jasper smiled again.
"Probably not. There's only five point five million who speak it natively. She's a Dane," he explained, "she moved here to try out the world. She finished something like high school last year and wanted to travel, to see a bit of the world before settling. I've learned a bit of the language too," he grinned proudly.
"And it sounds like a choking dog. Your accent is just too much. Listen to me speaking with Danish accent," Katie said as she rounded the desk with two cups, talking with the strangest, flat accent I've ever heard. I couldn't contain a burst of laughter. Jasper laughed with me.
"That was my first reaction too," he guffawed. Katie rolled her eyes.
"And that is exactly why I try to talk like a regular American. I hate having people to laugh at me," she grumbled. Jasper answered with something in the weird language and Katie laughed as well and corrected him. Then, suddenly, she glanced at the clock and whirled around.
"I gotta' go, my shift is over. Hope you guys have a very nice afternoon and evening," she said and winked. I blushed immediately.
"Thanks, and you too, Katie. I heard your boyfriend is coming?" Jasper asked and grinned. I realized suddenly, that I've been smiling a lot more today than I used to.
"Yeah, I can't wait," she ended in a squeal and stormed off to the kitchen.
Jasper and I exchanged an understanding glance before I looked out the window and giggled.
"Look, Jasper," I said and he turned to the window as well and snickered. A bouquet with legs stood on the other side of the road to the small coffee shop. The bouquet was made of what looked like hundreds of red and white roses. A hand with a map appeared and a short haired head popped up behind the bouquet to look at the map, and then up to the name of the coffee shop. I giggled again.
"Katie? I think someone is here to get you," I yelled towards the kitchen, and Katie's head peeked in.
"What?" she said hyper actively. I made a motion at the window with my head and she looked outside with eyes as wide as saucers.
"Åh Gud," she whispered and disappeared for half a second to throw on a bright green jacket and a neon orange colored beanie before she stormed past us.
"Have a nice day!" she squeaked and slammed the door behind her. Jasper and I both leaned closer to the window to see her cross the street without looking for cars, causing a lot honking, and ran right into the arms of the young man. He laughed and spun her in circles, stopped and kissed her deeply. They stood there for a long time, just holding on to each other, all the flowers forgotten.
I sneaked a glance at Jasper and found him standing, looking at me.
"That's love. That's true love," he said and smiled again. His smile took my breath away.
"Would you take a walk with me?" he asked softly. I nodded and blushed as he held out his arm for me.
We sat on the bench I had been resting on earlier when I drew him. I guess we weren't strangers anymore, because we knew just about everything about each other. Jasper entertained me, while I drew, with stories from his job at the local grade school.
"... and Jim was utterly frightened. His mom called two days later and told me not to make my lessons as real, 'cause her little Jimmy hadn't slept since that fateful lesson, as she said. Can you imagine how hard it was for me not to laugh? Don't get me wrong, it's a pity the boy can't sleep, but seriously?" he chucked. I giggled as well.
The last hour, I had been doodling on my sketchbook while talking, hoping that any clothes would appear, but the only thing I had come to draw, was a cute, tea length wedding dress. It had pearls beaded in a flowery pattern at the bottom, as well as the top, a plain, broad satin band resting right at the classic empire-cut. The neckline was a beautiful, deep heart shaped cut, and the thin straps empathized what would be a thin, but curving body. I made the last shadow and sighed.
"What's that?" Jasper asked and leaned closer. As every time before he had come close, I felt a slight giddiness, and I felt like a teenage girl all again.
"I don't know. I think it's for Katie, I keep thinking about her and her guy. They seemed so perfect," I said with both wonder and skepticism.
"It's nice. I could see Katie wearing that at her wedding, it fits her personality," Jasper complimented and I blushed lightly in response.
"Let me see what else you've drawn," he commanded softly and scooted a bit closer to me on the bench, laying his arm around my shoulders. His uncovered neck was suddenly surprisingly close, and I smelled his wonderful cologne. I automatically rested my head against his shoulder, sighed soundlessly in contentment and flipped the pages to the first page.
"Well, we'll take it from the beginning. This is the dress I made for Rosalie's wedding. She loves it to pieces. I've drawn it several times from different angles, but I still manage to be surprised by it's beauty every time," I explained and followed the lines of the drawing with my fingertips.
"Does she actually look like that?" He asked and took my hand lightly to make my index finger point at her face. It was one of the rare drawings I had made of a full person, and not only the dress or the face.
"Yes, and even more beautiful. She could easily have been a great model, but she chose early marriage, kids and a auto shop nearby. She's fabulous with kids and cars, you wouldn't imagine," I said just as softly as the way he still held my hand.
"She looks like someone I met in college," he mumbled. I smiled and flipped past the next couple of pages.
"Hey! I wanted to see all of it," Jasper complained suddenly and tried to grab my other hand. I giggled giddily, because the movement caused me to be wrapped up in his arms.
"If you saw that, my sewing ladies and I would have to kill you, and I don't think I'm ready to share you just yet," I said and turned slightly in his arms to wink at him. He laughed a carefree laugh.
"It's okay then, I won't be happy with having to say goodbye either," he grinned and pointed at the paper, "Another wedding dress again. I assume it is Bella's?"
I giggled again.
"Yes, it is Bella's. Do you know what the wise thing, about me designing their dresses, is? -" I felt him shake his head, "- No? Well, it's that I know them. I can make the dress they didn't know they were dreaming about. This dress is so Bella. A tiny bit old-fashioned with the velour band and the flower lace... it was so beautiful," I whispered and remembered Bella's wedding day with pride and awe.
I smirked and turned the paper once, showing a drawing of the same jacket he was wearing.
"Do you recognize this?" I teased. He chuckled.
"You have no idea of how weird it feels to look at that," he said and sighed silently against the side of my face as he nuzzled his nose to my ear. I shivered delicately and flipped the pages a couple of times again.
"And this is my own wedding dress," I whispered when I paused and caressed the dark gray lines on the paper.
It was simple, the plain white, strapless dress only being interrupted by a wide band of lace at the bottom hem and around the waist. The lace was sprinkled with hundreds of small crystals.
I felt him turn his head to look at it.
"It's beautiful," he stated softly. I smiled sadly and closed the sketchbook.
"It reminds me of my first prom dress," I said as I moved to put the book back in the bag-purse.
Jasper grabbed my hand. "Alice?"
I looked at him and smiled at him and the warm tingle, the feeling of his hand around mine made.
"Yes, Jasper?" I'd never noticed how it felt to say his name.
"Could I take you to dinner somewhere?" he asked timidly, looking at his shoes. I smiled and took a rash decision.
"I know just the place," I said and we shared a smile.
"Where are we going?" Jasper whined for the umpteenth time. I laughed again.
"Somewhere nice. Just wait, we aren't far," I reassured. He grumbled, but pulled me a tiny bit closer to his body with the arm he'd laid around me. The wind was cold in February.
I was going to bring him into my own home. I didn't know why I did it, but it just felt right, and oh boy, it was right.
"Okay, we're here," I said happily as we stopped in front of a huge glass and steel building. Jasper looked at me weirdly.
"Don't be shy," I teased and grabbed his hand to drag him to the nearest elevator. I smiled and waved at the lady by the counter. I barely saw her wave back as I ran into an elevator.
"Which floor?" Jasper asked in a bit withholding voice. I smiled at him.
"Fifty-seven," I told him, and grinned at his widening eyes. He pushed the two buttons, and it demanded a pass code.
"Excuse me," I mumbled and pressed the right combination. Jasper watched me silently.
"What is all the way up there?" he wondered mumbling.
The elevator ride was silent, but we were standing close to each other, and his hand was still wrapped around mine. The warmth of it assured me that I did the right thing. I felt his eyes on me, but kept my eyes on the small screen showing the floor number as it ticked slowly upwards.
The elevator eventually stopped and the doors opened straight into a light and open entrée. I giggled at Jaspers expression and tugged on his hand to make him move forward.
"Please don't say..." he began, but I interrupted him.
"Welcome to Mi Casa," I said as we walked straight from the elevator and into my apartment, gesturing around me with a wide movement of my free arm.
"You live here?" he asked incredulously. I laughed out loud and twirled once.
"Yes. This is what I get for making that," I smiled and poked his jacket. He chuckled, but seemed still a bit shocked. I began removing my coat, but Jasper stepped up behind me and took it. I pointed at the rack and he hung it beside his own. It looked weird in a good way. It looked right.
"Let me show you around," I said and took his hand. He followed willingly, more than once whistling at the interior. The apartment was big and light, the small entrée leading into the huge living room, the whole southern wall made of panoramic windows. It had an open connection to the kitchen, which was really big too. It was all creamy white besides the the uppermost drawers, that was breaking the pattern by being bright red.
I showed him the - compared the the rest - small hallway to the bedrooms. I had three. The two smaller used as an office and a closet, and the biggest used as - no surprise - my bedroom. He seemed dazed by the mere size of it all. I couldn't help but giggle a bit.
"So, wanna' help making dinner?" I asked when we returned to the kitchen. He smiled and nodded.
"What are we making?" he asked, and helped me find my pots.
"Just some spaghetti and my own specialty, Mom's tomato sauce. I'm sorry, but I don't have that big culinary skills," I apologized. He laughed.
"That's ironic ya' know. Ms. Cullen, the culinary challenged woman," he joked. I grabbed a pot and waved it threateningly. He just dodged and laughed louder.
"Don't mess with me. I know where the big knives are," I said in what I hoped was a menacing tone. He snickered and leaned against the counter. I didn't let him rest long, because I thrust the pot with spaghetti towards him.
"Here."
He happily obliged and stepped up beside me. He looked around for a second, then turned to me.
"Am I supposed to stir it, or what?" he said, amusement still evident in his voice. I just motioned towards the drawer beside me.
I don't know why Jasper didn't let go of the handle on the pot. I don't know why he just didn't step around me and took the damn spoon, but he was suddenly pressed up against my back.
I stiffened and stopped breathing. I could feel his hard chest through our shirts, how his muscles suddenly tensed as he stiffened too and let out a long ragged breath. The warm, moist air tickled my right ear. I leaned my head slightly towards him, feeling his lips touch the soft skin behind my ear, ever so lightly.
I heard pot and spoon drop, and suddenly, I was turned around and looking into a pair of deep green eyes. I released the breath I had been holding, mesmerized by his intense gaze. He asked permission with his eyes, and I nodded infinitesimally. He leaned a tiny bit closer, stopping to look at me again, before closing the distance between our lips quickly.
It was just a soft peck, a chaste kiss, but it set my lips on fire. I yearned for more. His perfect, silky lips brushed against mine again in that chaste way, but having enough of that, I reached up to his neck, curling my fingers in his hair and pulled him close, crushing my lips to his. I felt him groan in response, and he lifted me slightly, placing me on the counter next to the stove. He stepped in between my legs, still not breaking the contact of our lips. I arched my back and moaned as he swept his tongue across my bottom lip, feeling his hands slip up my thighs to rest at my lower back. His tongue caressed mine, and I felt every part of my self-control disappear into thin air.
It felt so good, just to let it all slip away, not caring one bit about anything. He could be dangerous, he could be a rapist, a murderer, and I didn't care. All I cared about was his lips against mine, moving in the most sensual way I have ever known and ever will know. His hands on my back, pulling me closer and closer. His throaty moan when I bit his lip. The jolts of electricity that cursed though my body at his touch.
I gasped for air as he pulled his lips from mine, and kissed his way down my neck. I pulled his hair, making him stop and slowly release a long breath. The cool spots of his kisses on my neck made me shiver.
He straightened his back, and looked at me with the same intense stare as before. I saw brief flashes in the back of my mind, naked bodies in crumpled sheets.
We both panted heavily. We were frozen in the same positions, his hands way too low on my back, my hands knotted in his hair, our bodies flush against each other. I could easily feel just how exited he was. None of us seemed willing to break the silence.
Crap. My cell started blaring, announcing that somebody just wanted to interrupt our hot and incredibly sexy moment.
Jasper pulled away and turned around, but I could see his ears and neck turn a deep red color. My cheeks blushed as well. I reached down to my pocket and glared angrily at the screen of my cell. A pretty picture of an annoying blonde showed me who it was.
"What, Rosalie?" I growled. I heard her giggle nervously.
"Errm, I'm sorry! I just wanted to be sure that you didn't want to stop by and have dinner? It's such a shame that you're all alone tonight," she said, and I huffed annoyed.
"No, I'll be fine. Perfectly fine," I insisted, "I'll just see some TV and go to bed like every other day. It isn't special."
Jasper whipped his head around and looked at me. His cheeks and neck were still a bit rosy.
"Are you completely sure? You seemed so sad before, and now -" she started, but I cut her off.
"You just interrupted something pretty incredible, okay? I'll tell you sometime tomorrow. Bye," I ended a bit harshly and pushed the red button a bit too forcefully. I looked up and found Jasper smirking at me, his hair sexily disheveled.
"Pretty incredible, huh?" he grinned as I hopped down from the counter. I blushed again.
"Oh shut it. Don't deny that it was, I know you enjoyed as much as I did," I mumbled and turned to make dinner again. He went to my side again and stirred the spaghetti, but kissed my cheek on the way.
"Yeah, I know. Pretty incredible," he mumbled.
I giggled. Jasper was so sweet and caring and funny. He made the insides of my body tingle, as well as the outside. Over dinner, we had talked and talked, laughed and smiled and flirted. Sure as hell the pull of attraction was still there. Sometimes, when I looked him in the eyes, I just wanted to jump him.
It was nine o'clock, or something like that. It was late. I dreaded to let him go again, having just found him. He held my hand on the table, and it felt so right. We looked so different, but still a perfect match. We evened each other out. I was loud, outgoing and hyper active. He was quiet, shy and calm. He kept me on the ground, and I pulled him up from the deepest wells in his thoughts.
"Let me help you," Jasper's deep bass voice interrupted my thoughts. I smiled and gave him the tea towel to dry off the plates. For once, we didn't talk. We just worked in harmony.
I followed him to the door. I gave him a slip of paper, with my name and number written on it.
"Call me first thing when you get home. I'll be awake anyway," I smiled at him. He gave me a smile in answer, but he seemed sad too.
"I will, I promise," he said as he pulled on his jacket.
"Well, thank you for a great time," I sad and took a small step closer.
"Thank you for trusting me enough to bring me here and tell me about your life," he said softly, taking a small step forward as well. I could practically feel the electricity humming in the foot of air between us.
"Goodnight," I whispered and closed the gap, kissing him sweetly on his lips. He wrapped one arm around me, making it easier as he lifted me a tiny bit. I sighed in contentment and cupped his jaw in my hands. The light stubble itched my palms.
I didn't mean to, I swear, but I couldn't let such a chance pass me. So when I nibbled his lower lip and licked it, I certainly wasn't prepared for his response.
He turned ninety degrees and pressed me against the wall. All his defenses was suddenly gone, the pure lust and adoration overflowing. I gasped and then moaned as he forced his tongue into my mouth. Everything else than him blurred, and his hands was suddenly under my shirt, tracing circles on my stomach. One of my hands crawled to knot in his hair, the other pushing the jacket open and going under his sweatshirt. He shivered as I dragged my nails down his deliciously toned chest. He began nibbling and sucking on my neck, talking as he went.
"I should... Go home..." he mumbled as I panted for air, "S'not smart... To do this..."
He pressed me against the wall a bit harder, and I lifted my legs to wrap around his waist. Suddenly, I could feel him. I gasped embarrassing loud again and tugged his head up a bit and licked the shell of his ear.
"Don't care. Just fuck me," I panted and he growled in response.
I don't know how we got there, but I was suddenly splayed out on my bed, Jasper hovering over me in all his glory. He looked at me for a second, his eyes sparkling almost black, his lips swollen. Wow, I had done that. He went straight to my neck where he had been momentarily interrupted.
He still wore that damn jacket! I pushed it down his shoulders and he helped me by resting on one arm and then the other as he pulled it off forcefully. He threw it on the floor someplace and went back to my lips. I used his distraction to roll us around so I was on top and sat up, straddling him. I started unzipping his sweatshirt.
"You know what I hate about the winter?" I said lowly. He stared at me like he'd forgotten how to speak, but shook his head. I bent closer, kissing his jaw on the way to his ear.
"All those damned clothes," I whispered and kissed him just below his ear. He groaned slightly.
"Then take 'em off," he growled, sat up and ripped my shirt off. It landed somewhere close to his jacket, and his sweatshirt and tee soon followed.
I marveled at his chest, just as he seemed mesmerized by mine. He traced the outline of my breast with his finger, and let it travel all the way to my back, where he snapped open the clasp to my bra. He stared and muttered "fuck" as it stayed in place until he practically ripped it off and turned us around again, kissing his way to the swell of my breasts with wet, open-mouthed kisses. He licked my hardened nipple before gently sucking on it, making fireworks go off inside my body. I arched my back and moaned, dragging my nails slowly up his back.
He kissed, licked and nibbled his way to my naval, where he swirled his tongue twice before kissing, licking and nibbling his way back up to my other nipple. His hand went down, unbuttoning my pants. I shimmied my hips as Jasper kissed his way down my skin, taking my pants and my thong with him.
"These gotta' go," I whispered as he went back up again, tugging at his jeans. He was out of them in seconds. His pale green boxer briefs hid nothing.
I grabbed his shoulders, bringing his lips to mine again. Our tongues tangled and split up again. He ground against me, releasing several moans from the back of my throat. I bent my leg and hooked my toe around the waist band of his boxers to drag them down. He helped me when my legs became too short.
I reached out to the bedside table, and pulled out the small drawer, fumbling my way through it. Jasper made it hard to concentrate and I felt my eyes roll back into my head more than once. Yes! I found them.
I slammed the drawer shut, earning his attention, and flipped the foil wrapper in front of his eyes. He rolled over, making me sit on top of him once again. I started kissing and teasing him, just like he had done it to me. I swirled my tongue in small circles on his skin and blew softly on them. He responded with an odd sound somewhere in between a growl and a moan. I couldn't help but smirk a little.
I finally reached his Promise Land, and grabbed his shaft firmly, making him moan loudly again. Slowly dragging my hand upwards I tore the wrapper open with my mouth. He hissed as I rolled the condom agonizing slowly down, all the way to the base. I crawled back up and positioned me above him, but he grabbed my hips to stop me.
"I thought you said I should fuck you," he rasped, flipping us over again and pushing into me in one fluid motion. I gave a needy moan at the feeling of him inside me. He filled me completely, stretching me to the point of almost pain, but I only felt the pleasure. He pulled slowly back, moaning as I whimpered, and thrust suddenly inside again. I arched my back and squeezed my eyes shut at the intense feeling. The hot waves of exhilaration and pleasure were climbing higher and higher, crushing us in the same pace as our hips. The air around us was thick with sweat and our labored breathing.
He grabbed my left leg and stretched it, resting my ankle on his shoulder. I gasped as he penetrated me deeper than before, deeper than what I ever would have thought as possible. He hit the same spot every time, the spot that made my vision go white in bright stars and flowers. I felt the wave grow bigger than I could handle and let it free, washing over my entire body, making me tremble as I clamped down around him.
"Jasperrrr," I moaned, long and throatily as the orgasm wracked through my body, filling my eyes with colors I had no name for. I felt him spasm inside me, and I heard his moan as he released, stilling his movements. I opened my eyes, just in time to see his pupils widen to the point of where I could see no green at all. He was biting down on his bottom lip hard, staring at me with that intense stare of his.
He slowly released my leg while pulling out of me. I bit back another moan, 'cause it did interesting things to my lady bits. I pointed towards the toilet and he went in there, grabbing his boxers on his way. As soon as I head the door click shut, I sat up and looked around.
Clothes was littered everywhere. I found my pants - and with them, my thongs - but I didn't want to wear those again, so I went to the drawer in my bedside table once again and pulled out a pair of nice, lacy panties. I pulled them on, but let the clothes lay where they were. I was kind of spent.
Laying on my stomach on the bed, my thoughts finally caught up with me. I had just had the most amazing sex in the lights of New York at night, on fucking Valentine's Day (and fucking it is), with a complete stranger. Or, maybe not stranger, we had talked about ourselves all day, but with a guy I had only know for a little less than twelve hours.
I didn't feel like it was wrong. I didn't feel like I'd been used. I just felt... content and tired and happy? I felt better than I had in a long time.
I felt the bed dip lower behind me, and Jasper's strong arm came around my waist. I sighed.
"You're so beautiful," he suddenly whispered, and dragged the covers up to warm our cooling skin. I snuggled closer to him and smiled.
"Thank you," I whispered back, turning in his arms to rest my forehead at his chest. I could feel his steady breath, hear his strong heart beat. It matched my own.
"Alice, I -" Jasper began, but I cut him off.
"No. We'll talk tomorrow. I feel way too good to ruin it now," I mumbled, and I felt his low chuckle. I giggled as well.
We were silent for a bit, just enjoying each others embrace and letting the afterglow settle. My eyelids started to droop slowly, and Jasper's deep, slow breathing lulled me closer to sleep. I felt him shift his head closer to mine.
"Don't make it a one night stand," he whispered pleadingly. I shook my head and craned my neck backwards to look at him.
"No. I promise I won't, if you stay," I answered and kissed him softly. He made a low humming sound and deepened the kiss ever so slightly, caressing only the tip of my tongue with his shortly. I kissed him chaste once, twice, never breaking eye contact. He smiled.
"Goodnight, Alice, sweet dreams," he said into my lips. I moaned at the vibration and bit his lower lip gently. He growled softly and rolled over slightly, so he was partly covering my body with his own. I wrapped my leg around his, and he groaned and pushed his tongue into my mouth again. I could already feel his excitement against my inner thigh.
Here goes round two.
"Aliiiice! Wakey-wakey, your brother and I are here- IIIAAH!"
The slam of my bedroom door against the wall and Rosalie's following scream broke the silence in my room, waking me with a jolt. Jasper stirred beneath me as well, and I realized exactly how I was splayed across his naked chest with his arms around my waist. The floor was littered in our discarded clothes and the covers had ridden down in the night, exposing my bare back to Rosalie's and Emmett's stunned faces. I grabbed the covers quickly as I sat up, pulling them up to shield my breasts from their gaze.
"I'm gonna go, I'm gonna go now, I'll be in the kitchen," Em mumbled, holding his hands up and looking down, before he sprinted away from the doorway.
"Rose, I -" I started.
"WHAT THE HELL ALICE? WHO IS HE? WHAT IS HE DOING HERE? WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY ANYTHING YESTERDAY? FOR FUCK'S SAKE, HE COULD BE A BLOODY MURDERER!" she screamed as Jasper shot up from bed and ripped his clothes up from the mess on the floor to pull his jeans on, faster than I had ever seen anybody do before. Rosalie suddenly halted her screaming.
"But he is quite a catch," she wondered in a normal tone, tapping her chin with the finger that previously had been flailing around between me, Jasper and the bed. Jasper blushed bright red.
"Rose, listen to me," I pleaded, but she shot me a dirty look. She kept watching Jasper as he found his tee and pulled it on.
"You remind me of someone," she then said conversationally. I noticed Emmett's head peek around the door frame.
"I heard the screaming stop, and I wondered if you killed her, but..." he trailed off while stepping forward, staring with huge, shocked eyes at Jasper, who looked at him in a similar way. Then they both bent their knees, wailed: "Then she smacked her forehead and screamed "It's raining pickles!" like a squeaky toy!", and nearly fell to the floor laughing. Rosalie's eyes flickered in recognition, and she smiled happily at me. I was, to put it mildly, confused.
They stepped up and man-hugged while I desperately tried to understand. Rosalie hugged him as well, and then something clicked.
"She looks like someone I met in college,"
Rosalie and Emmett met in college. If Jasper met Rosalie, he probably met Emmett too!
"Did you meet in college?" I stammered and felt ridiculously embarrassed as they looked at me, maybe because I still didn't wear anything but my panties and my covers. Jasper smiled softly.
"Yup, Mr. Witty Whitlock here was employed at the same coffee shop as Rosie, and we became best friends. I thought they were twins," Emmett guffawed and both Rose and Jasper rolled their eyes. They kinda looked like each other.
"This is slightly confusing," I said, and shifted my eyes between the three of them, "But the further explanations will have to wait. Now I need some clothes, so shoo. Wait in the living room, I'll be there in a minute."
Rose and Em left chattering. Jasper paused on the way out, and went back to me, standing in the middle of the room in nothing but my panties.
"Hurry, will ya'?" he asked and kissed my cheek before marching quickly out again.
I couldn't help but smile as I rummaged through the closet to find something to wear. We just clicked, Jasper and I, and my brother and sister-in-law had already known him for a long time. He was Em's best friend in college, so he was a nice guy - which I already knew. He was sweet, gentle, caring, had a rocking body and was beyond words in bed. Last night was the best sex I'd ever had, and not once, not twice, but three times. Our bodies just fit together like two pieces of a puzzle.
But it wasn't just that. It was the way he spoke, the way he walked, the way he breathed and the way his heart beat in sync with my own. Everything about him was better than any other guys. He could guess how I felt, and I could guess what he wanted to say. No strain at all, just comfortableness.
I examined the clothes I had found in the mirror - not a full minute had passed. Nice for a day off work. Simple gray slacks, a white top and a long, beige cardigan. Then I noticed the dark red mark on my neck.
"Shit," I swore and grabbed a scarf. Couldn't he had sucked on my collarbone instead? It would be easier to hide.
"Alice? We're going home now, Bella called to tall that Emma swallowed something again, but I'll check by tonight, okay?" Rosalie said while stepping into the closet. I smiled and nodded.
"Of course, just call me so I know when you'll be here. Tell Bells they're invited too, wee need a family dinner," I winked at her. She hugged me from behind, poking my scarf.
"You're not hiding it, you know. See ya', honey," she laughed and sashayed out. I heard them say goodbye to Jasper and the elevator door close. Then I walked out and found Jasper leaning to the door frame to the living room with crossed arms.
"They'll be back tonight," he said. I nodded.
"I know."
He pushed himself away from the wall and came towards me.
"What do you say to a brunch at Betty's? They make the best berry pies in town," he smirked with sparkling eyes. I tilted my head slightly to the side.
"Yeah, let's do that," I said with a laugh as held out his arm to me. I wound my own through his and we walked off to meet the smiling waitress Katie again.
A/N: Hello fellow readers! It's been too long since my last update, but I'm quite busy with school at the moment. I don't think I'll really be able to write something before the end of June again, 'cause it's my last year, and I have a lot of exams. Don't blame me, blame the Danish Government.
Okay, I surprised myself with this one - it 9,806 words! Thank you, no need for an applause ;-) I'm just stunned. Seriously. It's nearly 10,000!
I actually started writing it on Valentine's day, but it never got finished until just now. Ain't that amazing? It's probably one of my most worked-through chapters ever, so I hope you'll like it. I like it.
And yes, if you wondered, Katie is me. I own those clothes, I wear that kind of glasses and I have that kind of hair. I couldn't resist it, and since I needed another character, I thought, "Why not?", but have in mind that only her physical appearance is like mine. Her 'problems' are purely fictional.
REVIEW please, it's important. I want to know if I'm able to write decent lemons, and I can't know if you don't tell me.
THANK YOUUU! - Alice.