Disclaimer – I do not own anything related to Twilight, it all belongs to Stephenie Meyer and company, nor do I make any money from this fanfiction. Which is alright, I suppose, I'd just like to play with Jackson Rathbone. The plot, however, is mine.
Summary – Jasper cools Bella down before heating her back up again, just in a different way. All human, fluff, lemons, OOC, AU.
This one-shot is dedicated to you. Yes, you! Thank you, so much, for taking the time out to read my story, hopefully reviewing, and even more hopefully enjoying it.
A massive hug and thanks to the spectacular Crystie for beta reading this for me. If I could, I'd have Dr. Carlisle Cullen dressed in his getup with a red bow on top of his head, awaiting you when you got home.
Warning – 18 years old and over, please. Sexual content, language.
The heat was sweltering. It was mid-July, but it was still unusually hot for Seattle, Washington. Local resident and recent college graduate Bella Swan sat within her baking apartment, two separate fans blowing on her. Admittedly, they didn't really help, as all they did was push the hot air around. That didn't matter, though, it gave the illusion of wind, and wind was always welcomed on hot days. But even dressed in a blue strappy tank top and skimpy running shorts, the heat of the room was still overbearing. A knock on her door broke her out of her heat-induced trance, and she peeled herself off the green sofa, putting her long brown hair into a bun before opening the door.
"Bought you a popsicle."
There stood Jasper Whitlock, her neighbor, best friend and infatuation of the past four years. Her face lit with excitement as he held up the foot long ice-pop. She didn't care that it was one of those obnoxious colorful, swirly, dripping, messy things; all she cared about was the coldness of the flavored popsicle. And having Jasper at her door wasn't exactly a downer either. He stood 6'3, slight but muscular. He had on a grey sleeveless shirt and a pair of cut-off khaki shorts, no shoes. His-chin length curly blonde hair was in casual disarray, his face pink from the heat.
"I'd hug you if it wasn't so fucking hot," Bella said, eyeing the colorfully wrapped ice-pop.
Jasper smiled that ever-attractive crooked smile, causing her heart to pitter-patter away. "I think I can stand a few seconds of extra warmth."
She rolled her eyes and quickly threw her arms around his neck, having to stand on her tippy-toes in order to do so. She was short, just about 5'4, and loved the fact that Jasper towered over her. Jasper leaned down and wrapped his arms around her waist, squeezing her small body against his before she pulled away. He smiled at her again and held out the popsicle, which she took with great enthusiasm.
"What did you get?" she asked, stepping away from the door so he could enter if he chose to.
He wagged a red, white and blue package at her as he walked into her apartment, closing the door. "One of those rocket things," he explained, taking a seat on Bella's green couch and propping his feet up on the small, wooden coffee table.
Bella sat down next to him, careful to leave enough space between them. "Where did you get these from?" she asked as they unwrapped their frozen prizes.
"Ice cream man," Jasper said enthusiastically. "I haven't seen an ice cream man since we went to Texas! And that was frickin' weird, tell you what. Ice cream man in November? That didn't happen when I was a kid. That guy must have been desperate."
Bella smiled fondly as she remembered the trip she and Jasper had taken over Thanksgiving to visit his parents. They were very old-fashioned and a little hard on Jasper for moving away to Seattle in order to pursue a career in music. Jasper had thought that his mother and father would take it easier on him if he had a 'sexy girlfriend' with him. Bella had rolled her eyes and asked him where he'd find one of those because, even though Jasper was the hottest thing this side of the Mississippi, she had never seen him go out on a single date. He'd smacked her arm and told her that he wanted to take her, if she could be a good little actress.
"Hello?" Jasper said, waving a hand in front of Bella's face. "Earth to Bella!"
Bella shook her head. "Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking about the trip."
Jasper laughed. "Oh!" he said. "Which reminds me! Mother wanted me to invite you for Thanksgiving again."
Bella choked on a chunk of her popsicle and Jasper patted her on the back. "Will that woman ever stop?" she asked after catching her breath.
"Well," Jasper started thoughtfully, "you turned down her request for Christmas and Spring Break, so I think you owe her."
Bella giggled as Jasper slurped at his melting popsicle before replying. "Fine," she sighed. "It is only fair, I suppose. You spent Christmas with Charlie and me, even though he was running in and out all week because of his duties as Chief of Police of the Seattle Police Department. And you went down to Florida with me to see Renée. So, I guess I'll go with you again this year. But don't you think it's about time you told her that I'm not really your girlfriend?"
Simultaneous pangs struck through both their hearts, but neither let it show.
Jasper rolled his eyes, the bright hazel irises disappearing for a moment before returning to normal. "You are a girl, and you are my friend, Bella-bug, so you're just going to have to deal with that."
Bella's brown eyes narrowed. "What did I tell you about calling me 'Bella-bug'?"
"That my mother is brilliant, and I should try and use the five hundred nicknames she came up with for you in an astonishingly short amount of time?"
Bella smacked Jasper's arm. "Shut up," she said playfully. "You southern folks and nicknames, I swear."
Jasper stuck his tongue out at her and she laughed when she saw it was purple. "Oh," he said, licking off the last bit of ice-pop from the stick, "they also wanted me to give you something."
Bella sighed. "What now? I already got the five fruit baskets, the overly expensive diamond bracelet she sent me when I graduated that I'm too terrified to wear, and that ridiculously large stuffed elephant."
Jasper snorted. "You asked for that elephant!"
"It was a joke!" she retorted, but laughed anyway. "Just tell me what it is."
"How about I show you instead?" he asked, his well-shaped eyebrow quirking.
"Fine," she said, sucking the last drop off of the wooden stick, frustrated there was nothing left.
She watched as Jasper stood and went to the door. Before she could ask what he was doing, he opened it and stepped out. "Ready?" he called from the hallway.
"So help me, if it's the carousel that I told you I wanted from the fair we went to last week, I'm going to write an angry letter! Again!" she yelled back.
Jasper's flushed face appeared around the door. "You write another angry letter to my mother, I'm keeping your present for myself. And I didn't tell her about the carousel, so… there."
Bella stood and crossed her arms over her chest. Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open as Jasper, with some difficulty, dragged a massive box into her apartment. On the front of the box was a picture of the product as well as the name and all the features.
"Is that…," Bella started, but then stopped, the words she wanted not coming to mind.
"An air conditioner?" Jasper asked, laughing at her expression. "Yes, hunny, it's an air conditioner."
"But… but… but those ones are like five hundred dollars!" she said incredulously.
"You think that's going to make a dent in my parents' bank account?" Jasper asked.
Bella knew the answer was no, as Jasper had told her that his parents' savings alone consisted of nearly fifty million dollars. "That doesn't matter," she said. "I can't believe your mom did that."
"Actually," Jasper said, chuckling, "it was my dad. He didn't want his 'future daughter in-law frying alive'."
"He said that?" she asked, her mouth falling open further.
Jasper nodded and smiled, looking pleased. "My father was very… approving of you."
"You're fucking with me," she said, not able to imagine that the stiff man who dressed in nothing but Armani suits, and who said barely a few words to her the week they had visited, thought her worthy of his approval.
"No," Jasper said with a laugh, "I'm not 'fucking with you', Bella-boo." He ignored her look of irritation. "He may have not been very verbose, but he listened to the things you said. He thinks you're good for me."
"I am good for you," she said, rolling her eyes.
"That is very true, darling," he said, winking at her.
"Wait," Bella said, "did you get one, too?"
"Yes, I did," he said excitedly. "I haven't installed it yet, though. I wanted to get yours in first. Can't have my future wife burning alive, can I?"
Bella squealed in delight and ran to Jasper, throwing her arms and legs around him, nearly knocking him off his feet. A rush of air left him as her body slammed against his, but he laughed and wrapped his arms around her sweaty body. Without thinking, Bella pulled back and kissed Jasper square on the mouth, so overjoyed at the thought of cold air that her usual control easily slipped away.
He held her tighter and kissed her back roughly, his tongue running the seam of her lips until they parted. Both of them moaned as their tongues met; pent-up want turned into sheer desire and their kiss became sloppy but so passionate it made them both lightheaded. Bella raked her hands into Jasper's wild hair, fisting it as his arms tightened around her even more, trying to cover every inch of her he could possibly reach.
Through his heat-addled brain, Jasper realized he was kissing Bella Swan, his best friend and the love of his life. She didn't know it, but it was simply because he couldn't stand the idea of losing her. So, instead of telling her just then, he pulled her bottom lip into his mouth, caressing it with his tongue before biting into the supple flesh. When he kissed her again, he forced her to slow down, kissing her tenderly, gently, wanting to convey his feelings without uttering a single word.
The lack of oxygen and the stifling heat caused Jasper to feel woozy, and he realized that the heat situation could easily be remedied, but he was too terrified of Bella's reaction to pull away. After a moment, though, his brain screamed at him that Bella was probably feeling the same way, and he pulled back instantly, ever concerned for her well-being. She stared into his eyes, hers wide and unsure looking, both of them panting heavily, sweat beading on their foreheads.
"I should set that up," he breathed out.
Jasper could have smacked himself… hard. Disappointment and rejection flooded her features and she looked away, breaking whatever moment they'd just shared. Without knowing what else to do, he gently guided her back to floor and stepped away from her, waiting for her to do the same before attacking the project of the air conditioner. Once all the filters and screws were in the right places, Jasper flipped the switch and messed with the controls before the thing kicked out the much-needed cold air.
Jasper looked at Bella, and felt horribly guilty at the sad expression on her face. She looked up and met his eyes, but quickly glanced back at the floor. In a bold move, he walked to her and cupped her jaw with his hands, forcing her to look at him. He just stared at her for a while, trying to formulate what he was going to say.
"Tell me that didn't mean anything," he whispered, wanting nothing but to kiss her again.
"I think it meant something different to you than what it did to me," she said, her eyes wavering from his slightly.
Jasper stepped away from her as if she'd burnt him. "Oh," he said, taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry; I shouldn't have kissed you back, then."
Tears rose in Bella's eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. "No," she said, struggling to keep her composure. "You probably shouldn't have. It kind of gives a girl the wrong impression."
"Excuse me?" he said, narrowing his eyes.
"Oh, please, Jazz," Bella scoffed. "I'm not an idiot."
Jasper spluttered for a minute, confused. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Bella chewed on the inside of her lip. "I'm not stupid enough to think you could have feelings for me."
He gaped at her, shocked that she was thinking he only saw their interaction as purely physical. "You're out of your damn mind," he said.
Bella glared at him. "Don't you fuck with me, Jasper Monroe Whitlock!"
He groaned in frustration. "Are you fucking kidding me? I've had feelings for you for… for… for years!" he shouted, suddenly angry because she didn't understand.
"You're a liar," Bella whispered, torn between slapping him and kissing him again. She almost didn't want to believe him, because that meant that they could have been together so long ago, and she had just shut out the possibility.
Jasper decided it was now or never; if she rejected him… well… he'd move back to Texas and live a horribly empty life. But it was worth it if there was even the slightest possibility she felt the same as he did.
"I fucking love you, alright?" he practically screamed at her, clenching his fists so he didn't hit the wall beside him. "Why the fuck do you think I told you that every single guy I met that you brought around was horrible for you? Even Jeremy, the guy you saw for what, nine months or so? He was probably great, but I can't stand seeing you with someone else!"
Bella's bottom lip quivered and tears pooled in her eyes. "Jasper," she whispered, but he cut her off.
"No, just listen to me," he said, not able to stop now. "Do you have any idea the amount of women who have asked me to go on dates with them, but I turn them down? I don't even see their faces, Bella; they've all just been blurs since I met you! You're the only clear thing I see anymore! And I hate it, damn it! I hate not being able to touch you, to kiss you, to be with you! I hate the fact that I had to pretend that you were my girlfriend at my parents' house, having to hold your hand and keep my arm around you on the couch, when all you were doing was acting! This kills me, Bella! It fucking kills me!"
"Stop!" Bella screamed, tears running down her face and her body shaking. "Just stop, Jasper!"
He wanted to run to her, to fold her into his arms and never let her go, but he didn't think he could fix this one. For the first time, he was the one that had made her cry, and he suddenly felt like crying, too. He had just poured his heart out to the only woman he had ever loved, and all she was doing was sobbing five feet away from him, not even meeting his eyes. That thought slammed into him like a ton of bricks and he couldn't help the sting in his nose and the tears that rose in his eyes.
"Please," he said, his voice breaking, "say something. Anything."
Bella finally looked at him and her heart broke as tears fell from his eyes, slowly rolling down his face. She'd seen him cry twice – once when his best friend died in a car accident and the other when his grandmother had died, and she had been there, holding him on her sofa until he had quieted. But this time was different, this time she felt like it was completely her fault.
"I don't know what to say."
"Just tell me you love me, too," he pleaded, quickly wiping the moisture from his face, which was pointless, because the tears just kept falling. "Please."
Bella couldn't stand the pain in his face anymore and she all but ran to him, her arms reaching up to go around his neck, bringing him down so she could hold him closely. "I love you, too, Jasper. I love you so much."
Jasper choked in a breath, closing his eyes and breathing in the sweet smell of her hair. A small, broken laugh left his lips and he shook with the realization that she loved him back – her, Bella, his Bella, loved him back. She pulled away and put her forehead against his, her shaking hands finding his face and wiping away his tears. He laughed lowly again, sniffling as her hands continued to brush across his cheeks. He cupped her jaw, his thumbs mirroring hers, slowing running over her moist cheeks, memorizing the feel of them.
"You're so beautiful," he said thickly.
Bella gave him a watery smile and let out a shaky breath. "I think you're beautiful."
He laughed and tilted her face up, gazing into her eyes for a moment before kissing her. Their lips molded together slowly, gently, lovingly. Bella's arms fell to wrap around his waist, pressing his body closer, wanting to feel all of him. He smiled against her lips and deepened the kiss, his tongue sliding across hers with a tenderness that left her knees weak and her heart full. After a few moments, Jasper pulled away only to replace his lips at her neck, leaving a trail of lingering kisses just beneath her jaw. Bella's breathing picked up and she felt a rush of desire when his tongue stroked her heated skin.
"Jazz," she breathed out, her eyes closing as he continued to do maddening things to her neck.
"Bella," he whispered against her flesh, his tongue gently stroking the bottom of her ear.
"I want you," she panted as he gently bit into her earlobe.
He groaned lowly into her ear before pulling back and looking into her eyes, which were half-lidded and clouded over with want. "You're sure?" he asked, wanting nothing more than to take her right there on the floor, but he needed to make sure it was what she wanted.
Bella nodded and bit her lip. "I've wanted you for so long," she whispered.
Jasper groaned again and his lips were suddenly on hers, no longer slow, but rough and needy. She returned his frantic kiss, her hands fisting his sweat-soaked shirt, pressing herself harder against him. He broke the kiss and reluctantly took his hands from her face before stepping away from her and taking her hands within his own. He met her questioning eyes and smiled at her, taking a step backwards, waiting for her to follow his lead. She smiled her understanding and allowed him to lead her to her bedroom, never once breaking the eye contact.
Once in the bedroom, Jasper stepped right up to her, his hands releasing hers and grabbing the hem of her tank top. She lifted her arms in approval, closing her eyes as Jasper slowly pulled the top from her body before throwing it over his shoulder. He placed his hand on her chest, his fingers trailing back and forth between her breasts, not quite touching either of the full mounds. Bella toyed with the bottom of his shirt, her fingertips occasionally sliding over his muscular stomach. When he teased the underside of her breasts, she shoved her hands beneath his shirt, needing to feel more of his skin.
"Off," she groaned.
Jasper instantly raised his arms, allowing her to pull the shirt from his body. Her hands searched the hard plains of his chest and stomach, her nails lightly scraping along his abdomen. He moaned and pulled her against him, both of them letting out identical breaths as skin met skin. Their movements became hurried, both of their hands bumping into one another as they tried to remove the other's shorts. Bella's dropped first and Jasper gasped as the sheer beauty of her standing before him, wearing nothing other than the Ouroboros pendant necklace he had given her for her birthday two years previous. Once Bella finally pushed Jasper's shorts off his hips, her eyes widened slightly as she saw the size of him. He wasn't huge, but he was well above average, and clearly ready for her.
She gave him a devilish smirk and stepped out of his arms, backing up until her legs hit the queen sized bed. She hopped onto it and slid back before lying down and raising a finger and beckoning to Jasper. He stared at her for a moment, shocked by her boldness, but he snapped out of it quickly. He crawled up the bed between her inviting legs, taking time to place gentle kisses on her flat stomach and collarbone before fully covering her body with his own. Her fingers raked into his hair and she kissed him hard, pulling his bottom lip into her mouth and running her tongue over it before he pulled back to kiss her neck, her shoulder, her chest. One of his hands ran the length of her side before hesitantly covering her breast.
"Jasper," she moaned as he massaged her breast, his fingers ghosting over her hardened nipple.
"That's right, baby," he said huskily, that sweet, deep southern voice adding fuel to the flames of desire licking every inch of her body. "I love when you say my name."
He slid down her body, his lips instantly taking a puckered nipple into his mouth, his tongue ravishing it as she arched against him.
"Jazz, stop," Bella moaned loudly, her hands pulling at his hair.
"I wanted to…"
"No," she panted. "No, there'll be time for that later; I just need to feel you."
In order to really get her point across, she lifted her legs and put her heels into the backs of his thighs, pressing him closer and raising her hips to meet his. Jasper groaned and obliged her request, his elbows going beside her head as he raised himself back up. He sought out her lips as he reached a hand between them, grasping his hard arousal and running the tip of it between her moist folds, gasping as he felt just how wet she was. Bella whimpered and Jasper lost the last strand of control he had. He guided himself to her entrance and slowly slid into her, inch by blissful inch. Their lips parted and they panted as she stretched to fit him, her walls encasing him like a sopping glove – so tight but oh so wet.
Once fully sheathed within her warmth, Jasper paused, doing all he could to not lose his composure as her walls convulsed around him. He put his lips to her neck, gently kissing her skin.
"Easy, easy, easy," he panted against her neck as Bella raised her hips slightly.
"Are you okay?" Bella asked, concern lacing her voice.
Jasper chuckled lowly. "It's just been a long… long time since I've been with anyone."
Bella pushed on his shoulders and he rose up, meeting her eyes. She smiled at him and kissed him gently. "It's been a long, long time for me, too, babe."
He smiled against her lips and kissed her leisurely, taking time to commit the feel of being deeply inside her tightness to memory. After a few moments, Jasper pulled halfway out of her before slowly sliding back in, Bella's moan against his lips sending a jolt through his stomach. Loving the sound, he did it again, and again, and again. Bella broke the kiss and ducked her head, her lips seeking his neck, her hips rising and falling to meet his slow but steady pace. She heard Jasper's breathing pick up as her lips left wet kisses along his skin. She smirked and gently bit into his neck before sliding her tongue over the area to soothe it, and Jasper unconsciously sped up.
"Oh, God, Jasper," Bella moaned as he pulled nearly completely out of her before filling her again.
"So tight," he ground out as her hips lifted to meet his long, deep thrusts.
Bella moaned as Jasper's heavier-than-normal accent caressed her ears just as his hand began roaming her body again. His fingertips ghosted over her bare side before coming up to cup her breast, kneading the pliable flesh with his palm before stroking her hardened nipples. A loud moan rang throughout the room as Jasper took her body faster, spurred on by her reactions. Over and over he plunged into her soaked core, the feel of her walls convulsing around him driving him harder and deeper. The kiss was broken as their breathing became ragged with the faster pace, but Jasper left his forehead against Bella's, watching her mouth form into a small 'o' when he hit a spot that left her arching against him, his name leaving her mouth like a lustful mantra.
"So close," she cried. "Please, please, Jasper, please."
He didn't know what exactly she was asking for, but he began pounding into her tight, wet, willing body with abandon, clenching his eyes shut as she screamed his name. Her slick walls clenched around his member and he restrained himself, wanting to ride her through her orgasm. Her hands scrambled to his arms, her nails seeking purchase along his skin, her chest arching into his as she exploded around him. A low string of obscenities left Jasper's mouth as he felt that tightening in his stomach, Bella's name being the last thing to grace his tongue as he spilled himself deeply within her.
Small trembles continued to take their bodies as they came down from their high, their lips slowly meeting in a tender kiss. Jasper supported his weight on his arms as he continued to kiss her, his lips moving along her slowly, smiling as her arms snuck beneath his before wrapping around his back, pulling him down.
"I'm going to crush you," he said quietly, kissing the corners of her mouth.
Bella hummed, closing her eyes and breathing in Jasper's unique scent. "It'd be one hell of a way to go, Jazz."
He smiled and brushed his nose against hers. "I just got you, Bella, I'm not about to let you go."
"You'd better not," she said, running her hands up and down his back. She gently rubbed her cheek against his before turning her head to look in his eyes. "I love you."
Jasper smiled a brilliant toothy smile and brushed an errant stand of hair from her forehead. "And I love you."
Bella kissed him quickly before nuzzling her face into his neck and sighing. "Well," she said with a smile, "at least we won't have to pretend when we go to visit your parents."
Jasper laughed lightly, not knowing if Bella would ever understand how happy he was about that. But as her arms tightened around him and her lips gently peppered his neck with kisses, he thought that perhaps she did.
A/N – Well, there you go. My first all human Twific. What'd you think? Review and let me know! Reviews are like an author's drug, and I always do appreciate the feedback.