A/N: This is the auction piece that I wrote for The Fandom Gives Back Auction to benefit Alex's Lemonade Stand. My "purchaser" has graciously allowed me to post this :) I am thankful because I had quite a few people request a Jasper POV for this story. Thank you Angie for allowing me to publish this :) I hope everyone enjoys this. Let me know what you think!

The Experiment (Jasper POV)

I had always considered myself to be a fairly simple person. I had shied away from extravagance on most occasions. I had been recycling and composting for most of my existence - way before the "green movement" blew into town, bring with it ninety dollar stainless steel compost buckets and fancy designer nylon rain collectors. My freezer was stocked with vegetables that I grew and harvested from my own garden, and I had been eating all natural, "organic" meat for years, requiring nothing more than my rifle or bow to acquire.

This is why I was questioning both my sanity and my way of life as I looked at my bed, piled high with the entire contents of my closet, a cell phone pressed to my ear, trying to defend my wardrobe choices to my twenty four year old daughter on the other end of the line. I sighed and ran my free hand through my hair, feeling very much like a teenage girl getting ready for the big dance as I waited for Alice to make her assessment. I really needed a cigarette.

"Dad, are you seriously telling me that as a forty one year old grown man you really have no pants in your closet that you wouldn't be embarrassed to be wearing to dinner at the White House?"

"This is a trick question, isn't it?" I grinned at her dramatics.

Her response was an incoherent muttering.

"I'm sorry, honey, Greg is currently in possession of the funeral/wedding suit, and there is no way that I am driving thirty minutes each way to pick up a pair of pants to wear to dinner in my own home tonight."

Alice snorted at my mention of the suit that I and three friends owned collectively, and passed around whenever one of us had a wedding or funeral to attend.

"You guys are pathetic," she spat. "What happens when all four of you need to attend the same event?"

I ignored her and began searching through the piles; really hoping to have my wardrobe crisis resolved so that I could salvage what was left of my day off.

"Alice, I'm giving you about five more minutes here, otherwise, I'm going with the cut off cords and the Aerosmith t-shirt."

I could hear her suck in a breath in horror, and I shook my head and laughed. Her voice was all business when she spoke again.

"Okay," she started, "I know for a fact that you have some decent dark wash jeans that I bought you for Christmas last year."

I lifted a pair of pants from the top of the pile, pinching the tag between my thumb and index finger. Alice had scratched through the price with a Sharpie, but I was fairly certain that this one pair of jeans cost more than every article of clothing I owned combined. I tossed the pants onto the dresser with a grimace.

"Okay, got it. What's next?"

"Shirts," Alice muttered thoughtfully. "Anything with a collar?"

Her tone was condescending and doubtful, and I stifled another laugh.

"Yes, dear daughter. I do believe that I own one or two of those."

I dug through the pile and produced a short sleeved cotton shirt with the required collar. It was a dark green color, and contained no holes or stains that I could see.

"Wear the green one," Alice sighed, finally sounding a little bored herself.

I threw the shirt onto the dresser with the pants and headed out to the patio. Once outside, I lit a cigarette and allowed the nicotine to quiet my rattled nerves. Why was I even nervous? Alice, ever the clairvoyant one, picked up on this, even through the phone.

"Nervous?" she asked knowingly.

"Actually, I am. Though I can't imagine what role you might have played in that."

She giggled like she was enjoying her own private joke at my expense.

"Is your house clean?"

I thought about the clothing strewn around my room. "It was," I muttered.

"Well, get to it then. Clean up, and make sure you wash those jeans and shirt; they're probably musty from disuse. And shower. And shave. And don't forget to brush your teeth."

"Yes, mom," I laughed.

I could hear her soft, tinkling laughter, and my heart warmed with love for my only little girl.

"I love you, Daddy"

"I love you, too, sweetie. Have a safe trip."

I was about to hang up when she added, "Oh, and, Daddy?"

"Yes, darlin'?"

"Have fun," she sang before hanging up.

I rolled my eyes and snapped the phone closed, stretching out on the patio's wrap around bench. I closed my eyes and tried to make sense of Alice's phone call. Thirty minutes earlier I had been whistling to myself, preparing to marinate three perfect steaks for a special dinner with my daughter and her best friend. Then, Alice had called saying that she had missed her flight in Dallas, and that Bella, her best friend, would be coming over solo to have dinner with me. That wasn't the part that made me nervous. After all, I had known Bella since she and Alice were sixteen.

Thinking about their odd friendship made me smile. They were polar opposites. My daughter never ceased to amaze me with her teenage rebellion, which in our case consisted of her being interminably girly, obsessed with clothes and makeup from the time she was five years old, and stubbornly refusing any attempt by me to turn her into a deadhead tomboy. So, as if to make up for this refusal, she made friends with one instead. When Alice first brought Bella home she had stood in our kitchen wearing bell bottom jeans with bright colored patches on the knees and Birkenstock clog sandals. Her shirt was actually just a panel of patchwork fabric with wide straps over her shoulders, held in place by two sets of ties, exposing most of her back from her neck to her waist. Her hair was long and dark brown, and fell to the middle of her back in soft waves. She wore no make up, and her dark brown eyes were some of the most beautiful I had ever seen. She had grinned when Alice introduced us, causing dimples to appear in her beautifully flushed cheeks.

I had spent the rest of that day locked in my room, giving myself a pep talk about boundaries, and chastising myself with words like "dirty old man" and "predator". The problem was, I wasn't an old man. I was only thirty three. I had been sixteen years old when Alice's birth had changed my life forever, effectively ending my carefree childhood, but opening up a whole new adventure for me as well. Raising her was an honor I knew I didn't deserve, and I was grateful to whatever deity breathed her into existence.

From that first meeting I had been careful to distance myself from Alice's new friend. I busied myself in the garden and went on long walks with my Labrador retriever, Sugar Magnolia, whenever she came over. Alice had called me out about my strange behavior one night at dinner.

"What's up with you?" she asked, eying me suspiciously.

I gave her my best innocent eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about," I muttered.

Alice's eyes narrowed, and then she burst out laughing. "You like her, don't you?" she screeched.

My face felt hot as I stood and headed for the fridge. "Do you want any more milk," I asked, avoiding her gaze.

Alice was staring down at her plate, drumming her fingers on the table top. She was muttering quietly to herself. She glanced up at me and smirked. "No, thank you. You do know you're blushing right?"

I grabbed a beer from the fridge, taking a long sip before turning to face my daughter. "I don't feel like talking about this, and guess what? I don't have to. Because I am the parent and you are the child. By the way, it's your night to do the dishes."

As I walked towards the living room I barely heard her whisper, "I think she likes you, too." I didn't sleep very well that night.

Since my avoidance of the 'Bella Situation' only seemed to make things more awkward, I started making myself more visible when they were at the house. I joined in their music debates, and even let Bella raid my CD collection, occasionally recommending music I thought she would like.

One night I was playing my guitar quietly in the living room when Bella walked by on her way to the kitchen. She turned and smiled at me, nodding towards the guitar on my knee.

"I've never heard you play before. It's nice."

I smiled up at her. "Any requests?"

She nodded enthusiastically and flopped down on the sofa, tucking her legs underneath her. When she didn't make any suggestions I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Well.....," I asked

"Hmmm.... Anything by James Taylor would be amazing."

I thought for a moment before I begin picking the opening chords to "Sweet Baby James." Her eyes took on a dreamy quality and she laid her head on the worn arm of the sofa. I closed my eyes and began singing the words, losing myself in my love for the music as my fingers raced over the strings. I opened one eye to sneak a peek at Bella, and noticed that she was staring right at me, biting at her bottom lip between perfect white teeth. I quickly closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on the notes I was playing. She's sixteen. She's sixteen. She's sixteen, I chanted in my head. Just then I heard a door slam and the unmistakable sound of Alice stomping across the hardwood floors.

"Dad!" she shrieked. "Please stop. This is so embarrassing!" She sighed dramatically and buried her head in her hands.

I laughed and nudged her leg playfully with my shoulder. She looked at me and I smiled sweetly and sang louder, directing my words right at her. I always sang this song to her as a lullaby when she was a little girl, back when there were monsters living in her closet and ghosts under her bed.

"Oh, Dad," she muttered when I'd finished, leaning down to kiss my cheek. "You are so adorkable."

I smiled and settled my guitar in its case. "Time for bed, girls."

Bella turned as Alice began to pull her down the hall. "Thank you," she mouthed, grinning at me. I smiled and gave her a quick wink as she disappeared into Alice's room. Now it was my turn to bury my face in my hands.

Things became more comfortable between the three of us. Bella would always ask me to sing for her when she came over, and Alice would pretend to be mortified. It was a routine that we all became comfortable with.

Alice's last two years of high school passed quickly, and before I knew it she and Bella were both eighteen, with their graduation caps and gowns strewn across the living room, drinking beer, stolen from my refrigerator, out on the patio. Their laughter was infection as they giggled about high school memories and their dreams for the future.

Rosalie, one of Alice's friends since Elementary school, was there too, and I'm pretty certain that she was the one who brought the vodka.

Sometime around two in the morning Alice and Rosalie were taking turns vomiting in the tiny hall bathroom while Bella held their hair and wiped their foreheads with a wet washcloth. I helped by washing the sheets, towels and clothes, and promising not to tell Rose's parents.

Bella and I made a great team, making sure they drank water, and handing out aspirin. When we had them both settled in and sleeping in Alice's room, we breathed a mutual sigh of relief.

"Thanks for your help," I said, heading for the fridge and pulling out two beers. I handed one to Bella, who looked up at me, brow furrowed.

"Trust me, you've earned it," I said, walking out onto the patio. She followed behind me and we sat together on the bench. I took out my cigarettes and she boldly grabbed the pack, pulling out two. She handed one to me, and placed the other between her lips.

"Light?" she asked around the white filter.

I fumbled for my lighter and awkwardly lit her cigarette and then my own. We sat in silence for a long time. We didn't talk about her expertise at handling drunks – we didn't have to. I could tell by her tired, sad eyes that she had had more then enough experience taking care of irresponsible adults.

Then, out of the blue, she pointed at the bright star just to the left of the moon.

"From the northwest corner of a brand new crescent moon..." she spoke quietly, her eyes a million miles away.

"Crickets and cicadas sing, a rare and different tune." I finished the lyric for her and smiled as her lips turned up at the corners.

"My favorite song," she sighed.

I nodded, and in a move that was bold in all of its inappropriateness, I put my arm around her shoulders, pulling her to my side. Her eyes widened and she laid her head against my chest. A single tear, silvery in the moonlight, slid down her cheek.

"What's wrong," I whispered, brushing her cheek with my fingers.

She shivered a little at my touch, her face reddening slightly.

"I'm worried about leaving my mom," she sighed.

I didn't push for more information, and as the tears fell from her pretty brown eyes I stayed still, holding her tightly as her shoulders shook with the weight of her sorrow. After a few minutes she stilled, and sobs became soft sniffles against my sleeve. I reached up and ran my fingers through her hair, trying to comfort her while keeping my own feelings in check.

"Shhhh...," I whispered. "Everything is going to be okay."

She nuzzled into my arm and reached for my hand. Her fingers intertwined with mine, and I knew that as the adult I was going to have to find the strength to stop this before it got out of hand. Before I could channel my inner responsible grown up, however, Bella squeezed my fingers and looked up at me with red rimmed eyes. She smiled shyly.

"You know I like you, don't you?" she asked.

I stared back at her, holding onto my feelings for dear life. I didn't answer her question. I couldn't. She placed her small hand on my cheek and, so help me, I couldn't pull away. I stayed frozen, watching helplessly, hoping that I would do the right thing. She shifted so that she was facing me, and I closed my eyes, trying desperately to keep my focus. When I opened them again, her face was inches from my own. I could feel and smell her sweet breath on my face, mixed with the scent of beer and cheap vodka. She's drunk, I screamed at myself. You have to stop this. Her fingers found their way to the back of my neck and tangled in my hair. She pulled my face towards hers until our lips were just millimeters apart. I must have looked terrified because her next words were meant to comfort me, and to validate these feelings that we shared.

"I'm eighteen," she whispered, as our lips barely brushed together.

She sucked in a breath and closed her eyes at the contact. I reached up with a shaking hand and ran my fingers down her cheek and the side of her neck.

"Please kiss me," she whimpered, pulling me closer.

I lost my inner battle at that moment, and allowed my lips to meet her in earnest. Our lips moved tentatively against one another, our kiss made even more intense by the inner battle raging within each of us to keep things from going too far. I felt her tongue against my mouth, and groaned audibly, pulling away from her grasp and placing a single kiss against her perfect neck. I let my forehead rest on her shoulder as I fought to get control over myself – to keep from groping my daughter's teenage friend on the patio of my house. A silent understanding passed between us, and I felt her cheek rest against my head. She traced patterns on my arm with her fingers, raising goosebumps on my flesh.

"I'm sorry," I muttered against her shoulder.

"Me too," she whispered.

It didn't seem fair, us finding each other in this way that made everything impossible. Sitting there in her arms under the stars made me sad, because I had no right to love this girl like I did. I sat up and kissed her forehead before getting to my feet. She reached for my hand, but I stepped backwards, away from her grasp.

"Stay," I whispered. "I'll be right back."

I walked into the house and retrieved my guitar from its case. I wanted to play for her, to let the music tell her things I couldn't say myself. She seemed pleased when I walked back out onto the patio. I gave her a pathetic half grin, and she smiled back warmly.

"Can I play for you?" I asked, sitting down next to her.

"Of course," she nodded.

That was the night I played my feelings for her in the form of Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straits. I tried to channel the feelings that had been building, however inappropriately, for the past two years into the lyrics of that beautiful song. When I finished there were tears in the eyes. She leaned over and kissed me softly on the lips.

"Thank you," she whispered before disappearing into the house.

We never mentioned that night again, and as far as I knew Alice never found out about it. If she did know, she never mentioned it to me. That was the last time that I spent any real time with Bella. She and Alice took off to Washington State for college, and my teacher salary allowed for only one or two visits a year. When Alice called to tell me that Bella was getting married, it had broken my heart. Then, when she had called to tell me that Bella's husband had been unfaithful and that they were getting divorced, it had broken a little more. I wanted more than anything for her to be happy, and I wanted to murder the guy who had the nerve to hurt her.

So, when Alice told me that Bella was moving back home, I tried to deny the feelings for her buried deep within me. I was looking forward to seeing her and Alice again, so I had offered to cook dinner for them. I wasn't sure how I would react to seeing Bella again, but I was determined to make her comfortable. I would not make things weird between us.

Then Alice had called and said she wouldn't be home tonight after all, but that Bella was still coming over by herself to see me. Again, this fact alone hadn't been enough to make me nervous. After all, a lot of time had passed, and she had been married for God's sake. But when Alice started grilling me about what I was wearing, and whether the house was clean, it had started to feel more and more like a date to me. That was when the nerves hit. What had Bella told her?What was she expecting?

I checked my watch and realized that it was already three o' clock. Bella was due to arrive around four thirty or five, so I jumped up, Alice's instructions ringing in my ears, and ran inside to get ready.

An hour later I was showered, shaved, and wrapped in a towel, staring at the Alice approved outfit with disgust. I didn't want to wear these things. It wasn't me, and Bella would see right through it. I pulled on my favorite faded button fly jeans and rifled through my t shirt drawer. I smiled as I pulled out the navy blue Terrapin Station shirt and pulled it over my head. In the center was a crescent moon with crickets, cicadas, and turtles dancing around it. She would love it.

"Perfect," I said with a glance in the mirror. I had cleaned up and put away all my clothes. The steaks were ready for the grill. I was all set. I paced back and forth across the kitchen, waiting for her to arrive.

I heard a car on the dirt road leading to my house, and I sat down to wait. My hands were slick with sweat and I tried to wipe them on the legs of my jeans. I heard the car turn off, and the slamming of a car door, but a full minute passed, and Bella had not come to the door. I peeked out the kitchen window and my breath caught when I saw her. She was leaning up against her car with her eyes closed, face turned up to the sun. Her hair sparkled in the light, bringing a thousand colors out from the brown depths. I sighed and closed my eyes to compose myself. Then I grabbed two beers from the fridge, took a deep breath, and made my way outside. I walked towards her car, and I realized that she must be deep in thought when she made no sign that she heard me coming. I grinned and decided to start things off on a playful note. I waited until I was about five feet away from her before I spoke.

"Busted."

She whirled around, dropping her cigarette to the ground and quickly covering it with her shoe. A beautiful blush colored her cheeks and she started stammering out something that was part apology and part explanation.

"Um...Hi, Mr. Brandon. Sorry, I was just...uh...Alice called, and..."

She floundered around, not meeting my gaze as I continued walking towards her, holding the beer out in front of me like a peace offering. She looked surprised by my close proximity.

"Bella, call me Jasper, please. You're way too old to call me Mr. Brandon."

"Well, I'm not exactly collecting social security, but okay. Hi....Jasper. See, that just sounds weird," she said, grinning nervously.

"Not to me, it's been my name for the last 41 years," I said, winking at her and grinning.

Her blush deepened as she finally faced me, her eyes lighting in recognition of something.

"Nice shirt," she said with a small smile.

"I was just kidding about the busted thing. I was actually coming to offer you one of these." I offered her the beer in my hand and she took it gratefully, giving a timid smile in return.

She took a long sip and nodded appreciatively. "Nice," she sighed, "Thanks."

"Oh," I said, reaching in my pocket. "You shouldn't have to waste that cigarette." I handed her one and took one for myself. She reached for her lighter, but I pulled mine out faster and offered her a light. She blushed and looked up at me from under her lashes, causing my heart to start pounding in my chest.

It was difficult for me to figure out what she was thinking, and that drove me crazy. I was encouraged by the blush of her cheeks and the shy way she was looking at me. Our past hung in the space between us like a fog, and I couldn't yet determine how she felt about that.

We were just standing awkwardly in my driveway, and my promise to keep things as comfortable as possible between us had me searching for a way to ease the tension. I walked over to my truck and dropped the tailgate, sitting down and patting the spot beside me. I immediately wondered if this would make things even stranger, but the relief in her eyes as she walked toward the truck made those thoughts vanish. She climbed up onto the tailgate and we enjoyed one of those rare comfortable silences that only happened between people who truly connect with one another. I breathed a sigh of relief that we still had that, at least.

Once again, Bella looked deep in thought. I wondered if she knew that Alice had told me about her divorce, and I certainly didn't want her to think I was an insensitive asshole for not mentioning it. I couldn't bring myself to look her in the eyes, so I looked straight ahead when I spoke.

"Alice clued me in."

Her voice raised several octaves when she squeaked out "She did?" and her eyes looked truly panicked. Did she really think that what had happened with her son of a bitch ex-husband would make me think any less of her? I reached out and held her upper arm, gently rubbing my thumb back and forth in a gesture I hoped would be reassuring. My body rejoiced at the contact I made.

Her eyes jerked to mine and if it were possible, she seemed even more panicked then she had before. My face fell, along with some of my hope.

"Divorce is nothing to be ashamed of," I said quietly, "especially when infidelity is involved. I'm sorry you had to go through that, and at such a young age." I dropped my hand from her arm and took a long drag from my cigarette.

I watched her hand reach up to touch the place my own had occupied only seconds before, and tried desperately to read her face. Was she annoyed? Scared? Disgusted by this forty one year old man petting her in the bed of his pick up? I saw something flash in her eyes. Disappointment? I was about to explore this thought further when she suddenly blurted out:

"I have to use the bathroom."

Her voice was adorably flustered, and I felt some of my confidence returning. I smiled at her, thinking about how much I longed to run my fingers through her lovely hair.

"Sure," I said, still smiling. "Make yourself at home. I'm going to go grab some things from the garden and start the grill."

She hopped down from the truck, retrieved her bag from her car, and ran towards the house. I chuckled to myself as I walked towards my garden, wondering about the affect my touch had had on her. She had noticed my shirt, and this pleased me immensely. It was the closest that either of us had ever alluded to that night all those years ago. The night I had fallen in love with my daughter's best friend on the patio of my house. The same night when their high school days officially ended, and their lives lay stretched out before them with all the limitless possibilities afforded to the young.

I had finished picking the last of the tomatoes and was heading to the house when a flash of blonde hair came flying at me from the woods. Maggie jumped at me, covering me with doggie kisses and enough pond water to soak my shirt and pants, and ensure that no one would want to be within five feet of me until I had showered. I scratched behind her ears and sighed.

"Thanks, Mags…because things were going a little too smoothly."

I tossed her worn tennis ball a few times and decided it was time to head back inside and clean myself up.

Walking through the kitchen, I didn't see Bella, and wondered briefly if I ought to check on her. Nope, not going anywhere near there. I walked down the hall, pulling my shirt over my head. I heard a gasp and grinned, my face still concealed by the shirt. I fought to remove the smug smile from my face as I finished pulling the shirt over my head. Bella was inches away, her eyes wide, mouth parted slightly, the pretty blush covering her cheeks once again. She began apologizing, her eyes traveling up my body to the amused expression on my face. I let her flounder a bit, before realizing that I must smell of pond scum, wet dog, and dead fish. I held my hands out in front of me.

"I'd give me a pretty wide berth if I were you. Maggie decided it was a good time to go swimming in the pond and then make sure I knew how much she loves me."

She nodded and bit her lip, trying unsuccessfully to move aside so I could pass. I wanted to press her up against the wall and take that bottom lip between my teeth. I shook the thought from my head and reached for her arms. I'd be lying if I said it was an accident that my fingertips grazed the outsides of her perfect breasts on the way to her shoulders. I gave her a smile and squeezed gently.

"I'll be right back," I whispered, holding her in place while I stepped around her trembling body.

I hurried to my bedroom, shutting the door behind me. I took a deep breath and stared at my reflection in the mirror. Was it okay that I wanted her so badly? She was twenty four now. Surely that fact alone made it okay, or at least legal. I shook my head and headed for the shower. I couldn't seem to get past the fact that all of these feelings had started when she was still a teenager. Certainly that was wrong, but now that she was an adult, did that change things? What would Alice say? Would she be horrified? Would this revelation require her many years of expensive therapy, or worse, would it drive a wedge between us? That was a possibility that made me shudder.

I tried to get control of myself as I washed my hair and let the water run down my back and shoulders. I hadn't dated much, out of concern for my daughter and how it would affect her, and now I was in my house alone with her best friend, practically groping her in the hall outside of Alice's bedroom. Wow, I really was a monster.

As I got dressed in my Alice approved outfit (my penance for every impure thought I had ever had about her friend), I started thinking about our conversation on the phone earlier. The way Alice had obsessed over what I was wearing and her playful "Have fun" at the end of the call. What had all of that been about? Had she set all this up because she knew how Bella and I felt about each other? I wasn't sure, and I knew I would never make a move without discussing it with Alice first. I looked around for my cell phone and realized I had left in on the kitchen counter. Well, nothing to be done about that now. I brushed my hair and headed out the door, confident that I could control myself for at least the next half hour.

As I walked through the living room I heard the refrigerator door open and the crinkle of saran wrap. I smiled. She had found the icing that I had made especially for her. She and Alice would have eaten that stuff for breakfast if I had let them. I stepped into the kitchen just as she was shutting the refrigerator door. She looked up at me, a guilty smile on her perfect lips.

"Wow," she said, her eyes surprised. "You clean up nice. I didn't know you even owned anything with a collar."

So she liked the Alice approved outfit? I made a mental note to hug my daughter later.

"Funny," I muttered. "It maybe laundry day." I gave her a little wink and walked over to the sink.

"Have a seat." I pointed towards the stool next to the kitchen island and set a cutting board down on the countertop. "I was just going to make some salsa."

"Yum," she said cheerily. She had a tiny bit of icing in the corner of her mouth that I really wanted to lick right off of her, but since I still had not spoken to Alice, that was out of the question. I started chopping tomatoes to distract myself.

"By the way," I started, looking up. "You have some icing on your face."

I continued watching as she blushed and started wiping at her face. She looked adorably embarrassed and as much as she tried, the icing stayed stubbornly attached. I shook my head at her, wiping my hands on a towel. I'm going to touch her now, I screamed at myself. I couldn't help it. I channeled every once of self control I possessed and leaned over the island toward her. Her eyes widened as I gently wiped the icing from her lip with my finger. I might have even heard her sigh a little, but that could have just been my imagination. Before I even knew what I was doing, I licked the icing off of my finger, effectively turning myself into a cheesy B movie moron in the space of two seconds. She recovered quickly and grinned.

"Don't worry. I saved plenty of room for dessert. What are you fixing me?" she asked playfully.

I shook my head and laughed. I could do playful. I resumed my chopping, watching my hands as I spoke.

"You're not even going to pretend to help?"

She propped her bare feet up on the other stool and took a sip of her beer. "Nope, I have absolutely no interest in learning to cook. Not when I have a perfectly good cook right here in front of me."

I rolled my eyes and flicked a piece of the tomato I was chopping in her direction. She sat straight up and grabbed her phone, her eyes shining mischievously.

"Be nice to me or I'm gonna tell Alice," she teased.

I snorted, not even bothering to look up. "I'm not afraid of Alice."

"Liar," she said and I could hear the click of her cell phone opening.

I certainly did not want Alice on the phone now, so I turned around quickly, not realizing that Bella had come around the island to retrieve a piece of tomato from the cutting board. I froze when I realized we were only standing about an inch apart, so close that I could feel the warmth radiating off of her body and feel her breath on my neck. I grabbed the cell phone from her hand and snapped it closed.

"Okay, you got me," I said. I handed the phone back to her, brushing my fingers against hers just to give myself a safe outlet for my overwhelming need to touch her.

She stared up at me with a look that simultaneously excited and panicked me. I was so close to grabbing her right there, but I surprised myself by barely maintaining my rapidly depleting restraint. Even so, I put my hands on the counter top on either side of her and leaned closer.

"Let me know how I can make it up to you," I whispered. For one split second the look in her eyes made me believe that she wanted this just as much as I did, but she looked away after that second and I straightened up and took a few steps back.

"You could play for me later," she said, reclaiming her spot on the stool.

I grinned, relieved. "You got it," I said, ruffling her hair. "Play your cards right, and I may even sing a little."

"I'm counting on it," she said and her face relaxed again. I could tell the awkwardness had passed. I went back to chopping and mixed everything together in a bowl. When I was finished I piled some on top of a chip and held it out to her.

"Alright, you ready to taste?"

She nodded and took a bite of the chip I held in my hand. Her lips barely brushed my fingers, and I held onto to the counter tightly with my free hand.

She nodded. "Excellent."

"Good, I haven't made it for anyone in so long I was a little nervous," I admitted. "Grab that bag of chips and we'll take this party outside so I can cook you an amazing meal." I winked again before I could stop myself. I needed to rein that shit in before she thought I had some rare form of Tourette's.

I watched her gather the chips and her beer and followed her out the door. The skirt she wore skimmed the ground and fluttered when she walked. It made her look like some mythical fairy from a story book.

"Nice skirt," I said quietly.

We walked out into the cooling night air and I carried the plate of steaks to the grill, stopping to set the bowl of salsa down beside her on the bench. With the steaks cooking, I sat down next to her, flooded by memories of the last time I had sat with her under these same stars.

We talked about everything and nothing. She told me about the job she had scored writing for the local newspaper, and I made a mental note to send the editor of that paper a fruit basket. She asked about my job, and I talked animatedly about the children that I taught natural science and primitive technologies to at a small private school in town. The atmosphere was so comfortable as we laughed and talking, enjoying each others company.

"Are you still picking up roadkill?" she asked, grinning.

"You know it," I said. "Last week I showed my first graders a complete possum skeleton. They loved it."

Bella covered her mouth with her hand and laughed. "I love the way your eyes sparkle when you talk about dead animal carcasses," she sighed sarcastically.

I raised my eyebrows at her. "You like the way my eyes sparkle, huh?" I asked. Our eyes locked together for a moment before she looked away nervously, biting her lip and blushing a deep red. It was one of those moments when the last words you say seem to echo all around and sound stupider and stupider with every passing second. I hated myself for creating this awkward silence. My nerves were taking over and I knew that I needed to get away and make a phone call before it got much worse. I stood up and walked to the grill to flip the steaks. I needed to get the vegetables from the kitchen, which gave me the perfect excuse to escape for a few minutes.

"I'm gonna go grab the vegetables. Have you ever had grilled zucchini?" I asked.

She shook her head slowly, still looking nervous as I turned and walked into the house. Once inside, I made a beeline for the counter, grabbed my cell phone and moved to the furthest corner of the room. I dialed Alice's number and she answered on the first ring.

"'sup Dad?" she asked. "Having a good time yet?"

"Alice," I whispered frantically. "I need to talk to you. Please try to reserve judgment until I finish..."

"Dad," she cut me off. "Calm down. Where's Bella?"

"She's on the patio," I whispered.

"Oh," she whispered back, clearly enjoying my discomfort.

I sighed, unable to verbalize my thoughts. I heard Alice giggle.

"What's funny?" I asked, my aggravation cutting through the words.

"You," she said, still laughing. "For God's sake, Dad, just kiss her and get it over with, before you both spontaneously combust!"

I blinked rapidly, not quite believing the words coming through the phone. When I didn't speak, Alice continued.

"Seriously, Dad. I'm not an idiot, and I'm not weirded out. How do you think you two mysteriously ended up in an empty house together? Now stop worrying about me, go back out there and kiss that beautiful girl sitting on your patio. And make it good. If it sucks, you know I'll hear about it later."

I was still having trouble finding my voice. Was Alice encouraging this? Did she really set this whole thing up to bring Bella and me together? I grinned.

"I love you," I said, not caring if my voice traveled.

"Yeah, yeah, I love you, too. Now go!" She hung up and I stood with the cell phone pressed to my ear for a few more seconds before retrieving the zucchini and walking back outside.

Bella was standing up, holding what looked like her cell phone tight in her palm. I suppressed the urge to just walk up and kiss her right then and there. I carried the tray over to the grill. When I turned around, Bella pointed to her beer.

"I'm going to use the restroom. Would you like another one?"

I smiled and nodded and she sprinted for the door. I figured she was most likely going to talk to Alice, and that thought didn't make me nearly as nervous as it should have. Were they co-conspirators or was Bella just as thrown off as I was?

I turned the zucchini and basted them with melted lemon butter. It seemed like a lot of time had passed since Bella went inside and I felt a pang of sadness as I thought that maybe she didn'twant this. Had she used the bathroom as an excuse to make a break for it? I was fairly certain I hadn't heard her car, but... My inner panic ceased when I heard Bella's footsteps behind me.

"I thought maybe you made a run for it," I said, transferring the steaks and zucchini to dinner plates.

"Not a chance," she said, nudging me with her shoulder. "This smells amazing."

I turned around and was met with a smile that took my breath away. Her eyes sparkled brightly, and I realized at that moment that we both wanted the same thing. There was something a bit like love coming from those sweet eyes, and I knew mine must be glowing as well.

"Shall we?" I asked, handing her a plate.

We sat at the table and I watched her without shame as she ate the meal that I had prepared for her. Every appreciative nod sent warmth flowing through my entire body until I all but trembled with excitement. I realized that neither of us had spoken for awhile so I asked,

"What are you thinking about?"

She smiled and swallowed a bite before answering. "I was thinking that you remind me a lot of Tyler Florence."

The food network guy?

"Tyler Florence," I mused. "He's the good looking one?"

Bella held my gaze as she flirted back. "He's alright," she shrugged. "But I must admit, my heart lies with Alton Brown."

I laughed quietly. "Is that so? What does it for you? The glasses? Because I think I may have a pair of reading glasses around here somewhere."

Great. Did I really just make a reference to reading glasses? Way to make yourself sound evenolder,Jasper.

She looked thoughtful for a moment. "It's partly the glasses, I guess. But what can I say? I love a man who can tell me the history and science behind everything from fried chicken to mayonnaise."

I could feel the sexual tension building. "Well, I do teach science, you know."

She grinned. "Well, maybe you should go get those glasses you were talking about and teach me all about the history of steak and the science of grilling," she teased.

This is it, I thought. She wants me, too. We're both adults, neither of us is drunk and Alice has given her blessing. I stood up from the table and held out my hand.

"I'm pretty sure I have my own trick for winning your affections."

She stared into my eyes and tentatively reached for my out stretched hand. Our fingers intertwined and we both gasped at the electric current that seemed to pass through at our touch. I led her into the living room, dropping her hand when we reached the recliner.

"Sit," I said, and she immediately sat, squirming a little in her seat as I got my guitar and sat on the floor beside her. I began playing the notes of our song and I heard her suck in a breath in recognition. As I played she lowered herself cautiously to the floor next to me, her knee touching mine.

The ball was in my court again, so I swallowed back my fear and stopped playing. Never taking my eyes off of hers I lifted the guitar out of the way and nodded towards my lap.

"Come here, beautiful girl," I whispered, praying to every god I had ever heard of that she wouldn't laugh in my face.

She crawled into my lap and I wrapped my arms around her, bringing the guitar down to sit on her lap. I continued playing, singing the words softly into her neck and hair. My lips ached to kiss her, so I ended at the second verse and slowly lowered my lips to her neck. We both sighed as my lips touched her warm skin. I continued picking the chords as I kissed my way up her neck, across her back and down the other side. She pressed herself into my chest, her eyes closed, lips parted in the most delicious grin. I could feel myself harden underneath her with one shift of her hips, and the whimper that escaped her lips at that moment was almost too much to bear. She wiggled her hips slightly, garnering another involuntary reaction from me. I told myself that I would take things slowly; that I could be perfectly satisfied with just one kiss from my sweet Bella tonight, but clearly my body had other plans. I bent to whisper a half-hearted warning in her ear.

"Bella, I'm trying really hard to be a gentleman here, but you are making that extremely difficult."

She grinned at that and ran her hands up my thighs, squeezing gently. Then she turned to face me, a wicked gleam in her eye.

"I hope that puts an end to that kind of talk," she whispered.

I reached around to gently grasp her neck and pulled her face to mine. Our kiss was hungry and needy, not at all like the tentative kiss we had shared six years ago. This time I did not hesitate to open my mouth when I felt her tongue against my lips. She turned further around to straddle my legs, and I pulled her closer, running my hand up and down the side her breast, relishing in the little moans this elicited from her.

I felt like I had been set on fire, as every repressed urge poured out of me at once. Bella pressed her hips into mine and I thought I would lose it right there.

"Fuck, Bella," I groaned. "Take it easy on an old man."

With a sly smile she ground herself into me again. "You're not that old," she teased, kissing the exposed skin at the base of my throat.

I shivered as her cool fingers slipped under the hem of my shirt. She ran her hands along my stomach and I growled into the neck. She slowly pulled my shirt over my head and leaned forward to lick along my collarbone. With this first clothing barrier shed, I began to pull back. I did not want this to be just about sex. I loved this girl. I needed her to know that she meant so much more to me than any physical act of pleasure. I looked up at her, searching her face for any sign of doubt. I found none.

"Are you sure?" I asked, playing with a strand of her hair.

"Shhh...," she whispered, placing a finger to my lips. She took my hand and pulled me up so that we were standing facing one another. I ran my hand down her cheek and brushed her swollen lips with my fingers.

Bella turned around slowly, taking my hand in hers' and began leading me down the hall towards my bedroom. My heart hammered away in my chest with every tentative step I took. Once we were inside my room, my desire for her took over, eclipsing everything else, and I grabbed her and pulled her to me, crushing her lips to mine. Her enthusiastic response further increased my confidence as I toyed with the hem of her tank top. I slid my fingers slowly beneath the thin fabric, running them up her sides. When I reached her bra, I stopped at the clasp, opening it quickly and moving my hands around to her stomach. I pressed my fingers under her bra, feeling the hardness of her nipples beneath my palms. I kept up my ascent until both her bra and tank top fell from her body.

I took a step back to look at her standing there in her beautiful skirt, bare from the waist up. I was overwhelmed by her exquisite beauty, and never in my life had I ever felt so old. I brushed my hand down the center of her chest, and then used that hand to stop her when she tried to step closer.

"Bella, you are so beautiful. Breathtaking actually. I should not be allowed to touch someone so perfect."

She seemed to be searching for a response, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. The smile that she gave me made her whole face glow, and I knew at that moment that I could never love another woman the way I loved my Bella.

Suddenly, she giggled and winked at me, taking a step forward. "You better touch me," she teased, "or I'm gonna tell Alice."

I shook my head in disbelief. These two women would surely be the death of me. I reached for her hands, pulling her towards me.

" If Alice had anything to do with this," I spoke against her lips, "I'm buying her a fucking Porsche."

I pressed myself closer to her and captured her moan with my mouth. She dug her hands into the skin on my back, begging me wordlessly with her body. I grinned and decided to take my time as I slowly ran my fingers along the dimples in her lower back. She was so warm and soft pressed up against me. I lowered my hands and slipped my thumbs under the waistband of her skirt, stroking her hipbones gently. Then, I pushed the waistband down, and the skirt slipped effortlessly down her perfect legs. Easing her down on the bed, I ran a hand up her inner thigh, stopping when my fingers grazed the elastic of her panties.

"Mmmm....," she sighed against my mouth. "That's more like it."

I hovered over her for a moment before lowering myself to my knees beside the bed. I reached up and began to slowly remove her panties, watching her face as she closed her eyes, a sweet smile playing on her lips. I wanted to taste her so badly, and when the panties slipped to the floor, I pulled her to the edge of the bed, positioning myself between her knees. I placed a kiss on the inside of each of those knees, softly brushing my fingers against her folds. She moaned and arched into my touch. I slowly slid one finger inside, gasping at the wetness already gathered there, just for me, and I could wait no more. I placed a hand on each of her thighs and she whimpered softly. I kissed the inside of one thigh, and then the other, slowly making my way up to her center.

"Ahh...Isabella," I groaned, loving the sound of her full name on my lips. "So wet already and I've only just begun to worship your beautiful body." I felt her body shiver as I slowly bent to place a delicate kiss where I knew she wanted my touch the most. I parted her gently and placed another kiss on her swollen clit.

I stopped then and looked up at her face. Her hair was spread out on my sheets, eyes half closed, hands clutching at the blankets beside her.

"Please don't stop," she sighed, and the urgency of her request nearly undid me as I ran my tongue down the center of her pussy, holding her down as her hips bucked beneath me.

She called my name as I continued my ministrations, sucking and licking and losing myself in my quest to bring her pleasure.

"Christ, Bella," I swore, "You taste so fucking good."

I slowly pushed a finger inside her, stroking her gently, and the moan that came from deep within her startled me, and I worried that maybe I had hurt her.

"Are you okay," I asked, looking up at her face.

"Mmm...hmmm...," she sighed, not opening her eyes. I brought my mouth back down and thrust two fingers inside. Almost instantly I felt her quiver and clamp around my fingers, and I continued to kiss and lick gently until I felt her body relax. I slid slowly up her flushed body and kissed her forehead.

"I want you so badly," she whispered, reaching out to unbutton my pants. I broke away from her grasp and stood to slide my pants and boxers down my legs. She beckoned me back with a curled finger and I hurried to comply, gasping when my skin met hers with no barriers between us.

Since I had no idea of her birth control status, and since I certainly didn't want to have that particular conversation right now, I leaned over her and reached into my drawer, thankful when my fingers met the foil packet they sought. I sat back, straddling her thighs, and ripped open the package. Bella reached up to help me roll the condom down my impatient cock, and I hissed at the intense pleasure of her touch. She shifted her hips so that I could feel myself at her entrance, and I asked one more time.

"Are you sure?"

She reached around and pressed her hands to my backside, pushing me closer, at the same time lifting her hips off the bed. It was all the confirmation I needed as I slowly sank into her, taking a moment to appreciate the way she felt around me, before I began moving.

Part of me clung tightly to my inner control as I watched her face with each uncertain thrust. I wanted this to be perfect, wanted to show my feelings though the physical act of making love to her, but over thinking made me awkward and unsure of myself.

Bella looked up and me then, before pushing me to my side and then to my back. She was so confident as she took on this position of control. I envied her the confidence she possessed at that moment. She reached down and closed my eyes with her hand.

"Close your eyes," she whispered. "Just feel."

I tried to let myself go as we clung to each other, moving together as one, sharing gasps and moans as our pleasure built. I reached up to stroke her clit, and Bella's head fell back. I was worried about how long I would last, this having been my first sexual experience in at least a year, and my first ever with the girl I had been dreaming of for the past eight years.

"Come for me, Bella," I called, my voice raspy.

"Jasper," she whispered and I felt her orgasm all around me as I continued to thrust inside her, just a few times before my own release ripped through me.

We laid together, totally spent, as I rubbed her back and hair.

"Holy fuck," she whispered, and I laughed a little at her unexpected profanity.

"Not bad for an old man, huh?" I asked, propping my head on my hand and kissing her nose.

She rolled her eyes at me. "I don't know about old men, but that was the best I've ever had."

She yawned then and laid her head on my chest.

"Can we do that again later?" she asked sleepily.

I wrapped my arms around her, hugging her tightly to me.

"We better."

"Mmmm....goodnight," she sighed.

"Goodnight, love."

I listened to her quiet, even breathing until sleep claimed me as well.

The next morning I woke at dawn and watched Bella sleep for half an hour as the sun came up outside the window. I was eager to wake her, but decided that she might not appreciate that before seven am, so I carefully slid out of bed and pulled on a pair of shorts and a t shirt. I needed something to get rid of my restless energy, so I decided to take Maggie for a run. We ran along the dirt roads surrounding my house for an hour before I arrived back at the house, sweaty and panting. I needed a shower, and I admit I only half-heartedly tried to be quiet so Bella could sleep. I was so impatient to kiss her, and tell her again how much last night meant to me. Alas, she slept like the dead, so I would have to wait.

I showered and dressed and headed to the kitchen to make breakfast. I cooked homemade waffles, bacon, and cut up some fresh strawberries. I arranged everything on plates, poured the juice and sat down to wait.

It wasn't long before I heard footsteps in the hallway and I turned to see my beautiful Bella, wearing one of my ratty tie dyed t shirts and boxer shorts, walking towards me. She yawned and stretched her arms over her head, grinning at me sleepily.

"Good morning," I said, holding a plate out to her. "Sleep well?"

She nodded and leaned over the island to kiss me sweetly. Then her eyes fell to the plate in my hand.

"Did you really make me homemade waffles? You really are the perfect man." She took a bite, and nodded. "There are fantastic. How long have you been up anyway?"

"For awhile," I admitted, "I'm an early riser." I took a strawberry from her plate and held it to her lips. She wrapped her lips around my fingers and sucked the bite into her mouth, never breaking eye contact. I could feel the warmth of my body's response to her actions.

She smiled at me innocently, continuing to eat. "So," she began, casually, "what have you been up to this morning?"

I shook my head at her antics, running my fingers through my damp hair. "Well, I went for a run with Maggie and took a shower. You sleep like the dead by the way." I took a step towards her.

"Only when I'm satisfied," she said, grinning at me. "And you did that quite well last night. I feel like I should be the one making you breakfast."

"Nonsense," I scoffed, taking her hand in mine and kissing her palm gently. "I may have slipped a bit last night, but I'm still a gentleman, you know?"

"Any chance you might slip again soon?" she asked, holding a piece of waffle, dripping with syrup in front of my face. I grinned and leaned towards her hand, licking at the syrup that had dripped down her thumb before closing my lips around her fingers and sucking gently, repeating her actions against me earlier.

"Absolutely," I sighed, moving in to capture her lips with mine. I pulled her body to mine, running my hands up her bare thighs when I heard the annoying sound of a chirping cell phone coming from her purse. I groaned as she broke our kiss and reached over to grab it, opening it and reading the text message from Alice aloud.

Bella, Plane about to take off. See you in a few hours. Be good. Alice

She began to type a reply, shielding the phone with her hand until she had finished. The she raised the phone towards me and I read her response with great amusement.

Alice, Call first. Bella

I chuckled gently and shook my head. "Isabella Swan, what am I going to do with you?"

She took my hand and grinned wickedly, pulling me towards the bedroom.

"Well," she sighed, "There's this tape..."

The End

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