A/N: I am so happy for all the reviews I have received for this story. I love ya'lls input and take everything you say into consideration. I'm sorry if this chapter is not as good as the last 2 but I wrote part of it before I went to the dentist and part of it after I had 3 wisdom teeth pulled. I'm a little loopy on the Vicodin but hopefully it makes sense. If not send me a review saying so and after the meds wear off I'll rewrite it. Happy reading.:)

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns everything Twilight and all its characters.

It was only after I asked him about what happened yesterday that I remembered Alice was probably here. Shit! My hands flew to my mouth and my eyes must have been as big as a full moon. Jasper felt my panic and sent me a shot of calm.

"It's ok Bella. She's gone to drive around town and try to see something that can help her nail down the location of one of her visions. Do you really think that it would have been me running in if Alice were here?" Well that's lovely. In one statement he calmed my panic and insulted my intelligence. He truly has a gift.

"Oh, ok then. Well I'm waiting for that explanation." I looked at him expectantly.

"Don't you think that maybe that's a talk we should save for when you're fully dressed?" Jasper said with a smirk as he leaned against the door frame with his arms folded in front of him.

"You know, I think you might be right." Jasper gave me a nod and walked out the door.

"I'll leave you to it then."

I am seriously starting to question my sanity. Before yesterday Jasper and I had said no more than two words to each other. Now we almost kiss, he's seen me naked and we are holding semi-conversations with teasing involved. Maybe this was a dream. No it couldn't be, my mind isn't this creative. Ok so what changed? Well, this is the first time Jasper and I have been alone. Edward would never leave my side whenever Jasper was around. I'm beginning to think that Edward knows something that I don't. I think that's something I should ask Jasper about, after he explains yesterday of course. First, though, I need to get dressed.

It took me a few minutes to get myself untangled from the sheets and at one point I was afraid I would need help. That would have gone real well. Thankfully though I got out of the death hold the covers had on me all on my own. After getting untangled it didn't take me long to get dressed. Without Alice here I could wear whatever I wanted. That was nice. I chose a simple jeans and loose t-shirt ensemble. Ok now time to face the gorgeous vampire on the other side of the door.

I walked into the front room to see Jasper pacing back and forth and running his hand through his hair. Oh god did something happen? Did someone call? Is someone hurt?

As Jasper felt my panic he stopped pacing and held up his hands. He must have guessed why I was panicking.

"Bella, hey, it's ok. Nothings happened. I was just trying to figure out how I'm going to explain what happened yesterday to you."

I didn't realize I had been holding my breath until I let it out in relief. So we still didn't have any news from the family. I wasn't sure to take that as a good thing or bad thing.

"Oh." I didn't know what else to say.

As my panic began to dissipate I couldn't help but notice that Jasper had very manly hands, the kind of hands that had seen hard work. I can imagine that before Jasper was turned he had rough calloused hands from long days of hard work out in the sun drenched fields of Texas. I don't know his history or anything about him really, except that he's from Texas, but I can see him coming from a time of cowboys on horses, six shooters on their hips, and nothing but stars above them as they drift asleep. Jasper just had that kind of aura about him. You know, dangerous, mysterious, southern gentleman that lives by a set of rules and chivalry that are long dead. From looking at how he dresses he never caught onto the modern style of dress either. He always wore jeans that fit him well, not too loose, not too tight, with a basic colored t-shirt that you get in packs of four at any Wal-Mart, though Alice probably makes him spend a fortune on them at some designer shop, his favorite colors seemed to be white and black, and boots. His boots aren't cowboy boots, they don't have a pointed tip or any embellishments, they seem to be just rough, brown leather work boots. From the looks of them he's had them awhile because they are stained with oil, grease, paint and mud. It's a wonder that Alice hasn't stolen them and thrown them away yet. Once again I noticed how his muscles stretched and bulged when he moved his arms. His biceps were stretching the fabric of his black shirt. I guess he changed his clothes while I was asleep. Black looks good on him. It contrasts well with his paleness and his blonde wavy hair.

I'm not sure how long I was starring but when I looked at Jasper's face I was aware that I had been starring for sometime. He must have picked up on the slight lust and the appreciation I was feeling while I was ogling him but he gave no indication of it. Instead he wore a look I couldn't identify. His eyes had me pinned there with their intensity. We stood there just looking at each other for a few moments until I felt the embarrassment from being caught starring and the blush colored my face. I broke eye contact and looked down at the floor.

"So, um, you wanted to explain to me why you tried to kiss me yesterday?" I said in a low voice knowing he would hear me.

I heard the shuffling of clothes and looked at Jasper. He had turned around and was looking out the window through a small space in the closed curtains. He looked upset, or nervous. Either way I didn't like seeing him like that. I walked up behind him and placed my hand on the back upper arm. He didn't turn around or acknowledge my presence there. He just hung his head and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Look Jasper you don't need to explain anything to me. We can just pretend that nothing happened and go on with our lives." I don't know why I felt disappointed with what I was saying; I mean that's what I wanted right? I just wanted to get through this and get back to my Edward. Right?

Jasper spun around then, his eyes on fire from anger and disbelief.

"You say that like you actually believe we could do that. Maybe you can but I can't. From the moment I laid eyes on you Bella I have felt a connection, a pull to you. I can't explain it, I don't know if I could if I had the words. Since the moment you walked into my life nothing has made sense. What I thought was up is now down, right is wrong, the life I was living was no longer worth the air I pretended to breath. When I held you in my arms yesterday it was like every star in the heavens found their place and the universe was at perfect peace. Now tell me how I am supposed to just forget that!?" As he said that last sentence he grabbed me by my upper arms and shook me gently. He had such a desperate look on his face, his eyes were pleading with me for an answer. I didn't know what to say or even think about what he just said.

"I…I…I'm sorry Jasper. I don't know what to say. I love Edward and you love Alice. That is our life." I was so stunned that was the only thing I could think of.

"I know, I know. I don't want to feel this way Bella. I don't want to get jealous every time Edward touches you. I don't want to kiss Alice and think of you. I don't want to die inside every time I feel the love you have for Edward because I wish it was for me. Most of all Darlin', I don't want see the pain in your eyes because you feel you have to choose between your love and me. I would never ask you to leave him. I would never expect you to return my feelings. I want you to be happy, but I can't fight the way I feel for you forever." Jasper had been inching closer to me through his speech and now he was stroking my cheek with his thumb. Looking in his eyes I saw resignation, determination, and love.

I felt a surge of tenderness for this selfless man before me. He had been keeping this to himself for months and with me around everyday. He was willing to sacrifice his happiness so I could live oblivious to the feelings that were killing him because of me. I know he didn't expect anything from me and didn't expect me to just fall head over heels for him because he confessed his feelings to me. I can't deny the lust and tenderness I feel for him but that's just natural right? He's a vampire and his looks are meant to make human women lust after them to lure them in for the kill. The tenderness is a result of what he just told me and because he's part of the family that has become like my own. I love Edward and that is the way it is. He's my soul mate...

My thoughts were cut off as I gazed into Jasper's eyes. His eyes were again smoldering and I began to feel a heat spreading through my body. I was going to burn alive under the gaze of this beautiful immortal cowboy and I couldn't find it in me to care. My mind wasn't working and my body became putty in his arms. Jasper had stopped stroking my cheek and had trailed his thumb down to trace my bottom lip. His eyes moved from my eyes down to where his thumb had claimed a hold on my mouth. I can only describe the look on his face as hungry, it wasn't hunger for my blood though, no, this was a different kind of hunger. It was getting hard for me to breath and my mouth had gone dry. My tongue darted out to moisten my lips and Jasper made a sound that was a mix between a growl and a purr. Then he lent down and captured my lips with his own.

This was not a chaste kiss like I would get from Edward. This kiss was the embodiment of a searing hot passion. His cold lips on my warm ones created an electric storm that I thought would consume me. Then his tongue was pressed against my lips not asking but demanding entrance and I gave in to his demand without thinking about it. If I thought he smelled good then he tasted of the sweetest ambrosia. He tasted sweet like honey with a tart undertone of red wine. He had wound one hand in my hair at the base of my neck and the other was at my waist pulling my closer and closer still, as if he were trying to fuse us together. I don't know when my arms had wound around his neck but they were locked there in his hair. Our tongues were fighting for dominance and our limbs were tangled together and I felt like this was where I belonged.

Jasper had just lowered his hands to my hips and was lifting me up to circle my legs around his waist when the phone rang.

Reality came crashing down on us when he took the phone out of his pocket and the caller id said it was Alice. I slid down from my half perch on Jasper and found a chair before my legs collapsed. Oh, my god! What have we done? We have just both lost the trust of our loves. Edward is never going to want to see me again. I have just broken up a fifty year or so marriage and all for what? A kiss? It doesn't matter if it was the best most bone melting kiss of my life. I should have stopped it. Jasper is going to hate me. Alice is going to hate me. Edward is going to hate me. I was brought out of my thoughts by Jasper's raised voice.

"What do you mean he knows?" Jaspers loud angry voice echoed off the walls.

I knew it. Alice saw us and she told Edward.

"Right, we'll be out of here in thirty seconds." He told her in a strained voice.

Why are we leaving? Was Edward so mad that he wanted to kill me? He wouldn't. Would he?

Jasper hung up the phone, put it in his pocket and ran to the bedroom. Less than ten seconds later he was back with both our bags and a hoody sweater on. His face was set in an emotionless mask of stone. He flung the bags over his shoulder and picked me up bridal style.

"Jasper what's going on? Did Alice have a vision? Does Edward know what happened?" My voice was weak and uneven but I managed to get the words out.

"It's James."

James?

"What about James?"

"He knows where we are."