JPV

I was on my fourth cup of coffee, which was vaguely pathetic seeing as I wasn't here for coffee. There was a girl I wanted to talk to. No, I didn't want to talk to her. Well I did but I wouldn't. Sigh, this was so stupid. Just as I was about to get up and leave, Alice approached my table. Her uniform was short and a close fit but not tight. She was small but she still had curves in all the right places. She was heartbreakingly beautiful and her hair looked like she'd just been fuc... that's not a place I should go with this train of thought right now.

On her plump, pink lips was a small smile. The kind that makes a person look like they know something you don't. Her eye colour was at the golden end of the brown spectrum. She had been carved out of alabaster and had all the grace of a ballerina. The dark, tousled locks on her head lent a striking contrast to the ensemble.

"So," she surprised me by sitting down, "How long do you plan on stalking me?"

Uh oh. "I..." I shook my head, unable to look her in the eye. She was right. This was stalking. I was a stalker. "I was just leaving."

"Your coffee's still full," she observed, "But then again who can drink four cups in such quick succession?" She leaned over and took my cup. I caught a glimpse of pink material over a perfectly shaped breast. My blood supply got rerouted south. "It's impolite to stare," she took a sip of my coffee. Heat flooded my face.

"I didn't mean to," I looking down at the table.

"You're cute," she laughed, a pretty tinkling sound. I couldn't help my responding smile. My embarrassment lifted slightly and I looked at her face. My God. My heart stopped. Alice was a beauty but it didn't end there. When I looked at her, everything inside me stopped.

"Thank you," I found my voice.

"Alice Brandon," she offered me a delicate hand.

"Jasper," I took it, "Jasper Whitlock." I caressed the back of her soft, smooth hand.

"You have cold hands," she wrapped her second one around mine and rubbed gently. My eyes shut of their own accord as I revelled in the feelings that flooded me.

"Yours is a delicate touch," I looked into her eyes as she drew patterns on my skin.

"I bet you say that to all the girls," Alice smiled.

"No, no, I'm not that kind of..." I trailed off as Alice started giggling, "You're joking," it hit me.

"You're really cute," Alice leaned closer.

"Would you like to join me?" I asked.

"Unless you want me to sit in your lap I don't know how much more I can join you?" she tilted her head. Then she bit her lip like she was really considering it but that could be wishful thinking on my part. My cheeks burned with embarrassment yet again. "I'm sorry," she ran her hand through her hair, "Apparently being obnoxious is contagious. My... the girl I live with... used to live with," her eyes got sad and the smile disappeared. I wasn't good at this part. I wasn't a good listener because I didn't know the appropriate way to respond, to comfort. Taking a cue from her, I wrapped my free hand around our combined ones. She nodded and blinked back tears.

"There's a place I like to go," I started.

"Take me," she said before I could finish. I sat there like an idiot with my mouth open. She gave me a smile like she was trying to reassure me (very ironic) then she stood up and pulled my hand. I tossed a bill on the table and followed her out. "Which way?" she stopped on the sidewalk.

I walked to my truck and opened the passenger side door. Alice all but danced into the cab. I closed the door and wondered what I was doing as I walked around to my side. The raven haired angel put her legs on the seat and closed her eyes. She was facing me. Her skirt rode up and my eyes traced every inch of her legs. A glimpse of the thin material of her underwear made me turn away and start my engine, excuse the pun.

It was a silent drive to the lake. I stopped the car and looked over it Alice. "This place is..." she searched for an adjective, "Desolate," I realised. It was a lake with a small pier. I suddenly realised this would not appeal to everyone.

"It's just what I needed," she started taking off her shoes.

"What are you doing?" I asked as she started unbuttoning her uniform.

"The sun is up, my spirits are down. I'm going for a swim," she kept right on removing her clothes.

"Alice, I am a grown man. You cannot strip to your underwear in front of me," I told her looking out of my window.

"I'll be covered, you need not worry about your innocence," she informed me. Because my virtue was the concern, "Besides, it won't matter once we're in the water."

"I'm sorry, did you just say 'we'?" I made the mistake of turning my head. Alice really was covered. She was wearing a vest and pink panties that kinda looked shorts. She gave me a smile and tilted her head towards the water. Like a typical member of the male species I agreed. I was reasonably sure the water would be cold so even though her vest would become completely transparent when wet the chances of a boner were lower.

I pushed off my boots and toed off my socks. She watched me. She sat there and watched me. "Do you mind not watching?" I stilled my hands on my belt.

"I'm not afraid of it anymore," she chuckled.

"Alice," I said in a warning tone.

"See you in the water," she stepped out of the car and walked to the pier. I tried not to look but I caught a glimpse of her ass and I couldn't look away. She swayed a little when she walked. Maybe she was doing this on purpose, teasing me. I slapped that thought right out of my mind. That's how people become rapists. And thanks to that I was flaccid. Excellent. I took my jeans off and watched as Alice jumped into the water.

"Here goes nothing," I walked towards the water. My shrink had worked fifteen long, fruitless months trying to get me into a swimming pool and here I was about to follow a girl I'd known for five minutes into a lake. Doubt crept into my mind as I stood on the edge.

"Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream," Alice sang softly as she floated on her back, "Throw the prom queen overboard listen to her scream."

It was funny in a twisted way. And with that my pounding heart slowed and I dropped my body into the water, feet first, the way you do in a public swimming pool. As soon as I was below the surface the panic set in. I gasped and pulled water into my lungs. I kicked for the surface but I couldn't tell up from down. Suddenly I was sandwiched between two objects.

"Jasper," Alice rubbed my cheek, "Jasper look at me," she held my face between her hands. I blinked till the black spots in my vision were dispersed enough to make her out.

"I'm sorry," I tried to breathe evenly, "I can't be here."

"Okay," she wiped the water from my eyes, "Take my hand," she ran her hand down my arm then pulled my hand to her shoulder. "Keep your eyes on me," she put her hands on my torso and we slowly made our way out of the water. When we reached the bank she pulled me on top of her. "It's okay," she repeated as she stroked my hair.

"No," I shook my head, "No it isn't," I pulled back and met her eyes, "I'm sorry Alice. I'm so sorry." I tried to get up.

"Don't," she put her arms around my body, "I'm gonna hold you, okay? Your heart will accelerate at first but I don't want you to move. Eventually your body will relax and you'll feel better."

The panic increased when I she held me like she predicted. I closed my eyes tightly and tried intently not to move. The dirt under my hands moved even though I didn't feel like I was pushing at it. Blood beat in my ears and just as I thought I was having a full scale panic attack my breath started to come easier. My body relaxed and I was lulled into sleep for the first time in four days.

EPV

Isabella was in a mood. There was really no other way to put it. Her sarcasm went from humorous to biting and she went from glib to surly in one hour flat. I was trying to be considerate because I was reasonably certain Alice was at the root of the problem. It couldn't be that she had kissed me because she had kissed me. My hope of smiling at dinner was dying a slow painful death. Not to mention that she'd essentially been pushing her food around.

"Salad fork," I pointed after watching her stare at her silverware for a solid two minutes. Today she was got familiarised with silverware. She knew which was which and I knew that she knew. Suddenly I felt sad. Inane chatter was what my parents used as a mechanism to block discomfort. It never worked but what else could I do? I wasn't funny or charming or any of the other things that help in moments like this.

"I'm not hungry," she pushed her plate away, "And I don't even like salad," she threw her napkin on the table.

"You're all charm today," I dropped my utensils.

"May I use the phone sir?" she sneered.

"No," I ignored the attitude, "Tell me what happened and I can help you find a solution."

"I can't find Alice," she said in a shaky voice, "I have looked everywhere... asked everyone and..." she sniffed then shook her head.

I reached across the table and held her hand. She looked at our hands together and I started to feel uncomfortable. "I can help you look for her," I pulled my hand back.

"I've looked everywhere," she slammed her hand on the table from so close a distance there was barely a noise, "There is nowhere else to look. Now we wait," she breathed.

"Would you like to lie down?" I asked. It's what my mother did. I hadn't exactly exposed myself to any other women's emotional reactions.

"No!" she said threw her hands up then brought them down slowly and placed them on either side of her nose. "I'm sorry I'm just frustrated," she apologised without looking up, "I don't know what to do. Alice is the responsible one and I'm not used to being the one who worries."

"Would you like a sedative?" I asked.

"You are freaky and awkward," she laughed, almost genuinely,"When someone is losing it you offer them a hug, not a sedative."

"Would you like a hug?" I felt... freaky and awkward saying that.

"You really have no social skills," her laughter became more real. Isabella walked to my side of the table. She put her hand on my shoulder when I tried to get up and sat in my lap. "Distract me," she started unbuttoning her blouse.

"That's not how I do things," I shook my head.

"We have a deal, remember? This is about both of us," she continued unbuttoning, "It'll serve you well to keep me from losing my mind," she took the top off and dropped it on the floor, "Think of it as protecting your investment," she put a hand on either side of my face. Planting a firm, steady hand on her hips I stood up and set her roughly on the table, not letting her feet touch the floor. She wiggled her ass as she pulled her skirt up.

"Hold it right there," I said after she arched her back while moving closer to the edge of the table. Her breasts were pushed forward like she was offering them to me. Her lips, like her legs, were parted just enough for me to see between them but her skirt cast a shadow over the promised land. It excited me all the more because I knew she wasn't wearing panties. Her head was thrown back but not all the way. She froze just like that. My dick hardened not just at her untrained obedience but at the way she was getting turned on just by anticipation. Her skin became flushed, her breathing rapid and shallow. I removed my tie and unbuttoned my shirt. She kept her eyes open as I leaned over her slowly to bind her hands with my tie. She gasped when I pulled the knot into place.

"What's your safe word?" I asked.

"Stop," she laughed breathlessly, "Stop works, right?"

"For now," I put my hand on the small of her back and pulled her hair back, hard. A small cry escaped her lips. She showed no signs of discomfort. I watched her chest heave. There was lust, anticipation, curiosity and frustration in them. A dining table was not the place to do this but she was so inviting. I slipped my hands under her blouse and ran stroked her smooth skin. Her legs moved to encompass my waist.

"No," I pushed her legs back onto the table. She groaned. "I'm gonna touch you Isabella," I told her, "And you won't come until I say," I told her. She nodded, small beads of sweat lined the lace trim of her bra. I released the clasp that held it together between her breasts. More heat pooled in my abdomen. I kissed the nape of her neck, trailing south. She was trying to hold her cries of pleasure back, small high pitched sounds escaped. I put my thumb over her clit and circled it slowly.

"Yes," she whined. I pulled her nipple into my mouth and buried two of my fingers to the knuckled inside of her. She cried out to my cock, making it dance in my pants. For the first time in my adult life I touched myself... which was completely unnecessary. I pumped my fingers in and out of her a few more times, each more unbearable than the last.

"I need to fuck you," I confessed. I'd never been this hard outside the playroom and play parties. Vanilla hadn't been my flavour of choice or even interest in a long time. She made a sound of approval. I quickly unbuckled and dropped my pants. Just as I was about to enter her, the phone rang. Her legs closed like scissors, blocking my access. "Leave it," I turned her face back to mine when she looked at it.

"It's Alice, I have to get it," she started struggling in her constraints.

"Jesus if I hear that name one more time," I pushed off her. I must have pushed her too because she toppled backwards. A glass broke under her before I managed to get a hold on her again.

"Let me go," she twisted in my arms as I took her off the table. I set her on the ground then held the phone up to her ear. "Alice," she answered, "I'm coming over," she fumed at me. I ended the call when she leaned away from the phone. "Untie me," she turned around.

"It isn't supposed to be like that," I untied her, "I won't push you around and I didn't mean to this time."

"Stop," she put her hands up, "That's not a speech I have to listen to ever again," she said in a trembling voice. She yanked her skirt down and clasped her bra again. She didn't bother doing up her top as she headed to the door. I followed her when she opened the door. It looked to me like she intended to walk home.

"Take the car," I handed over the keys to the Volvo. "Please," I said softly. She snatched the keys and ran out. "That was a fucking disaster," I went inside the house. I would look for Isabella in the morning.