A/N: Hm, it's been awhile since I last updated. To be honest, I've been having a bit of writer's block for my stories. I was re-reading the stories I have in-progress right now, and I've found them not quite up to the standard I wanted. I guess hindsight really does make you see things clearer. Maybe one day I will go back and edit my work. Anyways, pushing onwards!


JPOV

I was caught up in a whirlwind that was known as Alice. After rescuing me from the evil clutches of Jessica Stanley, Alice and I had fell into easy conversation, which transpired further into dinner plans and then after-dinner coffee. This was definitely not what I was planning. In fact, this was furthest from my plans. I certainly had not been entertaining any ideas of getting to know Alice on a more than friendly basis, but without Bella as a buffer, I realized I was having dinner alone, with Alice. This was a date. Oh freaking hell! I set myself up on a date!

Most definitely not planned. I was not ready for dates. Not quite yet.

I was alright with casual dating but generally avoided it because casual dates just took too much effort. When I had outgrown my experimental girlfriends' stage, I gained a reputation of being an intense boyfriend. Now, that by no way means I was possessive or the overly jealous type. I wasn't intense like that. I just tended to be consumed in my devotion to my girlfriend. Generally, I didn't see a problem with my loyalty, except my last relationship had been with a manipulative and controlling woman, Maria. Bella had warned me that I shouldn't get involved with Maria, but I could never quite see Maria clearly. So instead of listening to my voice of reason, aka Bella, I threw myself with fervor into our explosive union with what others would describe as religious zeal. Let's just say, that was one destructive hell of a ride, and to this day, Bella is still concerned I may slip up and find myself stuck in a spiral of destruction leading straight back to Maria.

No dating indeed, Jasper. Dates are a very, very bad idea.

"Jasper?" Alice's voice broke through my thoughts.

I glanced down at the frail-looking girl standing next to me, and immediately imagined what kind of damage Maria would have chosen to inflict on her if we were still together. Maria had never taken to female attention towards me kindly. Her belief was that elimination of all potential distractions was the best way to keep my focus, with Bella having being the only woman I had refused to give up in my life. Bella was my sister, and even Maria wouldn't be able to pry her from my life.

"Jasper!" This time Alice caught my attention, because she had growled my name at me. I had not expected a growl to emit from the tiny frame next to me. Shoot. I had got caught in my thoughts again and still hadn't replied yet.

"Jasper Whitlock!"

"Yes M'am." I replied immediately out of habit. The only woman who addressed me by my full name was my mother, and my first instinct was to reply M'am.

"You haven't been listening to me." It was a statement, one that I could not deny.

I grinned apologetically, as Alice studied my face. While she assessed me, I gazed back unabashedly. I found it comical how while I towered over her in height, there was something in her stance indicating she was a formidable force of destruction in heels.

"You will listen to me from now on." She ordered with the look of utmost seriousness.

I couldn't help myself but laugh. Did she think I would just cave and do as I was told? I was a grown man, and she was neither my mother nor my wife. Alice had no control over me.

"I apologize, Alice. It was rude of me to not listen, but I doubt ordering me in that manner will be successful in getting you my undivided attention."

She simply raised an eyebrow at me, as if daring me to go against her, before she spoke.

"Jasper, you may not think so, but I have you wrapped around my finger, and you will be listening to me and doing as you're told before you know it."

"And what gives you the confidence to say that?" I challenged her. Surprisingly, I had not been offended at her comment. In fact, it left me intrigued.

"Because you like me, and this was meant to be." The smile in her voice was obvious, as indicated by the smug grin plastered on her face.

"What was meant to be?" I knew what she was insinuating, but I wasn't going to make this easy on her. She had offered no real support to her argument.

"Well, firstly, you did not refute my argument that you liked me, and as to the second point, I simply know these things. I have and always will be right when it comes to my feelings, and there is no point in betting against me. Unless of course, you'd like to put money to that mouth of yours."

"Are you offering a bet, Ms. Alice?"

"You will find that it is suicidal to bet against me, Mr. Whitlock."

"And what, pray, may the terms of the bet be?"

She paused, gazing into the distance. Alice had a glazed look on her face, as she tapped her finger against her jaw.

"By the end of this week – that is, within the next six days, you will admit to me that you love me. You will realize that you have been unable to get me out of your thoughts, and that you are in fact enamored by me, as I am by you. I trust you to be truthful and that you will admit to me your feelings as soon as you realize them."

I blanched at her assuredness. The woman thought I would declare my love to her within the next six days? I had only known her for a week, and this could barely count as a date. While I was able to admit to myself that I did indeed like her, the thought of love had not crossed my mind.

She continued, "If after six days you have not yet come to your senses, then I will," she paused to think, "well, you can pick whatever you feel you deserve."

"And if you win?" I ventured, wondering if she in fact realize that this would have been our first date. If it did indeed count as a date.

"Well, if I win," she paused with a grin, "well, then I will have one devoted boyfriend."

I chuckled as she grinned at me, realizing the ridiculousness of the bet. There was no way in hell she was winning this. Six days to fall in love? I snorted at the chances of that.

"What, Whitlock, afraid of your chances?" She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

I took her hand in mine, bringing it up to my lips before replying her in my charming southern drawl, "I believe you have yourself a bet, Ms. Alice. I look forward to my prize."


A/N: And that's the end of Chapter 9! Hopefully you had fun reading this. I thought there are too many fics out there where Jasper and Alice have that love at first sight thing. After all, it would make sense for Jasper to at least be a bit skeptical of Alice in the beginning, since this is an AH story and Alice isn't an psychic vampire!

Anyway, hopefully the next update won't take as long. I shall try my best to get work on the next chapter soon! Don't forget to leave a review!