A/N: Once again, I've been so impressed with PTB. Thank you DeanWinchester-myheart and Mel/mcc101180. You guys are awesome.
The last chapter ended up being the biggest yet! I hope you enjoy.
Chapter 9
He walked over and pointed at the photo. "So he's seen this and knows who I am?"
She nodded, biting her lip to repress a laugh.
"The son of a bitch recognized me as soon as I sat down in the bar, didn't he?"
She giggled at his frustrated expression. "Yes, I'm sure James recognized you the minute he saw you. He's great with faces and names." She pulled the comforter back, then sat down and motioned for him to join her on the bed.
Jasper sat on the other side, waiting for her to take the lead. He was afraid of scaring her by moving too fast, which was silly because she was the one pulling him into bed. Watching every movement, he saw her reach out and switch off the lamp. In the darkness, she put a hand out and grabbed his sleeve, pulling him back against the pillows. Within seconds, she was curled against his side, with their bodies connected from head to toe. He wrapped one arm around her, and she sighed softly. So much had happened today, and he didn't think he'd be able to sleep. God knows, when he got on the plane this morning, he never expected to end up in her bed tonight. He was grateful the room was dark; if Alice woke up, she wouldn't see him grinning like a fool.
Jasper woke to a shrill, beeping sound. He must have fallen asleep at some point and was disoriented in the unfamiliar room. When he realized where he was, the smile came right back, especially when his bedmate gave an irritated whimper and started to stir.
Alice popped up from under the covers to fling a sleepy arm out and slam it down repeatedly. The clock eventually stopped, beaten into submission. Once the alarm was silent, she snuggled into Jasper's chest.
He kissed her forehead and whispered, "Good morning." Rubbing her back, he savored the feel of her, so sleep warm and soft. She made a raspy contented sound as she stretched, pressing soft kisses against his chest. He shifted his hips away to avoid embarrassing himself.
"I need to go to work this morning," she said, but her words were muffled against his chest. "This sucks. I'd rather stay right here, but I can't get out of it."
"I understand, sweetheart. It's not like I called ahead to tell you know I was coming."
"Even if you'd called ahead, I would have hung up on you. Again." She pressed one last kiss against his chest and sat up. "This morning I have a meeting with the girl who's replacing me, and I can't miss it, but I can be out by lunchtime. Can we meet then?" She sat on the edge of the bed, running her hands through her mussed hair. When he didn't answer, she looked over at him, and his eyes were focused on her nipples poking against the flimsy top. She shook her hand in front of his face and snapped her fingers. When he finally looked her in the eye and grinned, she rolled her eyes and got out of bed.
"Lunch sounds good," he said, showing he'd been listening while he gawked. "I'll go back to my hotel to shower and change before I check in with the office."
"Were you really here on business?" she asked, sounding slightly suspicious while she opened drawers and pulled out underwear.
"I was on the East Coast. We had a safety hearing about a new product application at the FDA offices in Washington, DC. It went well, and we should hear something soon."
"Congratulations ... I guess. Does that mean you're done here? Will you need to head back right away?" She pushed the drawer closed with her hip and waited for his answer, facing away from him so he couldn't see her expression.
He stood and walked to her, pressing his chest against her back and wrapping his arms around her. "You said you wished you didn't have to go to work today. Well, I wish I didn't have to go on Monday. But I have product launch meetings all day. If we get approval as soon as we hope, we need to have our plan ready." He nuzzled her neck. "We have until my flight leaves Sunday morning. I'd like to make every minute count."
"You sure do know how to sweet-talk a girl," she said, tilting her head to give him better access. Whatever he was doing with his lips fuzzed her brain and made her forget why she had to get up in the first place.
When he stopped and pointed at the clock, it took a moment for her eyes to focus before she growled in her frustration. "You're a tease," she said before walking to the bathroom on unsteady legs.
Alice was showered, dressed and made up in record time. When she got into the living room, he handed her a cup of coffee. She thanked him and took a few sips while slowly gathering her things. She stopped near the door and looked up at him wide-eyed.
"I'm kind of afraid to go. You might be gone when I get back."
He stepped forward and leaned down, bringing his lips to hers. "I'm here." He kissed her. "I'm staying." Another kiss. "And I'll be waiting in front of the building at one o'clock." The last kiss was longer, slower, and it curled her toes.
When she whimpered, and swayed in her heels, he pulled himself back with a chuckle. "Get going. I'll lock the door behind me," he said, giving her a soft swat on the bottom.
Faking open-mouthed shock, she shuffled out the door.
Five hours later found Jasper leaning against a concrete planter. The constant flow of people was unnerving and entertaining at the same time. He was amazed at the mix of people around him. Business suits mingled with working class uniforms and fashionable street clothes. He realized he needed to bring Rosalie here. She loved to people watch, and she'd be entertained for hours.
At promptly one o'clock, Alice emerged from an enormous set of revolving doors. He could see her looking right and left, scanning the street. Her eyes lit up just before she rushed down the sidewalk, throwing her arms around him and giving him a big kiss.
They spent the afternoon seeing New York, but not the usual tourist spots. She took him to her favorite restaurant; it was a tiny mom-and-pop Indian place that had the best papadums he'd ever eaten. They visited the small family-owned stores she loved, talking about everything and nothing. He was much more interested in seeing her city and all the out-of-the-way spots she loved. They skipped anything that would be full of crowds in favor of walking hand-in-hand, stopping a few places along the way to kiss in deserted doorways.
"Will you miss it?" he asked, holding her hand while they walked back toward the apartment.
"Until yesterday, I thought I would. Now, I don't think so." She looked down at their joined hands, then up into his eyes. "Jasper, I've been waiting patiently. Is there something specific you're waiting for? Some sort of signal I'm not giving you?" He didn't need to ask what she meant. He'd been so worried about going too fast and scaring her off, that he'd pushed aside any thoughts about sex. If she was giving him the go-ahead, he wasn't going to waste it.
His step picked up, and for just a moment, he was afraid he was dragging her, but he looked back and she was keeping up just fine. That's my girl, he thought. When he reached the next corner, he hesitated because he was a little lost. He laughed when she pointed to the right and made a hurry-up motion with her hand. A right turn was good, because he didn't want to waste time crossing the street.
Two blocks down, she tried to pull him into another secluded archway, but he hesitated. "Alice, when I start kissing you again, I'm not going to stop. Let's make sure it's somewhere we won't be interrupted."
She licked her lips and nodded. When they started walking again, she took the lead. This time she was pulling him along with her heels clicking quickly on the sidewalk.
Victoria was coming out of the building as they went in, and she held the door open for them. She took one look at their faces and rolled her eyes.
Alice yelled a quick thanks over her shoulder and gave a half-hearted wave but didn't slow down.
They practically ran up the stairs and started laughing about halfway up. Somehow, this had turned into a joyous occasion as much as a passionate reunion. Alice had her keys in her hand and was working the locks when his arms wound around her from behind. He started kissing the base of her neck and nibbling down her spine.
His hand traveled from her stomach up her torso, and his thumb was rubbing the underside of her breast when he noticed she had abandoned all work on the lock. Her eyes were closed in concentration, and he knew getting out of the hallway was no longer on her mind. Chuckling into her ear, he moved his hand over hers and began working with the key. The door opened quickly, and he waited, letting her enter first.
Once she was safely inside, he locked the door and turned back to her. There was something about crossing the threshold. They were alone again, and all his fears returned. Could he be the man she deserved? She needed to know this trip and their reunion were about more than sex. They were about her, and about the fact that his life would be better with her in it. His mind was racing, and he couldn't seem to reach out to her. If he hurt her ... if he messed this up in some way, he'd never forgive himself.
"Jasper," she said softly, taking in his overwhelmed expression. "Now who's over-thinking things? It's going to be fine. We're going to be fine." She stepped forward and moved onto her tiptoes, twining her arms around his neck and threading her fingers in his hair, pulling him to her.
He brought his hands up to frame her face before lowering his head and bringing his lips to hers. She made a soft sighing sound and seemed to melt against him, with her mouth opening and her tongue meeting his. He pulled her close, then bent slightly and put an arm under her knees. She gave a tiny squeal as he scooped her up, walking toward the bedroom.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tight, leaning her head against his chest. It wasn't a long hallway, but he slowed down anyway. It would be unromantic to crash her into the doorframe as he was trying to be Rhett Butler.
He set her down gently next to the bed, and when she lifted one foot to kick off her shoe, he stopped her with a simple, "Please."
Dropping to his knees in front of her, he placed one hand alongside her knee and ran his fingers slowly down her leg, pulling her foot from the floor and sliding the shoe off. He placed it gently on his thigh, and she grabbed his shoulder for support. With both hands, he massaged from her arch, to her ankle, and up her calf. He used his fingers and thumb to create just enough pressure to have her sighing. When he reached the edge of her skirt, he stopped his motions and set her foot back on the floor, only to lift the other. He repeated the entire process, with him kneeling at her feet, worshiping her and grateful he had this chance again.
When both her feet were back on the floor, he made no attempt to stand, running his hands up the back of her legs and rubbing her behind. His fingers found the waistband of her skirt, and he made quick work of the button and zipper. Jasper inhaled deeply at the vision of her in thigh-high stockings, lacy panties, and flimsy bra. Realizing he had no idea when she'd removed her sweater, he found he didn't care; he was just happy it was gone.
His heated dreams of their night together had nothing on the reality of seeing her again. Every inch of her was perfect. He moved forward and pressed soft kisses against her stomach. Her fingers curled into his hair and pulled him up gently.
"Jasper, get up here and kiss me."
Her words sounded rushed and frantic, but that wasn't what she deserved. This was about new beginnings and second chances. He stood slowly, pressing kisses along her heated skin.
With a smooth motion, he lifted her again, placing her in the center of the bed. She was lovely. The flush on her skin and heavy-lidded eyes looked more erotic than any pin-up girl he'd ever seen.
Kneeling on the bed, he started at her hands. Kissing each digit in turn, before licking and nibbling up the delicate flesh of her arm. By the time his mouth reached her breast, he could feel the pebbled nipple through the lace. Her back arched off the bed, pressing her flesh into his mouth. He groaned at the heat radiating off her.
"Oh, God. More." Her breath was coming in short pants, and he pulled the lace down, exposing the perfect pink tip. He watched her face as he brought a finger up and tweaked the tight bud. The vision of her biting her lip and closing her eyes at the sensation was enough to make him wish he'd removed his pants. He was simply too hard to be this constrained.
He needed to see her lovely breasts without the fabric, and he slowly worked one hand beneath her to free the clasp. Getting a bra undone by feel had always been a hit-or-miss proposition, and he breathed a sigh of relief when it separated on the first try. He took the fabric in one hand, pulled it from her and tossed it to the side.
As he admired her breasts, she settled her breathing a bit and her eyes focused again. She leaned up far enough to reach his mouth and kissed him, meeting his tongue with hers. Her hands unbuttoned his shirt as her lips and tongue did delicious things to his mouth.
He sat up, shoving the shirt off his shoulders and thought about how lovely she looked in those tiny lace panties. That thought led to what he wanted to do when those tiny lace panties were in a pile on the floor—his mind stopped mid-stride.
"Alice," he groaned, "we did it again! Condoms! Do you have any?" He worked hard not to growl in frustration.
"No," she said. "I never needed them, but I think we can raid James' stash."
As she scooted off the bed, he was self-indulgent enough to be happy that she hadn't needed birth control while they were apart. It seemed fitting that they had both been abstaining. He gave a wry smile in the empty room. At least now, they'd have the opportunity to make up for lost time.
When she made a triumphant sound from the direction of the bathroom, he said a silent "thank you." It seemed like hours later she set a box on the nightstand, but it was probably only seconds.
"I'll make it up to him later," she said as she slid into bed, moving herself into the exact same position she was in before. "Now, where were we?" She sat up, kissed him deeply and moved her hands down to his waistband.
He'd thought the condom scare would have affected his erection, but it hadn't gone down at all. It was as though the darn thing knew she was close, and it wasn't going away until it was acquainted with her again.
"Oh, God," rang through his ears, and he realized it was his voice, but all he could think about was the heat of her hand wrapped around him. Her warm, smooth skin was better than he remembered. She stroked him up and down, watching the motion and biting her lip again.
"Alice, if you don't stop, you're going to miss the best part." He pulled her hand away and pressed her back against the bed. His head was level with her stomach, and he darted his tongue into her navel a few times before nipping and kissing down to the edge of her panties.
With his mouth open slightly, he pressed his lips over the lace, moving further down with each exhale. When he reached her fabric covered opening, he blew a hot breath just before stroking with his tongue. The lace was already soaked, and he could feel the heat radiating out of her. The temptation was too much, and he pushed the barrier aside before reaching out with the tip of his tongue. She tasted better than he remembered, and he tried to describe it to himself so he could hold on to the memory, but the only word that seemed to fit was desire. He needed the panties off to do her body justice.
His tongue and lips and fingers all contributed to his worship. At that moment, hearing her moaning in his ears was the most important thing in the world. He licked, sucked, and nibbled at her swollen heat until her breath started to hitch. A high-pitched moan came from somewhere in the back of her throat, and he eased two fingers inside just in time to feel her clench around him.
He waited as long as he could, but the feel, taste, scent, and sound of her was just too much. He wouldn't be able to wait much longer, but he didn't have to worry. Before her breathing had even slowed, Alice's hand was digging in the box of condoms.
"I've been waiting patiently, Jasper," she repeated her words from before, her pupils were dilated, and her chest was heaving with each breath. He watched as she rolled the condom onto his length, more than happy to fulfill her request. "Now," she ordered softly. He slid into her slowly, worried about hurting her, but she wrapped her legs around him, using her ankles to push him deep.
They both moaned as his full length entered, and they were joined fully.
"Alice. Oh, God!" He was lost to all other thoughts. His only reality was her, and how amazing it felt to be inside her—to be joined with her. It took everything he had to hold back. He wanted to make sure she got what she needed before it was over, and at this rate it wouldn't be long.
He moved his hips slowly, working to control his depth and speed, but she was having none of it. Alice repeatedly bucked her hips up to meet his, surrounding him in her heat. Her moans and whimpers were music to his ears, and he couldn't stop his own deep groans. He felt a sharp sting at his shoulders and realized her nails were digging in as she pulled his head down to hers. Their lips and tongues met as she welcomed him into her body fully. The thought that they were so deeply entwined pushed him closer to the edge.
"Alice, God," he muttered thought gritted teeth. It was as close to coherent as his overheated brain would get.
Somehow, she understood and snaked a hand down, making a v with her fingers and inserting it between them. He cried out as he felt her fingers on either side of his shaft, an extra sensation on his already overstimulated skin. She ground the heel of her hand against the tiny nub of flesh, and he heard her go over the edge before he felt it. Her joyous cry filled his ears seconds before her muscles began to quiver around him.
The sound and feel of her pushed him over the edge. With two short thrusts, he buried himself deep and groaned her name as he rode out his orgasm.
She wound one hand in his hair, and the other around his back, locking him to her until he finished. When the last of the spasms were over, he slid one hand under her back, keeping her close, while he rolled them over. Sprawled across him, she moved up and down with the ragged motion of his chest.
He wished he could stay like this all night, but he had business to attend to. With a slow movement, he pulled his hips back. She moaned low at the loss of contact, and he silently agreed with her. Shifting far enough away to take care of the condom, he tied it off and set it on the floor next to the bed. He lay back down and pulled her close. She snuggled right back into position, pushing her sweaty hair out of her face and pressing a kiss to his chest.
They may have dozed or just rested contently, he didn't know. Either way, he'd be perfectly happy to spend eternity with her just like this.
"Jasper," she whispered sometime later. Her voice was somehow rough and soft at the same time. Her head was resting on his chest and every so often, she would move just a bit, as though to hear his heart better.
"Hmmm," he drawled lazily, bringing one hand up to gently rub her back.
"I'm starving."
"Well now, we can't have you weak from hunger." He stroked languidly, across her rear, over the smooth expanse of her back, and down again. If there was ever a perfect moment, this was it. He couldn't stop touching her, relaxed in the post-coital haze. They fell back into a contented silence until her stomach growled.
She started giggling, and he smiled.
"We could go raid the kitchen, or we can order something," he said, moving his fingers to her side and skimming the smooth skin.
"No! No tickling." She sat up awkwardly, swatting his hand away.
He sat up, enjoying the sight of her breasts bouncing as she warned him off. There was just something about the way she moved, so energetic and yet so graceful. He could watch her all day.
When he realized she'd stopped moving, he looked up and found her smirking at him. He was amazed to feel his face heating. Somewhere in the middle of this, he'd gone from self-confident playboy to awkward schoolboy. He felt a little like he had fallen asleep during a car trip. He'd started in one place but woke and realized he was somewhere else entirely. It would take a while to get his bearings.
"Is this what I have to look forward to?" Her words were harsh, but he could hear a teasing undertone. "You staring at me every time we're alone?"
"I don't think you understand, sweetheart. You're lovely, and I'm happy to stare as long as you let me," he said, looking into her eyes. It was as close as they'd gotten to declaring anything permanent about their relationship, but they both smiled awkwardly. It was enough for now. She fiddled with the buttons on his shirt for a few seconds, then did a little hop turn and walked out of the bedroom.
"Is Chinese okay? There's a great place James and I order from on his night off." Alice's voice was muffled, and he guessed she was yelling from the vicinity of the kitchen.
He pulled on his pants, but she had his shirt. Knowing someone needed to be clothed enough to answer the door, he pulled her sweater from the floor, hoping to trade. When he made his way to the living room, she was sitting at the kitchen table with a menu in one hand and her cell phone in the other, ordering what sounded like a mountain of food.
Twenty minutes later, they were appropriately dressed and had tipped the delivery boy handsomely. Alice had been telling him about her first few weeks in New York while they waited for the food. She carried the bags to the table.
"You asked what I'll miss about New York. I'll miss this! Great Chinese food delivered right to our door. You can't get this at home." She opened one of the bags and leaned down to inhale deeply, making a soft "mmmmhmm" sound. Walking into the kitchen, she opened a cabinet and a drawer while continuing her story.
"So there I sat, with my little printed map, trying to figure out where I was. I spent the majority of that afternoon going from one subway train to the next, trying to figure out where I was."
"You're so stubborn. Why didn't you just ask for help?" He followed her to see what she was digging for. He hoped she didn't want plates. It was more fun to eat from the containers. When she handed him two forks and a stack of napkins, he grinned.
"It was my first week in New York. I wasn't going to let the subway beat me. It may have taken all afternoon, but I found my stop, and I never got lost again," she said proudly.
"Grandma Whitlock would call you obstinate," he said, digging in the fridge and pulling out two longnecks.
"Pardon me?" She put her hands on her hips and began tapping her toe.
In that instant, she was adorable, in all her offended glory. As that thought ran through his head, he knew he was a goner.
He set the bottles down and pulled her close for a kiss. They separated when her phone rang, the sound muffled from deep inside her purse. She fished it out, looked at the screen and smiled wide before opening it up.
Settling down with a container of Schezwan chicken, Jasper opened one of the beers and took a long pull, eating quietly while she talked.
"Hey, bebe! How's your Friday?" Alice asked in a cheery tone. Turning to Jasper, she pointed to the phone and mouthed "Bella".
Alice chatted for a few minutes, watching Jasper eat. When he reached for the last egg roll, she slapped his hand. Pulling the tasty morsel away, she took a bite, covering the phone with her hand while she chewed. As she listened, the bite lodged in her throat and she started coughing.
"Really?" she croaked, taking a sip of Jasper's beer and working to clear her throat. "Well, where does Edward think Jasper is?"
Alice was silent as Bella responded, but she turned wide eyes to Jasper.
"I'm sure he's fine. He probably just went on vacation somewhere," she said in a high-pitched tone.
At that very moment, Jasper's phone rang, and the sound echoed in the apartment. Looking down at the display, his eyes narrowed and he swore to himself. Pressing the reject button, he disconnected the call.
Jasper was still adjusting the volume control when it rang again. Looking at the ceiling, he blew out a sigh and raised the phone to his ear. He was busted, and he might as well go with it.
"Edward," he said, walking to the other side of living room.
Alice's eyes filled with a mixture of irritation and amusement. Awww, aren't they cute? she thought. Her big brother and her best friend were trying to "catch" them together.
"Bella, it's been a while since I talked to Edward. I miss him so much. Can you get him?" she asked sweetly then waited for a few seconds. "He's not there? Oh. I thought I heard him in the background. Hey, can you hang on for a minute?"
Alice walked to Jasper and placed her phone in his free hand. In turn, she held out her hand with a "gimme" motion. He handed his phone over with a sigh.
"Jasper! Are you listening to me?" Edward's voice called through the tiny speaker.
"Sorry, bro. Jasper's busy, but I'll visit with you," Alice said cheerfully into the phone. "Long time no see. How've you been?" There was silence for several seconds. If they'd had a better connection, she could probably have heard him breathing.
In her peripheral vision, Alice saw Jasper start speaking into her phone. He walked to the other side of the room with a huge grin on his face. She could hear him asking Bella to describe the look on Edward's face.
"Alice?" Edward asked, speaking slowly. "When did Jasper get to New York? Do I need to come there and kick his ass?" She could hear the concern in his voice, and she was a bit sorry she had given him a hard time.
"It's fine. He got here last night, and we're talking things through."
"Okay ... I was just a little worried."
He did sound concerned, and it took a bit of the wind out of her sails. "I appreciate you worrying about me, but I'm a big girl. Nobody's trying to sweet-talk their way out of tough conversations, and no one is running away instead of facing a problem. You'd be proud of us."
"I'm glad to hear it," Edward said, "Now put Jasper back on the phone so I can threaten to cut his dick off if he hurts you again."
"I'll put him back on, but you be nice," Alice said sternly as she passed Jasper's phone back and took hers.
She promised Bella she'd call back soon and hung up quickly, wanting to watch the end of Jasper's conversation. She settled on a kitchen chair and waited patiently, while he made assorted noises that sounded like he was listening to a lecture. When his face went very pale, Alice knew her brother had made good on his threat.
Jasper hung up a few seconds later and promptly turned his phone off.
"Should I ask what he said?"
"Trust me. You don't want to know. Let's just say, it's important I keep you very happy." She could hear the amusement in his tone as he sat at the table, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close.
"I don't think it'll be difficult to keep me happy. Where were we before they so rudely interrupted?" she asked, settling into his lap and pressing kisses along his jaw.
"You were filling me in on how you conquered the New York public transit system," he said, his breath becoming ragged.
"Mmm ... conquering might not be the right word," she said between kisses. "I didn't get a chance to tell you about the bus incident, did I?"
"I'm going to let that go, darling. There are much more important things we need to cover tonight." His mouth lowered to hers, and their conversation ended.
Several hours later, Jasper heard noises coming from the living room. Letting an exhausted Alice sleep, he pulled his pants on and eased into the hall to investigate. He stood and watched as a tired-looking James glanced around the living room and started to laugh. Jasper followed his gaze to see what so amusing. Clothes, both his and hers, had been tossed around the living room. Jasper spotted one condom wrapper on the sofa and one on the floor. The coffee table was strewn with half-eaten containers of Chinese food.
James grabbed a dirty fork from the coffee table and wiped it on his shirt. He picked up a cardboard container and a half-empty beer bottle, before sitting down and digging in. "It's about damn time you showed up," James said, without looking at him. He barely paused between shovels of cold Hunan shrimp.
Jasper sat on the edge of the opposite chair with his elbows on his knees. He looked across to James and said, "I want to thank you for taking care of Alice while she was here."
James took a long drink and leaned back, plopping his shoes on the table. "I didn't do it for you, asshole."
"I know, but I'm thanking you anyway."
"Don't go getting all sentimental there, Tex," James said. "If I didn't have Vicky, you wouldn't be taking her away. Alice would be staying right here with me, and you wouldn't stand a chance."
"Is that so?" Jasper asked, raising one eyebrow. It was hard to know exactly how much of this was male bravado bullshit, and how much was sincere.
"You bet. Just know I'm going to be keeping my eye on her. I don't like airplanes, so don't make me come to the other side of the country just to kick your ass." James laughed after he finished speaking, but it was a short, sharp sound.
Jasper realized he wasn't kidding and respected him for it. From Jasper's perspective, the man's protectiveness was an admirable trait. Standing, he shook James' hand and went back to bed. Alice sighed softly in her sleep and nestled herself into his shoulder. He pulled her to him with a grateful sigh. As he drifted off, he hoped he'd never take her trust and affection for granted again.
When they woke, there was just over twenty-four hours before Jasper had to get on a plane. Deciding not to waste a minute, Alice thought they should start at the corner coffee shop. An hour later, they were eating muffins and sipping overpriced lattes.
"What do you want to do today?" she asked, blowing on her coffee.
He shifted in his seat and didn't answer, suddenly very interested in his drink. God, they'd been at it all night, how could he still be thinking about sex?
"Are you okay? You look uncomfortable," she said, popping a bit of blueberry muffin into her mouth and licking her lips slowly. He tried to concentrate on the curve of her ear and keep his eyes off that enticing little mouth.
"Jasper, is your coffee too hot? I needed to blow on mine." She looked up at him through her lashes.
He was surprised to find he was both turned on and amused at her less-than-subtle antics. "I know what you're doing. Stop it," he said. "Or I'll drag you back up to the apartment, and we won't get to the sightseeing."
"I've seen the city," she said sweetly, easing her foot out of her shoe and running her toes up his leg. "If you don't mind missing the tour, I know other things we can do. Besides, I won't see you for a whole week."
"Sweetheart, let's get one thing clear. As far as sex goes, you never even have to ask." He stood and took her hand, motioning to the door. "Grab that coffee. You're going to need the caffeine."
She stood and saluted him and then put the top on her coffee, giggling the entire time. He held out his hand, and she threaded her fingers through his. They moved quickly down the sidewalk with him leading the way, never losing hold of each other.
"Hey. I've been missing you," Alice said, immediately covering the phone speaker to reduce the background noise. It had been four days since she'd kissed Jasper goodbye. Watching his cab leave for the airport should have been difficult, but after waiting a year, adding another week just didn't seem that bad.
"I miss you too. Where are you? No, scratch that, what are you wearing?" His voice was low and husky.
"For question one, I'm at the bar. James couldn't get the night off to go out, so I came to him. For question two, I'm wearing tiny pink panties, a pink lacy bra, and absolutely nothing else."
"Are you now? As much as I like that image, I might have to come kill James, if not the rest of the men in the bar," he said with a laugh.
"Well, that's what you want to think about me wearing, right? So that's what I have on. I like this game."
"And I'm sure you look lovely. How's the packing going?" he asked, getting back to business.
"Better than I thought. I'll be ready to have the shipping company take it away on Saturday morning. I'll spend tomorrow night in the apartment sleeping on the couch, then we head out in the morning."
"I'm sorry I couldn't get an earlier flight. I wish I could sleep on the couch with you."
"Aw. That's sweet and ... kinda pathetic," she said.
"Yep. That's me. I'm kinda pathetic, but only for you."
She giggled, happy they were relaxed enough to tease. They'd covered so much ground over the last few days. Through all their admissions and discussions, they'd moved closer to the relationship she'd always wished they could have. Parts of the last year had been miserable, but she wouldn't change a thing. She'd learned about who she was and what she wanted, growing into an independent person. Alice finally believed she could hold her own in this relationship.
Of course, they still had a long way to go, but there was the potential to build something great. She was under no schoolgirl illusion that it would be easy. They still had to deal with their families, and there were many difficult topics to cover. It might be a long haul, but they'd already proven they could fight for what they wanted.
After Jasper's flight home on Sunday, Alice had spent most of the day catching up on her sleep. Even with him gone, she was sleep-deprived because they were up every night, talking into the wee hours. She felt like a teenager with their first crush, which she supposed made a crazy kind of sense. They'd certainly gone about this relationship business backward. When she wasn't sleeping or talking, she was preparing to leave New York, trying to wait patiently for the next phase of her life.
"I'll be at your apartment by ten Saturday morning," he said before he wished her an early good night. After working a full Friday, he was catching the red eye to be with her in the morning.
Alice hung up and tucked the phone into her bag.
"You've got it bad, you know that, right?" James asked. "I've never see you smile like that. Just remember, if he doesn't treat you right, you're always welcome here."
His sweet words had her in tears. She'd miss him and made a mental vow to return and visit a couple of times a year. Besides, who wouldn't love weekends in New York? When she opened her mouth to reply, he waved his hand, cutting her off.
"Oh, man. Are those tears? Don't go getting all girly on me. I can't take it," he muttered, walking away and shaking his head.
Alice dried her tears and stayed at the bar until the crowd eased enough for them to sneak out. They picked up Chinese food on the way home and talked about what would be the best superpower. James wanted to be invisible so he could go to the movies without paying. Alice wanted the ability to stop time, so she'd always be able to finish her to-do list.
By the time they said goodnight, they'd both agreed that flight was the way to go. Then they could visit often and not have to say goodbye.
She could have waited for him upstairs and just buzzed him in, but she didn't want to wait that long. His text had said he'd found a parking spot for the rental four blocks down and was walking to her apartment. When he saw her sitting on the stoop, he broke into a big grin. She ran to him, as though it had been months since they'd seen each other, not days.
She jumped as she got close, and he caught her, twirling her around and almost hitting an elderly woman walking her dog. They laughed and apologized profusely as she swore at them and pulled the dog close.
"I see you missed me," he accused, holding her close for a kiss.
Alice pressed against him, moving up on her tiptoes to meet him halfway. "A week is too long," she said as his mouth descended. It was amazing how much she could miss him in such a short time. They stood on the sidewalk, wrapped around each other, savoring their reunion.
"Oh, for heaven's sake! What's this world coming to?" the old lady muttered, walking away. Alice wasn't sure but she thought she heard the word "harlot" muttered. She dropped her head to Jasper's chest and let the laughter roll through her.
"You're not a harlot, sweetheart," he said, holding her close. "You're just very enthusiastic."
"Only for you," she said, repeating his words back to him. With one last kiss, they pulled apart. Alice took his hand and led him toward the stoop, where her bag sat. Even though they would be on the road for almost a week, she'd tried to pack light.
"Are you ready? No second thoughts?" he asked, and they both knew he wasn't just talking about this trip.
"I left my key in the apartment; I'm not going back. Everything I need is right here." She pivoted on her heel, facing in the direction he'd come. "Are you ready?"
He smiled at her, loving the sense of adventure. Picking up the bag from the stoop, he slung it over his shoulder and took her hand. He led the way to the car, holding her hand and dodging the other pedestrians.
When he hit the button on the rental remote, it unlocked with a flash of the lights, and her eyes widened. It was the cutest little yellow convertible she'd ever seen. It was low and sleek and looked like they would be able to speed across the country in a matter of minutes, not days.
"I asked Rosalie to recommend the best car to take across country, and she suggested this. It took a bunch of phone calls to find one, but I think it will be worth it, don't you?" She was speechless and started to get choked up by the fact that he'd put so much effort into making the next week fun and exciting.
To hide her watering eyes, Alice took the bag from him and pulled out everything she she'd need for the next few hours. When she was done, he tucked the bag behind the seat and helped her settle in.
She buckled up automatically, her eyes watching him as he walked around the car and got into the driver's seat. With the key in his hand, he was ready to start the car when he turned to look at her. The sun was shining, and it caught the natural highlights in his hair. For an instant, she was reminded of how he'd looked on the beach, with the moonlight streaming down. It could have brought back unhappy memories, but she realized she didn't have any resentment against all that they'd been through. Actually, she was proud of them. In spite of a dismal beginning, they'd managed to learn about themselves and each other, and forge a new beginning. Things may not have gone according to her plans, but life had worked out anyway. Perhaps he was right about that after all, she thought with a small smile, but it'll be a while before I'll admit it to him. For today, she had a great car, a country to explore, and a handsome, loving companion. Life didn't get any better than this.
"Are you ready, sweetheart?" he asked with a gleam in his eye.
She leaned over, kissed him on the cheek and slipped on her sunglasses. "Let's go home."
Wow! We made it! This is where I always saw their story ending, but I'm going to miss them so much! There will be an Emmett outtake next Friday and I'm imagining two epilogues, but they will be quite while as they aren't written yet.
I want to thank everyone who read and everyone who reviewed! It's appreciated more than you can know.