Chapter 11
"Night Ang"
"Call me tomorrow. Well today. I want all the deets"
Bella gently pushed a yawning Angela back to her apartment building and watched until the balcony light was switched off. Then she smiled and walked back to Jasper's truck.
There was a nip to the night that sharpened all her senses, the stillness and quiet soothing after the steady din of voices and laughter in the club. Jasper was leaning back in the driver's seat, his eyes looking far away, lost.
He came back to himself when Bella got in the passenger's seat.
"Would you like to go somewhere else?"
"Yeah"
Bella didn't ask where they were going, discovering she didn't care.
"What are you thinking about? You look miles away."
Jasper asked.
"Years actually."
She said and smiled.
"I was thinking that we went for a drive with my mom the day I decided I didn't want to move in with my father after all. It was night time, like now"
Jasper's mouth quirked in response. He chose a turn that led them out of the city limits and up a hill away from the noise and lights of the bustling city. The radio was off and all that they could hear was the sounds of nature. They drove in calming silence until they reached the camp grounds Bella and Renee would visit every year to fly kites.
"In that case, can I interest you in a cup of coffee or hot chocolate?"
He indicated the popcorn wagon on the corner, complete with an outdoor patio, scattered with wrought iron tables and chairs.
"Hot chocolate."
"It'll probably be instant."
He warned.
"I don't mind."
While Jasper went to get her drink, Bella got out of the truck, stretched and wandered onto the landscaped patio bordered by brick flowerbeds. She sat in one of the black iron chairs facing the dancing plumes of water that shot up from the fountain grates in fluctuating rhythm. The cascading fall of water was a cool sound, a soothing sound.
He brought her hot chocolate to the table and pulled a flash from his jacket's breast pocket. They sat and drank, talking when they felt like it, falling silent when they didn't. Bella noticed that with each sip Jasper's eyes became just a smidge redder but she kept her mouth closed. When she emptied her cup, Jasper took it from her and threw it into the trash. The flash returned to his pocket.
"Want to walk a little?"
"Why not?"
This time when they set out Jasper took her hand, linking fingers in a cool, gentle grip. They strolled along the hiking paths with its trees and flowers and the path marked with an array of white flowers with the glow from the moon and the old style iron streetlamps of the camp lit the way.
From the kiosk a lone instrument began to play.
"Is that a harmonica?"
Bella asked, trying to identify the rich, wavering sound. Jasper nodded.
"First we woke the guy up and he's working late tonight."
Bella frowned, haunted by the familiar tune he played.
"What's that song? I can't think of the name of it."
"'Stardust.'"
Jasper slowed to a stop and angled toward her when she did the same.
"Would you like to dance?"
Startled, she wasn't sure she understood what he meant.
"Here?"
He nodded.
"Here. Now. With me. In my arms."
There was something dreamlike and slow about the way he drew her against him, his gaze holding hers, his hand and arm folding over hers and carrying it to his chest. They danced close, their clothes brushing, the rough denim of his jeans catching at the silk of her dress with each shifting step. Her cheek was centimeters from his jaw, her nerve ends tingling with awareness of him.
"Do you do this a lot? Randomly deciding to dance no matter where and when?"
Jasper's laughter rumbled from deep within his chest
"No. I don't normally dance. Unless of course you mean line dancing"
His brows shot comically up making her eyes widen.
"Don't you dare"
She laughed when he shook his head and rested it against hers.
"I'll wait for proper floor and you barefoot"
He chuckled. Bella shook her head hoping he was joking. She rubbed her cheek against his smooth shaven jaw, inhaling the scent of him with each breath. She closed her eyes for an instant, and then smiled.
"Didn't you say something about talkink earlier?"
"Shush"
His lips lightly grazed along her eyebrow, his breath warm against her skin.
"I want to court you, Bella. I want to do this right. I've never been much for candlelight dinners, roses, and soft music—
"That isn't your style."
She drew her head back to look at him.
"You're more of a mountains and moonlight man."
"Do you mind?"
She gave a faint shake of her head.
"I think I'll like it."
He said her name and took her lips in a kiss that was both tender and full of longing. She answered it smiling. Jasper pulled away and pressed a hard kiss against her forehead, then rocked his mouth to the side.
"I also need to come clean"
She tried to smile, to say something light, but the words were locked in her throat. In the new stillness, she was conscious of a dozen things at once—the hauntingly sweet refrain of the harmonica, the distant, whispering fall of water, and the shimmer of the sun slowly overpowering the moon on the mountain.
"Jasper"
Again she tilted her head to look at him, but when she saw his eyes on her, gazing at her as if she was the only woman he'd ever seen—or ever wanted to see—she was robbed of words again. Something like pain flickered across his face, then he dragged her close to him again and began swaying to the music, maintaining a pretense of dancing.
"Just wait till sunrise. Please"
Sunrise wasn't far away. Only thirty minutes later Bella raised her face to the first rays and Jasper groaned.
"Sit down"
He walked them back to the campsite and gently pushed her to sit back down on the same chair. Then he removed his jacket and shirt.
"I'm sorry"
He said quietly moments before the sun hit him.
"No need to on my account"
Bella muttered her eyes taking in the sight. Then she realized Jasper had opened one eye in question.
"Right. Sorry. Mind out of the gutter now."
She coughed and licked her lips. Jasper smirked. And then the sun shone.
"Holy whakamole"
She breathed. She had seen the rest of the... people at the club sparkling under the strobe lights but... This was different. Jasper was sparkling and it wasn't as laughable as it seemed before. He looked formidable despite the glittering that would normally send her to giggling fit. He was also covered in moon half shaped scars and that was scary. He was clenched as if he was expecting a blow and flinched away from her touch.
"Sorry. May I?"
She asked pulling back a little until Jasper nodded.
"Yeah. Bad past experiences"
Bella frowned a little but then she put her thumb in her mouth, licked it and rubbed away at his shoulder. This time Jasper did open his eyes to stare.
"What are you doing?"
"I had to make sure."
She shrugged one shoulder giving up. The glitter and the scars really were imbedded in. Looking closer the scars were eerily similar to bite marks. Some even had teeth impressions. She looked up to bright red eyes realizing she couldn't deny it.
"Shit. You are a vampire"
"Afraid so darling"
Bella gulped and then exhaled audibly. She noticed Jasper still hadn't moved and was as still as a statue. A glittering one.
"Okay. So... Since when do vampires sparkle? I always thought creatures of the night, and no I don't mean hookers, are supposed to be fearsome. Do you win over your enemies with laughter? You know, they start laughing and keel over?"
He glared.
"Okay, that came out wrong"
She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and tried to reword her thoughts.
"I meant that... You know, glittering isn't exactly scary. Maybe I'm spoiled by too many discos."
Then it came to her
"Are you guys the inspiration behind disco balls?"
His mouth twitched as if he was trying to hide a smile.
"Not that I know off. Emmett certainly was a feature in most discos though"
"Who is Emmett?"
Jasper's smile was sad
"Someone I used to know"
"Will you tell me about your life? When were you born? How did... this happen? How do you walk around under the sun without...?"
She made a 'poof' emplosion mimic with her hands. Jasper laughed relieved.
"Have dinner with me tomorrow night, Bella, and I will"
"Don't you mean tonight?"
She bit her lip. With a grin he nodded.
"Okay. I enjoyed tonight"
"So did I."
He reached for her hand, fitting palms and fingers together before linking them.
"Maybe I'd better take you back to your bed before I ask you to come to mine…"
"Maybe you'd better."
She agreed.
