All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer. I just like to play with the characters. My thanks to my wonderful beta edwardsmate4ever.

Vices and Vamps

Chapter 11 – Coffee Rings

Another power-player. Benson wants to be part of the good-buddy fishing circle. Wonder what he will think when he finds out Mike's going with him because he's been suspended?

Maybe their boat will sink.

Lake Crescent wasn't far from Forks. Maybe it was time to take Jasper to see where she had grown up. Someplace small; someplace without a murder problem.

Bella looked out the window, sipping her coffee as she waited for Jasper at the coffee house across from her apartment. She had texted Jasper to tell him she left work early and would meet him after his seminar. She heard the rumble of the Ducati as Jasper pulled up. She still hadn't figured out what she was going to tell him. Jasper walked in.

He leaned over and gave her a kiss before slipping next to her on the sofa. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Stalking is an offence," she said.

He smiled. "You're not going to turn me in now? Come to think of it, didn't you just text me your location?"

Bella laughed. The early days when he followed her had become a staple of their conversations. His persistence had paid off, and it didn't bother him that she teased him about it.

Jasper looked over Bella's head toward the counter, appearing to concentrate on what he would order.

His focus attracted the attention of the barista, who had been eying him since he walked in, and she came to their table. "Do you need help with your order?" she asked.

When Jasper nodded, she continued. "I can tell you're not from around here."

"Yes, Ma'am," Jasper replied, exaggerating his drawl. "No, Ma'am, I'm not local."

"It's Lauren," the girl said. "You know, we practically invented coffee here in Seattle?"

"Is that a fact now?" drawled Jasper.

Only Bella's years of police training kept her from rolling her eyes.

"Oh, yes. I can tell you anything you need to know," Lauren continued.

"How about just a cup of coffee."

As Lauren started to run through the options, Bella interrupted the girl, "Vente - Coffee of the day."

Jasper winked when Lauren turned her back to the couple to prepare the drink.

"Coffee was invented here?" he asked Bella.

"Maybe the marketing of coffee was," she replied drily.

"You look much nicer without the junkie make-up," Jasper said, leaning forward to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "Every time I see you like that, it feels like someone putting a foot through a masterpiece, painting those bruises on you and blacking out your teeth."

"You see my transformation every day," she said.

"I never get used to it," he answered.

Lauren appeared with his drink, managing to lean far enough forward that he could get a glimpse of her cleavage as she set it in front of him.

He smiled at her, his gaze never leaving her eyes. "Thanks," he said simply.

Disappointed, Lauren left, and he sipped from his cup, looking as if he were trying to gather his thoughts.

Finally he carefully set the cup down and took Bella's hand.

"There's something I've been wanting to discuss with you," he said. "I'm done with my research here."

She closed her eyes involuntarily. He's breaking up with me.

"I'm ready to go back home. I'll never complain about being wet from sweat again." He laughed, running his hand over his head starting from the base of his neck. "This rain just doesn't do it for me."

He paused for a second, and she waited for the words she had feared for so long to come.

"I want you to come with me," he said softy.

Bella's eyelids flipped open.

"What?" she asked.

He took both her hands in his. "I'm ready to go home and start my life. But I know I'll never be able to do that without you by my side. I want you to come back with me."

"You want me?" she said, then stopped. "I mean, in Texas?"

"Always," he whispered.

"But my career…" she started then stopped. The career that was careening out of control.

He narrowed his eyes. "Something happened today, didn't it?"

She looked down, starting to tug her hand back. He knew. He always seems to know what's going on with me. He let go of her hand reluctantly, but leaned forward, reaching out to touch her hair softly.

She rubbed her hands on her slacks. "I barely managed to keep from being put on leave," she whispered. "I've been assigned to desk duty on the north side of Seattle."

"What? Why?" he demanded, dropping his hand from her hair and reaching for her wrist, pulling it up so he could take her hand.

"I taped harassing statements from a superior. He's suspended, but he's a friend of the C.O., and the Captain Blundt seemed disappointed in us both." Her mouth was dry and she had run out of things to say.

"How long had this been going on?" Jasper asked, stroking the back of her hands with his thumb.

"A few years. I thought he would get promoted and find better things to do."

"Why?" Jasper asked.

"I turned him down."

Jasper's eyes darkened and he was silent for a few seconds. "Well, while I don't usually like to see people leave such a situation, this would seem to be a good time to relocate. You could get a fresh start in Texas."

She smiled.

"And no one will mess with my fiancée," he added.

"Fiancee?" she said, her lips stumbling over the word.

"Yes." He lowered his voice and took both of her hands in his. "I want you to come back with me and get married. I want us together forever." His eyes looked so intense and yet unsure. How could he be unsure? But then, how could he want her?

"Let me think on it," she said. "I just need time to clear my head."

"I'll be waiting," Jasper replied. "I haven't told the university yet, and no one is expecting me to be ready to leave. I could stay longer to write, but my research is done. I'll stay as long as it takes for you to say yes."

She laughed and tried to turn it into a joke. "So sure of yourself?"

"No, not around you," he said, leaning over and giving her a gentle kiss on the lips. She wrapped her hands around his neck, awkward with a table between them, and kissed him back hard.

The coffee mugs rattled beneath them, and one tipped over. Jasper shoved it off the table with one hand and the mug fell to the floor, shattering.

There were a few gasps, and then the other people in the restaurant started clapping.

When they finally broke their kiss and sat back down, Jasper looked at Lauren, who was at their feet picking up the pieces of the broken cup. "Sorry," he said sheepishly.

Xxx

Please review. I will send a preview of the next chapter to all reviewers.