Chapter 14

Jasper POV

"I'm sure," she whispered, her sweet breath washing over my face.

I bit back a growl and gripped the steering wheel, in an effort to stay in control.

Ember wasn't helping matters. She leaned in and began to plant feather-light kisses along my jaw. The poor steering wheel wouldn't be able to take much more.

"Ember," I groaned. "I hate to say this, but I'm going to need you to scoot over if we are going to get out of this parking lot."

"Oh!" She scooted back to her side, a sheepish grin on her face. "Sorry." I started the truck and put it in gear. "Um…Rosalie said not to, er…bring this home." She laid something on the seat between us and I looked to see a plastic key to a hotel room.

"Absolutely not!" I sputtered as I pulled the truck from the parking lot.

"What?" she asked, confused by my reaction.

"Ember," I chuckled. "I don't think you fully understand what kind of effect my ability can have on others, especially humans, when I give myself over to my emotions…Anyone within range is…Well, lets just say I'm not going to be responsible for something like that."

We sped down the highway, as fast as I could make the truck go. With each passing second, Ember slid closer to me, drawn by the desire I was emanating.

"Where are we going?" she murmured, her lips brushing my ear.

That was my undoing.

Ember POV

"Here," Jasper growled, making a sharp left onto an old forest-service road.

It was an old two-track that was over-grown and obviously unused. The truck slid to a stop as soon as it was out of sight from the highway, and before I knew it I was being carried bridal-style through the trees.

I had no idea where we were going and I didn't care. The passion swirling around us was all-consuming, giving me a full understanding of his talent.

I took a moment to study Jasper's face as he ran. He was so focused…determined. I grinned and slowly trailed the tip of my nose from his chin to his ear, nipping at his ear lobe and causing his whole body to shudder. I giggled and traced the outer edge of his ear with my tongue.

He stopped abruptly and moved me so that I faced him, my legs wrapped around his hips. I felt my back press against the rough bark of a tree and only then realized I had lost my dress. I freed Jasper of his shirt as he hungrily devoured my neck and shoulders.

"I want you, Ember," he groaned against my neck.

"I'm yours, Jasper," I panted. "I need you."

All coherent thought was lost at that point. It was as though my body sank into a blue haze as Jasper lowered us to the ground, the last few strings he had holding his emotions in check snapping like brittle twine. There was nothing in the world at that moment but the two of us.

I rode waves of passion until release crashed over me like a tidal wave. I called out Jasper's name, sending him over the edge with an animalistic roar.

We lay on the forest floor for a while, our breathing eventually becoming even. Jasper propped himself up on one elbow, looking down at me lovingly while stroking my hair.

"I love you," he murmured.

"I love you, too, Jasper."

He smiled his heart-stopping smile and bent his head to press his lips to mine. He trailed kisses from my lips to my shoulder, then back up to my ear.

He began to tremble as he whispered, "I can't ever lose you, Ember…It would kill me."

I pushed us up off the ground and sat him down. I sat on his lap, my legs straddling his. It was an intimate position, but I needed to get my point across. I held his face in my hands and looked into his now golden eyes.

"I'm not going anywhere," I said sternly. "And I don't want you constantly fretting over what might or might not happen, understand?"

"I'll try not to," he replied in a whisper.

I brushed his hair from his eyes and kissed his forehead. "Just be with me…and be happy…That's all I want."

He didn't answer, just wrapped his arms around me and squeezed me tight against him, causing me to moan when our lips met. He growled in response and we were once again lost in a haze of lust and passion.

Jasper POV

The sky was beginning to lighten by the time we made it back to my truck. We would've been out much sooner, but we decided to hunt, and for me to watch Ember hunt wearing my button-less tattered flannel over her lacey lingerie was a mistake…She barely finished off one mountain lion when I literally attacked her myself.

I opened her door for her and pinched her butt as she climbed in.

"Jasper!" she giggled, swatting at my hand.

"Sorry," I replied, grinning widely.

Rather than walk around to my side, I chose to climb over Ember, using my body to crush her into the seat as I did.

"JAS-PER!" she growled, pushing me to the drivers side. "What is wrong with you?"

I started the truck and turned to look at her, but couldn't speak. My actions had caused the shirt she was wearing to be pulled open on one side. I slowly raked my eyes over her body, a low growl building in my chest.

A look of confusion flashed across her face before she looked down.

"Oh no!" She quickly pulled the shirt closed and pointed at me. "We aren't starting that again! Drive."

"Yes Ma'am." I put the truck in drive and as it began to move I reached over and pulled Ember to my side, keeping my arm around her shoulder. She leaned her head against my shoulder and sighed contentedly, then placed her hand on my thigh and squeezed gently. "Easy," I murmured, kissing the top of her head. "I promise I'll pull over again."

She chuckled and moved her hand closer to my knee. "Is that better?"

"No," I pouted, letting go of the steering wheel and sliding her hand back to where it was. "I'll deal with it."

I seriously needed to get my emotions in check or I would drive my family insane.

Soon we arrived home. Emmett sat on the porch steps, grinning like a devil. Unfortunately I had my own Cheshire cat smile that wouldn't be easily wiped away.

"Ugh…Great," Ember muttered when she saw Emmett waiting for us. "Will you bring me some clothes? I'm not getting out of the truck like this." She gestured to her barely-covered body.

"I don't see the problem," I said, looking her over.

"Don't make me hurt you."

I chuckled and climbed out of the truck. "Want anything in particular, darlin'?"

" No…just as long as it's within reason." She gave me a look that said I better not bring her something skimpy.

As I passed Emmett on the steps, it dawned on me that he still hadn't moved, so I stopped and looked down at him. Was he really going to behave himself?…No. He couldn't move.

"Tell your girlfriend to quit," he whined through his teeth.

I just laughed and patted his shoulder before continuing into the house.

Bella was waiting just inside the door with a shirt for me and an outfit for Ember. She gasped at my appearance, having never seen me without a shirt. I gave her a sheepish grin and eyed the clothing.

"Oh! Sorry…Edward told me what you were coming in for. She bought these yesterday," she said, holding them out for me.

"Thank you, Bella."

I took the clothes and shot back out to the truck.

"Here you go," I said, laying them down next to Ember. "You bought me a shirt?"

She nodded. "I couldn't help myself."

I had to laugh…Ember bought me a black v-neck tee that said "My girlfriend is a vampire" in white lettering, except for the word "vampire" which was in bleeding red letters.

"Where did you get this?" I asked, pulling the shirt over my head.

"Some store that sells a bunch of movie stuff…I guess it has something to do with a vampire movie everyone is crazy over."

I shook my head and looked down at my scarred arms. "I don't usually wear short-sleeves," I muttered.

"But you should," she said, sliding across the seat to sit in front of me. "You look good in them."

She turned to face me and I stood between her knees with my hands on her waist. "You may be just a bit partial, darlin'."

"Not at all," she said, her fingers brushing lightly up my arms and resting on my chest. "You shouldn't be ashamed of your scars…they are a part of who you are."

"They are a mark of what I was…" I lowered my gaze, staring at the pattern on her skirt.

She lifted my chin with her fingers and smiled when our eyes met. "They are part of what made you the man you are today…And I'm in love with that man."

"I don't deserve you," I whispered, resting my forehead against hers.

"I think you've got that backwards."

I shook my head slightly in disagreement before pressing my lips to hers.

"Ah-hem!" Emmett sounded annoyed.

I pulled back from Ember a little and smiled. "Are you still holding him there?"

She nodded. "Yep. And I will let him go if he promises to keep his comments to himself," she said, throwing Emmett a pointed look over my shoulder.

"I promise," Emmett muttered, defeated.

"Then I suppose that was sufficient punishment…You may go now," she said, releasing Emmett from her hold.

"You're no fun," Emmett pouted before going into the house.

I pulled Ember from the truck and hugged her tightly before setting her on her feet.

"You ready to go inside?" she asked.

"Well, if we don't it's very likely that I'll drag you off into the woods again," I replied, a mischievous grin forming on my lips.