***(Not Quite) As Normal As It Gets***17
The view of New York from my third story window was amazing, a sight I'd never be bored of. The single word Coco reflected back at me from the building across the way, sending a thrill through me. I was working at Coco, owned by THE Coco Chanel!
Jasper and I had moved from Italy back to the States almost five years ago- New York to be exact, and while the prey wasn't always the best, basically everything else certainly was!
I'd been with Coco two years today, and my friends had decided to throw me a surprise party- not that it would be a surprise, or that they would ever find out I knew, of course. My friends were too few and far between to tell any sort of thing about my "abilities."
At the moment, the girls were finishing last minute things while I was sure to shut my office up for the day rather slowly- even for a human. Jasper would arrive later, after he closed up.
I couldn't wait- for my husband or for my party. One thing that had in no way changed- it had only gotten stronger- was my intensity and reaction when the word "party" was even mentioned, let alone planned and thrown.
Imagine my actual genuine surprise when my door creaked slowly open and the very man that had been on my mind for 41 years and counting blurred through my door and pulled me into his arms. "Happy Coco day!"
Giggling like a schoolgirl with a crush, I let myself go limp in his arms as he twirled me around the room- and, while I was a far cry from schoolgirl, I did have a crush. A big crush on my born-and-bred Southern gentleman.
"Jazzy!" Playfully shoving out of his arms, I landed on my tiptoes with feline grace before an idea popped into my head. Sinking into a crouch that was a long way from forgotten- even in the "concrete jungle"- I faced him with a teasing growl, my lips tugging into a smirk. "Come and get me, big boy."
Remembering, if only a little, to run at a human pace, I couldn't control my giggles as my husband of 14 years chased me around my office. Springing lightly onto the top of a rather tall filing cabinet, I smirked as he reached up and out for me in vain with a growl. "Come on down, now, darlin'... Unless, of course, you wanna miss your very own surprise party..."
Giggling once again with a roll of my eyes, I fluidly stood on top of the cabinet, not even close to the ceiling. Then, I breathed a sigh and closed my eyes, letting myself fall forward.
His arms encircled me bridal style as his golden eyes flashed in warning. "Alice..." Then his lips descended hotly on mine. "May I say, Mrs. Whitlock, that you look simply ravishing today..."
His slowly darkening eyes ran the length of my body, more than once, as I shivered under the heat of his gaze.
It might be strange to shiver under heat, but I couldn't help it. What he so often did to me was so much worse than a simple shiver, but that simple shiver was the only way I could control my self. We were, after all, around a bunch of humans...
"Nice word-play, Mr. Whitlock," I giggled, teasing my tongue along his lip as his own broke past my lips. I could kiss him all day... Oh my, if I could make a living out of loving my Jasper...!?
Working my fingers into his honey-blonde hair, I didn't realize we were moving until the solid wood of my desk brushed against my thighs under my ridden-up skirt. Wouldn't be the first time on the desk...
Our golden eyes locked as he slowly lowered me onto my back, pinning me with his body- not that I would ever even dream of going anywhere. And, of course, when it starts getting hot and heavy, here come the oh-so convenient best friends...!
"Ali, we're- Oh! Sorry... I'll, uh, give you two a minute..." Kitty ducked her head and closed the door again, her face getting red- I don't know why she was blushing, my Kitty knew no shame.
She was my very best friend, next to the very dearly departed Sally of course, and had been the most welcoming when I'd arrived for work all those days ago. We got along really well- and not just because she loved shopping near as much as I did.
But, then again, she thought of Jasper a lot... Not that it was a crime or anything to think of some one a lot- if it was, I'd have life in the pen without parole. But she was way flirtatious and welcoming and it kinda almost made me sick. Of course, my Jasper and I were always almost too happy to show her- just a little bit, of course, we didn't want to scare the poor girl away- what the rings on our left hands meant...
"We'll, uuuhhh- we'll be there in just a second, Kitty... Promise!" I was breathless and hot and it was clear that we'd have some very unfinished business when we got home later. Very much against my better "human" judgement, I easily surrendered to his lips and body, which was never hard.
Pulling away, I turned my head away and forced the air back into my lungs as he stood above me with a smirk. "Very best of luck explaining why you're late to your own party." Then he was gone, him and all of his cockiness and hotness and possessiveness.
Damn Jasper Whitlock! Damn him and his lush body and sex appeal and empathy and- well, just flat-out damn him...!
~000~
Walking into the employee lounge a minute later to grab my lunch bag- which, of course, was always empty and only served as a prop- I put on my surprised face as the lights turned on and every one jumped out from their hiding places. "Happy Coco day!"
My friends all circled around me and just about smothered me between them amidst giggles and a few tears.
The tears of happiness came from Penelope, Penny as we all called her so fondly, the "mother" of our operation, complete with round cheeks, soft curlicues, and a wide smile.
Then, Penny's daughters, Sara and Samantha. They were polar opposites- Sara being loud and rather obnoxious, Samantha quiet and reserved. Although they were quite different, they stuck to each other like magnets.
Last but certainly never least was Katherine- my Kat, Kitty, or Kitten- with a dirty blonde head of hair, soft baby blue eyes, and always a flirtatious curve to her lips whenever I so much as even mentioned MY Jasper.
Sighing as they squeezed me tighter, I finally gave up trying to free myself and just stood there with a smirk as Jasper appeared. I knew he'd come!
There was silence as our small circle parted and let him in as he deliberately grabbed Kitty around the waist with a dazzling smile. "Excuse me, darlin'..."
She stiffened beside me for a whole second before following him out of the circle almost in a daze- and he hadn't even Influenced her! She was just that in love and or lust with him...!
Her face immediately fell as he left and swooped into her place at my side. "Never fear, milady, for I have come to rescue you!"
Plucking me up into his arms, he flashed a smirk at Kitty and flopped onto the couch with a sigh, settling me in his lap, as the circle disbanded around him. "Now, isn't that better...?!"
His lips found mine, for about a minute, before the lounge door opened and in walked THE Coco Chanel. Like, number one fashion designer, Coco Chanel. Like, my ultimate boss and supervisor, Coco Chanel.
"Happy Coco day, Alice love." She walked deeper into the room with a smile as I slid out of his arms and hugged her. THE Coco Chanel was hugging me...!
~000~
Leaving Jasper and Coco to talk, I wandered over to the punch bowl with all the girls in tow. "I loved my party, girls! Thank you so very much...!"
They all chorused their "your welcome's" and "Coco wouldn't be the same without you's" together with more giggles and more tears. "I do so hope you had fun this evening, Alice..."
Looking at Penny with a smile, I hugged her close as her punch tipped from its cup. "For one, I did have fun, a lot of it. And two, let me get you more punch."
Refilling her cup to the brim, I felt a teasing elbow in my ribs as Kitty winked. "If she didn't have fun here, she most certainly will when she gets home... That hot Southern stallion of hers will make sure of it!"
Giggling with a playful slap to her backside, I glanced over my shoulder at "my hot Southern stallion" and instantly almost wished I hadn't.
The look in his eyes was pure animal- lust and desire and want- as the gold turned dark, hungry obsidian. His voice was a low, husky growl in his chest, meant only for my ears, as a smirk tilted his lips. "You most certainly will be having fun tonight, darlin'!"
Turning my attention back to Kitty, I slapped her butt again with a giggle, managing to contain my possessive territorial growl. "Kitty! He IS married, ya know... He IS MY husband...!"
Shrugging her shoulders in a rather nonchalant manner, she in turn slapped my butt with a wink. "Yeah, I know...! All I'm saying is, he looks like he knows how to have fun... He looks like he could teach a girl a thing or two about the bedroom... Am I right, or am I right, Ali...?!"
Oh. My. God. "Katherine!" It was a rare thing for me to use her given name- only when I was mad or impatient- so she automatically knew she was in trouble. "You've crossed the line, Katherine!"
As ticked off as I was, an eerie sense of calm flowed through me as an arm wrapped around my waist. Drawing me into his chest, Jasper softly kissed my earlobe with a smirk. "As a matter of fact, Kitty, I taught my Alice here every thing she knows...!"
Ducking my head between his neck and shoulder, I twined my fingers into the cotton material of his tee shirt and muffled a giggle. "Jazzy! Don't encourage her!"
He held me at arms length with a chuckle and rolled his eyes. "I'm just having a little fun, darlin'... No harm done..."
Grabbing Kitty, he tugged her over and playfully wrapped my arms around her. "Now, why don't we all just kiss and make up, shall we...?! Come on girls, you love each other too much to be fighting over little ol' me, even as hot and irresistible as I am..."
Doing as he said and wrapping my arms around her, I placed a playful smooch on her cheek with a wink. "Let's not fight over MY Jasper again, Kitty... I mean, it's not our fault he's so great and all, not to mention all mine, but don't worry, babe, you'll find someone someday... I promise!"
She laughed quietly and shook her head, wrapping her own arms around me. "I hope so... Maybe then I'll quit trying to steal your husband away from you..."
Gazing into her eyes with dead seriousness, I just managed to keep from growling as my natural Southern accent twined into my voice. "Believe me, honey darlin' dear, you ain't getting anywhere near my man..."
Squeezing his fingers lightly in to my hips, that very man of mine flashed a smirk. "You'll find some one soon, Kitty... I promise!
Until then...," his sentence trailed to a slow stop as he leaned down and kissed her cheek, lips in a half smirk, half smile- later named the smilk by yours truly... "Maybe this will help..."
It took Kitty a sold five seconds before she was able to breathe again, flustered and flirty. "Well, now I KNOW you have fun, Ali! If he can kiss ME on the cheek like that, it makes me wanna ask what happens between YOU two!"
Rolling my eyes playfully, I let my lips tilt into a smile as I saw Coco walking towards us. She was rather slow in her age, and I couldn't contain my need to assist her across the room. "Let me help you, Coco... Jazzy, grab her other hand, won't you babe...?!"
Settling her on the couch, my smile widened as first my Jasper then my girls all huddled around us. "Why don't you tell us a story, Coco...?! Please...?!"
She smiled herself with a quiet laugh and shook her head. "Of course! Anything for my girls..." Her eyes swam with tears as they locked with each of ours, yet another laugh bubbling quietly as she patted Jasper's cheek. "And Jasper, of course! You'll have to be patient, darling, I'm still getting used to the idea of having a man around here..."
Jasper merely chuckled with a shake of his own head and kissed her cheek, lips still in that dazzling smile that always melted me, or Kitty, or Coco, but especially me. "No need to worry, Coco... Quite frankly, I'm still getting used to the idea of so many women..."
Tugging me into his arms, he kissed me and ran his thumb in slow circles along my cheek. "Not that I need any other woman at all besides my Alice...
I'm glad it's all women up here anyway- makes me feel that much better about letting my Alice out of our bed in the morning..." This, I knew, was to stir Kitty up, and boy did it work! Everyone laughed at that- not without the blush of slight embarrassment on their cheeks- then the story began.
~000~
The sky was glowing pink and orange and yellow as I slid into the passenger seat of our 1962 Dodge Dart convertible with a low sigh. The party had been a blast but I was beat and couldn't wait to soak to my toes in a long, hot bubble bath. "Can we put the top down, Jazzy?! Pretty very pretty pllleeeaaasssee...?!"
Untwining our fingers, his eyes met mine as he kissed me softly before unhooking the hard top. "'Course we can, darlin'..."
A minute later, the breeze blew through my hair and against my skin as I tipped my head back with a giggle. "This never gets old, does it, Jazzy...?!"
Shaking his head with his own quiet chuckle, his hand found mine again as our fingers twined over the console. "No it sure doesn't, darlin'..."
Turning his head even as he passed another car, his face lit up with a smile. "Have I told you how beautiful you are lately?!"
Nodding with my own smile, I leaned across the console just as he did to find his lips. Cupping the back of his head, I slowly let my tongue explore his mouth as he changed hands on the wheel, his left now driving as his right met at my waist. "You did actually, just this evening..."
"Well, I'm telling you again... Alice, you are beautiful and I love you so much..." He pulled into my side of the garage with a grin and killed the engine, walking around to my side. "I'm putting the top back on. There's supposed to be a storm tonight..."
Taking his offered hand, I let him pull me out and walked with him around to the back of the car to put the top back on. Done in a matter of seconds, I turned to him with a small, suggestive smile and danced my fingers around his shirt before being hit with the sudden urge to kiss him.
The waning sunlight split into the garage just right, lighting up his honey blonde hair and rugged features. Cupping the back of his head, I guided his mouth to mine as his large, calloused hands ran from my neck to my shoulders and down my arms before gripping my waist and settling me between his thighs on the bumper. "It's been too long since I've had any Jazzy alone time..."
Cradling my face in his hands, he tipped my chin so my throat was exposed to his teeth as they teased my skin. "I sincerely do apologize for that, Mrs. Whitlock... I will do everything I can to fix this issue as soon as possible and never let it happen ever again." Then his lips met mine.
Before long, my blouse hung off my shoulders as his hands massaged my breasts and his nose ran along my throat, inhaling me. "You're incredibly undeniably perfect, Alice. And the worst part is, you don't even know..."
Tipping his chin forward until we were nose and nose, I locked gazes with him as a smile tilted my lips. "Because of you, I'm starting to realize just what and who I am in this world..."
Our lips connected again as he slowly laid me down, the smooth metal of my car pressing into my back. "Because of you..."
Then an almost harsh, sudden realization made me pull away as his lips sought mine. "Jazzy, as much as I want you, I DO love my car... It'd be an awful shame if we were to get too rough and ruin it beyond repair..."
Nibbling my earlobe with his usual smirk, his eyes met mine as he pulled away. "Just how rough are we getting, darlin'?!"
Winking, I easily had his pants unzipped before he could move. "Rough enough..."
His still rapidly growing bulge pressed firmly against my core as he gripped my waist and pulled me into his arms. "We can't have that, can we, darlin'?!"
That sexy cocky teasing jerk...! He knew what he did to me when he teased me like this... He knew I couldn't breathe, let alone speak, when we were both so close to the brink like this- and we were still at least half clothed!
Merely nodding in agreement, I muffled a moan as he tightened my legs around his torso and held me that much closer to him. Now, I was wrapped so tightly around him that his bulge ground against me with each and every step he took as he walked tantalizingly slow to our bedroom. Now, my breasts were hard as they rocked and rolled against his shirt, the buttons scraping along my skin. "You are such a tease!"
Ducking his tongue between my shoulder and neck, he trailed a slow path across my throat to my breasts. Then he pulled away, my skin cold as goosebumps rose along my body. "I know."
By this time, he stood in the doorway of our room, eyes locked on the bed. Then, our lips met as he repositioned me bridal style in his arms and blurred across the room, laying me on the bed. "Wait here for a second..."
He was gone the next second as I crawled along the mattress to the head and plopped down with a sigh. Of all the times for him to leave me hanging...
Thinking of nothing really at all, I don't know how the man got in the house, let alone in our room. One second I was lost in random thought, the next there was a masked man walking towards me with an evil grin. And I can't and or don't even make a sound.
It was only when his hand landed on my ankle that I was back with reality, a blood-curdling scream making the man jump a mile in the air as I fought off the waves of nothingness that were left behind. Frozen, I can't and or won't even make a move.
The man was a blur as Jasper flung him clear across the room into the wall, appearing a second after I finally stopped screaming. The beast within him surfaced and easily took control- the beast still familiar in the form of bloodlust or a mate's possessiveness or raw unadulterated anger, the beast within us all.
It was all rather and shockingly beautiful, his savage territorial movements as he pulled the man up against the wall by his throat so high his toes drug across the carpet. My Jasper was back for a mere second, locking gazes over his shoulder, as he drug the man behind him into the night.
I almost felt sorry for the guy as a scream split through the air- the first but certainly never the least- only just the beginning of my Jasper's wrath. I listened to each and every scream, my lips in a flat line as my emotions swayed from satisfaction at the man's pain to paralyzing fear. I wondered what was wrong with me then- a man was screaming and begging for mercy and I was smiling at his pitiful attempts. Would that make me a monster?!
~000~
The nothingness swept back over me as I tuned the man out before he stopped screaming altogether- dead from injuries or at the hands of Jasper, finally.
I was still busy staring at nothing in particular as he slowly walked through the door with his head hung. "I can't and won't say I'm sorry..."
Then his eyes found mine, an instant look of worry crossing his features at my harsh vacancy and lack of response. Blurring to my side, he gripped my chin with a deep breath, wondering what was wrong and how to fix it.
His lips lightly and somewhat hesitantly met mine for a couple of meager seconds before he pulled away. "Alice...?!"
He tried again, more confident and longer this time, as I slowly pulled to. Blinking unsteadily for a second, I felt his lips still light on mine and rose a brow. Not much to work with...
Silent and quick, I wrapped my arms around him and pressed our lips that much tighter together, as his eyes flashed open to meet my closing ones. Straddling him, I sat up on my knees and pushed him backwards until he fell on the bed. "Hi, Jazzy..."
His eyes opened to mine as he smiled softly, running his finger along the curve of my face and tucking a stray piece of hair back into place. "Hello darlin'."
Grinning, I sank back onto my heels with a small squeak as his still hard bulge pressed against me. He was still hard and hot for me, even while he killed a man... Strangely, that turned me on... That turned me on bad...
Raising a teasing brow, his lips pulled into a smirk as he chuckled and arched his hips, the friction of his jeans driving me even crazier against the own friction of both my work suit and my panties. "Still hot for the game, I see..."
Rolling my eyes, I moved until I laid flat on top of him and caught his tongue between my teeth with a growl. "There a problem with that or something, big boy?!"
I had no control over what I said or how I said when we were like this, my accent always distinct and sultry in my voice. There was no way I could be blamed either, and Jasper never did. This was all just my vocal reaction to and over him, simple as that, and he knew it too... Hell, he loved it...
Hooking a finger into the crotch of my pant-suit, he tantalizingly worked the zipper free as a smirk tilted his lips, knowing and loving and embracing my each and every reaction to him- vocal and or physical and or emotional.
He finally spoke- tightly and through an almost clenched jaw- as his hands eased my pants over the curve of my hips and paths of my legs. "Although it's definitely not a problem, I definitely have a solution!"
He was about to kiss me again as I pulled away and cupped his cheek, his once again dark eyes boring into mine. "Jasper, when you were out there, with that man, I was glad... I was happy he was in pain... I was smiling when he was pleading for his life... What is wrong with me?!"
Cupping my own cheek, his eyes stayed locked with mine as he caressed a slow finger along my face. "Alice, you're a vampire. It's not unusual for you to feel like that- in fact it's rare when you don't feel that way... Don't worry about it, darlin'... Nothing at all is wrong with you- you're perfect just the way you are...
Besides, it serves that idiotic obviously suicidal stupid human right, first off for sneaking into a vampire's home and secondly for trying to put the moves on my woman..." His accent twined into his voice as his lips met mine before trailing small, light kisses along my throat. "Nobody puts the moves on you but me..."
And boy did he... A minute later, after I was strung tighter than a bowstring and shaking harder than a hurricane after a mere finger, he pulled away from my neck with a smirk. "Hey darlin', guess what...?!"
Rolling my eyes, I looked down at him with a frown. "What?!"
"I'm still partially dressed... Hehe, you're already high as a kite just by a finger, and here I am still not even naked...!"
Rolling my eyes again, my lips slipped into a smirk as I danced a fingertip along his bare chest. "I can fix that for ya, big boy..." And that is exactly what I did.
~000~
It had been five years since I'd seen Aro, but his face was still in my head. I'd had dreams, many of them, since our encounter, and tonight was no different.
Thrashing under Jane's wicked games, I didn't realize it was only a dream and that the person I was hitting was Jasper until I felt his weight settle on top of me and his lips press against mine. "Alice, wake up, darlin'... It's all just a dream, I promise... You're here with me, Alice... Please wake up, darlin'..."
Flattening tighter against me, he pinned my arms to my sides with a sad sound, connecting our lips firmly. Then, I woke up.
Tears streamed down my face as I sat up and hugged my knees to my chest, murmuring insanities under my breath. "No, no, no, no, no...! Please, please, please, please...!"
Gripping my chin firmly, Jasper forced my eyes to his as he drug in a slow breath. "Alice, what's going on, darlin'?! I've never seen anyone so terrified, ever- and it's scaring the hell out of me... What am I supposed to do- how can I help you- if you don't talk and tell me what's going on?!"
Really finally awake, I jerked away from him with a scowl. "You wanna know what's going on- fine! When I close my eyes, I see Aro and Jane torturing you. I see you on the floor in pain, begging for mercy, right in front of me.
I see Aro killing you just so I'll join him. I see Aro with a smirk on his face as he lights you on fire, right in front of me. I see myself forced into another man's arms- the arms of your murderer.
Does that make you happy?! Are you satisfied now?! Feel free to run for the hills anytime now, since you've been inside my twisted head... Are you shocked or surprised that it is indeed not all rainbows and unicorns?!" Then, the tears flowed again.
Shaking his head with a mute frown, he pulled me into his lap and gently forced our eyes to meet again. "Alice, Alice, Alice, how many times do I have to tell you, darlin...?! I am not going anywhere, ever, Aro or not...
I will never leave you- not for Aro, not for Jane or Alec, not for the entire Volturi Guard... I'll face them all singlehandedly and look the devil in the eye before I would even think of leaving you... I ain't going anywhere for anything in this world, Alice- why can't you see that, darlin'?!"
Mutely nodding, I gave a weak smile as his lips kissed away my tears before softly finding mine. "I know you won't, Jasper... I just get so scared sometimes, thinking about what could happen and how you could just walk out that door and never come back... Especially now, when you realize that I'm not as strong or as happy as you once thought..."
"Alice, when I promised myself to you for eternity, I swore to be here for you and with you and love you no matter what.
When you feel weak, I'll be your strength. When you feel unhappy, I'll make you smile. When you feel like you can't go on, I'll hold you up. When you feel lost or scared or hurt or confused, I'll love you. I will always love you, darlin', no matter what- come hell or high water, forever and always, Alice Whitlock."
Smiling softly, I ran my thumb along his jaw line before tilting his head towards mine and finding his lips. This kiss was gentle- soft and loving- and it was nice to be with him like this again. Normally we were urgent and demanding in everything we did, but not this time. Not yet, anyway.
Looping my arms around his neck, I leaned into him and easily deepened the kiss as his fingers twined around my waist at the small of my back. Scooting further into his lap, I smirked against his lips as I felt his still-present bulge. "Here I am trying to be easy and gentle for once, and Little Major still wants to come out and play... Niiiccceee..."
Pulling away less than an inch, his tongue flicked along my lips as his eyes danced mischievously. "We always want to play, darlin'... I thought you knew that..."
About to easily give in to what I knew we both wanted, my lips tilted into a pout as he gently held my wrists in one of his large hands and cupped my face in the other. "As much as I want to- as much as I know you want to- not tonight, darlin'... You need to get some sleep... We both do... I love you... I'll see you in the morning, darlin', if not in my dreams..." With one final kiss, he laid down and pulled me into his arms, quickly falling asleep. I followed not long after, kissing him lightly.
~000~
I woke with the dawn, as per my normal routine, and somewhat easily slipped out of Jasper's arms as he slept curled around me. Pulling on his long ago discarded tee shirt, I walked downstairs and lovingly admired our home.
It was a two story farmhouse, another home unique only to us with our signature kitchen-turned-dance floor, with another "memory lane" wall overlooking our first story dance floor.
I say first story dance floor because it is literally all of the first story of the house. Jasper takes my hand out of the blue every now and then and dances me all around our house- through the wide open first floor and outside to our underground fully lit pool.
Through the pool room- as well as inside- the staircase spirals up into the second story. There, we have the music room, our room, his office and library, and my art room- all connected by a rail- free balcony overlooking our property. I love my house- our house- and there is nothing in the world that I would ever change about it.
My jewelry box turned portable bookcase sat on the mantle in the living room- specially reserved for only my favorites. Grabbing it, I wandered outside and settled in the swing that hung on our wrap-around porch just as the sun peeked over the horizon.
Leisurely flipping through my books, a smile tilted my lips as I caressed the soft worn leather of E.E. Cummings' 'I Carry Your Heart With Me'. It was my favorite E.E. Cummings work, a gift from my Jasper on our fifth wedding anniversary.
Flipping it open, I ran a finger down the page simply to feel it's somewhat rough texture. It was published in 1920 and I hadn't gotten it until 1953- no wonder it seemed so old and worn. I didn't care though... Even after all this time, it was still my favorite.
"i carry your heart with me
(i carry it in my heart)
i am never without it
(anywhere i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear no fate
(for you are my fate, my sweet)
i want no world
(for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you
here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
i carry your heart
(i carry it in my heart)"
Jasper's voice was soft against my ear as he spoke from memory, appearing at my side. Then there was familiar silence.
Turning my face into his chest with a sigh as he sat beside me on the swing, I smiled and curled around him. "That one has always been my favorite..."
His lips pulled into a small smile as he pressed them against mine and wrapped an arm around my shoulder, tucking me up under his chin. "Mornin', darlin'..."
Tilting my face towards his for more, I twined my fingers around his neck into his hair as he pulled me onto his lap. "Good morning to you too, Jazzy..."
Connecting our lips- finally!- he moaned as I swung over his hips into a straddle and teasingly winked at his growing bulge. "A very good morning indeed!"
Pulling away after an eternity, his lips pulled into a smirk as he trailed his hand along my breasts under his shirt.
"i like my body when it is with your
body. it is so quite new a thing.
muscles better and nerves more.
i like your body. i like what it does,
i like its hows. i like to feel the spine
of your body and its bones, and the trembling
-firm-smooth ness and which i will
again and again and again
kiss, i like kissing this and that of you,
i like, slowly stroking the, shocking fuzz
of your electric fur, and what-is-it comes
over parting flesh… and eyes big love-crumbs,
and possibly i like the thrill
of under me you so quite new"
Giggling, I rose a brow with my own smirk. "Is that your way of asking me to be late to work?! Jazzy, you bad boy!"
"We-" kiss- "have-" kiss- "tons-" kiss- "of-" kiss "time, darlin'-" kiss." And with that, he carried me up the stairs to our room.
~000~
Rolling into his arms sometime later, I smirked up at him and trailed a finger along his chest. "What time is it, Jazzy?!"
"8:15..." His own smirk was clear in his voice as he winked down at me and ran his fingers along my bare arms. "Leaving so soon, baby?!"
"Jazzy, are you serious?! I'm gonna be late!" Springing out of his arms in a blur, I pulled on a random pair of slacks with a random blouse, all the while he ran a brush through my hair. "I'm so dead...! I've never been late a day in my life, they're gonna kill me, oh my god I don't have time for any of this right now!"
Gripping my chin, we locked eyes as he pulled me tight against him, stopping my frantic moves. "Darlin', calm down! There's a first time for everything! Which means there will most certainly be many other times you're late..."
Against my better judgment, I easily fell into his embrace as his lips crash-landed onto mine. And with that kiss, our lust rising and consuming, my pending work-day was forgotten as I collapsed on top of him. "Who needs work?! If only I could make a living out of loving you, Jazzy..."
When we finally came away from each other, it was 9:15 on the dot. Somewhat uneasily rolling my eyes, I gave him a quick peck on the lips as he rested on his elbow. "Who needs work?! If only I could make a living out of loving you, darlin'..."
Sitting up, I ducked away from his wandering hand as his eyes swept over my bare torso. "Jazzy, you need to stop this... I have a big day ahead of me at work, and you made sure I missed quite a big chunk of it... No more funny business... Tell Little Major to take a chill pill, will ya?!"
Leaning over up beside me, he kissed his way from my shoulders to my neck before turning my face and finding my lips. "Okay, darlin', I get the point... You have to go to work now... But tonight, you are aaalll MINE."
Leaning into his kiss, I moved with him as he stood and let the sheet drop onto the bed to reveal his hard sculpted body. "Aaalll yours, Jazzy... Later... Tonight... After I get home from work..."
Grabbing my slacks and blouse from the floor with a raised brow, he chuckled and shook his head. "Aren't you glad I oh-so very easily kept you from leaving the house like this?!"
Eyeing the black slacks and brown blouse with a look of some what disdain, I shuddered to think of my outfit had my Jasper not been so great a distraction.
Pulling on the black slacks I already held, I rifled through my walk-in until I found my turquoise halter top and kitten heels. Might as well have fun and taunt the man that made me late...
Not even a whole minute later, I had my hair and makeup done and was in the garage in record time- even for a vampire. Slipping into the seat with a sigh, I started my car with a quiet rumble as he rested his forearms against the door. "At least let me take you to work, darlin'... It's the least I can do for making you late..."
Blurring over the console at his request, a small smile tilted my lips as he settled in the driver's seat with a roll of his eyes at my makeup. "Alice, I don't know why you use that crap... For one, you dazzle the humans already any way- not that you need to, being a "vegetarian" and all... And I know I'm supposed to be immune to the vampire bedazzlement, and I am- from anyone at all but you..."
Smiling even bigger, I took his hand over the console as was normal and closed my eyes with a giggle. Lord help me, he was driving me to work and more than likely coming into the building- all without a shirt on...
"Jazzy," I singsonged, a giggle in my voice, "you do not have a shirt on..."
Smirking, he glanced at me in the corner of his eye. "I am aware of that, thanks very much..."
Rolling my eyes at his "duh" tone, I sent him a playful glare. "Are you trying to give my poor Kitty-Kat a heart attack?!"
Nodding slowly with a wink, he chuckled. "If that means you'll get to come back home and spend all day locked in our room on our bed, then yes, yes I am!"
~000~
The main door just barely had time to shut behind us before Kitty gave me a triumphant grin. She hadn't seen Jasper yet... "Alice Whitlock! You are- late." Well, there it is, she sees Jasper...
She stood straight up out of her chair with a squeal, a very Kitty dramatic hand flying to her heart. "Oh. My. God."
Wishing I could blush, I buried my face in his neck with a giggle as he chuckled and winked over my shoulder at her. "I think your shirtlessness worked, Jazzy."
Nuzzling his nose along my throat, he teasingly nibbled at my jugular with a moan. "You think?! 'Cause I know it did... Otherwise I doubt Kitty would be drooling right now..."
Rolling my eyes at his once again sarcastic tone, I slapped a hand over his butt with a growl and sent a wink to Kitty. "Get out of here, Jazzy! I have stuff to do... Besides you... That's later tonight anyway, so don't forget!"
Kissing me deeply, his tongue was in my mouth as a wolf-whistle rang through the room- one that I knew only belonged to Kitty. "How could I ever possibly even try to forget, darlin'?! That's what The Little Major is for...!"
Ducking my head away from him, I face-palmed with a giggle. "Oh. My. God. Jasper! Just get out of here already!"
Kitty choked on a laugh with a curiously teasing brow, coughing and sputtering for quite some time before she finally regained her breath. She turned to me with a smirk on her lips, brow still quirked in the air. "The Little Major?!"
"Uhhh... Ummm... Uhhh... My uhhh nickname, I guess...?!" My voice made it a question, coming out a rather embarrassed squeak as I fiddled with my wedding ring. She was gonna think I was crazy. No actually, she already thought I was crazy... Now she'd just think I was plain insane...
"Oookay then!" She'd obviously gotten the picture... "Have- fun- with, ummm- that..."
"What?! You mean, my hot Southern stallion?! Oh believe me, darlin', I plan on it...!" With that, I shot her a wink in passing and went upstairs to my office to begin my day.
The next time I looked at the clock, it was lunch- time for our break, actually. Easily deciding to work through, I rose a brow over the stack of paper I was looking at as a knock sounded. Kitty peeked her head through the partially opened door with a small smile and held up her lunch. "Are you gonna come eat?"
"No thanks, Kit... I have quite a bit to catch up on- thanks very much Jazzy- so I'm gonna keep working. I had a big breakfast anyway... Thanks, though... Oh, and tell the girls I said hi... But you can keep the reasoning to a minimum, won't you...?!"
Giggling, she nodded with a wink. "I would say that it was traffic, but it was 9:30 when you came in... I'll think of something, don't you worry...!"
"Yeeeaaahhh, I'm sure you will Kit, I'm sure you will... Just don't get too imaginative, okay...?!" That said, I looked back up, only to find her gone. Rolling my eyes with a giggle, I settled deeper in my chair and rather easily picked up where I left off.
~000~
'Knee-deep' in thought, I didn't bother to look at the time again until Kitty walked in with a raised brow and slumped into the chair I'd situated in front of my desk. "Allliii," she singsonged, reaching over and snatching the current paper I was working on right out of my hands, "it's 5 o'clock..."
She winked teasingly as I met her eyes with a glare. Albeit I my self was merely teasing, there was a hint of hardness in my eyes at her next words. "If I remember correctly, you're going home to The Little Major... Wouldn't want to keep Jazzy waiting, now would you, darlin'...?!"
"You're right... I can finish the rest tomorrow... I'm clocking out and going home... Love ya Kit... Byyyeee..." Five minutes later, I was on my way home.
Pulling into the drive, I mutely wondered where Jasper was; his truck wasn't around anywhere. Not worried- yet, at least- I walked inside and immediately slumped into his La-Z-boy recliner with a sigh. I wonder when my tease of a husband will be home?!
Sometime later, as I sat once again immersed in EE Cummings, our telephone rang. Blurring even the few feet between me and the phone, I picked it up without a thought- already knowing exactly who it was. "Hello..."
His voice filled the line, playful and light, as I twisted the cord around my finger with a grin- a schoolgirl with a first crush, once again. "You wanna have some fun tonight, darlin'?!"
"I thought we already were?! Or did you just say that because of Kitty?!" My tone was teasing to match his, though a careful possessiveness creeped in. I don't think she would ever get the point or idea that he was married, and he was married to me...
I could hear the grin in his own voice as he chuckled, more than likely running a hand through his hair. "Oh no, baby, we are gonna have us some fun tonight... I just have a job and could definitely use some company..."
"Alright, smooth-talker, don't you mean you need help?!" He never asked for help, he asked for company, which then turned into "will you hand me that" or "will you do this...?!" But I was used to it anyway and agreed. "See you in five, big boy..."
Hanging up, I blurred to our room with a smirk and changed into my favorite pair of jeans that made my butt look good and an old cut-off that was once Jazzy's tee-shirt. No reason why I couldn't have fun, too...
Pulling into his lot a short while later, I killed the engine and stood as my fingers hooked into my front pockets and I put on a sexy smirk. "You rang...?!"
Sitting at his small desk, he let out a low whistle as I lounged in the doorway. "I did indeed... You ready?!"
Swaying my hips sexily across the room with my smirk intact, I leaned over the edge of his desk as my cleavage caught his eye. "I am when you are, cowboy..."
Awhile later, the job was done. I loved people's reactions as the buildings around them appeared quite literally overnight. Because our our "abilities,"- the speed and strength that so often helped us when there were no humans to be found anywhere around- we didn't actually do any heavy work until nightfall- then we were as free and natural as could be.
I rather enjoyed helping Jazzy, even though him being his own boss didn't pay much. Oh well, at least being a construction worker kept him fit and in shape... Not to mention very very hot...
Grabbing my hand out of the blue, Jasper tugged me behind him and ran through the streets. "Where are we going?!"
He smirked over his shoulder and merely kept running, not even bothering to answer. Then, as we turned into Manhattan, I realized where we were going- The One Chase Manhattan Plaza.
In a matter of minutes, that very building rose from the ground in front of us, standing at 813 feet with 60 stories from top to bottom. Jasper's eyes met mine as his lips tugged into a smirk, competition clear in his voice. "What's say you and I defy gravity, eh, darlin'...?! Let's go for it... Race ya!"
Accepting the challenge with a curt nod, I sprung into the air and latched my feet into the eave between the first and second floor. "You might race me, but I will beat you...!" Then, he was after me as I sprung towards the next eave with a giggle. "Catch me if you can, old man..."
Then the race was on. Going higher and higher, I had never felt more exhilarated or free as my husband chased me up the One Chase Manhattan Plaza.
Swinging onto the roof with a triumphant grin, I hauled him after me as he rolled his eyes. "Where is my prize, Jazzy?!"
Stalking after me with a gleam in his eye, he tugged me into his arms and tantalizingly trailed his tongue along my lip. Pushing past my lips, his tongue explored my mouth as I moaned and arched my back against him. "That's my Alice for you, winning isn't ever enough for her..."
Rolling my eyes, I wrapped my thigh around his and pushed my foot into his ankle, tripping him. And down we went. "I'm more than willing to make an exception if YOU are my prize..."
Dragging me down on top of him, he turned the tables as the rough concrete pressed into my back. "I'm more than willing to make you a deal, baby..." And we finished much where we left off earlier this morning.
~000~
The morning met us quite a bit earlier than we expected, probably because we were still naked and twined together. Laying on the rooftop even as the sun appeared, I marvelled with a sigh at the sight of Jasper's body, sparkling like a diamond chandelier.
Then, I left reality, crossing time and space as the faces of our future family filled my mind. Stiffening in shock and awe in his arms, I sat up with an enthusiastic squeal. "Jasper! Jasper, I found them! I found the Cullen's! I found our family!"
((A/N: This, my wonderful lovelies, is the next to last chapter... I am SSSOOO sad to see it go, as it Is MMMYYY BAAABBBBYYY, my very first fanfic like, ever, BUUUTTT there will be a sequel... Hope yall like... Review Favorite and LOOOVVVEEE!:):)))