A/N: Hey guys, here's a new chapter. It was going to be quite a bit longer, but I've decided to take the end and turn it into a mini-chapter that should be up early next week.

One quick, but unavoidable thing:

***Please be advised that this story is rated M. Per the terms and conditions of this website, if you are not at least 16 years old, you are not to view fiction rated M. If you are below the age limit for this site, please do not continue to read.***

Alright. *dusts hands off*

Let me know what you guys think. Drinks of the mild citrus variety this chapter. Not quite lemonade; more like Tang.

~Ex

Calefaction

Chapter 20

Screaming Vampire Orgasm

Edward's POV

What could I have possibly been thinking?

In what world would this have been a good idea? At any time? Ever?

As I peered around the crowded nightclub, my throat burning with customary thirst as the steady pounding of mortal pulse's beat against my eardrums, I couldn't help but question my sanity; a silent barrage of berating questions that were spoken, not in the voice of my own internal monologue, but in the voice I associated with Bella's thoughts.

I don't know that I could've made a more foolhardy decision.

I blamed my poor choice on my inability to think clearly around her. And any semblance of good judgment and acumen that I had managed to retain had flown clear out the window when she'd declared that she would be spending her evening with Jasper.

Jasper...

The jealous rage that accompanied recent thoughts of him flashed through me, and a low growl built in my throat, but I swallowed them both bitterly. It wouldn't do to lose control. Certainly not with so many innocents about. Bella already looked at me as she might a monster, I didn't need to provide further evidence to confirm her suspicions.

It would be bad enough if she realized what I'd done. Like any common, mortal stalker, I'd followed she and Jasper to this... I glanced around the ironically themed club disdainfully ...place, and here I skulked, watching my brother and the woman I considered my potential mate from the shadows, wishing that she'd smile at me as she was currently smiling at him. Wishing to tear him limb from limb every time he put his hands on her. I couldn't imagine a more pathetic, nor creepy for that matter, scenario.

Admittedly, Bella had never expressly forbidden me from accompanying her on her date, but if she were to catch me here, the semantics that slightly soothed my own conscience would most likely only serve to further incite her already formidable temper. Despite years of practiced falsehoods, I couldn't concoct a single excuse that would make it alright for me to be here.

This was wrong. And I knew it.

Why did I continually do this to myself? And to Bella for that matter? Why didn't I believe that she knew what was best for her? Why couldn't I trust that she wouldn't suffer some terrible fate if I entrusted her to the hands of another; if I trusted that she could at least take care of herself as well as the average human? Why was this so difficult for me?

The answer was one and the same. Because I loved her. Because I couldn't stand the idea that something might happen to her. Because I could never forgive myself if I allowed something to...

But she didn't deserve this.

Try as I might to justify my behavior to myself, I just couldn't do it anymore. Alice was right. If I kept up at this rate, I'd push Bella so far away that she'd be well beyond my grasp.

Shaking my head, self-loathing settling familiarly around me, I inched out of the corner I'd hidden myself in, determined to make my escape before I completely destroyed the precarious ruin of a relationship remaining between Bella and myself. Loathe as I was to admit it, whatever brotherly feelings Jasper and I had managed to retain over the years had thoroughly burned up in the atmosphere of our respective relationships with Bella. There was a pang of remorse that I didn't feel worse for that, but there was only so much brooding I could do, despite what my family members thought, and right now, it was strictly reserved for my love for Bella. Or more specifically, her lack of reciprocation.

With the best of intentions, I began to ease toward the door; anything too sudden would certainly alert Jasper to my presence. I batted away a frisson of irritation that buzzed in my head like an angry insect. Irritation that he hadn't already discerned my existence, that danger was lurking so near, and he was so busy kissing Bella that he didn't even...

I froze.

Jasper.

And Bella.

Were kissing.

Jasper and Bella... Were kissing!

And rather than witnessing the event secondhand, through vague memories, I was living through every torturous second...

I tried to look away. But like the bystander of some terrible accident, I found myself watching with avid, morbid curiosity.

The demon within stirred, sensing my sudden weakness as rage and jealousy ripped at me with torrid claws, each warring for dominance. Pain began to radiate through my chest, a dull ache that seemed to numb everything it touched as it spread to my limbs.

I needed to leave. Now.

But Fate is a cruel mistress, and it was entirely too late.

Bella, looking more beautiful than I could ever recall, with her fair cheeks gently flushed, her soft mahogany curls framing her face in untamable disarray, opened her eyes. Those cinnamon eyes that beckoned to me, even from a distance, to lose myself in their depths.

And they were trained directly upon me.

Despite the cacophony that surrounded us, her voice, a voice I would recognize anywhere, rose above it all as she gasped in disbelief,

"Edward?!"

I met her thunderous gaze steadily, silently acknowledging the reality that I was not to escape unscathed this evening. Judging by the sudden snarl of murderous thoughts that crossed Bella's mind, I'd be lucky to make it out alive. Relatively speaking.

"Well. How about that?" I murmured, rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly.

How about that.

Bella's PoV

"Edward?!" I gasped, pushing at Jasper's shoulders as recognition steamrolled the pleasant, bubbly sensations right out of me. The moment the word left my lips, Jasper stiffened, pulling away jerkily, a frown marring his handsome face. He stared at me intensely for a moment, shaking his head.

"Not exactly, Bella."

I sighed in exasperation as I realized that he must have thought, in my lust induced haze, that I'd accidentally called him by Edward's name. Silly boy. Uttering a poor imitation of a growl, I grasped at his hand as he made to move away from me.

"No! Jasper, look! Edward is here!"

"Wha--?" He glanced up sharply, scanning the club's occupants swiftly, until he located his recalcitrant sibling. Their eyes met briefly, before Edward promptly began to examine his shoes. I half expected him to flee. Not that it would have done him any good. I'd already seen him and he had to come home eventually.

An unfamiliar smile began to curl the edges of my lips; a ruthless, dare I say, evil smile?

Edward had gone way too far this time. It was one thing to try and monitor my friends, because he was delusively obsessed with the idea that one of them was making me sick. And I could understand helping me watch what I eat, because he had infinite time to look up just what exactly polysorbate might do to me in the long run. But this. Oh this. He'd just officially crossed the border from Annoyingsville to Tyrantown. And frankly, I was looking forward to Jasper telling him as much. Verbally or with the universal language of a fist to the face, I wasn't picky.

I waited expectantly for a rush of disappointment laced anger, or some sort of desperate longing for vengeance to escape Jasper's control and mingle with the emotions I could claim as my own. Good thing I wasn't holding my breath.

What I got was an undercurrent of amusement and Jasper's quiet laughter.

"You're laughing?" I nearly snarled, brows rising in disbelief as my smile wilted into a vexed frown.

He shrugged, and I bristled, irritation prickling. This was not even remotely acceptable. How could he just not care that Edward had pretty much ruined what had been, thus far, a pretty amazing night?

"Trust me, darlin', if you could feel what he feels right about now, you wouldn't be nearly as angry," he soothed.

A wave of warm calm washed over me and I shook my head furiously, jerking away from him with a scowl. "Don't do that! He followed us here, Jasper! He's spying on us! How can you be so--" My hands gestured without my permission, something vague and waving. "--blasé about this?"

The cool weight of his arm came to rest on my shoulders, and he tried to guide me toward where Edward stood, as still as if he were made of marble.

I shrugged Jasper off, crossing my arms defiantly over my chest. "I have absolutely nothing to say to him."

Jasper simply smiled, ignoring my feeble protestations as he scooped me up in his arms and forced me over to the person guilty of causing me the most gruesomely homicidal thoughts I'd ever had. I'd rather have made up with Lys than listen to whatever pathetic excuses about watching out for me that Edward was about to spew.

Jasper eased me into an empty chair at the table nearest to where Edward was standing, still staring at his shoes as though they held the answers to life's most important questions.

"Edward," Jasper enthused, taking the seat beside me. I peered out at the dance floor, frowning. I wanted no part of this. "Won't you join us?"

There was silence for several minutes; minutes that ticked by like hours as a thin, quickly fraying strand of uncomfortable silence stretched between the three of us. Finally, I felt the table give a shiver as Edward took the last available seat. He tapped a nervous rhythm on the tabletop that brought to mind tiny, finger-sized guillotines.

"Imagine seeing you here," Jasper mused.

I wanted to kick him. Why wasn't he berating Edward? Why wasn't he telling him exactly where he could shove his terrible spying skills?

Despite my apparent detachment, my ears were perked for the inevitably predictable response. I was sure it'd be something along the lines of:

"Bella's safe with no one but me."

Or:

"As a human, Bella is terribly fragile and I can't let her out of my sight for more than a few seconds, because she's bound to get hurt."

Or even:

"I love Bella soooo much, and I couldn't bear the thought of her with you. Boo hoo hoo."

He couldn't have shocked me more when he replied:

"Are you kidding? I come here all the time!"

My head jerked toward him so quickly that I feared I might give myself whiplash.

"I'm sorry, you what?" I demanded, the question slicing through the air toward him as sharply as a finely honed blade. I glanced at Jasper from the corner of my eye, to find him grinning lazily, obviously enjoying Edward's discomfort. I really hoped that Edward didn't think so little of us that he thought we'd buy this ridiculous story.

Edward nodded, just a little too earnestly. "Yeah! Where do you think Emmett heard about it from? Every weekend, if I'm not hunting, I'm here. I... Love it!" His hesitation, and the painfully obvious lie, brought a slight smile to my lips, against my better judgment. Perhaps this wasn't something that was going to completely ruin the night, after all.

Jasper leaned forward, elbows on the table as he rested his chin in his hands, brows furrowed in thought.

"Oh yeah? What exactly is it that you love about it, Eddie?" The nickname caused Edward to glower uncharitably. "I mean, I have my own reasons for enjoying it here--", he shot me a pointed glance and my cheeks immediately warmed, "--but please, I'm all ears for why you might return time and again."

Edward shifted uncomfortably, and I couldn't help but smirk as his dark eyes began to sweep the room, obviously searching for some sort of saving grace for the club that he undoubtedly considered an anathema; ignorant humans glorifying something that should be repulsed. Typical.

He must have decided to improvise, because he turned back to us with a genial smile, obviously hoping we didn't notice the lingering look of disgust he delivered to the happy crowd.

I arched a brow, awaiting what would assuredly be a hilarious anecdote.

"Well, I mean, there's all the people. What better way to help bolster my control than by evaluating my limits and testing them?"

Jasper chuckled, observing idly, "You haven't been breathing unless spoken to, Edward."

Edward scoffed, drawing an exaggerated breath. I could only imagine how heightened the smell of the blood was for him, with the warm crush of human bodies so close, and so plentiful. For a moment, just a moment, his gaze changed, darkening, until I was peering into eyes that reminded me of a starless night's sky. My heart skipped a beat as grim memories of the last time I'd seen that empty gaze, peering from Edward's handsome face, swam frighteningly to the forefront of my mind. He closed his eyes briefly, and Jasper lightly reached over and took my arm, watching his brother warily. Edward finally glanced, up, all smiles, his eyes having returned to their only mildly thirsty amber. "See? Control. I'm surprised this isn't more difficult for you." The words, spoken to Jasper, weren't unkind, simply curious.

My date smiled, that half-cocked grin that made my insides melt just a little, shaking his head. "I know my own limits well enough to know not to test them in a crowd of innocent people. I'm breathing as shallowly as possible, through my mouth only, and though the thirst is still there, it's not unbearable."

I glanced at him in surprise. There hadn't been any indication; his eyes were still the color of melted caramel, he was in a good mood... "Jasper!" I admonished. "You should have said something."

He shrugged, and I found myself momentarily distracted by the way his shirt clung to his arms. "The demand is always there, Bella; whether I'm around one human or many. It's something we learn to live with. I was having a good time." He smiled reassuringly, stroking his fingertips over the pulse in my wrist, causing it to stutter rapidly, before relinquishing his hold on me. "Now, Eddie, you were saying."

Edward frowned, obviously hoping we'd forgotten the previous track our conversation had been headed down.

"Well, there's the… Um... The décor. Though it's not to my particular taste, I'm sure that one of the nomadic covens might appreciate its stark, exaggerated, uh... macabre...ness."

"Not to mention the all you can eat buffet," I muttered cynically beneath my breath, drawing the surprised glances of both men at the table. I shrugged, unabashed. I'd been with them for quite some time, and it wasn't like anyone had slipped in a while. I was entitled to the occasional vampire versus human joke. "You were both thinking it, I just said it," I defended with a grin.

Jasper chuckled.

Edward was eying my feet curiously.

"What happened to your shoes?" he asked cautiously, perhaps realizing that his words to me needed to be very carefully chosen, lest my black mood return with a vengeance.

I shrugged, glancing at Jasper, who seemed rather amused. "I'm not sure."

Edward looked up, scowling darkly. "You're not sure what happened to your shoes?" he repeated.

I nodded, smiling serenely. "That's what I said. Their current whereabouts are unknown." I lowered my voice marginally, leaning forward to utter conspiratorially, "Quite the mystery..."

His gaze was accusing as it swung towards Jasper. Uh-oh.

"Has she been drinking? Did you let her--?" He suddenly leaned toward me, sniffing delicately and I turned my face away with a dismissive roll of my eyes. "Have you been drinking?" he demanded.

Though Jasper looked to be on the verge of answering, most likely to defend my actions, I nudged him with my knee beneath the table. I refused to let Edward ruin this night. I refused to be ashamed of what I'd done just because he was of the 'holier than thou', school of thought.

Time to turn the spotlight back on the true star of this twisted little show.

"Yes, I have Edward. Jasper suggested the Vampire's Kiss, but I opted for the Gangrene instead. Do you think I made the right choice? I mean, I know you don't eat or drink, but having been here so often, you must be familiar with the drink menu."

Edward scowled, obviously wanting to drop the pretense, but unable to do so without facing the substantially fearsome face of my wrath.

"No, I don't think you chose wisely. I think you should have had..." He grabbed the thin list from the table, pointing, at what seemed to be random, toward one of the drinks listed. "That. You should've had that. It's my favorite."

Jasper and I both leaned forward, peering at the selection in question.

Jasper immediately burst into laughter, while I pressed my lips together in order to contain the very same reaction. Oh, poor Edward. He was really in over his head.

"Really, that one?" I asked, threading more than a healthy amount of curiosity into my voice.

"Yes, yes, that's what I said. That one, right there. I have it every time I come," he rattled off the reply quickly, his tone irritated.

Jasper actually doubled over, his laughter shaking his broad shoulders.

"Oh, I'm sure that you do, Edward," he drawled between gasps.

Forgetting that he was supposed to be berating me about the (heaven forbid) one drink that I'd consumed, Edward looked at his choice a bit more closely.

I waited, watching avidly as his face contorted from confusion to concern, and finally to horror-struck mortification.

"Screaming. Vampire. Orgasm," he read, sighing resignedly. "My... favorite."

Jasper's POV

Edward had followed us.

I wanted to be surprised; to have a little faith that my dear old brother was above this kind of shit, but he just made it so easy to assume the worst. Probably because, when faced with two choices, he tended to pick the most selfish and thoughtless. As long as his needs were met, he either didn't care or didn't realize how his actions affected others. I sincerely hoped, and honestly suspected it was the latter.

Bella had been furious. From the moment she laid eyes upon him, until I'd bodily forced her over to our little problem, her anger had escalated until I'd actually begun to fear for poor Eddie's life.

I'd since been feeding her tranquil waves of subtle amusement, the emotion I myself was currently feeling, and I was relieved to see that her smile, albeit slightly strained, had returned.

I knew I should've been upset. And I was, of course, to an extent. But when I looked at Edward, when he'd caught my eyes for the briefest of moments, the mortified shame that he was emanating was almost painful. He knew what he was doing was completely fucked up. My tearing his legs off so he couldn't follow us again for a good long while seemed a bit like beating a dead horse.

Besides, Edward's awkward, bumbling lies about how he was a regular patron of this club, the type of place that went against all of Eddie's self-righteous beliefs, were far too amusing, and would certainly prove useful for later blackmailing purposes.

I leaned back, hands behind my head as he uttered for perhaps the third time,

"Sooo…"

The poor guy had been trying to escape for the better part of the past half hour, but Bella was in no mood to offer quarter this evening.

"Sooo…" she replied with a faint smile.

"I think I'm probably going to take off here," he finally mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. He must've realized there was really no graceful way out of this one.

"So soon?" Bella asked, wide eyed with feigned innocence. I coughed to cover my laughter.

He nodded in response, rising swiftly and nearly toppling the entire table in the process. I didn't even bother to hide my laughter this time, despite the furious glare it earned me. He must be completely shaken to plummet so quickly from vampire grace to a level of clumsy that put Bella to shame. I cast out for his emotion, catching nothing solid, but plenty of wispy bits of anger, frustration and shame.

"Sorry to have interrupted your… date," he muttered, righting the table and disappearing into the crowd before either of us could reply.

Bella turned toward me the moment she could no longer see him, while I watched impassively as he strode out the door, leaving a trail of thorny agitation in his wake.

"I can't believe him!" Bella fumed, all traces of amusement vanished now that Edward wasn't around to see how bothered she was. I straightened in my seat, casting my gaze toward her slowly. "I mean… The nerve! And to lie about it instead of just 'fessing up?!" She exhaled sharply, causing several loose curls to flutter upward.

I chuckled indulgently, letting her rant for several more seconds before cutting her off.

"Bella, darlin', letting him get to you like this is just giving him what he wants."

She assumed a sour expression, as though she'd just eaten something incredibly distasteful. "I don't care, Jasper. Why didn't you say something to him?!"

I shrugged, shifting uncomfortably. I was quickly growing bored of this topic, and slightly aggravated in the face of her accusation.

"Bella, please. It's over and done with. I mean, come on, did you really expect anything else?"

She sulkily threw herself back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest and peering out at the crowd of dancers.

I arched a brow, recalling that position as the one she assumed when she was settling in for a long bout of silent treatment. "What, you're not talking to me now?"

She remained mute, and I sighed heavily.

"Alright then, let's get out of here. If you're so intent to let him ruin tonight, it's not even worth it to stay."

That certainly got her attention. "What? We're going to leave already?"

I was briefly reminded of a child who had been forced to attend an outing with its parents; one who complained for the entire duration of the trip, but when told it was time to leave, acted surprised and grieved the sudden departure.

"Are you having any fun sitting there, stewing in your own anger, thinking about Edward?"

She breathed a tiny sigh from her nose. "No, not really."

I gave her a look that implied she had her answer.

Anger that had remained conspicuously repressed while under the battering ram of Edward's shame began to slither to the forefront, and I clenched my hands against the emotion, lest it escape and Bella should feel it.

Leave it to my martyr of a brother to ruin what had been shaping up to be a really good night.

Despite her initial reservations, Bella had been enjoying herself, I was certain of that much. And I could think of no way I'd rather spend my time, and I had an eternity, remember, than watching the gentle sway of Bella's hips as she moved confidently across the dance floor. Or the almost astonished wonder in her eyes as she realized that her feet weren't completely traitorous. Or the gentle curve of an unintentionally sensual smile that graced those rose pink lips.

And the feel of her skin, burning into my palms through the thin fabric of her dress…

Damn Edward…

I glanced up as Bella's voice reached my ears above the teeth rattlingly loud bass line of the current song.

"I'm sorry, Jasper. I just…" She tugged her lower lip between her teeth and my gaze was drawn to her mouth, not for the first time this evening. "…I just wanted this to be perfect, you know? And having Edward bust in was definitely not on the agenda." The corners of her lips quirked with a faint smile and I found myself answering the expression.

I reached over, taking her small hand between my own, awed, as always, by the warmth of her skin.

"Hey, you've got no reason to apologize, alright?" She smiled hopefully, squeezing my fingers. "Let's just forget it ever happened."

Only, there would be no forgetting on my part. Despite my words of wisdom to Bella, 'Forgive and Forget', I was going to have a word with Edward later, and it wasn't going to be pleasant. I wondered if I could enlist Emmett's help…

Bella nodded eagerly, gingerly hopping to her feet and tugging my hand so that I followed.

Grinning in an utterly mischievous manner, she murmured over her shoulder, "May I have this dance?"

Laughing quietly, I followed her onto the floor, wondering if there was anywhere that I wouldn't follow her.

Bella fell back against the car's front seat with a squeak of wet clothing against leather, laughing breathlessly while I quickly turned the key in the ignition and squealed out of the parking lot.

"Heat, heat!" She demanded, giggling as she rubbed her hands over her damp arms. Her once gently mussed curls now lay plastered to her skin, soaked and disheveled. Dark trails of what I assumed was eye makeup were making there way down her cheeks, flushed with excitement.

She'd never looked more beautiful.

I quickly reached toward the dash, turning the seldom-used heat up to high, barely noticing my own frigidly clammy clothes.

"I can't believe you," I muttered with a lazy grin as we accelerated past the Port Angeles city limits.

Her eyes danced with unuttered laughter as she peered at me skeptically. "Me?! You're the one that nearly got us kicked out!"

I scoffed, though she wasn't entirely exaggerating. "That was all you, darlin'. I thought you were gonna tear that poor little girl's hair right out. Rose would've been proud."

Bella uttered a disdainful little 'hmph'. "She deserved it. She obviously saw that you were with me. And you… You just had to encourage her to get a rise out of me, didn't you?"

I chuckled, recalling the slight trance I'd placed upon the presumptuous girl as she'd peered up at me so hopefully. It hadn't been entirely intentional, but the look on Bella's face, as though she could gladly rip the girl limb from limb, had been enough for me to up the ante just a little. Her jealous anger was adorable. Not that I was unwise enough to mention that to her.

Needless to say, Bella, a bit more outgoing with another drink in her, had not appreciated the advances of a scantily clad human woman toward me.

She'd returned from the restroom to find the woman struggling against my restraining grasp in her fervor to get closer. After a few seconds of inner conflict, indecision apparent on her face, she'd stomped up to us, grasped a handful of the woman's blindingly blonde hair, and yanked for all she was worth. Though she'd seemed appalled by her behavior only moments later, the woman had gone into hysterics, and Bella and I had beat a hasty retreat when the bouncer had headed our way.

"Hey Jas?"

I grinned over at her, listening to the sudden acceleration of her heart with amusement.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

I frowned in confusion. "For what?"

A languid smile lit up her face; the product of fatigue and a couple of drinks, I suspected. "For taking me out tonight. And encouraging me to step outside the tiny zone of comfort that I actually have when it comes to any sort of physical activity. And, you know, for not letting Edward ruin everything." Her voice dropped to a mere murmur at the conclusion of her words, and she watched me as though the sun rose and set with my very existence.

I exhaled quietly as unfamiliar warmth ignited in my chest, a pleasant, expanding sensation that seemed to burn more hotly the longer that I watched the girl beside me. Swallowing quietly, I reached out and placed my hand over hers, where it rested on her knee, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze.

"My pleasure."

She smiled, relaxing against the seat as warm air finally began to flow from the vents. We sat in comfortable silence, and her breathing took on the gentle cadence of near slumber.

She surprised me slightly when she murmured quietly,

"Do you suppose Alice is going to kill me?"

I shot her a puzzled glance. Whatever the reason, I'd like to see the pixie try; she'd have to get through me first.

Bella grinned, lifting one of her feet up onto the dash suddenly. I tried, I really did, not to notice the faint flash of pink lace that was briefly exposed as my gaze followed the smooth, pale skin of her leg down to her foot where her toes were wiggling. It was a lost cause.

"The shoes. I left them," she admitted, slipping her foot back to the floor quickly. I hoped that she hadn't noticed the intensity of my stare.

I peered out at the dark road, trying to get control of myself. What was wrong with me? I was 166 years old, not 15. A glimpse of coral fabric should not have me imaging pulling over, right here, right now and finding out what said fabric felt like.

When I looked back to her, I hoped my smile wasn't strained.

"I'm sure it'll be fine. Just tell her you lost them in a cat fight. She'll be more interested in the details than the shoes," I chuckled.

She smirked, nodding in acknowledgement. "I suppose…"

"Who knew what a scrappy little thing you were?" I mused with a teasing grin, recalling the fury on her pretty face when she'd hefted the other mortal away from me.

She shrugged nonchalantly, "She was putting the moves on my man. I couldn't just stand there and let her, could I?"

I glanced at her with a smile, putting more stock in two of those words than I probably should have. "Your man, huh?"

A delicate blush painted her face, flushing the smooth skin from her forehead to her chest. She peered at our joined hands, concentrating on them intently. I could hear her swallow before she murmured, "Well, I mean, if that's okay with you?" She took a fortifying breath, the rest of her words escaping swiftly. "Because I like you, Jasper. A lot. More than I probably should." The warmth was making an encore appearance in my chest, thawing everything it touched.

Bella didn't notice as I pulled off the highway, into a small wooded rest area; content to keep rambling about things that I'd have gladly listened to for the remainder of my days. "You let me be myself, and you don't treat me like a porcelain doll. I'm comfortable around you in ways that I can't even imagine being around other peop…" I pulled into one of the three parking spots in the abandoned rest stop and killed the engine. Bella glanced up, startled eyes on the windshield. "…What are we... Where are you…?" Curious confusion fluttered toward me from her direction.

I stared at her intensely for a few moments; her wide, dark eyes, the delicate upturn of her nose, her trembling, pink lips, before silencing the half-finished questions by reaching across the small space that separated us, pulling her into my lap, and crushing my lips to hers.

She stiffened against me briefly and I half-expected her to pull away, outraged. Maybe she'd slap me sharply like some affronted damsel.

Instead, she took a quiet breath against my lips, the heat of her mouth nearly my undoing. She shifted slightly in my lap, and I bit back a groan at the subtle friction.

Easing a leg over either side of mine, she straddled me, pressing herself tightly against my chest with urgent strength, her arms winding themselves around my neck. Hot fingers thread through my hair, clenching around the strands, and my hands slid to her hips of their own volition, kneading the smooth, silk-clad flesh.

She kissed me then, gently slanting her lips across mine. She was sweet; an enchanting blend of vanilla and citrus. I never thought I'd find anything that tasted as good as the warm flow of human blood across my palette, but this… I would gladly renounce blood altogether as long as Bella promised that she would always allow me access to these lips. A low growl rumbled in my throat as I hauled her closer.

The tip of her tongue laved tentatively over my lower lip, inviting me to open, and I obliged more than willingly. Her timid tongue stroked mine, a brush of fiery satin, and I groaned. I'd wanted to allow her control, to take things at her own pace, but that innocently sensual touch was enough to shatter my already faltering will. I couldn't have stopped myself from deepening the kiss just then if Edward himself had hopped into the backseat. Bella clung to me as I nibbled delicately at her lower lip, as I explored the cloying warmth of her mouth. I traced the perfect lines of her teeth, battled her tongue for dominance.

She finally drew back, gasping softly, and I silently berated myself for forgetting, yet again, that she needed to breathe. Her slender, feverish fingertips stroked along my face, coming to rest on either side of my jaw. Her tousled hair fell in a dark curtain around us, filtering the dim illumination of the single streetlight into nothing more than shifting, beguiling shadows. I peered up at her beautifully flushed face as she pressed tender kisses to each corner of my mouth, to my nose and jaw. My fingers eased slowly down her thighs to find that the hem of her dress had ridden indecently high up.

Her heavy-lidded gaze found mine, widening slightly as my cool fingertips stroked the bare heat of her silken skin. She shuddered when my thumbs mapped the pink lace that rested high on her leg, and a dark wave of heavy lust pulsed over me, testing my control.

"Jasper," she whispered, her breath fanning over my face, and I wrapped my hands around her slender thighs, pulling her hips toward mine. Her heart thudded wildly at the friction, flooding the confined space with her scent; the ever-present temptation of her blood, the tart undertone of citrus that I associated solely with her, and her sweet arousal.

I slid my hands up her back, laughing quietly at her faint disappointment, to trace the fine skin of her shoulders and collarbone. Leaning up, I pressed my lips to the small indent that lay between them, flicking my tongue out to taste the tiny expanse of skin. Her hips gave an involuntary jerk and we both inhaled sharply.

The heat of her core, even through the fabric of my jeans, was almost too much. I could think of nothing more that I'd like than to drag her into the back seat and feel it without the hindrance of clothing between us.

But I restrained myself.

Just barely.

I took the small straps that held her dress in place between my fingers, tugging them off her shoulders slightly. I glanced up at her, a question in my gaze, and she smiled shyly, nodding.

The steadily growing ache beneath my fly was almost painful by this point, and it was all I could do to continue at this torturous pace. If she were a vampire, I wouldn't have thought twice about dragging her out of the car, pinning her against one of the broad tree trunks, and making her scream my name. But she wasn't. Not yet.

I carefully stroked the straps from her shoulders, easing the silky fabric away from her chest; it fell to her hips with a whisper. Embarrassment tinged the edges of her arousal, and I could feel the heat of her blush as my eyes caressed the snowy skin I'd revealed. She was gorgeous. Every inch of porcelain skin, every freckle and scar, was perfect.

"You're beautiful," I murmured sincerely, leaning forward and breathing deeply of her damp skin. I pressed my lips between the soft swells that met over the center of her bra, feeling the rapid fire rhythm of her heart beneath the kiss. I stroked my fingertips teasingly over her sides, smiling as a breathless giggle escaped her lips.

"That tickles," she whispered.

I laughed softly, easing my hands over her slender ribcage and then further up, to cup the warm, full weight of her breasts.

"How about this?" I murmured, unable to help the fact that my voice was more growl than anything by this point.

She breathed a quiet "Oh", her back arching instinctively into the touch. Her innocent passion was almost too much.

I lightly brushed my thumbs over the hardened peaks of her nipples, eliciting another gasp as her fingers slid to my shoulders, digging into the unyielding flesh.

"Well?" I teased

"Hmmm?" she hummed wonderingly as my fingers continued to move slowly, oh so slowly, over the fabric that concealed her.

"Does it tickle?" I repeated.

She shook her head. "No, it feels…odd…"

With a quick twist of my fingers, I snapped the small bit of fabric and wire that rested between her breasts, letting the intricate undergarment fall away. Her embarrassment was swift and immediate, and I leaned in, before it had a chance to become the dominant emotion, pressing my lips to the heat of her skin.

"Jasper," she murmured hesitantly. I brushed my knuckles over her satin skin, and felt the retreat of her chagrin as excitement flared hotly once more.

"Odd… Good?" I persisted, turning my head slightly and taking her pebble-hard nipple between my lips.

Her fingers were suddenly in my hair, and she uttered a soft, panting cry, holding me against her as though she worried I might suddenly change my mind and abandon her.

The taste of her skin was unlike anything I could have imagined. I sucked lightly, carefully; all too aware of the strength I possessed, and that which she didn't. She pressed closer, her nails scraping over my scalp.

"Yes," she hissed. "God, so good…"

Her hips moved in a slow, persistent rhythm in my lap, dragging her torturous heat across the arousal that strained beneath my jeans. Over and over… At this rate I was going to embarrass myself.

I slid my hands down her sides, releasing her from my lips and eying her flesh, damp from my mouth, hungrily, before turning my head and offering the peak of her other breast the same treatment.

She was trembling as I yanked the hem of her skirt up to her hips, stroking my hands up the length of her legs. I didn't stop as they slid over the smooth skin of her outer thighs, nor did I stop as I traced the muscles that strained along her inner thighs. I pulled away, watching her face with quiet intensity as I brushed my knuckles lightly, teasingly, across the hot, damp fabric at the apex of her thighs.

Her breath caught for a moment, before she uttered a shaky moan, her hips jerking, pushing closer to my hand. Her arousal burned me as surely as the heat between her thighs did; a pleasant consuming fire. I wanted nothing more than to take her, right here, right now.

But, as it would be her first time, my car was not the best choice for such an undertaking.

The thought gave me pause.

What was I doing?

Bella was worth so much more than a fumbling encounter in the front seat of my car… Yet here I had her, skirt hiked up, dress pulled down. I fought a wave of self-loathing.

"Jasper?" Bella asked quietly, stroking her fingers along my face.

I glanced up, saw her lips swollen from our kisses; saw the small marks I'd left across her neck and chest.

"This isn't right," I murmured, shaking my head.

Uncertainty and shame washed over her icily, and she pulled back slightly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"W…What?"

Her expression, a terrible combination of fear and embarrassment, was more than I could bear. I took her face in my hands gently, bringing her close so that I could kiss her.

"Please don't think that it's because of you, it's just that I don't want it be like this; the first time. Not like this, Bella. You deserve much better."

The confusion lingered, mingling with slight relief, until they were both washed away by a tidal wave of angry resentment.

"Alright, then," she muttered beneath her breath.

She rigidly yanked the straps of her dress up, extricating herself from my lap and settling back in on her own side. Shoving her seatbelt into place, she stared quietly out the windshield.

When I made no immediate move, she huffed, "Well? Let's go."

I started the car with a frown, unsure of how else to respond. I hadn't expected this reaction; what girl wants their first time to be a rushed event, in the cramped front seat of a car?

She fiddled with the radio until I brushed her hand away and turned the volume down. Her scent still permeated the small space and I was hard pressed not to pull over and give her anything that she asked for; anything that she wanted.

"Why are you angry?" I finally asked.

She sighed and shook her head. "I'm not angry." The response was sugar-coated acid; bitterly saccharine.

"Empath over here. Can't really hide that from me."

This only seemed to infuriate her further. I didn't bother to attempt to calm her, she'd only begrudge me the effort.

"You can't just…" She scrubbed her hands over her face. "You just, always…"

Her anger was fast fading to mortification, and I couldn't help but smile just a bit. Whatever she was trying to say was something she really didn't want to.

Keeping her hands over her face, she spat, "You can't just keep doing this to me. The touches, and the kisses, and… Dad's a doctor, you know, so I know that this isn't all…" The heat of her blush emanated from beneath her hands, and I couldn't help but wonder why she was bringing up Carlisle. "You keep setting me up with these expectations and never following through! I mean, I know there's more. And you just don't let me have it! And it makes me restless, Jasper. You can't keep making these unspoken promises and then breaking them. Do you understand what I'm saying?" She parted two of her fingers and I saw the dark flash of one of her eyes as she peeked over at me.

Though it'd taken some sorting out, I understood perfectly. She wanted release.

I nodded slowly. "I get you started on the race, but never take you to the finish line?"

That drew a small, defeated laugh from her. "Yeah. Exactly."

I reached over, pulling her fingers away from her face. "You don't need me to finish the race, Bella." I was going to try and go about this as tactfully as possible, but I had a feeling that her embarrassment was inevitable.

We hit the boundaries of Forks and I slowed, knowing it was a particular irritation of hers for us to speed through the small town.

"What do you mean?" she asked hesitantly, as though she knew it was best to just drop the whole subject, but she was unable to help herself.

I cleared my throat, raking a hand through my hair. The memory of her doing the same, of the light scrape of her nails, drove a spike of lust hammering straight through me before I hastily banished it.

"I mean, you could take care of your, uh, restlessness…yourself."

Her hands fairly flew back to cover her face. "Jasper!" she admonished.

I laughed, not unkindly, at her reaction.

"What? Everybody does it, you know."

"Not me!" she exclaimed.

She was probably telling the truth, considering the fact that she never had the house to herself, and she knew how good our senses were. I could only too easily imagine the sounds she might make as she ran her hands down… I quickly cut myself off. Not helping, I silently berated my imagination.

She continued, as though picking up on my train of thought.

"You guys could hear me! That would be…weird. Beyond weird," she wrinkled her nose in distaste.

I chuckled. "Darlin', we hear everybody, doing everything. Rose and Em, Carlisle and Esme, Edward, Alice… There's not a lot you can hide in a houseful of vampires."

Her eyes slid sideways toward me. "Really?"

I nodded. "Comes with the territory."

She seemed to take this into consideration, before uttering simply "Oh," and the topic fizzled into silence.

We pulled up to the house five minutes later, and she hastily made a break for it, just like I knew she would.

I grabbed her arm as she threw the car door open. She glanced at me in discomfiture.

"Bella, I want you know something. I didn't stop because of anything you did or didn't do. Hell, I didn't even stop because I wanted to. I stopped because you, charming, beautiful, witty girl that you are, deserve so much better than a quick fuck in my car."

Her cheeks burned from my choice of words, but she nodded, smiling tentatively.

"Thanks, Jasper," she murmured, jumping out of the car and running into the house.

I sat there for a long time after she disappeared, thinking about our evening.

I was able to boil the whole thing down to one annoying conclusion:

Sometimes, having a conscience really sucked.

A/N: There ya have it. Poor Bella is going to spontaneously combust before this story is over. :P No wonder she always feels so hot. ;P

As I advised in my previous note, there was a bit more to this chapter, but I've decided to turn it into a mini chapter that should be up before too long. I'm also working on a new chapter of Sweet Catastrophe.

Let me know what you think!