A/N: Sorry - I know this is later than usual. Bit of delay as I watched my team lose in the World Cup today and then proceeded to drown my sorrows. *sniffle* Thanks, as always, for the reviews, favorites, and alerts. I know that I didn't get back to all of you who reviewed this week - let's just say I'll do better next time. Apparently my professors didn't think responding to reviews during their lectures was an appropriate use of my time. LOL. I do want to express my thanks for all of your kind notes and PM's about my mom. Your words of support helped to make a difficult week that much easier.
Finally, a special thank you to coolbreeze who not only pre-read this chapter for me but bought me at the FGB auction. Thanks again!
Chapter 29 – Halcyon
04/30/2010, 11:37 – JPOV
Two and half hours and ninety miles later, Edward was still sleeping peacefully in the passenger seat. I didn't want to wake him, but my stomach was grumbling something fierce. I intended to feed Edward before we left this morning but he had other ideas. Not that I was complaining. However, if we were going to engage in a repeat performance sometime in the near future – and I sure as hell hoped we were – food was required.
Remembering a billboard pledging the best biscuits and gravy in the state, I exited the freeway and pulled into a little hole in the wall diner/truck stop called Ma's Coffee Pot. The parking lot was full and as I turned off the car, Edward's eyes popped open. He sat up in the seat and stretched, then ran his fingers through his out of control hair. A little more alert he surveyed our surroundings and shot me a questioning glance. "Where the hell are we?"
"Michigan," I replied with a grin. "South Haven to be exact. Carlisle and Esme lent us their place for the weekend."
Edward's eyes widened and he smiled. "I've always wanted to come here. Esme says it's really peaceful," he noted, then leaned across the center console to kiss me softly on the cheek. "Thanks baby."
"Your welcome," I replied and then gestured to the dumpy looking restaurant. "Before we get to the cottage I need somethin' to eat. Are you hungry?"
Edward reached down to rub a hand across his stomach and nodded. "Starving, actually. But a truck stop Jasper?" he questioned teasingly.
"Shut it, Cullen. We're on vacation," I teased. "Besides, the sign says they have the best biscuits and gravy in the state. I have to make sure they aren't misleadin' folks."
"Well, you are the biscuit and gravy expert," he said with a grin. "Let's go see what you've gotten us into."
As we walked in, a rather tall woman in her mid-sixties greeted us. She had steely gray hair piled high in a beehive and glasses that hung from a chain around her neck. She waved her hand towards the booths that lined one side of the restaurant and told us to take whichever seat was available. We found an empty booth towards the back and took our seats. Within minutes a waitress arrived, bringing two glasses of water and menus. "Hi folks. My name is Shelly and I'll be your waitress today. Y'all know what you want or do you need a few minutes?" she asked.
"I'll start with a cup of coffee," I replied. "Edward?" I asked, watching as he popped his head up from behind the menu to nod in agreement. "Make that two coffees," I added with a smile. After she walked away I sat back in the booth and stretched my legs. Edward closed his menu and set it down on the table. "Whatcha havin' babe?"
"Nothing that's good for me," he stated with a smile.
Shelly returned with our coffees and asked, "Ready?" I nodded and ordered the biscuits and gravy with a side of scrambled eggs and hash browns. Edward rolled his eyes at me before ordering the Belgium waffle with strawberries. "Do you want whipped cream on that hon?" she asked him.
"Why the hell not," Edward replied. "I'm on vacation, right?" he directed at me with a sheepish grin and a shrug. I couldn't help but smile back. Looking around, I spotted a sign for the restrooms and excused myself. As I walked back from the bathroom, I found an old fashioned juke box nestled into the corner by the entrance. Stopping, I perused the available tracks and dug into my pocket for some quarters. I made my selections and headed back to Edward.
Reaching the booth, I leaned down to plant a kiss on the top of Edward's head before sitting back down across from him. The food arrived during my absence and I was amused to see Edward already tucking into his waffle. Swallowing, he gestured at the three plates on the table in front of me and said with a smirk, "Use up a lot of energy this morning?"
I shrugged, scraping the scrambled eggs and hash browns onto the plate with the biscuits and gravy. Mixing the food so that it was all liberally covered in gravy, I looked up to see Edward watching my actions with a horrified look on his face. "What? This is how we eat it back home. It all ends up in the same place, right?" I took my first bite and moaned. "They weren't lyin'. This is some of the best gravy I've had since I left Texas," I noted. In the background, my Hank Williams, Sr. selections began to play and I hummed along with some of the best country music ever written as I ate my breakfast and drank my coffee.
Edward looked at me in amazement and I took delight in the fact that we still had things to learn about each other. "So is this all it takes to make Jasper Whitlock happy? Biscuits and gravy and whiny ass country music?" he asked mischievously.
"Yup." It was the only response I could supply since I had a mouth full of yummy goodness. Moments later I added, "Biscuits and gravy, whiny ass country music, and you."
"Aww, thanks baby," he replied. "I'm just glad I made the list," he joked. "It's hard to compete against 'My Buckets Got a Hole in It'," he added with his trademark crooked grin.
I shrugged and noted defensively, "It is a classic."
Edward burst into laughter and resumed the consumption of his waffle. I finished before Edward and looked at him closely. He still looked tired and I resolved to make sure that he got as much rest as possible this weekend. As much as I wanted to fuck him on every surface of the cottage, it would defeat the purpose of our mini vacation. When he swallowed the last bite of his waffle, he glanced up at me and said, "So what's next on the agenda?"
"Well, I thought we'd stop and pick up some snacks and drinks and then head off to the cottage. I don't really have anything planned for today other than being lazy. Maybe this evening we can go out for dinner or somethin'."
"Sounds good," Edward replied. I caught Shelly as she passed our table and asked for the check. When she returned with it, I asked her for directions to the nearest grocery store.
"That'll be Village Market," she offered with a smile. "It's just down the road about a mile, on the right," she advised, handing over the bill. Leaning in closer to us, she asked, "How long are you boys in town for?"
"Until Sunday," I replied. "We are staying in a cottage on the north end of town."
"Listen, there's not much in the way of bars here for people with our tastes," she advised with a wink. "But there is a great dance club in Saugatuck, which is only about 30 minutes north of here. One of the better DJ's is on tomorrow night so it should be a good time. I can give you the directions if you are interested?"
I looked at Edward and arched an eyebrow. Smirking, he shrugged his shoulders and said, "I'm game if you're game."
I took down the information, thanked Shelly with a good tip and settled our bill at the front counter. We walked out to the car hand in hand, garnering a few odd looks from the locals, but nothing I hadn't dealt with before. When I asked, Esme advised that the locals were open minded. Apparently there were actually quite a few gay and lesbian couples who made South Haven their home year round.
We made the short drive to the grocery store and I ran inside to pick up the few items I thought we'd need. I had no intention of making Edward cook this weekend, so I only picked up a few snacks, sandwich fixin's and some soda, beer and wine. On my way up to the cashier I noticed a small floral area and grabbed a bunch of tulips from the display. I'd never bought a man flowers before, but decided to go for it. After all, this weekend was all about showing Edward how much I loved him.
Once I'd cleared the checkout, I pushed my cart to the rear of the Volvo and unloaded the few groceries I purchased. I had refused to let Edward accompany me into the store, saying I only needed a few minutes. Pushing the now empty cart to the cart corral. I walked back to the car and entered, pulling the bouquet of tulips in with me and presenting them to Edward with a shy smile. "I thought you might like these," I said quietly, turning to face him.
"I love them!" Edward exclaimed, the expression on his face guaranteeing that I'd be making future stops at a florist store. "No one's ever bought me flowers before." Leaning across the center console, he cupped my cheek with one hand and kissed me softly. "Thank you."
"Your welcome, baby," I replied with a smile. "Now, let's go see where we are staying." I started the car and pulled out of the lot back on to the main drag. Handing over the directions Esme provided, I appointed Edward as navigator. The small town was nestled against the shores of Lake Michigan and boasted a population of fewer than six thousand. We passed a high school and post office and Edward directed me to drive through the downtown area so we could take a peek of what the town had to offer. There were plenty of quaint shops and restaurants that Edward decided we would explore the next day. We also got our first view of Lake Michigan and decided we would definitely be going for a walk on the pier later that evening. Finally, we looped around and made our way over to the north side of town and Esme and Carlisle's cottage.
Edward directed me through a wooded area and onto Bluff Drive. Hidden amongst the trees, the cottage was set back from the road to afford privacy. I pulled into the driveway and shut off the car. The cedar-sided cottage was beautiful and I couldn't wait to get inside. Edward grabbed the duffle bag from the backseat and walked around to meet me by the trunk. After pulling out the suitcase and the few items I'd gotten at the grocery store, I locked up the car and we made our way up to the cottage. Setting down the groceries, I unlocked the door and stepped inside, followed closely by Edward.
Esme had outdone herself. As we were planning the weekend, she'd told me about the renovations they'd completed on the cottage but seeing them in person, I was blown away. The entire back wall was glass and afforded an amazing view of a wooded ravine. Through the trees you could catch glimpses of the beach and I knew this would be the perfect place for Edward to rest and relax. Turning to face him, I said, "What do you think babe?"
"It's amazing! I've seen the renovations that Esme made on their own house, so I knew she was talented, but this is…" he trailed off, looking around in wonder. "This is perfect."
We explored the rest of the house, delighting in all of the amenities. The first floor contained the kitchen, living room, a half bath, and a guest room. Esme had decorated the cottage in muted colors and comfortable furniture. In the living room we found a gas fireplace with a stone surround and I couldn't wait to snuggle up in front of it with Edward later that night. The master bedroom and bath, along with another guest room and full bathroom were upstairs. We took our belongings up to the master bedroom and I heard him call out from the master bath. "Baby, come here. You have to see this."
I set down the clothes I'd been unpacking and followed the sound of his voice into the bathroom. Edward pointed to a massive Jacuzzi tub built up against the glass of the back wall and stated with a grin, "We are so going to use that tonight."
Looking through the window down to the backyard, I pointed out the hot tub. "Maybe the hot tub instead? I'd love to relax with you underneath the stars." I had planned this weekend for Edward's benefit, but realized I needed the respite as much as he did. Feeling the tension of the past few weeks melting away, I made a note to buy Esme a nice gift to show my appreciation.
Edward came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. Resting his chin on my shoulder he whispered into my ear, "You, naked, under the stars? That's my idea of heaven."
Sighing, I turned in his arms and caught his lips with mine, pouring all of my love and emotion into the deep kiss. When we ran out of air, we parted and I rested my forehead against his. "Heaven is wherever you are," I said quietly, nearly overwhelmed by the tidal wave of emotions I felt in his embrace. "I can't find enough words to express how much I love you. I hope you know … that I show you enough," I said softly, placing a reverent kiss on his forehead.
Edward rested his hand on my heart and replied in a voice choked with emotion, "I know, Jasper. I can feel how much you love me in every touch of your hands and every word you speak. I love you just as much, if not more. I'm so blessed to have found you again." Placing a kiss on the tip of my nose, he stepped back and said, "Let's go finish unpacking before I turn into a sappy mess. There's a hammock out back just begging for me to take a nap in it."
I let him go and followed him out to the bedroom. We emptied the suitcase and stored our belongings. Edward took off for the backyard while I unpacked the groceries. The sun was shining and the temperature was hovering in the low seventies. I watched Edward through the window, loving the gracefulness of his movements. Clasping one of the books I brought in one hand, Edward headed straight for the aforementioned hammock. He approached the hammock cautiously and looked back over his shoulder as if to make sure no one was watching. I bit my lip and waited.
Edward put a testing hand down on the center of the hammock and then turned and sat towards the bottom. I burst into laughter as the hammock flipped and he landed ass first on the ground, looking completely stunned. Shaking my head, I continued to observe my boyfriend as he got up from the grass and dusted himself off. Deciding to take a different approach, he straddled the hammock with both legs and tried again. Tears of mirth rolled down my face as he once more landed on his butt.
I stowed the rest of the groceries quickly. After arranging the bouquet of tulips in a vase I found under the sink, I headed out onto the patio that extended off the back of the house. Edward sat up, glared at me and pouted. "It's not nice to laugh at your boyfriend, Jasper," he growled. "Get your ass over here and help me."
"Haven't you ever been in a hammock before, babe?" I asked as I pulled him up off of the ground.
"Obviously not," he muttered when he regained his feet. I picked some grass out of his hair and reached behind him to dust the dirt off of his ass. "Hey! Keep your hands off of the merchandise. Unless, of course, you have other plans…" he said with an arched eyebrow.
I leaned in and sucked his earlobe between my teeth, running my tongue over it. Reaching up, I tweaked his nipple gently and whispered, "Later, babe. You're goin' to need a nap to keep up with me tonight."
His eyes glazed over at my statement and I snorted at the goofy expression on his face. He glared at me again and said, "I'm so going to cash in on that promise later. Now, show me how to get into this thing." He paused and added, "Or better yet, you get in and I can climb in with you. We can take a nap together."
"Watch and learn, Dr. Cullen," I teased as I made my way to the hammock. I sat down in the center, facing him, and then put my left hand out to spread the netting above me. Turning slowly, I pulled my legs up and laid back. The hammock swung gently with my movement, but I remained in place. It was wide enough for two, so I moved over slightly to make room for Edward. "Your turn," I said with a smirk as I patted the empty space next to me. "Don't tip us over."
Having learned from my demonstration, Edward sat in the middle of the netting and then slowly tucked himself in next to me. Resting his head on my chest, he let out a contented sigh. "Now this is heaven." Stroking my fingers through his hair gently, I was unsurprised when his breathing quickly evened out and he fell asleep. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the gentle breeze, the sound of the waves from the beach, and the feel of Edward beside me.
04/30/2010, 17:32 – EPOV
I woke before Jasper and spent a few moments trying to orient myself. Picking my head up off of his chest, I glanced up and realized he was still sleeping. I tucked myself back into his side and ran my hand over his chest down to his stomach, where his shirt had ridden up. Scratching my fingers gently across the exposed skin, I thought about how lucky I was to have him in my life. He always seemed to know exactly what I needed and I wondered how I had made it through a day without him by my side.
I knew he we was worried about me. This week had been difficult for both of us and I would never be able to express to him how much I appreciated his willingness to support and comfort me. I'd never realized before how powerful love was. How it made you want to put someone else's needs before your own or the incomplete feeling you had when they weren't by your side. The feelings I had for Jasper were overwhelming at times, but I'd found that I'd much rather be overwhelmed then revert back to my life before him.
His breathing changed, signaling that he was close to waking up. I reached under his shirt and circled a nipple with my thumb before running my hand back down to his abs. Jasper had a beautiful body before he started physical therapy, but now it was a work of art. His muscles were well defined and chiseled, and without a shirt, he literally took my breath away. Pushing the t-shirt up, I leaned over and ran my tongue around and into his belly button. He moaned quietly, but when I checked, his eyes remained closed, though his lips quirked up in a slight smirk.
Hoping not to tip us both onto the ground, I moved cautiously in the hammock and placed an open mouthed kiss on his side. I ran my tongue across his upper abs and then followed his happy trail down to where it disappeared beneath his jeans. Running a finger just under the waist band of the low riding denim, I heard his breathing quicken and knew damn well he was awake. Jasper was playing possum, waiting to see what I would do. I was just about to reach down and unbutton his fly when his stomach rumbled loudly in my ear.
The sound surprised me and I burst into laughter and leaned back. Unfortunately, my sudden change in position caused the hammock to swing wildly and I tipped us both onto the ground. I landed first and Jasper fell on top of me, the sound of our laughter ringing out across the backyard. "I'm awake now," he teased, grinding his hips into mine. "What were you about to do?"
I tilted my head back and groaned. My laughter faded as he leaned down and took my lips in a rapacious kiss. Pushing my tongue between his lips to dance with his, I drank in the essence of Jasper. We lay there on the ground and lost track of time as one kiss turned into another; neither of us pushing for anything further, both of us content to enjoy the moment. Finally, we broke apart and Jasper rolled off to lie at my side. "I'm hungry," he said.
"You're always hungry," I noted with a grin. Having already decided to throw healthy eating out the window this weekend, I couldn't resist teasing him. "Did you happen to see any healthy places while we were downtown? I could really go for a nice stir fry or a salad."
Trying to keep a straight face, I turned to face Jasper just in time to watch him attempt to hide his look of disgust. "Hamburgers can be healthy, right? Esme told me about a place downtown that makes the best hamburgers and onion rings…" he trailed off dreamily.
Reaching across to tickle his side, I replied, "In another dimension, maybe." I decided to let him off the hook and added, "However, a hamburger and onion rings sounds good to me too."
Jasper rolled onto his side and faced me, a hopeful glint in his eyes. "Really?" he asked excitedly.
"Really," I promised. "We can add it to the list of things that make Jasper happy." He leaned over and planted a smacking kiss on my lips. I was filled with a sense of pride as he hopped up off of the ground and jogged toward the house. He'd made such progress in his recovery.
"Last one to the shower is a rotten egg," he yelled back at me as he disappeared inside. I quickly chased after him and caught him just inside of the master bathroom. The shower was already running and Jasper began quickly dropping his clothes onto the floor. I watched the show with hungry eyes and grinned when Jasper shook his head and warned me off. "Shower only, babe. I meant it when I said I was hungry."
I stalked towards him, pulling my shirt off along the way. He backed away and stepped into the shower. I shed the rest of my clothes and stepped in behind him. Reaching around, I took his cock into my hand and began to slowly stroke it. "I'm hungry too," I murmured.
"Fuck!" Jasper groaned as he leaned back into my arms.
Using the fingers of my free hand to circle and tug at his nipple, I added, "Turnabout is fair play, isn't Jasper? Did you think you could fuck me against the counter this morning and I wouldn't get even?" Placing a hand on his back, I bent him down before me. I moved the shower head so that the water hit the back wall and kneeled behind him, spreading his cheeks. Licking a trail from his balls to his entrance, I pulled back and said, "Consider this an appetizer. At some point this weekend I'm going to be the one fucking you senseless while you scream my name."
Jasper moaned and pushed his hips back at me. Unable to resist, I resumed my ministrations and began circling his hole with quick flicks of my tongue. This was new for us and I was a bit worried about how he'd react. I shouldn't have been concerned because he appeared to be quite enthusiastically enjoying it. Continuing to stroke his cock, I stepped it up a notch and began to plunge my tongue past the tight rim of muscles that guarded his entrance.
"Jesus fuck, Edward," Jasper yelled, gasping for breath.
I stopped what I was doing and asked, "Do you want me to quit?"
"Don't you fuckin' dare," he growled. I bit down gently on his taut cheek and then continued, listening as he battled the dual sensations of my hand on his dick and my tongue in his entrance. "Christ…oh fuck. Edward!" he shouted as he began thrusting forward, close to the edge.
I began rasping my thumb over the head of his cock on my upstrokes and within seconds, I felt Jasper's muscles tense as he erupted onto the floor of the shower. Standing, I gently brought him down with soft caresses and kisses. When he'd regained his senses, he turned to face me and said with a smirk, "What is it with you and the fuckin' shower? One of these days I'm goin' to fuckin' drown."
I replied, "I can't resist. You, naked and dripping with water? Need I say more?" I knew he was just teasing, but couldn't resist adding, "We can take separate showers from now on if you'd rather."
Jasper nipped the bottom of my chin and slapped my ass. "But then I'd miss out on you naked and dripping with water," he said pouting. "And that would be a damn shame."
We smiled at each other and began washing up. After we'd finished and were getting dressed for dinner, Jasper glanced over at me and asked quietly, "Did you mean it? What you said in the shower?"
I knew exactly what he was referring to and hoped I hadn't pushed him too far, too fast. Nodding slowly, I said, "If you're okay with that. I meant what I said before we moved in together. I wouldn't mind switching sometimes, but only if you are comfortable with it."
Pulling on his shirt, he sauntered towards me, gazing intently into my eyes. Stopping to stand next to me, he said, "Oh, I'm okay with that, babe." He moved to walk past me, and just as he reached the door he added, "But don't think for a minute that I'm not goin' to make you work for it."
I grinned to myself and followed him down the stairs, eager to see what the evening had in store for both of us.
A/N2: As always, your feedback is greatly appreciate. Until next Sunday...
