Important A/N at the bottom but until then, enjoy the story :)

Chapter 3

I sat back on the sofa, sipped my coffee, and thought about what had just happened. I couldn't remember ever feeling an instant connection like that. I closed my eyes and began to picture Jasper in my mind. He was tall, a little over 6 foot I'd guess. He had dirty blond hair that was slightly wavy and went down to his cheekbones. There was a few days worth of stubble covering his chin and it just added to his rugged sexiness. I wondered what he and Alice were discussing right now. I was very tempted to press my ear to the door and listen in, no one would know, but of course I didn't.

The next hour dragged on and on and felt more like three. I tried to work on my laptop but I was so distracted that I doubted anything I wrote would be usable. Eventually I heard Alice opening the door. I peeked my head up from the sofa and watched them emerge from the room. Once again Jasper looked over at me and our eyes met for a split second, before he again cast his eyes in the direction of the floor. I could hear Alice talking to him.

"I feel this has been a really productive session."

I saw Jasper nod slightly, before Alice carried on speaking.

"Before you go I'd like to introduce you to my colleague Bella. Bella is the surrogate that we've talked about today."

I raised myself up from sofa and approached them. I could feel my heart rate pick up as I approached him, I couldn't believe how I was reacting to him. I mentally shook myself and tried to put my professional head on.

"Hello Jasper, its really nice to meet you," I stated, whilst sticking my hand out to shake his.

Before I had chance to raise my hand out in from of myself full, Alice spoke.

"Bella, Jasper doesn't always feel that comfortable with physical contact with women."

I realised I'd made a rookie mistake immediately. I knew this was often an issue with men that Alice and I treated, so I couldn't believe that I had done that. My cheeks flamed red with embarrassment and guilt. God, I hated that I had just made him feel so uncomfortable. What was wrong with me today, this guy had just got me so off my game. I shot Alice a look of apology, before speaking.

"Jasper, I'm so so sorry. I hope you will accept my apology and my guarantee that I will never made you feel uncomfortable again."

He nodded slightly again, before raising his eyes to me and saying quietly that it was okay.

Alice led him to the door and showed him out. When she turned to me there was a look of disapproval on her face.

"Bella, I can't believe you did that!"

"I know, I know! I don't know where my mind is today, I really am sorry."

"Well I supposed you weren't to know the extent of his problems, but still..." she said, before trailing off.

"Again, I'm sorry. Won't happen again."

"Well no point dwelling on it, lets drop it."

Alice went into the kitchen area and poured herself another coffee. I really wanted to know more about this guy, but didn't want to sound too eager. So I patiently waited for her to come and sit beside me and give me a recap of her sessions like she usually did. Alice always got the client's written consent to share any information with me that she felt would be of benefit.

"So how did it go?" I asked Alice casually as she came to sit beside me.

"He was very nervous, so we only talked about very basic stuff. I did most of the talking actually, explaining how we do things and what he can expect from me and what I would like from him. I got the consent forms signed and we agreed to do at least another three sessions over the next week and half."

"So do you think he will open up to you?" I asked hopefully.

"My gut feeling is that it isn't going to be easy and that I'm going to have to go really slowly, but yeah, he's seeked us out so I think he will open up eventually."

The conversation then moved on to other things and I realised that I was just going to have to sit tight and wait. Alice had another client soon, so she went back into her office to prepare. I poured myself another coffee and got back to working on my book.

~EJ~

Two weeks had gone by since Jaspers first session and Alice had met with him four more times. Each time he came for a session our eyes would meet briefly, but then he would cast them down to the floor again. But every time I felt that same connection, and the same pull towards him. Today I was sat at small table, in the busy coffee shop near my apartment, waiting for Alice. She'd suggested meeting here, so I really hoped it was to talk about Jasper. Alice floated in a few seconds later and sat in the chair opposite me.

"Aww you got me my favourite smoothie, thanks babe," she said, before taking a long suck on the straw sticking out of her mango smoothy.

"You're welcome," I smiled back.

We chatted about the usual stuff for a bit. Alice told me all about her noisy neighbors that were keeping her awake with their late night sex sessions. And I told her how my book was coming along and that my editor had loved the first draft that I'd sent her.

"Oh that reminds me actually Bella. Speaking of your books, my new client Jasper in a bit of a fan of them."

I felt a rush of blood go to my face and I quickly let my long hair fall over my cheeks to hopefully cover it. And a few butterflies started dancing in my stomach. I mentally kicked myself for acting like a hormonal 16 year old girl.

"Really!" I managed to choke out.

"Yeah, he's really opened up in the last few sessions and he told me that he came here for you Bella. He'd heard about you on the internet and so he got your books and read them. Now he's sure you're the person he needs to solve his problems."

"Oh okay," I answered before eagerly waiting for her to continue.

"Bella, I know you need to know some details but I feel that some things would be better coming from Jasper, when he feels ready to share them with you."

"Yes, of course Alice. I trust your judgement one hundred percent, you know that!" I answered truthfully.

"Good. well lets take our drinks to my car so we can talk in private."

I nodded and followed behind Alice. I couldn't help the huge grin that spread across my face when she wasn't looking. The thought of being a surrogate for Jasper had me tingling all over and I mean ALL over. But I soon sobered up when I heard what Alice had to tell me about his past.

"Okay Bella, what I will tell you is that Jasper has some serious trust issues, especially when it comes to women. His mom walked out on him and his dad when Jasper was 11. Jasper knew his parents were having problems but his mom had promised him only weeks earlier that she would never leave him and had told him that he could always trust her."

Alice paused here to let the information sink in, before she continued.

"This was combined with the fact that shortly afterwards he started to go through puberty. He went to his dad with his questions but his father was an intensely religious man and he made Jasper feel like his feelings and bodily reactions were wrong and dirty. His father was also deeply bitter over the breakup and constantly told Jasper that women were evil and full of sin. Jasper has let these feeling and beliefs fester inside himself for the past 17 years."

My heart went out to him and I really hoped that I could win his trust and break down some of the walls he had built.

Alice continued on, "He does realise deep down that his feeling about women and sex are misguided but he cannot free himself from the doubt and the guilt. And he'd like you to help him with that Bella, he really does want to change and to have a better life."

Alice paused to look me in the eye before adding, "so do you think you would be willing to take him on?"

My heart lept into my throat at the question and the butterflies went into overdrive, but I knew that I could help Jasper.

"Yes," I answered simple.

A/N - Hello folks, only me :) I've had some questions sent to me so I'll answer then here.

1: Yes I have posted this story before under a different name, on a different account. It was removed after a few days by FFnet. I posted it again a few weeks later but it was removed again within hours, so thinking that that account must be being monitored I've decided to set up a new account and try posting again :)

2. Yes this story is up on The Writers Coffee Shop, don't worry I'm not copying anyone, it is me on both sites. But thank you to the person that sent me the message on TWCS fearing that I'd been plagiarized. It's good to know that we're all here looking out for each other xx

So keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't get swiped again xx

I know there are lots of you reading this and reviews are like crack to a writer, so as soon as I get 10 reviews I'll post the next chapter *evil grin* - so hit review and leave me some sugar x