AN: Thank you guys for waiting for me to get my butt in gear. This chapter has given me absolute fits. I even had about 1,000 words written and I had to can them all because I was going in the wrong direction. So it is finally done, and I really hope you like it. It has been either a labor of love or a labor of well. . .frustration.
So a quick word about reviews. I hate to say it again, but I feel like I should. A LOT of you read this story--really a staggering amount--but honestly very few of you review. I'm not looking for novels or paragraphs. Even a simple "good job" would suffice. Thanks!
The final round of the Dirty Talking Edward contest starts tomorrow, and my one-shot, PUTTING LESSONS is up, so make sure to vote! Link on my profile.
Song links are also on my profile. Thanks to my beta, Tif, and also to jdsk, angel & debussy-this for being their awesome & supportive selves.
Three weeks later . . .
APOV
I felt the tips of five fingers slide down my bare torso, curling around my hip, digging slightly into my skin. I sighed and settled into my pillow. These were my favorite kinds of dreams—dreams where I could just barely see the glints of gold in Jasper's hair reflected in the dawning sun.
I shifted slightly allowing the seeking fingers access to my lace panties. Instead they veered off-course, cupping the curve of my ass. I groaned half-heartedly, and Jasper chuckled low, the sound so unbearably sexy that I nearly came without him touching me once.
The stubble on his cheek deliciously scraped my neck just right as he leaned down to whisper in my ear, "Alice, I am so ready for you," and his lips descended on mine, catching me for a deep, hard, quick kiss that communicated better than any words how much he wanted me.
Yes, this was the best kind of dream, I thought lazily as the fingertips danced across my skin yet again, getting closer and closer to my dripping core where I wanted them so badly.
I reached one hand out, and it brushed a hard warm chest. My eyes sprung open and I nearly squeaked in shock. Never in my dreams was I able to actually touch Jasper back.
As I looked up into his amused amber eyes, I realized that I hadn't been dreaming. Well, not really, even though the last three weeks felt like every good dream and wish and hope I'd ever had rolled into one big happy chocolate ganache cupcake.
"Did you think you were dreaming?" Jasper murmured into my ear, his voice sleep-fogged and deep.
I nodded, burying my head into his chest—something I didn't think I could ever get tired of doing. I had imagined Jasper in my life and in my bed for so long, believing when it was long past rational to do so that he was the right one for me, that having him here now was a dream come true.
His hand swept over the line of my back, and snuggled me close against him.
"Jasper?" I whispered, even though I knew that the entire townhouse was empty because Rosalie and Bella were spending the night at the boys' place.
"Yeah, babe?" Jasper whispered back, just the corner of his mouth curved up into a cute little smirk—I knew he was inwardly laughing that I couldn't bring myself to talk at a normal volume in our bed. He'd done it enough over the three weeks we'd been sleeping together.
"You know I can't," I hissed. "I've tried. It doesn't feel right."
Jasper guffawed—way too loudly. "Babe, you are totally killing my mojo here." My breath drew in sharply as his hand found me again and rubbed me through the lace, soaking the fabric.
"Sorry," I moaned. "I'll stop."
"You'd better," he chuckled, dipping his head to swipe his tongue over my nipple, which hardened instantly in response. "'Cause I'm gonna make you scream."
"Jasper," I whined as he teased it mercilessly with just the tip of his tongue, and I rubbed myself against him, trying to force him to move faster.
My head hit the pillow behind me as suddenly he was sliding down the bed, tangling the sheets; that I could have cared less spoke volumes about how good Jasper's tongue was, stroking over the lace between my legs.
I hissed as his teeth just grazed my clit, aided and abetted by the lace of my panties.
Then I hissed as a loud sound echoed through the room. The fucking alarm clock.
Jasper shot up from between my legs, a frantic expression on his face at the hideously loud squawking. "What the fuck is that noise?"
I grinned sheepishly, making a grab for Jasper's hair and trying to drag him back to me. Damn but he did look fine this morning, with those eyes all sleepy and sexy and filled with lust. For me.
"Come back here," I groaned futilely. "It's just my alarm clock."
He groaned and grumbled a bit, but settled back inbetween my legs again—thank god—and had just dragged the flat part of his tongue through my lace-covered slit when I heard the front door slam shut.
"Alice!" Bella's overly-cheerful voice called out through the townhouse, and I heard her footsteps coming down the hallway.
One. . .two. . .three. . .I counted down the seconds before we'd hear the inevitable.
This was so not happening.
"Alice?" Bella shouted and then I heard it. She was pounding on the door. Just three weeks ago, I would have been her. I would have been the door-pounder. But now all I wanted to do was lose myself in Jasper.
Jasper's head shot up again and he didn't have to say a single word—my head fell back and I hit a fist on the mattress.
"Alice?" Jasper whispered, and I was too damn depressed to even tease him about how quiet his voice was.
"We're going to have to stop," I said, squeezing my eyes shut and trying to ignore the very distinct throbbing between my legs. "She's not going to give up. I practically created her, and I never would have given up."
The last thing I really needed this morning was a case of blue pussy because today we were leaving for the beach and there would be no time to possibly get a quickie in until much, much later tonight and by that point I was going to need a lot more than a quickie—unless it was about four quickies in a row.
The pounding continued, until finally Jasper yelled, "God almighty, she's coming!"
"She'd better be," Bella chirped with nauseating cheer. Giving Bella copious amounts of what had to be great sex was really having unforeseen consequences.
"I should be," I grumbled as I climbed out of bed and searched for anything resembling clothes. We'd ripped them off so fast that I wouldn't have been surprised if I'd seen my panties hanging from the lamp.
I settled for Jasper's t shirt and boxers, and instead of protesting, he just crawled back into bed.
"What? I have to get up and you don't?"
He just raised one golden eyebrow. "Babe. You've got my clothes on."
I turned and flounced out of the room, shutting the door behind me perhaps a tad harder than I needed to. The great thing about Jasper and I was that our bickering hadn't stopped—it had just become a lot more playful and teasing and well. . .sexual. I'd discovered that all that time we'd spent fighting had really just been verbal foreplay.
Even better? We had a lot of time to make up for.
I barged into Bella's room without even knocking and didn't turn a hair when she yelped, turning her naked back toward me and hurriedly throwing on a bra.
"What the hell," Bella growled, but even that had a lighthearted, eminently satisfied edge to it. I wondered if it were possible that Bella and Edward were getting it on more than Jasper and I.
Nope. Totally not possible. I tried to contain my smile inside but it was so big and bright it just burst through. So much for being annoyed at Bella for interrupting.
We were still standing there, giddily beaming at each other when Rose burst in.
"What? You're not knocking either?" Bella asked, but again the heat just wasn't there. We were all too sexually sated to really be mad at anything right now. We wanted to save our precious energy for more important things.
"Nope," Rosalie yawned and stretched her arms upward. I ignored the chain of love bites that appeared on the sliver of exposed skin between her tank top and her low slung yoga pants.
Bella, as usual, was not as smart as me.
She giggled and pointed—not her finest moment—and I waited for Rosalie to blast her a new one.
But I, of course, had not adjusted to the new Rosalie. The post-Emmett fucked Rosalie, who wouldn't have gotten offended if you said her face resembled a sewage dump, just ran a hand across her stomach and smiled sappily.
"It was so hot," she confided, her voice going into girl talk mode in a way she hadn't even done when she was sixteen. "He said he wanted to mark me as his."
Bella rolled her eyes and lifted her hair. We all gasped. There was the mother of all hickeys on her neck. It was huge, a good few inches in circumference, and all kinds of interesting colors.
"Oh my god," I exclaimed. "That is a monster. Why did you let him do it, Bels?"
She chuckled and the smile that lit up her face was huge. "I couldn't have stopped him. You know how they are," Bella said a bit self-consciously.
"So what about you?" Rose asked innocently, but I saw the meaning behind the question in her blue eyes. She wanted to know if Jasper was treating me right—if he really wanted me. Though I had never told either of them about that afternoon when Jasper had rejected me, they both sensed that the road to happiness had not been an easy one.
No matter how deliriously happy I was, a slight undercurrent of distrust ran through me. What was to stop Jasper from deciding again that he didn't care for me?
I forced the thought from my mind, as I always did. I wanted to be happy and with Jasper. I refused to spend these precious weeks of bliss doubting him. Even if it ended badly, then maybe the happiness I'd experienced in his arms would be worth the pain.
"What about me?" I asked, just as innocently. She was crazy if she thought I was just going to spill everything. Some of it I hated taking out of bed—I liked the idea of there being things between Jasper and I that nobody else knew.
Of course, this did not stop Rosalie and Bella from trying to get me to share too much information like themselves. I now knew how Edward kissed and tasted and well. . .shudder. Pretty much everything about him. Stuff his mother didn't even know about him. As for Emmett, the same was unfortunately true, but in addition, I also knew well. . .certain sizes that I now had branded on my brain.
If I didn't know Rosalie so well, I wouldn't believe that she had actually measured, but that was my sister for you.
"Duh," Rosalie snarked. "Where did Jasper mark you? It appears to be a Cullen brother trademark."
"Well," I hesitated, "he definitely marked me, but I don't know if I should tell you where."
Bella nearly bounced up and down. "You have to tell us!" she screeched. Rose nodded vehemently, clearly agreeing.
I shook my head. "Nope. No can do."
Rosalie groaned. "God, Alice, you have to tell us something."
"I totally did. I told you we had sex. And it was well. . .good. Followed by amazing, then spectacular, and then I definitely ran out of adjectives."
"It was speechless sex?" Bella asked breathlessly.
I rolled my eyes at her. "You know it," I said with a self-satisfied smile on my face. Let them dwell on that for awhile. I wasn't kissing and telling—at least not yet.
"That's lame," Rosalie said. "A shriek can really say a million words. Are you telling me that you don't say anything at all during sex?"
Yes, Rosalie was my sister. But there were moments when I really wanted to cut her.
"No, but for love of God, I wish that was you and Bella here. You guys make more noise than a whole fleet of dying elephants."
Bella crossed her arms and Rose's gaze narrowed. "What?" Rosalie questioned, her voice rising to a dangerous octave. Bella nodded at her question.
I decided that no matter how much I wanted to tell them that the earth shook and the bells rang the first time Jasper and I had sex, honesty was really the best policy here if all six of us were ever going to be able to survive under the same roof.
"Dude, you two were so loud the first night Jasper and I had sex that it was like listening to the audio of a porno—except it was worse because it was our friends and family we were listening to. Talk about monumentally awkward." I fiddled with the edge of Jasper's t-shirt, not used to being quite so honest, but still managed to meet their eyes.
"Oh my god," Bella exclaimed. "You guys had bad sex because of us?" She looked mortified and I felt a small twinge of glee at her embarrassment. Of course it didn't come close to making up for what Jasper and I had experienced that first night, but it was a start.
I nodded, and then I heard Rosalie sigh. "I'm sorry, sweetie." Rose walked over and put her arms around me. "I was definitely not thinking of who else might be there though."
I sighed and hugged her, and tried to ignore that she smelled like Emmett all over. Or at least what I assumed was Emmett. Gross.
"I know," I said, "and it's okay. But you guys certainly didn't make things easier on us."
"I honestly didn't expect you guys to come back for hours," Rosalie confessed.
"Yeah, well, we couldn't wait that long," Bella interrupted cheekily. "And then Jasper invited Alice, too, much to everyone's surprise." She shot me a look, almost as if she was daring me to argue that I hadn't been absolutely floored by his offer.
Of course I'd been—I'd still been reeling from his confession the week before, and then his quick reversal. The last thing I'd expected him to do was invite me to spend the night.
But when Edward and Bella had come up to us halfway through the concert, right after Rose and Emmett's sudden departure, holding hands and had told us that they were leaving, too, Jasper had smiled and said, "We'll come, too."
He'd held a hand out to me and I'd been so shocked, I'd just done the instinctive thing and took his hand and we'd driven back to the boys' townhouse, only to have Edward and Bella disappear immediately into Edward's room—big surprise there.
We'd been left together in the living room, and neither of us had known what to say. Finally, I'd screwed together enough courage to ask him what I was doing here.
He'd turned off the TV and pulled me close to him, pressing a kiss down on the top of my head. Without a single word, he'd swung me into his arms and for a second it had felt like I was floating as he carried me to his room and laid me on his bed and covered my body with his.
Twenty minutes and five less pieces of clothing later, I'd been gasping as Jasper demonstrated how adept he was with his tongue, and I'd realized that all the noise I'd been hearing wasn't just coming from me.
That was when everything went downhill.
We'd turned on music, but nothing seemed to drown them out. We theorized, awkwardly, that maybe it was because there were four of them. Finally, Jasper had told me that he was going to try to ignore it and I should too. We'd finally slept together but the whole experience had suffered significantly because of what we'd been forced to listen to.
After that night, we'd gone to my townhouse and spent each progressively better night alone. We'd made love and had hot wild sex and a dozen different ways in-between. As much as I'd tried not to, I'd fallen a little bit more under his spell every single night, and I didn't think I was wrong when I concluded that the opposite was true as well. Jasper, ever since that one horrific afternoon, had been attentive and sweet, and his absorption in me seemed completely genuine. Of course, I was so far gone I hated to contemplate any other possibility at this point.
Truth was, we were right in the middle of being sexually enthralled with each other, and now, we were being forced under the same roof as two couples who couldn't be quiet if their lives depended on it. I was definitely going to be as honest with Bella and Rosalie as I could with the hope that the next three nights weren't going to be intolerable.
"Okay fine," I admitted, "I didn't expect to go home with him that night. But now that I have, I'm definitely not arguing. And I don't want to have to give up the next three nights because neither of you can keep it down to a mild shriek."
"I highly resent that. Blame Emmett, not me," Rosalie huffed.
I raised one eyebrow at her. "So you want me to tell Emmett that he needs to be worse in the sack so that you make less noise?"
Rosalie looked like she was rapidly reconsidering this plan, but before she could say so, Bella spoke up. "Listen, Alice, we're sorry. It's just hard, as I'm sure you know, to be quiet with a Cullen."
I nodded in agreement. "Believe me, I know. I just think we should try this weekend to be a little . . .considerate of each other and of who else is in the house."
"I can agree to that," Bella said, though she looked a little doubtful. Hell, I was, too.
"I don't know," Rosalie hedged, and I didn't hesitate to glare at her. "Okay," she amended, "it isn't that I want to be rude or inconsiderate, I just don't want to promise you that I'll be quiet when it might be impossible."
"Maybe you should get a gag," Bella supplied helpfully, before dissolving into giggles. Rosalie smacked her, but that only made her laugh harder. I was even having a hard time keeping the smile off my face.
"Maybe it would even make it better," Bella managed to get out between gasps for air.
"That's it," Rosalie said, her lips compressed into a tight line, "I'm leaving before we choose to poke fun at my honest sexual confession anymore."
She turned to go, but Bella grabbed her arm. "No, no," she pleaded, "don't go. I got something for you."
At the mention of a possible gift, Rosalie turned back from the door. Dear, materialistic Rose.
"What?" she asked. "Is it clothes?"
"Noooo. . ." Bella teased, watching the light in Rosalie's eyes brighten, no doubt. Nothing excited my sister like clothes. Except maybe no clothes and Emmett, lately. And besides, who was I to criticize? I loved them even more than she did.
"Then what is it?" I asked impatiently. "And there better be some for me too," I added, watching as Bella brought out a bag and plopped it on her unused bed.
"Don't worry," she reassured me, "there's some for all of us."
"Really?" I exclaimed, clapping my hands excitedly. "Let me see!"
Bella pulled a handful of panties out of the bag and my excitement died a little. "It's just underwear?" I asked, my mouth turning into a pout. "I have dozens and dozens of pairs, and these aren't even from Vickie's."
"Nope." Bella appeared totally unfazed by my pouting. "These are even better."
Rosalie elbowed her way in to have a look. "How is that possible?"
We both watched in earnest as Bella unfolded a pair. They appeared to be just normal white boyshorts, some with a nice colorful edging—but fairly simplistic.
Then Bella turned a pair over and Rose and I let out a squeal.
"Ohmigod," I screeched, "those are yours, Rose, they have to be."
On the ass it read, in bright red letters, "Your key cranks my engine."
Rosalie just smiled, and grabbed them from Bella's hands. "Mine," she said possessively, and nobody argued with her.
I stuck my hand in the pile on Bella's bed and pulled another out, hoping they would be mine. The front read, "purr," in a beautiful mint green. I held them to my chest and beamed at Bella.
"Jasper is going to love these," I told her and she nodded.
"There's a few more pairs that are yours," Bella said, pawing through the pile and handing me a few more scraps of white cotton. I glanced at them and couldn't help but giggle as I read their sayings: "Property of Jasper," "Bite Me," and "Slippery When Wet."
"Ooooh!" I exclaimed as I read them off. "I like!"
"Where are mine?" Rosalie asked—as usual, only thinking of herself.
"Right here," Bella said, scooping a few pairs into her waiting hands.
"Thanks, Bels," she replied, and turned to go. "I've got to finish packing and getting ready to go. What time are we leaving? Two?"
"Yeah, that sounds about right. We'll get to the coast in time to cook dinner. I'll call Edward."
"Have him tell Emmett too," Rosalie piped up. "Oh, and Jasper."
"Jasper's here," I added with not a single blush. "And I can't believe you're leaving without showing us your panties, Rose. Get your butt over here so I can see them."
Rosalie rolled her eyes but she did walk over, and we oooed and aahhhed over the various sayings she had written on them: "Rawr," "Too much car for you," and "Property of Emmett." There was even a pair that had "Park Here," written on the front and "Emmett's Garage," on the back.
"Emmett is going to die when he sees these," Rosalie confided, her lips tilting up in the corners in amusement. "Honestly I cannot wait until tonight." She giggled and headed out the door.
"Let's see yours," I told Bella. Hers were much of the same. One of the pairs said "Lunch," on the front and had a cute "Eat at Bella's," midnight blue sign on the back. I tried to ask her what that was all about, but she blushed and clammed up.
"I think that Edward is particularly going to like these," I said a bit slyly, pointing to a pair that read, "Fuck me," on the butt in bright pink.
Bella blushed again, and the expression in her eyes as they met mine was full of such joy that I was momentarily floored.
Bella had fallen in love and I hadn't even noticed.
I felt a momentary twinge of regret that I hadn't been there to see it—but it was okay because I was here for it now. I wondered if she'd realized it yet. I decided to take matters into my own hands and pry a little.
"So things are going well then?" I asked innocently.
"Yes," Bella enthused, her face glowing with happiness. "So well that sometimes it feels like a dream when we're together. . .you know?"
Yes, I did. In fact, case in point this morning. I hadn't known the difference between reality and a dream. Because having Jasper in my life combined the two in the most terrifying, heart-stopping, amazing way.
"That's great, Bels. I'm so happy for you," I told her honestly. "Happy for us all, really."
"I know!" she squealed. "You and Jasper are doing good then? I hardly see you anymore. I guess 'cause you guys have been spending the nights here."
"Yeah, we're great. Better than great. Is there even a word that means something more than great?"
"Nope," Bella smiled at me. "But I totes get it. You've always loved him."
There was that word again. Yes. I loved him. But that same love scared the ever loving shit out of me. I was so afraid, deep down, that my love would end up killing me in the end.
"I should go get him up," I said a bit self-consciously, knowing that Bella had nothing to fear from love like I did. Edward clearly had serious, steadfast feelings for her. Lucky Bella.
"Okay, yeah. I've got to finish packing if we're going to leave by two."
I left Bella's room and opened the door to mine. Jasper was sleeping, curled around a pillow, his long lean muscled back exposed to my eyes.
I crawled into the bed next to him, my personalized panties falling to the floor, for the moment totally forgotten as more of Jasper was revealed to my eyes. His lower back, his incredible ass. . .his muscled legs. I could look at him all day. Too bad I couldn't today.
"Jasper," I whispered in his ear. "You need to get up."
"Cold feet," he mumbled sleepily. "Cold everywhere. Go away."
I torturously nestled those same cold feet even more into the cocoon of sheets and blankets he had covering him. He shrieked, and I giggled unrepentantly.
"That's to force you to get up," I said smugly as he rolled over, with sleepy eyes, to glare at me.
"Fine," he groused, kissing me quickly on the forehead and gracefully slipping out of the sheets.
Jasper looked at me pointedly and I sighed. "I suppose that means you want your clothes back."
"Yep. You got it, babe." He stood there, completely unapologetically naked, and I never wanted him to put anything on ever again. He could remain naked, in my presence, for the rest of my life, and I'd die a happy woman.
Grumbling, I finally stripped off the t-shirt and the boxers, just leaving on my baby blue lace panties. Jasper's eyes narrowed in lust, and I felt another doubt pierce my heart. What if he was only sleeping with me because he wanted me?
No, I told myself, do not go there. Do not think that. He has given you every indication that he cares for you. Just because he does not say the words does not mean that they are not true.
He made a move towards the bed, just like I knew he would, and I shook my head, playfully wagging my finger at him. "Nuh uh. You stay away from here. I need to get ready to go and so do you."
He sighed and caught the t-shirt I threw him, followed by the boxers. As he wrestled to get the shirt over his head, he asked, "So did you talk to them?"
"About the noise? Yes. They have both promised to try. Rosalie almost did not promise because she didn't want to make a promise she couldn't keep."
"Of course she did," Jasper replied a bit sarcastically. "God forbid Rose would ever do anything for anyone else."
"Well she did eventually say she'd try. So that's better than nothing, right?
"I suppose," Jasper groaned a little, pulling on his shoes and on a hoody sweatshirt. "Okay babe, I'm ready to go. I'll see you at two. So that gives me what, a couple of hours?"
"Yep," I said, folding my legs underneath me as I sat in the bed. He caught my lips for a brief kiss and then he was gone.
Precisely at two, I was dragging my suitcase clumsily down the townhouse steps when Jasper drove up. His black BMW SUV glinted dully in the sunshine and he quickly parked and jumped out.
"Babe, let me help you with that."
I adjusted the strap of my white sundress and sulkily wondered why boys always caught you in the moment of you trying to figure things out for yourself—and they persistently took away your opportunity to do it on your own.
"I had it," I argued, but the handle of the suitcase was already wrested away from me and Jasper had it down the staircase in about five seconds flat. I had to admit it was nice to admire him in his jeans and tightly fit black t-shirt, and the way the latter stretched over his muscles as he carried it, but that was hardly a feminist way of thinking, I told myself. I hated feeling helpless, no matter how many muscles bulged.
"Hey Jasper!" Bella called from the top of the stairs. She walked down, followed by Edward, who was loaded down with Bella's suitcase. Okay, so I was clearly not the only one considered incompetent here. That made me feel a little better.
"Where's Emmett?" I asked Jasper, as we walked towards his BMW.
"He's in the car. Hiding from Rosalie."
My brows slammed together, and an uneasy feeling built in the pit of my stomach. Three days at the beach with Rosalie and Emmett not speaking sounded like hell. "They aren't fighting, are they?"
"Nope. Not exactly."
"What do you mean, 'not exactly'?"
"Well. He's hiding because he's afraid that Rose is going to jump his bones again."
"You'd think that Emmett would like that," I said, confused.
"He does. Believe me. I have to hear about it all the freaking time. He really, really does. But he's tired," Jasper's voice dropped and I could tell he was barely holding in his laughter.
"Does that mean it's possible they might sleep on the drive there?" I asked, barely able to hold back the undisguised glee in my voice. Emmett and Rosalie, despite their undeniable sexual chemistry and attraction, bickered more than a couple who had been married for fifty years.
We finally got all the luggage loaded in the back of Jasper's BMW, and I climbed in the front seat. Glancing back as Rosalie climbed in the back seat, I had to smother my laugh when I saw Emmett, head crooked, already asleep. Rosalie smiled and fixed his head, and smoothed his hair back, clearly not aware I was watching. The tenderness she showed with him was sweet, and I couldn't even express how glad I was to see it. The Rosalie of the last few years had been so hard and embittered. I was thrilled to see that some of her external walls were beginning to melt away.
Edward and Bella, in his silver Volvo, pulled out of the driveway first, followed by us in the BMW. Finally, we were on the road.
Two hours later, I was crankily thumbing through Jasper's iPod and trying to ignore the loud ass snoring from the backseat. Jasper and I had long since given up trying to talk, and had focused on trying to find music to drown them out.
So far, we hadn't managed to find anything that could put a dent in the noise.
"Are we almost there?" I nearly had to shout so that Jasper could hear me over the music.
"I think so. I think our turnoff is coming up soon. You want to look at the directions real quick?"
"Sure," I told him, as I dug around in the pocket in the door for the Googlemaps printout.
"You mean you're not too worried that taking directions is going to kill your testosterone levels?" I asked him a bit slyly.
Jasper shook his head. "All I know," he said, "is that if I don't get you back in bed in approximately an hour—I will self-combust. If that means I take directions so be it." He looked over at me, and the edges of those glorious golden eyes crinkled a little as he tried to communicate how much he wanted me. . .right now.
"You know," I told him, moving as close as I could, with a huge center console between us, "I have a special surprise for you."
"Am I going to like it?" he grinned and I felt my breath whoosh out. I didn't think I'd ever get used to the frankly sexual way he looked at me and smiled. It was almost too much for my system to handle.
"Oh yeah. Definitely."
"Good. That means your clothes are going to be off even faster."
"Okay, I think I need my mind permanently wiped," Emmett announced from the back seat.
We'd apparently been so absorbed in our sexual sparring that I hadn't even noticed that the snoring had finally stopped. Damn.
"Uh," I managed to get out. I didn't know why I was so determined to keep private what Jasper and I had, but I was completely embarrassed that Emmett and Rosalie had clearly overheard us.
"Oh look," Jasper said, trying to change the subject, "we're here. Without the directions even." He pointedly looked at the printout lying unused on my lap and I blushed. Whoops.
I escaped the car before Jasper even turned the engine off. I couldn't wait to see the little bungalow that we'd rented.
It was white and small, with the most adorable veranda that wrapped all the way around the house. I sniffed the air and knew we were only a few hundred feet from the beach. Surprisingly, even, the weather had held out on the drive from Portland, and it was sunny and warm for the Oregon coast, at a mild seventy-five degrees. It was going to be a great vacation; I could already feel it in my bones.
Thirty minutes later, all the luggage was unloaded and we were unpacked. I was in the kitchen with Bella, examining the newly-stocked fridge, trying to decide what we wanted to make for dinner. Or what Bella wanted to make for dinner. I was there purely for emotional support.
"Definitely margaritas," Bella said, as we stood side by side, staring into the refrigerator. "And how about tacos? That seems pretty straightforward and simple. I don't know about you, but I'm tired."
"Exhausted," I agreed. "And you didn't have to listen to the snoring twins during your ride down here."
"No. . .but Edward was all trying to be musically educational. It was . . .well. . .annoying," she whispered.
"God, tell me about it. Between the snoring twins and the craptastic music on Jasper's iPod, well, let's just say I was glad to get here."
"Seriously," Bella agreed. "Okay, so tacos and margaritas it is. I brought strawberry puree, so us girls can have flavored ones."
"Great. I'll take those, and leave the food to you. We brought a blender, right?" I looked around the kitchen, trying to find it.
"Yep," Bella said, pointing towards it, halfway hiding behind a paper bag on the counter. "Get going. I'm going to need some liquid fortification soon."
We both would because Rosalie and Emmett had disappeared straightaway into their bedroom and had so far refused to come out. There hadn't been any loud noises yet, but we were all waiting for the inevitable.
Ten minutes later Jasper sauntered into the kitchen and his jaw dropped. "Babe, what on earth are you doing?"
I glanced his way, as I was trying to jam more ice cubes into the stubborn blender.
"This is not that easy, I'll have you know," I told him warningly.
He examined me from head to toe. "Clearly," he said with amusement laced through his voice. "You're covered in. . .in. . .what is that?"
"Uh. Either sweet and sour mix or strawberry puree," I said distractedly, as I pressed the crush ice button the blender repeatedly, trying to break up the frozen mixture in the blender.
"Babe, seriously. You need some help here."
"No," I glared at him. "I am fine. Just go back into the living room or whatever with Edward, and I will have your drink ready in a minute."
"Trust me. Don't want to go back there."
"Oh no! Emmett and Rosalie?"
Jasper nodded. "I think they may be cracking the wall with the headboard. At least that's what it sounds like."
I groaned and was so busy contemplating both a sleepless and sexless night that I didn't even notice that the mixture inside the blender had finally managed to break up a little or that I had neglected to put the blender lid on.
The stream of strawberry margarita that hit me was very cold and very sticky.
I screeched, wiping hopelessly at the rivulets of reddish icy slush that were making their way down my pristine white sundress.
"Oh my god," Jasper guffawed and reached for me, but stopped dead in his tracks. I looked down and realized that I wasn't wearing a bra and that the liquid had turned the top part of my white dress almost completely see through.
Jasper grabbed my arm, pulling me out of the kitchen.
"Jasper!" I yelled, my patience totally gone. "What the hell are you doing?"
"I have to get you out of here, Alice. I have to have you now."
I looked wildly around the mess I'd made of the kitchen. "But I have to help Bella clean up." She was looking at both of us like we'd just lost our minds. Then, suddenly, her face softened and she smiled. "No," she told us, "just go. I'll take care of it."
Jasper tugged again and I finally followed him, but as we walked toward the bedrooms, I heard the noticeable banging noise, followed by a shriek that was undeniably Rosalie.
"Jasper," I hissed. "No, let's wait. Until they are making less noise."
Jasper stopped and turned to face me in the dim hallway. "Alice. I don't think you understand. Suddenly, I could care less that we have to listen to them. I want us to make twice the noise they do. I want to make you scream my name."
I swallowed hard. What else could I say to that? I nodded, slowly, giving him the permission. He suddenly swung me into his arms and his long strides ate up the last of the hallway, and finally we were in the bedroom.
"Jasper," I gasped between long kisses, as he settled me on the bed. "You're going to get margarita on you."
"I could give a fuck," Jasper said, breathing hard as he stripped his t-shirt off and threw it to the side. "I want to lick every molecule of it off of you."
"Okay," I agreed with an unsteady voice. The lust filling my veins made me feel molten and alive in a way that I'd never felt before, even during the last few weeks. Whatever this was between us, it was special and incredible.
His mouth fused to mine and his tongue lapped at mine, tasting the sips I'd been taking of the mixture. "God you taste so damn good, Alice," he moaned, running his hand up my thigh, spreading the sticky liquid up my bare leg.
I wiggled against him, feeling how hard he was under his jeans.
"Jasper, I need you now," I gasped. "Now."
He shook his head, taking his other hand and using it to turn me so he could unzip me. He wasn't careful and I thought I might have heard the fabric rip but I couldn't find it in my heart to care, as the dress was probably ruined anyway.
Finally he yanked it off of me, and his eyes devoured my nakedness. All I wore were the white panties that now were smeared with strawberry.
"God, I could eat you alive," he groaned, burying his head in my neck, nipping and licking at the skin there.
"Then why don't you?" I asked him teasingly.
"I want to clean you first. With my tongue. You witch." His voice was harsh with his breathing and gravelly with lust.
His head moved down my body, his tongue tracing the red pathways that had splashed on me. I tangled my fingers in his hair and tried to focus on breathing at least semi-regularly.
His tongue moved over one nipple, sucking on it to make sure that all the strawberry was gone, before he moved onto the other, brushing it lightly at first and then harder. I squirmed. I was already so hot—I didn't think I could bear to get any hotter.
"Jasper," I gasped. "I meant it. Now."
"Just a minute," he said, "I want to do one more thing."
My heart nearly stopped beating in my chest as he moved down the bed and lifted one of my legs and placed it on his shoulder, running his tongue over every bit of margarita that was left on my legs.
He pulled at my underwear and threw them over his shoulder. His mouth went straight for my dripping slit and I cried out as he drug his tongue through it. "Jasper," I panted, "I'm not going to be able to. . .hold out much longer."
One finger traced over my folds and slid halfway inside of me before teasingly retreating, while his tongue danced in a mind-blowing pattern over my clit.
"Good. I want you to come for me. Right now. Come for me," he demanded.
His tongue circled my clit and suddenly sucked and I came faster than I'd ever come before, exploding in a huge shower of sparks. As I came down, I opened my eyes and Jasper's head was above mine, an incredibly tender expression on his face. "Now," he said, "I want to make love to you."
"Okay," I breathed unsteadily.
He slipped into me gently, almost, and didn't even move right away. We laid there, almost overwhelmed again by how good and how right it felt to be so close to one another. He shifted slightly and I moaned, needing more.
"I'm going to move now," Jasper said, his teeth grazing the over-sensitized skin of my shoulder.
He did, excruciatingly slowly, and I closed my eyes, wanting to experience the feeling of every inch of him sliding in and out of me.
"Alice," he whispered, and his voice was like a benediction and it felt like there was something holy happening between us. Something holy and sacred and terrifying. I felt like I kept falling more and more in love with him and there was nothing I could do to prevent it.
I hitched one leg around his hip and he slid even deeper inside of me. I could feel his muscles shaking with the control he was exerting over himself. "Jasper," I told him, "you can move faster. Please."
"No," he shook his head. "No."
"Please, Jasper. Please fuck me."
He hissed and at that second his control totally broke. He slammed in and out of me, the incredible friction causing me to come yet again. I went rigid, and he pumped once, then twice, and then collapsed into me, his sweaty body covering mine.
I started to push his hair back from his forehead, and almost stopped myself. I was doing what Rosalie had done earlier, and it was totally an action of love and tenderness and the last thing I wanted to do was scare him away.
But then I remembered. He'd said he'd wanted to make love to me. Make love. Maybe that was his way of saying he loved me. Maybe he was just waiting for me to say it back.
I opened my mouth to speak, to finally say the words that had been hiding inside of me for the last six years, but nothing came out. The fear had them locked up so tight; they weren't coming out anytime soon.
I sighed. Maybe this was enough for now.
Jasper rolled over, and he pulled me toward him, until we were spooning, my head resting on his arm, and his other arm wrapped tightly around my waist.
"Are you comfortable?" he asked, and I closed my eyes tight, trying to blink away the sudden tears there.
"Yes." It was enough for now.
Quick one more note. First. . .REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW. You know you want to!
Also, thanks to jdsk for help with the personalized panties. I totes think she should sell those. What do you guys think?