A/N: All the normal disclaimers apply.
Jasper's ears perked up and a huge grin came across his face. He looked over at Edward, whose back was facing us as he was on the phone, as we walked down the stairs. We joined them in the kitchen for a few pre-going out cocktails.
Be nice, he's Jasper's cousin. Just play nice.
I put on my cutest smile and prepared myself to meet this mystery man whose voice was already sending shivers down my spine. I assessed him while his back was still to us. He was taller than me, by a good 6 inches even with these heels on. Bronze hair, that stuck out wildly in every direction – not usually what I went for but it seemed to fit the rest of him. Nice broad shoulders and cute butt. He was wearing dark fitted jeans, and from what I could tell just a short sleeved white button up. His voice was too hushed for me to hear his conversations but the melodic tone of it was doing things to my body against my better judgment. And I hadn't even seen his face!
"Yes… yes of course. Yes I'll be fine! Good night Rosalie." Edward hung up the phone and rolled his eyes. "Sisters…" He muttered to himself and shook his head. He started to turn to face us and I braced myself.
Nothing, I mean nothing could have prepared me for the visual orgasm my eyes were about to have.
"Bella, this is Edward. Edward this …" Jasper was making the introductions but once my eyes connected with his I could focus on nothing more than him.
Those eyes, those piercing green eyes, they were unlike anything I had ever seen before in my life. There was such intensity and passion behind them that I could not tear my eyes away. As soon as our eyes connected it was as if a hole in me had been filled that I hadn't known was empty. I felt like he wasn't just looking at me, he was looking into my soul. It took me at least 30 seconds to realize that his hand was out and waiting for reciprocation after Jasper finished the introductions.
"Oh… I… uh… Bella." I managed to stammer. I realized that I must have looked like a love struck teenager finally meeting her celebrity crush. Instantaneously my face turned a shade of red I thought was impossible to achieve and I dropped my head sheepishly. I shook my head and tried to get rid of the red in my cheeks. Curse my genes for making me blush at the slightest moment.
Jasper cleared his throat and shot a "whoa dude" look at Edward. Edward replied by raising his eyebrows and giving a "what" look. Jasper let out a small chuckle and returned his attention to Alice.
Realizing that I had rudely ignored his hand shake, introduction and barely acknowledged that he was there, I went into panic mode.
"Oh, oh! Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. God I'm such an idiot." I hurriedly said, trying to make up for the fact that I had apparently been stuck on stupid the minute I laid eyes on this … breathtakingly gorgeous man. No, gorgeous wasn't even the right word to describe the absolute perfect that was this godly creature standing in front of me.
He just smiled and a quiet laugh escaped his from his incredible mouth.
"Don't worry, it happens all the time … Bella, was it?" He asked trying to make eye contact as I failed miserably to avoid those enchanting eyes, all the while his velvet voice sending chills down my spine. He reached his hand out tentatively, probably wondering if I was going to leave him hanging again.
"Yes, it's Bella. And I'm sorry. I must be so stressed out from finals and work that I just completely forgot how to interact with people." I relaxed a little and managed a smile that didn't resemble me being in pain.
I reached out my hand and took his gingerly, take care to notice how smooth his skin felt against mine. How just that slight touch made my knees so weak I almost collapsed, thank god for the kitchen counter that my other hand was firmly grasping. I released his hand but the sensation of his skin against mine was still there. Causing a tingling sensation that I hoped would last all night.
Man… all that from just a hand shake… I wonder what else he could do to me…
The thought crossed my mind and I immediately blushed.
"Well that's what tonight all about, I guess. Jasper mentioned something about you two just finishing up your junior year at Seattle University."
"Yeah, one more to go, well until grad school, that is." I said with a goofy smile and gave him a thumb up. Mortified that I just gave a "thumbs up" to Edward, I looked at Alice and subtly motioned with my head towards the bathroom door, trying to escape before my entire face was perma-red from blushing.
"We're just going to do some final touch-ups and then we'll be on our way boys." Alice said while practically dragging me to the bathroom, obviously picking up on my need to talk.
Once safely locked inside her eyes focused straight on me and the fact that "Edward is the sexiest man I have ever seen" was written all over my face, she waited for me to say something.
"I… he… oh… Alice why didn't you warn me!" I screamed quietly, trying not to make the obvious point to Jasper and Edward that we were in there talking about them. No need to stroke those egos, especially since they both knew they were drop dead hot.
"Well, I figured you knew how good looking Jasper was and realize that looks run in the family. Plus, he's just your type. Broody but handsome. Charming and witty, and he does look good in that t-shirt huh? You couldn't take your eyes off of him. I'm so right, you totally want him."
She was actually happy that I had turned ten shades of red in there. She turned and pretended to fuss with her hair that obviously needed no touching up. I turned and did the same. Only then did I realize what I had been made over into.
My hair was swept halfway up on either sides and connected at the back with a black jeweled clasp; the rest of was down, curled and covering my shoulders. A renegade curl was hanging down where my usual side-swept bangs were. My make-up was almost non-existent which is unusual for Alice who loved to go over the top: a simple smoky eye with a deep blue eye shadow, obviously chosen to match my skirt, some foundation and my lip gloss.
Whoa… I'm pretty sexy right now… unlike 5 minutes ago when you couldn't even form a sentence to save your life and you basically ruined any chance with that stud of a man out there.
I furrowed my brow and turned to Alice.
"A little more warning would have been nice, but … he's gorgeous!" I finally said.
She squealed with delight and clapped her hands.
"Yay! Oh great, I knew this would work out. Now let's go party!"
I moved to the door and turned the handle, looking back at Alice I just smiled at my best friend. I wasn't really paying attention to where I was going when – SMACK!
What had I just run into? I know I'm clumsy but all I did was open a door. And then I felt it. Two strong hands on either of my arms holding them tight to my body. My feet were barely on the ground and looked up into the eyes of the man holding me.
"Bella, I'm sorry I just came to check up on you too, Jasper's getting anxious. I didn't mean to run into you" Edward apologized with a crooked smile on his face that made my heart melt.
"And then you started to fall so I had to catch you" obviously trying to explain the reason that we were positioned like that, and that he, a complete stranger I barely knew, still had his hands on my arms even though I was up and on my feet.
"Oh, don't worry about it. I'm a first rate klutz. I trip on flat surfaces." I laughed a little and gave him a coy smile. God, his hands felt good on me. Not just good, they felt … right.
I straightened up and he released my arms. I smoothed out my skirt, adjusted my shirt and declared "I'm ready, let's do this!"
