A/N I don't really like long author's notes, I try not to be that guy. This is intended for adults 18+. If y'all would remember that, I wouldn't have to put it down each time. (I might admit to reading some NC17 stories when I wasn't of age, that doesn't mean you should)

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns twilight.

Fic rec of the week, in case you missed it.

Outside the Bubble by OvertlyConcealed

It's a hilarious story about a very shy, phobia laden Edward and an awkwardly obsessed Jasper.

Chapter 4 – Inevitable

"Jasper, open the fucking door, dude." Emmett's voice cut through the fantasy Jasper had been indulging in. It may or may not have starred an irate, domineering Edward. He felt like a bucket of ice water had been poured down his neck, accompanied moments later by a hot flush of embarrassment. Jasper had been imagining Edward beneath him. Jasper had been slamming into the younger man frantically, driving him into the bed and rocking the frame to rhythmically thump against the door. The thumping continued after the daydream evaporated.

Jasper hadn't jacked off in the past 5 years as much as he did in three weeks since he'd encountered Edward. He'd tried valiantly to find someone attractive he could use to fuck Edward out of his system, but he hadn't found a single man who aroused him since that fateful night. He was completely obsessed with the one person on the planet that wouldn't give him the time of day. Grumbling, he tucked himself into his shorts, vaulting up off the couch and stalking to his front door.

"The fucking construction site better be underwater, Emmett," he shouted out as he reached the door and yanked it open. Emmett was standing there, eyes fierce.

"Did you fuck my brother, Jasper?" Emmett asked in a quiet, dangerous voice. Jasper felt the blood drain from his face. He stood there, shocked by the question until Emmett shoved him to the side, stomping into his house.

"You fucked my brother, you piece of shit!" Jasper worked his jaw, trying to come up with a reason to explain his actions, some way to keep Emmett from thrashing him. Emmett stormed around his house. Finally the giant man came to rest standing in front of Jasper.

"I should pound you into a fucking wall. Why the fuck would you use him like that?"

"I d-didn't" Jasper stammered, mind racing to come up with an explanation.

"Didn't what, Whitlock? Didn't fuck Edward? That's bullshit. Didn't use him? Why didn't you call him? What was with the fucking charity stunt?" Jasper quailed; he'd never seen Emmett so angry before.

"I-I…I…" Jasper tried to explain what had been going through his head, "I slept with him, and the next morning he was gone. I thought he regretted it, since he was drunk. I didn't want to… to push him, but I got angry. The charity thing was fucked up, I wasn't thinking."

"He was drunk?" Emmett asked incredulously, "Edward never gets drunk."

Jasper slumped down into a chair, burying his face in his hands, "I didn't know, man, I swear. He… I kissed him and he liked it, he asked me to sleep with him. I just wanted him for so long…" he trailed off. He'd never confessed his crush to Emmett before.

"You're saying you thought about this before? You have a think for my brother?" Emmett's voice was hard as flint. Jasper started to hyperventilate.

"Y-yeah, ever since high school. I didn't know he was… I never thought he would be…" Jasper looked up at Emmett with pleading eyes, "I fucked it all up though; he hates me. I didn't mean to hurt him, Em, I swear to god. I love h—" He realized what he was saying and flinched as the words rang out into the room. He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the punch he knew would connect momentarily, "Go ahead, Em, I know I deserve it," nothing happened.

He peeked up at Emmett to see him grinning broadly, "Aww, you love him! That's so sweet, maybe I won't kick your ass after all, fucker." Emmett laughed loudly. Jasper was completely taken aback; he dropped his arms to his sides and looked at Emmett as if he'd grown a second head.

"You… you aren't going to… to kick my ass?" He asked in a pathetically hopeful voice.

"Shit no, man, your my best friend, you're in love with my brother, he has a thing for you… why would I be mad? Granted you kind of fucked up by not calling, but nothing a little Emmett magic can't fix. I just wanted to make sure you weren't being a fuck-head. If you'd been messing with my little bro, I would totally have kicked the shit out of you. Now, let's talk about how you're going to reverse this little fuck up."

Jasper was still confused, "It won't work, Em, Edward won't even speak with me, I tried. He shut me down at the gala and again at his office a couple days later."

Emmett looked at Jasper condescendingly, "I think I know my brother, and after my investigative prowess manifested yesterday, I know exactly why he was angry with you, and exactly what you need to do to get him back."

"Why was he angry with me?" Jasper asked.

"I can't tell you that," Emmett said archly, "It was relayed to me in the strictest of confidences, but let's just say it wasn't entirely your fault, not even the parts that happened since college." Emmett blushed slightly and Jasper stared, what could Emmett possibly have done to turn Edward against him?

"Emmett, did you have something to do with this?"

"It's your fault," Emmett grumbled, ducking his head, "You fucking told me to keep your stupid secret."

Jasper realized what Emmett was talking about. He knew that Emmett had made up conquests for him to go along with each of their expeditions. While it was true that Jasper had been involved with men in the past, he never took them along when he traveled with Emmett, and he never hooked up while he was away. The thrill-seeking part of his life was extremely private.

"Emmett, how many girls did you have me hooking up with?"

Emmett turned red in the face, "a few," he said evasively, "less than me, but that's a given. Let's face it; I have game, so you scoring more than me would be just wrong. It would seem weird if you were always celibate though."

Jasper sighed, "So Edward thinks I'm a player?"

Emmett nodded, "A straight player," he clarified, "And if you knew what I know, you'd know that straight players are on the bottom of Edward's 'to fuck' list. The fact that you didn't call back has solidified you in his bad graces."

Jasper nodded, heart plummeting.

"Any idea how I might convince him I'm not a straight player?"

"Well, not fucking any girls would be a good start."

"Done."

"You might also come out to him, and… erm…"

Jasper narrowed his eyes, "Spit it out, Em."

"You need to go slow, start with first date shit, woo him." Emmett was turning red again.

"So I have to put the moves on your little brother?" Jasper asked. Emmett scowled and nodded. Jasper grinned, "Gee, it's going to be a challenge, but I happen to know he's worth it. I'll ply him with some dinner, maybe a little wine. He'll like that, I think, as long as I don't get him drunk. After a few dates we'll cover some more ground. He has the sexiest—"

Emmett covered his ears, "Jesus Fucking Christ, dude, shut up. I don't need that mental image."

Jasper snorted, "I promise not to nauseate you with sexy talk about your fuck-hot brother as long as you promise to stop describing every piece of tail you score."

Emmett stuck out a hand so fast that he knocked a lamp over, "deal," the lamp broke, "shit, I'll pay for that." Emmett smiled winningly, and then added, "One last thing. If you hurt him, I'll have to hunt you down and kick your ass."

"Emmett, if I hurt Edward, I'd gladly take the beating I would get." Emmett held Jasper's gaze for a moment, and then nodded with a look of satisfaction.

Jasper was pensive, plotting ways of getting Edward alone so he could confront the younger man. He would convince Edward that he wasn't the cretin Emmett had apparently portrayed him as. He needed to find out how Edward felt. Did he have a shot?

"So… now that I know a little more about what's going on, do you have any ideas about getting Edward to talk to me? Have you asked him to give me a chance?" Jasper wanted to know where Edward's head was. Emmett raised his hands defensively.

"I gave you all the help I could, man. I tried to tell Edward that you're a nice guy, but he blew up at me. That's why I tracked down some friends of his and found out what the fuck happened to cause the reaction. Happy as I am for you two fuckers, I think I'll pass on the rest of the planning, man. I've got a trip to the east coast anyway." He smiled widely, but there was no mirth in his expression. Jasper shivered.

"Are you going there to kill someone?" He asked.

"We'll see." Emmett said simply, "By the way, when I get back, Rosie wants to meet you. Plan on it." He pointed two fingers at his eyes then at Jasper's before turning to the door and disappearing. Jasper remained seating. He leaned back in the chair and turned his thoughts to Edward. He tried for a few minutes to concentrate on how he was going to convince the younger man to trust him, but try as he might, he couldn't keep his mind from wandering naughtily.

His cock hardened as he thought of Edward and he sighed, knowing he wouldn't be able to concentrate until he relieved some tension. Jasper hooked his thumbs under the waistband of his shorts and lifted his hips as he shoved them down. His cock sprang upright and slapped against his shirt. Jasper reached over to the table beside him and pulled out a small bottle of lube he kept in it, for emergencies. He drizzled some of the liquid into his palm and let it warm for a moment. Then he closed his eyes and remembered everything he could about Edward.

He gave his cock a few quick strokes to get it lubed up, then formed a tight ring with his hand and started to thrust into it, imagining that he was entering Edward's tight ass. He could almost feel Edward's slim hips in his grip as he slowly pushed into his own hand. He pictured Edward gasping his name and Jasper groaned. He pulled out and thrust back into his own grip, moving his other hand up under his shirt to play with his nipples. Jasper imagined leaning forward and kissing Edward's neck as he continued to thrust into his hand. He licked his lips and arched his back as image after image of Edward's body assaulted him. He moved his hand a bit to mimic Edward's counter thrusting. He could remember everything about the night, and he felt himself growing closer to climax with every memory, every sensation. Jasper then imagined that his hand was wrapped around Edward's cock and he started to pump his length slowly, matching his rhythm thrust for thrust. His entire body drew taut as he remembered the look of longing in Edward's eyes. He remembered the milky cum shooting from Edward's cock all over his stomach, and Jasper felt himself teeter. He squeezed his cock and shouted Edward's name, spewing his seed all over his shirt and hand.

Jasper's entire body was tingling with his orgasm. He slowly came down from his high, one single thought dominating his consciousness. He could win Edward over; he had to win Edward over.

Edward started working from home two days later.

Jasper tried calling and speaking over the phone. He set up a meeting under a false name. Edward ran out on that the moment he realized Jasper was waiting for him. Jasper tried approaching Edward through Carlisle, but the older man pressed him for details on why he didn't talk to Edward directly, and when he couldn't evade the polite probing anymore, Jasper merely apologized and hung up.

The next day, Jasper went to Edward's office, intending to wait outside until Edward would hear him out. Edward locked his office door and waited until security had cleared the building for the night before leaving for home. The next day Jasper waited outside Edward's office for 3 hours before Bella took pity on him and told him Edward would not be back to the office until after his charity project was complete.

Obviously there was only one thing to do. He gave up on his attempts to talk with Edward in private.

Edward debated between work boots for a few minutes before calling Emmett. His brother would know which looked more appropriate for a construction site.

"Which ones are more comfortable?"

"The black ones."

"Take the black ones, Ed. They'll go better with those jeans and that shirt. I'm sure Alice would agree."

Emmett was moments away from laughing his ass off, so Edward muttered an embarrassed 'thanks' and hung up before his brother could get going. He had been leaning toward the brown for their more "construction worker" look, and he felt foolish that he hadn't seriously considered the comfort of his footwear to be the most important trait. He bought the boots and returned home to pack.

A few hours later, Edward looked at himself in the mirror and grimaced. He looked like one of the village people. He threw the hardhat against a wall, muttering darkly about meddlesome sex fiends. His frustration with Jasper and self-loathing only flared up when he thought about the other man (which happened often enough to cause his wrist to become strained from all the stress relief he'd been doing, and it wasn't stress balls he was squeezing, if you catch my drift). For the most part he was just embarrassed by the entire fiasco. When he got back from Texas, maybe he would talk to Jasper and find out why the other man had slept with him. Right now, he needed space. He would wait until he hadn't thought of Jasper for an entire day before confronting the blond. At present, he was libel to simply jump on the older man wantonly if he spent more than five seconds of polite conversation with him. Fuck, he had worked from home just to avoid bumping into the persistent blond. Edward couldn't lose control; he'd worked too hard to get over James and Felix. He would not be a victim. He growled at his appearance once more.

Edward tore off the stupid green flannel work shirt that Alice had advised him to wear, claiming that it would bring out the color in his eyes. He pulled the undershirt off over his head and donned a dark green Henley, leaving the buttons unbuttoned and pushing the sleeves up to his elbows. It was much more comfortable than the stuffy flannel anyway. He checked the clothes in his bag for the sixth time, making sure he had enough for a week (including a tight pair of jeans and v-neck long-sleeved t-shirt that would not be appropriate for a workplace, because he might loosen up while he was away).

Edward slipped on his more comfortable converses and tucked the boots into the suitcase. He also took off the tool belt and retrieved the hard hat from the floor, packing them as well. He examined himself in the mirror and sighed. Edward Cullen was not going to contribute $100,000 worth of work in the meager span of three weeks. Jasper over paid. Thank god it was for charity. He imagined Jasper paying $100,000 for other services and his entire body flushed. If Jasper were gay and interested, Edward would be more than happy to perform any services pro bono. Edward cringed at the horrible pun he'd mentally made and vowed never to tell it to Emmett.

Now if Edward could just get through the next 3 weeks without killing himself or wrecking the shelter, he'd count his volunteerism a success. The thought made him laugh bitterly. He would probably make a fool of himself, and on top of it all, there would be a documentary crew filming the entire thing. It was for PR, not that Edward was going to be a shining example of a volunteer.

He clenched his fists and raised his chin, staring at himself defiantly. He was a Cullen. He could and would meet this challenge head on. Nobody would be able to claim he didn't give his best effort. Hopefully he could at least inspire someone to volunteer who would be able to contribute more than he could. Jasper Whitlock wouldn't make a fool out of him, not twice in one lifetime.

Edward arrived at the airport a couple hours early and looked up at the gray sky, hoping that there would be no bad weather. He hated being behind schedule, and it would be a crummy start to his volunteer work if he showed up late for his very first shift. As it was, he had to take a 3 am flight to Dallas in order to make sure he would get to the site by 7. The shelter was close to the airport, on the outskirts of the city. It wasn't technically in Dallas, but it was close enough that residents in trouble would be able to avail themselves of its facilities.

Edward visited one of the 3 Starbucks he passed in the terminal and got a black coffee. He was gay, but he took his coffee like a man. Edward preferred the darker flavor of black coffee. He wondered absently if they could add something to coffee that would rival Jasper Whitlock's unique flavor. He disregarded the thought immediately, pissed that he had already failed in his now daily goal to not think of Jasper Whitlock (He had yet to be awake for more than 4 hours without thinking of the blond. Some days he didn't even make it out of bed.)

Edward paced through a bookstore, noting that all the available titles were lame. Some days he couldn't believe the crap people read. He bought a pack of gum, since the coffee would make his breath bad and he was determined to be as good a volunteer as he possibly could. Minty breath was one thing he could guarantee.

Edward sighed and dropped his coffee cup into a trash can by the gate he needed to wait at. He sat down in the exquisitely uncomfortable chair and opened up his backpack. He pulled out a graphic novel and his glasses, then shifted uncomfortably for a second, surreptitiously checking out the other people waiting with him. He was aware that he'd just increased his geek factor by an embarrassingly large amount.

He didn't see any dirty looks and quickly buried his nose into the comic, killing time until his plane arrived.

"Mind if I sit here?" A voice asked. Edward looked up to see who was talking to him. It was a tall man with dark skin and eyes. He smiled at Edward, flashing perfect teeth and held out a hand, "I'm Jake, Jacob Black. I'm the director of the documentary crew. You are Edward Cullen, right?" The man eyed Edward up and down, making him nervous. He nodded self-consciously and looked back to his graphic novel. Jake plopped into the seat beside Edward.

"They didn't tell me you were a nerd, but I think I can work with it." Edward looked up sharply and Jake laughed, "Just kidding, I actually like the Clark Kent vibe you have going. You could totally pass for a superhero, one of the unlikely ones like Peter Parker." Jake nudged Edward with a shoulder and Edward got the uncomfortable feeling that the other man was attempting to flirt with him. He resisted the urge to squirm or change seats. At least he wouldn't have to deal with this on the plane.

It wasn't that Jake wasn't an attractive individual, but the dark brooding type was way too close to Felix, and not nearly close enough to Jasper, added his traitorous mind. How to shut down someone who's flirting with you without causing a scene?...

While Edward mulled through his options, the plane began to board. Edward had a first-class ticket, his last concession to wealth on this trip. He was staying at the same crappy motel as the contract crew (all of the other volunteers were local) and he would scrounge what food was available from takeout menus or delivery services. Edward intended to give the press as little ammunition as possible to smear him with. He sighed in relief when a young woman sat next to him. He looked out the window and didn't turn when he heard Jake clear his voice behind him. Perhaps the other man would leave him alone.

Edward leaned against the edge of his seat, struck by a sudden, brilliant idea; Jake wouldn't bother a sleeping man. He waited for a few minutes and Jake was ushered away by a stewardess, strike that, air hostess or whatever the hell people called them. Edward sighed mentally. He would have to tell Jake that he wasn't interested, he didn't mind the telling, he just wished that Jake had been someone he was remotely attracted to. Perhaps he would have been able to stop obsessing about Jasper if that were the case. Edward rubbed his eyes tiredly, clearly his idea of not thinking of Jasper was suffering, this was the third time today and it wasn't even 3 in the morning. Edward waited patiently for takeoff so that he could sleep through the flight.

Perhaps he could restart his no-Jasper mission when he got to Texas, after all, 3 am was practically still the previous day for many people. Yesterday had been one of the most embarrassing slips, he'd accidentally thought of Jasper when he was in the shower. His mind and hands had betrayed him and he'd actually panted out the other man's name in a horrifyingly needy way as he came all over the shower wall. Yes, he would start over when he set down. New state, new day. Maybe he'd find a hot cowboy to take his mind off of Jasper.

Edward felt a pair of rough hands roaming his shoulders and he leaned into the touch. His glasses had fallen down on the bridge of his nose as he read, and he pushed them up with two fingers. The hands continued to rub his shoulders. Edward looked at the strong, nimble fingers and his gaze moved up bare forearms, resting on muscular shoulders for a moment. He knew this body. He took in all of Jasper's form, sweaty and all man.

They were in Edward's bedroom, dark sheets stark contrast against the light walls. The blond was wearing the same workout clothes Edward had seen him in at Emmett's house. Jasper dropped his hands to his sides and hooked one under the hem of his sleeveless shirt, pulling it swiftly over his head in one quick twist. Edward groaned as the chiseled expanse of Jasper's chest was revealed. A single drop of sweat worked its way down Jasper's cheek, sliding under his strong jaw. The bead of perspiration continued its path down Jasper's neck and rested briefly in the hollow of his throat. It moved on and Edward was completely transfixed as it made a small rivulet down Jasper's chest, between his perfect pecs. It stopped when it reached Jasper's navel and Edward sighed in disappointment. The drop seemed to react to Edward's arousal, peeking out of the dip in Jasper's stomach and plunging downward into the soft blond curls that started just below Jasper's navel and disappeared in the waistband of his shorts. As the single drop of sweat connected with Jasper's shorts, Edward looked back up to Jasper's face. His green eyes met hooded blue as Jasper devoured him. The bigger man seemed to be stripping Edward bare, laying aside the layers of pain and fear and searching deeper. Jasper smiled warmly.

"It's up to you, Edward, I'll accept whatever you will give me. Take all of me that you want."

He held out a hand to Edward and the redhead reached tentatively out, "Why would you want me? I'm… I'm just Edward."

"You're everything I want, Edward, everything I need. Give me a chance?" Jasper's eyes were sad as he realized Edward wouldn't close the final gap. He sighed and turned away.

"I-I can't do it, Jasper. I can't get hurt like that again. How do you know I won't leave? I'm not enough. I'm never enough." A tear escaped from Edward's eye and he roughly brushed it away, pain mixing with fury and doubt. Another tear slipped down his face and as he tried to wipe it away, his wrist was caught by a strong grip. Edward looked up at Jasper, tears clouding his vision, and Jasper pulled him close, burying the younger man's face in his warm chest.

"Give me a chance, Edward." He repeated. Edward's tears flowed freely as he accepted the comfort of the beautiful man in front of him. Jasper held Edward until the tears stopped, and Edward was suddenly very much aware of the warm skin beneath his touch. He gave in to his desire and pulled away, meeting Jasper's tender gaze.

"Yes." He said simply, and wrapped his arms around the blond's neck, pulling him close for a passionate kiss. Jasper let Edward set the pace, matching him touch for touch. Their lips danced and Edward's tongue requested entrance to Jasper's mouth. The bigger man complied instantly and their tongues collided. Edward moaned while caressing Jasper's tongue as the two men explored each other. Jasper gently sucked on Edward's tongue while his hands fisted in the younger man's t-shirt. Edward wanted to feel Jasper's skin on his and his hands roamed down Jasper's back, trying to convey the message without breaking the kiss.

Jasper's need matched Edward's, and he gripped Edward's shirt in his hands, pulling sharply. Edward felt the fabric rip and drop away and he surged against Jasper, chest meeting chest. Edward pushed Jasper down onto the bed and straddled him. Jasper thrust upward against Edward, their cocks collided and Edward writhed at the sensation. Edward pulled his glasses off, but Jasper reached up and took them from his hand, sliding them back on.

"Don't take them off, Edward, they're sexy as fuck." His voice was rough with desire. Edward shivered as Jasper's hands traveled down his chest, brushing his sensitive nipples and caressing his abs, "What do you want, Edward?" Jasper's hands came to rest on Edward's hips, gently gripping as he continued to thrust against the younger man. Edward moaned, trying to voice the depth of his need for the other man through a fog of sensation and lust. His slim body arched and thrust as he tried to create more friction. He gasped as Jasper's hands gripped harder and pulled him closer. Jasper growled at the sound and his hands moved up to Edward's bare back, pulling him down for another kiss.

Edward knew what he wanted, he grabbed the waistband of Jasper's shorts and pulled roughly, exposing inch after inch of –

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are descending to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, The local time is 7:43 and the temperature is 67 degrees. The weather is clear and forecast call for sunshine and daytime temperatures around 90 degrees. Please remain seated with your seatbelts fastened and your trays in the upright position until the plane comes to a full and complete stop. Thank you for flying United."

Edward was not dreaming about Jasper, his attempts to forget the blond were not in jeopardy, and he would pointedly not be thinking about the other man while the plane came to rest. Edward was not sexually frustrated and throbbing, he did not regret that the dream had ended when it had. He ran a hand through his hair, not really caring that he was mussing it even more. His leg bounced restlessly as he waited for the plane to finish its sluggish journey toward the gate.

Finally, the air hostess's voice came over the intercom informing the passengers that the pilot had turned off the fasten seatbelt sign. They needed to retrieve their personal belongings and could exit the plane at their leisure.

Edward was the twelfth person to disembark from the plane, one of the many perks of flying first class. He made his way out of the gate to the terminal, locating the baggage carousel and identifying the right one for his flight. He waited for twenty minutes while the rest of the passengers deplaned and the ground crew unloaded luggage.

Fifteen minutes later, Edward decided his bag had not made it to Dallas. Auspicious start to what promised to be a wonderful day.

He turned around and Jake was waiting for him. The copper skinned man grinned and waved, "No luggage?" He asked, Edward scowled.

"Apparently not," Edward grumbled and slung his backpack over one shoulder.

Jake shrugged, "Nothing vital, I hope." Edward shook his head. He had lost nothing that couldn't be easily replaced, though he didn't really relish the thought of working in his converses. They walked out of the terminal together, only to be met by two men who bore striking ethnic resemblance to Jake.

"Edward Cullen, this is Quil Aetara and Embry Call, they're my camera and sound crew." Edward nodded to the bright faced young men.

"Jake, we have a van in the parking lot if you guys want to come with us." Jake led the way toward the van and Edward was about to follow when a hand restrained him. He turned, maybe someone had found his luggage and followed after him.

His eyes travelled up from the ground, drinking in the sight before him. There were black cowboy boots, sinfully tight jeans, a blue flannel shirt that somehow did look fucking hot, and a white undershirt. The ensemble was completed by a black cowboy hat covering a head of wavy blond hair and shading a pair of dancing blue eyes. Edward gaped at Jasper Whitlock, torn between demanding an answer and simply ravishing the cowboy.

A/N I'm stopping here, I was going to have the whole confrontation, but I think the cliffie works better :D see you next time.