I walked Bella to her door. "So, will I see you upstairs?" she asked, lust and anticipation mixed.
I snickered. "Actually, I thought I might put in a public appearance."
She blushed and shuffled her feet. "Right. That's probably a good idea."
The cruiser was parked outside and I heard the couch creak. Charlie had heard the truck pull up of course. He'd have to be deaf to miss that. I kissed Bella's cheek and whispered, "Although I hope to see more of you upstairs."
I smelled her excitement, as well as felt it, and smiled, backing up. Still quiet I added, "Your Dad's watching." Just in case she had any other ideas.
She giggled and sighed. "Right, later." She took my hand and opened the door. "Hey, Dad. Do you mind if Jasper joins us tonight?"
There was no way Charlie had seen me yesterday, but I was being bombarded with distaste as well as receiving the stink-eye.
"You know," I started, "maybe I'll head out, Bella. We can do this another night."
"What do you mean?" She frowned, confused, then looked to Charlie. "Dad? What's wrong?"
He didn't take his eyes off me as he answered, "Billy told me you left over an hour ago."
Bella bit her lip, anxious, and that faded into anger. "That's right. I went to Jasper's after. Visited with him and Carlisle." She stuck to the truth again, smart girl. "I didn't realize my comings and goings were being tracked." And put him on the defence. Excellent tactics, Bella. I stepped a little closer to her, watching and feeling Charlie's reaction.
"They aren't," he grumbled. Then he sighed, relaxing. "I'm sorry, Bella. We found another hiker. I just worry about you."
She hugged him. "I drove straight to the Cullens' from Billy's place, Dad. I'm careful." I felt their love and stepped out of the doorway, closing it behind me.
He still eyed me oddly, and I felt distrust. He obviously assumed we were doing the worst with that hour. Given what we'd done the night before, I didn't really blame him. I wasn't about to be ashamed, though, so I met his eye and resisted the urge to make him trust me again. He stroked Bella's hair. "I know. I worry. It's my job, right?"
She laughed, pulling away. "Sure, Dad. Did you already eat?"
"Yeah, just grabbed left-overs."
"Okay, we'll get ourselves some." She reached for my hand again, drawing me into the kitchen. "What bug got up his butt?" she whispered as she bent over the refrigerator shelf.
I smiled. "I'll give you two guesses, but you only need the one hiding under your bed." I whispered from behind her, hands on her hips. She pushed back nudging me with her ass. Night could not come fast enough for either of us. I backed up and sat down before I did something really stupid. As soon as I was in the chair, I saw Charlie looking our way. He couldn't see Bella at the fridge, thank God. He turned back to the game as soon as he noticed me. I was glad to have Bella sitting between us. It wasn't open hostility, but he definitely wasn't as friendly to me anymore. Still didn't blame him, still wasn't apologizing. Hell, I was going to do worse if I could. I felt the smirk a moment before Bella noticed it.
She arched an eyebrow and looked over her shoulder. Charlie was watching us again. She turned back to me and put a forkful of pasta in her mouth. "Something else wrong?"
"I think he's feeling ... protective of his seventeen year-old daughter." I spoke quietly, sure Charlie couldn't hear me over his game. I brushed the inside of Bella's leg with my toes. "I can't say I blame him. I can't say I'm going to change my ways either." I leaned forward on the table, only to lean back a second later when I heard the couch creak again.
Charlie was grabbing a beer from the fridge. "You're not hungry, Jasper?"
"No. Big lunch. Carlisle and I stuffed ourselves before Bella came over." I caught her eye and winked. She smiled as she chewed.
"Huh." He leaned on the counter, sipping from his can. I was wondering how much stink would equate to a werewolf when Bella rounded on her father. I hadn't much warning of her mood shift. She was mad again.
"I don't need a chaperone, Dad."
"You're sure about that?" His anger was only a little shy of hers. "I had hoped to talk with you after Jasper went home-"
I stood up. "You can. Excuse me, please. I'll call you tomorrow, all right, Bella?"
"No, don't go." She jumped up, grabbing my arm. "Dad, I have a boyfriend now. You are going to deal with that." She put my arm around her waist and I nearly grunted at the tension rising in the room. Someone here was going to spark if I didn't do something. I really didn't want to do something. They needed to talk this out, not have it diffused or diluted.
"Bella. You aren't being fair to your father." I took my hand from her hip and stroked her hair and cheek instead. Her mouth hung open and I felt her sense of betrayal. "He would like the time to talk to you. You set aside plenty of time for me. I'll call you tomorrow, all right?" I had one hand on each cheek now. I took a moment to brace myself as I tossed the lighted match onto the tinder that had been piled in the room. I kissed her, in front of her father.
She smiled as I backed up. I was half afraid she would try to deepen the kiss, or Charlie would tear us apart. Neither happened, and I sighed with relief. "Good night, Bella." I turned and held out my hand to Charlie. He hesitated but took it. "Good night, Charlie." Then I stepped outside to eavesdrop on what could be the most awkward or most heated discussion likely to take place between the Swans.
"Dad-"
"No, Bella. I'm going to say this. I understand that you have a boyfriend. I'm fine with that. I just want to make sure that you know what you're getting into. It's not like your mother and I are models for a stable relationship." I cringed a little. This wasn't going anywhere good.
"No, I suppose not, but you have taught me what not to do," she said lightly. "Dad, I know how to be careful. I'm not even planning on things coming to that, not yet, but I'll be okay if they do. Will you?" There was a challenge in her tone. I was proud of her, this couldn't be easy for her. Her relationship with Charlie was normally quiet and subdued. This was out of character for both of them.
"And you think Jasper is the right guy to find out with?"
"Name a better," she challenged again.
"Bella, there's more to this than that. I don't want you to get hurt."
"I'm not going to get hurt, Dad."
"Even if he leaves? Even if he walks out of your life and tells you not to follow?" They were talking right over one another now, not letting the other get much more than a sentence, until now. Bella didn't answer immediately. I tried to feel their emotions, but couldn't.
"He's not Mom." Her voice was soft, quiet. I heard her loud inhalation. "And if he was, I could handle that. I mean, my life does not revolve around Jasper Cullen, he just brings a lot of good to it."
My mouth went slack at that. Good? I brought horror and death. Even so, I wasn't about to just walk out on her.
"You're sure?" Charlie asked her. "You're sure you're ready for this? I mean, he's a boy, Bella. They'll tell you everything you want to hear. I remember," he muttered. I heard the can crumple in his hand.
Bella laughed. "I don't doubt some do. I know the drill, Dad. Jasper isn't a player. I'm not going to be a notch in a bedpost or a story around the locker room. I'm better than that. So is he." Another pause. "Thanks for caring, Dad. This is so different from having these sorts of conversations with Mom. Usually I'm playing your part." She laughed again.
Charlie snickered too, much more quietly and less comfortably. "I'm sorry I scared him away, Bella. I just worry about you."
"I know, Dad. And you didn't scare him away, just off for the night. He's calling tomorrow like he said."
"Right. Speaking of tomorrow, I'm heading out fishing with Billy in the morning. You going to be okay at home alone? Will you head over to Cullens' again?"
"Maybe. I'll be fine, Dad. I won't go wandering alone. Don't worry so much."
I swung into her open window before I heard her feet on the stairs. I kicked off my boots and lounged on her bed. She chuckled as she opened the door. "I can't believe I just had that conversation."
I smiled. "I'm glad you did. He needed it. You needed it. How are you feeling?"
She smirked. Yeah, I knew. I wanted her to say it. It was the psychology classes. "Mortified? Embarrassed. Relieved. Yeah, relieved." She laid into the curve of my arm and put her head on my chest. "You're right, I needed it. I needed to think about it."
"Want me to back off for a while?"
She snorted. "Maybe, a little while." She walked her fingers up my chest and pulled down the neck of my shirt. "Just until morning." She kissed my chest and let the cotton go. "He's going out in the morning, fishing. That means dawn." She draped herself over me. "Which means I don't have to worry about loud music distracting him, or any music at all." She kissed my neck now.
"I shouldn't let you think about it," I murmured, running my fingers over her ribs.
"Can we?" she asked idly, putting her head back down and sliding to the side.
"I don't know." I ran my fingers through her hair now. "I don't think I can." I let go of my control just a little so she would know just how nervous and frightened I was. "It's so easy to kill you, Bella." I kissed the top of her head.
She huffed. "Well that just sucks."
I laughed. I put a hand over my mouth before it was loud enough to be heard. She was so honest. "I'm sure we can find other things to do. The morning won't be wasted, I promise you."
She shivered and I felt her excitement at my words. "That voice," she murmured. "Get out. I want sleep so I'll be ready for the morning." She grinned as she rolled me out of her bed.
I landed softly in a crouch. "I can't just sit in the chair?" I suggested with another smirk.
She set her jaw. "You may." Lust oozed from her, low and controlled. Damn, she had a plan. She was working it out even now. I was so boned, literally, already. God, how had no one else snapped Bella up before now?
I sat in her rocking chair, elbows on knees, leaning forward slightly.
"No getting out of that chair, Jasper. Not until the first light of dawn." She held a glint in her eye.
"You going to stop me, little woman?" I asked, testing her game.
"No, big bad vampire. I'll just stop." She turned from me to her stereo changing discs. I didn't recognize the music, but the slow jazzy chords were the perfect accompaniment to what came next. She pulled her shirt out of her pants, bent forward and shook out her hair. Before straightening, she bent back far enough to find my eyes, glued to her of course.
She turned to the side and slid her hands up her sides, pulling the shirt with her. She pulled it off smoothly over the next bar of music and turned slowly dropping it in the hamper. She sashayed over to the foot of her bed, opposite me, unbuttoning and unzipping her jeans. I wondered how she swung her hips like that without losing her balance as she so often did. She bent over the bed, sliding the denim slowly down her legs. I reached out with one hand, could I reach from here? Her threat was perfect. I would do anything to keep her from stopping.
She pulled one leg out and stepped to the side, spreading her legs. I groaned. She peeked over her shoulder, probably to make sure I hadn't moved. My hand was still outstretched. She stuck her ass out just enough for my fingers to graze her. She sighed and stepped out the other leg of her jeans, pulling herself from me. She reached up to the clasp of her bra as she kicked the jeans aside. She turned to face me, shrugging her shoulders, letting the straps fall. Then she sat on the bed crossing one long leg over the other before pulling one arm after the other through the straps, holding the cups to her. She kept her eyes locked on mine the whole time. Her eyes fell to my lap and she smiled and giggled a little.
I looked down. I had moved my hand to myself at some point. I looked back up with a smirk. I sat back and unzipped, putting my hand to my pants. I wasn't leaving the chair. I pulled myself out and gave a long stroke while I watched her lick her lips.
She blushed and stood up, casting the bra to one side, atop the jeans. Then she turned away from me again, hooking her thumbs in her panties. I groaned again and felt a twitch in my hand. She spun her hips twice before bending slowly and pulling those down. As she rose she ran her hands over the inside of her thighs.
"God," I moaned as she touched herself. I stroked myself once more, remembering her holding me.
She whirled at the sound of my voice. She stepped to me and put her hot hand over mine, pushing it down. I tipped my head back. She brought her hand up without mine and, once again, I sprayed the poor girl. "You are dangerous."
"Remember that," she taunted, licking her fingers as she crawled onto her bed, shaking that ass for me once more. "Good night, Jasper. Can't wait for dawn."
"You and me both." I gripped the handles of the chair and willed the night to pass.