Chapter Fourteen

Bella

We were really late leaving by the time I got my act together and had breakfast which Jasper had insisted on and he drove but there was something on his mind and I wondered if my crying jag had made him realize I was a crazy girl he wanted to get away from. In the end I couldn't keep quiet any longer,

"You're thinking of leaving aren't you?"

He shook his head,

"No I already told you that Bella. I'm just thinking, when we stop for dinner I'd like to talk to you."

That sounded ominous but there was nothing I could do about it so I sat looking out the windscreen until he pulled onto a small motel with a café attached and opening my door pulled me out into the cool evening air. I shivered and he draped his jacket around my shoulders,

"My jacket's in the back"

"Would you prefer me to get it?"

"No, I was just saying"

He pulled me close and squeezed me,

"You eat then you and I are going to have a frank discussion."

Well that spoilt my appetite straight away but he insisted I eat something so I forced down pizza and some ice cream then he walked me to my room but instead of handing me the key as normal he opened the door and followed me in closing it behind him.

Jasper

Things were getting out of hand, Bella was drowning in everyone's expectations for her so I was going to offer an alternative. She was very tense so I sat her in the chair and knelt beside her,

"Bella please calm down. I'm not leaving you and I'm not going to tell you what to do I'd just like to offer you something of an alternative"

She looked at me and I noticed her hands were shaking,

"Bella, I heard what you said earlier about everyone wanting to run your life and move you around to suit them and I wondered if perhaps you would like a rest. You said you wanted to get away from everybody and everything, did you mean that?"

She nodded her eyes full of tears and panic,

"Bella, I have a house in the Shoshone National Forest and I'd like to offer you the use of it, there is no one around so you'll have your peace and solitude and you can stay as long as you like."

Bella

I heard Jaspers words but I didn't understand, why would he offer me his house and did he really think I wanted to be so far from civilization on my own. I didn't think I could cope but I had no idea how to explain things.

"Jasper thank you for the offer, I'm really grateful but I don't think I could cope on my own somewhere like that"

I leaned forward and lay my head on his shoulder the tears starting once more. He held me close,

"Come on darlin'"

He got up pulling me with him and lifting me up before laying me in the bed and joining me, pulling me back into his arms and hushing me, comforting me with his touch. I felt so tired, so confused, and so angry with everyone trying to run my life that I closed my eyes and I must have fallen asleep. It was light when I woke up and I was still in Jaspers embrace. I was so embarrassed and I pulled free running into the bathroom and shutting myself in.

I heard a knock on the door and his voice very quiet,

"Bella open the door please."

He waited as I looked at myself in the mirror, the word wreck sprung to mind and I grabbed my toothbrush,

"Bella please."

I swilled my face with warm water and brushed my hair then opened the door to him. He looked at my face and shook his head,

"I need you to tell me what's wrong. I have no idea what I did wrong but I would like you to tell me."

"You didn't do anything Jasper. Its me, I'm a wreck, I didn't realize how stressed I was until I spoke to Charlie on the phone. It really upset me. Then you come flying in like my saviour and offer me a safe haven, why Jasper? Why do you care about me? I'm nothing to you."

"Yes you are Bella, you are a friend, one of too few I have, and I want to help you as you helped me."

"It's very kind of you Jasper but I don't think I could cope alone somewhere like that."

"Alone? Oh I see. No Bella, I didn't expect you to stay there on your own, I thought maybe you'd allow me to help you. There's plenty of room in the house so you can have all the space you want and if you want some company then I'm available."

"You'd do that for me?"

"Would you do it for me?"

"Of course. I wanted to see if there was anything I could do when Alice left but Edward wouldn't let me see you."

"So, would you like to go to Florida or my place?"

Jasper

I waited with bated breath for her answer, suddenly it was very important to me that Bella agreed to go with me and that concerned me but I would think about it later.

"Jasper I think I'd like to go to with you, if you're sure."

My relief was palpable,

"OK You get some sleep and I'll sort things out, I think we should maybe fly, it's a long way to drive and I think you need the peace sooner rather than later."

"Are you leaving?"

I looked at her puzzled,

"I thought maybe you'd like to rest and I have some calls to make."

"You can phone from here can't you?"

"Sure, if you like"

I wasn't sure why she was so worried about me leaving, I was always happy to be in her company.

Bella

Now the floodgates had opened I couldn't bear to be alone and I just hoped Jasper wouldn't get fed up with the clingy human too quickly. I lay down facing him and watched as he picked up the phone and started making calls. He really was drop dead gorgeous and I enjoyed watching him while he was unaware but his voice was so soothing my eyes started to close and before I knew it I was asleep. This time my dreams were pleasant, I imagined the house in the forest, the surroundings, but most of all being alone and isolated with Jasper Hale. With a full heart and churning stomach I realized I had fallen for Jasper, and fallen hard. If I were going with him perhaps I should confess then he could change his mind before things got out of hand but how? Just blurting out Jasper I'm in love with you seemed a little extreme and as soon as I looked into his face my tongue would freeze and my brain turn to mush so I needed to think about it first. In my dreams it was so easy, I would tell him how I felt and he would take me in his arms again and kiss me passionately and then...well the rest was a little on the x rated side but hey...I'm a woman with needs! In reality he would probably drop me off at the nearest airport and run at vampire speed as far as he could go without getting his feet wet, or maybe even further, that was the way my luck ran with guys! Still it was my dream so I chose the former and just hoped I didn't talk in my sleep!