Disclaimer: Not mine :)
Authors note: We broke 100 reviews, and I have soo many followers and favourites, I'm blown away. You guys are great! We are starting to get to the point of no return. Shortly this story will start going in a direction that some may not like. I ask that If you don't like the way its going, review or pm me. Once I finish the story like my head tells me to, I am quite happy to re write from a certain point and take it in a different tangent. Enjoy, and forgive the mistakes, I seem to be writing at 2am lately and I don't have a beta, I do it myself.
They lay together enjoying the silence, just looking at each other until the moon started to fade and the sunrise fell upon their bodies instead. As Jasper started the glimmer softly in the growing sunlight a sigh fell from Bella's lips.
"Jasper..." She looked up at him through her eyelashes, her sadness starting to grow, expecting reality to come and slap her in the face. Jaspers fears filled him with her uttered word, not wanting her to ruin the moment either.
"Lets not Isabella... I'm not sure I want to analyse last night... I love having you here, love having you close. You make me feel more alive than I can ever remember being. Can we... Is it ok if we just... be ourselves?" Bella let his words roll around in her head for awhile. She wanted more with Jasper, but she wasn't delusional enough to think that lust and friendship was enough to create a life together. And even if they could be together, was it worth the risk of losing him when he realised that she was just human and he was stuck with her until she died?
"So... what happens in Texas... stays in Texas?" Bella looked at him, feeling resigned. It wasn't enough, not by a long shot. But she'd take anything she could get from him.
"Ok Darlin'." Jasper closed the distance, kissing her lips. Never had he felt better and worse than he did right now. He was thankful that he could still touch her, kiss her. But the thought that it would end, that he'd have to let her go soon and pretend that he didn't want to spend every minute by her side nearly broke his heart.
Bella and Jasper fell into each other once again, a sense of desperation adding to their movements, each trying to memorise the sounds and feelings associated with their intimacy, in preparation for the moment when they would have to let it go. By the time the sun had risen fully, Bella was sleeping soundly on Jaspers chest. Her feelings so peaceful and content that he almost felt sleepy himself, and closing his eyes he enjoyed the refreshing calm she seemed to radiate. When Bella stretched awake, Jasper was startled he hadn't noticed her breathing change as she stirred.
"Hi" She looked up at him through her eyelashes again and it was all Jasper could do to hold back the moan threatening to break out. Did she really have no idea how beautiful she was?
"Hey yourself" Jasper gave Bella his trademark smirk and kissed her softly.
"What time is it?" Bella squinted up at the sky trying to determine how late it was.
"About 12:30. I guess this room isn't really suited to sleeping... sorry, I didn't think about that." Bella fought a smile as she decided Jasper looked anything but sorry considering he had a butt naked girl lying on his bed which might as well have been in the middle of a paddock.
"How about I make you something to eat and then we can jump in the spa... Are you sore?" Bella tested her muscles, aware that even though Jasper had tried holding his strength back, that he was still a little rougher on her than she'd experienced before.
"Mmm deliciously so..."Bella trailed off giving Jasper a kiss on the nose before climbing out of bed, wrapping the sheet around herself. "I wont be long" She threw him a smile, admiring his naked form left uncovered on the bed. Jasper watched her head into the main house and fell back on the pillows wondering what he'd ever done to be so lucky.
*Beep Beep* absently Jasper reached for his phone, he'd been expecting a message from Peter before now. "Consider it thanks for saving me and Char. Don't bother making Little Bit food, We're on our way home with muffins and coffee." Jasper smiled at his brothers message. Somehow Peter's gift was never annoying. Perhaps it was just the way Peter chose to share his gift, always letting them experience the events themselves unless it was life threatening.
Twenty minutes later Bella wandered downstairs, now dressed in skinny jeans and a scarlet singlet that made Jasper's eyes linger when he saw it.
"Hey Jas... Is this gonna stay permanently?" Bella indicated the small mark on the left side of her neck. Jasper felt his fear spike. He'd forgotten that he'd been carried away in the moment, momentarily forgotten that it wasn't normal for everyone else to have scars.
"Ugh... It'll fade Bella, but it will always be a little shimmery... like your wrist... Im so sorry... I shouldn't have..." Bella moved to him and placed her finger against his lips.
"Don't be silly Jasper. I remember enjoying you doing it quite a lot. I like having it there.. that's all.." She left him speechless, and not for the first time.
"But it'll be a scar... That doesn't bother you?"
"Jas..." Bella brushed the hair away from his eyes so she could look at him. "Scars simply tell a story about someone's life. This one..." She held up her wrist "Tells me, and other vampires that once upon a time I was bitten and I survived. How many humans can say that? And this one... "Bella guided Jaspers hand to rest on her neck where his mark lay
"This one tells them that I was lo... able to drive one crazy aswell..." Jasper smiled as he lowered his head to kill the mark, his tongue lingering, giving her goosebumps.
"I don't think you'll ever stop surprising me Isabella." She smiled trying to resist the urge to climb back into bed with him. Looking up at him she was surprised to see the normally bright gold eyes looking a little dark.
"I am going to go relax by the pool and wait for my muffin, and you should go hunt. I'll be perfectly fine until Peter gets here, and your eyes are looking a little dark. I guess last night took its toll on you..." Jasper was surprised at her comment. He didn't feel hungry... But he didn't want her to feel uneasy around him in regards to his control, especially not after her birthday.
"Ok darlin' I wont be long." He placed a tender kiss on the top of her head and sped out the door, her giggles following him as she walked outside to await her food.
Bella found her comfortable nap interrupted by someone blocking her sun, some thirty minutes later. Opening her eyes and looking up she was met by Peter's smart ass grin.
"What?"She said sitting up and reaching for her coffee and muffin, trying not to join him in smiling.
"Ohh... we're going to pretend you didn't bump uglies with the Major.. OK..." Bella dissolved into a giggle fit, spitting the bite of muffin she had been enjoying right at Peter.
"Oh my god! Did you really just say that?!"
"Ok Little Bit... Time to get serious... I want you to sing at an open mic night, and my spidey senses tell me you wont want to, sooo... I want us to make a bet." Bella raised an eyebrow at the man in front of her.
"Firstly, your right, I wouldn't want to do that. Secondly, what bet? and third... It has been my experience that you never bet against a fortune teller.." Peter shot her an evil glare for calling him that.
"Fine.. Firstly... Chicken! Secondly... I bet that when the major comes back, he thinks that coffee smells amazing. Thirdly.. I'm not a fucking magic 8 ball. I just know shit. This I don't know, but I'm willing to bet on it." Bella looked at him with scepticism, she couldn't tell if he was being honest with her, but thinking coffee smelt good to vampires seemed a safe bet. She remembered Alice telling her once that all human food and drink smelled vile.
"Ok Mr know it all. I'll take your bet. No way will Jasper thing this smells good." Bella sat back on the pool lounger, finishing her muffin and thinking about how she wished she could make Peter fall in the pool. Shortly after, Jasper strode over, lacing his arms around Bella's neck, kissing the spot on her neck.
"Hey Darlin'. Mmm that smells great." Peter started laughing uncontrollably while Bella turned to stare at Jasper like he had three heads.
"What?" Bella toyed with the idea that Jasper had heard their earlier conversation and was playing along with Peters trick, but the look of absolute shock on Jaspers face told her he was just as surprised as she was.
"Ugh... I don't know why.. It just smells really nice..." Jasper sat down next to Bella looking as confused as she felt. "What's up with you?" He ask in Peters direction.
"Nothing, Bella here just agreed to perform at the open mic night at Cavalry tonight." Jasper looked surprised at Bella.
"Really?"
"Yeah... Apparently you never bet against people who "just know shit""