JOotG Chapter 3 - Nachos and Margaritas

A/N: I don't own the characters. I just have some fun with them.

This chapter is a little bit longer, but there was nowhere good to cut it. Lemon Warning: This chapter ends with a bit of lemony goodness. Jasper refused to let me cut it shorter – blame him.

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BPOV

Just after midnight, I sighed, taking my headphones off and stretching my arms over my head. It had been a long night full of wipes and tempers flaring. Sunday nights were always that way – that was when we tackled new content.

Rubbing my eyes, I turned slowly in my desk chair to look at Jasper. He had been awfully quiet tonight, probably knowing not to provoke me.

I took in his wary, sheepish expression as he watched me, and I had to fight not to laugh at him. He looked like a little boy just waiting for his mom to yell about the broken lamp. Not ready to forgive him quite yet, I pushed myself out of my chair and brushed past him on my way out of the office, heading into the kitchen.

I opened the refrigerator, leaning down as I tried to figure out what to fix for a snack. I was just settling on a few strawberries and some yogurt when Jasper came in. I turned around, leaning back against the counter as I took the lid off my yogurt and licked it before throwing it in the trash. I didn't speak, letting him squirm for a couple minutes more.

Finally, he opened his mouth. "Bella, I'm sor…"

My temper suddenly flared, and I cut him off. "You're sorry? What, exactly, are you sorry for, huh? Hanging me out to dry with Alice? Subjecting me to relentless teasing about the one thing you know I can't stand to talk about? Jasper, I'm sorry, but I'm not about to turn myself into some fucking Barbie doll just to help you get laid!"

To my surprise, instead of becoming sympathetic and apologizing again – or yelling back at me, his two most common reactions, Jasper…blushed…and looked down at the floor.

I frowned at him in confusion, picking up a strawberry and popping it into my mouth.

And then I choked on it.

"Oh. My. God! Jasper!" I sputtered, trying to clear my throat.

He finally looked up at me, a sheepish grin on his blushing face.

"When? Where? Why didn't you tell me?!" I demanded, grabbing his wrist and pulling him to the couch.

I flopped down on the couch, facing him sitting Indian style. I pulled one of the throw pillows onto my lap, leaning forward as I waited for his answer. I watched him play with the drawstring of his flannel pants, his eyes carefully trained on the floor.

After a couple of minutes of silence, I said softly, "Jazz?"

He sighed, blinking, and looked at me finally, a small smile on his face. "I didn't know how to tell you, Bells…"

I arched an eyebrow at him. "Oh, really? 'Bella, I slept with Alice' wouldn't suffice?" I grinned at him.

"It's not like that…" He trailed off, looking back at the floor.

"You didn't sleep with her?" Now I was confused. What did he mean?

"Jazz, you two have been dating for a little over a month now. This is actually…slow…for you." I took his hand, trying to understand this reluctance. Was he sorry he'd done it?

Jasper wasn't exactly a man-whore, but he wasn't known for his restraint, either. I'd been waiting for a couple of weeks now to find him in the kitchen making margaritas and asking me to make our celebratory nachos. It was immature and silly, but we always…umm…commemorated…his conquests that way. We'd make our snack, and then we'd spend the night talking. Jasper would fill me in on the basics, avoiding the really detail-y details, and then as we kept drinking, we'd usually laugh together about something. Like the girl who meowed during sex. Yes, meowed.

After a couple more minutes of silence, I took his hand and said gently, "Jasper? What's wrong?"

He finally looked up at me, a slow, soft smile spreading on his lips. "Oh, nothing's wrong, Bella…everything is…perfect. I just…well, I…" He furrowed his brow, looking toward the silent TV and searching for the words. I'd never seen him struggle so hard to say something. "Bella, I didn't want you to get…get the wrong impression. She's…she's, well, she's…different," he finished lamely.

I smiled at him, waiting until he looked me in the eye. "Jasper, of course she's different. I know that. You seriously don't think I wouldn't realize that, do you? How long have I known you?" I asked rhetorically, but he answered anyway, his words coming fast and furiously now.

"Sixteen years. I know you know me. And I know I should've known that you would have figured this out. I mean, you're not stupid, and you're not blind, and Alice is all but living here, or I'm there, so yeah, of course you'd know. But I'm just…just so…gah…" He stopped, biting the inside of his cheek.

"Jazz, just spit it out, man," I said with a hint of amusement in my voice. He really was cute when he struggled for words.

A goofy smile lit up his face as he breathed, "I am so in love, Bella."

It took me a moment to restart my heart, having never thought I'd hear those words from my best friend's lips. As I took in his expression, moony-eyed and grinning from ear to ear, I had to laugh. But it was a soft, happy laugh, almost disbelieving, rather than one of pure amusement.

"Wow…Jasper Whitlock Hale…I never thought I'd see you so smitten."

"I'm beyond smitten, Bella. She's…god, she's so unbelievable," he sighed and collapsed against the back of the couch, staring at the ceiling with the exact same smile as a twelve-year-old girl giddy over the Jonas Brothers.

I bit my bottom lip and grinned at him, my heart melting a little bit as I read the love and absolute adoration on his face. She was definitely one lucky girl.

Then I thought of something. "Now, wait a minute. So somehow – in your twisted brain – you think that banging some skank deserves celebratory nachos, but you falling in love doesn't? What the hell is wrong with you?" I teased him.

"No, it's not that, Bells…I just didn't…didn't want you to think that…well, that she was just some 'skank,' as you so eloquently put it. I guess I was…afraid…that you'd misunderstand."

"You really ought to give me more credit, you know," I frowned at him but then dropped it. "Now are you going to get your ass in there and make the margaritas, or do I have to? Because we both know what happens when I make them."

"God, no! I don't think I could take tequila with a hint of lime tonight," he smirked at me as he pushed himself off the couch, holding out his hand to help me up.

We wandered into the kitchen together, chatting comfortably about the raid and some of the dumber things our guys had done. It was an unspoken thing that we wouldn't talk about his news until we were settled on the couch and ready.

"Seriously, how the fuck can you not tell you're standing in fire? And he's on comms saying, 'Hey guys, why can't I see anything?' I mean…your screen is covered in fucking flames! Moron." I shook my head, disgusted with Freda, one of our less-than-stellar priests.

Jasper laughed and performed a dead-on impression of Freda's character turning back and forth one step at a time. I snorted and reached into the bottom drawer in the refrigerator, pulling out a package of ground beef. I turned on a burner on the stove and set out a pan, then reached back in the fridge to gather the rest of our ingredients while Jasper set up the blender.

After awhile, our WoW talk slowed just as the nachos were ready, so I fixed each of us a plate, and we carried them to the couch. Jasper handed me a glass caked in salt and filled with his delicious mango margarita, and I took a sip with a contented sigh.

"These are damn good…your best, I think." I grinned at him. "So…now that we're clear that Alice isn't 'some skank'…" I playfully shoved him, still disbelieving that he would have so little faith in me. "Seriously, I'm curious. When did this happen?" I bit my bottom lip, hoping he would see my curiosity for what it was – concern, rather than a dig for details.

He smiled sheepishly, taking a long sip of his drink as he stalled. "Umm…last night…" he mumbled.

I blinked in surprise, and then my eyes narrowed in suspicion. "I KNEW there was no way you got up early just to go to the grocery store! You were just getting home when you came in, weren't you?" I giggled at him and his attempts at stealth. He had never gone to these lengths before.

He laughed, a wide smile on his face as his eyes sparkled. "Umm…yeah. I just didn't want to leave her last night, you know?"

I nodded, though in truth, I'd never been in that situation, so no, I didn't know. Ugh. Stop right there, Bella. I took a shaky breath.

"So how did this happen? I mean, you actually showed restraint for once, which – while impressive – is a little bit confusing considering you love her," I grinned at him, teasing but also honestly curious.

"I just didn't want to rush things with her. She's…well, god, I don't have to tell you any more - I've already made it abundantly obvious how whipped I am," he said with a fond smile. "I wanted it to be special for us…to mean something." He shrugged.

"And did you make it special?" I didn't want to be too nosey, but this was a huge deal! To take a little bit of the edge off my curiosity and make him more comfortable, I started eating my nachos, feigning a nonchalance I didn't actually feel. I was slowly beginning to panic a bit.

What about me? Even the angel on my shoulder was wondering now.

His cheeks flushed as he nodded. Jasper was turning out to be quite bashful. I didn't like it. There had never been anything he was reluctant to tell me. Not. Fucking. Ever.

He took a bite of nachos, washed it down with a long pull of his margarita, and looked at me thoughtfully. He ran his fingers through his hair, already a mess from the long night of raiding.

He sighed.

"Alright, so don't laugh, okay?" He said with a serious expression. I didn't realize I was holding my breath until I let it out with a -whoosh- when he finally began to speak. I nodded just as seriously and settled back into the corner of the couch to listen.

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JPOV

"And did you make it special?" Bella asked me, curiosity and concern in her eyes. Her voice held a slight edge to it, and something inside me tore a little bit at hearing it. It was…nearing panic.

This was why I'd been dreading telling her. Not because she wouldn't get it – but because she would. She could read me like a book, knew me inside and out – even better than my own goddamn twin sister did. And she would know that there was someone who was rapidly becoming even more important to me than her.

To buy myself some time, I took a bite of my nachos, noting even through the fog of my distress that they were fucking good. Bella could cook.

I needed her to understand…to see that even though Alice was becoming my world, there wouldn't be a time when I didn't need Bella too. It was a different sort of thing, a completely different feeling and need. But…I just didn't think Bella would quite get this one. Everything else, she understood about me implicitly. This, though…she had nothing to compare it to. She had never felt anything like this before – never even allowed herself the chance to.

Fucking asshole, a small part of my brain railed at the reason for Bella's inability to get close to a man…other than me, anyway.

She was so good and sweet and honest and loyal beneath all the "fucks" and the tough-girl exterior. Bella had always worn her heart on her sleeve, much as she tried to hide how she felt. I really didn't know how she would take this, but…well, hiding it from her would just make it worse in the end. Besides, if I couldn't talk to Bella about it, it was the beginning of the end for us, and I would not allow that to happen. So…awkward as this would be…I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to figure out how to start.

I sighed.

"Alright, so don't laugh, okay?" I began. She let out a gust of air, and I frowned as I realized she'd been holding her breath. Bella settled back into the couch, pulling her nachos and margarita with her. She shivered lightly, and I chuckled, taking the afghan from the back of the couch and spreading it over her legs. For some reason, she always froze when she drank margaritas. She smiled her thanks.

"So, Alice's favorite movie is Sixteen Candles…" I watched Bella grin and bite her bottom lip, but bless her, she didn't laugh. "But I noticed when I was looking through her DVD collection last week that she doesn't own it. She said she had it on VHS but couldn't find it on DVD when her VCR broke. Don't ask me why she still had a VCR…anyway…" I raked my fingers through my hair again. The embarrassing part was still coming up.

"Well, I wanted to do something nice for her, you know…just to let her know how much she means to me. And it's silly and stupid, but I ordered it from Amazon, and it came in yesterday afternoon. So I called her at work and asked if she minded if I came over to her place last night instead of her coming over here. She said that was fine, so I spent the afternoon out, getting things ready."

"I knew she would be getting off work at five, and she likes to shower and put on her 'evening clothes' before she sees me," I shrugged. I don't get it, but it's Alice…and she always looks phenomenal, so it's fine by me. "So all afternoon, I went around town, collecting her favorite things. I got dinner from her favorite restaurant, a new scarf in her favorite color, her favorite flowers…well, you get the idea. I even got her favorite perfume." I blushed, grinning in embarrassment. "Anyway, I packed a massive picnic basket, blanket and all, got to her place right at 6:30, and surprised her with our evening in."

I looked up to see Bella's eyes were soft, almost teary – gah, almost exactly like Alice's had been last night. Bella was such a girl sometimes. The thought made me smile.

"She was definitely surprised when she saw me with the basket, and she got all misty eyed on me, and I think she wanted to err…well, you know…right then. But I didn't spend all afternoon running around town for nothing! So I kissed her and led her in to the living room. I spread out the blanket and started handing her gifts from the basket. She loved everything…she squealed when she saw the DVD and asked if we could watch it." I rolled my eyes. Like that wasn't the fucking point of buying it.

"We got dinner and the movie all set up, and we ate in front of the TV on the blanket. It was actually really…sweet…Alice gets so into movies when she watches them. Like up on her knees at the exciting parts, hands over her face, the whole bit. So umm…as it got near the end, you know, with the birthday cake…" I trailed off, blushing furiously. Alright, here it was…

"She was totally focused on the movie, so I took the opportunity to pull out dessert, and when the movie ended and she turned around, all glowing and crying, it was waiting for her. She went all gooey, and I said…"

Damn, it was really hard to say this.

"I said... 'Make a wish, Alice.' And umm…she said, 'It already came true,'" I finally admitted, looking down at the floor.

I was so intent on studying the pattern in the hardwood floor, my face on fire, that at first I didn't know what the noise was. Then it hit me. Bella squealed.

Bella. Squealed.

I raised my head, laughing when I saw the ridiculous grin on her face. She flung her arms around me, nearly choking me. "Oh my god, Jasper! That is, like, the sweetest thing I've ever heard!"

I hugged her back and then disentangled myself, looking at her doubtfully. "You don't think it's cheesy?"

"Oh, well, of course it is! But that's beside the point…it was perfect for Alice, which is what matters." She shrugged.

"So what happened then?" she asked, finishing off the rest of her margarita and setting her empty plate and glass on the floor.

"Well, she leaned across the dessert and kissed me, and then we…sort of…forgot about the dessert," I grinned at Bella, pleased that she seemed so happy for me.

Bella looked like she was dying of curiosity, but she obviously realized that this was the part where we'd hit the details she liked to avoid if we talked much more. Instead of asking, she grinned at me, squeezed my hand, and told me she was really happy for me. I was relieved to see that she really meant it. The edge was gone from her voice, and I was so thankful I'd decided to talk to her about this. Even if it meant that I would endure endless teasing once she got over the sappiness of it.

She squealed again and clapped her hands, giggling like a schoolgirl. Then she stood up and stretched, yawning lightly as the alcohol really hit her. She blinked, her eyes slightly glazed. I glanced at the clock on the mantle and realized it was after three now, and we both had to work in the morning. Ugh.

"We better go to sleep, silly girl," I grinned at her, tickling her ribs before she huffed and stumbled off in the direction of her room, her coordination not helped by her lack of sleep or the margaritas.

I laughed softly and picked up our dishes, dumping them in the sink. I went around the apartment, turning off the countless lights Bella somehow manages to turn on every night. I never see her doing it…

I made my way to my own room and stripped down to my boxers, falling into bed with a sigh as my thoughts went back to Alice and last night. We had slept only three hours before I had to get up in my futile attempt to sneak back into my own apartment, and I'd not managed to catch a nap today, so I was dead tired. Still, thoughts of Alice crept into my mind, making me smile as I closed my eyes, reliving moments from last night before I went to sleep.

"It already came true," Alice said softly, her silver eyes wide as she looked at me.

God, she took my breath away.

She leaned across the blanket toward me, the dessert forgotten as her lips met mine. Our kiss was soft and sweet at first, our lips moving tenderly against each other as I raised my hand to cup her cheek. Her arms snaked up around my neck and she pulled herself closer, her lips parting in a soft sigh.

Her sigh ignited something within me, and I just had to taste her. I gently traced her lower lip with my tongue, shivering when her tongue met mine. We kissed deeply, slowly, as a steady burn began to spread through my body, igniting every nerve and heightening all my senses.

My skin tingled, aching for her touch, and I moaned when her hands slid from my neck to the collar of my shirt, beginning to unbutton it. At my moan, she whimpered and pressed herself closer to me, her fingers making short work of the buttons on my shirt. She slid it down off my arms and then lifted the hem of my t-shirt, silently asking me to remove it.

Breaking our kiss, I yanked the t-shirt over my head and tossed it aside, and then dove back into her arms, hungrily kissing up and down her neck as she rolled her head back and tangled her fingers in my hair.

She tugged my head back up and attacked my lips, sucking lightly on my tongue as her hands once more slid down my neck, this time running over my abdomen. I moaned loudly as she traced a finger along the skin just above my belt, and I gathered her in my arms, standing suddenly with her cradled against my bare chest.

I looked down at her questioningly, trying to figure out if this is what she wanted. She nodded at me, but I had to know… "Alice, are you sure?" I asked, my voice husky.

She smiled at me lovingly and stretched up, licking along my jaw and making me shiver. She whispered back, "I've never been more sure of anything in my life…I need you, Jazz." And then she lightly bit my earlobe, ending all rational thought.

My lips crashed back against hers as I carried her into her bedroom to find it brightened by the moonlight streaming in through the gossamer curtains. Her bed was large and inviting, but it was covered with those infuriating throw pillows piled everywhere. I set her gently on the bed and then shoved the silly throw pillows off, making her giggle. I smiled back at her, brushing the hair off my forehead as I climbed onto the bed beside her.

My heart was pounding in my chest, and my body was aching for release, but I wanted to make this special for Alice – show her just how much I adored her – and so I worked hard to beat back the lust that was threatening to consume me.

I kissed her deeply, lightly running my fingers up and down her arm, making her roll towards me and pull me partially on top of her. She moaned when she felt my hardness pressing against her hip, and her kisses became more feverish, her hands fisting in my hair as she tilted her head. If she kept that up, there's no way I would last, so I broke away from her lips, kissing and licking her neck as I moved to her collarbones and softly nibbled. I sucked at the hollow of her throat and began slowly unbuttoning her shirt, smiling as I blew lightly, raising goose bumps on her skin.

I continued my exploration with my lips, moving the fabric of her shirt away as I kissed the swells of her breasts above the delicate lace of her bra. I lifted my eyes, looking up at her through the fringe of my lashes as I bit my lower lip to keep from moaning at the expression on her face while I reached beneath her to unhook her bra. I slid the straps down off her arms, unable to stop the groan when her flesh was finally exposed to me. I lowered my face, kissing all around her breasts before finally taking one sensitive nipple into my mouth. I teased it with my tongue, relishing the sweet taste of her skin, and was nearly undone when I heard her moan my name.

"Jasper…" she breathed with such longing.

"Alice," I whispered against her skin, trailing kisses down her abdomen. I moved to the sensitive skin just above her hipbone, smiling to myself when she squirmed. My hands slid up her thighs, caressing and squeezing as they made their way to the button of her slacks. I slipped the button out easily and began unzipping them teasingly slowly, my lips working their way back to her navel.

I looked up at her, my lips still against her belly, as I questioned her once more with my eyes. She raised her hips lightly in response and whispered a breathy, "Please," as her fingers caressed my face. I needed no more encouragement.

I slid the fabric down over her hips, slipping her underwear off at the same time. I sat back on my knees for a moment, drinking in the sight of her lying pale and nude in the moonlight, her skin seeming to shimmer.

"Breathtaking," I whispered.

Her eyes studied me, tracing along the planes of my chest and abdomen before coming to rest on the pants I was still wearing. She bit her lip and looked up at me, beseechingly. I unbuckled my belt and stood for a moment, leaving my remaining clothes in a pile on the floor. Alice smiled slowly, licking her lips as she looked at me. Oh. My. God. I didn't know how much more I could take.

But I was not finished with my reverent exploration of her body, so I lowered myself between her legs, my lips finding the soft flesh of her thighs as I kissed and sucked and licked, moving slowly upwards. Just as I reached the top of her inner thigh, I shifted, turning my attentions to the other leg, beginning just above the knee. I heard her hiss in frustration and bit back a smile.

Her hands found the top of my head, and she pulled, trying to urge me upward, but I would not be hurried. Alice was a goddess, and I would not be remiss in my worship. My hands kneaded her thighs as my lips made their way back up, and I smiled when my breath hit her center, making her twitch. I knew I wouldn't be able to hold out for long, and to be honest, I just had to taste her, so I lowered my mouth, gently touching her with the tip of my tongue.

I moaned at her taste and the whimper that escaped her lips. Now her hands tangled in my hair, and she would not be refused as she pulled me to her, encouraging my attentions. I began licking and sucking, delighting in the feel and smell and taste and sounds and sights that were my Alice. Alice surrounding me, Alice encouraging me.

She began writhing beneath me, lifting her hips in a rhythm that suited her. I needed so desperately for her to find her release, so I raised my hand, ghosting it along her thigh before it joined my mouth. I slipped one finger slowly into her, curling it forward as I continued to lick and kiss and suck, struggling to control my own needs as I tried to make sure hers were met. She pulled my hair and bucked her hips, calling out my name as I tasted her sweet release on my tongue. I smiled victoriously as I helped her ride it out, bringing her down from her heights as her head whipped back and forth on the pillow.

She panted for a moment and then said breathlessly, "Please, Jasper…please…"

I needed no more invitation, and my body was too far gone for my mind to control any longer. I lifted myself, my eyes finding and holding hers as I moved into position between her legs. I kissed her neck, nibbling along her jaw before finding her lips. I kissed her sweetly and whispered, "I am so in love with you, Alice," before entering her as gently as I was able.

My eyes rolled back in my head, and I heard my low voice call out her name as I felt her wrap around me, this feeling unlike any other I'd experienced before. Her hands found the small of my back, pulling me closer as she wrapped her legs around my hips. I was still for a long moment, wanting to prolong this feeling that I knew would drive me over the edge soon.

I felt one of Alice's hands caress my cheek before cupping it, and I opened my eyes to find her looking into mine. I leaned down, kissing her tenderly and passionately at once, as I began moving slowly, her hips rocking with mine. It took every ounce of control I didn't have to hold off the release my body was aching for, but I wanted her to reach it with me.

My hand found her breast, teasing her nipple with light pinches and pulls while my palm kneaded her flesh. I nibbled along her jaw, lightly running my tongue along her earlobe before working my way back to her lips again.

Her hips rose and fell, meeting mine in perfect rhythm. I heard when her breath began to speed up, nearing a pant, and I increased my attentions, lowering my head to suck on her nipple and bite it gently. Her writhing became frantic, and it was all I could do to hold on as I begged her, "Please, Alice…"

"Jasper!" she called out, panting, "I love you…" and her body shuddered beneath me, all of her muscles tightening and sending me careening over the edge with her. I gasped with the force of it, my body rigid before I finally collapsed, rolling us on our sides as my muscles turned to water. I gasped for breath for a moment, and then smiled when I saw her eyes open and stare into mine.

"I adore you, Alice," I whispered, kissing her sweetly. She smiled a sleepy smile and nuzzled her face into my neck, holding me close.

"You're everything to me now," she breathed, and I felt myself melt at her words.

I smiled into the darkness, and though my memories of the night were far from over, my fatigue was dragging me under, and I rolled onto my side, drifting off to sleep with the sweetest words ever said from my precious Alice on my mind.