Marked Chapter 2 - You Do Something to Me

JPOV

"Damn it all to hell...figures I can't find a decent place to park."

I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel, waiting for the light to turn green while my eyes scanned the street for a parking space but came up empty.

Fuck. I'm running late enough already thanks to that idiot. Moron shouldn't be allowed near a computer if he can't figure out how to fucking use one. Seriously, how hard can it be?

I'd spent the last fifty minutes on the phone with some jerk of a manager who was complaining that the program we'd made for him wasn't working right. Forty of those minutes I spent going over the steps he needed to follow. All the while, he kept getting more and more belligerent.

When he finally got a fucking clue, he spent the next ten minutes apologizing profusely, but by that point, I didn't even want to hear it anymore; I was so pissed. I was supposed to leave early today, so I could go home and change before my appointment with Billy to get my tattoo. But thanks to that fucker, I was now running late, with no chance to go home, and since I was supposed to meet the guys afterward for a drink, it looked like I'd be doing that in my work clothes, too.

Great. Just fuckin' great.

Right as the light turned green, I spotted a car leaving a parking space about half a block from the tattoo parlor. Thank God. I pulled in quickly, grateful that I wouldn't have to walk too far after all. I had to wait to get out, since cars were going by, which didn't help my mood at all. Finally there was a break in traffic, and I got out quickly, locking the door to my Camry after taking off my suit jacket and tossing it on the passenger seat - and making sure I had my phone on me.

Wouldn't be the first time I left the damned thing in the car.

Glancing at my watch, I sped up and covered the distance to Black Ink quickly, muttering under my breath as I went. When I got there, I looked through the window, my hand on the door handle. I saw Billy talking to someone, and I took a moment to admire the view before me. A tall, slender guy was leaning against the counter, his weight distributed unevenly, which afforded a great view of his ass.

Well, fuck me...

I couldn't see much else of him, though, since his back was to me, but I wondered if the rest of him would be as delectable as that ass in those jeans. I caught a shimmer of coppery hair as the guy straightened slightly and reached over to shake Billy's hand. I noticed Billy's eyes had flickered to the door just prior and was sure he had seen me, so I figured I’d better get in - not to mention, I wanted a better view of the man who looked like he was about to leave.

As I stepped through the door, the guy leaning on the counter stood up and turned around, giving me my first look at his face as his eyes roamed over my body. Billy smiled as he called out to me, and I walked over to them, making sure to keep my focus on Billy, only glancing at the man next to him as I asked if I was interrupting anything. Billy assured me I wasn't and introduced me to Edward before leaving us alone as he went to get my design.

I finally allowed myself to get a good look at him as we shook hands, letting my eyes roam his body - taking in his lean but toned torso, covered in a thin, deep green t-shirt. His jeans fit him well, not tight but well-worn and molding to him in ways that revealed his equally toned legs. My gaze traveled all the way down to his black Doc Marten shoes before I slowly brought my eyes back up to his face. I felt a smirk on my lips when I realized he was still drinking me in.

I didn't get a clear look at his eyes, as they were covered by his lashes while he looked down at my tie before his gaze moved lower, and I took the time to study his face unnoticed. He had a strong jaw and high cheekbones that gave his face a classic profile, and I found myself wishing I had the talent of Waterhouse or Millais to capture that face in its perfection. Since I didn't, I instead moved to study his lips, wetting mine in response when I saw the way he was smirking with his lips slightly parted. That unusual copper-colored hair of his was a mess; it looked like my hands had already been in it, pulling him closer the way I suddenly felt compelled to do. I wondered if there was a reason he was walking around with sex hair - or if he just always looked like that. His roaming gaze returned to my face at last, and I had the pleasure of seeing his green eyes widen when they met mine. I didn't know what he saw when he looked at me, but I could already tell those dark emerald eyes and smirking lips of his were going to be stuck in my mind for awhile.

Well fuck me sideways...

His grip was warm and firm as we held hands for longer than was strictly necessary, and I had a brief thought on how that hand would feel...elsewhere. He was the first to let go, asking me what I was here to get done, and I couldn't quite repress the smirk that wanted to form as I thought You, would be preferable, but..., instead saying, "Just having a knot done on my inner biceps…"

I shrugged, unbuttoning the cuffs of my shirt as I turned and walked into Billy's booth. I grinned as I heard him follow me not long after. I asked him if he had any tattoos and had to repeat myself as he was a little distracted. This should be interesting.

The grin on my face fell slightly, a blush creeping up in its stead as he pointed out the tribal tattoo that snaked around his arm. How the fuck did I miss that? I chuckled softly, giving myself a mental eyeroll at that lapse in attention.

I slowly took my tie off, taking care to undo the knot, rather than just pulling and scrunching the fabric too tightly. It had been a gift from Emily, and she'd have my hide if I treated it with anything other than respect. Not that I didn't take care of my clothes or anything, but the tie was special. I rolled it up neatly, placing it in my pocket so I wouldn't lose it, or - God forbid - forget it. We chatted a bit as I undressed, though the sight of him playing with his tongue ring distracted me as I tried to fight off images of what that thing could do when put to good use.

And by good use, I mean him sucking me off.

With that thought, an image of Edward teasing the head of my cock with that metal barbell sprang into my mind. Fuck, I just met this guy.

I finished unbuttoning my shirt and tossed it to the wall beside him. I grinned as I saw his eyes widen at the sight of my nipple rings, stifling a chuckle as he bit his lip. I watched his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed hard, trying to ignore the image of me nipping from it to his jaw. What. The. Fuck? I rolled my eyes at myself as I slipped my undershirt over my head and tossed it aside while motioning for Edward to take a closer look at my tattoos. "See?"

He stepped closer to examine the phoenix on my chest, and I could feel the heat coming off his body, his warm breath caressing my skin. I was suddenly very aware of my body's reactions to this man and had to work hard to suppress a groan, reminding myself why I'd gotten the phoenix to begin with. Thoughts of Paul quickly stifled any urge I had to act on what I might want to do if I didn’t control myself. When he asked me what the tattoo was, I couldn't keep my voice from being much colder than it had been up to that point as I told him it was a phoenix.

When he straightened up, I turned around, taking a deep breath and closing my eyes as I tried to shake thoughts of Paul. It was all fine and well to be reminded to not make the same mistakes twice, but it was another thing altogether to allow myself to wallow and become depressed again when there was no reason for it.

I could still feel Edward's presence close to me as he looked at the tattoo stretched across my shoulder blades. When he said he'd never seen anything like it, I couldn't help but chuckle as I told him it was a fractal. Not many people I knew outside of the math world had ever seen one, so it was a reaction I'd had before. He asked what a fractal was, and I invited him to look closer as I explained that a true fractal never ends, telling him where they could be found in both nature and math. They had always been fascinating to me and were often beautiful.

He had stepped even closer as he examined the fractal, his breath washing over me, and I found myself holding my own in...anticipation? I rolled my eyes, forcing myself to keep my breathing even as I finished off my explanation with, "Plus, they can look pretty badass," grinning as I imagined his reaction.

I expected a chuckle or a “Yeah, that’s cool.”

What I wasn't prepared for was him lightly running his fingers over my back, tracing the tattoo as he whispered, "Beautiful." The sudden contact and the way he so lightly traced my skin sent shivers down my spine. I instantly craved more, and though the thought shocked me, the desire he'd stirred in me overruled as I slowly turned around and met his eyes, which were only inches away from me.

I thought I saw the same emotions in his eyes as they locked onto mine. He licked his lips, and I did the same in anticipation. The need to act and just kiss him - or more, despite being where we were - was almost overwhelming.

Before either of us could do anything, though, Billy came back, grumbling. Edward and I both snapped our eyes to him, and though I was annoyed at the interruption, I was also grateful.

What the fuck is going on with me? What's this guy doing to me?

I wasn't sure at that moment whether I wanted to find out what was so different about Edward or if I wanted to get out while I could. Though, really, leaving wasn’t an option I considered. I was here for a reason, and I wasn't about to walk out on Billy, since I'd made the appointment and wanted the tattoo.

When Billy asked Edward if he was going to watch, I found myself waiting for his answer, watching him closely. When I saw him blush, asking if I minded, I shrugged and said I didn't.

Fucker's cute when he blushes.

I mentally rolled my eyes at myself and looked away, sure that if I looked into those eyes again, I'd do...something. Instead, I just took my seat in the chair and got ready for Billy to start his thing.

Edward fidgeted, seemingly uncomfortable, and for some reason, the thought of his discomfort bothered me. When I heard him sigh, I looked up and saw him reaching into his pocket and making as if to leave, and that was something I really didn't like. Presented with the possibility of him leaving, I pouted. Fucking pouted like a child not getting his way. Dude, what the fuck?

He gave me a small smile as he settled back against the wall and stretched out his legs. I tried not to look at him, instead just looking straight ahead, but my thoughts had his legs wrapped around me instead, and I ran my fingers through my hair trying to stop the image. Damn it all.

When I heard Edward say, "Escher?" my eyes flew to his in surprise.

"You recognize that?" My eyes widened as he nodded. "I'm impressed."

He said he had one based on Escher's ‘Reptiles’ drawing, and I tried not to chuckle at the mental images that provoked. I couldn't help myself though and decided to tease him. “Cool. Show me." When he hesitated, I pushed a bit more. "Come on now. I showed you mine – let me see your lizard.”

I sure as fuck wouldn't mind seeing your 'lizard'.

He chuckled as he corrected me, saying it wasn't in a place most people usually got to see. I raised an eyebrow in question - definitely intrigued now - and when he said it was on his thigh, I found myself wanting to be one of the few who were allowed to see it. I told him thighs never bothered me, and he gave a cocky grin as he said that they might not bother me, but would surely bother Billy.

I looked at him, wondering what he meant until he smirked and mouthed, “Commando.” My mind was instantly barraged by images of him slipping out of those pants so I could discover for myself whether what I could see being hinted at through his jeans was as impressive as it promised to be - to see whether his curlies would be the same copper tone as his hair.

Oh, I definitely wouldn't mind a closer look.

I grinned at the thought as I looked at him. "Like I said, thighs have never bothered me."

I watched with satisfaction as he just looked back at me with a smirk of his own, apparently unable to think of a good comeback. I tilted my head as I tried to see what other tattoos he might have and asked him if I could see any of the others he'd mentioned. When he took off his shirt, I groaned softly. I could hear Billy stifle a chuckle, but when my eyes flashed to him, he was still studiously working on my knot - for all the world appearing engrossed in what he was doing.

My eyes found their way back to Edward, who was stepping closer to allow me a better view of his tattoos - not that I minded getting a better view of the rest of him, too. When he motioned over his shoulder in the direction of the yellow shield set on his shoulder blade over his heart, his muscles rippled in a way that made me wonder what he’d look like if he were doing something altogether different instead. I blinked, shaking my head slightly to clear the image of him on his hands and knees in front of me while my fingers gripped his hips, my blunt fingernails digging into his flesh.

Fucking hell...

I was grateful that his back was turned and that he was talking, giving me the time I needed to get a grip on myself, focusing on the blue lion that reared on the shield. Just below the shield was some text, and I thought it read, "Dum Spiro Spero," but I wasn't sure - and had no idea what the hell that meant anyway.

Before I had a chance to ask him, though, he turned, flexing his arm to give me a full view of the tribal tattoo that scrolled from his shoulder to just above his elbow. When he was done with that, he gestured to the inscription over his heart on his chest, and I tilted my head, trying to figure out what it was. He explained that it and the shield were for his parents, but he said nothing further on it. It wasn't something I was going to push him on, as I understood all too well that some things are too personal. I didn't want to share about my phoenix, and he had recognized and respected that. I would do no less for him, though I found myself wishing that maybe one day he'd feel comfortable enough to tell me the meaning behind them.

As he was pulling his shirt back over his head, I noticed another tattoo just visible above his waistband, and it appeared he really was going commando, as I could detect no hint of underwear peeking out from his jeans. I could, however, just make out what appeared to be the top of a lit torch and something leafy. A garland, maybe? My eyes were transfixed on that one tattoo, and the urge to pull Edward by the belt loops to get him closer so I could remove those offending jeans and get a good look at it...it was almost too much. I wanted to lick that tattoo, all the way down and...

Stop that right the fuck now!

Blinking, I forced myself to look up at Edward again and decided it was high time for a subject change, pushing the stirrings of desire he was evoking in me to the background.

I don't know anything about him. Not again.

I asked him what kind of music he liked, determined not to focus on the pull I felt toward him. When he said classic rock was his favorite, I had a hard time containing myself, sitting up straighter until the pull of Billy's hands on my forearm reminded me that I shouldn't move. I'm not sure exactly what I said, but music was one of my passions, and I always got pissed off when I found people who thought "I like classic rock" meant "I'm a Beatles fanboy." Don't get me wrong - the Beatles were fucking amazing and were without a doubt influential, but there were so many other great bands that were lost in the shadow they cast.

I ranted for a few minutes, expounding on the virtues of bands like Jethro Tull and Rush, before I realized that Edward wasn't listening. His eyes were glassy and unfocused, his gaze centered on my chest as that damn black metal ball moved slowly back and forth along his lips. I kept talking as I watched his tongue moisten his lips before his shifted his hips, his thumbs rubbing slowly, sensually along the top of the wooden ledge he was leaning against. I didn't know what he was thinking, exactly, but I knew that fucking look...and a part of me wished we were alone so he could act on whatever he was imagining.

Since that wasn't possible - and I was in serious need of a distraction before I let myself get too involved in trying to figure out what was on his mind - I decided to test him. "*NSync was the best band ever, though. They seriously are under-appreciated, and Justin Timberlake is a god."

I snickered when Edward just nodded and bit his bottom lip, his eyes never leaving my body. Billy shook his head, catching my eye in time for me to see a smile on his face. I glanced back over at Edward, about to say something profound about Lady Gaga, but he blinked and looked up at me, that tempting tongue ring disappearing back behind his lips. I couldn't decide if I was disappointed or relieved to see it go, but when he asked me about the kinds of movies I liked, the faint blush on his cheeks left me no choice - I had to tease him.

Too goddamn cute.

I arched my back as if I were stretching, reaching up to idly scratch just beside the piercing in my left nipple. I was rewarded with the sight of Edward's teeth lightly pressing into his bottom lip again as he took a deep breath and his eyes focused on the movement. I managed not to laugh, but I couldn't keep the smirk off my lips as I said, "I’m kind of a pain in the ass with movies…I pick them apart a lot. But I like a lot of different types. I guess I watch comedies more than anything, especially the random shit like Monty Python or whatever."

When Edward told me that he favored musicals - particularly anything with Gene Kelly - I stared at him, sure my eyebrows had disappeared in my hairline. He did not seem like someone who loved that sort of thing, considering his appearance anyway.

Though, Gene Kelly... man's got good taste.

When he mentioned Gene, I felt the smile on my face and couldn't resist talking about my love for Dean Martin. He seemed a bit surprised until I pointed out that he - a man with tattoos and a tongue ring - had just said he liked Gene Kelly musicals. That earned me another one of those alluring smirks.

We talked a little more about movies and various other things. When I asked him about what brought him to the parlor, since he obviously hadn't gotten any work done, he told me about the book he was working on. I watched as he became more animated, his face lighting up as he explained about the graffiti and tattoos. The way his face brightened made me smile, and I found myself wishing I could see it more often, to not just be witness to it, but the reason for it.

The smirk that adorned his face when I asked him about piercings stirred the need to kiss him again, and I had to stifle a groan. That smirk should be fucking illegal... I noticed he was tracing the wood grain of the wall again, and I couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to have him running his fingers over my skin like that.He asked if I would mind posing for him to be included in his book, and I paused, glancing down at Billy working as I thought.

Is he serious, or is it just an excuse?

Either way, I'm fucking in.

The thought of spending more time with him was certainly very enticing, and I gave him a smirk of my own. After finding out he'd be taking the pictures at his house, I was sure that there would be more to it than just him wanting pictures of my tattoos - and that was more than okay with me. I gave him an appraising look again and had to stop myself from sighing.

Definitely interesting.

We talked a little more about his work, eventually coming back to our favorite movies. I had long lost track of the time and was surprised when I felt Billy begin to clean the tattoo and bandage it. I felt almost disappointed that my time with Edward was up, though the thought of seeing him again after I was healed was enough to keep the disappointment from showing on my face.

Once Billy was done, I got up and walked over to Edward since he was standing next to where I'd tossed my shirts. My arm brushed against his as I grabbed my undershirt. I pulled it over my head slowly, idly thinking that this really was backwards - around him, clothes should be going off, not on. I smirked at the thought as I put on my button down next, taking my time to work each one. When I looked at Edward through my lashes, though, I saw that faraway look in his eyes again and felt a slight sting of disappointment that he hadn't been watching.

I left my tie in my pocket and kept the top buttons undone, tucking my shirt into my pants quickly as I walked over to the counter to settle my tab with Billy. Edward stood a little to the side, waiting. I was certain that he was waiting to talk to me.

Maybe he wants to go out. I could definitely live with that.

Billy left for the back, leaving just Edward and me in the store. As we walked to the door, my cell phone rang. Why the hell couldn't this have been the time I left the goddamn thing in the car? Fuck! I glanced the caller ID, muttering, "Sorry..."

I grinned when I saw it was Eric and answered, stopping just by the door. I saw Edward move to check out the artwork at one of the booths as I heard Eric speak up.

"Hey J, got your message..."

His voice was quiet, subdued, but I was hoping he was just tired from his trip. He'd been out of town but was due back today, something I'd made sure of before setting up the late dinner. “Yeah, man, we’re all going out tonight…”

"Dude, I appreciate the invite, but you know D and I just broke up right before I had to go to this seminar.”

I sighed and glanced at Edward. He was standing with his back to me, leaning closer to the wall to examine something – I couldn’t see what. I lowered my voice, saying, “Yeah, man, I know…I’m sorry.”

“I think I'm just going to go home and fucking veg. Just let me know next time, okay?"

Fuck no, he can't bail, not tonight. I ran my fingers through my hair in exasperation, momentarily forgetting where I was - and who I was with - as my excitement about the reason for our get together tonight grew. This shit's too important for him to stay home and mope. He needs to get out anyway. “No, you have to come! It’s the last chance for us all to get together before the baby!”

"Oh shit...is that soon?"

I grinned as I thought about Angela and Ben. They were the first of us to have kids – shit, the only of us to be married – and we were all excited. Ang, especially, was ready for the baby to come already. “Yup, she’s due this weekend – can you believe it?”

"Fuck..." He sighed, and there was a pause before he finally said, "Yeah, I guess I should be there. I'm probably going to bail early, though. We meeting at Aro’s?"

I confirmed that we were and glanced down at my watch. "Damn, everyone else is probably there already, or close to it." Damn it. How did I not realize how late it was? "I'm heading over there now. See you in a few?"

Eric agreed, and despite his reluctance to go, I was happy to hear that he sounded like he was in a little bit better mood. Knew it would do him good to hang out with us. I hung up the phone and slipped it into my pocket, turning around to find Edward watching me. My smile began to fade as I saw the expression on his face - he looked...sad, somehow. His lips curved into a small, melancholy smile, and he lifted his hand toward me, holding a small piece of paper between his fingers and thumb.

I took the card from him, and I felt my eyes widen as I glanced down at the address. "Beacon Hill?"

Fuck, Musical-boy's livin' the good life, it seems. I looked up at him as he nodded. “Give me a call when that tattoo heals, and we can arrange a time for you to come over? If you still want to, of course."

He paused for a moment as his eyes met mine before lowering his voice and adding, “I’d really like to hear from you…I think that fractal would make a great addition.”

I frowned, puzzled by his sudden change in demeanor. Was I imagining shit? I was certain that we'd hit it off, and the way he had said he'd like to hear from me made me believe he'd felt it, too. Opening my mouth to call him on it, I was interrupted by my phone ringing again. Motherfuck! I glanced down at the caller ID, really wanting to just toss the damn thing out the window, but when I saw Emily's name on the display, I smiled as I answered, "Hey..."

Edward interrupted, saying he'd see me later. Emily was already chattering away as I replied, “Yeah…later. Hey, it was nice to meet you, man!”

I waved at him as I walked out the door, putting the phone back to my ear and asking Emily to repeat what she said, apologizing for not having listened the first time. She kept up a mostly one-sided conversation as she told me about this guy in one of her classes. My mind was only half on what she was saying, the other half going over the night and Mr. Richie Rich. He hadn't asked for my number, and I felt a stab of disappointment at that, but I had his. And I had a reason to call.

I smiled as I checked traffic to make sure I could safely get in my car as I hit the auto-lock. After a few cars passed, there was finally a break, and I got in quickly, waiting to drive until Emily was finally done with her need to share. I would have put my Bluetooth on, but I knew she hated it when I talked to her on that thing, so I patiently sat and waited, offering commentary when called for.

When I got off the phone with Emily, I dropped it into the cup-holder beside me. I realized I was still holding Edward's card - it was slightly bent now from being in the same hand that had held my keys. I looked at it for a moment, a smile tugging at my lips as I tapped the card against my fingers. Better put this somewhere safe. I grabbed my wallet, tucking the card behind my driver's license before putting my wallet back in my pocket.

About twenty minutes later, I finally arrived at our favorite little haunt. It was a small, family-owned Italian restaurant, and we'd been coming here for years. The owners knew each of us by name and also knew our favorite drinks, which usually ended up being delivered to us the moment our asses landed in our usual seats.

I waved at Aro and Gianna as I made my way over to Angela and Ben, planting a big kiss on Angela's cheek, causing her to giggle. "Hey Jazz, glad you could make it."

I grinned at her as I patted Ben's shoulder in greeting. "Angie, you know I wouldn't miss this. I'm just glad you were up to coming."

Taking the only free seat available - which was on Angela's other side - I waved at everyone else. It was good to see us all together again; it had been a while since we'd last managed to all get together at the same time. Peter was busy talking to Eric and Alice, and they all waved back with a grin before going back to their conversation.

To my right, Mike and Jessica were chattering away about something which held no interest for me; they both nodded in greeting, though Mike gave me a brief, scrutinizing look. I rolled my eyes at him but was spared any further action by Gianna appearing at my side with my usual Sam Adams. I grabbed her hand, kissing the back of it as I thanked her and gave her a wide grin.

Gianna blushed fiercely - as she always did - and walked away quickly. Angela and Ben sat watching me with amused expressions, and Angela shook her head. "You know... you just don't play fair, Jasper Whitlock. You bat for the other team, but throwing those wicked little grins of yours around without any discretion at all to us poor women folk..."

Her eyes danced mischievously as she tried to repress a grin of her own, so I grabbed her hand, pressing the back of it to my lips before flashing her a grin, too, murmuring, "I don't know what you're talkin' about, darlin'."

I winked at her as she giggled. She looked radiant, albeit a little tired. She carried her pregnancy with dignity, though I'm sure she would kill me if I ever suggested as much. I'd gone with her to the doctor on her checkups the few times Ben had been out of town and unable to make it back in time, and Ang and I had gotten closer than we'd already been.

Ben had been grateful that I'd been there, and I was only too happy to lend a hand. They were, for all intents and purposes, my family here in Boston. I glanced around the table again, smiling to myself. Each and every one of them was like family to me, and I'd do whatever I could to be there for them, and they for me. It had been like that pretty much since the beginning.

I frowned a little as I realized where my thoughts were headed and quickly squashed them down, not wanting to tarnish the night with thoughts of Paul. Tonight was to have fun and hang out with friends one last time before we would have a new addition to our throng - one we'd all been looking forward to. Angela was telling me about her day and how she had been determined to make it to the party tonight, so she had made sure to get in a long nap. I grinned at her as I took a long pull from my beer, which Ang eyed longingly as she sipped her water.

Aro and Gianna soon showed up carrying huge trays, filled with plates of food which they put on tray stands before handing each of us our plates. As was our usual custom, we spent as much time stealing bites off everyone else's plates as we did actually eating our own food. Aro kept a steady flow of drinks and breadsticks coming to our table, though by now I'd switched from beer to water as I was driving. The food was fantastic - as always. Once we were all done eating, we settled into our usual routine, and soon there were several conversations going at once.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and glanced up to see Alice leaning over me with a big grin. "Hey, stranger."

I twisted in my seat slightly, placing one hand on her cheek, planting a kiss on the other. "Hey, yourself! It's good to see you. Where's Becca?"

Alice wrinkled her nose a little and explained that Becca was off to visit her twin. We chatted for a bit, catching up on how the other was doing. It seemed she was very busy with her many endeavors but loving every minute of it. I knew her well enough to know that she wouldn't have things any other way; that girl could put the Energizer bunny to shame. I honestly didn't know where she found the energy to keep up with everything and spend as much time with Becca as she did. But, she did it, and she was happy, which is all that really matters, I suppose.

When she reached for my water to steal a sip, I noticed the bandage on her neck, and I tilted my head at her, grinning. "What did you get done this time, Ali-cat?"

She straightened up, her hand going to her neck with a soft chuckle. "Oh! I got a Moogle."

I raised an eyebrow at her, chuckling. "A Moogle...? I'd love to know the story behind that one, darlin'."

She shook her head with a grin. "The long and short of it is that it's something between me and Becca. I'm hoping it'll be healed in time for her return. I got it today, so..."

"Really? I got one earlier, too. Billy set me up with a knot."

Her eyes began to sparkle - always a sure sign of her being up to something, and it usually meant a set up of some sort for me. I sighed softly as she asked, "So Jasper, are you seeing anyone lately?"

I shook my head, deciding to try and charm my way out of her latest attempt at matchmaking by teasing her, "You know I think you're cute and all, Alice, but you're just not my type...besides, Becca would have my balls, and I like them where they are."

She rolled her eyes, laughing as she slapped my shoulder playfully. "Just answer the question, smart ass."

"No, not really. Why?" I frowned at her, my suspicions definitely raised now.

"Well, I was going to see..."

Before she could get the rest of her sentence out, though, Ben walked up behind us, putting a hand on each of our shoulders. "Hey you two, sorry to interrupt, but could Angela and I talk to you for a second?"

We both nodded, and Alice stepped aside so I could get up to follow Ben to a quiet corner of the restaurant. Ang was already sitting at a table, looking exhausted but happy. I took a seat next to her and put my hand on her neck, rubbing it gently, earning me a quiet smile from her. Alice had taken a seat opposite Angela, and Ben sitting down next to Alice, folding his hands in front of him on the table. He looked at us each in turn. "So...we've been meaning to ask you for a while but wanted to have you both together to do it...and I know this is kinda late and all, but things got sort of hectic and..."

I cut him off with a chuckle, "Ben! You're rambling. Come on, man, out with it. What's up?"

Ben took a deep breath, his eyes focusing on Angela, who nodded as they silently communicated. I was still watching Ben, but it was Angela that spoke up, "We wanted to know if the two of you would like to be the godparents of Mini-me here." She rubbed her belly gently and smiled at us.

Alice let out a small squeal, "Are you serious? Of course!! Yes, I'd love to be the baby's godmother! I'm honored that you'd ask me. Thank you so much!"

She turned in her seat so she could hug the stuffing out of poor Ben, who just chuckled and hugged her back, patting her back gently as he looked at Ang and me from the corner of his eye. I sat back in my seat, my hand having stilled on Angela's neck. I felt her turn to look at me, and I grinned at her. "I'd be honored, Angie...Ben. Thank you."

I leaned in to give Ang a careful hug, kissing her cheek lightly as I did so, whispering, "Thank you; you don't know how much that means to me."

We sat and talked for a few more minutes before rejoining the others, and they announced the news. Mike gave me a huge grin as well as two thumbs up, and I couldn't help but chuckle at him. He knew that family was big for me, even if I never did see me having one of my own.

The evening wound down, and we all began to say goodbye not long after. Alice had thankfully been so distracted by the fact she was going to be a godmother that she hadn't brought the topic of dating around again - something I was very grateful for. I loved Alice, but I really hated being set up, even if - according to her - it was with 'Mr. Right-For-Me'. I rolled my eyes at myself at that thought before hugging everyone goodnight, including Aro and Gianna, thanking them for putting up with us yet again - to which Aro just laughed and told me we would always be welcome.

When I finally made it home, I was exhausted. It had been a long day, but I had to admit, an interesting one. Hanging my keys up on their hook, I kicked my shoes off, placing them under the little bench next to the door before walking through the living room to the small hallway leading to my bedroom. I didn't bother turning on any lights, as the streetlights filtering through the curtains provided enough light to see by. When I got to my room, I walked to my closet, pulled down a hanger, and hung my suit jacket up carefully. I removed my tie from my pocket, gently straightening it out before hanging it on the little tie rack.

I started unbuttoning my shirt as I walked over to my bed. Slipping out of the shirt and tossing it into the hamper between the bed and closet, I reached for my wallet to put it on my nightstand next to my phone like I always did. When I wrapped my fingers around it, though, I sat down on the edge of my bed, opening it and staring at the card poking out from behind my driver's license. After sitting like that for a minute or so, I took the card, tossing my wallet onto the nightstand.

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees, pursing my lips as I thought about the hours I'd spent with Edward at the parlor. My hands were clasped together with the edge of the card under my thumbs, the paper a pale rectangle in the dim light while the black text of his name stared up at me. I sighed as my mind went over all the looks, sounds, and gestures that had passed between us. I had been so certain he would make a move, anticipated it, even.

It took me a moment to realize that I had ended up tapping the card against my lips. Shaking my head, I grabbed my wallet again, tucking the card back in place, making a mental note to leave it at my desk, or I'd be tempted to call him. Just the thought of hearing his voice again was enough to make me groan and roll my eyes at myself.

I quickly undressed, stripping completely before crawling under the covers. The sheets were cool, making my skin feel hypersensitive where they brushed against me. I gave a lazy smile at the memory of meeting Edward as I shifted my hips, turning my head to the side on my pillow with a quiet sigh. I remembered the way he’d looked in that tight-fitting t-shirt and those low-slung jeans, a soft moan passing my lips when I thought of the fact that there had been nothing between me and a very naked Edward but a thin layer of worn denim and green cotton.

Fucking commando.

I could feel myself beginning to harden, and my smile broadened as my eyes closed and I took my bottom lip between my teeth. Edward was absolutely gorgeous…that face, those eyes, those goddamn lips, and the way that broad chest narrowed toward his waist…he was just sexy as fuck. And he’d spent the whole night watching me with lust clear on his face.

Who could resist that shit?

Not me.

Taking my already semi-hard cock in hand, I stroked it a few times as I thought of the way the muscles in his toned back had moved when he pointed out the ink on his shoulder blade. I wanted to lick that shield, trace its shape with my tongue and bite his shoulder as I slowly thrust my cock into him.

My grip tightened as I imagined the way his tight ass would feel surrounding me, and when I thought of the sound of his seductive voice moaning my name, I grew impressively harder. For a split second, I felt a faint stirring of panic when I thought about the incredibly strong reaction I had to him – it wasn’t just him physically, although that was sure as fuck what was doing it for me right then – it was everything…his intelligence, the way he made me laugh, the appreciation he had for body art, the strange assortment of things he liked. All of it. I wanted it all.

And that scared the shit out of me.

I paused, my hand freezing on my dick. Do I really want to do this?

Fuck. Yes.

I opened my eyes, looking for the box of tissues on my nightstand. I pulled it toward me and frowned. Goddamn empty? I tossed it away, letting it land on the floor as I reached down and felt around, finding my discarded boxers. They’d do.

I left them lying on the bed beside me and settled back in, closing my eyes. I started from the beginning this time, imagining the way his lips would feel on mine and the way that little bit of stubble would scratch my lips as I nipped along his jaw. I could see myself grabbing his belt loops, pulling him to me roughly as he ground his hips into mine. I could feel his hands on my ass, squeezing, holding me closer as his hard cock met mine through our jeans.

Shooting my fantasy Edward a warning look, I commanded, “You fucking stay right there.” I watched as he smirked, and I pulled his shirt over his head and licked my way down his torso to that torch tattoo I’d seen peeking over the waist of his pants. I was frustrated that I couldn’t imagine it clearly, so I just covered it with my lips, licking and nibbling as my fingers ripped open his button-fly jeans. I yanked them down over his hips and licked my lips as I imagined the sight of his cock standing tall and proud right in front of me. I watched it twitch as my breath washed over it and smirked, raising my eyes to see the Edward of my imagination watching me with hooded lids.

In my bed, my right hand was wrapped around my cock, and I was stroking myself slowly, building the sensation as I let my mind take me to where I really wanted to be. I kept my hand near the head, teasing the rim while my thumb swirled pre-cum along my slit.

I felt Edward’s cock filling my mouth, pressing down on my tongue as I sucked, creating a vacuum that had his knees shaking in no time. I imagined his hands on my shoulders, his low voice murmuring, “God…fuck…feels so…so good…”

I saw myself pulling away, grinning wickedly at the way his body slumped with the loss of contact, but I was far from finished with him. I grabbed his hips, forcing him to turn around. I was suddenly nude in that weird way fantasies had of working, and my hard cock nestled between his ass cheeks as I pressed myself against him, whispering in his ear, “Bend over.”

My hand began to speed, my fingers massaging the underside of my dick as my lips parted, and I began to pant. My left hand reached between my thighs, teasing my balls before they dipped lower and pressed against my perineum, eliciting a loud moan.

The Edward in my mind groaned as I did, reaching back to grip my hips as he bent over the back of my couch. In my fantasy, lube was spread over my cock, and I stroked myself as I moved closer to Edward. The muscles in his back were defined, rippling as he placed his elbows on top of the couch and braced himself for me. I pressed my head into him slowly, hearing him hiss, “Ahh shit…fuck…Jazz…” I paused, but his hands pulled me closer as he begged breathlessly, “Fuck, no…don’t…don’t stop…more…fuck me…”

And suddenly, I was fucking him, the sight of our imaginary bodies joined together making my hips buck on my bed as I stroked myself furiously. The fingers of my left hand pressed and rubbed beneath my balls, and my feet drew towards my ass, my knees spreading. The only image in my mind was that of Edward’s face in ecstasy as my hips pounded into him from behind, his back glistening with sweat while his rough voice grunted and cursed.

I barely had time to get the boxers over the head of my cock before my release was spilling into them, my shoulders and knees both lifting off the bed as I came hard. My hand slowed but didn’t stop, squeezing out every moment of pleasure before I collapsed back on the mattress with a breathless grunt.

“Fuck me,” I whispered in a voice I barely recognized as my own before I cleaned myself up, bunching up the boxers with the mess on the inside and dropping them to the floor. I lay flat on my back, both arms raised over my head as I fell asleep almost instantly.

The weekend went by uneventfully. I slept in on Saturday after having stayed out as late as I did and spent the rest of the day just relaxing at home, sketching mindlessly, just to have something to do with my hands. Sunday was equally quiet, hanging out in front of the TV, spending a lot of time yelling at the Red Sox as they played the Angels; they lost, despite my best coaching techniques. Usually Mike would come around and watch with me, or we'd go and play baseball with the guys, but Jessica and he had plans to visit her parents this weekend, and with Ben - and truthfully, the rest of us, too - on delivery alert...well, we had just opted to cancel plans this weekend.

Around lunch time on Monday, we got the call that Angela had gone into labor. I'd just unwrapped my roast beef sandwich and nearly choked on it when Ben told me they were heading to the hospital. He'd already taken the next couple of weeks off to be at home with her and the new baby, so we hadn't been expecting him to come in anyway. I immediately panicked, telling him I'd be right there, but Ben put Angela on the phone, and she told me that it would likely be hours and to just keep working.I don't know why any of us bothered to stay at the office. I know I, for one, didn't get shit done, as I mostly paced back and forth and checked my phone compulsively.

As soon as work ended, I drove over there and...waited. For nearly eight fucking hours, I waited at the hospital, alternating between visiting with Angela and Ben in her delivery room and sitting out on the uncomfortable vinyl chairs in the waiting room with the rest of the guys. They came and went, most of them going home for good by midnight, but when Ben stepped out of the delivery room at 2:13 that morning, Mike, Eric, and I were there to hear that Isabella Marie Cheney had joined our little extended family.

I guess I'd seen too many movies because I was expecting to see a perfect little baby all wrapped up in a blanket with a pink hat just sleeping peacefully. Instead what I saw in Ben's arms was a squirming, screaming infant with a red face and some sort of...white stuff...around her ears and nose. She was cute, I think, but it was kind of hard to tell with her face all red like that and her eyes squinched up. She had a full head of black hair, wet and slicked down against her head, and she was all wrapped up in a blanket except for her tiny fist, which she was waving in the air.

And despite all that, I felt myself smile. Holy shit...that's my goddaughter.

It wasn't until the next day that I finally got to hold her. I stopped by on my lunch break, and Ang looked tired but happy as she saw me and beckoned me to her side. She’d been holding Isabella, and I had a hard time tearing my eyes away from them. When she asked if I wanted to hold her, I could only nod and hold out my arms as she laid her carefully in my embrace.

I stood, watching in awe as little Isabella - Bella, Ang corrected me - made small noises as she slept. I remembered holding Emily when she was born, but I'd been still been a boy, and though she was my little sister, this was something altogether different. So precious... I looked up as I heard the click of a camera and grinned at Ben, nodding my thanks as I knew I'd end up with a copy of the picture he had just taken. I wanted to remember this moment.

Alice walked in right as I was about to hand Bella back to Angela. I looked at Ang, silently asking her if I could hand her to Alice instead, and she nodded with a smile. I walked up to Alice, who put her purse on the foot of Angela's bed before reaching out and taking Bella from my arms.

"Here, Ali-cat. Look at what you helped make possible..." I murmured softly.

Alice's eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she looked up from Bella to me, before smiling at Angela. "Yeah, good thing you decided to come with me to the club, huh? Little Bella wouldn't be here otherwise."

She grinned slightly before gazing back down at her goddaughter. Angela was chuckling as she thanked Alice once again for setting her up on the date that led to her and Ben getting together. I was certain that Alice would never let them forget it, either. She was quite proud of having been successful in her matchmaking.

I watched Alice holding Bella for a few minutes before deciding I'd better head to the office again. Alice was too enthralled with the baby, and I didn't want to give her a chance to snap out of it enough to try and set me up again. After kissing little Bella on the forehead and giving Ang and Alice a quick hug each, I was out the door.

The following week and a half was spent doing the usual mundane shit like working. The only breaks in the monotony were the short visits I took to see my goddaughter. The rest of my time, I was mostly stuck in meetings or on the phone with customers. It was pretty goddamn boring, but it was part of the job, so I dealt with it. I always had a pad on hand - and a pen or pencil - as I had a tendency to doodle. It was a habit I'd once tried to break but over time had just accepted and taken into account accordingly.

Every day, though, I woke up and checked my tattoo. And every day I got more antsy when I saw that it still wasn't healed, especially when I'd get to the office and see his card staring me in the face. I had tucked it into the side of my desk pad, and it seemed to loom larger each day, catching my eye when I was on the phone or filling out paperwork. It also didn't help that Mike kept teasing me about my doodling.

He had come in to my office one day to talk about one of our upcoming trips and found me doodling while I was on hold on the phone. He'd taken the pad from me, looked at it, and given me a pointed glance, though for once, he at least had the good grace to wait until I was done on the phone before starting in on me. Normally my doodling wouldn't have interested him much, but what was - quite literally - staring up at him from the page he was holding clued him in that something - or rather someone - was on my mind.

He'd flipped through the pad, finding page upon page filled with Edward's eyes, lips, his face, hands... He had been my sole subject ever since I met him - something that both worried and excited me. Mike knew me well enough to know that this was unusual for me, and he tried time and again to find out who this new interest was, but I wasn't about to tell him I was fixating on some guy I met for only a few hours at a tattoo parlor. I knew that he would worry and remind me to not jump in head first, at least not without knowing how deep the waters were, so to speak.

Since I wasn't giving in on who the mystery man was, he decided to tease me relentlessly about it.

Fucker.

He'd been making suggestive comments about how absorbed I was in my work and how I had an eye for design when we were in sales meetings, each time glancing over and smirking at me. I rolled my eyes at him, internally shrugging. He wasn't finding out shit until I knew something more, and besides - if that was the best he could think of, I owed it to him to make him try harder.

The tattoo had been healing, albeit way too slowly for my impatient ass, but when I woke up on Friday morning two weeks after I got it and looked at it in the mirror, my eyes widened. I glanced down, inspecting it more closely. The last of the scabbing had fallen away, and it was completely healed, the black ink standing out on my paler biceps.

Shit.

I'd been waiting for that moment since I met Edward, but suddenly I felt a mixture of excitement and foreboding. I could call him today. Right now, if I wanted.

But do I really want to call him?

I snorted when I asked that question, looking at myself in the mirror. There was only one answer - fuck yes. I glanced at my watch before I pulled on my dress shirt, deciding that I didn't want to look like some whipped, eager little boy calling him at dawn. Lunch, I decided and smiled at myself as I adjusted my tie.

The day seemed to drag on endlessly, probably because I glanced at the clock every minute or so, just to see if another minute had passed. For once, nothing was distracting me, not even the thought of little Bella. Every time I tried to concentrate, my thoughts were pulled straight back to that little white card under the edge of my desk pad. The card with his number on it.

Of course it had to be a day when literally nothing was happening at work. I was caught up on everything, was in between sales trips, and Eric's department had all the programming under control for once. Finally, around 11:15, I got a call from the manager of one of the businesses we'd recently written software for. Thankfully, he was just calling to say thanks and to ask a few questions about some of the more complex features - I'd gone over them all with him when I helped set up their system, and I'd left the manual, but they never seemed to catch everything the first time.

When I finally hung up the phone, I glanced at the clock again.

12:08. Lunchtime.

I bit my lip, suddenly feeling nervous. Rolling my eyes at myself, I grabbed the card as I pulled out my cell phone. I'd refused to program the number, knowing I'd be too tempted to call before I should if I had it on my phone. I was almost done dialing the number before I realized I hadn't even needed to look at the card. I already had the number memorized. What the fuck?

The phone kept ringing, and I was beginning to wonder if I'd misdialed when Edward finally answered, “Hello?”

His voice was husky, and it had me squirming in my seat. Fuck! He even sounds like sex on legs on the phone! I cleared my throat before answering. “Edward? Hey, it’s Jasper.”

I was about to say why I was calling, when Mike popped his head around the door without knocking, "Hey Jasper, I need the file for the Thomason account. Do you have it still?"

I groaned and gritted my teeth, asking Edward to hold one second. I pulled the phone from my ear, resting it with the mouthpiece against my chest as I glared at Mike, my voice a lot harsher than I had intended it to be. "Mike, it's lunchtime. I'm on the phone. Whatever you need can fucking wait until I'm done."

Mike frowned and stupidly continued on, "Dude, I need that file; they're going to be calling..."

"Mike! I am on. The. Fucking. Phone! What part of that are you not getting?"

I glanced around my desk quickly, rifling through the files I had waiting on me, and grabbed the file he asked for, walked around my desk, and pressed it against his chest as I growled out, "Here's your damn file. Now get the fuck out. I'll check in when I'm done with lunch."

Mike looked confused for a moment before he took the file in his hand and turned to leave, shaking his head and muttering under his breath as he closed the door behind him.

Shit. Going to have to talk to him when I'm done. That was way out of line.

I took a deep breath to calm myself, cringing as I realized that Edward would have heard everything.

Fucking great.

I walked back to my chair and plopped down with a sigh, running my fingers through my hair nervously. "Edward, you still there? Sorry about that..."

"Yeah, I'm here. What's up?"

I ran my fingers through my hair again, letting out a slow breath before answering him, "Umm…yeah…was just calling to see if you were still interested...? In taking those pictures, I mean....for your book?"

Great, could you sound like a bigger tool? I bit the inside of my cheek in frustration, trying to keep myself in check.

"Oh...yeah, that'd be great. You're all healed up then?"

"Umm, yeah..." Way to sound intelligent there, Whitlock. "Yeah, it's healed up fine." I sat back in my chair, slowly swinging from side to side as I waited for him to say something. When he stayed quiet, I puffed my cheeks out with a sharp breath. "So..."

As I spoke, he finally replied, saying "Oh, good. Umm...well, did you want to maybe get together this weekend?"

I grinned at the thought of seeing him again so soon. Without really thinking about it, my hand found my pencil, and I began doodling, not paying any real attention to what I was drawing as I continued to talk. "Yeah...this weekend's fine. When?"

"I have this housewarming thing on Saturday for some friends of mine. So maybe Sunday evening? Around five or so?"

My hand hovered over the paper as I paused to consider the possibility of canceling the plans I had with the guys. Fuck. I can't cancel. It's Eric's birthday, and he's having a hard enough time right now with just being dumped by D. I can't do that to him. I sighed, "I can't...I'm going out for dinner." Pausing briefly, I muttered, "Damn it," before speaking normally again. "Earlier in the afternoon, maybe?"

"Oh." Did he sound disappointed? The possibility made me smile. "Yeah, okay. Two then? It shouldn't take more than a couple of hours."

The pencil was moving freely over the paper again as I thought this over briefly. "Yeah, two's fine."

There was a pregnant pause without either of us saying anything for a while until Edward finally spoke up.

"Okay then. I guess I'll see you Sunday. Oh - did you need directions or anything?"

I snorted softly at the thought of not being able to find his place. Fucking Beacon Hill. Yeah, I think I can manage that, Richie Rich. "No, I think I can find it..." I paused a moment, then added, "If nothing else...I can mapquest you."

There was another pause before I said, "So...yeah..." I cleared my throat lightly, trying to get rid of that awkward feeling that was settling in. "Sunday...two o'clock...I'll be there."

I could hear a faint rustling sound coming through the line as he gave a soft grunt, and I frowned. Ah fuck no. Sex-on-legs actually is in bed? I felt a stab of jealousy that took me by surprise as I wondered if he was alone.

"Alright. I'll see you then. Just umm...call me if you need anything?" There was a slight pause and then, "I mean, you know, if you need to reschedule or whatever..."

"Yeah... sure..." I was about ready to hang up when I realized I had one more question. "Oh! Umm...anything in particular I need to, you know, wear..?" I paused, trying to figure out how to say this, as it was true on more than one level. Not to get all emotional and shit, but it had been a long time since I'd felt anything like the pull I felt toward Edward, and the fact that I was letting myself maybe go after him was...well, fucking scary, to be honest. "Never exactly done...this ...before."

I can tell you what I won't be wearing. It sure as fuck won't be underwear. I stifled a groan as I thought back to the night we'd met, and the fact he had said he'd been going commando. That thought had been taunting me for the last two weeks - as well as providing ample source for a fantasy or twelve - and I was determined to do much the same to him if I could.

"Oh, umm...no, not really. Just whatever you're comfortable in. I want you to look like...you, really."

I frowned at that as I tried to figure out what it meant, exactly. I ran my fingers - pencil still in hand and all - through my hair. "Oh…okay...sure, no problem..." I chuckled softly and added, "That should be easy enough."

"Alright, well, I guess I'll see you then...Oh, and hey...thanks."

"You're welcome...see you then..."I ended the call, tossing the phone and my pencil next to the pad I'd been using. Groaning softly, I ran both my hands vigorously through my hair. Fucking hell, could that have been any more awkward?!

Sighing, I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my desk, finally glancing down at what I'd been idly drawing while on the phone with Edward. Staring up at me from the page was a pair of eyes. A pair that had become intimately familiar to me over the last two weeks. Edward's eyes. And he was looking up at me through hooded lids. Sex-on-legs.

Fuck me…

---

Chapter 1 ~ Chapter 3