Leaving a wonderful life Rudy Sinclair had always known was the worst thing that has ever happened to her.
Forks, Washington was absolutely Hell on Earth. Too much rain. Not a single Dr. Pepper in sight. She would surely die of thirst.
That is if...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Telling your whole life's story to someone who's had it worse than you really wasn't how Rudy wanted to spend her Spring Break.
And yet here she is, lying underneath Jasper's brown bedsheets dressed in a cozy pair of PJs Alice lent her, telling him about the first time she ever rode a horse. He listens carefully at her side with his arm wrapped around her thin shoulders.
Over the past few days, she's learned to crave his touch, his company. Jasper Hale, in all his addicting silence, is a miracle.
She doesn't know why her mouth opens and out pours these strange words. They're so foreign to the ear. Not even Bella knows half of these things he now does. Somehow this vampire knows the first time she was ever kissed.
It was behind the big metal bleachers at a little league baseball game in the eighth grade. The boy's name was Bret and he smelled of cheese. It was a weird night and Rudy went home with Grandma Velma with a sore throat.
For four long days, Rudy and Jasper never left his room unless it was to get her something to eat. Esme was more than happy to cook her something wonderful. Rudy liked the woman's simple grilled cheeses. They were slightly burnt and yet tasted like heaven.
Rudy finishes her story fairly quickly. Suddenly embarrassed to be talking about falling off a small red pony that had been painted to look like a zebra. She notices Jasper's gold eyes to be full of amusement.
"What's funny?" She asks as she sits up in his cozy bed. Noting how it feels so unused since she's been camping in it.
He shakes his head. The laughter in his head causes the blonde locks to fly around.
"Your time in Texas is so different from mine. So much better, even." Jasper's Southern drawl is deeper, intoxicating than Rudy's ever could have been.
Deep down in her heart, she's jealous of this. But it quickly melts away at the sight of his suddenly sad face.
That's when she realizes she wants to get to know this man. Because he wasn't just some vampire. There's more to these people than their unnerving gazes and creamy stern flesh.
Rudy's just so caught up in her own self-hate to notice that she doesn't even see others' pain. Maybe that's why Grandma Velam sees darkness in her. This can be the way to help herself get rid of it all.
She gently adjusts, crossing her legs covered in pale pink plaid PJ pants. Her hands slowly find Jasper's. Rudy doesn't flinch as his cold skin meets hers. She wants his freezing skin to fuse with hers. The girl refuses to gaze too long at his scars or asks to confirm if they really are bite marks.
Jasper's sharp gaze joins her gentle one in an instant. His jaw has been set tightly. A hidden muscle ticking away beneath his skin.
"I have no idea what you've been through, but with time, I'd like to get to know you, Jasper Hale." Rudy means every word with everything in her.
