The sleek, silver Mercedes sat parked at the edge of the dense Forks forest, its polished hood catching the final, golden rays of the afternoon sun filtering through the pine needles. Inside the quiet luxury of Carlisle’s car, the atmosphere was thick with a warm, intimate stillness. Brielle leaned back against the leather passenger seat, her ankles crossed as she looked over at Jasper. Now that she knew his secret, the shifting, liquid gold of his eyes didn't frighten her; instead, it fascinated her. She reached across the console, her warm hand gently tracing the cool, marble-like skin of his forearm. Jasper let out a soft, low sigh, the sound echoing in the confined space. He turned his hand over, intertwining his icy fingers with her warm ones, his thumb tracing the back of her knuckles with agonizing slowness. Even now, as her boyfriend, the sweet, intoxicating scent of her blood hummed in his veins, but the deep affection radiating from her made the monster inside him fall completely silent. "You're thinking too loud, Jazz," Brielle murmured, a small, knowing smile tugging at her lips as she leaned closer. Jasper chuckled, a velvety sound that vibrated against her skin. He leaned in, resting his forehead against hers, letting his eyes close as he simply bathed in her warmth. "Just thinking about how incredibly lucky I am that you didn't run away."