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Mareux

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The Perfect Girl

https://youtu.be/bDOwSx5xXIw

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[29th June, 2006]

• • •

"TOMORROW'S YOUR LAST DAY," Carlisle stated, his brows furrowing as he watched Jodha from across the booth.

A faint, sweet scent intermingled with her natural, mouthwatering fragrance, and he couldn't help but admire the gleam in the dark waterfall of her tresses arranged neatly over her shoulder. She wasn't one for elaborate hairstyles and updos, the simplicity of her appearance only further exacerbating his primal need for her. Knowing she didn't need to primp or preen, or do anything that was out of her zone, to leave a lasting impression spoke volumes of her hold over him.

He simply yearned for her.

Dangerous, if he was being completely honest with himself. Had he vowed not to lay a finger on her? Knowing him, possibly. Was he going to keep his word? He always did, but the woman opposite him tested his self-control to astronomical degrees.

Recalcitrant reason and mind-boggling insanity laid within the same source of his psyche. Helping him leash the sordid part of himself that Jodha didn't need to see so early on in their courtship.

It was disrespectful.

Dirty.

Undeniably tempting.

God, if he was damned to Hell, he might as well ride the high.

All the more reason to be relieved of these casual dates.

Not Carlisle, though. Ever the masochist.

And right now, knowing that their daily lunch meetings were coming to an end tempered the air with something close to harsh disappointment.

Sure, there would be many opportunities to take her out on dates but...the casual air in these private meetings made space for discussions and topics of conversation that would otherwise be too cumbersome, too serious, for any other setting. They were emotionally intimate, cocooned by the fact that they shared the deepest parts of themselves while on these dates, relishing how much closer they had become due to it.

Touching her mind in such a manner, coaxing her - and him - towards the satisfaction of giving each other a glimpse into their vulnerabilities...well, it rivalled the majesty of a thousand setting suns. He never wanted it to end.

Fingertips tracing the edge of the cardboard menu on the table, even though they already ordered, Jodha hummed her affirmation to his words.

Her gaze never left the dratted thing and the slight darkening of her cheeks assured him that her actions were a mere diversion from meeting his gaze and not because she couldn't stand the sight of his face.

Thinking she was capable of the latter didn't sit well with him, but he welcomed and took immense pleasure in her bashfulness.

"I was thinking of another Friday night date." His stare didn't let up as he leaned back and rested his interlocked hands on the table. She glanced up at him, lodging the menu card back in the empty slot of the napkin holder, expression curious yet oddly closed off as she hitched her chin on the seat of her palm. "Perhaps a five-star restaurant then dancing? Forego our lunch date, if you'd like."

Her eyes widened, head shaking side to side as she straightened up. "I...I don't think I can do another date after what took place with the last one."

An amused rumble made its way out of his chest and the words were tumbling from his lips before he could even comprehend them. "Ahh, of course. How can I forget the way your hot tongue eagerly licked up the side of my face?"

Her eyes flashed at him, a pulsing anger giving way to unapologetic coolness. "Carlisle..." A warning lingered in her tone and he grinned, feeling more devilish than he did in his entire existence.

"Such zeal, darling. Makes me think you'd do it again if given the chance."

Her pretty hands curled into fists and he had zero doubt that she would've slapped the smug smirk off his face were they in a more intimate setting. Those tempestuous eyes scorched with such a glare, he considered apologizing for a moment, feigning a misstep, that he didn't mean what he said even though he would've been lying through his teeth.

He already lied enough. No force on this earth would make him tell any that were otherwise unnecessary.

Still, in a peculiar turn of events, he smelt her perfume. Lavender, lilies and her feminine fragrance billowing out towards him in a familiar, hazy fog. Her mouth pinched together as she maintained her glower but she didn't fool him, and the confidence that she was actually getting off to the idea of licking him again did inexplicable things to him. Things he had no business trying to pursue with his mate.

His fragile, human mate.

Magnetized by her electric pull, he swallowed the rising venom and licked his lips - unsure of how to feel about his mounting desire. His back straight, he leaned over the edge of the table, his looming presence giving him the confidence as he brought himself down to her eye level, forearms supporting his weight.

He took note of her every tenuous movement. The slight push of her elbows as she shifted forward to meet him halfway. The rustle of her pencil skirt sliding against the faux-leather seat towards the edge. The fractional rut of her hips as she-

Good God.

She was squeezing her thighs in an attempt to garner friction between her legs.

Another addictive wave of arousal hit him and he tried not to close his eyes as he inhaled deeply, strongly. Wanting nothing more in that moment to see how far his sweet darling was capable of going.

Maybe Emmett was onto something.

Maybe his little mate wasn't as chaste as that innocent face let on.

• • •

JODHA'S ANNOYED GAZE DIDN'T waver when he brought himself closer towards her, taking up all the room the table in the enclosed booth. Still, she found herself instinctively pushing forward, ready to meet him halfway even while he ruthlessly teased for her slight indiscretion that night.

Except the man before her seemed to be possessed.

Carlisle retained his gentility yet now, it seemed overshadowed by the rake whose words branded her in many ways than she tried to let on.

Her fingernails drummed on the table, desperate to change the subject. To hold herself to her promise. "You don't even know if I can dance."

"Can you?"

"Maybe."

"Guess we'll see when we get there." He appraised her with such a devastating, sexy look. "Then again, you always manage to surprise me when I least expect it."

Her face flushed in mortification at his reference. "I told you I was sorry for that."

"Are you?"

No, though I'll never admit it.

"I can't stop thinking about that tongue, Jodha."

Her head shot up; certain her astonishment lined her face even while her nipples tightened against her bra.

He was so close. Strands of windswept flaxen hair lined his forehead. Her fingers twitched and before she knew it, she was brushing them to the back, combing through his thick, vibrant hair. Breaking her promise before she had a chance to keep it.

His eyes slipped shut, a low groan emanating from his throat. As if her touch ignited every one of his nerve endings.

"You just can't resist, can you? Nor will you let me resist you."

Thrashing in her chest, her heart struggled to find a regular rhythmic pattern as she pulled her hand away. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, really?" A brow lifted, his golden stare fixated on her once more. "So, I don't arouse you then?"

A slow, wicked grin spread across her face, her voice light and playful. "Doctor...You're too scared to touch a woman's breast while kissing her. Do you think you can arouse me?"

A half-smirk tugged at his lips. "Only proves that I don't need to touch you to make you wet for me."

Holy Father Moses!

Who was this man and what did he do to sweet, respectful Carlisle?

Why am I so turned on by him?

Inhaling sharply, her eyes darted to and fro, blinking rapidly as she attempted to gather her wits while absorbing the filthy words Carlisle blessed her with in his melodic, drawling voice.

Her blood heated at his words, at the darkening in the fringes of his cat-like eyes, his stare sliding along her skin like a lover's caress, the way his presence seemed to crowd the space making it hard to focus on anything else but him, hard to breathe in anything else but citrus and rainforest.

How could she say it? How could she admit that she wanted to lick him from head to toe? To taste every inch of his porcelain skin until she had his taste, his unique flavour, inscribed in her brain and covering her tongue?

Her lower belly tightened, frustration weaving itself into every one of her pelvic muscles as her pussy screamed for relief. For release from the unbearable ache that was beginning to spread across her limbs. Squeezing her legs together only intensified the feeling and she bit her lip to keep from whimpering.

Their faces were inches apart, his sweet, cool breath gliding over her lips that her eyelids drooped shut for a split second and she gasped softly when his large hand bordered her face. His cool fingers splayed across her right cheek, tickling the lobe of her ear as his thumb traced the outline of her lower lip before passing over her lips, between them, and she bit back a moan when she met his fiery gaze.

"Carlisle..." His name left her in a breathy sigh as she melted into his touch and the fire blazed brighter.

"Tell me the truth, baby." His mouth hovered over hers, forehead resting on hers for a short moment before he rose his head to assault her with that feral gaze. "You're completely drenched for me, aren't you?"

She whimpered, unable to stand any more of this sweet torment. "I...I..."

Their knees bumped beneath the table. She found herself wrapping her lower calf around his, wanting to get close as possible without attracting attention from the other diners.

His nose nuzzled hers, trailing along her cheek until he was breathing hotly in her ear. "Tell me, darling. If I were to put my hand up your skirt right this moment, would I find you soaked and ready for me?"

"Yes!" she moaned; a muted, whispery sound laced with shameless need. It would only take a split second for him to glide into the seat right next to her, trail his hand beneath her skirt and along her trembling thighs, edge his way into her panties until his fingers found her aching, wet clit begging to be teased and tortured. She breathed hard. "Yes, oh God, please touch me, Carlisle. I-"

He shifted away - leaving her bereft of his touch, his exciting presence, the heat of his words - to straighten up and rearrange his suit jacket. His untamed expression morphing into friendly, modest composure, a slight curl at the corner of his mouth.

Humiliation flared at her when she realized what his intention had been. How he assessed the depth of her attraction to him with apt fluency.

He was good at refraining from any sexual advances but the feeling of him pulling away from her on their first date only induced more confusion. What caused the flip to switch?

"French onion soup and parmesan breadsticks for one!"

Jodha jumped out of her skin, her already erratic heartbeat throttling into overdrive as she subtly tried to calm herself before the smiling waitress. Murmuring her thanks, she picked up her spoon, ignoring the way the waitress openly flirted with Carlisle who remained polite but, thankfully, unaffected.

Suddenly, she felt ravenous. As if someone dug an endless hole into her stomach. She grabbed a fresh, warm breadstick.

"You sure I can't get you anything, sir?" Jodha didn't have to look to know the girl offered him a coy smile. She was tempted to roll her eyes.

"Another glass of water will be fine, thank you."

Within minutes, she brought the water and they were alone again.

"Are you good?"

"Hm." Ripping a piece of the bread, she dunked it into the soup before popping it into her mouth and then dunked the entire breadstick into the bowl when the effort to appear proper became tiresome.

There was an uncertain pause before he said, "You're mad at me."

She sighed, glancing up at him. "I'm not mad, just confused." Under his watch, she felt hesitant but spat out her next words. "I thought you wanted to go slow."

This time, he sighed - shoulders somewhat hunched in defeat. "I want to but you tempt me beyond what I'm capable of handling. Forgive me for that, if you can."

Staring into his expressive, haunted gaze, Jodha should empathize but all she felt was the giddy rush of power eddying up inside of her being. All doubts and self-consciousness disappearing at the thought of being so delectably tempting that this beautiful, strong pillar of a man could barely contain himself around her.

No wonder he held off in his strict manner. He didn't trust himself to keep his hands off her.

As if she'd want him to.

What a sweet, gentle dummy.

Latching her lip between her teeth, she studied her half-eaten bowl of onion soup, an unlikely portal that held all the answers because she knew what she had to do.

Readiness and anxiety battled for dominance but her final, confident answer left the tip of her tongue - rationality be damned.

"Then don't hold back any longer."

• • •

HE WAS ACTING NO better than a skittish, cornered animal in the car. Avoiding touches that intruded her personal space or teased them both about any possibility of a much-needed encounter. His talks remained friendly and easy but too polite. A stark transition.

Jodha swore if he kept this up then she'll have a serious case of whiplash.

He watched her every few minutes with the intensity of a beast yet she saw the utter confusion and admiration and didn't understand why.

She didn't feel any...wrongness to her otherwise bold request. Every woman who possessed good eyesight would insist on more than what she wanted from him.

Sex seemed overrated. The need for intimacy gnawed at her with a restless urgency.

Just a sensual touch. A heated kiss. A wild make-out session resulting in shallow breathing, unkempt hair and bruised up lips. Some skin to skin contact would really seal the deal.

Such a closeness with him. How could she not crave it?

To know he felt the same beneath the cool, distinguished exterior...well, warmth flooded her at the thought that his grip could slip in public like that. That she was capable of rendering him to nothing more than a foul-mouthed beast.

Lord have mercy.

She wanted nothing to than to poke the bear further. See how far he'd let her go before it got too much.

Instead, she glanced down at the flyer a random East Indian man pushed into her hands before Carlisle ushered her into his car.

Navratri celebrations. A celebration of the nine forms of the Devi or Goddess; a commemoration of fertility; a conglomeration of culture and the ritualistic symbolism of the garba dance.

The dress code strictly mandated attire suitable for dancing.

Recollections of jovial times filtered through her conscious. Her mother's golden ghagra fluttering behind her, melding with the colours of finely dressed worshippers moving in an energetic whirl. Jodha watching her perform the more complex formation dances while mastering the dandiya. The smell of ladoos, jalebis and gulab jamun and aloo fritters made with clarified butter blanketing the air in their comforting aroma.

Then there was the collective of female and male friends in separate groups, chatting and laughing up a storm as everyone engaged in good-natured ribbing. Every noise, taste and texture of her memorable moments back in Trinidad resurfaced as the flyer in her hand crumpled at the edges from her strong grip. She fought the tears threatening to shatter her resolve. She couldn't cave.

"Will you go?"

Head shooting up, Jodha glanced at Carlisle as she tried to subtly calm herself - hoping his questioning look was more for an answer than her weirdness.

"I don't know. I haven't danced garba in so long." She didn't mean to say that but something in Carlisle urged her to spill her heart and soul to him and she, the utter fool, submitted. "It will be odd going there."

"Only if you make it odd, Jodha. This is a great time for you. Reconnect with the memories that brought you joy."

She stopped herself from rolling her eyes, wondering why their most meaningful conversations always occurred in his car. As irritating it might be, he always knew what to say and ease her worries. This time, however, she retaliated.

"Not every memory is worth a thousand laughs, Carlisle. Sometimes, they cause grievous pain."

"Again, only if you want it to be that way." At a stop light, he placed his hand on her knee, rubbing slightly. "They say that your emotions are the key to endless suffering. You feel too much, your suffering is greater but let me tell you something, sweetheart..." He added a slight but soothing pressure on the place right above her knee. "You can turn your grievous pain into your greatest powerhouse. Every suffering is a lesson and every lesson is a chance to be stronger than you were the day before. In your thoughts, beliefs, emotions and actions. Do you understand that, my darling?"

Jodha scoffed, crossing her arms and pouting at the window. "You really need to stop being so right all the time, Carlisle. It's getting annoying."

She was rewarded with a melodious laugh, turning her insides warm with unneeded pleasure. Their eyes met; her gaze drawn to his breathtaking grin before he spoke in a fond manner.

"Oh, darling, you really know how to flatter a man."

• • •

Back at the school, Jodha had a few friendly words with the receptionist who teased her for gaining the attention of the most eligible bachelor in Forks - making her laugh out loud.

These last couple of weeks had been very informative for Jodha as she learned about the Cullens from anyone willing to regale her. Carlisle and his family bore quite the reputation for their simplistic yet reclusive nature.

They kept to themselves, hardly mingling with anyone, which Jodha could appreciate. Carlisle didn't have a roving eye and his solitary lifestyle probably came from a place within him that needed it the most, given his hectic past. His family members were also very willing to stay by his side too. Most of the townsfolk considered them a mystery despite their familiarity and that itself made her want to meet the entire crew.

Illogical, yet she felt Carlisle would be someone with a high level of permanence in her life.

"Catch you later, Rita." Jodha leaned from the desk and made her way back to the teacher's lounge.

Rounding the corner, it was too late for her to notice the person and the pile of textbooks in their hands before they were colliding in the doorway. Jodha hissed, a particularly thick book bouncing off her big toe and the other bulky, hardcover tomes tumbled to the terrazzo in a disastrous mess.

• • •

THEY BOTH APOLOGIZED AT the same time, the somewhat light yet gritty East Indian voice startling Jodha as she looked up at the stranger.

She never saw him around the school before yet he moved to collect the fallen books with ease. Following suit, she went to her knees and began to assist in gathering the heavy books - all dedicated to history and folkloric legends. Even legends originated in Forks.

"I'm really sorry. I didn't watch where I was-"

"That's okay." He smiled, black hair framing his face and with bleached tips that extended over his shoulders. "Although, you've broken my running streak with management that carrying so many books isn't a hazard."

"Ha! I'm not surprised Principal Hensley allowed you to prove your point." Her knuckles swiped over an ancient-looking book spread open face up. The title spoke to tribal legends and when she flipped it over, an illustration of a dark-haired snarling wolf adorned the gnarly, browned pages. Drawn with ink, the picture was elegantly simple and she couldn't help her fingers running over the fine detailing, acutely aware of the grooves from the pen.

"That's a wolfen depiction of Chief Taha Aki, once leader of the Quileute tribe."

Jumping out of her trance, she closed the book and handed it over to the man. "Who?"

He laughed slightly as they rose to their feet. "You're new here, aren't you? Most newcomers aren't really aware of the native legends that surround Forks, especially the Quileute lands."

She gave an awkward grin, shrugging a shoulder. "'Fraid you're right about that. I've yet to learn a lot about this beautiful place."

Raising a brow, he took an exaggerated breath. "Well, that's one way to describe this place." He proffered a hand while hugging the pile of books close to his chest with the other. "I'm Ranveer, by the way. Ranveer Kaur."

"Jodha Absalom. I never saw you around before."

"That's because I substitute here. I actually teach at the school on the reservation."

"La Push?"

"The one and only."

"History, I'm betting."

Ranveer grinned, a deep flush creeping up his tanned neck. "That's right. But I make it fun, of course."

"Right, of course," she giggled, absentmindedly crumpling the garba flyer in her hand.

Ranveer's gaze brightened when he spotted it, cracking a huge smile. "Will you be attending the garba anytime?"

"Oh!" Jodha frowned, carefully straightening the paper out. "I'm not sure."

"I hope you would. I'm actually on the organizing committee and it's gonna be even bigger this year. I even taught the locals garba."

"Impressive."

He shrugged, face turning slightly somber. "I just hope we actually meet our donations goal for the children's home this time."

Jodha's interest piqued at the mention of that. "Children's home?"

"Yes, Vedanta Children's Home. On Mayberry Street, a good ways from here."

"Oh, they don't receive assistance?" 

"Not always. Applications for grants can be difficult to get sometimes but the kids are in good hands."

Her frown deepened at that. Flashes of her younger days, helping her mom out at the orphanages assailed her. They both couldn't see people, especially kids, lacking basic needs and the means to get them.

"You volunteer there too, I take it?"

He smiled. "That's right."

She returned a faint smile, head spinning at the memories. "Cool. I think I may attend the garba, after all."

"Awesome!" He nodded jubilantly, sidestepping past her and walking backwards. "Can't wait to see you there."

"Likewise. It was nice meeting you, Ranveer."

"Have a lovely day, Jodha."

She grinned and waved until he was out of sight, the realization of what she just agreed to - with a stranger, no less - dawning on her. 

"Jesus, help me."

•  •  •

Hope you guys like this chapter! I'll try to be more frequent.

Inspiration is a funny thing but I'm practicing trying to write regardless of it.

Other than that, Happy New Year! Hope you enjoyed the surprise :)

- HEAVEN