Caribbean Dreams
This was my submission for the PS I Love you Contest.
It didn't win anything but I enjoyed writing and will be continuing in the New Year.
Congratulations to all the wining entries.
The day dawned as it usually did here in Montego Bay, with clear blue skies and sunshine.
As was my usual routine, I dressed in shorts and a bikini top and slid my feet into my Chucks to take a run on the beach before the heat rose. The clock said it was seven am as I was putting my hair up into a high ponytail and, grabbing my iPod, I closed the door to my beachside apartment, stepping onto the sand, still cool from the night air.
Taking a deep breath of the fragrant air, I set out along the beach heading for the water's edge where the sand had been left clear of all footprints by the movement of the overnight tide. Tucking my ear buds in place, I picked up speed, pacing in time to the music.
While my feet ate up the miles, my thoughts trickled over the unfortunate happenings that brought me to this beautiful place. Occasionally, I missed a close relationship with that someone special, but I reckoned that it wasn't going to happen for me. After Riley, I was wary of men in general, and in particular, those whose good looks hid base behaviour suitable for a rat in human form.
Shaking those thoughts from my mind, I sped up so I would be able to get my full run in and make it to the bar by ten for the weekly delivery. Normally, Seth would have been there, but this week he was away visiting his family in Forks. He tried to persuade me to go with him, but I didn't want to run into Riley and his friends, and anyway, it wasn't good for both of us to be away at the same time.
An hour later, showered and dressed for the day in cut-off shorts and a T-shirt covering my bikini I made my way the half hour walk, deciding that the day was too glorious to ignore.
Reaching the bar, I unlocked the doors just as the delivery truck drove up. I then spent the next hour and a half checking it over and helping Jared stack the crates in the storeroom. Signing for the consignment, I waved goodbye to him while ignoring his attempts at flirting. I set to stocking the shelves and fridges, readying myself for opening at the usual mid-day hour.
As the day drew on, I became aware of a figure sitting off alone under one of the palm trees close to the bar. I don't know what caused me to first notice him, but over the course of the day, he didn't move or behave like a typical tourist, which made me curious. He just sat and looked out over the beach and the water, not interacting with anyone.
He made no move to get anything to eat, and only drank from the large bottle of water beside him.
I wondered what the deal was and why I was even the slightest bit interested in him. Nevertheless, despite trying to ignore him and leave him to his own devices, I couldn't help but feel that something was wrong.
'Stop it, Bella.' I chastised myself. 'It's nothing to do with you. He can sit there if he wants to, for as long as he wants; he's not doing any harm.'
Despite my inner debate, I watched him for the rest of the day and into the early evening, wondering why he had been sitting there all day. I couldn't get my mind off him and the feeling that something was wrong. Before I knew it, closing time was on me, and I decided that once I had chivvied the remaining clients out and locked up, I would go over and speak to him. Maybe he just needed someone to talk to.
'Who are you kidding?' My inner voice piped up. 'You're intrigued – be honest with yourself.'
No matter what the voice said, I locked the doors and turned to walk over to the palm tree only to find that sometime during my clean up, he had disappeared without my noticing. Oh well, it was none of my business anyway!
I gathered my belongings and left the bar, walking along beside the road towards home. The night was warm, clear and fragrant. As I approached my apartment, I allowed my mind to return to the subject of the man on the beach, wondering what it was that made me want to speak to him and somehow help him.
Snorting at my idiotic thoughts – who's to say he even needs help – I managed to put him out of my mind and resolved to forget about him; I had other things to think about.
I arrived home feeling tired and decided on a quick shower to get rid of the stickiness of the day, along with the salt from my afternoon swim. I set my alarm and settled into bed, but once there, the sleep I was searching for escaped me, my mind rolling over different scenarios, all centered on him. After tossing and turning for a while, I told my head to shut up and managed to drift off to sleep.
My dreams, however, were full of the unknown man!
Bright and early the following morning after my usual run, I made my way to the bar a little later than the previous day. Like every other day, the sun was already warm on my back, and there were a few tourists already stretched out on the beach sun beds catching the early warmth.
Unlocking the door, I glanced towards the palm tree and saw that he was back in the same place as yesterday. Surreptitiously, I studied him. His messy hair was a mix of browns and reds mixed with gold highlights where the sun had bleached the colour away. His jaw was sharp and covered in a light scruff just a few shades lighter than his hair and from what I could see of his body, his muscles were well defined; like those of a swimmer or athlete.
I couldn't see the colour of his eyes from here but nonetheless my heart rate increased as I realised that he was absolutely gorgeous and despite my reservations about good-looking men, I was really attracted to him. That hadn't happened in a long time, but somehow, I felt that there was something different about this man.
"Good morning," I called to him, deciding to be brave. "It's going to be another hot day."
He looked at me and smiled and raised his hand in greeting but said nothing. I continued with my morning set up and then, since there were no customers as yet, I grabbed a couple of mugs of coffee and trekked over to him holding one out in offering.
"Hi there," I said, "I saw you sitting here yesterday, and I thought that as we seem to be temporary neighbours, I should introduce myself. My name's Bella and I come bearing the gift of coffee. I've added milk; hope that's okay."
"Thanks. It's nice to meet you, Bella, I'm Edward," he answered. His eyes were the greenest I had ever seen and our gaze held for a few minutes before I felt my face flush and I looked down in embarrassment at having been caught staring.
After a short silence, I sat beside him. Looking out at the ocean, I wasn't sure what to say that wouldn't be taken as intrusive. I was only too aware of how nosy strangers could be; it had been that way for me when I first moved here.
Deciding not to ask any intrusive questions, I asked if he would like to join me for a fruit and omelet breakfast as it looked to be a slow morning.
"I don't want to put you out," he smiled at me for the first time, causing my breath to catch.
He was even more gorgeous when he smiled. "Sundays can be slow, so it's not a problem," I grinned back happy that we could spend a little time together.
My inner voice huffed, 'Together? Really, Bella - he's just a lonely stranger. Don't read anything else into it.'
Telling myself to shut up, I trekked back to the bar showing him to a seat at the end. I produced a bowl of cut up fruit and took a few minutes to cook omelets for both of us. I then re-filled the two cups with more coffee and sat on the other side of the bar while we ate breakfast.
I really hadn't felt this comfortable with anyone in quite a while, and we chatted together sticking to generalities. I figured he wasn't ready to share anything further because every time I broached anything serious the subject was changed. I could appreciate that since I didn't want to share either.
Throughout the day, Edward sat there while I served the tourists drinks and snacks, spending time talking to each other, and before I knew it, closing time was again approaching.
It felt as if Edward was just as reluctant as I was to part company. He offered to walk me home, and
I agreed, asking him to hang on while I locked up quickly. The walk was relatively silent with only a few words spoken between us. The silence wasn't uncomfortable, and upon reaching my door, he pulled me into a hug and kissed my cheek while softly saying goodnight.
Slightly dazed, I echoed the sentiment and unlocked the door, slipping inside and telling him I would see him tomorrow.
Edward came to the bar every day over the rest of that week, spending our time together chatting and flirting but never actually touching on his reasons for being in Jamaica. I realised that we hadn't swapped any personal details, and in fact, I knew virtually nothing about him. I had to admit that I hadn't told him about my past either.
Despite that, we had a connection, and I was sure that he could feel it too. He never said anything but it was there every time he touched my skin, and as each day wore on,I wanted him more.
Unfortunately, he showed no signs of making any move towards me, and I began to believe that maybe I imagined that there was anything more between us than companionship.
As the end of the season approached, the days clouded a bit, and the weather began to change. The bar emptied a little, as it always did at this time of the year, and I no longer had to work seven days a week.
Seth had returned from Forks, bringing with him news of his family and Charlie, my dad.
I know he missed me, and I missed him too, but it was just too hard to be in Forks after everything that had happened with Riley. I knew he understood.
Now that Seth was back, I could take a day off, so I arranged to meet Edward, and make the trip to Dolphin Cove and Dunn's River Falls for the day, bringing along a picnic lunch.
I arrived at Edward's house at eight o'clock sharp on an overcast day with a promise of sunshine later. In the back of my car, was a fully laden picnic basket, and I had put the top down on the car. It was unlikely we would get sunburned now because of the change in the weather. A quick blast on the horn brought Edward out of the door, dressed in board shorts and T-shirt, carrying a blanket and a rucksack.
"Hey there, Edward," I called, standing up in my seat, "Ready for a great day out?"
"Sure am," he answered with a smile as he swung himself over the door, and into the passenger seat, chucking his rucksack behind him in the rear seat.
Holding hands and making our way up the beach after swimming with dolphins, Edward spread out the blanket from his rucksack, and we sat in the shade of the palm trees to eat the lunch I had prepared. Eating our fill, I eventually packed the empty containers back in the basket, and we lay back, side-by-side. I could feel the electricity flowing between us making my skin erupt in goosebumps. Without warning, Edward rolled over and settled himself on top of me. Gasping in surprise, I looked into his eyes and saw the same desire I had been feeling for the last couple of weeks.
His emerald green eyes darkened and looked back at me as he softly said, "This is okay, isn't it? I'm tired of trying to stay away from you."
"Then don't," I replied, burying my hands into his hair at the back of his neck. He lowered his head to brush my lips with his.
Kissing Edward was an experience I had never had before. Even Riley, whom I had believed I loved, had never elicited this reaction from my body at the touch of his lips. Fire swept through me in an instant, and even though his kisses were light, they felt so right that I closed my eyes. The feeling pulled a moan from my throat, which was beyond my ability to suppress.
I could feel his desire and my legs instinctively opened in acceptance of his body as he wound his arms under my shoulders and drew me closer. Needing to breathe, I pulled away from his lips and tilted my head to one side, giving him access to my neck. Without ceasing, he continued to lavish me with hot kisses from behind my ear to the junction with my shoulder, causing my nipples to harden and my pussy to clench. Returning to my lips, he licked along them asking for, and gaining access to my mouth, tangling his tongue with mine until my head began to spin and my body to shiver and pulse with pleasure.
I had never been kissed like that! Pulling away slightly, I opened my eyes to see him grinning at me.
"Wow!" I breathed.
"Wow, indeed," was his answer.
Rolling off to lay beside me, he took my hand allowing our breathing to settle and return to normal with nothing more said.
Despite the secretive side of him, I wanted Edward badly. There was such an inexplicable chemistry between us and I really wanted to see where it would go if I could get him to open up a little. I let out a small sigh, firmly telling myself to stop over analysing everything. I decided that for the moment, I would just have to trust that he was a good man and that he would let me in and talk to me at some point.
"Come on lazy bones," I huffed and climbed to my feet, holding out my hand to him. "We need to get moving if we are to make the Falls today."
Edward grabbed my outstretched hand and stood, suddenly very close to me. His green eyes caught mine and the electricity that had been humming between us all day rose to a tingle in the air that surrounded us. My eyes dropped to his lips, which were puffy and pink from the recent kisses we had shared. And when his tongue slipped out and licked them over, I felt my breath hitch and a wave of arousal swim around my body and through my bloodstream.
Walking side-by-side back to the car, his hand caught mine. "I don't know if I'm up to climbing to the top of the Falls, but it's something I haven't seen. I spend so many hours working that there never seems to be time to do the usual, tourist things."
"It's a good job I'm here then," he chuckled. "We can make a day of it and then I will take you out to dinner later to round it all off. You work too hard."
I had to agree with him, and loading the picnic basket back in the car, decided to take things as they came and enjoy the day for what it was, without continuing to second guess everything.
The sun was heading down towards the horizon as we strolled back to the car, after spending the rest of the afternoon, climbing the Falls and leaping into the Blue Hole pool, laughing and playing around. Several times he cornered me, and I was willingly captured by his lips. I couldn't get enough, and despite my talk with myself, I couldn't help but hope that at last there was a change coming.
"Just as well that my car isn't in the best of conditions. " I laughed, looking us over. "Our damp clothes won't hurt it, and the warmth will soon dry everything."
We covered the seats in the blanket we had used earlier and drove back to his place through the twilight. We didn't talk much, both a little lost in the atmosphere of the car. Edward smiled at me and took my hand in his and held it until we arrived back at his place.
Inviting me in, he said he would be a few minutes, and we could then head back to mine so I could get in a quick shower. "Then, we can get something to eat. I'm starving," he finished.
While Edward – 'a very naked Edward' - my inner devil pointed out - was in the shower, I wandered around the room checking it out. There were a few books on the table along with a copy of the Seattle Times. Reading the titles, I could see that his tastes were for thrillers. They weren't really my cup of tea as I preferred the classics, but I had read a couple of those that were lying on the table.
Before I could look much further, Edward strolled out of the bedroom rubbing his hair dry with a towel. He was dressed in low-slung jeans and a white T-shirt, looking good enough to eat.
"You could always shower here if you'd like," he grinned at me crookedly.
"I have nothing with me suitable to wear, even to a beach bar, and I really need to wash my hair, it's sticky with salt," I answered.
"How about I find you some shorts and a T-shirt so you can get cleaned up, and then, instead of going out to dinner, we can order in a pizza. I have a few beers in the fridge, and we can sit on the deck, relaxing for a couple of hours."
That sounded better than getting dolled up for a restaurant, and I quickly agreed.
Showing me the way to the bathroom, and giving me some towels, he said to use whatever I needed. Placing a new toothbrush on the counter beside the sink, he returned to the bedroom to rummage through his drawers to find something for me to wear.
Leaving me to clean up while he ordered the pizza, I heard him turn on some music, while I stood under the hot water. I loved the smell of his body wash, shampoo, and conditioner and finished up as quickly as I could. I rinsed out my bikini, but had to go without underwear; I wasn't expecting to stay and hadn't thought it necessary to bring extra clothing with me.
His clothes swam on me, but I pulled the drawstring tight on the shorts, tying the T-shirt in a knot at my side. They smelled of his unique scent, and I was adamant those would be coming home with me. I was quickly becoming addicted to his company, and couldn't wait to spend more quality time alone with him.
Combing the tangles out of my hair I pulled it up into a messy bun, and leaving the bedroom, walked through the living room to the French doors, and outside onto the deck. Edward was seated in one of the Adirondack chairs, leaning back with his eyes closed looking peaceful.
Standing next to him, he opened his eyes, smiled at me and tugged me down until I was sitting in his lap. Folding his arms around me, he pulled me back against his chest, and we sat watching the sun disappear into the ocean. I sighed, thinking that this was as close to heaven as I had ever been. I loved being with Edward more each day, and I was pretty sure that I was falling in love with him, even though we had only known each other such a short time.
The silence was broken by the sound of the doorbell, and I reluctantly stood so he could answer it to pay for the pizza. I protested, saying that I could pay for my half but he just laughed, telling me that it wasn't necessary.
"Call it payback for all the breakfasts you've served me," he quipped.
Chatting about the day, we divided the pizza and settled back outside with a couple of beers. He insisted that I get back into my seat, so I sat down on his lap again. No arguments from me there – it was my new favourite place to be.
As the air cooled further, Edward suggested that we move indoors to the sofa. I agreed and stood to collect the remaining pizza and beer bottles, moving them to the kitchen. Feeling a little awkward, I returned from the kitchen and settled at one end of the sofa, not quite sure where we were going from here. I needn't have worried; he sat right next to me, pulling me back into his arms and hugging me close to his side. I snuggled up beside him and placed my hand on his stomach feeling his muscles clench a little as I slid my hand under the edge of his T-shirt.
He brushed the hair that had become loose from its moorings away from my face and slid his hand down to cup my chin. His lips met mine in a soft, slightly questioning kiss, and I returned it, angling my head and stroking my tongue against his lips. His tongue chased mine as he deepened the kiss, and a shiver ran through my body, followed by a tingle and a rush of blood to my head.
Pulling myself upright, I slid one leg over his knees, straddling him, feeling his response to me between us. Arching against me, he ground his cloth-covered cock against my centre, the heat intensifying.
Growling against my lips, he gripped my hips, pushing me down onto his delicious hard length.
I moaned into his mouth, and he pushed me to one side and onto my back, managing to settle himself between my legs, which opened obligingly, allowing his cock to rub against my clit. Despite my slight embarrassment at the wetness I could feel seeping from me, I wanted more and arched my back rubbing myself against him like a cat.
His lips left mine and traveled down my neck, to the skin left uncovered by the edge of his T-shirt. Simultaneously, his hands slid to the bottom edge pushing the material out of the way. Wasting no time, he took my nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it, and sucking it hard. I gasped as the live wire attached to my clit throbbed in time with the beating of my heart. Moving to the other nipple, he repeated the action, his hand taking over where his lips had been. My hands wandered down his sides, reaching the edge of his T-shirt as I mumbled "off" into his mouth. Obligingly he leaned back a little, dragging it off over his head and throwing it on the floor, where mine followed a split second later.
Instead of returning to his previous position he stood, adjusting the hardness in his shorts, and held his hand out to me. Without hesitation, I took his in mine, following him into the bedroom. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he pulled me down beside him, and I scooted further back to lie on the pillows. He crawled up between my legs, settling himself back into his rightful place. Somehow, I was sure that this was the beginning of something more; I had no idea how much more so shook those thoughts away, deciding for once to live in the moment and approach tomorrow in due course.
His lips returned to mine, and the heady feeling they caused allowed me to let go of all thoughts. Wanting skin-to-skin contact, my hands slid over his back to the waistband of his shorts, pushing them down anddropping them to the floor beside the bed, along with his.
Kneeling, his eyes moved from my face to my breasts following the line of my body to my pussy, which throbbed under his gaze. Stretching out his hand, his fingers brushed over me and rubbed lightly at my clit. My eyes drifted shut as my legs opened wider, and without hesitation, he lowered his head, taking a long lick from slit to clit. I inhaled sharply as my hips jerked towards him.
Without further ado, Edward held me still and licked me, flicking my clit with his tongue, driving me wild with the sensations he caused. I felt him slide a finger into me, following it with another as I relaxed under him. His other hand slid over my thigh and held me open as he concentrated his efforts on my clit, sucking it into his mouth and alternating flicking and sucking over and over until I was a writhing hot mess.
"Don't stop please, I'm gonna come," I panted and moaned, almost deliriously.
He renewed his attentions, pumping his fingers in and out faster, sucking hard on my clit. I felt myself go rigid and my climax hit me like a freight train. White noise filled my ears, along with the sound of the blood rushing through my body. I could hear myself moaning, as I jerked under him while he continued with slower movements of his fingers and tongue until my body calmed enough for me to become coherent.
Laying there boneless, I just held out my hand wordlessly and pulled him up towards me. I kissed him hard showing my appreciation and placed my feet flat on the bed, opening them wider to let him know that I was ready for more.
"You sure Bella?" he questioned.
"Yep, definitely," I answered with breathless anticipation.
Without another word he reached over to the bedside table and fumbled around, coming back with a condom.
"Didn't think I'd need these," he murmured. "My sister insisted."
Kneeling up, he tore the wrapper open, discarding it on the floor. Rolling it over his rigid cock, he gave himself a few strokes. I felt my eyes widen a little at his size.
Catching sight of my face he grinned again saying, "It'll fit - don't worry!"
I huffed a little in embarrassment at being caught, but had to laugh at his answer. However, all laughter abruptly left me as he lined himself up, and pushed all the way in. I gasped aloud and squeaked at the intrusion. A sudden wave of pleasure rolled through me, and I almost came with that one thrust.
Stilling, he rested on his elbows with his hands either side of my face. "You okay?" he breathed into my mouth.
"Oh God, yes," was my only reply.
He pulled almost all of the way out and thrust back in hard. His body covered mine, and though I would normally have felt claustrophobic with that level of closeness, somehow I felt cherished, wanted and loved - yes loved. It was the strangest feeling and rather than dissect it, his movements allowed me to let go and just feel.
Setting a punishing pace of hard and slow thrusts, it felt like I was on the cusp of orgasm for what seemed like hours. I never wanted it to stop, but my body had other ideas as a second orgasm stole over me. Lifting my legs, I hooked them over his hips allowing deeper penetration, and pushing up onto his hands and knees, hisstrokes became increasinglydeeper and harder. I could feel the muscles in his back flexing under my hands with each powerful movement.
Unasked, my body began to arch up towards him taking him further inside, and I felt his muscles tremble as he moved closer to coming. Sweat dripped onto my stomach from his body as we slid together and apart over and over again.
I groaned louder and closed my eyes, "More, harder Edward."
He responded though I wasn't sure how he was managing it. I had no more time to wonder as a third orgasm, stronger than any before barreled through me leaving me unable to breathe. Edward jerked erratically a few more times before throwing his head back, the corded muscles in his neck standing out and his torso flushing with heat, as I watched him come with that same intensity.
He held himself rigidly before laying his trembling, hot body over mine.
"Holy fuck," he muttered in my ear.
Now that I could breathe again, I sniggered, "Holy fuck, indeed." I clenched my inner muscles around his cock, and he groaned.
"Stop that," he said. I could feel the smile in his voice. "I'm not sure I can move."
"I don't want you to," I answered running my hands over his back, feeling his muscles twitch in reaction.
"Have to," he muttered, "I'm too heavy for you."
"Stay there for a moment. I like the weight of you on me."
A couple of minutes later, he pushed up onto his elbows, and looking directly into my eyes, kissed me, brushing my lips softly with his. Even though no words were spoken, I could feel the connection between us, and at that moment, I knew. I knew I was in love with him. I was sure he felt the same; I could see it in his eyes, along with a tantalizing glimpse of a future I never even knew I wanted.
"I have to take care of this, love," he said, "Don't move."
Leaving me feeling empty and bereft for a second, he stood and walked to the bathroom to dispose of the condom. I gazed at his receding back and delicious ass, feeling a shiver of desire run through even after three orgasms. My heart fluttered at his endearment, and I wondered how I could feel so much for someone in such a short space of time. A few seconds later, he was sliding back into bed, settling behind me, pulling me against the heated skin of his chest. Feeling content, and all of sudden tired, my eyes drifted shut as I relaxed against him, his arm covering me like a blanket, my hand over his where it rested on my stomach.
The last thing I felt was his gentle kiss against my shoulder, his whispered words of "I love you," echoing in my ear as I slid into sleep.
I awoke with the sun streaming in the window, directly into my eyes. We hadn't thought to draw the curtains, and I was now wide awake wondering what the time was. Turning over, Edward was sprawled out beside me, sleeping soundly. I took a few minutes to look at him, noticing how much calmer his face looked in sleep. I hadn't realised that he seemed to be - not exactly worried – but disturbed by his thoughts throughout the day. Yesterday was the first time I had seen the lighter side of him, while we spent the day enjoying ourselves.
Emotionally, I whispered, "I love you too." I laid my forehead against the warm skin of his back, listening to the sound of his heartbeat, breathing in his unique smell.
I didn't think either of us was ready to say it out loud, and I was all too aware that there was something he wasn't telling me, or wasn't ready to talk about with me.
I was determined that we would have a discussion at some point today. I wasn't prepared to let him go; I wanted more of what there was between us. I wanted to explore it, embrace everything and see where it went. How to approach him, that was the question. He had been very reticent over the last week or so and had said nothing about his situation or his plans, and I was once again reminded that I didn't really know anything about him. Even that didn't change how I felt.
Sliding quietly out of bed, I washed up and wandered into the living room to find my purse. Looking at my phone, I saw that I had a missed call from Seth, who had left an apologetic voicemail saying that he wouldn't be able to get to the bar early today to open; he was feeling very sick.
I sighed, returning to the bedroom to wake Edward. As I entered the room, his green eyes opened and blinked slowly at me.
"It wasn't a dream then?" he grinned at me.
"No, it wasn't, unless we were in the same one," I returned his grin. "Anyway, I'm going to have to go home earlier than planned as Seth is ill and I need to open the bar. Will I see you later?"
"You will. I need a couple of hours to clean up, and I'll see you for a late breakfast. But before that..." he stopped and grabbed me pulling me down onto the bed, kissing me senseless, and "...I just have to kiss you."
"You'll get no argument from me," I said as he let me go, "See you soon."
I left his place with a huge smile on my face, looking forward to seeing him later and hopefully some more of last night, after our talk.
Hugging myself with glee, I let myself into my house, throwing my bag on the floor and kicking off my shoes. I was euphoric over the time Edward and I had spent together, and couldn't help revisiting the activities from the previous night. After hearing him say he loved me, I was sure we definitely needed to talk; I hadn't felt like this ever before, even with Riley. What we had in the past, paled in comparison, and I couldn't wait to see Edward again later.
Taking a quick look at the clock, I realised I needed to get a move on if I was to get to the bar in time for the usual delivery. I hoped Seth was okay because I really wanted him to take up some of the slack later so I could spend a bit more time with Edward.
Sniggering to myself, I figured I could miss out on my run for one day given the amount of exercise I'd had yesterday. Showering and washing my hair quickly, I dressed in my usual shorts and top, tying my hair into a ponytail, leaving the house only a little later than usual.
Taking my Jeep instead of walking, I sped along the beach road to the bar, getting there just as the delivery van arrived. I didn't even hear what Jared said to me during the delivery; my head and heart were so focused on Edward. By the time, I had stocked the shelves with drinks and set the bar up for the day, I was looking around expecting to see him sauntering along the beach towards me.
Two hours later, he still hadn't appeared, and I was getting a little worried; he hadn't missed a day yet. I did have a momentary thought that maybe he regretted the previous night, but he was so happy with me this morning, I immediately dismissed it. Throughout the day, I continued to look out for him and worried more with each passing hour when he still didn't arrive. I realised that I had no way of getting in touch with him, we hadn't exchanged phone numbers; I hadn't even thought of it.
As the day went on, I was convinced that something was wrong, but I couldn't believe that he didn't feel the same way I did; not after what he said. I was sure that neither of us viewed last night as a one-night stand.
If he'd changed his mind, I vowed I wouldn't chase after him; that would just be embarrassing for both of us. I mentally decided to treat him the way I usually did, when I saw him again, even though it looked as if it wouldn't be today. I was sure that he would eventually be back at the bar.
The following day he was again absent, and besides being a little embarrassed that I might have read too much into our relationship, I was becoming more worried. At the very least, I thought he was a friend, and he didn't seem the type to leave without a word. In all honesty, I was second-guessing that connection; maybe it had allbeen on my side, though I hadn't thought so at the time.
Seth returned to work, none the worse for his day of sickness. Seeing how worried I was, he offered to close up for me so I could head over to Edward's house. Even the possible embarrassment it might cause failed to stop me, in light of the fact that he could be ill or hurt.
Leaving Seth to his job, I jumped in the car and set out for New Moon Resort, hoping that the worst I would find was that he didn't feel the same way as I did.
Even though it was late in the day and almost dark, there was no light showing in the house, I knocked on the door and waited for a few minutes, but there was no answer. Making my way around back to the deck, aided by the light of the almost-full moon, I could clearly see that the chairs had been turned over, and beyond them, the French doors were wide open. A shiver that had nothing to do with the temperature of the air ran over my skin while I stayed in the shadows contemplating my next action.
Much as the situation told me that I should call the Island Police, I really couldn't help it when my feet propelled me forward, creeping slowly towards the open doors. Peeking inside, I could see that the furniture in the lounge had also been turned over, and the sofa had been cut as if with a knife. I inhaled sharply and began to fear for Edward; there was no way I could leave without checking further, in case he was lying somewhere inside, hurt.
I could hear nothing and the place felt empty, but before continuing, I picked up a piece of one of the broken chairs on the deck and then headed carefully inside.
I let out a gasp in shock as I gazed around the room; it was totally wrecked. Through the archway, I could see that the kitchen was in much the same shape, the floor covered in broken glass glinting in the moonlight. Breathing as quietly as I could, I headed to the bedroom. That door was also ajar, and the tightness in my chest eased when I saw it was as empty as the living room. The last place to check was the bathroom, and I slowly moved forward peering around the open door. I let out another sigh of relief finding that it was also uninhabited.
I didn't dare turn on any lights, in case there was anyone else around; it was fortunate the night was clear, the inside of the house illuminated naturally. On closer investigation, each room was a shambles, with bedding and soft furnishing ripped to shreds. Furniture was turned over, drawers yanked out; their contents emptied over the floor. Whoever had caused this was undoubtedly looking for something. I hoped Edward was okay, and that whoever had been angry enough to rip the whole place apart, had not taken him with them.
That last thought had me more worried than ever, and if the police had been involved, they would have at least barred the doors when they left.
Realizing that I could do no more right now, I left the house. I had to work out what to do next and fled to the only other person I trusted; Seth. He would know what to do from here, and I needed someone to talk to. That was definitely not the police; at least not yet. I knew there was a huge amount of corruption among the local force, and until I had thought it over, there was no way I would contact them; I feared what they might tell me about Edward.
Heading back, I saw that the lights in the bar were still on, and stopped to speak to Seth right away, not willing to wait until tomorrow.
I knocked on the closed door, which he carefully opened, "Bella?" he said in shock. "What are you doing back here? Did you find Edward?"
"Can we talk for a minute, Seth? I have no idea what to do right now, and I need to talk everything through so I can make a decision." I pushed the door further open and stepped inside closing it behind me.
"I went over to Edward's because, well..." I paused not quite knowing how much to say, "...we spent the night together a couple of days ago, and I was worried sick that he hadn't come back here," I said, rushing out the remainder of the sentence.
"S'okay Bella," Seth said soothingly, "I figured you two were getting acquainted. What happened?"
"When I got there, the doors on the deck were wide open, and the whole place had been completely wrecked. There was no sign of Edward, and I think something might have happened to him." I blurted out, my fears suddenly overwhelming me. I described what I had found, and the amount of destruction that had been wrought in the house. I didn't mention how I already felt for Edward and Seth didn't ask.
"Did you try calling him?" was his next question.
"I don't have his number," I said frustrated, "I've seen him every day, so it never occurred to me to ask, and he never offered."
I was silent for a few minutes. "Do you think I should call the police?"
"Let's go and take a look together Bells," he eventually said after thinking for a few minutes. "It may be that the police have him, and if not we really don't need to bring them in just in case there's something Edward doesn't want them to know."
Half an hour later, we were back at the house. It didn't look as if anyone had been there in the short time I'd been away, but we were still careful when we crept around to the back of the house. I picked up the piece of the chair I had left earlier, and Seth preceded me inside. A low whistle told me that he was as astounded as I'd been at the amount of damage that'd been done.
"They were certainly looking for something," he said. "Did Edward say anything over the last week or so that would give you an idea what they might be looking for?"
"Nothing at all Seth," I whispered, "We only talked about generalities, and never touched on anything important. I don't even know his last name, where he came from or what he was doing here."
"Let's take a look around, Bella. Maybe we can find something that will give us a hint or some information that'll help."
We spent the next half an hour looking through the damaged furniture and soft furnishings, searching for anything to help; there was nothing. Whoever it had been, they'd done a very good job at slashing open every seat, pillow, cushion and even the mattress in the bedroom. I was sure that if there was anything to be found, they would have already done so. I prayed that they hadn't hurt Edward in the process.
"Seth," I called out. "This is hopeless, there's nothing here."
"Hang on a sec Bella. I think I've found something." Seth called from the bedroom.
Rushing into the bedroom, I found him holding one of the drawers from the bedside table. He held it out to show me something attached to the bottom of the drawer.
It was a SIM card from a cell phone.
With a little investigation, the following day Seth and I managed to get a new phone, allowing me to make a call to the only number I found on the SIM card.
It rang once, twice, three times before a light, feminine voice came through the speaker in a whisper.
"Edward?" she said, "Where are you? What's going on?"
I felt my body relax immediately, even though I had no idea who was speaking. Just the fact that whoever it was, knew Edward eased my anxiety for the moment.
"Umm … this is Bella. I found this SIM card at Edward's house. He disappeared a few days ago, and I'm getting worried about him. The house where he was staying has been trashed, and I don't know what I should do next. Can you get in touch with him to let him know what's happening? What should I do?" I rambled on.
"Who are you to Edward? How do you know him? How did you get this number?" the voice answered suspiciously. "He wouldn't give it to just anyone."
"I know. We met around two weeks ago and have spent some time together." I said nothing about how close we were the last time we were together. "He was supposed to meet me on Saturday morning, and never showed up."
"Where are you calling from?"
"Jamaica. I live here, and Edward was staying a few miles away from my bar."
There was silence for a moment from the other end of the phone as if she was trying to work out whether they should say anything more.
"I care about him, and I'm really worried," I blurted out for the second time.
There was a sharp intake of breath and then a rush of information as if she had made a sudden decision. "I'm Alice Cullen. Edward's my brother, and because of some unfortunate events, he had to leave home and seek safety elsewhere. I've heard nothing from him for over a month now since he left Seattle, and he would never tell me where he was. He said it was too dangerous for me to know."
She continued, suggesting that I should stay where I was to wait and see if Edward returned. In the meantime, she would speak to her dad for some advice; he was the one she trusted would not do anything to hurt Edward. They were both absolutely convinced of his innocence.
"He would probably tell Edward to come home and let the legal system work its magic, and that an innocent man has nothing to fear, but there is just so much evidence against him right now." She paused. "I really think we need to start looking for more proof or something, anything that will shed some light on what actually happened."
"Should I get in touch with you, Alice, if he comes back?" I worried. I didn't ask more about the unfortunate events; that would be up to Edward to tell me.
"Good idea Bella," she answered.
Giving her my cell number, I continued, "Edward and I didn't have a lot of time together, and we never got to discussing anything personal; we were just at the getting-to-know-each-other stage. I did feel like he wasn't telling me everything, but I had no idea that it was something serious."
I said nothing of the connection we had made or how I felt about him; that was private and until I saw him again I was determined to keep that to myself.
We spent a few minutes going over what we had discussed, but with nothing further to add for the moment, we said our goodbyes and ended the call.
Seth and I sat there for a short while, digesting the situation before he spoke up. "Bella, are you sure you want to get involved in this? I know this Alice sounds real nice, but she's his family. We only have her insistence that he's innocent, and we just don't know enough about him to make a judgment call."
I sighed heavily and had to agree with him. However, my gut instinct told me that Edward was not a bad person. "Well, for now, I think we just carry on as we were before and wait for Alice to contact us if anything changes."
With that, Seth rose to leave, asking me if I was okay to stay by myself. I assured him that I would lock all my doors and windows, and would keep my phone close by to call him if anything happened. When he had gone, I got ready for bed, falling into a light sleep filled with nightmares of being chased by shadows.
Waking at six the following morning, I felt as if I had not slept at all, and dragged myself out of bed for my usual morning run. I felt a little better after a hot shower and decided to get back into my daily routine.
There was nothing more I could do for Edward right now, so I would just have to hope that something changed soon, since those words of 'I love you,' played on repeat in my head and tugged at my heart.
8,309 words. TBC …