SHOPPING PARTNER

I sighed loudly. I felt utter boredom. I never understood when humans complained about being "bored" or "running out of things to do." Being a vampire, (half, technically) I felt that I had the right to complain about being bored. There was literally no activity on this earth that I hadn't taken a part in. This happens when you have endless stamina and a bank account that never runs out of money.

It was summer break and yet another cloudy day in Forks, Washington. To be fair, the entire West Coast was blanketed by this foggy weather. It was only 8 am but I felt like I had wasted an entire day lying in bed. It was hard to forget the fact that I was the only one who was semi-alive in this house. Especially, when you wake up at 6 am and somehow still feel behind from the rest of your family who don't need sleep. I slowly descended the staircase and was greeted by the smell of scrambled eggs and orange juice. I preferred blood but I was training my body to eat more human food and adjust to surviving on it. Of course, I still hunted regularly. Carlisle was too conscious about my health and safety (humans' safety, actually) to act carelessly. I didn't mind. Eggs was something I did enjoy eating.

Esme gave me a kiss on my forehead and served me breakfast as I sat on the lavish kitchen island. I started thinking about how I was going to spend my day as I absently ate my breakfast. I frowned at that few options I had. Forks wasn't known for its recreational activities.

A light bulb just went off in my head. It was summer break. I had just graduated the University of Washington with a Bachelors' in Microbiology and a minor in French. I deserved a vacation. I had no obligations and the entire West Coast was covered in a thick blanket of clouds. It was a rare event, especially during summer. Alice would be utterly disappointed in me for not taking advantage of this marvelous opportunity. Too bad she wasn't here to accompany me.

Shopping was always a great pass time. I hadn't treated myself to a graduation present, I smirked to myself. Alice and Rosalie were off in Paris for a girls' getaway. They had invited me but I didn't have the heart to leave my boyfriend, Jacob, for a month. He was already annoyed that I was spending too much time studying. In his biased opinion, I already knew "everything that I need to know about everything." I rolled my eyes, but just the thought of him always made me smile. He was having a busy summer. His poor, wheelchair-bound father needed another clinical checkup. Billy preferred his son accompanying him to these routine hospital visits. His daughter, Rachel, had enough trauma dealing with their mother's death. I couldn't really take him away from his father for a shopping trip.

As I was washing up my dishes, I was thinking about who I could blackmail into shopping with me. It wasn't that I was a bad shopper. The opposite, quite really. Alice always thanked her lucky stars (and herself, mostly) that I hadn't inherited my mother's fashion sense. I did go a little hysterical when I entered my favorite stores. Nowhere near the enthusiasm my two aunts' possessed, but close enough.

I went down the list of people who were available that I could ask. I chuckled out loud as I thought about asking my mother to go shopping with me. She would rather get tortured by Jane from the Volturi than spend an entire day inside a shopping mall. Not that Jane could really hurt my mother. Esme gave me a questioning look about my outburst but I just shook my head at her. She was too kind to say no to me, but it was a little weird shopping with your grandmother. Plus, I don't think she would approve of the outfits I had in mind.

My father would have made a good shopping partner if he didn't have his mind reading ability. Edward already had a hard time going out in public with me, let alone a shopping mall filled with teenage, hormone-driven boys. No father wants to hear men fantasizing about their daughter in compromising positions. I shuddered as I thought back to the previous incidents when my uncles' had to physically restrain my father from decapitating men staring at me.

Jasper still had a hard time dealing with humans. He had improved magnificently after my birth. My family always gushed about how I brought out their humane side. Still, I would not torture my uncle by dragging him to a congested mall.

Emmett. I smiled gleefully. I had found the perfect partner. I didn't have to worry about Emmett ripping an innocent boys' heart out like my father. He was too laid back for that. Also, having him around guaranteed that no men would approach me. My father and I looked too like to be passed off as anything other than siblings. One of Emmett's favorite game was to casually put his arm around me and act as my "scary, ripped boyfriend" whenever a guy tried to flirt with me. Their expressions always amused him till no end. Emmett also provided excellent bag-carrying services after being tortured by Rosalie and Alice for decades.

The only difficult part would be to convince him to go along, especially since Rosalie wasn't here to seduce him into it. But, I had found the perfect carrot to dangle in front of him.

I spotted Emmett sprawled on the living room couch watching a game. He was in a sulky mood lately, partly because of losing his arm-wrestling game with my mother and partly because Rosalie wasn't here.

"Emmett!" I sang as I hugged him from behind.

"Hey, kiddo. What're you up to?" He greeted me enthusiastically.

"Well, it depends on if you feel like going on a road trip with me." I answered with my most dazzling smile.

He looked at me suspiciously.

"Are you going to get me in trouble with Edward and Carlisle again?"

Emmett always had difficulty saying no to me and dangerous activities. I suddenly felt guilty as I recalled getting him in trouble just this past month. I had convinced Emmett to go dirt-bike riding with me. It wasn't a hazardous activity for me, being a half-vampire and all. But, Emmett and I did tend to get carried away when we're having too much fun. Luckily for me, Emmett got most of the scolding since he was supposed to be the one "taking care of me." Carlisle was disappointed in him for being so reckless with our most coveted secret. We were supposed to blend in and not attract attention. Edward, being an overprotective father, was livid at Emmett for endangering my life.

I pushed that memory out of my head and focused on convincing Emmett. Besides, the only thing getting damaged during my shopping trip would be my father's credit card.

"Of course not!" I stated with an eye roll. "I just wanted to test how fast my mom's Ferrari drives."

Emmett's eyes lit up. Then, he suddenly looked suspicious again.

"And, how are we going to do that?"

I put on my best convincing smile.

"Well, it's absolutely gorgeous outside. So, I was thinking about taking a road trip to L.A. for the day."

"Ok, that does sound like fun. I've been dying to do something. I'm so bored!" Emmett groaned.

Yes!

"Since we're going to Cali, we might as well hit some shops and stores. I heard they have a great sale going on at Michael Kors." I smiled innocently.

"Absolutely not!"

"Oh, come on! You said you were bored anyway!"

"Shopping is not how I want to spend my day." Emmett protested.

I pouted and decided to play my final card. I touched Emmett's arm and projected the image of a sexy, red lingerie piece I had seen in a boutique's window. Red had always been Rosalie's color.

"I bet Rosalie would love a welcome-back present." I stated as I watched Emmett's expression change.

He groaned out loud and pushed my hand away. I watched him silently. Emmett wasn't the hardest person to read.

"You're absolutely evil, did you know that?" He accused me.

I laughed, knowing my plan had succeeded.

"What can I say, I learned from the best." I smirked. "Don't worry. I won't go as crazy as Alice. And, I really do want push my mom's car to its limits. Maybe, my father will get a new Lamborghini if I trash this one."

"I don't even know why you bother asking me." Emmett smiled begrudgingly.

I gave him dimpled smile and a quick peck on the cheek.

"Meet me in the garage in 10!" I commanded and flew upstairs to get dressed.

My closet was bigger than my bathroom and bedroom combined. I looked at my summer rack of clothes that I rarely got to use in Forks. I studied my ripped jean shorts that would look fantastic with my new knee-high gladiator sandals. My designer outfits usually stuck out here, but they would blend in nicely with the cosmopolitan city of Los Angeles. I threw one a white crop top and a black coat.

Emmett raised his eyebrows and commented on my outfit.

"Are you trying to give Edward a heart attack?"

"Oh come on! We're going to L.A." I stated with an eye roll. Not that any guy approached me when I was with Emmett, anyway.

I hopped into the driver's seat of my mom's Ferrari and grinned at my passenger.

"You ready?"

We made it back to Washington right after midnight with a trunk full of merchandise.

"Okay, I'll admit it. That was a lot of fun." Emmett commented as he pulled out my shopping bags from the car. "I don't think your dad's going to appreciate his next credit card statement though."

"I'm sure he will survive." A new huskier voice commented from the stairs leading to the main house.

"Jacob!" I exclaimed and ran towards him.

He grinned my favorite smile and pulled me into a bear hug. I pulled back and examined his face. I couldn't resist tilting my head up and pulling him into a kiss after, not caring that I had an audience. Jacob didn't disappoint as he deepened the kiss. I used my gift to show him just exactly I had missed him. He groaned out loud just as Emmett was loudly clearing his throat.

"I thought you were going for a light shopping trip." He teased me while still keeping me in his arms.

"This was a light trip. I didn't even get to go to Beverly Hills. We had so little time!" I pouted.

"You need to hang out less with Blondie and Alice." Jacob complained as he helped Emmett carry out more bags towards the house.

They placed all my shopping bags into my closet.

"Well, she tortured me all day. She's all yours now." Emmett teased Jacob as the last of my bags were placed securely inside.

"Thanks a lot, Emmett." Jacob replied as he lied down on my bed. His comment entirely weightless as he gave me an adoring look. I went to go lay besides him. He pulled me into his arms and cuddled closer to my side. Without a warning, he sat up straight and pulled me into his lap. I gasped as I was suddenly straddling his lap, my legs on either side of him.

"I missed you." He groaned as I pulled him into another kiss. This time, it wasn't gentle since we had no audience.

Later, while we lied in my bed, he asked me what I had done to convince Emmett to take me shopping. I gave him a sly look and projected an image of the lingerie piece he had bought for Rosalie. Jacob's eye widened and he finally barked out a laugh.

"I suppose that would've convinced him to go." Jacob looked at me with questioning eyes. I knew him too well to know what was going through his mind.

I ran to my closet and pulled out my three of the smallest shopping bags. When I returned, Jacob was sitting up on my bed, staring at me in a way that made me blush.

I pulled out the black and dark green lingerie that I had bought for myself. Jacob's eyes nearly popped out.

"Want me to try it on for you?" I whispered to him. He just nodded as I began undressing.

"What do you think?" I questioned him as I finally managed to put it on. He hadn't said a word as he just stared me down. He got up and walked towards me. No matter how many times I had seen him shirtless, I could not get over his stunning abs.

He stood directly in front of me. We both stared each other down for a minute, him looking down and me looking up.

Jacob finally pulled me into a deep kiss and I was surrounded by his body heat.

We didn't talk for a long time after that.