Disclaimer: Nothing's mine, sadly. Not even the beautiful Edward...
Summary: Set sometime after New Moon. Forget Eclipse, I've read and it's great but doesn't really fit in with where this story's going.Some adult situations later on, maybe, but its relatively safe for now.
Chapter 1
I tripped. Again.
Edward just laughed and offered his hand to help me up, but I shrugged him off and scowled. It was his fault I was even here anyway. I mean, hiking? Me?
He still hasn't told me where we're going. We've been walking for ages and I'm covered in dirt and sweating, due to the fact that I've fallen numerous times already and its a rare sunny day for Forks. Edward looks perfect, as usual. The scattered sunlight in the trees glitters off him, his face and arms constantly flickering between his usual pallor and the diamond-like glow as he passes into shade. I am seized by a sudden urge to kiss him and almost do, before I catch myself, remembering that I am angry because he won't tell me where we're going.
"How much further?" I don't even bother to keep the irritation out of my voice
"Not far" He glances back and smiles his dazzling smile. "Only another mile or two."
"Wait, what? Another mile?" I stop where I am and cross my arms, staring at him defiantly. Another mile or two? Is he kidding?
"We'll be there before you know it, come on."
He has to be joking if he thinks I'm moving another step. "I'm tired."
"You can rest when we get there."
"Get where?"
"Bella, please..."
I can tell he's getting irritated with me now. Good. I lay down on the forest floor and stare up into the sky, looking at the sun shining down from directly overhead. Uurgh, midday already. We've been walking for three hours now.
"I'm not going anywhere Edward."
"Yes you are. Even if I have to carry you myself." He's smiling and walking towards me slowly. I sit up and narrow my eyes at him.
"You wouldn't dare."
Before I know it I'm in his arms, cradled against his chest. He looks down at me and smiles before he starts walking again. I'm tempted to put up a fight but it's so nice here, pressed against his cool chest, being held in his strong arms. I trace my finger slowly along his bicep, glad he was wearing a t-shirt today. I lean forward slightly and kiss his muscular bicep, his skin smooth and cold beneath my lips. I love his arms.
I can tell from the way the trees are flying past us that we are no longer travelling at a walking pace. But Edward moves so smoothly, I wouldn't know we weren't walking unless I looked.
I feel him kiss the top of my head and snuggle closer to him, all my earlier grievances forgotten. Maybe this hike wasn't such a bad idea after all.
-
"We're here."
He sets me down carefully and I look around. We're in a large clearing in the forest, and in front of us there's a lake, golden with reflected sunlight. I sigh - it's beautiful.
Edward walkes towards it and starts to pull off his shirt. Instantly his beautiful chest starts dazzling in the sun and I just want to run forward and touch him.
"Edward?"
"Come on, we're going swimming."
"What here? Is it safe?"
He's down by the water's edge now, and looks back at me, laughing.
"It's fine Bella." He chucks his t-shirt onto the ground and kicks his shoes off, but leaves his jeans on. Thank god - if he took anymore clothes off I don't think I could be held responsible for my actions.
"But what about sharks?"
He looks at me questioningly, half-smiling. "Do you really think I can't handle a shark? Besides Bella, it's a lake, and it's not that big. I doubt there's sharks in here." He laughs and dives in and I watch the water ripple as he swims underneath, before he surfaces about four metres away.
"Come on, hurry up."
"I haven't got anything to wear."
"So take your jeans off and come in in your underwear. I won't mind." He smiles and lays back in the water, his muscled chest glittering as it catches the light.
I sigh and walk forward, begrudgingly taking my shoes and socks off. I can see him watching as I unbuckle my belt and pull my jeans down, stepping out of them and folding them next to my shoes. I hesitate, and then pull my shirt off too and chuck it onto the ground with the rest of my stuff.
When I look back towards the water I can see Edward standing up in there now, watching me and smiling, and I know I'm blushing as I walk towards the water in only my bra and pants.
I'm kicking myself for just wearing plain black underwear this morning. If only I'd put on something sexier...oh well. Too late now I guess.
The water's cold around my feet as I step in, but refreshingly so. It's too hot, I'm begining to think that maybe this is a good idea after all. I wade further in, until I'm almost upto my neck in the water. I look up, but I can't see Edward anywhere. Where did he...Aaahh! Something just grabbed my ankle and pulled me under the water. I resurface, spluttering and cursing, to see Edward standing in front of me and laughing.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" I slap his arm, knowing he can't feel it, but it makes me feel better anyway.
"Pulling you under." He's still grinning, looking like some sort of dripping-wet Greek god, glimmering in the sun. I can feel my anger with him evaporating already, and scowl at him for making me weak-willed.
"Don't do it again."
I feel his hands slip around my waist in the water, and my heart skips a beat. He hears it and smirks, smiling his lop-sided smile that I love as he pulls me closer towards him...
"Sorry" I hear him whisper just before his lips crush onto mine. They're icy cold, so much so that the water feels warm in comparison, but I feel myself heating up at his touch and push closer, melting into him.
This must be heaven. I'm pushed up against his slippery wet chest, feeling the hard outline of his muscles against me and I shiver. He seems to think I'm cold and starts to pull away but I press closer, shivering again as he slides his hands down my sides and grips my legs. He understands now. I feel him pull my legs up and slip them around his waist, and I grip him tightly.
This sort of thing is not normally allowed, and I want to take advantage of it before he pulls away again. I slide my arms up from his shoulders and wrap them around his neck, loving the sensation of his wet skin beneath my touch. I feel so hot now that I don't even notice the cold emnating from him - he seems almost warm to me.
His tongue pushes against my lips and I eagerly open them, wondering how long he'll indulge me before he pulls away. My only thought is that he never does this, he never does this...
I freeze. He never does this. His hands have slipped up from my waist and he is lightly cupping my breasts with them, his lips never ceasing to move against mine. I grip him tighter with my legs, pushing closer, feeling wave after wave of heat pass through me, never wanting this to end.
I can feel my nipples hardening through my bra, and he seems to feel it too and pulls away. I can't help a moan of disspointment as he lets me go and I slide back into the water, breathing out shakily.
"Bella..."
I can feel the heat in me fading, and I almost want to scream at him in frustration. This isn't fair! But I can only sigh and look up into his honey gold eyes, knowing what I'll see there.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let myself get carried away like that, I'm so sorry..."
I think about letting him wallow in guilt for a bit, but after looking at his face I can only bite my lip and hug him.
"It's okay."
He smiles and kisses the top of my head and we stay like that a bit, my arms wrapped around his chest, his around mine. Eventually I pull away and splash him, laughing.
"That's for teasing me."
"I wasn't teasing you!" But he's smiling now and I know everything's back to normal.
He splashes me back and I stare at him, indignant.
"Right! That's it..."
-
I'm drying my hair with one of the towels he put in the back of my truck, relaxing my head against the chair and listening to my noisy car roar to life as Edward starts the ignition. He reaches across and grabs one of my hands from my lap, and holds it as we drive away.
"So you brought towels, and yet you neglected to tell me we might be swimming."
"Uhuh."
"And why might that be?"
I look over at him and he smiles back cheekily.
"Who needs swimwear?"
"I think you just wanted to get me to take my clothes off."
He doesn't deny it and just keeps on driving, his eyes on the road but a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"Well? Did you?"
"Yes." he says simply. I hit his hand lightly in mock indignation, but secretly I was thrilled. Does this mean he's giving in to me? What happened in the water, does that mean he's finally going to sleep with me?
"I just got carried away. Sorry."
"I thought you couldn't read my thoughts."
" I can't. I just knew what you'd be thinking about."
"Edward, I still don't get why I have to marry you first, I mean, seriously, I'm yours either way. And I've said I'm going to marry you! I'm not going to go back on my word."
"I know."
"Then why-"
"Bella, please. I just want to do this right, okay?"
"Who's definition of right?" I mutter as I roll away from him and rest my head on the window. He just chuckles and squeezes my hand which, angry or not, I couldn't bring myself to take away.