Title: Criminal Behavior
Author: Frankie Black
Rating: M
Notes: I love E/B more than any other pairing for any other fic. And I love putting them in new situations to test out how their love would apply in real life. I also love lemon, a lot. In and out of my real life. So, while my boyfriend's away... I'll make Bella and Edward play : First Twilight fanfic, go easy on me.
1
Bella Swan was in big trouble. Not only had she stayed out much later than her school night curfew, but her car had died. Not only on the side of the road, while she was wearing her favorite pair of Jimmy Choo's, but also on the bad side of town. All around her were dumpy houses, with shingles missing from the roofs, and broken down cars like her own all over. Well, not like hers exactly, considering she drove a BMW and most of the cars were ancient Fords and Buicks.
She thought it would be fine. She had driven to Olympia with her best friend, Jessica Weber, to try and find something to wear to Mike Newton's party this weekend. Bella had found an adorable dress, a warm green color with a sweetheart neckline and a full skirt. Jessica had found something short, black, and far too seductive for any seventeen year old girl to wear. But Jessica generally did what ever she wanted, considering that she didn't have anyone to tell her no. The drive up to Olympia was fine, but the ride home this little, annoying red light came on. It said Oil.
And now she was broke down, across the street from a seedy looking bar. There was a line of motorcycles outside, and a big man at the door. Gulping, Bella dug around in her bag, the new Chanel, and found her cell. The screen was ominously black, devoid of life. She jabbed her nail at the power button, but it refused to awaken.
Groaning, the dark-haired girl glanced between the two structures. A house where a few people lingered on the porch, staring at her car like it was an amored bank truck that had broken down instead of a small BMW, or the bar.
With extreme reluctance, she pulled the key from her car, and her Chanel, then got out. The dress in the backseat, hanging in the window, was more than likely safe compared to her purse. She locked the doors before hurrying across the street, slightly unstable on the stilletos on the dirt road.
Bella raked a hand through her dark locks, hoping that she looked old enough to get into the bar. She had a fake ID, but she didn't like to use it when she was in town. Most people could recognize Charlie Swan's daughter on first glimpse - the divorced sheriff's only child, come to live with him after the untimely death of her mother and step-father. That had been over two years ago, and Bella was mostly past it. She had found a group of friends to latch herself onto, school work to throw herself into, and a few boys to day dream about. It was an all right life, she had to admit.
"Hello there," the beefy man at the door said, amusement filling his voice. "How can I help you tonight?"
Bella flashed what Jessica said was her good-girl smile, hoping that he wasn't getting any funny ideas. She wished for jeans, anything other than short denim skirt she wore, which showcased her pale legs - a coat, a floor length parka to cover every inch of her body. Walking out the front door, she felt cute in the skirt and camisole. It was warm in Forks, and she tried to take advantage of it as often as she could. But now...
"Um, I need to use a phone," she said, willing her high voice to calm down. She pointed over her shoulder at the shiny white car, lifeless at the edge of the road. "My car... died. And my cell phone died too. And I need to call my -"
"Dad?" the big man asked, chuckling. His round shoulders were encased in white T-shirt and a leather vest, and he looked like he could easily snap Bella's slender frame in half. His bald head gleamed in the overhead light. "Well, we're twenty-one and older in here... But since it's an emergency, I couldn't turn you away..."
"Thank you, thank you!' Bella cried, rushing through the door. Inside, it smelled of old cigarettes and beer. A few pool tables were the focal point of the room, and a dark counter lined one wall of the bar. Bella practically flew to it, standing on the ledge to lean over the bar.
The bartender was a tall, pale guy in a gray T-shirt. His reddish-brown hair caught glints of light in the dim hall, but he was facing away from her. He was wiping a towel over glass mugs, lining them up on glass shelf perched on the wall. A pay phone was nowhere in sight.
"Excuse me!" Bella cried, trying to be louder than the rock 'n roll that blared over the sound system. "Hey! Mr. Bar-Man!"
The guy's head quirked slightly, and he turned half-way to glance at her. Bella sighed in annoyance, watching his slow movements impatiently. She heard someone whistle across the bar, but tried to ignore it. She was focused on one task, and that one only - phone Sheriff Swan. She watched as his features became defined in the dim light. His pale skin was creamy, like cold milk. His eyes were the darkest emerald green she had ever seen, framed by thick dark lashes. There were purplish circles under those beautiful eyes, and Bella wondered fleetingly what could be making him lose that much sleep. She felt her jaw drop slightly when her eyes landed on his lips - plump and supple looking, easily malleable... And the tangle of bronze hair to top it all off...
"Can I help you?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"Um - I, um..." Words escaped her lips, but not the right ones.
"I'm sorry, but I really don't think you're twenty one. You hardly look eighteen, and the last thing we need is a bust," he said, turning away again. His face was set, a hard line forming on his lips. Obviously, he got a lot of too-young girls in the bar.
"I don't want a drink," Bella grumbled. "I need a phone!"
"Phone?" the guy asked, turning around again.
Tears of frustration pricked Bella's warm brown eyes. "I need a phone because my car broke down. And my phone is dead. And I'm stuck here... In my favorite shoes." She glanced down at the floor, which looked dark and dirty, and she could just imagine the beer stains soaking into the white silk of her stilletos.
"Oh. Why didn't you say so?" He pulled a cordless phone from beneath the bar, sliding it over to her.
"Thanks," Bella grumbled, irritated. Charlie didn't have a cell phone, so the easiest way to reach him was by calling nine-one-one. She entered the numbers quickly, sighing. Dolores Gray answered, her voice suddenly shrill.
"Nine one one, what is your emergency?!" the woman practically screamed into the phone.
"Hey D, it's Bella. Is my dad around?"
"Isabella Swan! You know, nine one one is not your personal phone line to call your father. He has an office phone."
"I know, but this one is easy to remember. Can I talk to him? It is an emergency." She could practically hear the operator rolling her eyes, before grumbling something unintelligable and switching Bella to her father's office.
"Hello, Sheriff Swan. How can I help you today?"
"Dad... It's Bella. Listen, I'm at -" I covered the mouth piece of the phone, glancing around. "What's this place called?" I asked the bar tender, who was watching me. He was leaning against the counter, his arms folded over his chest, apparently amused.
"It's called Cullen's," he replied, his mouth quirking into a crooked grin.
"Listen Dad, I'm at Cullen's -"
"Cullen's!? Don't move, Bella, I'm on my way." He hung up before I had a chance to explain. I frowned at the phone, hanging up as well.
"Your dad not happy for you to be here?" the bartender asked, watching me thoughtfully.
"Well, he's the sheriff. So yeah, he's kinda mad." She shrugged. His face went blank, and he sighed.
"I thought you looked familiar." He glanced at the doorway leading to the back of the seedy bar. "Uncle Aro will not be happy."
"I can wait outside..." Bella liked the thought of that even less than she liked he idea of waiting inside of the bar.
"No, its ok. Just wait in here. It's not safe out there, even with Pete out there." He grabbed a cup off the rack, and grinned. "What's your poison?"
When the tiny brunette clicked into the bar, her long legs connected to tall stilletos that were out of place inside of Cullen's, Edward could feel his heartbeat speed up. Her brown eyes, the color of chocolate, seemed to glow in the dark regions of the bar. He hated working there, but it was money. He had stacked up a nice little pile in the bank, from working at the shop and the bar. On the weekends, he made great tips - the drunk women that came in there thought he was just the greatest thing since flavored Smirnoff coolers. The shop was minimum wage, but it was his passion.
Edward allowed himself a short moment to take her in - the long, wavy hair that looked reddish when the dim light hit it a certain way, the thin camisole, clinging to her slender waist, the swell of her chest. Her hips were hardly covered by the destroyed jean skirt... He turned quickly as she approached the bar, trying to calm his raging emotions. His heart thundered, and he could feel the hardness pressing against his jeans. He was thankful for the lack of light, for the waist high bar that could easily conceal his excitement.
But he couldn't wipe the fact that she was the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on out of his brain.
While she called, he watched her chew on her lip. It was full, rosy. She was delicate looking, in every aspect. Edward wanted to touch her skin, make sure it was as soft as it looked. But he crossed his arms over his chest, refraining from doing anything but watch.
"So, you're not at school in Forks," she said. It was hard to believe that this was Isabella Swan, Sheriff Swan's daughter. He was a gruff old man, and she was so delicate and beautiful.
"No," Edward agreed. "I graduated a couple of years ago... My sister, Alice, is in your grade."
"Right... I think I know her. Small, kind of like a pixie?" Edward chuckled - there was really no other way to describe his tiny, hyper sister.
"Yes, that's her."
"Weird. You don't look very much alike." Bella shrugged, sipping the Coke he had poured her moments before. It wasn't long until they could hear the siren blaring over the already loud music that thumped from the speakers. The rest of the patrons began to grumble complaints, and Edward sighed.
"I'll walk you out now," he said, wiping his hands off on the rag that was tucked into the apron he wore. Bella hopped off the stool, shouldering her purse and following him out. Pete was on edge as he watched the police cruiser stop suddenly in front of the bar. Edward couldn't help putting his hand on the small of her back, guiding her across the street. She sent him a quick glance over her shoulder, her warm brown eyes confused.
Charlie climbed out of the car, looking rather flustered. It was not often in Forks that he had to put his lights and siren on, and even less often that he had to do so to rescue his only daughter from a biker bar.
"Bella," he said, sounding thoroughly relieved at the sight of her. "Are you all right, hon?"
"Yes, its just..." Her eyes crossed the road to where her car sat. "I had an emergency."
End Chapter.
Notes: Just wait, anticipate the lemony-ness in the next chapters. Because its going to be hot and such, and you're gonna love it.