Disclaimer:The Twilight Saga and all respective characters, names and related details are the property of Stephenie Meyer, Little Brown publishers and Summit Entertainment. I'm the one responsible for the rest of this crap.
Warning:Let's start this off with a "bang", shall we?
Approx:12 Pages/5,967 Words
Chapter 1: Humbling
Tree limbs scratched at my face as I chased after her – my lungs burning with the exertion. Her hair fanned out after her as she ran, flipping back and forth each time she'd dare to glance behind her to judge how close I was. Each time she'd catch my eye, her eyes would open wider in fright and I'd smile, loving the advantage I had over her. She'd lean against a tree to gain leverage and push forward excitedly.
She was so petite – her feet landed between the roots of the forest so much better than mine did, and she flitted just beneath the lower hanging branches without any trouble. But, she was no athlete, and my prey lacked the same agility and prowess that was powering me behind her. Somehow, my large feet hit the forest floor more quietly – my long legs pushed me farther faster, quickly making up for her advantages.
As I gained on her, I pivoted slightly right, abandoning my chase and running a parallel course alongside her so that I could take her in: just watching the way her little body moved; study the concentration and exertion on her face. I lagged a little – the cat watching the mouse with eager fascination. Once I pounced on her, I was going to devour her whole; there would be no way she could fight my hands off of her luscious body. The nearest people were over 100 feet away, separated by thick woods and the sounds of a radio at full blast. The chase had only increased my appetite, my adrenaline and testosterone spiked so that my libido was at an all time high. My groin was slowly thickening at the thought of taking her, drawing our foreplay to a close.
Her doe eyes sought me out once more – a smile playing across her lips when she realized I was no longer on her tail. I stilled beside a tree, wanting to keep the element of surprise on my side, but it was too late – her mouth formed into a little "o" shape when she caught my movement - and I absorbed the delicious moment of panic that chased across her features before she spun on her heal to turn the opposite direction. However, my grace-challenged prey caught her toe on the root of a large tree, tripping her up so that she squealed as she flopped unceremoniously onto the forest floor.
I leapt into action, craving the finale to the chase. But, moments before I could pounce, she was back up on her feet and darting away from me. A flash of red alerted me to the fact that her hand was injured but, she took off before I could catch her. Her moxie surprised me, tripping me up as she maneuvered around a rather large tree. One moment she was there and the next, she was gone.
I righted myself, staring around the quiet forest, searching for some trace of where she could have gone. She was close…I could feel her nearness in my veins – taste her on my tongue. My groin swelled just a little more at the thought. I steadied myself, listening for her racing breath, goosebumps racing up my spine as I imagined that same sweet breath racing over my skin…
I needed to find her now.
I needed her now.
I readjusted myself and focused back on the chase, something drawing my attention to the right. I watched as she peeked around a huge fir tree, hugging closely to it as she sought me out. Her hair was a riot; her cheeks flushed from the exertion.
Beautiful. Radiant. Breathtaking.
Her hand reached around the massive tree trunk, the flash of blood on her palm catching my eye, and I snarled as I sprung into action – pinning her to the tree as she screamed.
"So, you're not afraid of me, huh?" I asked, my lips easing into a cocky smile that I couldn't really help.
"Damn! I thought I'd lost you!" She laughed, slapping ineffectively at my chest.
"Never." I shook my head, leaning in to kiss her sweetly on the tip of her nose. "Now, what did you do to your hand? I can't believe you kept running after you took that fall – by that point, I was just trying to catch up to you and make sure you were okay."
"Aw, I was fine after I tripped. But, I did get a splinter in my hand-"
I stepped back, bringing her hand up between us so that I could inspect the damage. The splinter in the center of her tiny palm was about an inch long – the blood leaving a trail down one of her fingers. "Bella…why in the world-"
"Cuz I'm stubborn. And, I've always been a klutz, and that's no reason to just let you win." I cocked my head to the side and stared at her incredulously, making it clear that I thought it was a perfectly good reason to forfeit. "I'll live, Edward."
I knelt down in front of her to allow more sunlight in between us and so that I could more closely inspect her hand. It was obvious that she thought I was being overprotective, but she smiled at me anyway and it felt sincere. I cleared the flecks of dirt and debris away, careful to wipe them out and away from the wound. As far as splinters go, this was a rather large one. It wasn't the tiny fleck of wood you need a safety pin to exhume, but it wasn't going to require stitches either. Satisfied that her hand was as clean as I could get it, given the situation, I pinched my nails carefully around the other end and pulled the wood out. She winced and I applied pressure to the entry site, knowing that would ease the pain a bit.
"Let me have your bandana." I asked, nodding towards the fabric she had modeled into a makeshift headband while we were on the ATV's earlier.
"Edward, I don't need-"
I looked up at her intensely with an expression that stopped any further argument. She removed the headband, her hair cascading down around her face and shoulders as my body urgently reminded me that it had other pressing needs.
I shook my head, focused on taking care of her first and tying the bandana around her hand. I looked back at her palm, turning it this way and that way in the rays of the sun, inspecting it thoroughly to ensure that there was nothing else left behind.
It grew increasingly hard to concentrate as the fingers of her other hand dove into the thickness of my hair, massaging my scalp. It took all of my strength not to start purring like some abandoned housecat, but her touch sent my libido racing – rational thought and gentle love could no longer keep it tamed.
I brought her injured hand up to my lips, once again looking up at her from beneath my lashes because I loved the reaction that always got from her. Sure enough, she bit her lip, her body arching towards me instinctually, exactly as I knew it would, and my dick stiffened entirely, the length unbearably tight, confined within my shorts. I welcomed the discomfort, though, because it kept me a little more clearheaded.
I didn't want to ravage her like some animal, taking only what I wanted. She was far too beautiful and wild when she was being loved properly…it was worth the wait to watch her squirm and moan and come undone around me.
Waiting for her…making her wet and ready for me…it was the sweetest kind of torture I had ever had the pleasure to experience.
Still on my knees, I released her hand and slipped my fingers around the back of her bare knees, slowly coaxing my way up her soft, tight thighs and onto her hips as I continued staring up at her. Under the intensity of her gaze, my chest grew heavy, making it difficult to breathe. My fingertips eased up under the hem of her shirt, grazing against the soft, perfect skin of her sides and back. The flat plane of her belly peeked out beneath her shirt as I raised it higher and my mouth literally watered with desire. I leaned forward, her skin erupting in goosebumps as my breath grazed the waistline of her denim shorts. I paused there – inhaling that sweet strawberry and cream scent – simply driving her crazy with anticipation. She rubbed her thighs together anxiously, her back arching, as she whimpered with need.
The sound went straight to my cock and I leaned my forehead lightly against her, struggling to keep a cap on my own raging desires.
She trembled, leaning back against the tree as her fingers tightened their grip on my hair.
My tongue peeked out, tracing along the waist band of her shorts, drawing out the teasing as long as possible. The warm summer breeze blew against my heated face as I kissed the sensitive skin just above her belly button and then peppered kisses to the side before nipping at her hip bone. Her hips instinctively thrust forward in response, and I growled low in my throat as my dick strained against my shorts. I wanted to drive her crazy, but I wasn't sure how much longer I'd be able to hold out.
My fingertips raced over her skin as they met in the middle and began fumbling with the button on her shorts. I watched as her eyes shot open, her hands stilling mine as her eyes darted around the forest nervously.
I kissed her fingers softly and brushed my stubbled cheek across her knuckles before looking up into her eyes with a fiery intention that I knew she couldn't deny. She stared down at me, seeming to recall something as she calmed and released me – both of her hands diving into my hair, coaxing me on. I slipped the button through the hole and slowly slipped down her zipper – my hands trembling with anticipation.
With her shorts loose, I tugged them slowly down with one hand as my other hand raced up under her shirt, my fingertips easing the cup of her bikini top down until her hardened nipple slipped free. I rolled it a little gruffly between my fingertips as she gasped at the sensation, arching harder into my palm. I used the distraction to pull her pants farther off of her hips, my fingers reaching inside and slipping immediately between her clenched thighs.
I rubbed a finger over her engulfed clit as she pushed against me eagerly.
"That's right…move for me Bella." I coaxed as I slipped a finger deep inside of her.
She moaned, bending her knees slightly to slip further down my digit, her sex clenching deliciously tight around my finger. Her slick tightness translated immediately to my dick as I found my hips undulating instinctively, aching to be inside of her.
"Damn, you feel so good babe." I confessed, my voice reduced to gravel as I struggled to maintain control.
I turned my hand so that two of my fingers could stroke her on the inside while my thumb continued to stroke her on the out, quickly reducing her to a thrusting, quivering mass of unintelligible noises. Meanwhile, my other hand continued the assault on her breasts, loving the small weight of them - every once in a while rolling her nipple almost painfully between my fingertips and watching her go completely weak in the knees.
Her body was on auto pilot by now, undulating rhythmically, her hips pulsing against my hand as her eyes began rolling back into her head in pleasure. I mumbled expletives under my breath as I could feel the tension building in my neck and shoulders.
Her cheeks were red and dewy with perspiration, her hair a mess of mahogany waves with red highlights where touched by the sun. Her shirt was pulled up to her shoulders by now – both cups of her bikini pulled down so that I could watch one fair mound bounce with her undulations while the other breast was dwarfed by my too-large hands – the bright pink nipple peeking out from between my fingers. Her lips pursed – so rosy and kissable – as she oohed and aahhed under my ministrations.
I wanted those lips. I wanted them pressed against my lips…I wanted them tracing sensual trails down my body…I wanted them wrapped around my cock as those chocolate brown eyes of hers stared up at me in complete and utter love and adoration.
"Fuck, Bella…you look so beautiful right now." As usual, my words pushed her ever closer to climax.
"Fuck, Edward….fuuuuck…" She moaned, her pussy clamping down deliciously as my fingers became more rushed.
The desperation…the slick tightness…it triggered something in me and I lost control, a growl rumbling from deep within my chest. It was a guttural noise that was so primal that her eyes opened wide as she stared down into my flushed face. She yelped as I withdrew my hands, so close to her climax that losing my touch must have been a shock to her over-excited senses. Trembling hands and shaky fingers struggled with my belt buckle as I rose up in front of her. She shimmied her shorts off, anticipating my needs and a moment later, I was finally buried inside her – her back pressed against the tree as I drove balls deep, her lips crashing against mine passionately.
She quickly came undone around me but I barely noticed as I continued to plunge into her. She closed her eyes, allowing me to take over completely as I picked her up, wrapping her legs around my hips. She settled back into her body and soon, she had caught back up with me – her fingers fisting my shirt as I pulsed inside of her. My breath was ragged and rushed, my face flushed and slick as my brows furrowed in intense concentration.
My body seized, muscles tensing spasmodically as Bella's body stiffened against mine. Within a few moments, I relaxed completely, my body becoming heavier, pinning her against the tree - my breath ragged against her ear. I wanted to get my weight off of her, but for the time being, my limbs were jelly, making it nearly impossible to support my own weight. I shivered as she wrapped her arms around me, cradling my head against her chest and whispering kisses against my hair.
Eventually I regained my strength, rising up and kissing her sweetly on the forehead before we both focused on straightening out our clothes.
"Wanna go for a swim?" I crooned from behind her, my lips tracing her ear and jaw as I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her close.
"Not yet." She purred as she backed into my embrace, her head lolling back against my shoulder.
"What are you thinking about?" I asked, rocking her side to side as I continued to lazily tease at her jaw and neck.
She sighed, her hands running down my forearms until our fingers were interlocked, two sets of arms circling her petite body. "I'm happy."
I hummed against her ear. "Mmm…I'm happy that you're happy." She turned her face towards mine and I immediately answered her unspoken question with a deep, sweet kiss; a gentle dance of tongues. "Go for a walk with me?"
Her smile was answer enough.
We walked silently at first, just strolling hand in hand, admiring the wildlife and quietly enjoying one another's company.
We had met and fallen in love with a dozen pendulums above our heads. Now that life had taken a turn for the better, I tried to make a point of just appreciating her company – taking a step back to really get to know one another and to truly come to fall in love the way that most couple do. Bella deserved that – and I wanted to give her everything.
"What do you want?" She asked suddenly.
"Hm?" I hummed, drawn out of my own private thoughts. "What do you mean?"
We walked a bit further as I considered it.
"Sorry, it's been a while since I've really thought about it." I finally spoke as we approached a fallen tree, pausing to pick her up and seat her on it before hopping up to join her. "I used to want to be a musician when I was younger but, by high school, I just sort of accepted that that wasn't a legitimate route."
"Why not?"
"Well, I mean, I can play, but I'm not a prodigy or anything. I just sort of did the math…how many people want to be musicians and how many people actually earn enough money doing it that they can live off of it, ya know? The odds weren't really in my favor so it just seemed kind of unrealistic." I held her hand in mine, staring down at it, tracing her fingertips as if I was studying them closely.
"Is that what you think of us? You think we don't stand a chance?" She asked, her voice sounding small.
I couldn't afford to pause and think this one through. "That's different. You're different. You have stage presence and talent and heart. All of you…you're willing to struggle for it. You have a story and supporters and fans. I was just a piano player – there are a million other guys like me. Besides…had I known you back then, maybe I would have been more optimistic. You sort of bring that out in me, I think. I…I get stuck in my head sometimes. Overthink things. Doubt myself. But you…you make me want to try things I would have otherwise given up on."
She seemed to mull my answer and, once satisfied, continued.
"So, after?"
"After what?"
"After you gave up on the idea of being a musician," She clarified, "what did you want to do then?"
I sat up, leaning back just a little and putting my arm around her. "Well, after that, I guess I focused more on being realistic than worrying about what I wanted to do. I considered going into law like my dad and Phil. I mean, if I took that route, I'd be pretty much covered either way. Between the two of them, I'd be guaranteed a job straight out of college."
"What happened after High School?"
I straddled the fallen log, scooting forward and pulling her close. "I was attending college in Seattle and, when my brother and his wife got pregnant, my parents decided to move out there as we-"
She pulled away, looking up into my face so that I could see her absolute shock as she slapped my shoulder. "You never told me you had a brother!"
I couldn't help but laugh. "Okay, first of all – you hit like a girl." I teased as she slapped playfully at me one more time before slinking her arms around my waist and burying her face against my chest. The gesture made me feel ten feet tall – in that moment, my arms may as well have been a fortress around her tiny, perfect body. I brushed her hair back from her face before resuming. "Secondly, you never asked." With her arms wrapped around me, she used the opportunity to swat me on the ass this time, creating just the slightest stir in my pants. I chuckled in response. "I guess we still have a lot to learn about one another."
"So, tell me about him! What's his name? How old is he? Why is he in Seattle?" She asked eagerly.
I laughed at her overzealousness. "His name is Masen, after my mom's maiden name. She wanted to pass it on somehow, so they agreed on it as a first name. He's about four years older than me. He accepted an athletic scholarship to the University of Washington – and that's where he met Kate. After they graduated, he got a job in Seattle, so they just settled down there. About a year later, they had J.R. and that's when my parents moved."
"What does J.R. stand for?"
"Junior." I laughed at her confused expression. "To respect my mom's wishes, he was named after Masen, but Katie refused to have a 'Junior' in the house." I chuckled. "My brother originally suggested 'Mini-Me', but Kate wasn't having any of it. So, they compromised and shortened Junior to just J.R."
"Oh my God – I mean, I'd wondered about your parents, but I never imagined you had a sibling."
I smirked.
"And what about college. Did you graduate?"
I rubbed at the back of my neck awkwardly as the barrage of memories assaulted me. "I had to work, so I couldn't go full time. I was just about finished with my Associate's when Bree started getting sick." I sighed, running my hand through her hair, seeking its comfort. "So I moved back here and tried taking online courses at first, but I was having too much trouble focusing. That was when Phil put me on the payroll and, well, I guess you know what happened from there."
I had told her about growing up with Bree and the Tanners and she knew all about the faked marriage and the insurance fraud, but I hadn't realized how many holes there were in the story.
My mind wandered to the family I hadn't seen in about a year's time. Masen got his bulk from the men on my mother's side, but in every other way, he was my father's son. From the dark hair, tanned complexion and blue eyes, to his love of sports, Masen was the boy my father had dreamed of. Meanwhile, I took after my mom in almost every way. I had her copper hair, her green eyes, her love of music and her appreciation for art. Nobody knows why I was so scrawny growing up; whereas Masen could blink twice and develop a six pack, diet and exercise always just made me skinny. My father used to tease that I was the postman's son. I think that may be why Masen and I were never as close as we could have been…there was sort of an unspoken rivalry for my father's attention. But, things weren't that bad, I suppose. Instead of fighting with him or crying about it, I had just tagged after my mother. Eventually, Renee and Phil came into my life and I became the son they'd never had.
It all worked out for the best and, despite everything, I can't really say that I have any hard feelings. I think we all got what we needed in the end.
"Why didn't they come to Bree's funeral?" She asked, bringing me out of my thoughts.
"Well, Masen is seven years older than Bree, so she was never more than just some girl who grew up in the neighborhood to him. Dad was working on a case at the time and mom…well, I think she felt too guilty for not being there for Renee. She actually told me she was too embarrassed to come, if that makes any sense."
Bella nodded sullenly.
"Can I meet them?"
"Who, my brother?"
"All of them!" She said excitedly, sitting up straight and looking into my eyes intently. "Your parents. Your brother and sister-in-law. Your nephew."
"You'd want that?" I asked, bewildered by the turn in conversation.
"Of course!" She beamed. "I mean, it obviously makes me nervous – I'd want them to like me and everything – but, I want to know everything there is about you."
"I'd love you to meet my family." I smiled, easily coming to grips with the idea.
I swept her up into my arms, squeezing her against my chest in a solid embrace – simply holding her and rocking her in absolute happiness before pulling back, caressing her hair and looking into her face affectionately. "And, you have nothing to worry about. They'd love you, Bella. They wouldn't have any other choice."
She bit her lip as I stared into her eyes – so bright and excited – and I tried to relish the fact that I was capable of so much love and happiness.
That was when her phone buzzed, alerting her of a text message. As she reached into her back pocket to retrieve her cell, my phone chimed with a text message of my own. Then, before either of us could unlock our screens, her cell chimed with a second text message.
"Who is it?" I asked, pulling my phone from my back pocket.
"Who do you think?" she replied dryly, reading her texts. "Alice told us to have fun."
"Mine was from Jasper telling us to hurry up. Apparently, Emmet's already eaten half of the potato chips and one of our sandwiches." I gave her one of my idiotic, crooked smiles that she seemed to find endearing.
"Rosie said, and I quote 'Geez, you've had the apartment to yourselves all weekend, Nympho!"
I looked down as my phone chimed in my hands, and then burst out laughing. Unable to speak clearly, I handed her my phone so that she could read Jasper's text message. "Fee, fie, foe, fum. I smell Edward and Bella's cum." Before she had finished reading, the phone chimed again with another message. "Ignore that. Emmet hacked me. I would never say anything that disgusting."
"C'mon, let's get going before they send a search party." I smiled, taking my phone from her hand and slipping it back into my rear pocket. I looked at her affectionately before smoothing her hair and sweetly kissing her forehead. "I love you."
The sentiment made her purr and curl in on herself contentedly like a cat waiting to be petted. "I love you more." She smiled back before letting me lead the way.
"Last one in's a rotten egg!" Emmet shouted before cannon balling into the middle of the serene lake.
Bella and I hadn't even reached the group before the buffoon resurfaced with a big, cheesy grin.
It was the first time all summer that we all had an opportunity to take advantage of the warm weather; since it was Labor Day, Jasper and Rosalie didn't have any school and the boutique Alice worked for was closed – as was the sporting goods store that Emmet worked for. Bella was the only one scheduled to work and even she wasn't expected until closer to five o'clock.
After our hectic weekend, we chose to bypass the crowds that would be flocking to First and Second Beach and instead followed Emmet to a small lake out in the woods, where we suspected we'd have the place all to ourselves.
So far, we appeared to be right.
I paused at the opening to the clearance and kissed Bella on the cheek before wandering over towards Rosalie to inspect what was left of our snack supply.
"So, what's the damage report?" I asked, grabbing a beer from the cooler before scouring through the basket.
Rosalie sighed, tipping back her bottle and taking a swig. "There are three sandwiches left and one bag of chips that I managed to hide from him. Plus, of course, all of the fruits and veggies are untouched because that man hasn't eaten a healthy thing in years."
"Emmet! I can't believe you singlehandedly left us with this carnage!" I hollered out to the oaf.
"It's your own damn faults! You know I have an appetite! Should have brought more damn food!" He shouted back before diving under the crystal clear water.
"Jackass." Rosalie muttered before taking another sip of her beer. I chuckled at the disgruntled woman. Her near-constant state of grumpiness amidst this group of happy campers always amused me. "No worries, Ed…Bella's bag has back-up sandwiches and chocolate. We just have to wait for a bear to attack my man so that he'll be distracted." She finished her beer, tossing it beside the cooler before laying back and soaking in the sun that was peeking through the cloud cover.
Having just delivered two bottles of Smirnoff Ice to our girls, Jasper strutted back to the picnic blanket just in time to catch Rosalie griping. "I told you, sis – they're more afraid of us than we are of them. With the radio and all the other noise we're making, there's no way a bear would come this close." He plopped down beside me unceremoniously before clinking his bottle against mine and taking a swig.
"But still, one can only hope, brother-dear." She snided, laying back in the rays of the sun before throwing an arm over her face to shield her eyes.
"She's one hell of a catch, my sister. Sure you want to hang on to Bella when you could get you some of that?" Jazz teased.
"Edward wishes he was man enough to handle me." She joked.
"You're right, you're too much man for me, Rosalie." I chuckled back. She moved her arm to glare at me just in time to see Jazz clink our bottles together one more time and raise his Smirnoff in the air in my honor. As a general rule of thumb, I didn't zing Rose because she was the only one in the group that I had a hard time gauging…and, I still hadn't forgotten that she had been the only one opposed to Bella getting together with me. But the curse had slipped past my lips before I had the conscious mind to stop myself.
I swallowed through Rosalie's glare, until she fought back a smile, gave me a wink and resumed sun-bathing. It was only then that I released a breath I hadn't been aware I was holding.
"Aw, c'mon! Am I seriously going to be the only one swimming? What the hell are you guys waiting for?" Emmet called, splashing water towards us, as if he could possibly get us wet from the middle of the lake.
"You're not supposed to swim for an hour after eating!" Rosalie shouted out to him without as much as sitting up. "Dumbass." She mumbled under her breath. "If he gets a cramp, one of you will have to save him, because I give up."
"PMS." Jasper whispered to me before shivering in fear.
I was sitting on the corner of the blanket, my legs bent at the knees and spread apart slightly, one arm casually draped over one knee with my bottle in hand. I caught Bella from the corner of my eye and turned in time to see her moving across the field toward me. The grassy ground was uneven, accentuating the sway of her walk. Her denim cut-offs hugged her thighs, the waist riding low on her hips so that I could see the straps of her bikini bottoms peeking out. She had unbuttoned her plaid shirt so that it hung loosely over her shoulders now, her red, polka-dot bikini top bouncing with every step.
It had been less than an hour since I had taken her against that tree and yet, watching her walk towards me…her hair loose and blowing with the breeze…my pants grew unbearably tight in the crotch and it took all of my will power not to readjust obviously.
Mine. All mine.
For all of my talk of taking a step back and getting to really know and appreciate each other, every day I seemed to be fighting an ever losing battle to make that damned girl mine forever. To mark her, label her and tell the whole damned world to back off.
She stepped in front of me, the denim barely hugging the curve of her ass as she slowly stooped down in front of me, settling herself between my legs and backing up so that my erection was now pressed firmly between her ass cheeks. From behind, I could see her cheeks bunch up with her smile. She leaned back against me, turning her head and whispering "Well hello, Lover."
This girl was going to be the end of me. And knowing that she wanted it just as badly as I did only made me ache for her that much more.
"Don't get me wet! Emmet, no! I have to wear this back home! Stop!" Rosalie screamed, jumping up and racing off of the blanket as Emmet charged out of the water, chasing her with his arms wide open for a hug, dripping wet and laughing maniacally.
"I can't help it if I make you wet, baby! It's just part of my animal magnetism. I'm irresistible!" He laughed. "There's no use fighting it! You know you want this!"
Rosalie yelped as Emmet tackled her, taking her to the ground and kissing her all over – thoroughly soaking her in the process.
"Get off me, ya big oaf!" She laughed as they began to roll around.
I had been so caught up in Bella that I hadn't even noticed that Jasper was now stripped down to his swim trunks at the edge of the water. "Babe, ya coming?"
"Damn, have you seen my man?" Alice asked at the edge of the blanket, shimmying out of her shorts.
"Oh, yes…that is some grade A man-meat right there." I teased in my best gay voice.
"Damn skippy!" Alice laughed, adjusting her bikini top. "And I'm gonna get me some of that!"
I couldn't help but smile as I watched her jiggle her way to the water – Jasper's hand reaching out toward her expectantly.
I wasn't sure if it was possible to love life any more than I did at that particular moment.
With Bree, everything had been falling apart. And, things had been bad for so very long with her that I had stopped even noticing that things were bad.
But now, I had an overabundance of terrific friends – this great, big circle of love and support. I hadn't realized how alone I had become or how isolated I had started to feel. I hadn't known I could feel so alone in a crowd, but it was true. Yet, everywhere I looked now I saw the love and friendship I had been missing. I had the band. I had Felix and the handful of people he had just brought into my life. I had Jacob and Billy and Bella's extended family on the Rez.
I had a purpose and – I crossed my fingers – a possible recording contract on the horizon. We'd only played for the different labels a couple of days ago. Who knew when we'd hear back from any of them…or if we'd hear back from them at all. But, my skin tingled with this sense that there was something new for us…something huge on the horizon.
And then, the biggest and greatest change of all: Isabella Marie Swan. Sure, we had gone about things a bit ass-backwards but somehow, we had made it to this point.
Two months.
And, that's what the paradox was for me. My world had shifted on its axis. My earth didn't revolve around the sun anymore. It revolved around Bella and love and friendship and family and hope.
And yet, here I was in this magnificent little place and it appeared completely untouched. Lavender hued flowers swayed in the breeze amidst long strands of grass. The wind whispered through the leaves on the trees. The water was crystal clear, straight through to the bottom of the lake. None of the drama and changes that overwhelmed my life had touched this little piece of heaven on earth.
It was humbling.
A/N:It saddens me to inform you that the Volturi have captured my Beta, and they are holding her ransom for smut. But, as you know from our last foray together, lemons and limes cost reviews. So, if you miss my Beta as much as I do, hurry up with the reviews already so we can get this lemon train started!
