A/N

I forgot to add; all rights belong to Stephenie Meyer and I am just grateful she thought of Edward Cullen.

I will update all chapters that are in the contest entry over this weekend, and then on to the new ones from next Friday.

Thanks for reading

Chapter 2

Friday May 10th

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. By this time, Edward and I had been meeting up for almost a month, and I was itching to get closer to him with absolutely no idea on how to make it happen.

Seth had returned from Forks, bringing with him news of his family and Charlie. 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. Seth enthusiastically told me about Jake and his promotion within the police force, and how all the lads on the reservation were getting on. Sam's garage was doing well, and Emily was expecting a baby. Everything and everyone seemed to have moved on happily; he didn't mention anything about Riley, and I never asked.

Things between Edward and I hadn't moved along at all, but I hadn't yet given up hope that they would do so at some point. I was becoming more enamoured of him as each day passed, but he was the same as always; holding back from making any moves that I might take the wrong way. I was getting frustrated and decided that now 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.

For the first time, Edward agreed I could pick him up at his house; in a place called The New Moon Resort. Despite myself, I was impressed. It wasn't cheap to stay there, and by this time, I knew that he had been on the island for six weeks. I did wonder how he was able to afford to live without doing any work, but nevertheless, I wouldn't be asking any questions. I wanted him to talk to me when he wanted to and was ready, although, realistically, if whatever we were was to become more, I might have to step up and ask.

It didn't stop me being curious, but I was afraid to change the status quo, having the feeling that if I pushed him too hard, I might not like what I heard. I didn't think for one minute that he was dangerous, but there was something he was hiding, and I wasn't sure I wanted to know what that was yet.

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 loaded 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.

Driving along the coast, we chatted about what I had planned for the day. I had been in Jamaica for over a year and hadn't yet had the time to visit the cove and swim with the dolphins. I was excited not only to show Edward some of the beauty of the coastline but also to do something that I had looked forward to ever since hearing about it.

Reaching the cove just over an hour later, I parked the car in the shade leaving the picnic cooler in the boot. Making our way down to the jetty, we slid into the most glorious lagoon, with water almost the temperature of a bath. Our tickets were for the Ultimate Swim Program, which involved hands-on play with the dolphins, and I was really looking forward to it.

Being pulled along while holding on to the dorsal fin was beyond exhilarating, and we spent the allocated time fascinated by everything they did. We enjoyed touching them and marveling at how friendly and well trained they were.

It was so much fun that I didn't want to leave, but my skin was beginning to prune, and our lunch would be getting a little warm if we didn't get a move on. After kissing my lovely new friends goodbye, and promising to return, Edward and I made our way back to the car hand in hand. When we arrived, Edward spread out the blanket from his rucksack, and we settled into the shade of the palm trees to enjoy 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 the 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 lie 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.

Gazing up at the clouds in the sky, I mused on what Edward was really doing here in Jamaica. I didn't want to upset the apple cart and spoil the mood between us, but I worried that I was being drawn further into a relationship that didn't have a future. What if he was involved with someone else? After all, I had believed Riley loved me, and he had cheated on me over and over, with me none the wiser. He used me too, causing me pain and suffering that I wasn't sure I'd come to terms with, even five years later. What if Edward was not the good man I hoped he was? I had no way of telling, without directly asking him; not something I was ready to do yet. Nevertheless, I endeavoured to put those things to one side, giving myself an internal shake.

"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 Dunn's 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.

Glancing back up at him our eyes met, ramping up the connection between us. For a few minutes more we stood there, unable to look away from each other, until I managed to take a shaky deep breath, followed by a small step to one side so we could make our way back to the car.

Walking side-by-side, 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 thing 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. After loading the picnic basket back in the car, I decided to take things as they came and enjoy the day for what it was, without continuing to second guess everything.