Wow! I have been quite blown away by the amount of response the last chapter got. I really appreciate you all for taking the time to read my fic.
Oh yeah, that little bit of angst I mentioned, there's a tad in this chapter.
So here we go. On to chapter two :)
BPOV.
I couldn't resist giving a little extra sway to my hips as I walked away from Edward. He just looked so cute and flustered when talking to me, I couldn't help but tease him a little. I almost wet my panties when I saw his car. A deep green Pontiac GTO, I could rub myself over that car anyday of the week. A classic car I would kill to get fucked in. I nearly passed out in ecstasy when I heard that beast roar to life and Edward peeled out of the parking lot, honking as he went past.
I really hope Rose and Emmett don't mind that I lied about the barbecue. I just needed an excuse to see Edward again. I picked Milo up from off of the floor, where he was making a right meal out of licking his balls, and plonked him onto the passenger seat of my car. Rose sauntered over and gave me a brief hug. "Just follow Em's Jeep okay?" "Sure. Uhh, Rose? How do you feel about having a cookout this evening? I want to try some of my grandmas recipes. I never had the chance before, living in a high rise flat in the middle of a city." Wow the lies were coming thick and fast today.
"Sure hon. That sounds like a great plan. We can pick up the meat on the way back if you like?"
"I think it's best if we send Emmett out for it later. Milo would eat a rump steak in less than ten minutes." At the sound of his name, milos ears perked up but he was behaved enough to not start barking.
"Okay then. We'll see you there Bee."
"Laters Ro-Ro." I re-adjusted my shades, pulled on my headscarf and followed the massive blue Jeep back out onto the coastal road. Fifteen minutes later we pulled up outside of a gorgeous sea front home. The pale grey brickwork and sea foam siding contrasted beautifully against the bright blue ocean and vivid plant life.
I parked alongside Emmett's vehicle and stepped out of my car, grabbing Milo along the way. "Rose this place is gorgeous. I'm so jealous."
"This is nothing Bells. Wait until you see inside." She linked arms with me and steered us towards the wrap-around porch which lead to a wide spacious deck. There was five steps leading down onto their own personal section of beach. A hammock hung lazily between two large palm trees a little ways down the sand. The view is spectacular.
"You can let Milo off his leash." Rose said as she swung the gate leading to the beach closed. "There is no way for him to get loose." I closed the side gate and set Milo down before unclipping his lead. Rosalie went inside to get some drinks while I set down my baby's water bowl and blanket in the shade. I filled his bowl and laid a few treats down on his bed before following Rose inside, leaving Milo to explore the deck.
The kitchen was light and airy, decorated in pastel blues and whites. A large island work surface stood in the centre of the room with stools along one side to create a mini breakfast bar. There was a large archway that lead to a combined dining room/ living room area with large bay windows that looked out onto the street in front of the property. I turned full circle, taking in all that Roses home had to offer. There was floor to ceiling windows by the dining area giving brilliant views of the beach and ocean. Plush white sofas surrounded an empty fireplace, with a large mirror hanging overhead of the grate. The colours were in the same pastel shades as the kitchen with darker blue pieces accetuating parts of the room.
"Rose this place is gorgeous." I repeated my sentence from outside. "I never expected you to have a home like this. I imagined you as more of a crypt keeper." I joked, referring to her college years spent as a goth.
"Nah, I outgrew all of that. I've found a happy medium." She grinned pointing to the gothic artwork adorning the walls. "All mine. The beach brings out the best in people, or at least me. Drink?" She asked, holding up a bottle of gin.
"Maybe later. Right now I could kill a cup of coffee."
"On it." She chuckled, sauntering back in to the kitchen and flipping the switch on the percolator. Emmett, who had left Rose to give me the grand tour, came jogging down the stairs. He had changed into a white vest top and a pair of khaki shorts. His own ink shining through the material of his top. He had a large, oriental style back piece of a dragon fighting a tiger.
"So ladies, what's on the agenda?" He asked, clapping his hands and rubbing them together.
"Well you're going to the store so we can have a cookout tonight and Bella and I are going to relax on the deck and chat about why she's here a week early."
I rolled my eyes and wrote down a quick list of ingredients for Emmett to but at the store. Rose waved him off while I went and sat down on the steps leading to the beach. I slipped off my heels and pushed my toes into the sand, wriggling them around as the soft grains encompassed them. I rest my cup of coffee on my knees and stared blankly out at the ocean. Milo, always in tune with my moods, came and sat down beside me nudging my elbow with his wet nose. "Hey boy." I whispered, wrapping my arm around his shoulders. "It's a new start for us Mi. A place to be happy, away from those who put us down."
RPOV.
I couldn't believe my best friend was here. For years I had been begging her to move away from the city and down to the coast, but she always had some sort of excuse. 'I can't afford it.' 'My business is just taking off.' 'I met someone.'
Okay so I can't fault her for the last one. Bella had been alone for so long, I was happy she was in a relationship. But now, as I stand at my backdoor gazing across the deck at my sister from another mister, I see a sadness there that she doesn't allow to show on the surface. I snapped a quick picture on my phone, ready to use as inspiration for my next painting. Now don't get me wrong, cars are my passion especially restoring old classics, but art is like therapy for me. It's my release from the world. Even Emmett knows not to disturb me when I'm in my studio.
I slipped off my boots and padded over the sandy wood to where Bella was sitting, taking a seat on the step beside her. "Spill it missy."
"Never were one to beat around the bush were you Rose?"
"Nope. So what's up? Why the sudden change? I thought things were going great in Seattle."
"They were."
I cocked an eyebrow at her. "Really?! Bella you're here for a vacation a week early. That's pretty spontaneous, even for you. In college you always had everyday planned out, from the time you woke up to the time you went to bed. What's really wrong?"
Bella gave a deep sigh. "I've left the city. I'm not going back. I want to make a life here. I closed my business, packed up my shit and just drove. Here I am." Her shoulders slumped while Milo licked her hand.
"What happened?" I pressed, knowing I'd get tot the truth eventually. She was always a shitty liar.
"I-I caught" sniff "I caught Embry in bed" sniff "with someone else." Her head fell forward as tears dripped into her coffee. I pried the cup from her hands and set it down before wrapping my arms around her.
"You're better off without him you know. He was never good enough for you."
"What's wrong with me Rose? Every guy I've ever had a relationship with cheats on me. Tyler has an affair and gets his bit of fluff pregnant. Turns out I was the one James was having an affair with and Em-Embry, he just wasn't man enough for me, turns out I don't think he's man enough for his boyfriend either." She was full out sobbing now, tears and snot flying everywhere. It was kinda gross. Glad I don't cry. Eurgh, such a messy business.
"Wait a minute, did you say Embry is gay?" Bella nodded and started to cry harder. I helped her up and lead her to our guest room. I laid down with her on the bed, while Milo curled up by our feet, and just held her as she cried herself to sleep.
I made sure she was sound asleep before slowly raising myself from the bed. I moved Milo up to lay next to her and he licked my hand in response. "Good boy Milo. You take care of her okay?" The little mutt snorted and cocked his head to the side. I patted him on the head and walked out of the room. I went to my studio, opened up that picture and began to paint.
EPOV.
It didn't take long for me to speed home and jump in my shower. I breathed a sigh of relief as I finally stepped out of my very restrictive jeans and under the warm spray. That Bella sure is something. Every teenage boys wet dream.
I worked myself into a lather before gripping my throbbing erection. I wasn't going to last long.
I closed my eyes and pictured the sway of Bella's hips after she had kissed me with those soft pouty lips. I pumped myself harder and with a strangled cry I released all over the tiled shower wall. I felt somewhat dizzy as the build up of tension left my body. I stood there panting for a minute as the realisation of what I had just done sank in.
Here I am, a fully grown man, jerking off in the shower like some hormonal teen.
What is wrong with you Cullen?
I finished my shower and cleaned my mess off of the wall before grabbing a towel and going to lay on my bed for a bit. I folded my arms under my head and let my mind wander. I felt my eyes slowly close.
I woke with a start. There was laughter coming from downstairs. I stood up and pulled on my boxers, discarding the towel in the laundry basket. Since when have I had a laundry basket? Must ask mom about that. She probably dropped it off. I opened the bedroom door and the noise got louder. It sounded like the T.V.
"Alice?" I called out for my sister, who usually popped in after her college classes were over for the day. I got no reply. I cautiously made my way downstairs to the kitchen. There was distinctive clangs of pots and pans being moved about while the strong smell of freshly brewed coffee wafted up the stairs.
"Mom?" I called as I stepped into my kitchen. What I saw sure as hell wasn't my mother or sister.
A breath-taking beauty stood dancing in front of my stove. Brunette hair piled high in a messy bun on top of her head with a few bits that had worked their way loose hanging down her back. Her dainty left foot rubbed absently at the back of her heavily inked right calf. She was dressed in nothing more than one of my button up shirts.
"Bella?" She turned around with a wide smile on her face and one hand resting on her protruding stomach.
My eyes bugged out of their sockets.
"Morning baby. I made you your favourite." She gestured to a plate piled high with french toast and bacon. I think I've died and gone to heaven.
The shrill sound of my cell phone broke through this moment of bliss. I sat bolt upright in bed. It was getting dark out and I still had the towel from my shower wrapped around my middle. It was a dream. Just a dream. I checked the time, it was a little after seven in the evening. I had three missed calls from Emmett and a couple from Rose. I quickly rang Emmett back, hoping like hell that no one was injured.
"DUDE! WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?" He bellowed down the phone. I had to hold the device a foot away from my ear in the hopes to keep my ear drums from bursting. "YOU'RE MEANT TO BE BRINGING THE BOOZE! WE'RE ALL STARVING HERE WAITING FOR YOU."
What the hell is talking about I wondered before realisation dawned. Oh shit. The barbecue! "I'll be there in twenty." I didn't give him a chance to reply. I hung up the phone and hastily got dressed, pulling on an old band tee and a pair of black cargo shorts. I raided my pantry for beer and wine. Two crates and three bottles should be enough right? I grabbed my keys, slipped my feet into my flip-flops and was out the door in under ten. I made it to Rose and Ems in record time, thankfully the roads were pretty clear. I hoisted the alcohol into my arms and nudged my car door shut. I kicked open the side gate open and made my way to the deck out back. Tinkling laughter filled the air accompanied by yapping. Bella and Emmett were fighting over the grill with Milo joining in by having a go at Emmett. Rose was busy pouring drinks and was the first to notice me standing here.
"Hey E! Come on over, the food's almost done. Dump those in the cooler." She motioned to the beer in my arms after waving me over. Bella had stopped arguing with Emmett long enough to watch my advance over the deck, resulting in Emmett being able to snatch the barbecue tongs from her hands and do an unnoticed fist pump.
Bella elbowed him in the ribs, called Milo and made her way over to where Rose and I was standing. "Hi Edward." She smiled. "Glad you finally made it. I didn't think you were gonna show."
"I'd never miss a cook out on the beach. Especially one of Ems." Rose gave Bella a funny look and went inside to collect more dishes. Bella followed soon after. Milo sat by my feet with his head cocked to one side. "Hey boy." Tail began to wag. "You got a great mommy, huh?" yap-yap "She's brilliant, but you can't tell her I told you that. She might think I'm weird." I realised I was talking to a dog. Yep, I really am weird, I thought to myself while taking a long draught of my beer. Milo didn't seem to mind. He had rolled over onto his back with his tongue hanging out. Crazy pooch. I gave him a scratch on the tummy and a pat on the side. I looked up to see Bella looking at me interact with her dog. Her mouth was slightly agape and tears sparkled in her eyes. "Is something wrong?" I asked, panic setting in.
"No nothing's wrong." She sniffed. "It's just that Milo never does that for anybody except me. He never even did that for Embry."
Embry? what sort of name is Embry for crying out loud?
A giggle-snort had me believing that I had just asked that question out loud. Stupid defective brain filter. "He's a native American. It's an old family name, apparently." The way Bella said that had me believing that she didn't buy a word of it.
"Oh." Was my wonderful reply. An awkward silence fell upon us. The waves crashing upon the sand in the distance sounding a hundred times louder. I swigged lazily from my beer bottle while Bella absently chewed on her thumb nail. Rosalie walked out with a couple of her signature dishes in each hand.
"Wow, did someone die?" She asked while setting down the plates. "It's quieter than a morgue out here. Bella. chuck us your iPod. We need some tunes to get this party going." Bella passed the little device to Rose who shoved it in her dock and cranked up the sound before pressing play.
"LOVE IS HELL, LOVE IS SHIT. CAN'T YOU TELL I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF IT."
The blaring lyrics had us all jumping out of our skin. Rose quickly turned the volume down and selected a different song.
"Sorry guys. I forgot I had it turned up in the car." Bella turned a deep shade of pink.
"Don't sweat it hon. Nothing like a bit of loud rock music to blow away the cobwebs. Ooh now here's something we'll all get along with."
"So sick of the hobos, always begging for change. I don't like how I gotta work and they just sit around and get paid."
My ears perked up at the sound of Tyler Connolly's gravelly voice crooning from the speakers. Theory of a Deadman. My favourite band.
"I love this band!" Bella and I both spoke at the same time. We grinned at each other and both jumped in to sing the chorus.
"I hate my job, all of my rich friends. Hate everyone to the bitter end. Nothing turns out right, there's no end in sight. I hate my life."
Bella fell about giggling while I sat there with a massive cheek splitting grin on my face. As the dusky evening sky turned into dark night Emmett lit his fire pit and we all pulled up chairs to sit around and chat. The rest of the night went in the same manner. We had great food, plenty of booze and awesome comapny. Bella and I would randonmly burst into song and occasionally Emmett and Rose would join in.
Life couldn't get much better than this.
Aww, don't you just love hanging with friends and singing along to great music? Theory of a Deadman are great for catchy tunes that are easy to sing along with. I love them.
So let me know what you think.
Reviews are better than little French dogs called Milo :)