EPOV - Day out.
After tidying the breakfast dishes, Bella had decided she wanted to take a walk around the island, go swimming and have a picnic. I told her I would pack the picnic basket while she appeared to be enjoying the view from the front lawn.
"Ill just go and quickly change," I called to Bella, "I don't want to wear these clothes down on the beach."
"Ok" she called, not bothering to look back at me.
I was still in the clothes from the wedding reception. They were still clean, sitting on a plane doesn't make you dirty, but they weren't beach style. Bella looked the part; I wanted to look the part to. I hoped Bella didn't think I looked silly. I had asked Alice to buy me some beach clothes; she had practically packed my suitcase for me. I didn't mind. She seemed to know what suited me. I would walk around in the same clothes for days if it wasn't for her, or wear clothes that didn't suit the temperature. I grabbed the first pair of board shorts that were in the suitcase. Plain black, they come down to almost my knees and sat low on my hips, revealing the faint line of hair that went from my navel to…well, to down below.
Am I wearing them right?
I honestly didn't know.
Were they supposed to sit this low?
Well they are now.
I shut the suit case and made my way out the house, towards Bella. Bella was still standing, facing away from me. I picked up the picnic basket and towels as I walked past the kitchen bar.
As I walked into the sun, I sparkled like thousands of tiny diamonds were embedded in the surface of my skin. There really wasn't any other word for it.
"Ready to go?" I asked her.
"Sure am," she turned around and looked at me. I noticed her sunglasses fall out her hand.
"What happened…..I mean, where's your shirt?" she gasped.
"What do you mean?" Isn't it normal for men to go topless at the beach?
"Your shirt…..your not wearing one…..I've never seen you…not wear a shirt," she wheezed her words out, and I heard her heart pounding furiously. My confusion gave way to smile.
She likes what she sees.
I shrugged. "I didn't think I needed one here."
Bella reached for me, running her finger along my jaw, down my neck, across my shoulders, and then to my chest, where she rested her hand for a moment. I was motionless. I couldn't pull away. I could still felt the light tracery of her fingertips with every nerve. I didn't think Bella had intended any kind of erotic implication, just curiosity. She had never seen me with no shirt on before. Unfortunately, my response was in the form of an unrelenting, straining, throbbing erection. It was so immediate, so powerful, that it caught me by surprise.
I moved to reach for her hand, to hold it to my face, to direct her fingers to run over my body again. But with an effort, she pulled away, picked up her glasses and put them on. I suddenly decided I didn't like her eyes being covered. I already couldn't read her mind, and covering her eyes made reading her expressions that much more difficult to read.
I was…distressed, at the fact she had pulled away, and at myself, for my almost violent reaction to her gentle touch. I couldn't keep my eyes away from her. She was looking out at the ocean again, she seemed so shy.
She is so beautiful. I want that woman. I want her so much.
I shook my head vigorously, in an attempt to shake the feelings of desire. I couldn't stand just looking at her.
"Come on Bella," I grabbed her hand as I walked past her, "Let me show you around Isle Esme."
She smiled, while entwining her fingers with mine. "That sounds great."
We walked quietly down the sandy track leading from the cottage, down to the water. Bella was barefoot, and headed toward the crystal clear water, wading her feet in the small waves that crashed against the sand. She was smiling widely to herself. Before I even had a chance to ask what she was thinking she spoke.
"This is perfect Edward, to be with you, like this", she lifted our hands that were entwined, "to be away from everyone, for it to be, just us. It's amazing."
I kissed her hand lightly. "I agree."
"This island is beautiful; it looks like something from a postcard"
It did.
Isle Esme had all the natural wonders of a tropical island. Colorful underwater world, islets, lagoons, atolls, beaches, cliffs, jungle, corals, a waterfall. Our island also came complete with a World War II Japanese shipwreck which sunk a few miles out from shore. Emmett had found it, while trying to find a shark to wrestle.
"What do you and you family do when you come here?" she asked, nervously. "I mean…it's not like you can have BBQ and drinks at the beach. I hope you don't mind me asking. Im just curious."
She looked at me, but I couldn't see her eyes for those dam sunglasses. I wish shed take them off, but I guess they helped with the glare that was coming from my gleaming body in the sun.
"Of course I don't mind you asking. Bella, my family, is your family now. Please remember that." I couldn't emphasis enough to her, how true that was. She nodded, waiting for me to answer her question.
"We don't really come here often as a family. It's more of a retreat, for when we want time alone."
"Have you come here often? To be alone?"
"No, never. If I wanted to be alone I could go anywhere. What I meant was, alone time for couples, if you get my drift," I hinted.
"Oh! Right right," she clearly understood what I meant, and the blush that filled her face was beautiful.
"We only ever came here as a family, if Alice decided we were going to have a summer holiday, or something like that."
"Alice," she chuckled. Obviously not surprised at the admission that Alice would plan our holidays to.
"It's nice to come here as a family, we can be in the sun and not worry about being seen. We have the games room to entertain ourselves in the evening. We have some pretty intense game nights. You'll see one day. During the day we go swimming. Emmett, Jasper and I usually have swimming competitions. Do time trials swimming around the island, that kind of thing."
She laughed out loud. "That doesn't surprise me, what else do you do?" she was smiling from ear to ear now. She truly was the epitome of loveliness when she smiled like that. We continued walking along the beach, talking about other activities my family and I participated in while staying here.
"We like to play beach volley ball to, but the ball seldom lasts a few rounds, we haven't found a suitable replacement for a ball as of yet. We have jet skis and kayaks here to. There are a lot of things to do here. Are you worried you will get bored here Bella?"
She stopped walking and looked at me, well, I assume she was. She was yet to take her glasses off!
"I would never get bored with you, Edward. Never." she said in such a sincere and honest way, I felt like an idiot for even asking her that.
We had started to walk again, and had been walking for quite some time. The sun was high in the sky now. It must be hot now. It felt all the same to me. I imagined that Bella was enjoying the heat. She was looking for the perfect spot for our picnic. Every time I suggested a place, she had said no. If I carried her, we would find a place sooner, and then Bella could relax sooner.
"Do you want me to carry you?" I asked her.
"No, why would I want that?" she asked in disbelief.
"Oh….I just thought you might be tired from walking."
"Im fine Edward. Im enjoying this ok."
"Ok, but if you feel like getting carried you just let me know." I was serious. I would carry her if she wanted.
She laughed quietly to herself. "Not going to happen Edward"
"What about over there then? For a picnic?" I pointed to an area of Beach where a large log must have come a shore when the ocean was rough. Anyone would think it was strategically placed there, as it sat parallel to the ocean, under a palm tree.
Bella looked to where I was pointing, the corners of her mouth twitched. "Yeah, that'll be a great spot. Good spotting there", she pulled my hand and we headed towards the log. As it turned out, the log had been placed there. 'Emmett was here' had been scratched into the side of the log, so I had no doubt he had placed it here last time he visited Isle Esme.
"Would you like to eat something now?" I asked Bella, as I placed the picnic basket on the sand.
"Not yet," she replied. "Im dying to get in that water and go for a swim first, besides it's probably better to swim before I eat."
I nodded. She had a good point.
I placed the towels on the ground, along side the picnic basket, deciding I would swim with Bella.
"Ill join you in the water, Bella," I turned to face her, just as she was pulling the sundress off and kicking it away with her feet.
There she stood before me, in nothing but a plain black bikini. I had never seen her in so little clothing. I was glad we were on a secluded island, with no other men around. I could not have dealt with the range of comments she would have got from deluded males that may have ogled her. I was selfish, and didn't want to share her, and I certainly didn't want anyone else seeing how insanely hot she looked in a bikini.
Im positive I gasped in open mouthed wonder when my eyes fell down her body. Her skin, the color of fresh cream was a stark contrast to the black bikini. Not that I could talk. Here I was pale and in black myself. Bella's legs were perfectly molded. From this angle I could see her round, firm bottom. Her breasts were ample, with jutting nipples.
Jesus Christ!
Without a doubt, I knew I had never seen a woman with a more beautifully sculptured body, but there was more then her body. From the beginning I always thought she was beautiful, but Id never seen her like this, in the full light of the day.
She was truly amazing.
Next thing I knew a pair of sunglasses hit me in the chest.'
"Checking me out were you Mr. Cullen?" she teased.
"Yes, yes I was. Your beautiful my love. I've never seen you….like this" waving my hand at her body. Referring to her lack of clothing. Her heart beat quickened, and I saw her bite down on her lower lip. I saw her blush, but then almost as suddenly as she blushed her demeanor changed. She looked me up and down, walked up to me, and whispered in my ear, "Well If you behave yourself, you'll be seeing me in even less later on."
She then turned away and walked down to the ocean, leaving me frozen in place. If you could choke on lust and desire, I would be choking to death right now. I couldn't speak, I couldn't think. I was dazed. When she had waded into the water up to her bottom, she turned around and called out to me.
"Are you coming in, or not?" she was still grinning from ear to ear.
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. So I just nodded. But my feet wouldn't move.
Pull it together Edward!! Left foot, right foot. Walk walk walk.
"Bit stunned are we?" Bella called. Clearly enjoying the reaction she got out of me.
That little minx.
I smiled at her, and before she could blink I was in front of her in the water. I was grinning wildly as I inched close to her.
"Edward," she said warily, backing away from me. "Don't you even think about ….."
Before she could even finish her sentence, I had gently lifted her up and dumped her in the water. She came up spluttering. I couldn't help but laugh.
"You cheeky son of a bitch"
I stopped laughing. I had never heard her cuss before in my life, let alone have it directed at me. Was she mad at me? I didn't mean to make her mad at me. Bella then started to laugh, and jumped on to me, trying to pull me into the water. I was like a jungle gym as she climbed all over me trying to make me lose my balance. I couldn't help but laugh at her, she didn't have a chance of moving me but she tried anyway. I held her gently and fell into the water with her.
We spent hours in the water, skipping lunch altogether. I wasn't sure that was such a wise idea for Bella. She claimed she would eat when she was hungry, so I let it go. We spent our time playing silly games with each other in the water, or just sitting in the shallow talking. She had mentioned it would be nice to go diving. We had no scuba gear back at the house; my family had no need for it, so I promised I would arrange to get some so we could go diving together.
The sun was low in the sky when Bella decided she had had enough of swimming.
"I've got old lady hands" she laughed, showing me her fingers, being in the water for so long had given them a wrinkly appearance.
"Don't worry my love, when you're like me, you won't have that problem."
She grinned. "No wrinkles, ever. That's got to be a perk."
I handed her her towel to dry herself off, and then I saw it as she said "ah ouch, dam."
Her back, shoulders, arms… all over were an angry red, and it filled me with shame.
Look at that? What is that?
What kind of husband am I?
"Bella, what's wrong, what is that?" I touched her arm. Her skin felt like it was on fire. I was horrified. Did something bite her in the water that I was unaware of.
"Its sunburn," she sulked. "I can't believe I didn't think to put any sun block on. Im sure I have a bottle of it in my toiletry bag."
"It's what? What the hell is sunburn?" I asked irritated. Irritated I didn't know what it was, so couldn't prevent it.
"It's from being in the sun to long, with no sun block on. It's my fault Edward, you weren't to know. I didn't even think of it. So used to being in rainy forks, it didn't even occur to me that I would need sun block here. Im suck a dork" she was eyeing her sunburn on her shoulder, grimacing at the look of it.
I still felt terrible. "Im sorry Bella, I should have known."
She shot me a sharp look. "Don't apologize Edward, it's not your fault."
I didn't say anything more, but still felt I was to blame.
"Edward?"
"Yes Bella"
"Could you carry me back to the house please? I can already feel the pain of the sunburn starting to kick in, and I don't want to be in the sun any longer then I have to be now. I think your cold skin might help to"
"Of course my love"
I would do anything for her, and I felt like the biggest idiot on the planet. First day of her honeymoon and I let her get burnt, from the dam sun of all things. I was disappointed in myself. Not wanting to waste anymore time, I quickly picked up the picnic basket, and towels, then swept her smoothly up into my arms and carried her quickly back to the house.
