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Chapter Eight
After many more minutes and several kisses, they made their way back to Edward's car. Bella felt a little lightheaded from all that had transpired. She was surprised to see how late it had grown when Edward turned on the engine and pulled out of the parking lot.
"Do you want to come to my place?" he asked, then added quickly, "I mean, if you want to. It wouldn't be…I just thought…" He trailed off, and Bella laughed.
"I'd love to come over sometime soon, but tonight probably wouldn't be a great night." The thought of going to Edward's apartment sent a thrill of anticipation up her spine, but she wasn't quite ready for that.
Edward nodded. "Of course." He laughed and sounded a little embarrassed.
"Another time. Soon," she reassured him.
He grinned at her and shrugged, and she laughed again. Impetuously, she reached over and pressed his knee. Edward looked a little surprised at first, but then he smiled and covered her hand with his own, weaving his fingers in between hers as he squeezed.
In what seemed like no time, they pulled up in front of Bella's building, and she found herself wishing she'd agreed to go to his apartment. But it was too late now, and she knew she'd regret it in the morning if she did go with him, so instead she turned toward him and smiled.
"I had a really nice time tonight," she said softly.
He smiled and nodded. "I'm glad. Me too."
"Well, I better go." But her hand was still on his knee clasped inside his much larger hand, and instead of letting her go, he tightened his grip and pulled her toward him. He grinned and leaned in to kiss her one last time.
"Trouble," he murmured when he finally pulled away slightly. He rested his forehead against hers and sighed.
Bella giggled and pulled away from him, kissing his forehead once before climbing out of the car. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she said as she leaned in through the open window. "Bye."
She sprinted to the door, afraid that if she looked back, he'd be gone and she would have just imagined the whole evening. But she did chance a look back just before she stepped through the threshold of her building, and he was still there, his face barely visible inside the dark car; but she knew he was watching her. She waved and then disappeared inside.
Inside their room, Alice was still awake, music playing softly from her laptop as she worked. "You're home late. Where have you been?" she asked without looking up.
Bella took a quick breath and decided it would be better to get this over with sooner rather than later. "I had a date," she said as she slipped off her shoes.
The near constant clicking of the keyboard stopped, and the room was silent for a moment before Alice rotated slowly in her chair to face Bella. "A date?" she asked, eyebrows raised.
"Yes."
"With whom?"
Bella rolled her eyes at Alice's blatant surprise. "With a guy I met at work."
Alice looked at Bella for a moment and then sighed exasperatedly. "Okay, so, spill!"
Bella laughed and plopped down on her bed. She made a noise that was somewhere between a growl and a groan and ran her hands through her hair. "I don't know, Al. It's all pretty new. Tonight was our first date. Well, actually our second, but the first one we're counting. It's kind of a long story."
"So, what's he like? Oh my God, do I really have to pull all this information out of you? Just tell me!" Alice said, flopping down dramatically next to Bella and throwing her hands up in the air.
"He's great. He's funny and is always making me laugh. He's strong, but it feels like there's something really vulnerable under this tough shell he's built around himself. I don't know. There's just something about him."
"So, he works at Lucky's? Is he a student too?"
Bella nodded. "Yeah, but he's a local. Born and raised. He just started school."
"How old is he?"
"Our age."
Alice furrowed her brow as she picked up her pen and began to chew on the end. "But he's just starting school? Why so late?"
Bella realized she didn't really know and shrugged.
"Have you met his family?"
Bella shook her head and held her hands out in front of her. "No, no, no. We're not even close to that yet."
"Have you kissed?"
Bella rolled her eyes. "Yes."
"And…?"
Bella grinned. "He's…amazing."
Alice beamed at her, eyebrows raised as she swiveled back and forth in her chair. "Girl, you got it bad."
"No I don't. I just…I don't…I…" She trailed off and Alice laughed. Bella sighed and placed her hands on either side of her face. "Alice, what am I doing? I don't have time for a boyfriend!"
Alice threw her head back and laughed at her again. "Bella? Would you just relax? You need this. I have never met anyone who's more tightly wound than you. You need to make time for this. This boy makes you happy, and you need to take advantage of that. Stop worrying about school, stop worrying about where things are going with him; just enjoy yourself. Have fun. Be a normal college student!"
Bella groaned again and flopped onto her back, her hair splaying around her. "I don't know if I know how to do that," she said softly as she stared at the ceiling.
"He'll teach you, I'm sure," Alice said, laughing. Bella supposed Alice was right.
In the morning, Bella decided to take advantage of the fact that it was Saturday and slept in. When she awoke several hours later than her usual time, she rolled over, searching for her phone. She decided to make her weekly call to her mother. She listened quietly as her mother brought her up to speed on her grandmother's condition, as well as various friends and neighbors Bella had known since childhood. Hearing about the people she'd known long enough to call family always made Bella a little homesick.
"Well, tell Mrs. Shields that I hope her dog feels better soon," Bella said as she cradled the phone with her shoulder. She picked up one of her notebooks and began to doodle absentmindedly on one of the blank pages. "What else is new, Mom?"
Her mother then spent another ten minutes complaining about her job. Finally, when her news had all been shared, she turned her attention to her daughter. "So how are things there, honey?"
Bella nodded even though her mother couldn't see her. "Things are good. School's good. Work's good." She shrugged.
"I worry about you, dear. You need to get out more. Have a little fun."
Bella paused for a moment, debating whether she should mention Edward. The words were on the tip of her tongue, but in the end, she decided to wait. She knew her mother would overreact, and things with Edward were still too new. If things went well, there'd be plenty of time to tell her mother all about him later.
Instead she sighed and said, "I know, Mom. I try. It's just hard. I'm busy." She reached for a bottle of nail polish sitting on her nightstand. Carefully, she opened it as she pulled her knees to her chest.
"We're all busy, Bella. You have to set priorities and make time for things."
Bella furrowed her brow and bit down an irritated remark about what her priorities were. The fact that her mother didn't understand why she was working so hard was nothing new. It was a conversation they had almost every time they spoke. Her mother couldn't help it. "I'll try to make more time to do something fun, okay? If I promise to do that, will that make you happy?"
"I just want you to be happy!" her mother cried.
"I am happy, Mom. I promise. Going to school and learning is what makes me happy." And more recently, Edward. But she refrained from adding that part as she brushed the brightly colored polish over her toenails. She finished and flopped onto her back, sticking her legs straight up in the air and waving her feet back and forth to dry the paint.
Her phone beeped indicating an incoming text, and she pulled the phone away from her ear. It was from Edward, and she grinned as she read it. "Mom, I have to go. I'll call you later, okay?"
Her mom didn't protest too much, and a few moments later, she was listening to the sound of Edward's phone ringing as she waited for him to pick up.
"Hello," he said, answering on the third ring. His voice sounded sleepy, and Bella grinned.
"Hey there. What are you up to?"
He yawned and she imagined him stretching as he lay bed a few blocks away. "Being lazy. I'm still in bed," he answered, laughing embarrassedly as he confirmed her suspicions. "What about you?"
"I guess I'm being lazy, too. I'm still in bed. I just got off the phone with my mom."
Edward was silent for a moment. "How is she?" he finally asked.
"She's good. The same." She regretted bringing up her mother with him. She didn't want to talk about her family. She searched for a subject change. "So, thanks for last night. I had a great time."
"Me too," Edward said. "Where did you learn to throw a football, anyway?"
"My dad," Bella said, her voice quieter than it had been. Before Edward could ask any more questions, she shot back, "What about you? You at least made your passes."
"High school," he answered, and Bella wondered if she was imagining it, or if his voice was a little quieter too. She wondered if he also had something he didn't want to talk about.
"So, what are you doing today?" she asked, eager to talk about something else, for both their sakes. In the back of her mind, she knew she wanted to see him again, but she didn't want to seem too anxious. Besides, she was sure he probably already had plans.
"I have to work tonight, but I don't really have any plans until then. Want to hang out? Do you have to work?"
Bella grinned to herself as she rolled over and wiggled her drying toenails. "I work tonight, too, but I might possibly be available before work."
"Might possibly, huh? When will you know for sure?" Edward asked, his tone playful.
"Maybe it depends on what you want to do."
Edward chuckled. "I was thinking maybe the beach again."
Bella agreed, and ten minutes later, she was standing in front of the long mirror on her closet door wishing she owned a different swimsuit.
Alice walked in. "You're going to the beach?" she asked, eyeing Bella as she plopped her grocery bags down on her desk.
Bella sighed and shrugged. "Maybe not. I hate this swimsuit," she said, her voice a desperate whine. It was a one piece she'd owned forever. To her surprise, she'd realized this morning that despite her love of the beach, she hadn't spent a lot of time there in a swimsuit.
Alice smiled knowingly. "You're going with Edward." It wasn't a question, but Bella nodded anyway. Alice skipped over to her dresser and pulled open one of the drawers. "Why don't you borrow one of mine?"
It turned out Alice owned five swimsuits, all two pieces. Bella rejected two of them right away. They were tiny, and Bella was at least a few inches taller than Alice. There was no way they'd fit. But the other three were somewhat promising. She tried them on while Alice unpacked her groceries. The third one she almost liked.
"What do you think about this one?" she asked, turning back and forth in front of the mirror. It had blue and white polka dots with boy short bottoms. She liked the extra coverage the bottoms gave her, and the top was flattering as well.
Alice studied her for a moment. "I like it. Here"—she strode to her closet and dug for a moment—"This cover-up should go with it." She tossed it at Bella, who caught it and pulled it over her head. It was a loose-fitting white mesh dress that stopped mid-thigh. "And here, this hat will look cute too. Let me see if I have some shoes that go with it, too."
Fifteen minutes later, Bella was ready. Virtually everything she had on was Alice's, from the borrowed suit, to the big floppy blue hat and the white-rimmed sunglasses Alice had insisted she take, even though Bella had protested that she had her own. In the end, however, Bella had worn her own shoes. Alice's had been slightly too small. Luckily, she'd had a pair of white flip flops that matched. She tucked a towel, sunscreen, and her cell phone into an oversized beach bag, also Alice's, and headed down to the lobby to wait for Edward.
As she waited, she felt a small pang of guilt. She should have at least shoved a textbook into her bag so she could have gotten some studying done. But before she could run back upstairs, Edward's car rounded the corner, and she had no choice but to head out to meet him.
He grinned as she climbed in. "Hey there," he said.
Bella greeted him and smiled as she took in his appearance. He looked good. His board shorts had a green, white, and black Hawaiian pattern, and his white t-shirt was thin and snug-fitting. A pair of sunglasses rested on top of his head.
They reached the beach and he parked. The day was flawless, and it was already crowded. They had to walk for a while before they found an empty spot.
"How's this?" Edward asked, gesturing to an empty patch of sand. He'd pulled his sunglasses back down over his eyes, but he still squinted at her in the sun. Bella nodded and unrolled her towel. Edward did the same before pulling his shirt up over his head. Bella tried not to stare. He was tan and muscular and even better looking without a shirt. Bella sighed as she pulled her own cover-up over her head and squirted a glob of sunscreen into her hand. She applied it carefully to all the exposed skin she could reach, but she knew there was a large patch of unprotected skin on her back.
"Want some help?" Edward asked. Bella nodded, and he took the bottle from her hand and moved onto her towel. She shivered slightly as she felt his hand sweeping her hair off her neck. She reached back and gathered it up into her hand and out of his way, leaving her back exposed. The breeze was warm, but goose bumps still appeared on her skin as Edward began to rub the lotion across her back. His hands were strong and a little rough, and Bella's heart sped up as his fingers worked the lotion into her skin. She closed her eyes and focused on keeping her breathing normal, and then suddenly, his fingers were gone, and Bella wished she had more unreachable skin.
"Okay," he said, his voice rough as he cleared his throat. "I think I got it all."
"Thanks," she said, her voice a little shaky.
"Do you think you could get my back now?" he asked.
Bella nodded, and Edward turned around. She had to get up on her knees to reach his neck and shoulders. As she rubbed, she could feel his muscles rippling under her hands. He was warm, and she was fascinated with the way her fingers slid across his surprisingly soft skin. "Okay, I think I got it all," she said after a few moments. But before she could remove her hands, Edward reached back and gently caught her wrist. He twisted so he was looking up at her. Her hair fell down over his shoulder, creating a curtain that hid them from the rest of the world, and their faces were only inches apart. They stared wordlessly at each other for a moment, and then Edward tugged her arm down slightly, bringing her face to meet his. His lips found hers, and a soft sound escaped her throat.
They broke apart after a few moments, and Edward grinned. "Okay." He cleared his throat. "Race you to the water!"
Before Bella could respond, he'd hopped up and was streaking toward the shoreline. She laughed and followed, hot on his heels. He was fast, but she was a runner, and he didn't stand a chance. She caught up to him easily, and they crashed into the surf together, gasping as the cold water hit their bare skin. Bella dove underwater and plunged through the surf. She came up a moment later, pushing her wet hair off her face and looking around. Edward was nowhere to be seen. The water was over her head now, so she treaded water for a moment as she looked for him. She gasped a moment later when he broke the surface right behind her.
He laughed at her surprise and grabbed her around the waist. She giggled and slapped his chest playfully, but a moment later, her arms were wrapped tightly around his neck as their lips met once again. His hands felt warm and strong as they pressed against her back, drawing her closer to him. She sighed and smiled at him when their lips finally separated. He grinned back and pressed his forehead into hers.
They spent hours that way: plunging through the surf, chasing each other through the water, and then racing back to their towels to warm themselves in the bright sunshine.
It wasn't until Bella's stomach protested loudly that she realized how late it was. She fished her cell phone out of her bag and checked the clock. She groaned as she flopped back onto her towel. Edward, who had been lying on his stomach, peered at her through one half-opened eye.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"We have to go."
Edward pushed himself up into a sitting position, sand clinging to his chest and belly. "Already?"
Bella nodded sadly as she sat up, folding her legs under her. Strands of wet hair hung down her back.
Edward smiled at her as he reached out and stroked her cheek with the back of one hand. "You're so beautiful," he murmured.
Bella wasn't sure what to say, so she just smiled and grabbed his hand with her own.
Reluctantly, they began to gather up their belongings and headed back to the car. Bella didn't want the day to end, but they both had to be to work in a few short hours. As they trudged back to Edward's car, Bella took heart in the fact that at least they'd be together at work that night.
A/N: Thanks for reading. I'd really love to know what you think so far. Leave me a review? :)
