Chapter 9 - Love Is The Drug
Showing out, showing out, hit and run
Boy meets girl where the beat goes on
Stitched up tight, can't shake free
Love is the drug, got a hook on me
Roxy Music
BPOV
It was a sad, miserable walk from the docks, up the back lawn and all the way up to my room. I just had sex with my husband (who I'd been desperately missing) less than 30 minutes ago and now I was out back making out with the neighbor. I was seriously messed up right now. My attraction to Edward was undeniable; when he grabbed my face I wanted him to kiss me with rabid frenzy and throw all caution to the wind. We'd both been restraining ourselves for days now and the tension was building inside of me. I mentally slapped myself on the forehead; you have to snap out of it. You're husband is down stairs watching a movie. I answered myself this time, "Yeah? Well he should be here with me now. And like always he's gone. Gone doing Charlie knows what; with Charlie knows who."
I awoke the following morning to an empty bed: big fucking surprise. Jake had either fallen asleep downstairs or he was already out of bed. It was a workday after all. I sat up, rubbing sleep out of my eyes and failing miserably. My eyes felt so swollen: more like I'd been punched in the face rather than just crying myself to sleep. And as for being somewhat young, I felt incredibly old and weary trying to get out of bed. The coffee maker was inviting and I stood looking myself over as I waited for it to percolate. I was in a healthy shape, but sex with Jake had been a little more aggressive than I was used to. I actually had a few bruises; one's that looked quite like fingerprints. Jeez how hard did he hold on to my legs last night?
Speaking of Jake, I could hear him snoring from the other room and it made me furious. He didn't like to sleep late, and today I thought a little passive aggressive punishment was in order. So I didn't wake him up. I started breakfast for him though and hoped the slamming of cabinets and pans would be a jarring enough wake up call. My creeping conscious crawled up my back and I felt like an asshole for kissing Edward on the docks. But when I kissed him, oh when I kissed him... It was warm and sweet and made every fiber of my body weightless. It was so indescribably beautiful, almost poetic, to kiss Edward Cullen. There was a marked difference between him and the man I'd spent the better part of last night wrapped around. Last night still bothered me in so many ways. Is it the fact that he actually watched you have sex and rubbed one out while he did it?
"Okay can we just get over it already. It happened, deal with it." I said out loud to myself.
"Whatever, you're the one burning the eggs." Jake replied.
I jumped ten feet in the air, sending the pan clattering to the floor and spilling eggs out all over the place. He laughed at me, "Wow, someone's jumpy this morning." He stepped over the mess to pour himself a cup of coffee. Jackass just stood there and didn't even offer to help me clean up. I wiped the eggs up into a towel and turned off the burner, I'd totally lost my mood to cook so I opted for sliced grapefruit and a bowl of cereal. Jake could just figure out what to eat on his own.
"I invited a few of the guys over tonight to watch the fight. Hope that's okay." He told me.
"That's okay Jake dear." I replied to him, secretly hoping some of my grapefruit would squirt in his eye.
He smiled at me, his toothy wide grin, "Why don't you ask Jasper and Alice? Maybe you could do the hospitable thing and ask the new neighbor too."
Wha? "Sure I'll go over this morning after I call Alice." Why and how do I get myself into these situations?
Jacob slammed his hand on the counter with enthusiasm and pulled me to him, planting a kiss on my cheek and slapping me on the ass. "You're the best wife you know that?"
"Yes." I said back.
Jake ran upstairs to dress for work: he had to go into the partner's office today, do some lawyer stuff in town. Wow, imagine that a lawyer in Seattle. He left me a list of food for the night and a list of the usual La Push suspects that would be in attendance tonight. These guys could pack it away and I knew I would need a forklift to get all of this in the house by myself.
By three in the afternoon I had gone to the grocery store, put away this evening's provisions, restocked the bar, invited a few key neighbors and talked to Alice.
"Well, how's it going?" She asked me.
"Weird." I said honestly to her. "Just really weird. We'll catch up later okay, I have to get some stuff in the oven." I hung up, wishing that Alice and I could just go away somewhere together. I needed copious amounts of wine and uninterrupted girl-friend time to get all of this shit out of my system.
In reality, I should have lied my stupid ass off about asking the neighbor. But I just wanted to see him. I had to see him. I walked next-door, taking care to use the sidewalk and avoid the bushes like last time. Then, like the Gods were shining down on me, there was a shiny red BMW parked in the drive. Scoreཀ He has company: too bad he won't be able to make it tonight. I rang the doorbell; chin jutted away from me face and wearing a cocky smirk on my face.
"Hey Bella, how are you? Long time no see." He smirked as his eyes bored into me. I was a little confused at his reaction, but chalked it up to him having company (which would make this so much easier). He would say no and the weirdness could end between us.
"Listen we are having some people over tonight to watch the fight. I just wanted to invite you so that you would have an opportunity to meet some more of the neighborhood."
He had the door open wide, and I noticed a very well dressed woman suddenly appear behind Edward. She was clearly older than him, but was in mint condition. She was my height with a petite frame that bordered on frail. "Where's your manners Edward? Invite her in." He didn't move, but his grip on the door tightened and he flopped his free arm around. He looked pathetic and it was clear his mother had just scolded him. Ha haཀ He snorted a, "hmmph" at me as he moved out of the doorway. With a dramatic sweep of his arm he gestured at me to come in.
I stepped into the foyer of his home. It was awkward as the three of us stood there looking at each other. Eventually Esme cleared her throat, and Edward promptly obeyed her command by making introductions, "Bella Swan-Black, this is my mother, Esme Cullen." She held her dainty hand out to me and I shook it although I felt like I should curtsy instead. She was perfectly manicured, wore well-tailored clothing, modest jewelry, damn expensive shoes and not a hair out of place.
"Pleasure to meet you Bella. We were just about to sit down for afternoon tea, would you care to join us?" I glanced up at Edward to find he was unreadable as his mommy took over for him. He finally looked up at me, rolled his eyes and nodded his head towards the kitchen.
"I appreciate the offer, but I just came to ask Edward over for fight night since he's new to the neighborhood." I said to her.
"Forget it Bella, Esme has never taken no for an answer when it comes to her afternoon tea."
I had the giggles a little over Edward. Here was this smooth operator yet his Mom still had him under her thumb. I loved to see a grown man get checked for his manners: serves him right. In the kitchen, I recognized the two people who had been with Edward on his move in day.
"Rose, be a dear and add a spot for Bella." Damn, check out Mama Cullen cracking the whip. I love her alreadyཀ Rose snorted for a second and then Mrs. Cullen shot her a glance that said I dare you.
"Bella let me introduce you." Edward put his hand on the small of back and led me forward. "This is my brother-in-law, Emmett McCarty and my sister Rosalie, but she goes by Rose."
'Nice to meet you all." I said extending a hand to both Emmett and Rose. Emmett jerked my arm off shaking my hand and Rose could hardly be bothered to even look me in the eye.
I sat down at the table ready to have this weird-ass afternoon tea with Edward and his family. No, this wasn't strange at all: nothing uncomfortable about this situation. Edward won't look me in the face, Rose is practically snarling at me, Emmett's looking between me and Edward and Esme is sipping her tea like a one-eyed lady in the kingdom of the blind. I've got to get out of here. Think brain. Thinkཀ
"Oh I just rememberedཀ" I exclaimed as I stood up, "I left a cake in the oven." Clever girlཀ
"I'll see you to the door." Edward said, jumping out of his chair, grabbing me by the wrist and dragging me towards the front door. I turn to say goodbye, but he was pulling me too briskly. Emmett's looking at me with this; "Holy shit, you wanna fuck my bro" look. Rose is rolling her eyes and Mrs. Cullen has her cup poised at her perfect lips, eyebrow arched questioningly at Edward. What a sceneཀ
"You can let go of me now." I said to him as I jerked my arm free of his hand. At the front door, Edward placed his hand on the wall close to me and leaned his long body in to mine, "So why did you really come over here? To make sure I've been keeping your little secret." He was snappish.
"No, I really came over to ask you over tonight. We are having people over. Bring your family. There is plenty of food."
He pulled away from the wall, eyeing me a little. He snorted in disbelief at me. "No."
"Oh come on," I said to him, absently reaching out to touch the buttons on his shirt. "It will be nice and awkward. Jessica Stanley and her husband will be there. You know, Jessica already." I chided thinking, stick that in your pipe and smoke it.
"Not as well as I know you." He said leaning in to me smirking. "You know on second thought, it sounds like fun. I'll be there, the rest of the Cullens can stay her for Monopoly and Dominoes. I wouldn't miss Fight Night for anything." He was really cockyཀ Arrogant bastard.
I laughed at him. He straightened up, tugging at his shirt collar and looking me square in the face, "Something you find funny?"
"Just trying to picture a man your age having game night with his family."
His lips pursed together and his eyebrows furrowed, as he looked me over. Wow, I think I may have actually hit a nerve with that one. "Just because I'm a grown man doesn't mean I don't enjoy my family. I happen to like my parents, thank you very much." His body became stiff and he turned mechanically to open the door for me, nudging me through, "See you and your husband tonight." He sounded off to me with a slam of the door.
Prickཀ I hope he doesn't come. I didn't want to see his stupid smug face tonight. I stomped across my yard. Againཀ
EPOV
I slammed the door shut and walked with heavy feet back to the kitchen. If that had been anyone else, I wouldn't have even bothered with a retort. I hardly cared what someone else thought of me or how I chose to spend my free time with my family, especially some bit of fluff. So why start now? Why did I care what Bella thought of me?
My Mother was sitting at the table like a Queen and dealing cards out for our game of Hearts. We'd been playing cards weekly since I could remember, and I had still never won a game against my Mother. Only my Dad ever bested her, although when he did she would smirk at him and then they would excuse themselves for the rest of the evening. Yuck, I don't even want to know.
"Very nice of Bella to invite you over tonight." My Mother never forgot a name.
I sat down with my hand and we played a round in silence before Emmett piped up, "What for?"
"What for what?" I asked him. My Mother tapped the table with her cards, "Grammar Edward."
"Why did she ask you over tonight?"
"She and her husband are having a party for some fight tonight." Emmett started bouncing around in his seat like a school kid who'd just received his gold star for weekly attendance. "Marquez Vs. Mayweather?"
Fuck if I know what fight it wasཀ I wasn't going to watch pugilists; I was going to strictly to piss off Bella.
"I guess so, I didn't ask." Damn lost that round. Rosalie snorted, "It's game night tonight."
"Well she invited us all, actually. And I said we'd be pleased to go." I was perfectly content for them all to say no, screwing with Bella would be much easier that way. But then Emmett yelled out, "Yes." Rosalie rolled her eyes and my Mother said she'd love to see the inside of her house. Of course Esme was agreeable, she was a stickler for manners and I'd already accepted.
That's cool; I can roll with my family. Wouldn't be the first time and it won't be the last.
