AN: *waves* Hi guys! LOL. So if there's anything better in the world than a wet Edward only wrapped in a towel, it's Bella's POV in her ogling of a wet Edward only wrapped in a towel! ;) This chap is one of my top favs so far. I hope you think so too! *squeals* (I've finally discovered how much I like cyber actions in asterisks, so please indulge me! LOL)
Thank you so, so, so, so much for everyone who has reviewed the chapters! It makes me squeal like a fangirl every time I get a new review email, and I reply to them all. It inspires me to write more for you guys, even when I find stories that I want to read. ;) But this past week, I kinda fell off the bandwagon after vacation and was coerced into reading and awesome story instead of writing. But since I got lots of love, I decided to post a little earlier than planned! :)
If you had no idea who the baddest biotches in fanfiction land were (IMO of course. LOL), it's angelnlove52 for spitting out the chapters of her stories faster than RPattz would be molested by me if I ever saw him….well, maybe not THAT fast, but she writes like a maniac and it's amazing. Then there's VampPixyJAK for instigating my craziness and never taking her mind out of the only place it belongs—the gutter. And last, but definitely least (only because I'm secretly jealous she gets to watch New Moon in NZ before I do!), my sheep-loving foreigner who makes me feel worldly and highly sophisticated every time I talk to her (Like seriously, who doesn't have orange soda?!?)…that would be cheekycharlie! You girls are a sparkle in my life…and you know how I feel about SPARKLING things!! I love you, and PIP wouldn't be around without you!
BTW, I don't own an effing thing. Stephenie Meyer does. I've come to realize this, now you should come to terms with it too.
Ch. 7 – Virtues and Cookie Jars
Bella POV
If my brain were made of water, it would surely be suspended to a completely numb, frozen abyss right this moment; like a stranded, polar icecap broken away from the arctic continent, and floating needlessly through a cold, dark ocean, that was the state of my mind with this beautiful creature standing in front of me.
When Alice, Rose, Jessica and I had opened the door to what we would all be calling home for the next three months, the fact that this guy was holding a handful—rather an armful—of my lingerie didn't even begin to register in my brain. My full attention was engrossed in the glorious features of the tall, bronze-haired man that stood before me in only a towel. Oh sweet baby Jesus, please tell me what the fuck I did to become so lucky, so that I can do it again every fucking day for the rest of my life!!
Like he housed a god damn swinging medallion underneath that soft, beige towel that rested low and dangerously loose against his hips, I was instantly hypnotized by the magical 'V' that was fucking calling out to me, 'Bella…Bella…I want to feel you. I want to feel your mouth, your lips, your wet tongue all over me. Please touch me, Bella.'
Instinctively, never one to deny someone—er, something—that asked me politely with a 'please,' I reached my hand out to grasp a firm hold of those fuck-tastic hips. I just wanted to fucking sink my teeth into them.
I shook my head, as Rose broke me from my trance with a jolt, "Riiiiight, just like Monica Lewinsky just fell over onto Bill Clinton! Try again, Eddie boy."Eddie? … As in Edward? … As in FUCKING GREAT! The god damn one that's taken! No fucking way in motherfucking hell am I gonna last one fucking day without raping the everloving shit out of this motherfucker that's walking around the god damn penthouse with fucking water droplets falling from his fucking sex-god hair that I just wanna fist the fuck out of!!! UUUURRRGHHH!
My frustrated mind was traveling at full speed in this moment with the majority of the content consisting of harsh expletives, but such is the way my mind works in situations when my anxiety is at an all time high.
It was painfully difficult to retract my eyes from scouring his chiseled body; everything from his abs, to his pecs, to his biceps made my insides retract and quiver in pleasure all at the same time. But as I did, the fact that he was holding an armful of my lingerie finally began to sink into realization for me.
As my eyes left the contours of his body, they followed the path of his mind-fucking jawline and sought refuge in his emerald green eyes that were piercing through mine in that instant.
Maybe it was simply the cockiness in me or the playfulness of this weird situation, or maybe I would bend my will (or anything else he'd be interested in bending) to this man. I couldn't help the adoring smile that played across my lips as I attempted to radiate the thoughts that surrounded me.
"Ya know, if you wanted to have a look that bad, you should've waited until I got here," I coyly replied. 'Coy' was my game, and men generally lapped that shit up like hungered animals.
"It's a much better sight when somebody's wearing them…but now that you've seen them, that's all old news, huh?" I continued and grabbed the armful of lingerie from his arms. My hand brushed against the ripples of his wet chest, and I had to shut my eyelids as my eyes literally rolled into the back of my head at this contact.
I desperately longed to reach out again, and I probably would've had he not grabbed my wrist gently and stared into my shocked eyes as he leaned in unnervingly close to me and whispered in a sexy voice that could only belong to a sex angel/demon sent straight from torture Bella hell, "I have no reason to go through your things to look at some lingerie. It truly was an accident, so I'm sorry."
Well, alright then. Point taken. In translation from 'guy spoken words' to 'guy thoughts and true meaning,' it was obvious to me that that had meant, 'Yeah, do you honestly think someone as hot as me would worry myself with looking at some high school girl's stupid lingerie when I am banging supermodels like my girlfriend every night? Yeah, 'fraid not. It's an accident that I even stumbled upon these rags, and I'm sorry you thought you actually had a chance.'
My eyes redirected their gaze to the white marble flooring as I considered how to turn this around on him and make him feel like a complete ass. Rose has been doing a pretty good job before I stepped in; I should've just let her take care of it.
My focus was promptly diverted from the streaked patterns in the tile beneath me back to the emerald green eyes that were now boring into mine as he wrapped his smooth, chilled hand along my chin. My lips parted instinctively as he spoke softly but with the same seductiveness as before, "But truthfully, I'm sure there's nothing I'd rather see more than these on such a beautiful girl as yourself. Lucky for me, patience is one of my virtues."
'Get your shit together, Bella Swan. Don't fall to temptation. This prick is just trying to fuck with your head. Show him who he's messing with…and what he's missing out on,' I repeated to myself in my mind several times as I took deep breaths.
I looked over at Alice, Rose and Jessica all still standing in the doorway. Rose was awestruck, Jessica looked angry, and Alice seemed excitedly happy as she winked at me. That little gesture from her suddenly unleashed a stream of bold confidence in me; Alice and Rose always seemed to be able to bring the best out of me.
I dropped the load of lingerie into a pile on top of the torn box in which they came out of, and in one swift motion, stripped my black tank-top over my head and held it in my left hand. I smirked as I saw his eyes widen and his breathing hitch as he was staring intently at my breasts that were adorned in a bright blue satin bra with silver lacing. Yup, maybe this might actually work.
"Patience has never been one of my virtues...Edward. It was Edward, wasn't it?" I purred, taking a step closer, watching intently as different expressions played across his face, and he nodded. Lust and amazement were two of those I knew, so I continued.
"Now isn't this better than fondling a bunch of empty pieces of clothing?" I asked as I spun around slowly, allowing him a 360-degree view of my top half in only a bra. I wasn't ashamed of my body at all, and my swimsuit, which I'm sure he'll see me in numerous times this summer, shows less than this, so I felt at ease…empowered even.
He only nodded. I then turned in toward him, allowing myself to get closer and closer, but dragging the moment out in anticipation of my next move.
My face was now only two inches away from his collarbone as I looked up into his eyes and asked, "So do you wanna know what my best virtue is, Edward?" I may have rubbed my chest against his pecs "accidentally" as I said this, which may have explained the small moan from his lips and the slight reflexive jerk of his chest.
"I, um…I…yeah," he said, not removing his intense gaze from my body.
I leaned up to whisper in his ear, and he complied with my request by leaning down into me slowly as I breathed, "Self-restraint."
I gave him a devilishly-sweet smile and slipped my shirt back over my head before turning and walking down the hallway further into the penthouse. His groan was all I need as a cue to success.
"So Ali, I'm dying to check out this place," I called out in a sing-song voice, not bothering to turn around and acknowledge the display that just occurred with the glorious Cullen in the front foyer. Cullen…ah, now it all makes sense…Edward IS the son of Carlisle, who could also be referred to as Dr. Bend-Me-Over-The-Operating-Table-Please. Damn, these Cullens should seriously clone themselves for the betterment of all of society.
The three girls caught up with me as I made my way into the main living room. I'm not sure where Edward went, hopefully somewhere out of my sight so that I could take a few minutes and get myself together, but he probably only went to get his friends. The living room was gorgeous with floor to ceiling windows that opened to a huge balcony outside. And the interior decorations were nothing short of spectacular. I'm sure Alice's mom had a hand in all of this; there were lots of white, light blue and tan shades—very modern looking with sleek lines and shapes. The focal point of the room was the light blue sectional sofa that occupied most of the area, yet invited everyone over to sit and hang out or watch TV on the gigantic plasma TV hanging on the wall above the fireplace.
"What! This condo has a fireplace!" I screeched. "How does that even work in a condo building?"
"Oh Bella, we're in the penthouse. Why the hell wouldn't it work?" Rose answered. "You're just gonna have to get used to living like this rich bitch over here," she continued, gesturing over to Alice.
"Yeah, I guess so," I laughed. "It's just surprising there isn't a tiny butler in there waiting for your beckon call to start the fire."
"Jess, that's your cue! Start the fire, bitch," Rose ordered.
Jessica only silently grimaced, and Alice and I both glared at Rose as she laughed and replied, "Just kidding, Geez!"
I plopped down on the sectional sofa and stretched out, closing my eyes. But Alice came and shook me from any rest that I could've even thought to get.
"Don't get so damn comfortable Ms. Striptease, it's like seven o'clock so we need to get start getting ready like…now!" Alice informed with a knowing smile that did not lend to hiding the fact that there was going to be much discussion about what just took place with her brother. She didn't appear to be angry at all, actually, quite giddy, but that could just be because we're here at the beach finally. She did almost bounce out the fucking window in excitement like Winnie The Pooh's pal Tigger when we turned into the resort.
I shushed her with my death stare and 'zip-it' hand signals; I wasn't sure whether Edward was anywhere within hearing distance, and I knew whatever conversation would ensue would not be one that would be best for him to hear. She only laughed in response to my frustration.
"So where's our rooms?" Jessica asked excitedly. "And where are Edward's friends?" My breathing hitched at just the mention of his name out loud. God damnit! Why was I such a cluster-fuck because of this guy who was obviously unavailable to me for a whole fucking list of reasons? Yeah, I am amazed at fine ass men and my mind thinks crazy thoughts and my heart races in lust around guys I'm attracted to, but usually, I feel more in control than I do right now. I felt that something was different about him, and I really wanted to find out what, but there were so many things holding me back.
"I'm sure they're around here somewhere, let's check upstairs," Alice replied. "Hopefully, they're not going through Rose's bras and Jessica's panties," she laughed.
"Yeah, we only need one card-carrying member of the Panty Perv Brigade around here, and Edward's got that slot filled," Rose laughed.
"But Bella seemed to put him in his place, huh?" Alice spoke quietly, but not quietly enough for me, as we followed her up the glass-enclosed spiral staircase leading to the second floor. The staircase continued up another floor to a doorway, which I could only guess would be the rooftop deck.
"Nobody puts Edward in his place. He just doesn't care," Jessica informed. "He's Edward fucking Cullen for Christ's sake!"
"What fucking Twilight Zone were you in?" Rose snapped. "He looked like he cared a little too much, if you ask me."
"Wow, Alice, this place is gorgeous! Did Esme decorate this all herself?" I interrupted, blatantly attempting to divert the conversation to a new topic.
"Of course she did, my little lingerie model," Alice laughed with a huge grin on her face. But she actually let the conversation die with that comment, while at the same time telling me that she knew what I was doing all along.
The hallway was adorned with an intricate rod-iron railing which overlooked the main living and dining areas. Alice opened each door, guiding us through and talking about the various furniture pieces or top-of-the-line technology placed into each room. There was no sign of Edward and his friends, but we did see some bags and boxes in a few of the rooms, so we guessed they wanted those rooms.
"The penthouse concierge should be up here any minute to help move and unpack all our boxes in our rooms, so we need to figure out who's staying where," Alice said.
Alice declared her room to be a huge bedroom with a closet nearly as big as the one she had back home.
Rose begged me to share a room with her so that she wasn't stuck in the same room as Jessica, or as she so eloquently called her—Troll Bitch. We opted for a gorgeous corner room with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the ocean and French doors leading to the second story outdoor balcony. The deciding factors had been that it had two separate closets and two queen-sized beds adorned with light green floral leaf designs, but more importantly, it was right next to Alice's gigantuous bedroom.
Jessica took the only other room that didn't have guy belongings in it, which was at the other end of the long hallway, and didn't face the ocean. She didn't complain though and only claimed that she wasn't going to be doing much 'sleeping' anyway, which I could probably agree with…at least these first few nights for sure. It was then that I realized we were one bedroom short.
"Alice, where's the sixth bedroom? I only counted five," I asked.
Alice came further into Jessica's bedroom and sat next to Jessica on the bed. "Oh yeah, it's on the first floor just below you and Rose's room," she answered looking back at my puzzled face. "I watched Edward walk back in there after you and him eye-fucked each other in the hall, so I'm sure that's the room he picked."
"There was no eye-fucking involved, Alice," I attempted to lie. There was most certainly a lot of eye-fucking involved on my part I knew, but I wasn't going to come out and admit that, especially considering he was Alice's brother and he had a girlfriend. I just prayed she'd drop it, even though I knew better.
"Oh bullshit, Bella!" Rose snapped. "There's no denying Edward is a fucking rock hard piece of serious eye candy even with all his clothes on, so don't try to shit-talk us into thinking you weren't about to pass out from seeing him for the first time in only a towel. We know better than that—we were all there…well, maybe not Jessica; she was in some damn fictional la-la land!"
"Whatever! I just can't believe Edward Cullen would be so wound up over Bella. What the hell makes her God's gift to another God like him?!" Jessica sneered, mainly focusing the question toward Rose. I was about to interrupt and tell her off for talking about me like I'm not in the fucking room, but Rose beat me to it.
"Oh, shut it, Jess! Jealousy really doesn't look good on you! You'd think that after banging Mike Newton in the backseat of his truck last night, you'd be content," Rose spat, inching closer to Jessica and glaring at her.
"I'm not jealous! All he did was look at her," Jessica declared.
"And call her beautiful, and say he wanted to see her in her lingerie—which is more than he's ever done for you," Rose muttered, as I swatted her arm. "Bella's got more confidence and beauty in her fucking pinky finger than most girls can only dream about having in their whole body."
"Everybody just shut up! Seriously, though, it was nothing. Just playfully giving him some crap for being caught with his hands in the cookie jar. It was all in fun, nothing more," I curtly replied. "I'll admit he's nice to look at, but that's as far as I would let it go. You all know my thoughts on guys and how this summer is going to play out for me."
"Yeah, cookie jar indeed. That was such an Edward Cullen move anyway—no way that was an accident," Jessica commented.
"What does that mean?" I asked. I wondered what an 'Edward Cullen move' entailed. I felt like I was missing a huge key piece to this puzzle right now.
"Jessica, just shut up before Rose starts picking up something to throw. And don't pay attention to her, Bella," Alice assured. "So seriously, can we stop talking about my brother for two seconds and discuss what we're wearing tonight?" I smiled at Alice, always the tension diffuser between us. Somehow, I thought she was redirecting this conversation for my benefit.
"Gladly," I claimed. "So where are we going?"
"La Vela of course!" Alice chirped. "Saturday night at La Vela is supposed to be the busiest of the week."
"I'm so ready to go out," I admitted. "I need a few drinks right now, but I don't want to wear a dress tonight—maybe just stretchy linen booty shorts instead."
"WHAT?!" Alice screeched. "It's our first night! We have to dress to the nines!"
"You know I'm not good at dancing in a short dress in a club—especially when you want to get on top of the stage or the bar and dance," I pointed out.
"Yeah, she does tend to flash the honey pot to unsuspecting crowds when she's liquored up," Jessica commented.
Rose laughed. "Maybe she shouldn't wear a dress. We don't want any more guys nearly pass out from seeing her in her undergarments." Urgh! This conversation was never-ending, and I knew this wasn't going to be the last comment I'd get to hear on the subject tonight. Of course, I couldn't be that lucky. It was like they were each taking turns bringing it up just to make me miserable.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Get a good fucking laugh," I replied. "But none of you…well maybe not Jessica, but still…can tell me you wouldn't do the same god damn thing, so let's focus on new shit—like who's driving us to the club."
Alice, Rose and I all glanced at Jessica, and she groaned. "Guys, I just drove us all the way here, and I haven't even slept. Somebody else please drive."
"Let's go see what the boys are doing. I still haven't met Jasp...um, Edward's friends," Alice uttered. Her face turned a slight shade of pink, but I wasn't sure what that was the result of.
"Well fuck me upside down!" Rose declared. "What is that blush about, Alice Cullen?"
Alice stood up gracefully and walked to the doorway before turning back and stating, "Don't be ridiculous, Rose. Now let's go." Rose and I both looked at each other, acknowledging that we both were witness to Alice's sudden fluster.
We all made our way downstairs and found the three guys in the kitchen gathered around the center island drinking beer and laughing, but the room quieted once we entered.
"Well hello there ladies," a big muscular guy with short blonde hair called out as he gave us all a devilish smirk that probably melted a few women's hearts in its lifetime of existence. "Glad you could finally join us. Jasper and I were just wondering when it was gonna be our turn for an impromptu strip show. It would be only fair you know." His grin widened into a perfectly white smile. Damnit, now them too!
My gaze shifted immediately to Edward seated at a bar stool on the other side of the island, taking notice of his beautifully tousled hair that was now dry but fixed in a messy but perfect way and his crisp black button-up collared shirt. He was staring intensely at the large, muscled-up guy who I could only guess was probably a football player, and if he wasn't, he needed to be.
"I'm sure something of that nature might be able to be arranged, but not by Bella. She's otherwise occupied," Rose suggested as she leaned over the counter for a bottle of vodka and a glass, giving the two boys we had yet to be introduced to an awesome view of her cleavage in her red spaghetti strap tank top.
"Well gorgeous, I like the way you think. I don't believe we were properly introduced," he stated, directing the last comment toward Edward.
"The vixen in red is Rose," Alice announced. "And this is Jessica and Bella, and I'm Edward's sister, Alice."
I noticed the other slimmer, blonde-haired guy with longer locks couldn't take his eyes off Alice as he was the one to respond, "Nice to meet ya'll. I'm Jasper and this is Emmett. And I suppose you all know Edward quite well." Jasper and Alice both laughed at the same time, but neither shifted their gaze from each other.
Jessica walked over and stood next to Edward as she leaned in toward him and asked, "Yeah, but we could know him better. So what's on the agenda tonight boys?" My stomach clenched tightly, and I snatched Rose's glass of vodka cranberry and took a huge gulp. I wanted to smack the hell out of my mental self for even giving a shit about Jessica's little power play, but I also kind of wanted to smack her. Generally, I didn't care about things like this; after all, I'd known him for all of one hour, and I had no claim to him whatsoever, but I'd already determined this to be a weird, fucked-up situation.
I decided I was in no way going to indulge in this game with her. 'Chicks before dicks, chicks before dicks' I kept repeating to myself. Well, I wondered what happened when the "chick" is also a fucking "dick" for trying to steal a guy. Wait, she's not stealing anything. Urgh! We're going out to La Vela, and I'm sure I'll find some other gorgeous guy that will take my full attention.
A sigh of relief washed over me at both my revelation of a plan and at the fact that Edward ignored Jessica and walked over to the fridge to retrieve more beer.
I realized I had been watching every movement he made like a complete idiot when he turned back toward us and smiled directly at me, while also holding up a beer as a silent question if I wanted one. I shook my head slightly, in part to answer his question but even more so to also clear my gaze. Edward walked back over, handed the beers to Jasper and Emmett and passed his previous seat as he came to stand directly across from me.
"We haven't decided yet. Thinkin' 'bout Coyote Ugly or La Vela after dinner. How 'bout you ladies?" Jasper inquired, still only looking at Alice. Damn, and she gave me shit for eye-fucking. If there was a word stronger than eye-fucking, that'd be what Alice and Jasper were doing to each other in this moment—eye-penetrating, eye-raping were more like it.
I felt like a complete voyeur just witnessing this exchange and had to look away. Since I couldn't look at Jasper, or Edward, only one left was Emmett. Not that he was bad to look at by any means, his snug-fitting white collar shirt was not leaving much to the imagination as far as the definition in his muscles were concerned. 'Where the hell do they grow guys like these?' I wondered.
"We're going to La Vela. That place is wild," Alice informed. "But we're not going 'til later. We still gotta get ready."
"We were about to leave, but we can wait for you so you don't have to walk in alone," Edward informed Alice. I found that to be endearingly sweet that he was concerned about his sister.
"Of course not. First off, I'm a big girl, Edward, and I'm very much capable of walking into a club without you. Number two, I'm not alone if I have three friends with me. And C, you guys said you weren't even sure you were going to La Vela," Alice stated confidently.
Rose and I started laughing at the same time as I commented, "Great numbering system there, Ali. First off, number two, and C—I would've thought Sesame Street would've taught you better than that!" Everyone but Alice chuckled at that.
"Whatever, same diff," she commented as she flipped me off.
"Awe, you know I love you. I was just kidding," I answered as I gave her a hug. She smiled, but I couldn't help laughing again.
"OK, well we're heading out then. Give me a call when you get there, and we'll come find you," Edward muttered as he began heading toward the doorway.
"So you boys decided on La Vela then, huh?" Alice suggested with a wide grin, looking from one boy to the next.
"Yeah, call it a split decision," Edward answered quickly.
"Fine, but keep your skankies away from me," Alice demanded. "I hate having incredulously slutty girls bump into me trying to fawn over you. It's bad enough I have to see their horrible fashion choices and hideous muffin-tops spill out everywhere, but witnessing it up close is not something I look forward to."
"Oh whatever, Alice. I do have standards, and it's your job as a great sister to block those types of girls from getting near me," Edward replied jokingly with a smirk.
"No, actually, that's your wingman's or men's job. Not Alice's," Rose stated, before pausing to eye Jasper and Emmett. "But it looks like you all might have some trouble tonight." Rose smiled as she stared particularly long at Emmett's biceps.
"We can't leave you ladies without doing a proper welcoming toast to this night and the beginning of an awesome summer," Jasper declared.
We all grabbed bottles and glasses and raised our cups in anticipation of what Jasper had in mind, "Here's to the start of one wild summer…"
"And being single, drinking doubles, and sleeping triple!" Emmett exclaimed. We all clinked to the cliché man toast he just gave.
Everyone called out short goodbyes as we walked out of the room into the main living area, which was opposite of the direction the boys would be heading out. For some reason unbeknownst to me, I looked back over my shoulder at Edward and caught his gaze at the very same moment. I smiled at him, which he instantly reciprocated with a matching smile and a wink before turning to walk out the door with the guys.
AN: Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Can I get a fist bump for Bella please! *fist bump* She seemed to do a number on old Eddie boy…or was that the other way around?!? *grins* (Yeah, I'm never stopping the cyber action…get used to it!)
So what was your fav part? Any thoughts on what should go down tonight? I love hearing it all!!
And, I'll send a sneak peek to anyone who reviews…just as a thank you. ;) OK, so now please show some love peeps!
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