A/N: I would like to thank Yali. Page for reviewing. It was much appreciated.

Ch 10 June – Summer Vacation

Once all the finals were over, the very next day Isabella packed her things for her vacation with her dad. The plan was her dad would pick her up and they would go to the airport. Edward wanted to see her off, but she told him she wouldn't feel comfortable giving him a proper goodbye in front of her father.

For more than a week Isabella and her dad saw the sights of Disney, but she missed Edward. She began hallucinating, seeing him as some of the characters. She decided she needed to call him before she went mad.

"Hello?" Edward answered.

"Hi. It's Isabella. How's your vacation?"

"It's not much of a vacation, work, work, and more work. But at least I have my weekends free. What about your vacation? Mickey treating you well?"

"It's okay. I really miss you. I keep seeing you around here as Aladdin or Prince Charming. It's very frustrating. Today I could have sworn you were inside of Tigger."

"Inside of Tigger?"

"Yeah, because he's a tiger who got too friendly during pictures."

"I'll kill him!" he declared.

"No, it's fine. My dad took care of it."

He smiled. "Good for him."

"Anyway, I was thinking, maybe I could visit you for a day or two, you know, when this trip is over?"

"Are you serious? That would be great. I'll make some calls and get back to you."

"Wonderful." She shut her cell phone and prepared for the day.

As she walked through the connecting room doorway, her father set breakfast on the table. "Honey, I think today we should take it easy, sit by the pool and chill out. This is actually a very nice hotel and you don't seem to be enjoying yourself the way a person should while in Disney. This is the land of perpetual happiness."

They both sat at the table about to stuff their faces. "It's just because I miss Edward. I just got off the phone with him. I think I'll go visit him once we head home, but until then I'll be better."

Charlie paused to stare at his daughter. "Visit him? Like in Chicago?"

"Yes." She took a bite and swallowed.

"Not by yourself?"

"Why not?"

"I'm your father. Do I need to go into 'why not'?"

"Dad, I'm an adult. Besides, he has parents too and we live in dorms. There isn't ANY supervision there. If you trust me at school, why can't you trust me in Chicago?"

"I don't trust you at school, but your mom has custody."

"I'm nineteen, no one has custody." She folded her arms in finality.

He looked at his little girl, not little anymore. "Fine, go. But I'm giving you some important advice, be careful. That's the only body you have."

Isabella looked down at her crossed arms and softened her reserve. "I know Dad." She smiled as she lifted her eye to him. "Thanks."

._.

A couple of days later the three coordinated Isabella's travel arrangements. They changed her return flight to Phoenix into a flight to Chicago and Edward was supposed to pick her up from the airport.

Everything worked as planned except when she got to O'Hare international Airport, she was alone. She collected her luggage and waited on one of the chairs by the exit. He finally arrived thirty minutes later.

"Isabella," he said as he rushed through the doors.

"Oh Edward, what kept you?"

"Sorry. I got stuck in a meeting then stuck in traffic and I still have to go back." She stood up to pull her luggage forward. "Whoa! Your dad let you dress like that?" She wore tight mid-thigh denim shorts and a crop top Disney T-shirt. Her skin was a shade darker from sunbathing. He quickly took her things and led her to the car.

"This is nothing. My dad had a conniption when he saw my bathing suit."

"Really? Remind me to take you swimming one day."

Edward drove her to his house, occasionally breaking the speeding laws, and gave her his key. "Do me a favor, cover up. I'll never be able to think straight with you dressed like that." He brought her things inside and deposited them by the doorway.

"Thirsty? I'll get you a drink." They walked into the kitchen to get her a drink of water. "I have to go, but my family will be here soon. They don't know you're coming, so be sure to announce your presence. I'll see you later." Edward took two steps toward the door before he heard ...

"Edward?" He stopped and turned around. She held out her arms for a hug.

"Oh right. I'm in such a rush I forgot." He put his arms around her waist and planned just a soft kiss to her cheek, but they paused before separating and their eyes met. The next thing they knew they were engaged in a heated kiss. His arms lifted her body and her feet were off the ground. Her legs wrapped around his waist and she ended up sitting on the counter pressed against the cabinets. He pulled his face from her, panting heavily. "I guess I'm forgiven." A small smile lifted the corners of his mouth. "I need to get back to work. You won't miss me for too long."

Isabella unpacked her stuff in the guest room. The room looked the same as when she occupied it over winter break. She changed her tee to a beige half sleeve cotton shirt and added a matching wrap-around, ankle-length skirt she usually wore over her bathing suit by the hotel pool. After, she walked down to the living room and glanced at the walls to a shelf of books she hadn't noticed before. As she read through the titles, curious about one, she pulled it off the shelf. She sat down on one of the couches and began to read.

Around 5:30 Edward's mom and stepdad walked through the door surprised to see they had a visitor. Isabella came to the door. "Hi guys."

"Isabella? What are you doing here?" his mom asked.

"I came back for a visit. I really missed it here."

"Oh…?" She looked at her husband.

Mr. Cullen chimed in, "You got a nice tan. Does Edward know you're here?"

"Sure. How do you think I got into the house?"

"Right. How silly of me."

"Well, this is an interesting turn of events," Elizabeth said.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing. I've got to start dinner."

"I could help you. I'm a pretty good cook."

Thirty minutes later Josh came home followed by Edward. Isabella was astonished by his early arrival. "You didn't really expect me to leave you alone with them," he commented.

"Well, well, well," Josh said as he gazed at Isabella, "you're still around. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you're here, but we all thought you wised up by now."

"Funny," she laughed, "very funny."

He snickered with her but mumbled, "Or Edward kicked you to the curb."

She sobered up. "What?"

Edward shoved him. "Ow!"

"Boys!" the mother shouted from the kitchen. The three followed their nose.

"Mom something smells delicious," Edward complimented. Isabella still felt confused by the scene moments ago.

"Oh, Isabella has been helping me with dinner. Did you know she could cook?"

"No, I didn't."

They all gathered to the table to eat and Josh filled Isabella in on his relationship with Marissa. "We're up to five months and I never would've met her without you."

"Hey, I just got her number."

Edward was seated beside Isabella and kept one hand below the table on her thigh. The two were whispering and giggling to each other during the meal. When she got up to go to the bathroom, his parents began their interrogation.

"So you guys made up?" his stepfather asked.

"What?" Edward was confused as to how they knew there had been a problem.

"We thought you two broke up?"

"Who told you that?"

"No one. We just thought based on the conversations about her, or lack of."

"What do you mean?"

"In the past two months whenever I asked how she was doing, you answered, 'Fine, I think.' That is not the answer of an involved boyfriend," his mother informed him.

"It was just the Phoenix clients and finals. We didn't get much together time and then she was away. Everything's fine between us. You don't have to worry. It's even better than fine, it's great!"

"Um hmm."

Meanwhile, Isabella passed Josh on his way back from the restroom. "Something's different about the two of you."

"I have no idea of what you mean," she commented.

"You guys seem a little more touchy feely. Didn't you say you don't like being touched? Has something changed?"

Her cheeks pinked and she gave a shy smile. "I need to use the restroom. Excuse me."

"It's funny," he added, "I really thought you guys would be over by now."

She paused. "Why would you think that?" she asked as she turned back to him.

"Because Edward doesn't do girlfriends," he explained.

"Well, nine and a half months says he does."

"Clearly! It's obvious there is something special about you. Edward usually just dumps a girl after sleeping with her. You must really have your hooks in deep." The comment caught her off-guard for a moment. "You must be doing something right." He glanced toward the restroom. "Didn't you say you need to go?"

Her fists clenched and her brow furrowed. "Josh, why are you saying those things about Edward? He wouldn't treat a girl like that. I thought we were friends. Why are you lying to me?"

He took a step back, surprised by her tone. "I'm not. You could even ask him." He was silent for a half a minute. "The touching … you two haven't … that's probably why he's still with you."

"That's none of your business!"

Josh began to walk away, but then stopped. Without turning around he spoke, "He must really love you. The Edward I knew wouldn't wait this long." He continued on back to the dining room and left Isabella lost in thought. She stepped into the bathroom in a daze. She remembered how Edward disappeared after they had sex and it seemed since their reconciliation, he'd been trying to get another taste.

._.

That night Edward came to Isabella's room and asked her to go for a drive. He drove her to his old high school parking lot. Most of the grass area was covered with folding chairs.

"So, this is where you went to school? It's nice. The building is bigger than my high school's," she said while they sat in the car.

"I remember they bring out these chairs for graduation. I guess it is approaching."

"I wonder how things would have been if we were in high school together. Do you think you would've noticed me?"

"How could I not? Especially if you came dressed the way you were when you got off the plane."

"I think you're blowing it out of proportion."

"I couldn't stop thinking about you the rest of the day."

"But seriously, weren't you dating Tanya, the girl you claimed couldn't keep her hands off of you? Why would you even care about me? I'm the girl who wouldn't let any boy touch her."

He stared at her for a moment and realized from all the psychology classes he took she was insecure about something. "Firstly, you forget I didn't look like this in high school, so I doubt I would appear as a threat."

"A boy's a boy."

"Secondly, I only dated Tanya at the end of senior year. You would have had three years to catch my eye. Although admittedly, I wasn't really looking — I was too busy working."

"But if you weren't. If you were looking, would you have made the effort?"

"Isabella, all you have to know is that I did make the effort. That's why we're here now."

She gazed into his eyes. "You wouldn't have. You would still have gone for Tanya. She's an easier target."

"Target?" he repeated in question.

She had to ask him point blank. "Did you ever sleep with her?" It would explain why he would dump a girl after sleeping with her. Tanya hurt him. He wouldn't want to let someone get close.

Edward knew what was on her mind. He was a lot more experienced than she knew and it was time to come clean.

"No, but there were some after Tanya," he admitted slowly.

"Some?"

"Yeah. You see she really messed me up. After what happened, I put all my energy into work and I started dressing the part of an executive. I started looking better and that's when girls began to flock to me. I'm not proud of it. I didn't even consider them a girlfriend."

She nodded her head and mumbled, "Edward doesn't do girlfriends."

He stared at her in question. She knew something. He continued, "It was more like dinner dates. Eventually, I'd sleep with them once, rarely if ever twice, then I'd have enough and dump them."

Isabella swallowed. "So it's true? After we were together, you had enough. You were dumping me."

"No."

Tears were starting to well up in her eyes. "And what you said in the bathroom, about us being together. You were placating me."

"No! I meant it, every word. Maybe subconsciously I fell back into my pattern, but I told you I panicked. It was what I was trying to avoid! I never wanted to be without you. Isabella, I love you."

She looked down for a second, but then lifted her eyes and smiled. "I love you too, Edward."

He leaned into her and shifted his face to kiss her. He wanted to put how much she meant to him into it. His fingers lightly wove into her hair. He held still attached to her. He pulled slightly away and tried to memorize her face. He smiled. "Breathe Isabella."

She pulled in a ragged breath. She had been holding still, trying not to ruin the moment. She took a good deep breath this time and hugged him, resting her face in his neck.

She was very happy to be with him, but curiosity got the better of her. "How many?" she mumbled.

"Excuse me?" He pulled away from her to hear her question.

"How many girls did you sleep with?"

"I don't know."

"Did you at least know their names?" she asked playfully.

"I did then. The last one was named Heidi, I think."

"You used a condom, right?"

"Of course," he assured.

"It's weird. You have this shady past, this bad reputation and it gets ME in trouble."

"You?"

"Yeah, that's why your mom thought we were having sex. And also the people at your work, you're the slut."

"Hey!"

Her brows furrowed. "There's something I don't understand. Why did you make the effort? Why were you not like that with me?"

"I didn't want to be. I went to Arizona to start fresh. I was bitter, but once I met you I was able to change. That's why I count September as the first month and not October, when I officially took you out. That's why I hired you," he explained.

She gave a sinister smile. "So I should file for sexual harassment."

"I'll give you sexual harassment!" His mouth captured hers so quick that his body followed and he was practically out of the driver's seat. "I think I'd better drive us home."

They pulled up to the house and they paused before getting out. "So what's going to happen now?"

"What do you want to happen?"

"I don't want to get caught."

He grinned and pressed his lips to her neck. "We won't."

"How about this?" she suggested. "If everyone is already in their rooms, then we'll go to mine. But if people are out and about, then we'll have to postpone."

Edward glanced at his home. The lights only came from the bedroom windows. "Deal."

They quietly entered the house and stepped up the stairs. His family was all behind closed doors. As they got to her bedroom door, Josh stepped out of the bathroom. "Hey, goodnight you guys." The two turned in surprise.

"Don't you ever sleep?" Edward whispered.

"What?" he whispered back.

She looked at Edward's eyes. "Goodnight Edward." She kissed him then mouthed, "Sorry." He pouted. Just before closing her door she told Josh goodnight.

Edward turned to his stepbrother. "Thanks!"

"What?" Josh whispered innocently.

._.

The next day, to Isabella's dismay, Edward and his family had to work. She was left alone to entertain herself. She decided to go to Lake Michigan by cab. She watched the families enjoying summer together and thought she should convince Edward to take the next two days off while she's here, because she needed to go back to Phoenix for the summer session.

"Why don't you stay here for the whole summer?" was his response.

"That's ten weeks."

"So?"

"I can't just stay."

"Why not?'

"There's nothing to do!"

"You could get a job and we could spend weekends together."

"A job doing what?"

"You could work for me."

"Pass. You know my philosophy about sleeping with the boss."

"Then somewhere else, just don't do fast food. I smell it enough on Josh. I don't think I could handle smelling it on you too, again."

"Edward, the whole summer?"

"Don't worry about it. I'll speak to Mr. Jay. He'll find you something."

._.

That weekend they all went to Lake Michigan. Isabella pulled off her T-shirt and stepped out of her shorts. That's when Edward first saw her in a bathing suit. It was a royal blue tankini with boy-short bottoms.

"Now I know why your dad flipped out. Holy smokes!" She just smiled at him and walked off into the water.

"Close your mouth, dear," his mom said as she came by to stand beside him. "You know how I feel about sex in the house?"

He looked at her with reddened cheeks. "Yes ma'am."

"Good."

He set down the bags, pulled off his shirt, and followed Isabella into the water.

The whole day, the family took advantage of the beach weather by playing games on land and in the water, but Edward was afraid to touch Isabella. He thought once he had, he wouldn't be able to stop and he didn't want to embarrass Isabella or himself because his family was there. Once the day ended, he took her aside at home before they had a chance to get out of their bathing suits. He risked taking her hand and kissed it.

"That bathing suit…" His eyes roamed her body.

"You're not bad looking yourself," she commented back. "I'm surprised I was able to restrain myself."

"I know what you mean. Before I forget myself, I want to give you your charm." He handed her the ring box.

She looked at the velvet box and then at him. She gave a small smile and leaned into him. He recognized the movement and leaned in, too. Her lips slightly parted and he took his chance to slip his tongue in to stroke hers. Her heart sped as she felt her breathing pattern change. His arms came up to touch her face awkwardly pushing her away just enough to speak. "This is not helping my restraint."

"I'm sorry." She took a deep breath.

"Your charm."

"Right."

"I know you're going to think it doesn't make sense, but it's to remind us of where we were when you learned about my past. About who I was before I met you." She opened it and saw a gold graduation cap.

"Clever." She smiled and attached the charm in June's place on her bracelet.

After they both showered and changed, Edward got a call from Mr. Jay. He got Isabella an interview for a children's museum. They needed extra staff to handle the increased amount of visitors during the summer months. The museum requested college students since they're more enthusiastic about running special programs for the camp visitors. At the interview Isabella was offered the job.

A/N: Well what do you think?