I don't own these characters. They are the sole property of Stephenie Meyer. I only borrow them. No humans are permanently harmed through my actions, though I do confess to harassing, annoying, torturing, and exasperating them – just because it's fun. I make no money from my little stories, sad day. I only play in the sandbox, I didn't build it.
Chapter 10: Island Encounter
"No," said Emmett, and though his voice was quiet, he couldn't have made himself clearer if he had been shouting.
"Why not?" Bella asked.
He sighed and rolled his eyes. "I'm not looking for a date," he explained.
"You don't have to look for one," Bella replied. "I already found one for you."
"I'm not dating anyone right now," he added, clenching his jaw. "Don't you think I've got enough on my plate?"
"I think you've got plenty on your plate and that maybe you should try a little dessert to liven things up," Bella shot back. "You're a young, good-looking guy Emmett. You've got a lot to offer a woman – including that amazing little girl."
"I don't want to date – anyone," Emmett said. "Have I made myself clear?"
Bella studied him for a moment. "Okay, fine. No dating. But I would still like for the two of you to meet Edward and his family. No whining, no bitching – and I promise to be upfront and tell you that Rosalie is going to be there. I'll make it clear to her that you are not interested in dating and that we'll all be meeting on a strictly friendship basis." Then she grinned wickedly. "Well, except for Edward and me because we're humping like bunnies."
Emmett put his hands over his ears and shook his head. "Don't need to know this. Don't need to know this," he sang. "Don't want to know this..."
She waited for him to settle down.
Finally, he sighed and stared morosely at the table. "You're not going to let this go, are you?"
"What? A social connection beyond this house for you and the best little girl in the world? No, I'm not. The two of you need to branch out a bit, get your asses out of this house. Not just out of town where no one knows you, but actually connect with other people, damn it. But your dating life is yours to handle. I just met someone I thought would be perfect for you, for both of you, but whatever..." She shrugged. "Be stubborn, see if I care. But I would still like for you to get to know Edward. He's important to me, very important. And so are you, in a different way. A non-sexual, non-humping like bunnies kind of way."
"Oh my God, you're so annoying," Emmett snapped, but there was a smile on his face.
"Yeah, I know," Bella said breezily. "It's really part of my charm, don't you think?"
~~AATG~~
Edward stopped in the doorway of the kitchen. Bella was leaning over the island counter, intently studying a recipe book. They liked to get together and cook dinner once a week. They'd flip through his many recipe books, both old and new, and pick something the day before. Then he or she would make sure they had all the ingredients and prepare the meal the following night.
Bella liked to study the recipe before hand; Edward preferred to take each step as it came. Mostly, he liked watching her. Being with her had fast become his favorite pastime.
Walking up quietly behind her, he put his arms on either side of her, effectively trapping her against the island. She jumped a little and then relaxed back against him. "Mmm...you smell good," she said.
He had just showered, having spent the day doing yard work.
Edward let his nose travel up her throat and then buried it in her hair. "You do too." He kissed her temple before moving down her cheek. "But then, you always do." She obligingly turned so that her mouth was within his reach. Their lips met softly, gently but soon that wasn't enough and she turned completely in his embrace so that her breasts were pressing against his chest. Wrapping his arms around her, he hauled her up against him.
"I missed you today," he finally muttered as he kissed down her neck and along the bit of collarbone exposed by her shirt.
Her fingers were in his hair, keeping his head – his mouth – close to her. His hands were traveling up her leg and then skimming the low waist of her short denim skirt, before dipping down between her legs. Making a pass between her thighs, he groaned. "You're already wet for me, Bella."
She laughed and cradled his erection. "Look who's talking, Mr. Cullen..."
He rocked his hips against her touch and then lifted her suddenly, planting her ass on the counter and shoving the recipe book out of the way. Giving her a wicked look, he reached beneath her skirt and tugged at her panties. She obliged him by lifting her ass a bit and he wriggled them off her body and then twirled them around his finger for a moment. Grinning, he tucked them into his pocket. "Mine," he whispered.
Her hands were already at his jeans then, and unbuttoning them at a frantic rate. Then their hands were all over each other's bodies, frantically moving clothing out of the way and teasing as they went. "Condom?" Bella finally panted.
To her surprise, Edward reached into a drawer in the island and withdrew a packet with a little smirk. "Nicely played," she complimented.
Edward palmed his cock and handed her the packet. "Will you?" he asked, his voice husky and tense.
Biting her lip, she nodded eagerly and moment later she rolling it down his length before pausing briefly to cup his balls. "Uh," he grunted and then he spread her thighs almost roughly and plunged inside of her with a moan.
"Fuck yes," she hissed her approval.
"Hold on," he warned.
It was fast and rough and exactly what she needed, so she encouraged his efforts. "Feels so good," she told him and licked up his neck.
"So hot," he muttered and his eyes locked on the sight of their joined bodies. "So fucking beautiful..."
"Gonna..." she panted. Then she tightened around him and he gave a shout. When he felt he could move without collapsing, he took a deep breath.
"Holy shit," he said. His expression growing more somber, he cupped her face in his hands. "You're so amazing," he said. "And perfect." She smiled slowly.
"We're perfect," she corrected quietly.
They embraced, her sitting with her bare ass on the kitchen island, his dick covered in a fluorescent blue condom that he'd bought for shits and giggles, his jeans hobbling his ankles. She grimaced. "I think I have a mixing spoon up my ass," she remarked.
He laughed and kissed her – hard.
And it was one of the most romantic moments of his life.
~~AATG~~
"Rose, you should know a few things before you meet Emmett and his daughter," Bella said. "I've already explained some of this to Edward. Emmett will tell you his own story, but you need to be...prepared."
Rose swallowed hard and nodded.
"The accident that killed Emmett's wife and injured his daughter was obviously very serious," Bella said. "And his little girl, she's still recovering."
"Was there brain damage?" Rose asked.
Bella hesitated. "Short term damage - yes. She had to learn to walk and talk all over again, but mentally, she's fully functioning and pretty much on age level with her thinking and reasoning skills. Any delays she has are a result of extended hospital stays and numerous surgeries – which lead to significant recovery times. That's one of the reasons Emmett decided to homeschool her for a while."
"He teaches her at home?" Rose asked and for some reason, her expression went soft. She almost glowed.
"Uh, yeah," Bella said uncertainly, giving Rose an odd look. "But the other reason he's homeschooling her is that she's still undergoing reconstructive surgeries right now."
"Reconstructive?" Rose asked.
"There's scarring," Bella explained. "A lot of it, and there was a lot of damage to her face."
"That poor baby," Rose whispered.
Bella let out a heavy sigh. "I knew you were perfect for him." Then she smiled. "Honestly, it isn't so bad now. She'll still have some more surgeries in the future, but things are way better now than they were a few years ago. It's obvious something happened to her, but people mostly just stare now. They used to look away, and that killed Emmett."
"I won't look away," Rose promised. "And I won't stare either."
Bella squeezed Rose's hand. "I know you won't," she said. "Listen, I know I warned you that Emmett says that he isn't ready to date or anything. But if you could just be his friend, I think you'd realize just how much he needs someone like you in his life. They've been really isolated and I think it's time for them both to branch out a bit. I've been with them since the beginning, but they both need to get out there and be with other people."
"I can be his friend," Rose promised. "And I can be her friend."
Bella turned to Edward. "You've got a pretty awesome sister you know."
Edward groaned and shook his head. "Please don't tell her that. She's already impossible to live with!"
~~AATG~~
It was August and Bella had accompanied Edward to his new classroom. There were no students at the school yet, but teachers had started arriving today. Edward had been assigned to a new classroom, which pleased him. His last classroom had been a portable, but he finally had enough seniority to rate a room in the main school building.
She was helping him put up a few posters and rearranging the desks. Edward liked them in a circle. "You like being on stage, huh?" she teased.
Edward laughed and pulled her into his arms. "Actually, I tend to talk with my hands a lot, so it is kind of like a performance. I really get into it sometimes. Besides, this is a very interactive class. They won't be sitting all period."
She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a quick hug. "Do your female students ever develop a crush on you?" Bella looked up and noticed that Edward was blushing.
"It's been known to happen on occasion," he allowed carefully.
She snorted and shook her head. "I'm sure it happens with great frequency," she said. "You're gorgeous and young and I'll bet you're a fantastic teacher – the kind the kids talk about being their favorite."
"Hush now, you'll make me blush." Then he grinned. "Oh right, too late."
"It's kind of sexy," she assured him.
"Well, I plan on making you blush when I get you to my house later today," he whispered in her ear. "You've been a very naughty girl and I just might have to punish you." To his delighted surprise, Bella liked to role play, and she was definitely hot for teacher. All he had to do was put on his glasses and a tie and look stern. She took over from there. It was one of their favorite games.
"Oh...you're right, I've been very, very bad," she murmured.
"Oh, I didn't know you were here," a voice called from the doorway. Edward let loose a little groan in Bella's ear, too quiet for anyone else to hear. Then he pulled away and looked toward the door.
"Yes, just getting things set up for the year," Edward explained. "Danielle, this is my girlfriend, Bella. Bella, this is Danielle Wickham. She teaches English." The two women eyed each other; there was curiosity on Bella's part and something else in Danielle's eyes. Shock? Jealousy? Bella decided it could be both. She glanced at Edward to see if he recognized the fact that Danielle Wickham was very, very interested in him. It took only one look to see that he did, and it took Bella only another moment to realize that he had never returned that interest. Then she decided that the look on Danielle's face had simply been hurt. Hurt was an emotion Bella knew well.
"Hi, Danielle," Bella said politely, holding out her hand to the woman who had approached them. "It's very nice to meet you."
Danielle's smile flickered uncertainly, as if she wasn't quite sure what to make of Bella's unexpected display of kindness. "Uh...yes, same to you," Danielle replied. Her eyes flickered to Edward. "I didn't know you had a girlfriend," she said quietly.
Edward pulled Bella up against his side. "Well, it happened over the summer and I haven't seen you in a while."
"Oh, of course." Danielle shifted on her feet.
Bella patted Edward on the stomach. "This guy here, he works slowly. Very careful, this one," she confided. "We met ten years ago, and it took him that long to ask me out."
Something in Danielle's expression eased and Bella guessed that the other woman was now thinking that they had a long-standing friendship that had finally bloomed into something more. And Danielle found that easier to accept for some reason. Bella and Danielle looked at each other again and this time Danielle's smile was more sincere. "Well, I'm happy to see he finally worked up his courage and asked you out."
"Me too," Bella said with a nod. On impulse, she opened her mouth and was saying something she hadn't expected to say. She had, as she had noted on many occasions, poor impulse control at times. "Listen sometimes I have these barbeques and I have some friends visit from my hometown. Maybe you'd join us sometimes? They're a great bunch of people and I think...I think you'd like them."
Danielle blinked at the unexpected invitation. Edward just gaped at her. Bella merely waited for an answer. "Uh...sure...just have Edward tell me when," Danielle finally answered uncertainly.
Bella pulled out her phone. "Why not just give me your number and I'll let you know myself?" she offered.
A few minutes later, after Danielle left, Edward turned and studied her. "What was that all about?"
"What?"
"That – with Danielle. One moment I thought it was going to be a cage match and the next... you two are exchanging numbers and talking about getting together!"
Bella smiled and slid into his embrace. "She likes you, a lot. And I'm guessing she has for a while. But you're taken now, and you're staying taken." She lightly poked his chest. "I decided it would be easier to give her someone else to think about rather than getting jealous and bitchy."
"Oh..." Edward kissed her forehead. "But you know, it would have been really hot to have two women fight over me. Maybe in Jello? Or mud? Maybe topless? Just saying..."
~~AATG~~
"Do I look alright?" Rose asked for the tenth time. They were waiting for Emmett to arrive. It had taken more than a month to arrange the little dinner for Emmett and Rose to meet, and the time had worn on Rosalie's nerves.
"You look beautiful," Edward assured her. Bella nodded.
"He's right, you're hot," Bella said. "I'd do you."
Edward just groaned and shook his head. He leaned in and whispered to Bella. "I don't think I've ever actually seen Rose nervous. This is huge. I might have to start keeping a journal just so I can write this down."
"What? You mean you don't keep a written log of our sexual escapades?" Bella whispered back. "I'm disappointed."
"I'll start keeping track," he promised. "Then I could sell it to some shady publishing house and make dozens of dollars."
Then the door bell rang and Rose hopped to her feet so quickly that she almost fell over. Edward steadied her in surprise. "What the hell, Rosie?"
"Just shut up," Rose hissed.
Edward held his hands up and backed away. "Yes ma'am."
He heard Bella's voice and then a much deeper voice. When the guy walked in at Bella's side, Edward swallowed hard. His girlfriend had failed to mention that Emmett McCarty was absolutely huge. He towered a good three or four inches over Edward's own 6'2" and he was built solid – kind of like a truck or a building.
In the giant's arms was a tiny little dark-haired girl, her face hidden in her father's shoulder. Bella did the introductions. "Emmett? This is Edward Cullen," she started and Edward took the man's free hand. It was like grabbing a baseball glove.
"Glad to meet you, Edward," Emmett rumbled. "Bella tells me lots of good things about you."
"And this is Rosalie Cullen," Bella continued. "Edward's sister."
Emmett blinked for a moment, obviously stunned when Rose turned the full force of her bright green eyes and blinding smile on him. Bella knew the feeling, having experienced it first hand from Edward. "Hi, Emmett," Rose replied with surprising calm. Then she smiled at the little girl. "And you must be Mary Alice," she said.
The little girl turned, her eyes large and dark and solemn. The left side of her face was delicate perfection; but the right side was marred by a long, twisted scar that ran from beneath her dark hair to her jaw. Her eye socket looked oddly sunken in. She looked up at her father, a flash of dark, wise eyes. Emmett smiled at her encouragingly.
"Alice," the little girl. "Daddy calls me Alice."
"Well Alice, I've waited a long time to meet you," Rose said.