Chapter 11

Unexpected Places

Edward's Point of View

I sat down at the bar and ordered a beer. I had asked Jasper if he wanted to come out with me tonight, but he'd declined for some unspecified reason. I didn't even really feel like going out, and was settled to hang out in my room, when I started to feel antsy.

I'd scanned some porn on the internet, refusing to think about Bella, but I found myself unconsciously looking for small brunettes with sweet faces. After I'd jerked off to a pretty girl with pert tits getting rammed from behind, I felt sort of, I don't know . . . weird I guess.

I thought about the girl in the video. What happened in her life that she found herself doing porn? She looked young, and sweet. Was she doing this because she wanted to or because she had to? Did she at one time blush like Bella does . . .

Fuck.

I had never thought like that before.

After that I decided to head out to the bar. I had the notion that I would try and find some easy girl to hook up with. Someone who had no delusions of relationships. Someone who also just wanted a fuck.

"Are you going out, Edward?" Esme asked me from the living room as I passed her toward the front door.

"Yeah."

"Where are you going?" she tried to say casually, though I could tell she really wanted to know.

"Just going to hang out. I'll be back later tonight. Maybe late."

"Okay. Be careful."

"I will."

I headed toward the front door. Sometimes I knew it was killing Esme that she couldn't mother me more, per our agreement when I moved in. Esme was cool, though, and followed our bargain, even if she didn't particularly like it.

I drove up to Port Angeles, which held more faces, more anonymity, than either of the two bars in Forks. I was heading toward Elemental. The bar checked i.d.'s, but I never had problems getting in anywhere with my fake one. The bar was on the slightly more sophisticated side, the drinks more expensive, and therefore catered to a slightly older crowd.

There was almost usually some desperate pushing-thirty-year-old around who was all too eager to hook up with a younger guy who flattered her, and with whom a relationship would be undesirable. That's where I was heading tonight, but for some reason, as I passed Brick Alley, I found myself pulling in.

Brick Alley definitely held a younger, rowdier crowd, mostly college kids. The drinks were cheaper, and they notoriously didn't card, especially pretty girls. Sometimes there were girls around looking to hook up, but these girls sometimes came with more complications or expectations than I was willing to deal with.

So there I found myself sitting at the bar. I scanned the crowd. There were plenty of girls dressed in skimpy outfits who I knew I could charm, but instead I just sipped my beer. Not to sound conceited or anything, but I knew I was good with women. I never had problems getting dates or hooking up.

I chatted with the bar tender for a little bit, but mostly just kept to myself. I ordered a second beer and just people watched for a while.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of shiny brown hair that reminded me of Bella. I turned to look at the girl. She was wearing a small, black dress that showed off her curves nicely. She turned for just a second and I caught a glimpse of her profile. Damn, she looked like Bella, but she turned around before I could get a closer look. I admired her shapely backside and long legs.

She was talking to some guy, flirting and laughing. I knew it couldn't be Bella, but I kept watching her anyway. For half a second I imagined Bella all shy and mousy at school, but on weekends dressing like a sex bomb and hooking up with guys at bars, like some secret life. But no, that was unreasonable, she had been a virgin . . .

My stomach clenched at the thought just as she turned around and I got a better view of her face.

Bella.

What was she doing here? Did she come here often? I had never seen her here before. I took a closer look at the guy she was talking to. Did she know him or had she just met him here? He was older, probably in his mid twenties.

Bella was only sixteen.

I realized that I had unconsciously stood up and taken a step toward them. Suddenly the strange guy was bending down to kiss her, and I stormed over to them, jerking her away.

I acted on complete instinct, rather than rational behavior.

The guy said something angrily to me as I held Bella away from him and told him to back off.

Bella looked wide eyed up at me. "Edward?" she questioned, then she wrapped her arms around my waist. It felt good. I realized that I hadn't thought about Bella's reaction when I stormed over there. It was completely plausible and reasonable that she would have just told me to fuck off, but she hadn't.

"Who do you think you are?" he demanded, obviously angry that I came over and took the girl he had been chatting up for who knew how long that night.

Who was I? It was a good question. I wasn't her boyfriend. I didn't want to be her boyfriend, so I guess I really didn't have any right to claim her.

"It doesn't matter who the fuck I am. She's with me," I eventually said. It sounded right, at least for tonight. She was with me.

"Do you know this guy?" the stranger asked Bella.

"This is Edward," she said over her shoulder, like she was making an introduction, apparently oblivious to the tension.

"Whatever," the guy said and backed off, mumbling something about 'kinky freaks.' I don't know what he thought was going on, but I didn't really care either.

I looked down at Bella. I had admired her body in that dress and those heels before I had known it was her, but now that I knew who it was, my dick hardened. Sweet little Bella, all dressed up.

But what was she doing here? With my gut clenching, I wondered if she had come here to attract some guy. It certainly made sense with the dress she was wearing, her makeup.

"What the fuck were you doing with that guy?" I asked, a little more angry than I had intended.

She shrugged noncommittally.

"Are you drunk?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

Bella kind of giggled and nodded. I was suddenly overcome with such a relief that I had decided to come here tonight. What would have happened if I hadn't pulled her away from that guy who was hitting on her? Would she have gone home with him? She was certainly in no position to be making decisions, and that fucker didn't seem to have any qualms about taking advantage of her lowered inhibitions.

She hadn't come by herself, had she?

"Bella, are you here with someone?" I asked her. Instead of answering me, she wrapped her arms around my neck.

"Edward. You're so beautiful," she said suddenly. I was surprised by her choice of words, and despite myself, I was kind of charmed. I also realized the extent to which she was drunk.

Bella squeezed me and kissed my neck. I guess she got kind of clingy when she was drunk. Normally this would have bugged the shit out of me, but with her, I didn't really mind. I was glad she was hanging all over me and not some other fucker.

"Bella, I'm going to take you home. Who did you come here with?"

Bella only giggled. "Kiss me," she demanded.

My dick really liked that idea, but she was drunk.

"Why do you ignore me Edward?" Bella suddenly asked, slurring her words, talking louder than perhaps she should. "I told you I was sorry for crying. I'm not going to do it again. I promise I won't."

I had absolutely no idea what to say to that. What the fuck do you say to that?

"Bella. . ."

"I missed you."

"Listen, you're drunk. I'm going to take you home, okay? Who did you come here with?" I asked. I figured the best thing to do was get her safely home. Whoever she had come here with, they obviously weren't doing a very good job of looking after her, leaving her alone with some random college guy.

"I don't want to go home. I want you to fuck me."

Oh fuck. . .