###

Rosalie basked in the warmth as she watched the waves, propped casually up on her elbows. She un-crossed and stretched her long, lean legs as she threw her head back and closed her eyes. The sun felt amazing on her skin – she'd been spoiled the past two weeks with perfectly sunny weather in Maine, and while up there, she'd taken every opportunity available to soak it up. There was something about the end of summer that made her frantic; it made many people frantic, she supposed. But regardless, around September 10th Rosalie would begin laying-out like a mad-woman, much to the annoyance of her family and her younger brother Emmett. This was the time of year that she'd let herself get as tan as she possibly could; all caution and moderation out the window.

That tan gave her confidence as the months grew colder; it was like a visual reminder that better days were behind and ahead. Rosalie didn't like the winter, and she hadn't since she was a young teen. For Rosalie, the winter meant solitude, and loss, and pain. Summer; that was a time to keep in your heart. But winter, winter was just a time to endure. So Rosalie's tan served as a reminder to her of the summer she so loved, and when the hours began to dwindle, she would forgo all else in favor of capturing those last few indicators of the happy times in her life.

###

Her most recent visit to Maine was no exception; she spent it draped on a lounger by the water, reading, or writing, or thinking. Each year during the month of September, Rosalie had to spend every single second outside. If she wasn't lying out, she was playing tennis, or sailing, or hiking, or climbing with Emmett. This past trip, she'd made a pointed effort to be as physically active outside as possible, much to Emmett's delight. She wanted her body in the best shape she could make it; granted, Rosalie always wanted this, but now it seemed indefinitely more important. She had a girl to impress.

So by the time she made it to the beach with Bella, on a Friday afternoon around 1pm, she was the perfect physical specimen. Every single slender muscle had been worked tight from two weeks of sailing and swimming and rock climbing, and her skin glowed bronze from her hours in the sun. She looked incredible. Even her therapist had noticed.

Earlier that day, around 9:00am:

"Well, Miss Hale, nice to have you back after a" She shuffled through her papers for dramatic effect while keeping her expression and tone non-plussed "an almost two month hiatus from sessions."

"As much as I enjoy your insight, Dr. Hatcher, I think it's best if you leave the dramatic pauses and feigned indifference up to me. For a psychologist, you're awfully easy to read." Rosalie winked at the doctor, who began to chuckle.

"I think it's fair to say, Miss Hale, that I've truly missed your witticisms and use of flirty banter as defensive deflections. You make me feel like the Cybil Sheppard to your Bruce Willis, and it's been dreadfully boring without our weekly sparring sessions."

"Ha – did you just make a 'Moonlighting' reference?" Rosalie threw her head back in brief laughter. "Hatcher, I forgot how much I liked you."

"Then don't disappear again, Hale, for the sake of my own happiness if nothing else."

"I'm here, aren't I?"

"Yes you are, and in all your glory, I might add. You look exceptional right now, Rosalie."

"Do I?"

"Yes, you look absolutely stunning. Objectively, of course; your skin is absolutely glowing from that tan, your hair is captivating, your face is breathtaking, as always, and your body looks more sculpted than I think I've ever seen it. But you knew all of that already, didn't you?"

"Of course, but thank you, none-the-less."

"So this wouldn't have anything to do with Bella, would it?" She was surprised that the psychologist linked her behavior to the gorgeous brunette so quickly– the last time they'd met, Rosalie was still only in the throes of a painful crush on the girl…

"Mmm, maybe." Rosalie looked over at the marble andirons in the large fireplace behind Dr. Hatcher's chair. "Hatcher, how on earth can you even pretend that those andirons are functional? They're made of Thasos marble, for Christ's sake. Any idiot knows that material would blacken the second a real fire touched it."

"Hale, tell me about Bella. I haven't spoken to you in two months. Your deflections are charming but counter-productive. What would Jamie say right now?"

Uggh, Rosalie groaned internally, regretting having revealed her Achilles heel to the doctor in a moment of weakness about six months prior. I need to find a new therapist, she mused. Of course immediately upon thinking that, she remembered what Jamie would have said about running away from yet another shrink.

"Well played, Hatcher. Jamie would say to shut the fuck up and talk to you, because my reasons for avoiding you are so painfully obvious and cliché that she'd be actually embarrassed for me."

The doctor smiled victoriously.

"Don't look so fucking smug, Hatcher. You have Jamie to thank for this little 'break-through,' not any talent of your own."

"That was hurtful, Rosalie." The doctor actually looked slightly wounded as she spoke.

"Well don't fucking smirk at me like that, you know-" Rosalie cut herself off. Jamie, Jamie, Jamie, she reminded herself. "I'm sorry, Dr. Hatcher, you're right, that was hurtful. You didn't deserve that."

"You're forgiven, Rosalie. God I wish I could just grab that girl and hug her for the effect she had on you."

"Stop, okay? Please. Don't say things like that." Dr. Hatcher recognized the true sorrow in Rosalie's eyes as the beautiful blonde spoke mournfully.

"I'm sorry, Rosalie, I shouldn't have said that. But now please tell me about Bella, what's going on with you two?"

"Um, we kissed, in Coney Island of all places. Don't even bother to ask me what I was doing there; the back story is painfully long and unnecessary. But we kissed, finally. Actually, we made out for hours on the beach."

"How did that make you feel?"

"Before it happened; more nervous and excited than I've ever felt around another person in my entire life, so as you know, I felt pretty much like I always do when it comes to Bella." Dr. Hatcher chuckled.

"During; incredible. Hatcher, it was the most unbelievable, overpowering feeling in the world. Kissing her was like, well I know I always say this about EVERYTHING with her, but seriously, no kiss has ever made me feel anything close to what kissing her makes me feel. I literally can't find any adjectives for you that would be more appropriately fitting, because honestly Hatcher, I don't actually even understand how to describe it. I let her take control, too – how weird is that?"

"Elaborate."

"I let her kiss me; I mean like, throw me up against the sides of cars, pin me against walls, like aggressively take control type of kissing me."

"Wow, Rosalie, wow." The doctor looked somewhat flabbergasted.

"I know, right? And Hatcher, it felt so good. Don't worry, I'm still me, I mean as soon as it was over I completely freaked out and felt like I was going to throw up when I thought about what I'd let her do to me, but I know Jamie would have just rolled her eyes at this, so I've been fighting with myself constantly since that kiss."

"Rosalie, I'm very proud of you. I'm so proud, I don't even know what else to say."

"Well wait, it gets better. Or worse, I'm not sure what to think yet. So at the end of the evening some dirt bag came up and tried to mug us with a plastic knife, and you would have been even more proud of me - I didn't hurt him, only hit him just enough to stun him and get away safely. And there were no witnesses anywhere even close; it was the perfect opportunity for me to, well, you know... But all I could think about was Bella; I didn't even care about the guy. All I could think about was kissing her again, and I didn't want her to see that other side of me, so I barely touched him. I was like, absolutely drunk from kissing her. I mean, I felt completely out-of-control. And I didn't care – how insane is that?"

"But you cared afterwards?"

"Oh of course I did, I've been freaking out ever since; I literally think I've got multiple personality disorder at this point. But listen, so when the guy attacked, at one point I called Bella my girlfriend to him." Rosalie watched the doctor's brow furrow with concern.

"So we kissed the entire way home, and it was amazing, she didn't even care about getting caught outside the building. She's incredible, Hatcher. She really is. And she is so gorgeous. Like, absolutely breath-taking… Hang on, what was my point? Oh yeah, so right as we were saying goodnight, she teased me for calling her my girlfriend, and of course I just snapped."

"I'm sure she probably didn't understand why."

"I don't know, sometimes I get this odd feeling that she understands me somehow. But regardless, I just freaked out and shut her down."

"So how do you feel about her now?"

"Oh no Hatcher, this story gets much crazier. After two weeks of avoiding her, I could barely breathe I was so consumed with finding out if she really did like me. And more than that, I really missed her, Hatcher. Despite everything I keep trying to do to prevent myself from feeling something for her, I'm woefully worse off with each day that passes. None of my tricks are working. It's like something has taken over my body, and what is so strange is that I don't even care. I cannot BELIEVE this is happening to me, but a huge part of me is thrilled. I never thought I could feel something like this. So I basically threw a party to try to make her jealous and get her back."

"Did it work?"

"I don't know if it made her jealous, but I got so hammered that I didn't care and I just went after her. And yes, that worked, she basically attacked me in Jasper's room and then we ended up in her bedroom with her ripping my clothes off, but she was drunk and I didn't want to be with her like that. I'm pretty sure she's never been with a girl before, and I wanted her to feel comfortable with me. God Hatcher, your eyes are so wide right now it's priceless."

"Well, Rosalie, I think you know why. I don't even know where to begin. So you did NOT sleep with her?"

"No I didn't fuck her. But I did let her cuddle up against me and sleep. And to answer your next question, yes, I actually liked it, and as you know, I haven't liked that since Jamie. She would be so proud of me, I think. I'm really trying, Hatcher. Like really trying. There's one thing though – Bella is pretty aggressive with me."

"Can you elaborate?"

"Well, like trying to touch me and stuff. She tried it that night, and yesterday as well."

"Wait, Rosalie, finish the story. What happened the next day?"

"Well I freaked out as usual, and tried to you know, convince myself not to feel anything, and I hid from her for a few days, but then she showed up at my apartment as I was on my way out the door one evening and she told me that she wasn't sure if she could handle not being with me much longer. So I slept with her, and it was really, really incredible. I know she wants me; I'm sure this craziness I'm feeling just has to be because she wants me so much and I'm clearly having some kind of emotional breakdown, but I swear Hatcher, just making her feel like that, just being with her – my heart is in the pit of my stomach right now even just talking about it."

"Rosalie, I don't think this is just about you. I think something is really going on here."

"I don't know, part of me hopes you're right and part of me just wants to rip my own skin off when I feel so out-of-control like this. But she's worth it, I just know she is. I had a dream two nights ago – weird as usual, like nazi-fighting, people-are-actually-chickens, I'm-the-president-of-the-interstellar-space-justice-agency type weird, but at one point Jamie was there and she told me that Bella was worth it. I know that's just a manifestation of my own thoughts, but it still resonated with me. I haven't seen her in my dreams in months, Hatcher."

"Oh Rosalie, you are so fucked up…" Dr. Hatcher sighed and looked at the blonde fondly.

"See that's why you've lasted longer than any of my other shrinks, Hatcher…" Rosalie smiled broadly at her. "…I really do appreciate your candor."

"I care about you, Rosalie. I don't want you to sabotage this, okay? Promise me you won't? You need to come by every week so we can keep you in check. I truly think this girl matters; I'm not just trying to piggyback. I'm sorry to emotionally blackmail you like this, but Rosalie, this is what Jamie would want you to do."

"Okay," Rosalie said softly, looking down. There was that Achilles heel again. "I'll try."

"Rosalie, what happened after you slept together? And when was this?"

"About a month ago. I haven't slept with her since, because for the first two weeks after her family was staying at her apartment, and then I was in Maine for the following two. But we managed to make out a lot during the two weeks with her family, and I saw her most nights. We'd just flirt a lot, or hold hands under the table, or whatever. I made sure to charm the hell out of her dad, who had a huge crush on me. She was stuck with them every second that she wasn't at work, but she was basically insistent that I stay with her, so I took them to dinner one night, and I played A LOT of trivial pursuit, and I just did what she asked. She's amazing, Hatcher. Even after fucking her, I still like being around her. And she can't keep her hands off of me. She found about a thousand clever ways to keep our hands covered so that she could hold mine while we were with her dad and her brothers. And it didn't feel smothering; I actually liked it. I haven't exactly opened up to her or anything, but I did let myself be around her way more than what's normal for me for those first two weeks. In Maine though, I kind of got back into my own head and I ignored her a little bit. Not horribly so, but I didn't text back and forth with her a million times a day like she would have wanted. She has a boyfriend, Hatcher, and when I was drunk the night of the party, I made it pretty obvious how much I despised it. I've tried REALLY hard to cover that up, and I'm pretty sure she thinks I don't give a shit, but yesterday I almost blew it."

"What happened yesterday?"

"Well remember how I told you about Bella's aggressiveness and how much it freaks me out?"

"Yes, go on…"

"Well I had the Lexus uptown, and I was looking for parking right outside the apartment when I saw her. It was still daylight, mind you. It was the first time I'd seen her since I'd gone away – I got back into town yesterday morning and this was like 5pm, and I was pretty nervous to see her, since I'd been kind of cold for the past two weeks. But she just trotted up to the car, and I had her get in, and then all of a sudden she was all over me. RIGHT in front of the building; I was double parked literally just feet from the entrance. And Hatcher, she didn't care, she just started kissing me like, I don't know, like I'd just returned from the war. I couldn't even think, I mean, literally, I could not think. Her lips seem to send like, literally fire all over my body and it makes coherent thought awfully difficult. She wouldn't even let me come up for air, but believe me, I didn't care. Kissing her – every time it feels better and more intense than the time before. And she was rubbing me over my thong, and I let her."

"Why did you let her?"

"I…I don't know. It just felt so good – I don't get any of the bad feelings when she's touching me. It's like I actually want her to touch me."

"Rosalie, that's MAJOR ."

"Hatcher, let's not dwell on the reasons behind that, just let me get this out. All of a sudden she's flicking off some plumbers or something that had stopped traffic to leer at us from their van, and I made some ridiculous comment about how that was sexy, and then all of a sudden she was inside me. Like, full on fucking me. And I let her. It felt wrong; I mean, somewhere my brain still registered that, but it was like I was possessed. NO control. It was frightening. Because it felt really, really, really good. Even when she started going pretty hard, it still just felt insanely good. I mean, don't get me wrong, it still hurt. But it was good, good, good pain. And then all of a sudden I opened my eyes and saw her boyfriend not yards from the car."

"Did he see?"

"No, I managed the throw her off me and shove her down onto the floor of the car before he had a chance, and I sped off, but Hatcher, she was so freaked out about getting caught that I kind of went to a bad place. I hate that she even cares about getting caught. I hate that she's with him. She should be with me."

"Rosalie Hale, did you just hear yourself?"

"Unfortunately, yes, that's why I keep doing this hot and cold bullshit. I'm so freaked out, Hatcher. But I can't stop. I'm picking her up after this session and taking her out east for the weekend."

"You're WHAT?"

"I know, I know. But I need to keep trying with this, right? And trying to fight off all of the bad feelings?"

"Yes, Yes, Rosalie, you really do. Something is different. You need to try to be different to match. Trust your instincts – trust what Jamie would have said. I know you can still hear her in your head. Just try to listen. Our time is up, but I'm going to give you my cell – I want you to call me if you start to get upset this weekend. Just be careful with yourself, okay? And as much as I know it feels different, do not let her touch you like that until you feel ready, okay? Because if you're not ready, Bella won't be able to understand the ramifications of her actions and you'll be forced into a very uncomfortable situation. And you'll go to your 'bad place' as you call it and it could ruin the relationship. Not to put a damper on things, you understand why I'm saying this, correct?" Rosalie nodded.

"And have fun, okay? Rosalie, I think this girl is in love with you. I'm not kidding. You wouldn't be unconsciously letting yourself feel this way if you hadn't perceived it from her. You are WAY too cautious for that. And you know perfectly well just how good you are at reading people. So for once, use that ridiculously self-protective caution and insight to your advantage and trust that this isn't just you having a 'quarter life crisis.' This is big, I just know it. Be good, and get your ass back here next Friday, got it?"

"Your candor, Hatcher. I love it." Rosalie grinned.

"Oh and Rosalie, try to let the boyfriend thing go a little. It sounds like she's never even been with another girl before. Give her time."

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "So I look hot though, right?"

"Yes Miss Hale, you look extremely, extremely hot."

###

"So…" Bella began as she stretched out on the towel next to the blonde. She looked up at the clear, blue sky as she spoke. "What now?"

"Now," Rosalie spoke low and even as she relaxed under the warm glow of the mid-day September sun. "Now we relax." She pointed the perfectly pedicured light pink toes on her slender feet as she stretched again.

"Because I'm supposed to be able to relax after the near death experience that is riding in a car with you?" Bella giggled and rolled over onto her stomach.

"Oh come on, you were on a conference call the entire time. I was bored."

"You could have gotten me killed. How did you learn to drive like that? I felt like I was in the Barbie version of the Fast and the Furious."

"My father used to take me to this racing school in Connecticut every spring. I know what I'm doing, believe me." Rosalie rolled her eyes as she ran her hands over her stomach, stopping at the top of her black printed Missoni bikini bottom and adjusting it.

"Oh I believe you, Rose." Bella reached over and snapped the string on Rosalie's bikini. Rosalie swatted at her playfully as she sat up. "I just don't know if I trust you..."

"Bella, how rude!" Rosalie smirked as she looked down at the beautiful brunette. "I'm truly offended. Now be quiet so we can work on our tans."

"As if your tan needs any more work, Rose." Bella snorted but then smiled coyly as she looked up at the blonde.

"So you noticed?" Rosalie offered coolly.

"Oh Rose, how I love that ego of yours." Bella reached out and again snapped her bikini string.

"Oh Bella, how I missed that sassiness of yours." Rosalie looked down at her mischievously.

"You missed me?" Bella squinted in the sun as she tried to raise an eyebrow at the gorgeous blonde above her. Rosalie remembered Dr. Hatcher's words from earlier and reminded herself to try not to be snarky.

"Yeah," Rosalie breathed, her tone sincere. "Yeah, I did miss you." She let her eyes rake over Bella's resting form. The girl looked quite breath-taking herself. She was wearing the same, light green bikini that she'd worn the day of the party, and it rode low on her hips, exposing just the tops of her pelvic bones. Rosalie admired the smooth dip of her abdomen, and just the faintest outlines of the muscles beneath that flexed slightly as the smaller girl exhaled. She ran her eyes up to the delicate skin of her breasts that wasn't hidden under the halter style fabric of the bikini top. Her skin was creamy and light, but not pale. Just the slightest hint of tan covered her features perfectly. Rosalie loved how slim and soft she was. Rosalie let her gaze trace the subtle definition of the girl's biceps, down to the delicate hands that were splayed, palms down, on the plush terry cloth beach blanket they shared.

"Rosalie stop looking at me like that, it's embarrassing." Bella tried to cover her torso with her arms.

"Nope, sorry. Stop being so beautiful, then I'll stop looking." Rosalie continued to smirk at her.

"That was kind of cheesy," Bella squinted up at her.

"Yeah, that was kind of cheesy, wasn't it?" Rosalie grimaced a little bit and flopped back down onto her back. She felt warm fingertips on her forearm and sighed as Bella threaded her hand into Rosalie's. Rosalie had missed this; just being with her, holding her hand. She rubbed her thumb lightly across the fingers that had intertwined with her own.

"So now we just lay out?" Bella asked, turning her head to try to sneak her own look at the blonde's body. She startled for a second when her deep brown eyes met Rosalie's green ones and she realized that Rosalie's head was already turned her way. Rosalie smiled slightly, allowing herself to get locked in Bella's gaze. She'd missed this too; she'd missed when they took each other in. It always felt so significant, and so, for lack of a better word, sexual at the same time. "You just gonna stare at me all day, Rose?"

"Oh but I'm the one with the ego?" Rosalie teased as she squeezed the hand that held her own.

"Oh please, how could anyone have an ego around you? You look so beautiful right now I feel like I'm in a movie or something. I'm barely even used to the idea that people like you exist in real life…"

Instead of re-assuring her or returning the compliment, Rosalie just muttered "thanks" and looked up at the sky. There was a basic economy to attraction, and she didn't want to make Bella feel too comfortable or the girl might stop liking her so much. They laid together in silence for a while, with Rosalie trying to relax but so keenly aware of the feel of the hand she held that relaxation wasn't really an option. But she was more than happy to settle for the nervous tingles instead. After about a half-hour, she sat up. Bella opened one eye lazily. "Time to rotate," Rosalie answered her silent query.

"Wow Rose, you really do take this tanning thing seriously. Is this why I had to have my bathing suit on at 8 o'clock this morning?"

"Yup, no time to stop at the house first."

"Why didn't we just leave sooner – where were you this morning?"

"Oh, the shrink." Rosalie said plainly.

"Really?" Bella said earnestly as she brought her hands back behind her head.

"Yeah are you surprised?" Rosalie asked, making sure to keep any defensiveness out of her tone.

"Only that you'd actually tell me you went to one. I mean, you're not exactly forthcoming most of the time…"

"Yes, I know. But this is New York, who doesn't see a therapist?" Rosalie rolled her eyes sarcastically. "I figure I can at least let you in on that without losing my mystery…"

Bella kept her eyes shut as she asked in a somewhat annoyed tone: "Remind me again why you can't lose the mystery?"

Rosalie picked up a bottle of water from the edge of the blanket and poured some into her hand. "Have to keep the thrill alive somehow," she deadpanned as she dribbled the water on Bella's stomach. The smaller girl shriek and sat bolt upright.

"Rose, you are such a fucker!"

Rose simply smirked and handed her the bottle. "Thirsty?"

###

An hour later of laying in comfortable silence, Rosalie was still feeling awfully playful. She dropped Bella's hand; the one that had quickly found its way back to hers soon after she'd forced Bella to drink from her water bottle.

"Hey," Bella said drowsily. "Where do you think you're going?"

"To the car; I need to check my phone." Rosalie lied easily. Bella closed her eyes and returned to her half-slumbering state. Rosalie, her movements masked by the loud roar of the ocean, jogged down to the water's edge and dove in. She shivered as the cold liquid washed over her. She swam out a few meters, enjoying the sensation of the cool water on her lithe body as she cut a path past the break. She decided that this weekend she would just let herself live in the moment; she'd put her frustrating internal monologue on mute and enjoy just being with the beautiful brunette back on shore.

After a few minutes, she emerged from the surf and looked over at Bella. The girl looked mouth-watering as she slept on the towel; her skin glowing with warmth and softness. Rosalie tiptoed back to their spot, careful to mind her shadow so as not to give herself away. Bella was still unaware of her presence as she hovered over her. She pounced.

"Hey!" Bella yelped as she felt a soaking wet body cover her own. Above her, a beautiful blonde laughed as she struggled to contain the squirming brunette. Bella's warm, dry skin against Rosalie's cool, wetness felt like heaven to Rosalie. "Rosalie, like I said, you are SUCH a fucker." Rosalie smirked and dipped down to press full, red lips to the sensitive flesh behind Bella's ear. "Rose, you're freezing! Oh I am so getting you for this, now payback's going to have to be double!"

"Oh really?" Rosalie crooned in her ear. "There was already payback coming to me?"

"Yes you horrible girl, I already have to get you for flirting with my dad." Bella lifted her head and tried to nip Rosalie's chin, but she evaded her.

"Hey, that's not my fault, your dad is a total babe…" Bella groaned at Rosalie's gleeful words. "And besides, I definitely overheard him telling you that he thought I was sexy..."

"Oh God gross, you heard that?" Rosalie nodded as she grinned playfully. "Ew that's so embarrassing."

"Well I think I might like him, so…" Rosalie's smirk threatened to entirely consume her graceful features.

"Oh you think?" Bella responded with a smirk of her own. "You totally threw a game of trivial pursuit for him, if that's not love then-"

"Bella!" Rosalie cut her off and gasped theatrically. "How did you know I threw that game?"

Bella nuzzled Rosalie's neck as she muttered "not telling."

"No seriously!" This time Rosalie was serious. "How did you know?"

"Because you'd already answered like five of the same questions correctly other times we played. Did you think I wouldn't notice, Miss Hale?" Bella caught her eyes and batted her own lashes.

"Those questions were from games we played in like, May or something. That's a creepy memory you have there, rain man…" Rosalie teased her and forced her arms under Bella's warm, still dry, lower back.

"Ugh Rose!" She shrieked again, giggling. "I'm not rain man!"

"Oh yeah?" Rosalie growled as she pecked Bella on the lips. "Because I'm pretty sure when you went inside your dad told me ALL ABOUT your super high IQ, and all of your time in gifted programs, and how whip smart you were. I had to agree of course…"

"Ugh, I can't believe he told you that." Bella rolled her eyes as Rosalie smirked triumphantly. "Well guess what Rose, Emmett told us ALL ABOUT your IQ when you went in to get us more drinks, so ha!"

"Oh come on, you're bluffing Bella." Rosalie's smirk wavered as she tried to look serious. A few delicate fingers tickling her ribs made that almost impossible, and Rosalie started to giggle as well. "Stop it, Bella, you know I hate to be tickled!"

"Oh really, dish-it-but-can't-take-it, can you? Miss 162…"

"I wouldn't mess with the stronger girl that has you pinned to a beach blanket, Miss 150…"

Bella squirmed, and Rosalie began to laugh harder as her previous words began to resonate in her mind. "What?" Bella giggled as she nipped Rosalie's collarbone.

"Aw, Bella, if we weren't so hot, this whole making out after talking about IQs thing would be total nerd love…" Rosalie teased as she took Bella's sensitive earlobe between her lips.

"Aw, Rose, did you just call this love?" Bella ran her fingertips teasingly up Rosalie's toned back.

"IF we weren't so hot, Bella, IF being the operative word." Rosalie let her tongue trace the shell of a perfect ear.

"Ooooh Rose," Bella purred between giggles, "vocabulary words like 'operative' get me sooooo wet…"

Rosalie moved her thigh in-between Bella's and began to whisper her old SAT prep study list of vocab words into the girl's ear in a husky tone. "Oooh baby, oooh baby" Bella giggled as she let her hands wander.

"You want bigger ones?" Rosalie purred seductively.

"Oh yeah baby, give me the biggest ones you've got," Bella whispered back as she gave Rosalie her most dramatic moan. Rosalie grinned broadly. Yes she had missed this. She had really, really missed this.

They spent the better part of the next two hours entwined on the blanket, giggling and whispering the biggest, most obscure words they could think of to each other in between long kisses, not leaving until the sun was so low in the sky that both of them began to shiver.

###

TBC