CHAPTER 25

"Your sister said we're snowed in," Bella offered quietly.

"Does that upset you?" I asked. I was worried about her answer. "I know, if I had left you at your place, you wouldn't be stuck here."

"You're right," she laughed lightly. "I would be stuck with Katrina and Brad the Wonder-Lay."

I couldn't help but laugh at her rude comment. She turned and smiled shyly in my direction. "Sorry," she apologized.

"No reason to be," I insisted.

"I just feel bad to be invading your space like this."

"I'm glad you're here," I said honestly. When her surprised eyes turned up toward me, I cleared my throat. "I mean… I would get bored being snowed in by myself. Right?"

"Right." Bella turned to look back out the window. "Freak snow storm. I thought for sure we would be done with this for the year."

"I'm sure it will be the last," I agreed.

"Well then, what are we standing around for?" Bella turned with an impish grin. "Let's take advantage of it! Would you like to go play in the snow with me?"

I smiled stupidly at her. Like I could ever tell her 'no.'

Fifteen minutes later, we both walked around the side of my house toward my back yard. It wasn't fenced in. The woods made a natural border.

"Wow. All this is yours?" Bella asked.

"Just a few acres," I said.

"I'm jealous."

"Really? Why?" The only plus-side to being forced to ask Bella to explain her thoughts was being able to hear her voice while she tried.

"I miss the forests," Bella shrugged. "Sometimes when I feel really homesick… or lonely… I walk out to a little wooded area behind my apartment. Just to feel closer to home. Pathetic, huh?"

Ah. Mystery solved.

"Not pathetic," I said sincerely. "The biggest draw for me, in buying this place, was the property. I go out there a lot." She didn't need to know why.

"I would too, if I were you," she smiled. Bella trudged a few steps forward and then turned to fall straight back into the snow.

"Are you ok?" I rushed towards her, but stopped when she started moving her arms and legs outward, making wide arcs in the snow.

"Snow angel!" She called out. "How long has it been since you've made one?"

I watched her, lying in the snow… pink cheeked and laughing. She was an angel.

"I don't remember…" I said truthfully.

"Well come on down!"

I laughed at her enthusiasm, and moved to lie near her in the snow… pushing my arms and legs out in a similar pattern. When I stood, I offered a hand to help her up again. Our prints were nearly touching, side by side in the snow. She grinned at the image and her breath clouded around her face while she exhaled and pointed at the designs we made.

"Look! We're flying together!" She smiled. Her simple observation made me feel as though I really was floating somewhere above the ground. "Come on," Bella motioned with her hand for me to follow as she turned. "Let's make a snow man!"

For the next few hours we played outside. We rolled snow and piled it up to build a snow man. And then, at Bella's insistence, we made a snow woman so our first creation wouldn't have to be lonely. I thought it was a brilliant idea. When the sky began to get darker, and I noticed Bella's teeth chattering, I finally convinced her that we should go inside.

While Bella went to the guest room to change into borrowed clothing, I heated some soup for her in the microwave. I left it for her in a steaming mug on the counter, and then went to my room for a change of clothes as well. When I returned, she was sitting at the bar. Bella noted my casual clothing- pajama bottoms and a t-shirt - with an upraised eyebrow.

"You look different when you're dressed like that," she said.

"How so?"

"Just… more relaxed. More laid back? Happier."

I wanted to point out that my happiness had everything to do with my present company, and not my flannel pants. I just shrugged instead.

"Is the soup good?"

"Delicious. You aren't having any?" I knew she would mention it.

"I know it was rude of me. But I ate while you changed clothes. I was starving! I hope you don't mind?"

She shook her head as though it didn't bother her in the least, and spooned the warm soup into her mouth while I tried not to stare.

"So… what's next on the agenda?" Bella asked when she was finished. She moved to the sink to rinse out her mug, and I placed my hands on the counter.

"I don't know. What do you want to do?"

"Ah ah. It's your turn," Bella smiled. She couldn't hide a little yawn before she continued. "I made you play in the snow. Now it's your turn to decide."

"We're taking turns?" I smiled and folded my arms across my chest.

"Something like that. Sure," she nodded. I could think of a thousand things I would like to be doing with her. Many of them, less chaste than others. But I could see that she honestly was dead on her feet. I noted the shadows under her eyes with a small twinge of guilt for my selfish thoughts.

I stepped toward Bella then, and my hand came up, as if of its own accord, to gently touch her cheek with the back of my fingers. She sighed and closed her eyes.

"I think," I said, lowering my hand and stepping further back, "that a nap sounds nice."

Her eyes popped open and she smiled.

"Are you sure?" I could hear the relief in her voice. "I really haven't slept well for the last couple nights. A nap would be great."

"Yes," I nodded. "I'm sure. We'll take a nap now. And later- when you wake up… it's your turn to pick again."

Bella smiled and I walked her to my bedroom door. I liked the fact that she didn't argue again about changing rooms. It thrilled me to know that she was sleeping in my bed. When she shut the door behind her, I went to the guest room to read while she slept.

I read through a book and counted the next one hundred and twenty-eight minutes and seventeen seconds until I heard Bella moving around in the other room. Not wanting to appear as anxious as I was to see her again, I remained casually sitting up in the bed. I smiled when a tentative knock sounded on my door.

"Come in," I grinned and set the book aside. Bella looked at the way I sat with my back against the headboard with my legs stretched out on the bed in front of me.

"Did you have a nice nap?" She asked.

"I feel better now," I replied honestly. "You?"

"Wonderful. Thanks," she smiled and came to sit on the foot of the bed by my feet.

"Edward? Listen … I was thinking. I really would like to apologize again. And say thanks for…"

"It's not necessary," I waved her off. She frowned at me for a moment.

"Can I finish please? It's important."

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"I was a mess yesterday. Over-tired and over-emotional does not mix well with alcohol. And I embarrassed myself. But you… you came through for me. Again. I just want you to know…" Bella picked at the knee of her sweatpants and her cheeks turned a delightful shade of pink in her consternation. "If there is anything I can ever do… to be a friend for you, like you've been for me… I'd like to."

"Thank you Bella." I didn't have better words. She had no idea how much her genuine offer of friendship meant to me.

"So… do you think…?"

"What?"

"Do you think we can manage to stay in touch… even after our project is done… and our class together ends?"

"You just try to get rid of me."

It didn't come out in the teasing tone I had hoped for. And her eyes flew to mine yet again. I tried to cover by pulling the corner of my mouth up in a grin, and she relaxed and returned my smile. Then she stood and walked to where Alice had folded several items of clothing on the dresser.

I didn't know what Bella was looking for. And I couldn't guess while her back was turned to me.

"Edward? Is it still my turn to choose what we get to do tonight?"

"Yes," I nodded, curious about what she might come up with. In a moment, she turned and leaned against the dresser with a devious smile on her face. She twirled a little piece of pink fabric on the end of her finger.

"Was that a jacuzzi I saw outside?"

I dressed in my trunks as quickly as I could, and blurred outside to clear a path in the snow before Bella could make her way out to the patio. And then I splashed quickly down into the water and began pushing buttons on the control panel to turn on all the jets. I would need the rapidly churning bubbles to distract me from what would be under the water.

Damn it. Did I have to think of 'bubbles'? I groaned. Stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid! I should have claimed that the damn jacuzzi was broken- or hid out in my room with a fake head ache so that Bella could enjoy the hot tub alone. But my appalling male desires won the battle over right and wrong. It all came down to getting to see Bella in that pink bikini. I was so pathetically weak.

Never mind the fact that the heat of the tub would likely make breathing near her feel like acid in my throat. I would deserve the pain for putting myself in this situation. I would take it gladly. But how in the hell was I going to keep a respectable distance when I knew she was right there… barely dressed… within my reach? I pulled my hands up through my hair in aggravation, fighting with myself and trying to get up and just go back in the house when Bella emerged from the patio door wrapped in a large, soft towel; with her hair tied up on top of her head.

And suddenly, I found myself leaning back in the corner of the tub like Jasper- but with trunks on- as if leaving had never even crossed my mind. The gentleman lost this battle, and the horny teenage body celebrated its victory. Because there was no way in hell I was going to miss this.