25
A PROPOSITION
I showered then looked in my closet for something to wear, still not knowing what I had. I found a long dress for lounging which just slipped over my head and was loose fitting, gathered just above the bust with bare shoulders and spaghetti straps; I wore nothing underneath and kept my feet bare, I was determined not to have to undress one more time today.
It was embarrassing to me to go into the living room with my hair not brushed but I had no choice, I couldn't refuse Edward; I took a deep breath and walked out to him. He was sitting on the chaise lounge talking about one of the subjects we were studying but he looked at me as everyone else did and his eyes warned me to come directly to him. I came to him and he embraced me bidding me to sit so he could brush my hair but then he continued to instruct as before, brushing my hair at the same time.
I knew the other two guys were completely distracted by me but I think Edward enjoyed that I belonged only to him, knowing my eyes were only for him and that no other man could have me or even get close to me. He also knew the thoughts of everyone else in the room other than me. Carol was obviously jealous of Tom's attention to me but she needn't have been because my attention was only for Edward.
When we were done studying, I went to the kitchen to bring out the snack food. Tom decided to come and help me while Edward was discussing something with the other three students, in the kitchen he spoke to me.
"Did anyone ever tell you how beautiful you are?" he said.
"Yes," I said, "Edward tells me all the time."
"You could have as many men as you want, why stick to just one," he smiled a sickly smile and he put his hand out to touch my shoulder but instinctively I pulled away.
"Don't even think to touch me ever again," I warned him, "Edward is mine and I am his, if you want to continue in this study group, you will learn to concentrate on your studies and leave alone what you can't have." I was angry.
"I usually get what I want, little girl and I want you, don't think you can come into the room looking so appealing and expect me to ignore you; I think you want me too," and he moved towards me again.
"In your dreams," I said.
This time I pushed him hard and he flew through the air landing on the floor.
"How did you do that?" he said amazed.
"I told you to leave me alone and now please leave my home and never return," I said angrily and picking up a pitcher of ice cold water, I poured it over him.
"Argh," he cried.
"Maybe that will cool you down," I said before I stepped over him and walked out of the kitchen, he slunk out of the house and I never saw him again.
I walked quickly over to Edward and he winked at me knowing what I'd done; he pulled me close.
"I sent your boyfriend packing," I told Carol, "He tried to come on to me, you're welcome to remain in our group but I told him never to return here."
"I'm sorry Bella that he was such a jerk, that's the last straw as far as him and me go, this group has really helped me in more ways than one and yes I will continue," she said determinedly.
Everyone else left in good spirits and Edward helped me clean up the human food and the spilled water.
"You have quite a temper," he teased.
"I didn't realize how strong I am," I said smiling.
"I actually felt quite sorry for the men here, you are very tempting especially in what you are wearing," he said. "If they all dreamed as I did of relieving you of this dress, then I can understand the reaction," he said laughing.
"I will only allow you the pleasure of removing it," I said seductively.
He kissed me and soon the dress lay crumpled at my feet, he picked me up and laid me on the bed and we made love; the phone rang while we were in the process and he answered it.
"Yes Alice?" he said as I moaned with pleasure.
He gave me the phone but continued to give me pleasure and I could barely talk to her.
"Please Edward have mercy on me, how can I talk," I cried out with no avail, "Alice, he won't stop," I said.
"Do you want me to stop?" he asked teasingly.
"Alice I don't want him to stop, please wait a minute," I pleaded.
"Sure," I heard her say, "Don't mind me."
The pleasure culminated in our love making and when we lay quietly together once more, I spoke to Alice.
"I'm sorry Alice, I really am," I said.
"It's ok Bella," she laughed, "I just called to congratulate you on the way you handled the creep, Tom, I loved the cold water, I'm sure that really cooled him off."
"Maybe I should have done that to Edward so I could talk to you," I said smiling.
"But you didn't want Edward to stop," Alice reminded me.
"I suppose so," I said laughing, "It felt very good too, I have to admit."
"I also think you did well to get Jenny to talk, are you going to call Charlie, he probably could tell you what to do now?"
"Yes," I said, "I'll do that next, love you Alice," then I hung up and called Charlie.
"Hi Dad," I said when he answered.
Well hello, Bella, how are you two getting along?" Charlie said obviously glad to here from me.
"Very well," I said as Edward kissed me, "We love each other Dad," I spoke in earnest.
"I can tell," he said, "You are all right in bed?" he hesitated.
He obviously wanted to know if we did what we did a lot of.
I looked at Edward and rolled my eyes and shrugged my shoulders, I didn't want to have to tell my dad how my sex life was.
Edward took the phone, "Hi Charlie, Bella wanted me to tell you our sex is great, couldn't be better," I would have blushed if I could. I took the phone back.
"You're not pregnant are you?" Charlie asked.
"Dad why would you think I was pregnant?" I asked exasperated.
"Good sex makes babies," he laughed.
"Not in this case," I said, "Don't expect me to get pregnant; we aren't making babies, ever."
"Well good," he said but sounded disappointed.
I decided to change the subject, "We're sending you some photos of us and our house, so you can see how well Edward and his family are taking care of me. I was a princess at the ball on Saturday for my birthday. Edward has been teaching me to dance and we had so much fun meeting people." I said happily.
"Wow, that's great," he said, "What did you get for your birthday, then?" he asked.
"I wanted to thank you for the gift card, Dad," I said.
"You're welcome," he said, "What else did you get?"
I didn't want to tell him about the boat but when I looked at Edward he raised his eyebrows and I knew he expected me to say it.
"I received another gift card from Renee and lots of swim wear and other items," I looked at Edward again and he signaled me to continue, "Edward bought me a fur stole to wear with the dress he bought me earlier." I said, trying to tone down the truth, and I wouldn't look at Edward now.
"Fur…?" Charlie asked, "What kind of fur?"
"Oh…, just…, mink," I said nonchalantly in a small voice.
"A mink stole!" Charlie ejaculated.
"Yes Dad, Edward has lots of money, he can afford it." I looked at Edward and rolled my eyes. He took the phone away from me and now I was stressed because I knew Edward would say what I had been trying to avoid.
"Charlie, my family loves Bella very much because she did something for them for which they will always be grateful, so between them and me, we bought her a boat." He said it and I closed my eyes briefly and took a deep breath as Edward handed the phone back to me.
There was silence on the other end of the phone.
"H…, hello Dad," I stuttered.
"They gave you a boat for your birthday?" he sounded shocked, "What could you have possibly done for them to deserve that?" he asked.
"Well… Dad, remember when I was gone for that three days, well I stopped Edward from dying," I tried to do some quick thinking.
"You did what?" he yelled over the phone.
"Yes Dad, and I didn't tell you because I almost got killed myself by saving him. I didn't want to worry you; I love him so much I couldn't let him die," I hoped that would suffice.
"Let me get this straight," Charlie recapped, "I punished you for you going to save Edward's life when you almost killed yourself in the process, and you didn't tell me so I wouldn't worry?"
"Yes," I said, "That's about how it was."
"What caused this?" he asked sternly.
"I can't tell you all the details, Dad, it would be worse for all of us if I did that. Just suffice to say we're alive and Edward's family is so grateful to me, they bought me a boat."
"This wasn't anything illegal," he asked suspiciously.
"I swear, Dad," I said so emphatically that he believed me.
"Why would you try to save his life and put your own life in danger after he left you for eight months?" he insisted.
"He left me because he thought it would be better for me not to be with him anymore but as it turned out we both suffered greatly by our separation and realized we had to be together, Edward suffered as I did; the separation was probably a good thing actually because we now know we can't be apart. We didn't have sex before we were married and now that we do, we know even more we belong together," I concluded.
"This is almost like a fairy tale," he said amazed, little did he know. "So Edwards's family is so grateful to you for saving Edward's life at the risk of losing your own, they bought you a boat," he was still shocked.
"Yes Dad, I didn't think they should have spent so much money on me but they won't let me complain," I said, "And now they are going to take me on a voyage."
Silence again, "They really are good to you aren't they," he said stunned.
"You have no idea," I said, "I was just as stunned as you are Dad, I don't think I deserve to have them buy me so many things but they refuse to stop and I'm only allowed to say thank you."
"Wow," he said.
"I actually didn't call to gloat over my gifts because I would just as soon not have them. I called to ask you something but I need to explain first.
Edward and I have met a little girl who comes over to our house, she comes with the housekeeper," oops big blunder, I thought.
"You have a housekeeper?" Charlie asked astonished.
"Yes," I said but continued, "We're pretty sure Jenny is being sexually molested by a man who's living with her and her mother and we want to know what to do about it."
"The housekeeper is her mother?" he asked.
'No the housekeeper is married to William and she just watches Jenny." I said.
"Who's William?" he asked.
"Oh he sort of works for us," I said cringing, Edward was laughing and I scrunched my eyes at him.
"He works for you too?" Charlie asked.
"Yes, he drives us around and does other things too," I said trying to be nonchalant.
"I suppose you also have a gardener and a cook?" Charlie said sarcastically.
Err, yes on the gardener but Maggie helps sometimes with the cooking," I said.
"Who's Maggie?" Charlie was persistent
"William's wife, our housekeeper," I said
"Oh of course, the housekeeper who also watches Jenny," he concluded.
"Yes," I said relieved it was sorted out finally.
"How old is Jenny?" Charlie wanted to know.
"She is only five years old," I said, "She told Edward and me the name of the man who is molesting her."
"How did you come to suspect this?" Charlie wanted to know.
I sighed; I really didn't want to go into this part.
"It had to do with…, we were discussing…, that is, Edward and I were naked in bed together and Jenny came in our room, we weren't doing anything and we were covered up but that got us into a discussion with her about nakedness. She said it hurt to be naked and worried if Edward was hurting me, it turns out that she sees her mother having sex with men all the time and hears her screaming. We bought her a doll as a gift because she doesn't have much, her mom drinks and sleeps with men so she doesn't have much of a life. She showed Rosalie on her doll where it hurts when you're naked and then today she admitted that her mother's present boyfriend does hurt her and she again showed us on her doll where that was. She said it was a secret and that she was told she shouldn't tell anyone."
"It sounds like you should notify the authorities but you had better be right because a child molestation case is a big deal, if you had more proof than the little girls word, it would help, plus if she is very attached to her mom and five year olds generally are, no matter what the circumstances, she would not like to be taken away from her. You could look on line and find if this guy is a known pedophile that would be a start, if you could get him removed from the situation it would help."
"Ok Dad," I said, I'll keep you updated on what we find out," I wanted to end this conversation it had been much too stressful and Edward was starting to be playful with me again; I wanted him right now, plus we needed to get ready for school.
"Bye Bella, take care and call me again soon, love you."
I suddenly thought of something, "Wait Dad," I said.
"What?" he asked.
"Please, please don't say anything to Renee about me saving Edward's life; in fact don't mention the boat or anything. I would rather explain things to her in my own way, ok?"
"Sure Bella, I promise not to say anything, bye," we hung up.
I looked at Edward, "I need you, please, please say we have time."
"Not enough to give you the satisfaction you desire, we do need to get ready for school," he said laughing and pulled me off the bed.
We were soon dressed and William drove us to school. We saw Carol and she told us that it was definitely over between her and Tom, they had their last showdown and she had kicked him out of their room. He moved in with another guy who needed a room mate and she was alone at present.
"I guess you gave him a few bruises, Bella, he was limping quite a bit." She said smiling, "He said you threw him through the air."
Edward laughed and squeezed me.
"I guess no one will mess with this girl when the word gets around," he said.
School finally was over and we headed home.