Beach

The first weekend of August brings with it the sunniest day in Forks in a decade, so it seems that almost every resident of our little town and the towns surrounding it flock to First Beach to take advantage of the nice weather. My family is no different, and on Saturday morning Rose and I stand in Alice and Jasper's kitchen making sandwiches and preparing salads for a picnic lunch later. Alice and Emmett have gone out to the store, Jasper is upstairs packing beach towels and sunscreen, and Edward and Lily should be joining us any minute now.

Rosalie and Emmett haven't told anyone else she's pregnant yet, after all it's still early days. The day that she found out we'd hung out and just talked about all the things she had to look forward to until Emmett came home. I left then so that Rose and Em could have some privacy, but it wasn't long before Rose called me to let me know how thrilled Emmett is. I can only imagine. He might be a big kid at heart but I know that he and Rose will be amazing parents. I was so lucky to have them with me when Lily was young and I know their own kid is going to be so loved.

I cover for Rose as she runs off to gag when a packet of ham is opened. That is one part of pregnancy that I certainly don't miss.

"How did you do it, Bells?" she asks me miserably, coming back into the kitchen a few minutes after I've finished making the sandwiches and start to wrap them up.

"You'll get used to it," I say smiling and giving her a comforting pat on the arm.

"God, I hope not."

"Mommy!" A high-pitched voice calls and my sweet little angel comes sprinting into the kitchen and jumps up into my arms.

I laugh, catching her just in time. "Hi there, Troublemaker. How are you?"

"Auntie Rose!" she exclaims, wriggling out of my arms and rushing to hug her godmother.

"We're going to the beach!" she says excitedly.

"Yeah we are," I say grinning. "I hope you packed your sand-castle making tools!"

"Do you mean her bucket and spade or her father?" a silky smooth voice laughs from the open entryway behind me and I spin around, my smile widening. Edward leans casually against the door frame wearing my favourite crooked smile and looking absolutely delicious in his board shorts, flip-flops and a light blue cotton t-shirt.

"Hi," I say breathlessly after drinking in his appearance.

He laughs and comes over to give me a hug, and when he's close enough that nobody else can hear he leans down and whispers in my ear, his stubble tickling my neck and sending shivers through my body, "See something you like?"

He pulls away smirking and winks at me.

I take a step away and try to clear my mind of the Edward-induced fog.

I raise my eyebrows. "Yes," I say unashamedly, giving him a wink of my own and making sure to add an extra sway to the movement of my hips as I walk back over to help Rose put the rest of our snacks in the cooler.

"Rose, don't try to lift that! It's heavy!" I exclaim quickly as Rosalie makes to pick up the cooler.

Her face looks startled for a minute, then confused, then finally comprehension dawns on her. She lets out a shaky breath and sits down on one of the bar stools. "Right. Bad idea."

Edward looks curiously back and forth between the two of us.

"Edward, would you mind putting this in the car?" I ask sweetly.

"Sure," he says, shooting me one more suspicious look before picking up the heavy cooler like it weighs no more than a feather and disappearing out the door. Lily takes off after him, keen to get back outside into the summer air.

I turn back to face a surprised-looking Rosalie.

"You haven't told him?" she asks me.

"No," I say, confused. "You asked me not to tell anyone yet."

She laughs. "Yeah but Edward's different. He's your S.O. you know?" She sees the confused expression on my face and develops, "Your significant other. It's like when you tell me something and ask me not to repeat it but you know that telling Emmett doesn't count. Edward's your Emmett."

I laugh a little at the last part, then say, "But that's different. You and Emmett are married. Edward and I have only been dating for a few weeks."

"Oh please," she rolls her eyes. "If you don't end up marrying that man within the year then I'll eat my hat."

"You're not wearing a hat," I say drily, keen to avoid this kind of discussion, before our conversation is interrupted by a commotion in the hallway.

"I still say we got way too much beer," Alice's voice insists, and Rose and I make our way out to see what's going on.

Emmett carries a twelve pack of beer in each hand, and Alice struggles behind him under the weight of yet another.

"Rather too much than too little, Alley-cat," Emmett insists, displaying his dimpled grin.

"That and she's never seen Emmett drink before," Rose whispers in my ear and I giggle.

"Are we all ready to go?" Edward asks, coming back in through the front door and having to duck down so that Lily who's riding piggyback on his shoulders doesn't hit her head.

"Bella and I just need to go put our bathing suits on," Rose says, and following her lead I grab my bag and pull out my trusty black one-piece to put on under my shorts and tank top.

"ISABELLA MARIE SWAN!" Alice's voice screeches, and I wince, increasing my pace up the stairs as I hear her footfalls after me. "THAT HAD BETTER NOT BE THAT SAME UGLY SWIMSUIT YOU HAD IN HIGH SCHOOL!"

After an argument with Alice that holds us all back by at least a half hour I make my way downstairs, grumbling under my breath, wearing under my clothes one of Alice's bikinis. She follows me looking entirely too self-satisfied.

The bikini itself isn't too bad. It's a deep plum colour that nicely compliments my skin, and as far as Alice's swimwear goes it's quite modest, but it still leaves little to the imagination and my stretch marks from my pregnancy completely exposed.

"I suppose Alice got her way then," Edward smirks as we make our way out to the cars, and I swat his chest angrily as he laughs.

The beach is already packed when we arrive, but after walking a little ways we finally come to a free spot where we lay down our beach towels and coolers. Rose and Alice and I relax in the sun for a bit, the two of them stripping down to their bikinis while I remain stubbornly in my shorts and tank, and the boys take Lily down to the edge of the water to splash around in the surf.

I apply sunscreen religiously, determined to avoid the great sunburn disaster of Summer '05.

"I'm boiled," Rose says from my right. "I think I'm gonna go join the guys." She sits up, and from my position beside her I see her sway dangerously.

"Are you okay?" I ask urgently, bolting upright.

"I'm fine, I think," she says, rubbing her head. "I think the heat's just getting to me."

I get up and set up the great parasol I've brought with me, setting it up so that Rose is shaded from the relentless sun. I retrieve a bottle of icy water from one of the coolers, take the top off and hand it to her.

"Thanks, B," she says gratefully. "What would I do without you?"

"Rosie, baby, are you okay?" Emmett calls breathlessly, having sprinted up the beach. Edward follows behind him, water droplets dripping off his well-defined chest.

"I'm fine, Em, just got a little over-heated, that's all," she says as Emmett comes to sit next to her, pulling her back into his chest. I move over a little to give them some space, knowing Rosalie will be well looked after.

"Everything okay?" Edward asks me, the sun glinting off his copper hair as he comes to sit next to me, looking between me and Rose.

"Fine," I say. "But I'm glad you're here, doctor. Where's Lily?"

"Still down there with Jasper," he smirks, leaning in to kiss me full on the mouth.

"Now there's a proper hello," I say breathlessly when he finally pulls back a little.

I feel my skin burn as he looks me up and down. "Why are you still wearing your clothes?" he asks, his eyes boring into me as he tugs at the bottom of my tank top.

"Because your sister's evil," I say, raising my voice so the evil little pixie in question can hear me while a blush creeps up my neck.

"Well, I for one would most definitely like to see what you're hiding under there, Bella Swan," he lowers his voice flirtatiously. He kisses my shoulder, his lips searing my skin.

"I don't look like the others, Edward." I say, nervous and embarrassed, as he slowly raises his hands upwards, taking my tank top with him. "I have stretch marks."

He pulls the top over my head and trails his fingers along the faint lines on my hips and stomach. "From carrying our daughter," he whispers in my ear sweetly. "And you're all the more beautiful for it, Bella... And trust me you have nothing to worry about," he adds huskily, making me blush deeper as his gaze trails down my exposed torso.

In a moment of newfound confidence I stand up and pull my shorts off too and when I sit back down in the sand Edward pulls me back into him, his fingers move into my hair and he pulls me in for another deep kiss, showing me how much he wants me.

"Thank you," I whisper against his lips.

"For what?" he smirks, and I sit back against his chest so we can both watch our daughter splash around in the water with her uncle. He brings his arms up around me and I make no move to push them away even though I'm already boiling. I play contentedly with the hairs on his arms.

"Let's go join them," he says, and before I can agree or disagree he laughs wickedly and stands, lifting me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and running towards the water.

"Edward! Put me down!" I thump his back, laughing uncontrollably.

I squeal when my whole body hits the freezing cold water with no warning. I'm completely submerged and when I make it back up to the surface coughing and spluttering, Edward, Lily and Jasper are all laughing their heads off.

I push my sopping hair off my face and turn to look Edward dead in the eye. "Oh, I'm gonna get you..." I grin evilly and splash him to distract him before jumping on his back and trying to force his head underwater.

"You kids should be setting a better example for your daughter," Jasper calls, amused.

Edward and I look at each other and I see the same evil cunning reflected in his eyes as I'm sure is in my own.

"Your lovely hair looks very dry there, Jazz..."

Our play fighting ends with Lily on Jasper's shoulders and me on Edward's as Lily and I giggle uncontrollably, each trying to push the other into the water.

Eventually we let her win and she throws her little arms victoriously into the air. She and Jasper high five and we leave the water to go in search of some lunch.

I slip my hand into Edward's as we're walking up the beach.

He smiles and turns to me. "I thought you said 'not in front of Lily'?"

I shrug my shoulders, smiling. "She's not watching. But maybe it's better that she sees us holding hands a few times before she catches us kissing."

He smirks. "And is she gonna catch us kissing?"

"Probably. You're making it very hard for me to control myself around you, doctor Cullen," I say. "Besides... I can definitely see this becoming quite permanent."

He grins down at me and I stop in my tracks, pulling him to a stop beside me. I bite my lip. "Can I ask you a somewhat stupid question?" I ask nervously.

"You can ask me all the somewhat stupid questions you like," he says smirking.

"Will you be my boyfriend... officially?" I blurt out and automatically turn the colour of a tomato.

He laughs loudly, then seems to read my serious expression. "I thought I already was your boyfriend," he says, smiling.

"You never actually asked me," I say raising my eyebrows.

He laughs again then leans down to place a quick kiss on my lips. "Well then, Miss Swan, I would be greatly honoured to accept your request to be your boyfriend, if you will in turn consent to be my girlfriend."

I smirk, "I dunno, I might have to think about that one..." He reaches out and pokes me in the ribs jokingly.

I shoot a quick glance in the direction of our friends to make sure Lily's not watching. "I think that can be arranged," I say quietly, and lean up to kiss him again.

Later that night we tuck Lily in together, and she falls asleep almost as soon as her head hits the pillow, exhausted from her day at the beach. Edward and I head back downstairs and he hands me a beer. I'm staying over tonight, in the guest bedroom as we've told Lily, and Edward scoffs at me when I tell him I really will be staying in the guest bedroom.

We cuddle up on his couch and watch some superficial movie on the television, just enjoying a few rare peaceful minutes together.

"Bella?" he asks, when the movie's done.

"Yeah?" I ask, twisting around to look at him.

"Is Rosalie pregnant?"

I smile. "Yes. How did you know?"

He kisses my hair gently. "This morning with the cooler and then at the beach... you and Emmett were both being super protective of her."

I nod. "She's only six weeks though so she doesn't want to tell anyone else yet. Think you can keep it to yourself?" I ask teasingly.

I feel his laugh rumble up through his chest. "I think I'll manage. Can I congratulate them or am I not supposed to know?"

I grin. "You can congratulate them. According to Rose, you're my significant other and apparently that makes you privy to all the secrets people confide in me."

He laughs again. "So you have other gossip to tell me?"

I giggle. "Do you really want to hear everything that I know about Alice?"

He cringes. "Maybe not. From what I've heard the two of you could be quite the little hell-raisers in high school."

"You know me, Edward, I can't be tamed," I laugh.

"Oh? So you're pretty wild then, are you?" He says, his voice deepens and he starts to kiss up my neck.

It takes all my will-power to pull away.

"We better go to bed," I say.

He raises his eyebrows suggestively.

"To sleep," I add, swatting his arm.

He walks me to the door of the guest room and our goodnight kiss quickly turns a lot more heated than I had intended. His hands start to make their way under my shirt and I pull back.

"Not tonight," I whisper, "but soon," I promise.

"Soon," he echoes, smiling his crooked smile and placing one last sweet kiss on my lips before he turns and heads into his own bedroom.

Despite my earlier insistence, I don't last a half hour in the guest bedroom before I'm climbing into his bed beside him.