A/N: Thanks so much for all your wonderful thoughts.
Most characters belong to S. Meyer. The rest belong to me. All mistakes are mine as well.
Seven Nights – Chapter 10
Day Four: Evening, Back on Board.
As we leave St. Maarten's utopian Pinel Island behind, I stand at the stern of the boat – excuse me, yacht – and I gaze at the disappearing island, its palm trees waving in farewell. The further we pull away, the more unreal it all feels; even the palm trees shrink to a size so minute that for a moment, I begin to doubt we even set our large feet there. It was an almost fairy-tale-like day.
With a sigh, I check my phone to make sure that in my distraction of the day, I haven't missed any messages – the action in and of itself serving as a reminder that I'm not living a fairy-tale. Thankfully, there are no messages.
The yacht cuts the aquamarine waters like Moses parting the Red Sea, except instead of red, it leaves behind an ivory froth that sizzles on the surface then disperses quietly into the dark blue deep. I smile at the colorful school of fish chasing us in a zig-zag pattern, leaping out of the water every few feet then splashing back in and continuing the pursuit as if saying, 'Yes! This was real! We're proof!'
Keeping everything somewhat fantasy-like, the island music that's been playing in the background of the yacht all day still blasts over the loudspeakers. Yet Irina's loud ass gives it a run for its money. Every few seconds, her drunk, indiscernible words and laughter carry in the breeze all the way from the bow of the yacht – the front.
"Bella, what are you doing here all by yourself?"
When I look over my shoulder and catch Emmett approaching, I shoot him a smile before turning back around.
"Just checking my phone and catching a few last glimpses of Pinel Island."
He stands next to me, breathing in deeply, huge shoulders rising and falling in my periphery. He's built differently from his brother. Whereas Emmett is muscle and brawn, Edward's build is more athletic and sinewy. But in the few days I've known them, despite his brawn, Emmett reminds me of a huge teddy bear; someone you can always count on for a good hug – whether literal or metaphorical.
"It is a beautiful view," he agrees after a few moments. Out of the corner of my eye, I see him turn his face to me, and I turn mine toward him. When he offers me a smile, his eyes – a lot like Edward's but not exactly – crinkle softly. "But what I mean is, why aren't you with my brother? Or why aren't you at the front of the boat with the rest of us for that matter?"
I return my eyes to the water. "Oh, I don't know. I don't want to be in the way of whatever's going on over there." I wave dismissively toward the front of the boat.
He chuckles under his breath. "Bella, the only thing going on over there is a few of us trying to keep a silly little girl from making an even bigger fool of herself than she already has this afternoon, while others of us are simply trying not to choke the ever-living shit out of her."
"Yeah," I snort, "and I don't want to make things even more awkward for her or for any of you…or for Edward, for that matter."
"Well, thank you for being so thoughtfully passive-aggressive."
"I am not being passive-aggressive," I laugh.
"It's very light on the aggressive, I agree," he grins. "Like a sprinkling. A dash, if you will."
I snort. "Emmett, I came on this cruise to escape drama, not to look for it. I've got enough going on in my life. I don't need more."
He offers me a slow nod, scrutinizing me with a soft smile before he leans in and murmurs quietly.
"Sometimes, we find things exactly when we're not looking for them, exactly when we think it's the last thing we need, and sometimes…it turns out, it's the best time to find it."
I raise a brow. "Are we still talking about drama?"
He chuckles and turns his eyes to the sea. "Either way, you weren't the obnoxiously super passive-aggressive one who went out of her way to act a fool in a desperate bid for the type of attention she's never going to get any other way from a certain copper-haired brother of mine."
I look up at him. "She got the attention, though."
"If utter disdain and disgust are the types of attention one goes for," he shrugs, "then yeah; I suppose she got it."
I offer him a wry grin. "To some, that type of attention's a start. He's still there, giving her that disdainful attention, right?"
Emmett's brows pull together, and his eyes narrow as he shakes his head. "Bella, Edward isn't over there. Matter of fact, I haven't seen him since we pulled away from the island. That's why I was surprised to find you by yourself."
"But then…" I frown, "where is he?"
Emmett and I both visually inspect our surroundings. Through the windows, we see that Edward isn't in the yacht's cabin, and Emmett says he just came from below deck, and Edward wasn't there. Apparently, he hasn't been up in the front with the rest either.
Fear begins to close off my throat. Instinctively, I grab on to Emmett's forearm. He covers my hand with his huge one, and both our pairs of eyes simultaneously turn to the water. The yacht is moving fast, the water is deep, and that fucking music's been playing purposely loud to drown out drunk Irina; it could've easily drowned out Edward's desperate pleas for help.
"Oh fuck, Emmett," I expel.
"Relax, Bella. He's a great swimmer," Emmett replies, but his voice shakes.
A throat clears loudly above us, and both Emmett and I look up quickly. Edward stands on the small deck right above us with his forearms resting on the railing, his windblown hair highlighted by the sun, and his eyes steadily on me.
"Asshole!" I shriek. "You scared the hell out of us!"
Emmett roars with laughter. "Bro, you've been up there all this time?"
Edward nods in reply, but his eyes remain on me. He offers me an apologetic smile.
"I'm sorry. I swear I wasn't trying to scare anyone."
"Then what the hell were you trying to do?" I shout, adrenaline brought on by the five seconds of fear I felt still coursing through me.
When he doesn't answer right away, Emmett snickers.
"Were you keeping an eye on Bella?"
Edward's eyes remain on me, and he nods.
"Creeper," Emmett says.
"For real," I agree, forcing my eyes away from Edward.
"Well, with this mystery solved, I'll leave you two to it." Emmett offers me a teasing smile. "I think I'll go find my husband and hide below deck with him for a bit to get away from the obnoxious drunk up front. And nope, Bella. Don't try to fight me for below-deck privileges. You should've thought of it first. Thank God I missed the show the first time around, but if that one decides to flash them boobs again…" Emmett shudders, and I can't help chuckling.
"They're actually very nice boobs," I concede with a smirk.
"Not my thing," Emmett says dryly, "and even if they were…" he leans in again so that only I can hear him. "You want to know what I think?"
"Sure, why not?"
"I think the obnoxious drunk wasn't so much aiming for positive attention as much as she was aiming to rattle you." He finishes in a whisper and pulls back with a wink, and as Emmett turns to leave, I spot Edward descending the stairs behind him. Emmett claps him on the shoulder as he passes by. They exchange some quiet words, then Edward looks up and at me. Our gazes hold as he approaches.
"You were up there the whole time, watching me?"
He nods.
"Why?"
He sighs, raking a hand through his hair. "You looked…lost in thought, and I wanted to give you space."
I quirk an eyebrow. "You were giving me space by spying on me from the deck above?"
"I wasn't spying on you." He shakes his head vehemently, but then he offers me a rueful smile. "I wanted to make sure you were okay."
"Emmett was right. You are a creeper."
Edward rolls his eyes.
"Anyway, I'm fine," I say.
He scrutinizes me for a moment, then sighs. "You're upset at me."
"I'm not." I shake my head and avert my eyes, looking over his shoulder past him.
"You are."
"No, I'm not. I have no reason to be upset. This is a fun cruise," I grin.
He moves in closer and leans in, dropping his eyes to my level and waiting for me to meet his gaze.
"What?" I say when I can't avoid his demanding gaze any longer.
"How long are we going to do this, Bella?" he asks softly. "How long are we going to pretend that you and I-"
"How long has she been in love with you, Edward?"
He straightens. In the ensuing silence, Irina's laughter rings out from the other end of the boat. When Edward draws in a deep breath, he releases it in a long gust between us, and now it's his eyes that pan away.
"I had no idea she felt that way, and that's the honest truth, as stupid as it makes me sound. Had I known it was that to her, I would've never agreed to be the only other single party on a group cruise full of couples. I thought…I thought…"
"You thought she was okay with just hooking up." The way I apparently seem to be.
The errant thought knocks the air out of me and makes me grimace. And I'm so grateful Edward isn't watching me right now.
"Yeah," he says after a handful of seconds, returning his eyes to me, Adam's apple bobbing. "And I know that makes me sound like an asshole. It probably makes me an asshole."
"No more an asshole than I am for breaking up with my boyfriend on the second day of this cruise so I could sleep with you."
All golden sunshine leaches from Edward's face. His jaw goes rigid, eyes darkening.
"Is that the only reason you broke up with Quil?" he asks coolly.
"No." I shake my head. "No, it's not."
"Do you plan to get back together with him when this cruise is over?" He swallows hard, nostrils flaring.
"No."
I leave it there and pray he doesn't ask me to elaborate because the answer, which was once so simple – Quil was a thoughtless bastard I outgrew – grows more difficult and layered with each passing hour.
He exhales long and hard. "Bella, I'm not trying to backtrack or deny anything now, but any plan to hook up with Irina was an unspoken plan. As I said, we were the two single people on a group cruise with a few other couples, and yeah, we'd hooked up before, and God," he scrubs a hand down his face, "I regret it, and it feels even more awkward talking about Quil and Irina with you now than it did a couple of days ago. I hate that you came on this cruise with him," he hisses. "At this point, I don't even want to lay eyes on him, and I know how hypocritical that sounds when I came on this cruise with plans to hook up with Irina, and we're all still hanging around."
For a moment, I wonder why that is; why it should be more difficult to speak about others between us now. But…I get the feeling asking will complicate this conversation even more.
"Edward, it's different. I realize it's different. It was easy for me to break up with Quil and leave the others behind as well because I don't really share any interests or life-long friendships with any of them. And apparently, it was just as easy for Quil and the rest to let me go. Which is fine. We were all going through the motions. But this group is made up of your family and friends, and now that you realize how Irina truly feels…if you have feelings for her, I have no intention of coming between-"
His eyes shoot back to mine. "Bella, haven't you heard a word I've said?" he asks slowly and clearly.
My heart drums in my chest. Edward takes a step forward again.
"There are no feelings, not of those type, on my end. Yes, she was my friend, and yes, I feel shitty that apparently, she had more expectations than I ever realized. I mean, when I think about it, she's always been somewhat aloof with the girls I've dated, but…" He shakes his head. "Either way, my only concern back on that island," he takes another step and picks up my hand, weaving our fingers together, "my only concern right now…is you."
My heart jumps at the intensity in his gaze, in his words, but I have to remain grounded. I force myself to focus on the 'Right now.' After all, we're on Day Four of seven days and nights, and we both know it. And no matter what, as Irina herself said a couple of days ago, no matter what, once this cruise is over, Edward will go his way, and I'll go mine.
"I'm sorry I overheard your conversation with Emmett," he continues. "I honestly didn't mean to eavesdrop, but Bella, if you thought my reaction on that island was about her…" he takes another step and closes the distance between us so that I have to angle my head upward to hold his gaze, "it wasn't. It was about you."
When Edward brushes his lips to mine, I allow myself to respond as easily as I have from Day One. He exhales heavily, pulls me against his chest and cradles my face, stroking my head with the pads of his fingers while our mouths move together hungrily, deliciously, in perfect, fantastical sync, as if they were made for one another.
Because that's what fantasies are about, aren't they?
Perfection.
OOOOO
Edward and I remain together at the back of the ship, kissing and eventually returning to the comfortable place in our short-term relationship where we were before Irina's antics. When we arrive at the port where we'll de-board the yacht and board the cruise ship, we walk hand in hand to the front. While Edward leaves my side for a bit to help Tyler secure the yacht to the port, I'm ready to deal with any more bullshit Irina tries to throw my way.
But, when I catch sight of her, she's splayed out on one of the loungers, hair wild and tangled over her face, apparently fast asleep with her mouth hanging open. And she's the least threatening sight I could've imagined. Someone has thrown a beach blanket over her, and she pulls it over her face in her sleep, making an extremely unattractive sound through her nose.
Carmen sits next to her, and when she looks up and sees me, she shakes her head, her sardonic words echoing my thoughts.
"Boy, she looks super tempting now, doesn't she? Dumb wench. Now, I gotta practically carry her drunk ass back on board, and she's going to be so fucking sick tonight."
Despite my initial, petty thoughts, a probably stupid, smaller part of me can't help feeling sympathy and not just for Carmen – who's a lot cooler than I initially gave her credit for being. It must suck to be in love with someone who likely isn't in love with you, with someone who gave you a mere taste of his beauty once…I can almost feel an inkling of the heartache that must cause.
"Do you need help?" I offer.
Carmen smiles gratefully. "Thanks, Bella, but between Eli and I, we've got her."
I nod in reply. Once Edward and Tyler secure the yacht, we all line up to climb off and say our goodbyes to Tyler. As Eli and Carmen heft Irina off the lounger and between them, she begins moaning.
"I feel sick."
"I don't want to hear it," Carmen mutters. "I warned you this wouldn't end well. And you better not fucking throw up on me or I'll chuck you overboard myself."
"Do you need help?" Edward asks, making the same offer I just made, though I can hear the hesitation in his voice.
"Nah, Ed," Eli replies. "We'll get this one back to her room in one piece."
When I look at Edward and offer him a smile, he tugs my hand and kisses my temple.
The three of them walk off first, Emmett and Garrett following, with Charlotte and Pete behind. Edward and me are the last to climb off. Edward helps me off, then turns to shake Tyler's hand and clap one another's shoulders.
"Thanks, man," Edward says, "for doing this."
"No problem, Ed," Tyler grins. "Thank you for-" He cuts himself off. When my eyes shoot to Edward curiously, he's giving Tyler a strange look.
Tyler clears his throat. "Er, I'll uh…I'll text you when that other thing is ready to go."
"All right, Ty. Thanks again."
Tyler chuckles and offers Edward a mock salute. "Anytime, Ed. Anytime."
OOOOO
Once we're back on board, everyone disperses onto separate, crowded elevators while loudly promising to call one another to determine the evening plans. And feeling somewhat unsure of where to go from here, not so much ship-wise, I draw in a furtive breath and turn to Edward.
"I'm just going to take the stairs." I jerk a thumb toward the staircase behind us. "My room's only a few floors up."
Edward's jaw locks tight, his brow knitting together as he nods. "All right, Bella. If that's what you want."
I pull away, walking backward toward the staircase. "Come meet me in a bit?"
A wide grin spreads across his face. "Okay."
OOOOO
In my cabin, I take a bath in the minuscule shower and rinse the sun, sand, and surf off of my swimsuit and sarong, hanging them on the clothesline provided in the shower. Once I'm done, I turn on the TV while I dress. There's a channel with a videocam situated at the stern of the ship, so we can see what we're leaving behind, and I leave it on as I throw on a blue sundress and tie my damp hair up in a ponytail. I have no idea what the plans are for the night, if any. Either way, days of sun have given my skin a golden glow, so after moisturizer, I forego makeup. When I'm ready, I inspect and approve of my image in the mirror, then throw myself over the small, twin-sized bed in the room and reach for my cellphone on the nightstand.
The sea-glass Edward and I picked catch my eye. I pick them up and turn them over and over. Green and brown. With a sigh, I set them down and return to my cell phone, making sure I didn't miss any calls in my distraction of the day…of the week. All the while, Edward's bewildering words circle my mind.
'Those baby browns are imprinted in my mind…'
'My only concern…right now…is you.'
With a sigh, I set the phone down and stare up at the ceiling in the small, dark room. I think of my mom, wishing I could talk with her right now, tell her about Edward, explain the strange situation and get her thoughts and views. I wouldn't even have to censor the events with her, wouldn't have to deny it started as pure lust or pretend the sex with Edward wasn't amazing. Then, maybe, she could tell me what was going on here. She could tell me if this was just a week-long hook-up.
I sigh again.
But, if I called them or if they called me, invariably, our conversation would turn to Mom's health, and they knew it. That's why they made me promise not to call and why they refused to call me unless something serious came up.
Outside the cabin, I hear other passengers arriving at their rooms, opening and closing doors, children running and yelling down the narrow passageway. I wonder if Irina is vomiting at this very moment. The captain comes on the loudspeaker, and I hear his muffled voice through the door announcing that we'll be setting sail in about a half-hour. Jessica, the bubbly Brit Entertainment Director comes on the speaker next and announces the entertainment for the evening – dinner and trivia and parties. She reminds everyone that the next day, Day Five of the Cruise, is a day at sea. I rake my fingers through my long ponytail. Physically and mentally exhausted, my eyes begin to close.
When three clear, sharp raps come on the door, my breath quietly hitches.
"Who is it?"
"It's me, Bella."
Heart racing, I sit up and take the few, short steps to the door, opening it slowly.
Edward stands there, freshly bathed, in blue Bermuda shorts and white polo and damp hair pushed back. He offers me a crooked grin that makes my heart jump.
"Did enough time transpire to qualify as a bit?"
Chuckling, I fist his shirt and pull him in, allowing the door behind him to slam closed before I push him against it.
"I think so."
"Good. Because I didn't want to-"
I have no idea what he didn't want to do because I push myself up on my toes and cage his face between my hands, crushing my mouth to his. He groans against my lips, wrapping his hands around my hips. When he picks me up, I wrap my legs around him, and he carries me to the small bed, sitting at the edge. For a while, we just kiss, tongues dancing slowly with one another, nipping, sucking, coming up for air then returning. After a wonderfully long moment, his lips skim to my cheeks, to my eyes, and then he kisses my forehead. When his eyes meet mine, the meager light in the room illuminates an expression so tender my heart contracts almost painfully. His gaze flashes to the cell phone on my nightstand.
"No calls?"
"No calls," I smile.
"Good," he says quietly. "You look beautifully sleepy. Want to take a nap?"
"Actually, yeah; I would."
He lays back, hitching upward on the mattress and bringing me with him. I sidle against him, keeping my head on his chest and listening to his quickly beating heart. He smells of soap and sun and surf and cologne all mixed together, and I know, that no matter what, I'll never be able to visit the Caribbean again and not think of Edward.
"This bed is…small." He turns me over and spoons me, my back against his chest, his hands secure around my waist, pulling me in closer.
"Well, we can't all have California Kings."
"It's not a complaint. Gives me an excuse to hold you close. Wouldn't want you to fall." He pushes his groin against my bottom.
"Such a gentleman," I say, purposely arching into him. He grunts, and he's hard, but…he makes no attempt to take it further.
"Hey, without any windows, how can you tell if it's day or night in this room?"
I'm a bit thrown. "Well…" I angle my head sideways and meet his teasing gaze, "being I've hardly been allowed to spend any time at all in this room, I have no idea."
He smiles, but then the smile falters as he swallows.
"For a second there, I was worried you were trying to get rid of me."
Laughing, I turn and face forward again. "What would you have done if I was trying to get rid of you?"
"I would've chased you down all over the cruise ship. You can't get away from me here." I hear the humor in his voice.
"Damn. Emmett was right; you are a creeper."
He bites my neck, and I yelp, giggling.
"So…tonight…should we spend the night in this room or in mine?"
His chest rises and falls against my spine as he waits for my reply.
"I don't mind cuddling here," I smile, "but yeah, let's sleep in yours."
And as my eyes close, I see the sea-glass on my nightstand. Green and brown.
OOOOO
We must've dozed and shifted in our sleep because when I open my eyes, I've got my arms wound around Edward's waist, and he's spooned into me, our hands weaved together and resting over his flat abs. I chuckle quietly to myself, then for a few moments, I simply lay there and watch him. He's still asleep, his back rising and falling slowly against my chest. He's snoring, but they're quiet snores, almost rhythmic, and as I close my eyes and listen, I could picture myself easily sleeping through those snores for…for a long while.
Carefully pulling my arms and hands out, I sit up in bed. He's as mesmerizing in his sleep as he is awake because he looks so young and…vulnerable. A few strands of hair have fallen over his forehead, and his mouth is slightly agape. So sweet. So…innocent.
I lie back down behind him, and without any conscious thought, my mouth brushes his nape.
Edward moans softly. "Bella…"
Hearing him say my name in his sleep simultaneously makes my heart clench and emboldens me. I wrap my arms around his broad back, kissing his nape, and when he turns on his stomach, I straddle his back and dip my mouth to his nape…to his neck.
"Bella…"
With my legs on either side of his back, I kiss him and kiss him…
Abruptly, Edward lifts his upper frame with me on it off the mattress just enough to reach behind his neck. He pulls off his polo shirt, and now, I'm straddling his bare back. I trail open-mouthed kisses all over it, tracing his tattoo with my wet lips, listening to his groans and enjoying the way his body undulates against the mattress, moving me along with it.
"Oh, Bella…" he breathes. "Oh, baby…"
I kiss him from shoulder to shoulder, following the smattering of freckles I'm beginning to adore. My tongue dances against his nape, while my hands fist his hair, and he thrusts against the mattress.
"Hold on," he says hoarsely. "Be careful."
He flips over slowly, while I lift my hips to give him room. Lying on his back now, I straddle his chest. And when Edward meets my eyes, his are dark and full of a lust that completely annihilates anything vulnerable there may have been in him in his sleep.
He grins wickedly as he takes my hands and helps me balance myself.
"Come here."
"Where?" I whisper, my heart racing.
"Higher."
My mouth falls open, and I release a series of successive sighs as ever so slowly, I make my way higher and higher, Edward's hands carefully pulling me. My dress rides past my thighs, and as I reach his neck, Edward's hands move to my backside.
"Edward…" I breathe.
He grins as I pass his neck and stop. His beautiful face is right there, and he holds my gaze for a moment before his eyes trail between my legs. For a while, he just…looks and breathes warms breaths against me, while my chest heaves. When one of his hands releases my bottom, it comes up to where his face is, and a finger languidly pushes aside my panty. With the first lick to just the right spot, the world disappears. And when he buries his face between my legs, my head falls back, and I cry out.
The rest is pure instinct and sensation.
OOOOO
"Edward, Trivia is in ten minutes!" I call out while Edward washes up quickly in the bathroom. "Do you think we'll make it?"
He peeks out from the bathroom and shoots me a grin in between drying off his face.
"Only one way to find out!"
We take more of Edward's shortcuts to the piano bar on the fifth floor, where the evening Trivia is being held. When we arrive, Jessica, the Cruise Director stands at the front by the piano, handing out answer sheets and pencils.
Her eyes grow wide when she spots Edward. "Edward! Cheers, love! You made it! Lovely to have you here!"
When she sees he's holding my hand, her wide grin only falters a bit. "And you too…love!"
I merely chuckle.
"Why don't you two lovely people go see if you can find yourselves a pair of seats and some partners, yeah? We've got a full house tonight!"
She's right. As Edward and I look around, the bar is packed with young and old passengers anxious for a game of trivia. There are absolutely no empty tables, and as Edward and I look at one another and try to figure out a game plan, a familiar voice rings out.
"Jasper, look! It's Bella and Edward!"
At the sound of that voice, I look around and spot a wrinkled and liver-spotted arm waving about wildly. When I wave back, Alice gestures us over.
"Bella! Edward! Over here! Come here and sit with us!"
I look at Edward.
"After you," he smiles. Leaving me to lead the way, he follows close behind with my hand still in his, and his free hand on my hip. He calls out "excuse me's" for both of us while we zig-zag through the packed tables.
"Bella!" Alice exclaims when we reach her. She's at a small, glass table surrounded by four chairs, one occupied by her, another by Jasper, and two empty. I lean in to greet her with a kiss, and Alice wraps her warm, soft arms around me. She smells wonderful, as she usually does, but it's a scent different from the one I've become accustomed to smelling on her. When I pull back, I spy Edward shaking Jasper's hand.
"How are you, sir?"
"My arthritis is acting up, thanks to all the walking my wife made me do today," Jasper grumbles in that amusing way of his I've come to find endearing. He raises a bushy, gray brow. "Now, I'm getting ready to play trivia, and I don't want no interruptions. So if you're both aiming on playing, you better sit down quick."
"Yes, sir. We'll sit down right away." I hear the laughter bubbling in Edward's reply. "Oh, and don't worry, sir. Bella and I take Trivia seriously."
"Good," Jasper snaps as we take our seats. "Hmph."
"So, how are you, guys?" I ask. "Did you have a nice day on the island?"
"Oh, we had a great day on the island," Alice says.
"I wanted to stay on the ship," Jasper mutters. "Missed early afternoon Trivia and Bingo. Now, shush, and pay attention. They'll be reading the first clue soon!"
"Oh, Jasper." Alice giggles and slaps his saggy arm, ignoring his request. "I made perfume at the perfumerie on the French side of the island."
"I smelled it on you, Alice," I say. "You smell amazing."
"Why thank you, sweetheart!" she exclaims. Then, she turns to Edward with a coquettish smile. "Edward, would you like to smell me? If you like my perfume, I'll let Bella borrow it sometime."
I press my lips together to conceal my amusement, both at the offer and at the sultry, enticing yet raspy voice Alice uses to try to tempt Edward. When I look at him, he's obviously startled, but he offers Alice a soft smile.
"Sure, Alice. I'd love to."
Alice slowly leans across the small table, fluttering her eyelashes and jutting her shoulder in a manner obviously meant to be flirtatious. When Edward squeezes my hand in a subtle cry for help, all I can do is squeeze it in return and try not to burst out laughing. He meets her halfway, and she turns her neck up to him as he gives her one quick sniff.
Alice jumps in her seat. "Ooh! My! That right there was the most excitement...oof!" She fans herself. "I haven't had a handsome young man come sniffing my way like that in about four decades!"
Here, neither Edward nor I can contain our chuckles. The truth is, if Alice were four decades younger, I'd probably girl-share with her later on and tell her that Edward did some serious sniffing and licking in the best of places just a short while earlier. As it is, that piece of info might give my sweet Alice the vapors.
"I agree with Bella; you smell very nice, Alice."
Edward gives her one of his charming smiles, half of his mouth pulling up crookedly as he pulls away.
"There, Alice," Jasper snaps. "Happy? You got the poor, young man to sniff your neck and tell you that you smell good. That right there should give you enough dream fodder for the rest of your days. Now, can we please focus? Here comes the first trivia clue!"
When Alice keeps right on talking, poor Jasper throws back his head and groans.
"So, how did last evening go for you two? I was thinking about you both all night, just like I said I would be. You in that pretty dress, Bella, and Edward in a nice suit. He did wear a nice suit, didn't he?"
"Yes, he did, Alice. And when he told me he loved my dress, I told him about the sweet couple that gifted it to me."
"Aww, you didn't have to do that." Alice waves away my comment, blushing adorably while hastily diverting the subject away from her generosity. "It was an entirely self-serving gift; believe me. My imagination got some good exercise from that gift, I'll tell you."
Indulgently, I grin at her, while Edward simply offers her a confused smile.
"Damn it, Alice. You missed the first clue!"
"The answer is Rob Roy," Alice deadpans and moves on to scrutinize Edward and me through surprisingly keen eyes for someone her age. Meanwhile, Jasper mumbles to himself and transcribes the answer for our team. "Now, let me see: matching grins, chuckles galore, glowing skin, somewhat bloodshot eyes, and you haven't let go of one another's hands since you both sat down. Goddamn." She smacks her leg so hard for a second I fear she's broken a bone. "From the look of things, I'd say my imagination didn't even do your night justice."
I press my lips together and squeeze my eyes shut before looking over at Edward. When I reopen them, his cheeks are flaming.
"Alice, leave them kids alone!"
"I'm just saying, Jasper."
"Well, stop saying is what I'm saying. You missed the second clue!"
"The answer is the County of Essex, England. Believe it or not, you two remind me of when Jasper and I were young." Abruptly, Alice's gaze sweeps beyond the three of us, eyes glazing over. "Remember, Jasper? Remember what we were like when we first met?"
"We met over sixty years ago, Alice. How am I supposed to remember what happened sixty years ago? What's the answer to the third clue?" he demands.
"Stonehenge. We met in 1955. Now, if I recall correctly," she taps her chin with her forefinger, "that year, the Supreme Court had just ruled that all schools had to be integrated. At the same time, that same government started training troops in South Vietnam. Also that year, Disneyland opened in California for the entertainment of fortunate, vacationing families, while, on the other side of the country, a brave woman finished her workday tired and refused to give up her seat on a public bus. It was a year of many contradictions in our world. But isn't that still the case?"
"It sure is," I nod.
"Alice, you missed the fourth clue!"
"Jasper, I can help with that one," Edward volunteers. "It's Scotland."
"Hmph," Jasper grumbles as he writes.
Again, Alice's eyes pan away. "Anyway, I was a strikingly gorgeous, rich, sheltered, young heiress from New York City, and my Jasper here was what we called a beatnik back in those days. I met him at an underground jazz and poetry club my friends and I snuck into one summer evening, right before we were set to start women's college in the fall. You should've seen him." She shakes her head and smiles. "I mean, I know he's not much to look at now-"
"Hmph. Fifth clue, Alice!"
"I've got that one, Jasper," I say quickly, wanting to hear the rest of this story. "It's Queen Elizabeth."
"-but in his day, he was what you young kids would call a hottie."
I can't help chuckling when Jasper purses his thin lips, and his wrinkled cheeks take on a pinkish hue.
"Aww, Jasper. You're still a hottie."
"Who's got the damn sixth clue?"
"King Henry the Eighth," the rest of us say in unison.
"He was visiting New York from San Francisco, and that night," Alice continues, "he went up on stage, and when all the marijuana smoke cleared, my breath hitched. Here was this young man, who was the complete opposite of everything I'd been raised to appreciate in men. He had the most gorgeous, long flaxen hair, which he wore past his shoulders, and he grew a goatee; both things that in those days were highly frowned upon. He read a poem about racial and sexual inequality, both taboo topics of the day. And he read with such feeling, with a sense of indignant fury, so beautifully angry at the conformity of society. But all the while, his hair contrasted so strikingly with the black turtleneck, black cigarette pants, and black beret he wore that the message he conveyed was almost...almost lost in my distraction."
Halfway through Alice's speech, my eyes sweep to Jasper. With every word Alice speaks, the lens I see him through shifts and clarifies; he's more than an old, grumpy octogenarian. Rather, I see him as the vibrant, young, and yes, good-looking man hell-bent on equality he obviously once was.
"Over the next few weeks, we carried on the most distracting yet enlightening, edifying yet sexually-liberating relationship of my life."
"Oh, wow," I say, unsure as to what else to say.
"I taught this woman a damn lot about the art of sex; yes, I did," Jasper confirms with a sharp nod. "What's the answer to number seven?!"
"He sure did. The Tower of London," Alice replies without missing a beat.
Jasper goes on in his typical belligerent manner, but now, it's in total contrast to his words. "My Alice was gorgeous, yeah, but more than that, she was damn smart and brave. I was the one with the supposed worldly experience, yet she was the one who put me under a spell, the darn woman."
When Alice giggles like a young girl, I clearly see the twenty-year-old imp that must've hypnotized Jasper in their youth.
"Well, when you know, you know," she shrugs.
My eyes grow wide at hearing that oft-repeated favorite phrase of my dad's. For a quick moment, it feels as if Edward's hand stiffens around mine. His fingers open wide and stretch to the point of shaking before they curl carefully and slowly around my fingers again.
"Anyway, over the next few weeks, Jasper and I attended civil liberty meetings, women's rights sit-ins, wrote tons of poetry, and smoked a hell of a lot of marijuana. And in between it all, we had the best sex of our lives. In fact, we had so much sex that now that I think about it" - she taps her chin with her forefinger - "I'm not sure how we found time for the rest. Jasper, how did we find the time?"
"We did everything else in between the sex, Alice; not the other way around!"
"Are you sure?"
"Well, of course, I'm sure!"
"I'm not so sure."
"Well, I am! Eighth clue!"
"The River Thames," Edward says. And while Alice and Jasper argue back and forth about whether they had more sex or attended more marches that summer of 1955, he leans in close to me and whispers.
"Can you believe this, Bella?"
"I know. Aren't they adorable?"
He pulls back and looks at me. "Well, yeah, but what I mean is..."
Edward holds my gaze, and when he doesn't continue, my brow furrows. Instead, he turns back to Alice and Jasper with a knowing grin.
"So, Alice, Jasper, I suppose the way this story ends is that you were inseparable from that summer on, right?"
"No, Edward, honey." Alice shakes her head. "As I said, Jasper was a distraction that summer. I had other things going on in my life, and so did he. When the summer ended, he went his way, and I went mine."
Edward frowns deeply. "But...you're here now, together."
"Yes; however, it took us some time because we- but that's a whole other story." Alice's aging eyes brighten yet again. "Would you like to hear that story as-"
"For the love of God, no more stories and focus, woman! If I don't win that trophy tonight, there's goes my good mood!"
A/N: Thoughts?
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