A/N: Happy Holidays! So sorry this update has taken so long! I always get busy with work this time of year, and I had an idea for a mystical, smutty Bella/Edward one shot that I had to write because it was stuck in my mind. If you're interested, go check it out; it's called "Ivy," and I am so happy with how it turned out!

I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this chapter! :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

POV?

You're in the kitchen grabbing a drink.

I can't take my eyes off you tonight, Bella.

I've only ever seen you wear a T-shirt and jeans or your work attire.

Tonight, you're clad in a short, blue dress that should be illegal for you to wear around anyone except me.

The way that blue color looks against your pale, smooth skin… Mmmm.

You told me that Pixie came over and played dress up with you before I picked you up.

Your shiny, wavy hair is flowing down your back and covering those perky breasts that are slightly peeking out through the top of your dress…

And don't even get me fucking started on how your ass looks with those heels you can barely walk in.

You kept reaching out to me to steady yourself earlier as you tripped over nothing but air; it was the cutest thing.

Why do clumsy people get married, Bella?

Because they fall in love.

Can we fall in love already?

I glance at you again.

Jesus, you have legs for days.

What time do they open, love?

I'll be first in line for the grand opening.

Well, actually, I better be the only one in line.

I will have to thank Pixie one day for putting you in this outfit, Bella.

I fantasize about grabbing you by the waist, leading you into an unoccupied bedroom, and ripping that blue fabric away from your impeccably sexy body.

You would be left only in those heels and your undergarments.

But those would soon be on the floor, too.

I would kiss every inch of your body.

I would submerge my face in your perfect breasts.

I would squeeze and spank your tight ass.

I would bury my head in between your legs.

You would moan and scream my name as I make you come harder than you ever have in your life…

Get it together you fucking idiot! I internally scold myself before looking away from you and sipping my beer with as much nonchalance as I can muster.

I remind myself of my three goals for tonight:

1. Don't come on too fucking strong; you told Pixie I was "intense."

2. Try to relinquish control like Shinky advised. I don't have much confidence in myself to achieve this particular goal, but I am going to try, love. Anything for you.

3. Turn on the charm to ensure your friends like me… Including Manbun since it seems like he's one of your BFFs.

Bleh, I just threw up a little in my mouth.

I wish BFF stood for "behemoth fucking fool."

But, much to my consternation, it doesn't in your eyes.

I glance back toward the kitchen, still unable to let you out of my sight.

There are too many guys here.

Too many creeps that might get the wrong idea about that dress…

One of Manbun's friends pours shots for everyone in the kitchen, and he hands you one. You all cling the little glasses together before throwing the liquid back.

Then you do it a second time.

And a third.

Geez, slow down, love. I don't want you to get sick.

Manbun leans against the counter and mixes some repulsive Vodka concoction in a red Solo cup for you; the two of you are smiling and laughing at something that must be an inside joke. I'm too far away to hear what it's about.

Does your asshole ever get jealous over the amount of shit that comes out of your damn mouth, Manbun!?

I glare at him as I imagine grabbing the back of his neck and pounding his head against the granite countertop until his blood covers the entire surface, he goes unconscious, and…

Stop.

He's important to you.

I sigh. I have to get a grip.

Which two letters of the alphabet are always jealous, love?

NV.

I have to figure out how to control this envy…

But what if that means I lose you?

Damn, this is a muddled, perplexing web of chaos in my mind.

I force myself to take a deep breath and glance away. I can't be too intense.

But that fucking prick needs to lay off you.

I don't know how much self-control I have left…

"Hi!" I hear someone say enthusiastically to my left.

I turn and see your friend, Pixie. I smile at her. Gotta turn on the charm.

I probably need her on my side more than Manbun, anyway.

"Hello," I say in a friendly tone.

She holds her hand out to me. I reach out and shake her hand as she says, "I'm Alice! You must be, xxxxxx? Bella told me about you saving her." She smiles.

Pixie seems down-to-earth. I like her so far, love.

Finally, someone in your life that seems normal.

"Yes, that's me, the knight in shining armor," I joke. "You must be Bella's best friend?"

"Yep, that's me!" Pixie sings before leaning in and talking in a softer voice. "I told Bella she needs to give you a chance; I have a good feeling about the two of you. And I am never wrong."

Who is this tiny, self-assured Pixie-girl? Someone who is going to be my best friend, too?

It sure fucking seems like it.

I genuinely laugh. "Thanks for the reassurance. Got any helpful pointers for me?"

Maybe she is going to provide me with the magic pixie dust I need to fly over and steal your attention back from Manbun who is still making you laugh over there in the kitchen.

To fly, all you need is faith, trust, and a little bit of pixie dust, right?

Ha ha, WRONG.

Life is a little bitch and so is twinkle-toed Peter Pan.

Life is not a mystical walk in the motherfucking park.

This isn't a goddamn fairytale with magical unicorns. Shrinky must be wrong this time.

Shrinky also told me once that I might struggle with narcissistic personality disorder…

But he was just jealous of me.

I have to work for what I want, not trust that blind fate is going to put the puzzle pieces of my life together for me.

"Hmmm, let's see," Pixie says thoughtfully as she scrunches up her small face. "Bella's super simple – she doesn't like grand gestures. Keep things light and breezy."

Fucking fabulous.

That wasn't helpful.

Pixie basically just described Manbun's exact personality, not mine.

I glance back toward the kitchen, and Manbun is still giving you motherfucking come-hither eyes that you seem completely oblivious to. Isn't he done with your damn drink yet!?

"I'll have to work on that," I mutter to Pixie in a joking tone before taking another swig of my beer.

Then, the best thing I could ever imagine happened.

Manbun hands you your drink just as another girl walks into the kitchen and dances her way into Manbun's arms. Manbun smiles down at her before planting a kiss on her lips.

HE IS KISSING SOMEONE ELSE THAT ISN'T YOU!

I'm so elated I could fucking dance, sing, or maybe believe in that magic pixie dust shit!

Maybe Manbun isn't into you, after all! The two of you really are just friends? Did you have a fling with him previously?

Either way, I'm sure that's his girlfriend because he only has eyes for the girl that is wrapped up in his arms now; he is no longer focused on you.

Thank. Fucking. God.

"You were worried about him, weren't you?" Pixie asks as her gaze follows mine.

Shit.

She's probably going to tell you that I'm an envious creep.

But, of course, she might be right, love…

You. Are. Mine.

And I will do anything to ensure that you end up with me.

I decide to try and play it off. "Was it that obvious?" I laugh. "It seems as though everyone is trying to woo Bella."

"It's probably only noticeable to me. Don't worry, Bella and Jacob are just friends; he's dating her cousin," she says lightheartedly then turns her attention back to the kitchen and smiles because you're walking over to us.

I plaster a grin on my face, too, because Manbun, of all people, made my fucking night!

You stumble a little before reaching out to grab a chair to steady yourself; I'm worried about you walking in those shoes even more now that you've had three shots and a few sips of whatever's in that cup.

I bite my lip to stop myself from laughing because you are the cutest thing I have ever seen, love.

You stop right next to Pixie and me and take a sip of your drink before wrinkling your nose.

Good, Manbun sucks at making mixed drinks, too. Fucking jackass.

But he's a jackass I kind of like a little more now, actually.

One down, one to go.

I just have to get the scoop on Babyface and take him out of the picture so I have no other competition for your heart, love.

"Hi, Bella!" Pixie says in her high-pitched voice before kissing your cheek. She reaches forward and smooths out your dress in one area. "This dress is just perfect. Don't you think so, too, xxxxxx?"

I smile at you. "Yes. You look absolutely stunning, Bella."

I see that beautiful blush appear on your pale cheeks.

I want, so terribly, to make you blush from other things… Especially when you're wearing a dress like that.

"I see the two of you met, then?" You ask.

"Yes," Pixie smirks at you then reaches for her phone in her purse and glances down at a text message. "Jaz just got here. I'm gonna go find him! I'll catch up with you guys later." Pixie turns and starts weaving her way through the crowd of people in the living room to get to the front door.

You take another sip of your drink then shake your head and make a disgusted face.

"That bad, huh?" I ask with a chuckle and a crooked smile.

You nod. "Yeah, I should know better than to trust any type of drink Jake makes for me."

You should know better than to trust him with anything.

"I can fix that," I say before reaching for your hand and guiding you back toward the kitchen that's now empty.

I take the cup from your hand and dump the contents down the drain. I rinse out your cup then proceed to construct a much simpler, tastier drink that hopefully won't leave you blacked out on the bathroom floor later.

"Thank you," you say when I hand it to you. You take a cautious sip, but your eyes light up. "Oh, much better. I don't think I'm gonna drink much more… I had some wine with Alice when she was doing my hair earlier, those three shots, and now this."

I smile at you. "Don't worry, I'll stop drinking once I finish this beer that way I can get you home safely later."

You squint your eyes slightly at me. "Why're you so… Solicitous about my well-being?"

"The fact that you were able to use such a word correctly while you are intoxicated is incredible," I laugh once then reach toward you and lightly touch your cheek as I search your beautiful brown eyes for a second.

Goddamn, you are intoxicatingly gorgeous. "You're different."

"Different how?" You ask breathlessly as you lean into my hand.

You like when I touch you, Bella. Don't you?

"I really like you, so I want to make sure you're taken care of." I say.

Fuck, was that me being intense?

"Oh," your cheeks become flushed again. "I think that I –"

"Bella!" Someone rudely interrupts you as they rush into the kitchen from the garage door behind us.

You step away from me, and I drop my hand from your cheek.

I don't think I've ever seen this guy before; he must have just gotten to the party.

As you turn to look at him, your eyes get wide and your mouth slightly falls open.

Shit. Who is this prick?

He's starting to look kind of familiar… Where have I seen him before?

He walks over to you and immediately wraps his arms around your waist, leans his head down, and presses his lips to yours straightaway. Your hands go up to his chest, like you're trying to push him away, but he's holding you too tightly.

All I see is red as fury and rage radiate from every single nerve ending in my entire body. I have never been this furious in my life.

I feel all my muscles tighten as my hands ball into fists. I prepare to spring.

I was about to kiss you!

You were about to tell me you like me, too!

THEN THIS MOTHERFUCKER SHOWED UP!

The next thing I know, I am reaching forward and gripping the back of this asshole's neck and shoulder. I forcefully yank him off of you.

I gently pull you out of the way and shift so you're behind me. I hear you stumble back into the counter because of those damn heels you're wearing.

I glance behind me to ensure that you're safe; that's all that really matters.

You are, so I turn back around and start pounding this jerk-off's prepubescent face.