A/N: Haha! Lots of mixed reviews on the last chapter! We love it!
To clear a couple things up: The boys are 23, Bella is 24. They're adults, but they still have some streaks of immaturity. As confident as Bella is, the boys are shaking her foundation so she doesn't know what to do with herself. Let's watch her figure it out, yeah? ;)
This is a long chapter, but something tells me we won't have any complaints.
Fran reluctantly (but diligently) betas, LiLJiLL4286, fanficsR4nerds, and Pearly Fox preread. They're all gems, check them out.
Honeybee 5:
Bella was used to being prepared for all situations handed to her, 100%. She would never have guessed that two Marines would saunter into her life and make her doubt she would ever be prepared for anything again.
She did feel fortunate that neither of them had pestered her throughout the week. They had her number but never once opted to use it. It seemed out of character for them, to be honest. These two screamed of cocky arrogance. Emmett and Edward knew they were hot and were accustomed to getting any woman they wanted.
Her plan with Damon hadn't worked. Typically, when you bring another guy in to piss on your leg, dudes back off. They won't accept 'I'm not interested,' but 'I have a boyfriend' works like a charm.
Fucking patriarchy.
But the boys, Edward in particular, saw right through her little charade. Even kissing Damon hadn't halted his approach.
Don't get me wrong, kissing Damon is fine, but it's like kissing my brother.
There had never been any spark between the two of them. Life would have been so much easier for her if there had been, but they made great friends.
The thing was, Bella knew she wouldn't be able to continue resisting this pull toward the two soldiers if it weren't for their relationship with each other. Sure, her confidence was shaken at first by the two Marines breezing in and knocking her on her ass, rendering her unable to function.
But they were best friends. And as hot as having two men fight over you could be, she wasn't about to be the one to come between their life-long friendship.
With a firm nod of her head, Bella decided it was time she talked to her girls. The two women had stood by her side for years and never once judged her for her opinions or actions.
The weather outside was hot and sticky, late summer fighting its last battle before it gave way to the fall … which in Orlando was still hot as hell, just slightly less sweltering.
Bella threw on a pair of cut-off denim shorts and a white tank top, wearing her favorite neon yellow string bikini top underneath because she avoided bras in the summer at all costs. Then she threw her hair in a messy ponytail and headed out the door.
"You heard from Bella, man?" Emmett shouted from the living room.
"Nah, you?" Edward replied.
"Sure haven't, bro. Doesn't mean I haven't thought about her every Goddamned second, though."
Edward groaned, grabbed the chips and beers, then made his way to the couch for a few rounds of Call of Duty with his best friend.
"Kinda hard not to, Em. She has to be the hottest chick we've ever seen."
"I fucking know." Emmett ripped open the first bag of chips unceremoniously, splitting it down the side, so chips fell everywhere.
"Fucking christ, Hulk," Edward growled, picking up the fallen pieces and popping them in his mouth. "Is this weird, dude?"
Emmett shoved a whole handful of chips in his mouth, responding with his mouth full. "What?"
"Us going after the same girl. That's against bro code or some shit, right?"
"Doesn't bother me. What? Scared you're gonna lose?"
Edward scoffed, shaking his head. "Hell, the fuck no. We're two completely different people, and she's free to choose whoever she wants. I just don't want any jealous bullshit from you if it's me she chooses."
Grabbing the controller, Emmett shrugged his shoulders, looking over at his friend. He couldn't blame Bella for choosing Edward. He had always been aware of how good-looking his best friend was. Hell, lately, he found himself spending entirely too much fucking time getting his gaze stuck on Edward's physique.
Most of the time, their house was filled with the same carefree, laid-back energy as it always had been. But then, Edward would come waltzing out of the shower with nothing but a towel around his hips, and suddenly, Emmett's every nerve-ending was standing at attention.
Emmett shook his head, clearing it of the mildly unsettling haze that seemed to be falling over him more and more often.
"Stop being such an emo fuck, Ed. We're doing what we've always done. We just got back from deployment, and we need to release some tension in the form of some fine-ass pussy. That's all it is. Not like either of us is looking to marry the chick."
"I guess you're right, man. Just thank fuck that the tux fittings and dress fittings are in the same building. Gives us a chance to get a glimpse of her in her underwear without being creeps." Edward laughed, twisting the top off and taking a long swig.
Emmett watched his Adam's apple bobbing out of the corner of his eye, the back of his neck prickling with … something. "Shut the fuck up, and let's kill some shit. Chick has had me hard as a fucking rock since I saw her; I don't need that shit right now."
Edward's eyes darted to the space between Emmett's legs of their own volition, widening a bit when he noticed Em was not kidding about his state of arousal. Being in the military and being friends as long as they had, they had seen each other in their birthday suits on many occasions. Edward was fully aware of what Em was packing in those gym shorts; he just didn't expect his mouth to be watering at the thought of it.
What. The fuck. Is happening?
"Yeah, man, you're right," Edward breathed, filling his lungs with fresh, cool air in an attempt to push away the new feelings that seemed to be growing lately. Without another word on the matter, he picked up the Xbox controller and started the game.
The only thing that could be heard in the boys' home for the next few hours were curses, name-calling, and insults that were nowhere near fit for a lady's ears.
A few texts to the girls and a drive across town with all the windows down later, Bella pulled into Alice's driveway, thankful this visit would be lacking in testosterone. A glance at the cars in the driveway told her Jasper was home, but he was a lot like the girls in many ways. Much more sensitive and emotionally intelligent than your average guy.
The moment she stepped in the door of Alice's home, she was wrapped in a warm hug courtesy of her long-lost friend, who had been too busy traveling the world to see her in the past year.
Bella laughed, swaying as she hugged Rose. Alice and Bella met Rosalie in their junior year of college when they needed another roommate, and Rose fit in just perfectly. She was wild and glamorous, her looks could kill, and she was always down for anything.
Sometimes literally.
Much of the experimenting you're supposed to do in college, Bella and Rose had done together, but it had never been anything more than that. Not for lack of trying. During their senior year, Rose had decided to give up on all men and begged Bella to go on a date with her. She had agreed, but they ended the night a drunk, giggling mess, cracking up about how they would only ever be good to get each other off and be friends.
Bella held Rose at arm's length, taking her in. She still had the same killer body. Big, natural breasts, tiny waist, an ass to die for, and long legs that were more than just for show. Bella's legs only looked long; she was still short. But Rose had the height of a supermodel.
She hadn't aged a day since Bella had last seen her; the only difference was…
"Holy shit, your hair!" Bella exclaimed.
"I know, I know. Blondes don't have more fun, Bells." Rose said, rolling her eyes.
She had always sported a sexy, blonde, asymmetrical bob that was the definition of chic. But now, she stood in front of Bella with long, curly brown hair with a caramel balayage that framed her face.
"Don't I know it!" Bella exclaimed, reaching up to play with the lighter ends. "I love it. It suits you."
"Thanks. You're looking hot, as always. Love the black," Rose replied, her hands on Bella's hips.
"Jesus Christ, you two. I know it's been a minute, but if you need to fuck, just go upstairs and get it over with already. We have shit to do today," Alice groused, making her way to the table in the dining room.
Bella and Rose giggled, their arms coming around each other. "Now, Alice, you know we need at least two drinks in us before we go there."
"I figured you'd have your hands full with the Marines you couldn't shut up about, but whatever," Alice bragged.
"Marines? Oh, do tell," Rose drawled.
Bella rolled her eyes. "As a matter of fact, Rose, I need your help with these two. Both of you. I don't know what to do."
Alice motioned for the girls to sit at the table where she, always the gracious hostess, had laid out little finger foods and already had the wine poured. Bella fell into the nearest chair, heaving a heavy sigh as she crossed her legs.
"I really wish you had made it to the party, Rose. I would love to have seen how you handled these men. Or even how they handled you," Bella said with a laugh.
"Honey, no man handles me unless I want to be handled," Rose said, cocking one arched brow.
"That's just the thing, though! They're so pretty they render you stupid, I swear. You guys know me; I'm not easily shaken … but Edward and Emmett? I've never seen two hotter men in my life. It's like when they're around, my whole body turns into one giant homing beacon. I don't even think it's just their looks, though. There's this … energy between us when they're around; I don't know how to explain it."
Rose regarded her friend carefully; her eyebrow cocked. Bella had always been so calm and put together, but right now, she was anything but. She was extremely excited to see these men that had her girl all twisted in knots because she had never seen anyone affect Bella this way.
"I think you need to start from the beginning, Bells," Rose stated.
So, Bella did. She went through everything from the first time she saw them, their collective flirting and the palpable sexual tension between them. Then went on about her attempt to throw them off with Damon and Alice's comments about how they were 'fun for the night but not for life.'
"So, they're immature dicks?" Rose queried.
"Not exactly," Alice intercepted, "They're good guys. Super loyal, almost to a fault, but they're just not serious about anything but the military. That's been their lives for three years now, and they've never even shown interest in anything else."
"Okay, so … We're not having a super hot MMF threesome at this very moment ... why exactly?" Rose asked salaciously.
"Because they're best friends! I'm not coming between them. I'm not going to be in the middle of a game of tug-o-war, and I'm not going to be the reason their relationship ends," Bella exclaimed.
Just then, Jasper rounded the corner, catching the last bit of the conversation.
"Listen, Bells, I've known Em and Ed for nearly a decade. The entire time, they were attached at the hip. I'm not kidding; they do everything together. First dates, dances, first job...they signed up for the military together, and they've been in the same squad, followed the same career path, and gone on the same deployments." Jasper leaned on the table beside her, leaning down as if he was sharing the best-kept secret. "If you ask me, it was only a matter of time before they found interest in the same woman. The question is, will it break them or make them stronger?" He delivered with wisdom.
Bella pouted. "That's just the thing, Jas. I don't want to break them. I'm not about to get in the way of their relationship with each other."
Jasper shook his head, remembering the tension he saw between all three of them last weekend and the strange tension that had sort of always been there with Edward and Emmett. "Oh, honey...You're gonna break them, all right. I just think they're gonna love every Goddamn second of it."
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" She demanded.
Jasper just gave her a knowing wink and walked away, forcing Bella to glare at Alice instead.
"What is your future hubby hinting at, Al?" Bella asked.
"I think he's hinting that you should go after both of them," Alice said with a shrug and a smirk. "They're big boys, Bella."
"Yeah, I tend to agree. Let them make the decision. If they let it get between them, that's their problem," Rose shrugged.
Male voices drifted in from the foyer, but Bella ignored them. Alice mentioned Jasper was having some friends over for the game, so it didn't surprise her.
Rose, however, cast her pair of indigo eyes to the doorway into the living room and willed her mouth not to drop open at the sight of the two men coming through. To say they were gorgeous would be an understatement. Aside from their height, towering above Jasper next to them, they were opposites. One was thin but toned, light copper hair buzzed short with just a little length on the top, light green eyes, pale skin … and then the other man … Well, to put it bluntly, he was built like a brick shithouse. Massive muscles bulged everywhere, dark hair in much the same cut as the other man, deep, almost navy blue eyes, and a sun-kissed golden tan.
Edward and Emmett took in the three women before Bella had a chance to see them. The new brunette they hadn't seen before was stunning, of course, but seeing Bella set them on edge instantly, as if no time had passed between now and the last time they saw her.
They looked at each other for a moment, speaking without words as they had so many times before.
Should we make this a little more interesting?
Hell yeah, we should.
In perfect synchronization, they strode up to where Bella was sitting, and each leaned down to plant a loud, wet kiss on either of her cheeks at the same time.
"Good afternoon, gorgeous," Edward said.
"Miss us?" Emmet inquired.
"Jesus fuck, Bells," Rose breathed, leaning back in her seat and fanning herself exaggeratedly.
Bella rolled her eyes, though she knew Rose was accurate in her assessment, and stood from her seat, rounding on the men. "Maybe I would miss you if given a chance. Yet you both just keep popping up."
"Honey, the only reason we keep 'popping up' is all on you. Have you looked in a mirror lately?" Emmett said with a playful growl, thrusting his hips to relay the true meaning behind his words.
Bella scoffed, crossing her arms under her chest in annoyance, pushing up her breasts.
Both pairs of eyes went straight to her chest, suddenly becoming aware of the outline of barbells she had pierced through her nipples. Edward's mouth dried up instantly, his tongue damn near pleading to have the chance to wrap around the studs. But Emmett couldn't pass up the opportunity to make a cocky remark.
"Holy shit, Bee, why didn't you tell me that we matched?"
"Probably because it's none of your business," she shrugged.
"It is when you go flashing them around like that," Emmett stated.
"Dude, fuck off. It's hot as fuck out; that doesn't mean we have the right to gawk at her," Edward said, though his actions betrayed his words, and his eyes stayed focused on the beautiful breasts before him. They were full, but not too big. Just enough to fit in his large hands without any going to waste.
"You guys are pigs. Girls, forget what I said. I think the decision has been made for me," Bella grumbled, flipping her ponytail as she stalked past the men and grabbed her purse and keys.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hang on a second, please," Edward called, reaching out to grab her arm, firm enough to stop her but gentle enough not to hurt her.
Bella cursed the electricity that buzzed its way up her arm, pulsing from his touch as her chestnut eyes met his pale green. She held back a gasp at the emotion in them. She had come to expect the heat and lust, but the affection with a slight tinge of panic caught her off guard.
"I'm sorry, okay?" He said quietly, licking his lips. Bella couldn't help but glance down when his tongue made its way across his full lower lip. "I don't know what it is, but in case you haven't noticed, you kind of make me stupid. I forget every bit of manners and decorum I was ever taught. My mom would beat my ass if she saw what I just did. I'll behave, all right?"
"Yeah, Bee, we didn't mean anything by it. It just caught us off guard, that's all," Emmett pleaded, sounding a little like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar. "Besides … don't act like you weren't staring right at both our cocks just last weekend," he added in a hushed tone, winking at her.
Despite how badly she wanted to remain guarded around these two, she couldn't help the smile that started pulling at her lips. Emmett was right; she couldn't exactly be upset and expect to enforce such a double standard. Typically, it wouldn't bother her for people to check her out the way they just did. In fact, she loved the sense of power it gave her, especially when the person checking her out didn't stand a chance. This all just went back to how turned around they made her.
"You're right; I'm sorry. I guess it's just been a long week," she shrugged.
"Bella, you coach people through their sex issues. How can that possibly make for a long week?" Rose asked with a smirk.
"You have no idea, Ro. By the way, guys, have you met Rose? She's my roommate from college," with that, Bella began introductions, and everyone fell into comfortable conversation. Edward and Emmett noticeably backed off, unwilling to make Bella uncomfortable.
Soon enough, the game was about ready to start, and the boys migrated to the living room, leaving Bella alone with her girls once again.
"Bellaaaaa," Alice sang, a smirk pulling at her lips. "I did not realize just how bad you have it."
"Why do you think I've been trying so hard not to entertain their advances?" Bella sighed.
"Why are you resisting it so much, anyway?" Rose asked, popping a cherry tomato into her mouth and chewing thoughtfully. "Oh, I get it now! This is a control thing with you, isn't it?"
Bella sneered at her friend, not verbally confirming or denying. She didn't have to attempt to deny it since it would do her no good. Rose and Alice knew her better than anyone.
Rose leaned in, placing her hand over Bella's. "Look, I know you're all 'I am woman, hear me roar,' and you don't like when you're not in charge of everything, but … did you ever think it might be a good thing to let go every now and again? Let someone else take the reins. I don't get the vibe that these guys have any intention of doing anything besides worship your every move, so why don't you let them?"
Bella sighed, chewing on her lip and looking at Rose with unsure eyes.
"Honey, even the strongest of women could do with a warm pair of arms to fall into at night. Or two pairs, in your case."
She wanted to protest, to keep fighting this tooth and nail. But with every charged glance, sneaking touch, and heated innuendo thrown her way, her resolve was only lessening more and more.
It made her wonder why she was even bothering. She took what she wanted, right? So maybe it was time for her to give in.
When it was time to leave, Emmett, Edward, and Jasper had been joined by a few other men in front of the giant TV in the living room. They were all screaming and cheering while chugging beer. The talk with the girls, paired with the boys taking the pressure off her, had Bella feeling a lot lighter than when she first arrived. Rose was right; there was no need for her to be overthinking this. They were all adults.
"I think I'm gonna head home, ladies," Bella announced, pulling Alice into a hug.
"Okay, don't forget next weekend is the final fitting!"
"As if you would ever let me forget," Bella giggled, turning to Rose. "Don't make me wait so long to see your pretty face next time, babe," she placed a chaste kiss on her friend's lips before hugging her.
"Hey, if it doesn't work out with one of those two, you can always come travel with me. We can run away together like we always wanted to," Rose said as she hugged Bella tight.
On her way out the door, Bella stopped by the living room to hug Jasper and say her goodbyes, laughing when Edward and Emmett cast unsure eyes her way.
"Come on; I know you want to," she said, holding her arms open.
Edward smirked and stood, leaning down to wrap his arms around her waist, lifting her off her feet while he squeezed. "Have a good week, gorgeous. And if you need anything, you have my number," he breathed in her ear.
Bella shivered at the combination of the feel of his strong arms wrapped around her, his firm chest pressed against hers, the manly smell of him combined with that of the spearmint gum he occasionally chewed, and his breath ghosting down the neck. She nodded with her arms around his neck, finding herself a little dizzy when her feet touched the ground again.
Edward was just as affected by her as she was, his body flooding with a warmth that only had a little bit to do with his more primal urges. When he noticed the glossed-over look in her eyes, he beamed and placed a light kiss on her temple, letting his hands graze her sides as he pulled away.
Emmett stepped up and wrapped his massive arms around her shoulders, kissing her hair and rocking her back and forth. "Ditto, Bee. We don't bite unless you ask for it. Don't be a stranger, okay?"
Bella nodded, taking in the differences in Emmett's body compared to Edward's. He was just as firm and just as tall, yet much wider, so when she wrapped her arms around his waist, she could hardly touch her hands together behind him. His scent was spicier than Edward's, a mixture of man and cinnamon, but it was clear they used the same body wash or something because the base notes were identical. It was both strange and exhilarating how they complimented each other.
It was a lot harder than she would have hoped to walk out of that house. She wanted nothing more than to drag them up the stairs, one by one, and have her wicked way with them. Or maybe even both at once.
She shook her head, clearing it of the dirty thoughts that filled her mind and laughing to herself as she climbed in her car, her tires squealing when she pulled out and sped toward home.
The first thing Bella noticed when she pulled into her driveway was the wide-open door.
Her heart instantly jumped in her throat, beating rapidly, and a sheen of sweat covered her brow. She knew damn well she didn't leave that door open. Why would she? Her mind raced with the possibilities, but what stood out to her was the likelihood that someone was in her home, and they may or may not be armed.
Fumbling through her purse, she grasped her phone, dialing the first number that came to mind.
"Hey there, Bee," the deep voice of Emmett came from the line, causing Bella's brows to furrow. She checked her screen to confirm that she did, in fact, call Jasper's number.
"Uh, yeah, Em, where's Jas?" She hated how her voice shook, but the blood pounding between her ears made it close to impossible to pretend like everything was okay.
"He and Alice got a little carried away after you left. Ed and I were just about to bounce when I saw your name pop up on his phone. Is everything okay?"
"What? Oh … yeah … it's fine …"
"Bella. Don't lie to me. What's going on?" All joking and playfulness had left Emmett's tone, and she heard Edward in the background inquiring the same thing.
She took a deep breath, letting it out between tightly pursed lips. "Look, I don't know what's going on. I just got home, and my door is open. I was hoping that Jas could come to check it out for me, but it's fine. I'll just call the police."
"Well, definitely do that," Emmett stated. Bella heard keys jingling in the background. "And as soon as you hang up with them, you call my phone, okay? Edward and I are on our way over."
"You don't have to do that; I'll be–"
"What's your address, Bella?"
"Emmett, I'm fine. Really."
"Isabella. Address. Now." His tone left no room for discussion, so she rattled off her address and hung up the phone, dialing 911.
The boys arrived way before the cops, rushing out of Emmett's truck, both pulling handguns from the waistband of their pants. Typically, guns made Bella nervous, but she had to force herself to remember that these were two military men; they knew how to handle a weapon safely.
Taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm her nerves, she stepped out of the car. Edward held his hand out in a stop motion.
"Stay there, Bella. We'll sweep the area and let you know when it's safe," He instructed.
She knew his firm command shouldn't so turn her on, but the tone of his voice went straight between her legs. There was something so sexy about seeing them both so focused and serious instead of the silly boys she was used to. It just drove home the fact that these were not boys she was dealing with … they were men. Really fucking hot men who were no strangers to stressful and dangerous situations.
Still, she was scared for them. What if someone was still in the house? What if they got hurt trying to protect her? She would never be able to forgive herself.
She leaned against her car, chewing on her nails nervously with her eyes trained on the door.
This was not how she wanted them in her home for the first time. Not that she had any sort of plan for that just yet.
Sirens broke through the unnerving silence as red and blue lights flashed against the sides of the houses in her neighborhood, lighting up the dusk. Two squad cars pulled up in front of her house. A small, blonde woman stepped out of the first car, followed by a tall, older cop with gray hair and skin the color of coffee.
"Miss Swan?" The female officer asked.
Bella nodded, unable to take her eyes off her doorway.
"I'm Officer Adams; this is Officer Bryant; we're going to head in to search your home, okay?"
Bella shook her head. "My, uh, my friends came to check it out. They're Marines. They should be out any second now."
Just as the words came out of her mouth, Edward stepped through the door, followed closely by Emmett, who had a small, weasley looking dude by his arms, which were pulled behind his back. Bella's eyes widened at the sight, but she also breathed a sigh of relief that the boys were okay.
"Good evening, officers," Edward said, pulling his wallet out to show them his badge. "I'm Corporal Cullen, this is Corporal McCarty; we're military police officers for the United States Marines. It seems we have a low-level burglary. The suspect claims he doesn't know Isabella, here, the owner of the home. He's clearly under the influence, but he's unarmed, so I think it's safe to hand him over to you."
Bella practically collapsed to the ground, the stress of the situation making her knees fall out from under her, and Edward rushed to her side, catching her before she fell.
"I got you, sweetheart. It's all right."
Right. He's got me. Because they're not just Marines, they're fucking military police. Jesus, Bella, what are you doing?
The next couple of hours went by in a haze, with the man sitting in the back of one of the cop cars while Bella, Edward, and Emmett all filled out police reports and took statements. She alternated between leaning on one man or the other, finding it difficult to hold herself up. She felt violated. Her safe space had been intruded on, and for what? So some rando could get his next hit?
It was completely dark out when the cops left, the only light coming from the streetlamps. Each man took one of Bella's hands in theirs, and when Emmett looked at her with his eyes full of concern, she bit down on her lip. Part of her adored that they stayed to see her through this, but part of her wanted that playful, cocky jokester back.
"It's not pretty in here, Bee, but he didn't get away with anything, and the important part is you weren't hurt. We'll get everything else back in order, all right?" His voice was low and tentative, such a stark contrast to its normal excited tenor.
Bella nodded and allowed herself to be led through the doorway. Her eyes scanned the mess before her; drawers pulled out, the contents were thrown everywhere, cabinets wide open, papers scattered on the floor …
And suddenly, she was pissed.
"This is fucking bullshit," she growled, pulling her hands from the men and stalking over to shut cabinets, pick up her belongings, and slam drawers shut. All the while, she was ranting and raving about humanity and how they have no respect for each other, how the world could do with a little more compassion, stringing her words together with curses and venom.
Emmett and Edward watched on relatively calmly, letting her get her frustrations out, Emmett with his arms crossed over his broad chest, and Edward with his hands tucked in his pockets to keep them from reaching out to her.
Both of them, of course, found her tirade to be extremely sexy, but they both understood she didn't need them panting after her right now. She needed their support, their protection.
Granted, they hardly knew the woman in front of them, but they wanted to. And, they already cared about her on some level, if only because she was special to Jasper.
Of course, there was more to it than that.
Bella finally stopped, leaning heavily against the counter of her kitchen peninsula, her chest heaving with exertion.
"Want me to order some pizza, sweetheart?" Edward asked softly.
Bella nodded without a word, running her hands over her face. "Fuck, guys, I'm so sorry. You must think I'm insane."
Emmett and Edward shared a look, and Edward nodded, fishing out his phone while Emmett went to Bella. "Anything you don't like on your pizza, cupcake?"
"I only eat cheese on my pizza."
Edward shook his head, smiling a bit, because, of course, she would be that picky.
When Emmett came to stand in front of her, he grabbed both her hands, forcing her to look up at him.
"Listen, Bee, don't you worry about us finding you crazy. This is kind of some wild, intrusive shit you're dealing with here. You're allowed to be upset about it. Ed and I, we're here for you as friends if you're not looking for anything else." She opened her mouth to speak, but he stopped her, pulling her into a hug. "Shhh, you don't need to decide anything right now. That's not why I said that. I don't want you to be on edge around us, okay? We're red-blooded men, and yes, we both find you completely beautiful, but we just want you to be okay, got it?"
Bella nodded against his chest, basking in the feeling of safety she got from him. Somehow, having them both here felt right, like they were meant to be in her life. Were the circumstances different, she may analyze that thought a little more. For right now, all she wanted was to forget she had just been the victim of a break-in.
She took a deep breath and pulled back, jerking her thumb in the general direction of her bedroom.
"Uh, I'm just gonna go take a shower really quick before the pizza gets here, okay?"
Emmett nodded, forcing the thought of her naked and wet in the shower out of his head, and squeezed her hand one more time before she walked away.
He threw himself down on the couch, running his hand over his buzzed head and sighing as he tossed his head back. Edward ended the call, coming to sit next to his best friend, leaning his elbows on his knees.
"She okay?" He asked quietly.
Emmett nodded. "The world's fucked, man. Single woman living by herself, she shouldn't have to deal with that shit."
"We know that better than anyone, Em."
Emmett contemplated his words for a minute, remembering all the women and children they'd saved from the unspeakable acts of war. Then there were the domestic disputes of the military wives they were called to handle. Rapes, beatings, purse snatching, and sexual assault on females just because they were seen as the 'weaker sex.' If you asked him, women had to be a million times stronger than men to deal with all their shit.
While he thought it through, his chest full to burning with the need to make sure this woman, in particular, didn't have to suffer at the hands of men anymore. His eyes traced down his best friend's back; across his broad shoulders, down his spine, over the tapered line of his sides narrowing to his waist … the thin line of his boxer briefs peeking out over the top of his pants.
Edward had always treated women with the utmost respect, a gentleman sometimes to a fault. He remembered once in high school when one of Edward's girlfriends went apeshit on him over some silly thing or another. She stood there and screamed, cussed, and beat on his chest, making a scene in the middle of the hallway, yelling all kinds of insults. Edward just took it. Eventually, he wrapped his arms around her to restrain her, but he never hit her back or shot back scathing remarks, or disrespect her in any way.
Edward was the best man Emmett had ever known. He was damn lucky to have him in his life as his best friend.
If he had taken a moment to be honest with himself, he would have been able to admit the connection between him and Edward had always been different. They were always a little more physically affectionate than their friends, never shying away from hugs and small touches here and there. Emmett's stomach had always clenched in anticipation when Edward accidentally grazed against his junk or his ass or when he would pat his chest in a seemingly friendly manner.
It wasn't until very, very recently that Emmett had ever considered there could be more to it than them being friends.
Edward was aware that Emmett was staring at him, just like he always was. The familiar trail of tingling fire that ran right along with the path of Emmett's eyes had goosebumps rising all along his spine and the nape of his neck. He turned his head to look back at his buddy over his shoulder, his breath catching in his throat when he saw the same fire in Emmett's eyes that was licking up his spine.
"Edward, come here," Emmett practically whispered, his voice deep and rough with need.
Edward found himself suddenly entranced, unable to think of anything else but the two of them together on the couch. With a heavy sigh, he leaned back next to Emmett, his arm brushing up against his best friend's chest.
Emmett was acting purely on instinct now, no longer allowing himself to overthink this any longer. He brought one arm up around Edward's shoulders, his other hand coming up to Edward's jaw to turn his face towards his own. Ocean blues clashed with a slightly wide pair of sage green eyes, but Edward made no move to stop whatever was happening. He wanted it. What it was, he wasn't quite sure yet, but he still wanted it.
Edward's shaky hand came up to land on Emmett's strong chest, causing them both to take a sharp inhale of breath … and then let it out in a slow wave of heat against each other's lips.
Emmett moved his hand to the nape of Edward's neck, his fingers brushing over the short, buzzed hairs as his nose brushed against Edward's, a magnetic force pulling them toward one another.
Edward's skin prickled with awareness, seeming to draw him closer and closer to Emmett's parted lips. This need rushed through him, his nostrils flaring as Emmett's scent engulfed every breath. Edward's jaw clenched as he waited … and waited. An eternity seemed to pass as his friend's lips hovered just out of reach.
Edward had this crazy impulse to take control. He wanted—needed to close the distance separating them. While these urges were new, Edward suddenly wanted to feel Emmett's mouth on his, making his teeth grit to see where this was going.
All it would take was one … little … nudge …
Down the hallway, the click and creak of a door opening alerted them to the reason they were here, to begin with. With two sharp gasps, they pulled away from each other, putting a whole cushion's worth of space between them as Bella came padding out of her bedroom.
She was wearing a pair of gray sweats, rolled up at the waist, and an oversized sweatshirt from Disney World. Her hair was still twisted up in the towel, and she leaned against the side of the hallway, shyly playing with the edge of her sweater.
"Hey guys … I really hate to ask, but … would one of you mind staying tonight? The couch pulls out. I just … I don't want to be alone, yet. What if … what if he comes back? Or a buddy of his does?"
Edward held his hand out and motioned with his fingers for her to come over to the couch, and when she did, he pulled her down between him and Emmett.
"We got your back, gorgeous. Neither of us is going anywhere. Right, Em?"
"Damn straight."
"You don't both have to stay. I mean, I only have one bed, and I'm sure you have other places to be …"
"No place we'd rather be, Bee," Emmett confirmed, knowing that for him, the words held a double meaning.
By the time midnight rolled around, all three of them had stuffed their faces with pizza and watched several episodes of Friends; the boys happily surprised to see Bella put away almost as much pizza as they did. Occasionally they would share a look, remembering their almost kiss, but they largely ignored it and instead focused their attention on the pretty brunette between them.
The scene came on where Monica was teaching Chandler about the seven erogenous zones, and as she was screaming, "Seven, seven, seven!" they all laughed so hard they had tears coming out of their eyes.
When the episode ended, Bella placed a hand on both of their thighs and sighed with a smile on her face.
"Thanks, guys. I really needed that. It's been a long time since I've laughed that hard," she felt their thighs clench under her hands and abruptly pulled back, biting down on her lip.
"Hey, we had fun, too," Emmett said, flashing his dimples and effectively making her melt.
All three of them got caught up looking each other over, eyes the colors of spring bouncing from body to body, the newly acquired comfort being lit with the same ever-present tension always lingering under the surface with them. None of them found it unwelcome, though. Least of all, Bella.
Emmett reached out to guide her so her head was lying in his lap. Edward leaned down and grabbed her legs, pulling her feet up into his lap. Slowly and deliberately, he started running his thumbs over the arches of her feet at the same time Emmett ran his fingers through her hair; she had lost the towel two episodes ago, and it was still just slightly damp and smelled like fresh coconut. Bella's eyes fluttered shut, and she let out a little sighing moan that had both men hardening and silently praying she wouldn't notice.
"That feels nice and all, but it's not necessary. You've already done enough for me," she sighed, folding her hands over her full stomach.
"Hush, pretty girl. We've got you. Just relax," Emmett breathed.
It only took a few minutes for Bella to be asleep, and when she was, Emmett looked up at Edward.
"We should probably carry her to bed, but I'm not exactly willing to let her get that far from us just yet," he whispered.
"Yeah, me either. I'll go get some pillows and blankets and make us all a little bed on the floor."
Carefully, he lifted her feet and set them on the couch, feeling Emmett's eyes follow him to the bedroom Bella had come from.
Soon, he had a comfy-looking, pseudo-bed made, using all the blankets and pillows he could find.
Emmett stood up from the couch and fit one arm under Bella's shoulders, and one under her knees, lifting her as if she weighed nothing.
Bella groaned a little bit, curling into Emmett's chest.
"Shhh, baby girl, we got you. We're just going to make us all a little more comfortable," he whispered, sinking to his knees to lay her in the center of the makeshift bed.
Edward laid on the other side of her, turning and draping his arm over her, his hand landing on her hip.
Emmett did the same thing, effectively crossing his arm over Edward's.
Something about this felt right. Like it was exactly how they were meant to be.
"Goodnight, Ed," Emmett mumbled.
"Night, Em."
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