Playing with Dale

We made it back to the stands as the teams ran back onto the field. Marcus was just ahead of us, grinning like a fool as Carmen waved from the top of the bleachers.

Marcus juggled popcorn and drinks as he tried to wave, tripping on a step as he went. Bella grabbed my arm, and we held our breath until Marcus made it to the top, where he was rewarded with a kiss on his cheek as Carmen took a drink from his hand.

We made our way to our seats, and I took my place next to Bella as our team made the first touchdown of the second half. In the chaos of cheering fans, Bella grabbed my jacket lapel and pulled my lips to hers.

Lordy-Lordy, she tasted sweet, but before I could react, she let go and turned to the field to whistle and cheer with the rest of the crowd.

I was dumbfounded. Too many words were damned behind my teeth as my mind and emotions collide. I took Bella's hand as we regained our seats and brought it to my lips before tucking our joined hands inside my jacket pocket. She gave my hand a little squeeze in agreement but didn't look at me.

Bella was hyper-focused for the rest of the game like it was life or death out on the field. After we'd won the game and the bleachers began to empty, she ran up the steps to talk with Esme and Carmen.

"Saw the kiss," Carlisle said as I sat on the bleacher bench waiting for her.

"Yeah, seems it wigged her out," I said as I nodded toward Bella, talking to Carmen and Esme with her hands flailing.

Carlisle stretched his legs out and ran his hands down his blue jean-clad thighs.

"Nail it down with that one. She has abandonment issues. Commitment freaks her."

I nodded, "thanks."

He stood and looked out over the field, "You hurt her, and there won't be a place you can hide where I won't find you."

I pursed my lip and nodded again. "Message received, sir."

"Good," he said and pulled his band out of his hair, setting it free. "Esme, let's go. Edward's got Bella."

He started making his way down the bleacher benches while Esme took the steps right behind him, leaving Bella stranded with me.

~o0o~

As I drove the back roads to Esme's house, I took Bella's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. She wove her fingers between mine and sat them on her knee.

"Okay, you gotta help me out here. Are we going to talk about that kiss?"

She shrugged, "I was excited about the touchdown."

I cut my eyes to her and called bullshit. "So say, Mike Newton had been sitting next to you, you would have laid one on him?"

She shivered, "Ugh, No."

"Sooo, let's talk about that kiss."

She sat in silence.

I sighed, "Okay, I'll begin. I liked the kiss a lot. I thought as first kisses go, it was pretty great, and I sure as hell am not opposed to another—or many more."

She turned her body to rest her shoulder against the back of her seat and said, "I like you."

I brought our joined hands to my lips, "I like you, too."

She took a shaky breath, "Yeah?"

I smiled at her, "yeah."

We rode lost in our thoughts but tethered by our hands for the rest of the trip to Esme's house. I parked at the curb, but neither made a move to sever our connection.

I unbuckled and turned toward her. "I have some questions."

She unbuckled and turned toward me, "Okay."

"About the Newtons and this town."

"Oh."

"This rivalry doesn't seem to be just between Carlisle and Alec. Am I wrong? What am I missing?"

Bella chewed her lip. "No, you're not wrong. It goes back generations. Morton was a mill town, and the Newton family owned the mill. After they closed the mill and moved production overseas, a lot of people lost their livelihood.

"It was a tough time, and the Newtons continuing to control this town didn't help. It's generations of bad blood." She hesitated before adding, "When one of Newton's good ol' boys was appointed Chief of Police, again, my dad took a position on the other side of the country to get away from this town."

She shrugged and looked out her side window, and I studied her profile in the dashboard's glow. She was beautiful in that moment, sad and self-contained but so very beautiful.

I clasped Bella's hand as we walked the sidewalk and onto the porch. I had a love-hate relationship with walking Bella to her door. I hated to end my time with her, but I felt honored to be the one seeing her safe home.

I held the screen door while she dug for her keys and stuck them in the lock. As Bella unlocked her door, I stilled her hand. "May I kiss you good night?"

She left the key in the lock and turned toward me. I placed my hand on her shoulder and pulled her into me. Tender, sweet, gah, I cupped Bella's face with my hand and felt her tiptoe into a deeper kiss. After a moment, I broke our kiss, wrapped around Bella, and rested my cheek in her hair.

I pushed back to kiss her one more time and whispered, "I really like you, Bella Swan."

She kissed my chin before turning to the key in the door. "Good, I'd hate to be in this alone."

She stepped inside, and I let her. "I'll see you at Marcus' on Sunday."

She nodded and blew me a kiss before gently closing the door. I waited to hear the lock and headed back to my car and waited until a bedroom light let me know she was in and safe.