Here's the next chapter, thanks so much for all the amazing reviews, i appreciate and read each one. Now, back to Edward and Bella...
Chapter 10- Bella
"Boy, I've been cooking up one hell of a crush, I've got you on my mind the minute I wake up, You make my morning glow, Make the rooster crow, Get my juices flowing, You know I got the spice but it ain't enough, Baby would you be my sugar? Sugar?" Sugar- Maren Morris
We have breakfast and wait by the pool since we can't pick up our boat until 1PM. The guys are swimming and playing some sort of modified basketball in the pool, I'm not stupid, I see all the tiny, toned, tanned bodies staring our men down. Eye fucking to the highest caliber is what they're doing, to be honest.
For a few minutes I'm self conscious and worried Edward will find one of them more attractive than me. All it takes is remembering the last few nights we've spent together to erase that from my mind. He's more than looks, he's heart and personality. As long as I remember that then I'll be fine.
"You two want another drink, I'm going to the bar." Rosalie offers. She's amazing, she's the calm to Emmett's excitement. They share their background, they understand the same jokes and references, they love the same foods, and they both love to laugh. Plus she spoke the golden word to Emmett, Fortnight. She fits in well with us girls too, she's all make-up and girlie but she has real interests in her brain. She's studying to get her Master's in Criminal Psychology.
"Yeah, bring us each one. Please." Esme offers for both of us.
Emmett splashes Rosalie's feet as she walks by.
Esme settles in and closes her eyes behind her Jackie O sunglasses while I people watch. I hear the commotion as a new group of women settle in the row of chairs behind us. The incessant superficial chatter has always worked my nerves but this is ten time worse because there is a hint of meanness to it, almost a bullying quality. I tuned them out until I noticed their focus has changed to a new target.
"Shit, Lauren, there he is, I told you he was sex on legs. Man what I'd give to wake up underneath him. Oh my God, he's going to climb out of the pool. I bet he has fucking abs for days." I turn to see Edward climbing out and realize he's the object of their current conversation. My heart sinks, I saw them walk in. There's four of them, all tall, toned, tanned, and a size 2.
"Oh yes, I saw him yesterday, he was with some big assed girl. There is no reason for that craziness when I got this to offer up for him." I heard a hand slap bare skin. The hand should have just connected with my own face. I was stunned stupid. My size is only a factor on two occasions. When I'm naked with a man, and when other women bring it up. They try to do it casually, act like I'm awesome for being brave enough to carry extra weight. When really they're saying you should lose weight and stop being stupid.
Edward looks over and waves. I hold my hand up and give him a half assed wave back. Doubt crosses his face and he immediately jumps out of the pool and walks towards me. I try to school my face so he won't see the hurt. I have on my black two piece bikini, there's no fat rolls, nothing is hanging out of my suit. I actually feel very comfortable, sexy even, in this bathing suit. I work on staying healthy, and a healthy size, but I wasn't always this lucky. For a few years after my dad died, I ate my feelings. I gained about forty pounds and had to work to get them back off. Now I allow my body to dictate, within reason, my size. And I'm happy with it, I've always felt bad for the stick thin women, they always look miserable.
"Lord help me, he's coming this way." I see her adjusting her cleavage in my Kindle screen. She's actually pulling more of her boobs out instead of making sure they're all covered. What kind of nerve does she have?
"Hey, Slugger, you okay?" He asks. I know without a doubt that if I say anything was wrong he'd try his best to correct it. I could tell him, but that would open up an insecurity that lots of girls have but are embarrassed to have. So I lie.
"I'm fine, just excited to go out on the boat." I reach up and push some of his floppy curls off his forehead. He catches my hand and kisses the inside of my wrist. I see the naughty in his eyes. I love how he's sweet, hometown boy one minute and naughty, sexy fiend the next. Part of me wants to pull him up off this lounger and walk all the way to my cabana so we can do the nasty. All the while laughing at the plastic "Lauren's" because they aren't me. Before I can do a thing, the talk begins again.
"Oh my God, Her, he's with her? Why would he waste all his sexiness on her?" This was from Plastic Lauren #2.
Humiliation washes over me. Edward leans in closer and kisses my mouth. It's a slow, sexy kiss, lots of tongue and moaning. His hands cradle my face, thumbs stretched out across my cheekbones, fingers cupping the back of my neck. I feel cherished, how can I not when he holds me like I'm a fragile flower in front of an audience and kisses me like it's his only form of oxygen. He ends the kiss by placing small kisses across my mouth. Then he stands and takes my hand. I feel myself being pulled upward so I follow.
"Come on, Kitten, I have to be back inside your glorious body, right now." He pulls me close so our chest are touching, close enough he can talk to me and I feel his lips whisper across mine as he speaks. "I can't get enough of you." His hand frames my face again. It's kind of aggressive and so not like Edward, especially not in front of people. After another scalding hot kiss, he turns my body and pushes me away. As I take my second step I feel a hand smack across the full part of my ass cheek. "I've always loved a full ass, just like this one. I have no use for a skin and bones woman, I want one I can really give it to and she can enjoy it. Not one I will break in half." Now I understand, he heard them talking and is putting them in their place, setting the story straight. He can have whomever he chooses and he chooses me.
I feel a hand grab my wrist and pull me back to him, chest to chest. Another kiss and his hand engulfs my breast. "These too." Both hands fondle them now. "God you are fucking perfect, you know that?" I can only giggle.
"Hey, haven't you two scromped enough this vacation? Cut it out and let's go get our boat!" I don't care what happens between Esme and Carlisle, I will owe him a debt for the rest of my life, just for butting into our conversation at exactly the right time with exactly the right words.
"Fine, let's go get our boat, woman." Another ass slap sends me on my way toward the boat dock. I glance over my should at the Plastic Lauren's and just wink. Wide gaping mouths and jealous eyes meet mine. Eat your hearts out, Ladies, he's all mine. For now anyway.
A few hours later, we're stretched out on the white sand. Emmett and Rosalie and Carlisle and Esme have wandered off to their own spot on the beach. I can hear them laughing and having a good time but they are no where in sight. Edward and I are in a hammock, my back is pressed to his chest. His hands wander along my skin. Neither of us have spoken for a while, we're just enjoying the sunshine and each other.
"You know what they said was utter bullshit, right?" I knew this conversation was going to happen eventually.
"Yeah, my head does, but my heart still gets hurt when I hear things like that." His hand tightens over mine.
"Bella, no. Listen, I work out, a lot, and I've seen healthy people of all sizes and shape. I've also seen unhealthy people of all sizes and shape. Nothing they said was true, they were using the one thing that would give them the upper hand. But I'll be honest with you, to me, they weren't even remotely pretty. I've never liked super skinny women, definitely not a super skinny woman who has such a nasty heart that she would say things like that. Okay?"
I don't respond verbally, just nod.
"I mean it, Bella, don't ever let anyone make you doubt yourself." He turns my head so he can look me in the eyes. "You are an amazing, caring, loyal, strong, beautiful woman. Don't let anyone make you believe otherwise. Promise me." He looks almost pissed off, I can see the conviction in his eyes.
"I promise." I repeat, and for a few seconds I do believe him. But for whatever reason, we women were born with that doubt gene deeply ingrained in us. I do appreciate that I mean enough to him for him to stand up for me in such a public way and then to reassure me afterwards.
We lapse back into our silence and watch the surf slip in and back away from our feet. Life was pretty much perfect right here in our hammock. I blink a few times to clear the moistures that gathers in my eyes. Why did I have to come to the far end of the Earth to find the perfect man?
After the boat was returned we agree to meet for dinner and dancing again in the small club where we met originally. Esme and I head back to our cabana to shower and change.
I chose my outfit carefully for our date night. I put on my make up, a dark smoky eye shadow with a dark lipstick that Edward seems to like on me. I curl my hair and pull it off to the side in a fishtail braid so access to my neck was available. Then I slide into my black lace bra and boy shorts. My black t-shirt dress was A-symmetrically cut and gathered up so it would accent my hips nicely.
Esme and I sit on the deck drinking our wine while we wait for Rosalie to join us so we can meet up with the guys. Several times Esme has turned my way, her wine glass paused halfway to her lips like she has something to say. "Say it, Esme." I might as well put us both out of our misery.
"You and Edward looked cozy today." She stops there.
"Yeah, he was extra sweet. He heard the Plastic Lauren's talking, so he made sure to remind me, all day, that he is happy with me and my size." Esme gasps.
"So that's why he got the PDA Fever by the pool. I can't lie, if he's aggressive like that in the bedroom, well, let's just say he wouldn't go home single." She holds her left hand up and does the infamous Single Ladies hand flip. I can't lie, I've thought about it, pulling a whole 'Ross and Rachel' and getting drunk married while we're in the Maldives.
"He's everything in bed. It's like he can read my mind and knows which Edward I need that night, and he's that. It's so damn sexy, but I'm worried." Esme's probably the only person I can admit this to. First because she's in the same situation, and secondly because I saw her watch Carlisle this afternoon, she's definitely feeling exactly what I'm feeling.
She sucks in a deep breath and slowly blows it out. She won't meet my eyes, I sit forward in my chair, prepared to soothe her frayed nerves if I need to.
"Yeah, I'm there too." Her voice is choked up a little. I grab her hand and hold it. Leave it to us to have to share everything. We're really a pair.
"Hey, let's not count our chicken's before they hatch. Maybe there's a way we can make this work. Let's cross that bridge when we get to it." She gasps a water chuckle.
"Look at you spouting all my Granny's best advice. You really do have it bad. Get a little Southern up in you and you can drawl with the best of them." I slap her arm but laugh all the same. I do find myself thinking more 'Southern' lately.
"Ladies, you ready to dance the night away?" Rosalie calls from inside the cabana.
Esme and I call back to her. "Oh, hell yes, let's do this." We stand and exchange a quick hug before we turn to find Rosalie. Together we can do anything, hopefully.
LMWM—LMWM
Songs- Sugar- Maren Morris
Leave Me Wanting More- Chris Young