Ten
Laying on the couch, my foot is propped up by a cushion, and a bag of peas wrapped in a dish towel balances on my aching knee.
"Need anything?" Emmett pokes his head into the room.
"More tea if you're offering," I hold out my mug to him.
"Coming right up," he retrieves my cup before turning to head back toward the kitchen.
When he returns and places the warm drink in my hand, I watch him sit in the arm chair across from me. His attention is on the movie I'm barely watching.
"What do you see in her that I don't have?" I ask suddenly.
I hate myself.
"Huh?" he looks at me shocked.
"Obviously you had to tie her down asap. She must have had something so thrilling that I lacked," I say.
"You lack nothing," he twists slightly in his chair to face me more, "perhaps your temper can be a little short, but I always liked that about you. I love fiery Rosie."
"So why her?" I ask.
"Rose," he looks down and shakes his head, "I really can't talk about it."
"Did she threaten you?" I try.
"No," he shakes his head, "it's not that."
Any other person on earth would have been convinced. But I know him.
"With what?" I ask.
"I'm handling it," he looks up at me, "please, Rosie."
"Em," I plead, "Let me help."
"It's too much. She already hates you," he shakes his head, "I don't want you caught up too."
Watching him carefully I nod, thinking it might be best to push him in increments until he caves.
I don't want to push him further away.
"Do you love her?" I can't help myself.
He looks at me. After what feels like the longest minute on earth he shakes his head.
"Do you want to marry her?" I ask.
Once again he shakes his head, and his eyes grow slightly watery. He is a man in pain.
This bitch. It's just a hunch but I try anyway.
"Is she blackmailing you, Em?" I sit up slightly, ignoring my knee.
"She…"
His family crash through the front door, yelling and laughing.
"You're a bitch," Alice yells out, "Bella your boyfriend is a bitch."
When they round the corner and see me, Cassie stands behind them all, awkwardly.
"Oh Rose," Bella gasps, rushing toward me, "are you okay?"
"I'm fine," I nod, "Emmett has taken such good care of me."
Might as well fuck with Cassie. She's doing it to my man.
"Has he?" Alice glances at her brother.
"Of course," I nod, "the way he saved the day was so brave."
Emmett stands and moves past his brothers, Cassie following him toward their bedroom whispering toxic questions at him as they go.
"Did anything happen?" Bella asks quietly.
"Yep," I nod, "I decided I'm taking that bitch down."
It's just after midnight. I'm sitting on the bed with the canvas on the covers. Edward had followed me up to set me up so I could paint comfortably. My knee less painful already thanks to painkillers and Emmett's nursing.
The lake was coming together nicely, but the shrubbery was a bit tricky. I was leaving the sky till last because it would be easiest.
I'm so focused I miss the knock and look up as the door opens slightly.
"Come in," I say.
"Hey," Emmett steps into the room, shutting the door quietly, "You're awake?"
"Homework for Eddie," I nod, "what's up?"
"I'm in the dog house," he shuts the door behind him, "I didn't want to be banished to the lounge quite yet so I came up here to see if anyone would like to share some ice cream."
Sure enough, he has a tub and two spoons.
"I was going to wake Alice up," he admits, "but your light was on."
I can't help but smile. Nodding I motion to the edge of the bed for him to sit.
"Did I put you in the dog house?" I ask.
"Kinda," he nods handing me a spoon, "but I'd do it again in a heartbeat. You were hurt."
"Yeah, but I made it worse with my big mouth," I put down my paintbrush and put the canvas beside me so I can eat without messing it up.
"Nothing wrong with your big mouth," he smirks opening up the lid, offering me the first bit.
"I seem to remember you adoring my mouth," I scoop a spoonful up and into my mouth, watching him grin.
"You're good with it," he chuckles.
"Talent recognises another talent," I wink at him, "You have quite the mouth too."
"This conversation is not where I thought we'd go," he laughs, shifting his sitting position, to be more relaxed beside me
Giggling I punch his arm, watching him take his own bite of ice cream.
"What's wrong with a little flirting?" I shrug.
"Aside from already being in the dog house?" he looks at me.
"We're both going to hell anyway," I scoop up another spoonful, watching him as I eat.
"Sometimes I think the devil sent you to me himself," he admits, "you're not an angel."
"Thanks," I scoff.
"I mean that in a good way," he shakes his head, "like you were sent to test my level of sin. I fail every fucking time."
"Hmmm," I place my spoon beside me and lean toward him.
Fuck it. Fuck her.
"Pride, check," I take the ice cream tub from his hands, popping the lid on, "you're extremely proud."
"I wasn't done," he looks at my hands as I twist to place the tub on my night stand.
Let it melt. I know I am under those eyes.
"Greedy, check," I take his spoon too, "You're especially greedy when it comes to me. I catch you looking when you shouldn't. Far more than you should."
"You've got a mirror. I'm sure you see what I see," he shrugs as if it's not a big deal.
"Envy, gluttony, wrath and sloth also check," I move quick, bouncing into his lap, and straddling him.
It doesn't even feel wrong. It feels so right. My knee might hate me later, but fuck it.
"You're missing one," his large hands move around my body, down my thighs to my back.
I've got him. He's mine.
"Oh lust?" I caress his face.
"Check," he mocks me.
Giggling I lean forward and place some kisses on his neck, needing to remember how he feels against my lips. God, it's good. It's like drinking from a lake after walking miles through a desert. It's like years without rain.
The shape of him is coming home.
"Rose," he whispers, "I don't want you to get hurt."
"Again?" I wrap my arms up around his shoulders, appreciating him and pulling me closer to him.
"This will be worse," he shakes his head.
I pull back to look at him, study his face.
"Why won't you tell me?" I ask.
"I will. When I can," he nods, "I promise you."
I want to kiss him. I don't want to want to kiss him.
He's an engaged man. He's taken. But I don't care. My moral compass won't point when it comes to him. When it comes to him the rule book is thrown out.
I want to kiss him!
"I want to as well," he reads my mind, "but we can't. I'll come back to you Rose. You just have to trust me."
"I shouldn't have pushed you away," I shake my head, "I was scared."
"Of commitment, I know," he rubs my back, "it's okay. I understand now. I should have given you time. You were worth the wait, but it was too late to right my wrongs. Cassie was in the picture and it was just too late."
"No. I mean of having to ever go without you again," I stroke the back of his neck as I speak, "I was scared if I let myself love you there'd come a day I'd need to be without you. So I figured it was easier to stay away."
"Isn't being with me for five minutes worth more than not at all?" he asks.
"Yes," I nod, "I realise that now. It was a mistake. I don't want you to get bored. I don't want you to wake up and suddenly realise I'm nothing special. I just… I don't want you to die."
He grins at me, and shakes his head.
"Rosie. You will never not be special in my eyes. I know you have people in your life who fail to recognise it. People who should remind you daily. But I'm not one of those people and I never will be. Oh and I will do everything I can not to die," he moves his hands to cup my face, "at least not until you do. I wish you'd told me before."
"Promise," I whisper.
"I swear on pineapple pizza," he makes me giggle.
"Will pineapple ever make it back on the pizza?" I question.
"The code names are cute… but yes," he looks down, checking me out, "it'll be on the pizza one day. When I get this mess sorted."
Sex. Pineapple on the pizza meant sex.
Pineapple off the pizza is what I would reply with if I wasn't in the mood or didn't want to have sex with him - it's happened twice. Once because I had my period and another time because I was teasing him.
I hated pineapple on pizza… unless it was his version.
He'd never fully closed the door. Cassie had shut it for him. He's trying to pry it open in his own way.
I'd fight to figure out why with my entire might.
"What are you painting?" he looks over at the canvas, holding me still in his lap.
"Can you keep a secret?" I ask.
"For you always," he looks at me.
"Edward's proposing," I smile, "he's having me paint where he's going to do it and then add him on one knee in the exact clothes they'll wear. It's all super planned out."
"Oh my god," he grins at me happily, "you're kidding."
"I'm not," I shake my head, "It's why I came in here in the first place. I snuck away before dinner."
"Show me," he instructs.
Reaching across the bed, I carefully pull the canvas closer, avoiding smudging any paint.
"Holy cow, babe," he whispers, "it's beautiful."
I was halfway. I needed more time with it to make it perfect. But I'd added detail where I could and created the perfect scene to add in my beautiful friends.
"That's actually so romantic," he studies the painting, "I'm so proud of him. Of you too. You're an incredible friend to Bells, to Edward. To me."
"Can I tell you another secret?" I look at him.
"You don't need to ask," he laughs.
"I hate being your friend," I bite my lip, "I've never wanted to be your friend."
He's not offended. He just nods, grip tightening around me.
"Fucking hell me too," he leans toward me, presses his forehead against mine, "You're not a friend."
"Friends don't want to rip friends' clothes off this bad," I close my eyes, let out a slow breath.
When I open them he's staring at me, fighting every fibre of his will power.
"How bad are we talking?" I ask.
"Very," he whispers.
"Thankfully I'm already a bad girl," I lean forward and press my lips to his.
I pull open flood gates he's worked so hard to shut.
Thanks so much for reading x