^^TotS^^

EPOV

Come on, come on...pick up, Bella.

"Aloha! I hope you're having a great day. This is Bella Newton. Sorry I'm missing your call, but I'm having way too much fun in Hawaii right now to answer the phone, so please forgive me. Leave a message and I'll try to call you back when I can. Mahalo."

"Hey, it's Edward. Just wanted you to know I'm running a little late. I had a last-minute meeting with my monitor that ran over and...well, I'll just tell you when I see you. You don't have to call me back...or call, whichever. I just wanted you to know I'm still about thirty minutes out. See you soon."

Smooth operator, Edward. I may as well call my mom and let her know I'm about to go gallivanting throughout the Hawaiian Islands with a girl. This oughta be good.

"S'up, dorkus?"

"Gee thanks, Laur. Having a good day over there?"

"Great day, actually! I just signed Bailyn up for her preschool program for the summer. Starts next Tuesday, she's chomping at the bit to get back with her friends."

"Good deal. So what else is going on? Anything exciting to report at work?"

"Not in the least. Too many kids in the system, not enough parents to love them. I wish I could wave a magic wand and place them all in happy homes."

"I know you do. But you're a hero every day. Every child and family you match brings a little more love into the world."

"I'm sorry, who did you say was calling?"

I roll my eyes and chuckle. "Hardee har har. I know that sounded a little touchy-feely coming from me—"

"A LITTLE?"

"Okay, a lot. I just want you to know that I'm proud of you. And I know you work hard every day to make small miracles happen for the people you work with. What you do is so important. The world needs more people like you who help spread the love, y'know?"

I'm met with silence. "Laur?"

Now I hear sniffling. "Yeah, I'm here. I've just never heard you talk like that, Edward. What's going on with you?"

"Nothing's going on with me. I can't tell my little sister I'm proud of her?"

"Of course you can. And you've said it to me before, and I appreciate it. I've just…I've never heard the additional talk of love and family and miracles and stuff. You threw me for a loop."

I furrow my eyebrows and shrug. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I just...I...I don't know. Don't read into anything. It was on my mind and I wanted to say it."

Another sniffle. "Well, I'm glad you did. So what's going on with you? I mean, aside from this out-of-body experience."

"Umm, not much." Lies. "Just getting ready to check out some of the other islands, actually. I'm leaving for Kauai later today."

"Awesome! Where are you staying?"

"I got a timeshare rental on a last-minute deal. It's in Princeville."

"PRINCEVILLE? Jesus! Talk about the high life. Did you get a raise I didn't hear about?"

"No," I laugh. "When you book these places at the last minute, a lot of them are just thrilled to get the sale...they really are a decent bargain. Plus, I'm uhh...splitting the cost with a friend."

"Oh, really? Is Riley going with you?"

Here we go. "Nahh, he's not on leave right now. No, I'm going with a friend I met...a girl."

"Get the hell outta here! My brother is going on a vacation with a girlfriend? Now I really am concerned that you're a pod person." More silence. "A girl? Are you serious?"

"Oh, stop it. It's not that shocking. I've gone away with a girl before. And besides...she's not even a girl...well, I mean, of course she's a girl...but it's not like that. We're just friends. I met her a week ago, but I actually knew her from a few years back."

"So, you're rekindling a romance from back in the day? You should know I'm now having this call traced, by the way. I will find my brother. Whoever this is, you won't keep him hostage for long."

"Oh, for fuck's sake, Lauren. This is your brother speaking. I'm not rekindling an old romance. I worked with her— Bella— about three years ago. I haven't seen her since then, but I ran into her on the flight back from California."

"All right. Well, I'm happy you found a friend to travel with. And I know I've been teasing you but you just sound different...lighter...it's just so new."

Tell me something I don't know. My head is spinning with all the things I feel like Bella has sparked. Synapses that I thought were either dead or long abandoned are firing with a vengeance. "Yeah, I know. Don't mind me. I'm still me." I think.

"All right. Well, Mom's out at lunch and a movie with a friend right now, but I'll let her know you checked in. You could try her cell, but I'm sure it's off at this point."

"Okay, no biggie. Where's my goofball?"

"She's still at her Nanny and Paw's house. I'm picking her up tomorrow. I checked in with her last night. Emmett and Rosalie came to visit for the weekend, did you know?"

"Yeah, I got a text from Em a few days ago that he was escaping Twenty-Nine Stumps for his ninety-six. Did you hang out with them at all?"

"Yup. Mom and I went over on Saturday for a big family cookout. We had a great time. Missed you, though."

"I hear ya. Okay, let me get going. I'm picking up Bella and we're heading to the airport for an early afternoon flight."

"Okey dokey artichokey."

I laugh at her silliness. Spending time with Bailyn will have any intelligent adult sounding like they belong on Sesame Street. "Give everyone hugs from me. I'll have my cell if anybody wants to track me down."

"You got it. You know Bay will be FaceTiming with you when she gets home tomorrow, so prepare for that."

"Will do. Love you."

"Love you too, mysterious pod-brother."

^^TotS^^

"You're here! I thought I was getting ditched!" Bella calls out with a silly snark, standing from the bench outside the Hickam terminal.

"Hardly." Like, not ever in a bazillion years would I ditch this girl. "Didn't you get my message? I called about twenty-five minutes ago and drove as fast as I could."

"Oh, I must've missed it! I was in and out of my room and the lobby of the lodge. Then, I was over here returning the car. I didn't have my phone on me the whole time."

"No big deal," I say, smiling. "Here I am and yes, sorry I'm late. I know you wanted to get on the ten o'clock flight, but we'll probably make the noon."

"That's fine! I don't have anywhere to be until the twenty-sixth of August," she adds with a wink. She's now standing next to me, her sunglasses placed on her head to hold her hair away from her face. She's squinting into the sunlight and looking up at me. "We can take our time."

I swallow a very large boulder that seems to have landed in my throat and smile, reading into the line she just delivered. I'm sure she wasn't trying to be forward, but dammit if I'm not thinking about the possibilities of what this traveling adventure could bring us.

While I'm loading her luggage into my car, she pulls out her cell phone and walks to the passenger door. After I get buckled in, Bella turns to me with wide, excited eyes. "Meeting with your monitor this morning? How'd it go?"

"Well, at first he was saying that they might need me in Albany."

"New York? I didn't realize there was a base up there. Or is it just a recruiting station?"

"No, he meant the logistics base in Albany, Georgia. I almost stuck a pencil in my eye."

She crinkles her face. "Yowch! Don't do that! I like your eyes pencil-free." I look at her and crack another smile. "Albany is that bad, huh?"

"You have no idea," I shake my head. "Granted, I have no real idea either, but I've heard stories. It's in the southwestern corner of the state, very close to the Alabama and Florida state lines. Serious Hickville from what I've heard. Let's just say that next to nothing happens down there. I have a friend who's stationed in Albany and she says that the big news this year is that there's an Olive Garden opening up in the fall."

"That's the big news?"

I nod, solemnly. "Exciting, right?"

"Okay...so I'm assuming this story has a happier ending than in the bowels of Georgia?"

"Yes, thankfully," I laugh. "I'll be heading to Okinawa to be the Assistant G4 for 3rd MLG."

Her eyes widen, her smile bright. "Wow! Japan? That's freaking awesome. I have no idea what all those initials and acronyms mean, but you sure do sound happy! I'm actually a little jealous."

"Jealous?"

"Yeah," she nods, her lips twisted to the side of her mouth. "I'm ready to move on from North Carolina. I applied to get a teaching position overseas if one is available."

I swallow thickly again, reminding myself of the reality of this situation. Even though I've allowed these random ideas about Bella and me to run wild through my imagination, the chances that we could ever see each other again after this Hawaiian adventure are very slim. There's an expiration date on this friendship. I have to remember that... for her sake and mine.

"That's great. Do you know when you're supposed to be contacted by DODDS?"

"I suppose it could be any day now. They said this week or next." She's bouncing a little in her seat, eager to hear back from them.

"I hope it works out for you. There are bases all around the world with plenty of opportunities, I'm sure. That's how my best friend met his wife, actually."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Mhmm. Remember Eric, my sister's boyfriend who passed? His brother is my best friend from childhood. Anyway, Emmett was TAD over in Italy and he stopped in La Maddalena for several days. Rosalie was a teacher at the Naval Base there. They met out one night with friends and literally fell in love at first sight." I smile, remembering him calling me like a lovesick fool to say I had to be his best man because he was getting married in Vegas the following month. "They've been married for six years."

"Aww, that's a sweet story," she gushes. "How did you, Mr. 'I-like-to-be-between-relationships,' take it?"

I shrug, thoughtfully. "I was happy for him. Just because I haven't allowed myself to get tied down, it doesn't mean I can't be happy when a friend finds what he's looking for."

I watch her nodding in my periphery. She looks like she has more to say, a smirk playing on her lips, but she stays quiet. "Riley was really cute with Nalani at the bar last night."

Somehow I thought this might come up. My forever-bachelor friend seems to have honed in on one girl and made a liar out of me. Just last week, I told Bella that he had a girl in every port. And he did…until recently, unbeknownst to me. Nalani has been a constant for the two plus years that Riley's been stationed here on Oahu. She's really sweet and head-over-heels in love with Ri…anyone can see that. The thing is… I think he's realized that maybe he feels the same way, too.

The thought of Riley Biers off the market causes the addictive bass line of "Another One Bites the Dust" to run through my head. Sing it, Freddie.

"Yeah. He umm, he never told me just how close they'd gotten while I was deployed. I should've known something was up when all he did was dance with those girls on Friday night and then come home with me to crash on my couch."

"So maybe old dogs can find some new tricks, huh?" Bella teases.

I huff. "I suppose so." We pull up to a red light and I look over at Bella who has a shit-eating grin on her face. "What?"

Her eyes glisten before she pulls her shades down and raises her eyebrows. "Oh, nothing."

I bark out a laugh. "That smile you've got going on over there doesn't seem like nothing, Clementine. Out with it."

"I guess I can't resist saying that if the eternal bachelor, Major Biers, might be settling down, maybe there's hope for you yet!"

Not an ounce of trepidation or remorse. God, this girl calls 'em as she sees 'em. And just one week of spending time with Bella has me envisioning things I never remotely considered, but then I snap myself back into reality. Again. Too much sadness has happened in my life. I know what I'm doing. I'm certain of it…almost.

"Well, I suppose we should never say never in life. But at this point, I would say that I don't think settling down is for me."

She nods, smirking. "Whatever you say, sir." She punctuates that with one more brilliant grin and turns on my radio without a second thought.

^^TotS^^

"Holy Moses! Edward, you've gotta get out here and look at this view," Bella screeches out to me while I'm closing the closet door in one of the two bedrooms in our rental unit. I follow the sound of her 'oohs' and 'ahhs' and find her on the balcony looking out on the bluffs of the northern coastline of Kauai.

She's beaming from ear to ear as I walk out onto the patio. She turns back and leans over the railing, waving her arm, beckoning for me to join her. I step up and inhale the fresh air. Plumeria and ocean water invade my senses. The sun is shining brightly off the Pacific, the waves rippling and sparkling with each ebb and flow. I look over at Bella, who's snapping pictures of the view with her camera, and I'm hypnotized again.

I'm magnetically drawn to her and I can't help it. This is so unlike me and the mantra I've practiced for all my dating years. That it's best for me not to completely commit to anyone because it inevitably leads to heartache. But shit, she makes me question every goddamn thing I've believed since I was nine years old.

I wasn't prepared to say goodbye to her, so I tracked her down and practically begged that she let me come along with her on this trip. She said yes immediately, which is a good sign, of course. She said she wasn't ready to say goodbye either.

I just don't know what it will mean when this trip comes to an end. I live my life planning things. I'm a supply and logistics officer, for Christ's sake! Where I'm going, what I'm doing, what I'm eating…I know every detail hours, days, even weeks before they happen. Everything has a specific place in my life. And now there's a part—a big part— of me that's terrified of the time I actually have to let her walk away. Away from Hawaii and away from whatever it is that's going on here between us. This little spark that I think we both feel but have yet to act on. What will we do? What will I do? Am I really thinking about a relationship with her? And a long-distance one, at that? God, I need to sort this all out.

I've kept company with women because it was fun and enjoyable and let's face it, nobody wants to be lonely. But I was okay when the night was over. I was fine if I didn't hear back from them the next day or the next week…or even ever again.

But when I'm with Bella, I find myself desperately looking forward to the next time I can see her, talk to her. That moment is never enough. I keep wanting more. I'm feeling greedy and anxious and…fuck, what am I thinking? I've just never felt this way about anyone else I've dated…and I'm not even dating Bella! Everything I've known and practiced in my life doesn't fit the mold when I'm dealing with her. Simple has gone out the window, replaced by incredibly confusing, arousing and intriguing.

We just need to take our time. Figure things out slowly. If there really is a flame that wants and needs to be fed…we'll do it cautiously. I can't operate any other way. Clear-headed and rational is the only way to approach this situation.

I hear the door sliding behind me and realize that Bella must have stepped back into the condo while I was ruminating on the balcony. I take in one more breath of exotic Hawaiian air and get high on its scent before turning around to greet her.

"Hey, I'm ready to relax at the pool if you want to come down and join me. Could you get my back with suntan lotion before I head down?"

My ability to speak has been paralyzed. Bella is wearing a bikini that rivals every teenage boy dream I've ever had about a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition supermodel showing up at my front door. It's a tropical flower pattern with rich splashes of color in greens, purples, blues and a few specks of yellow. Clearly, I'm spending too much time studying her bathing suit while her body is SCREAMING to me as well.

She has very soft curves that accentuate her delicate frame. Her skin is already sun-kissed and slightly darkened from her outdoor activities of last week. And what's more, she's facing away from me. So I'm seeing her from behind. My eyes trail up her incredibly long, toned legs and land on her perky ass, barely tucked within the confines of her suit. Her back is a creamy palette just begging to be painted with chocolate syrup, whipped cream…tongue-trailing kisses. I feel woozy for a moment on that last thought. Her arms are lifted above her head, pulling her flowing, mahogany hair up and off her back and shoulders and her face has now turned back toward me, wondering what the hell could possibly be taking me so damn long to either answer her or get to work on slathering the lotion on her back.

"Edward?"

Yup. There's my sign. Way too long on the ogling.

"Yeah, sorry." I step up, take the lotion from her hand and squirt a small amount in my palm. I start on her shoulders and smooth my hands along her upper back and her shoulder blades. Fuck, her skin is smooth as silk. As my hands travel down her sides along her rib cage, she giggles.

Noted.

I dab another bit of lotion in my hand to finish covering the slender expanse of her back down to the very low line of her bikini bottom. I close the cap and stand upright again, proud of myself that I kept my oral secretions as well as my internal groaning under control.

I seriously challenge any man on the planet to do what I just did without making a sound and without drooling. Actually, scratch that…the image of any other man touching her makes me want to douse myself with a gallon of brain bleach to wash away that horrid vision.

"All set!"

Hearing my declaration, she turns around and I get the first glimpse of her bikini-clad body from the front. The word 'heavenly' sums it up pretty well.

"Thanks! Do you want to come down to the pool with me?"

"I was actually gonna sit down and make a list of everything we need to buy from the supermarket."

She looks at me incredulously. "Can't you do that on a lounge chair and enjoy the sun while you're at it? Why waste the day being inside when it's so gorgeous out here?" She pokes me in the shoulder with her index finger. "Come on, sir! Live a little!"

I laugh, shaking my head. "Okay. You win. Your excellent point about the weather notwithstanding, I do need your input on the shopping list."

She rolls her eyes. "Okay. First thing on the list…alcohol. We need to loosen you up a bit! This trip is about living every moment and having a blast, making memories along the way, got it?"

"Yes, ma'am."

She nods once. "Good! Come down to the pool when you're ready…I'll save you a lounge chair."

God in heaven. Her retreating image has me adjusting my shorts and wiping the sweat from my brow. What was I just saying? Rational and clear-headed something?

Jesus, am I fucked.

^^TotS^^

BPOV

"Salad?"

"Yeah, sure."

Edward is pushing the cart around Foodland while I'm tossing items in the basket left and right.

"What do you like in yours? Carrots? Tomatoes? Shredded cheese?" I ask, reaching for the grape tomatoes and examining the heads of Romaine available.

"Cucumbers are good for me," Edward responds, a smile playing on his lips.

"What are you smiling at?"

He shakes his head. "Just enjoying watching you prance around the produce section…that's all."

I feel my smile rise and I go back to choosing the most fabulous cucumber on the display case just for him. "What else, Captain Masen?"

"Just the cukes," he confesses, sheepishly.

"So just cucumbers and lettuce…how very green of you," I giggle. "Well, do you at least jazz it up with Catalina dressing or some other fun and exotic flavor like creamy Vidalia onion and honey vinaigrette?"

He shakes his head minutely and shrugs. "Balsamic."

"Green lettuce, green cucumbers and brown balsamic vinaigrette," I sigh. "I'm gonna teach you some stuff, sir. Salads can be so much more fun than that."

He mirrors the smile I'm giving him. "I don't doubt for a minute that you can teach me some stuff," he says softly, causing my breath to stutter a bit. "In fact, I look forward to it."

I swallow my giddy emotions, trying not to read into anything he's saying…but Jesus, when he looks at me with those emerald eyes, I lose my ability to think clearly and just want to launch myself at his body. The only move he's ever made was joining me in that sexy dance at the club the other night. I need to chill the hell out and just enjoy our time.

"So, what's next on the list?"

"Well, we agreed to easy dinners at the condo. So…taco stuff, spaghetti and garlic bread, lunchmeat for sandwiches, cereal…"

"Okay, I can go get a cart and grab some stuff so it cuts down on our shopping time, I know you like to be efficient with your schedule," I offer.

He scrunches up his face, but still smiles. "I'm actually having fun listening to what you like and don't like. It's like playing Twenty Questions without having to brainstorm for my next turn."

"Ooooh, I like it! Like crunchy or smooth peanut butter…grape or strawberry jelly…friendships hinge on these differences, you know," I add.

"Let's get started, since we're right here." He's pointing to the shelves across from the produce displaying the vast amount of choices in peanut butter and jelly dining. "What's it gonna be, Clementine? Crunchy or smooth?" he questions, eyebrow quirked.

"Honestly, I like both. My dad has always been a huge fan of Super-Chunk Skippy, but once I moved out during college and started buying my own groceries, my preference leaned toward smooth. So I'm sticking with smooth…final answer."

"You're lucky, kid. That was close right up till the end! Smooth it is," he adds with a wink.

Jeebus.

"Okay, you're on the spot for jelly, sir. Survey says?"

"I'm going with grape…and it has to be jam. Jelly has too many blobs; jam spreads more smoothly," he announces, confidently.

"Well, I'm totally with you on the grape. Although I love strawberry on English muffins, which I eat for breakfast whenever possible, so we're getting both."

"Fair enough."

"Interesting that we're both all about the smooth," I murmur, not meant to be overheard, while conjured up images of his smoothness send shivers up my spine.

"Interesting indeed," I hear him whisper back…not sure if he meant for me to overhear him either.

"But umm yeah…that jam versus jelly explanation; you've put quite a bit of thought into that one, haven't you?"

His crooked grin slinks up the side of his mouth. Oh, he's too stinkin' cute. He shrugs and says, "Logistician. It happens to the best of us."

I giggle, rolling my eyes at his resigned reply. "Okay, it's all well and good that we're getting peanut butter and jelly but if we're doing this right, we totally need to buy fluff, too."

His eyebrows rise to his cropped hairline. "Fluff?"

"Yes! Marshmallow fluff! Please tell me you've eaten a fluffernutter before."

He pinches his eyes closed for a half-second and sighs. "Bella…I don't…I've never…'fluffernutter'…it …it sounds like some type of cookie porn," he whisper-shouts at me in a chastising manner.

I feel my knees get weak, and I fall into Edward's side in a fit of hysterics. We stand in the middle of the aisle for a few beats more while I try to gather my composure. "Cookie porn?" I laugh again. "Where the hell do you come up with cookie porn?"

He starts to stutter and raises his hand to point between the cart and my body and his and…Lord, I don't even think he knows what he's doing. I'm doing my best not to continue to laugh in his face, though.

"Well… 'nutter' sounds like the Nutter Butter Cookie and..and…," he looks to the ceiling, shaking his head. His cheeks are flushed and the tips of his ears are bright red all of a sudden. "And the fluffer…ugh," he's still shaking his head, disgusted, and then leans in to whisper in my ear, "for God's sake, Bella…haven't you ever heard of a 'fluffer'?"

I stop laughing for a minute and straighten up. My eyebrows furrow because…nope…the only fluffer I've ever heard of was the scrum-diddly-umptious part of the sandwich in question. I shrug my shoulders and puff out my cheeks with air. "You've got me, Cap'n. What's a fluffer?" I reply back, a little too loudly, apparently… because the two teenage guys wandering by widen their eyes and start cracking up.

I sigh, feeling totally left out. "Come on! Tell me what a 'fluffer' is. If it's that bad, maybe I shouldn't be eating fluffernutters anymore," I smack my hands onto my hips. "It's not like an organization that kills baby ducklings for research or something, is it? Science experiments on infant chimps?"

Edward's face is now buried in his hands and he's muttering to himself. I lean in next to his head to see if I can decipher what it is that he's grumbling. He picks that moment to drop his hands and our faces are now mere centimeters away from each other. "Hi!" I smile as brightly as possible.

His eyes crinkle and he starts chuckling; then he licks his lips.

Sweet Jesus.

Whispering, he begins, "Bella…a 'fluffer' is a girl— or a guy, I suppose— depending on the way the actor swings, and I use the term 'actor' extremely loosely. Anyway, she or he is in charge of keeping the guy," he clears his throat, "…aroused, y'know…in a porn film."

My mouth falls open. Umm, yeah. Never expected that to be the definition of what a 'fluffer' is! I start to giggle because, although I'm not really embarrassed or put off by the concept of porn…I find it hilarious that my travel buddy, Captain "straight-laced-everything-has-its-place" Masen here, knows the ins and outs of…shall we say…stage hands?

While I'm laughing, his eyes flutter closed and he inhales sharply. "I'm never going to live this down, am I?"

I shake my head. "Not any time in the foreseeable future, no."

"That's what I figured," he shakes his head along with me. "Time to go find the alcohol... we'll need lots of it to drown out this particular moment in time."

"I'm still buying the fluff, ya know!" I call out as he wanders down the aisle, his ears still flaming red.

"I FIGURED THAT, TOO!" His shouty response has me giggling all over again. Oh, this boy.

^^TotS^^

"That spaghetti was really delicious, Bella. Thanks." Edward plunks down our plates and salad bowls in the sink.

I look over my shoulder in between loading glasses into the dishwasher. "It was my pleasure. You can be the cook on taco night," I add with a grin.

"Sounds like a plan. I can handle adding a seasoning packet to ground beef," he laughs and I join him. "This condo is terrific, by the way. I didn't compliment your find earlier when we checked in."

"Oh, you're welcome! It is great, I agree. We really lucked out with the view, the two bedrooms…and hello? That hot tub on the deck has my name written all over it tonight. I should probably slow down on the wine," I giggle to myself.

I glance back at Edward and he looks to be deep in thought…conflicted, maybe? "You okay over there?"

He snaps out of whatever trance he was caught up in and shows off his crooked smile. "Uhh, yeah. If you don't mind, I'm just gonna unpack a bit."

"Not at all. I was going to do the same thing before I splash around in the hot tub."

He nods and heads back toward his bedroom. He gave me the master suite, which was very generous. I have a bathroom attached to my bedroom, as well as a personal balcony. His room is down the hall. It's a nice size, also with a king bed like mine, but his bathroom is the one in the hallway. Although he doesn't have a balcony off his room, we're hardly slumming it here in Princeville. The living room is huge, we have a full kitchen with all the amenities and a big screen television mounted on the wall, as well as in both of our bedrooms. The décor is tropical, of course, but they haven't inundated us with rattan furniture making us feel like we're on the set of Golden Girls, either.

It's really perfect. Everything I'd hoped for, and the best part is… he's here with me.

I swear, I was all right with being on my own for this trip. I'm not the kind of girl to sit at home if I don't have somebody to tag along. If I'm hungry, I'll grab my kindle and go out to my favorite restaurant. I don't mind the table for one— I really don't. If a movie is playing at the theaters that I really want to see, I go. Sure, I ask Alice and Jasper, or Angela first…but if they aren't available, I won't sit at home.

I'm just not that person anymore. I vowed a long time ago to not let life pass me by. We don't know how much time we're given and I do the best I can to make every moment count. It doesn't mean I'm on the go every single minute. I like to be lazy and hang out in my pajamas all day from time to time, too…but ultimately, I made a promise to myself that I would take each day as an opportunity to embrace life for myself as well as for Mike and our son. I can't imagine functioning any other way…and I'm certain Mike is proud of the way I'm doing things. He'd never have wanted me to curl up into a ball and wither away after he was killed. That's just not who he was. And it isn't who I am, either.

And now, here I am with Edward. Feeling…something. A draw…a pull. I can't explain it yet, but I know I want to explore it some more. I think he's feeling the same way. I've caught him looking at me at different times throughout our days and nights together over the last week and a half. And not just when I'm speaking…it's been in the silent moments, too. I look over and we lock gazes. Then I smile, because how could anyone not smile at that man? I know he's been through a lot of pain in his life. I'm realizing why it's difficult for him to trust that not every relationship ends in sadness and despair. But he's closed himself off and that's truly a shame. Nobody should go through life with so little faith in happiness and love.

He has such kindness in his eyes; it's hard to look away. And then there's the strong jaw, his tensed neck that leads into his broad shoulders and exceptional biceps, his tanned forearms. Any fool can see that he takes pride in his physical fitness, as most Marines do. Mike was the same way.

Where was I? Oh, yes…his chest. The way his silver dog tags lay on his sternum, in contrast to his tanned skin. The chest hair, the definition of his abs. Okay, so that's pretty much all of his upper body, but I'm not made of steel. When he showed up to the deck of the pool this afternoon with his navy blue board shorts and the finest chest and toned legs I've ever seen, I had to flip over onto my stomach so I was forced to bury my face. I seriously would've just gawked at him the entire time. 'Take a picture, it'll last longer' comes to mind when I think about how I couldn't turn away from him today.

I snap myself out of my mental ogling and realize I've practically unpacked my entire bag. Panties, bras and pajamas are in my drawers. Clothes are on hangers, toiletries on the bathroom sink. That was pretty cool. I wish I could get all my housework done like that, quick and painless. Just think about Edward and his assets, that'll work!

^^TotS^^

Mmmm. This water feels incredible. Piping hot, yes, but so very relaxing. The scenery is pitch black out here, with the exception of the lights given off by our living room. When I hold my breath and turn off the water jets, I can hear the waves crashing below at the base of the cliffs.

So peaceful. So uncomplicated. So—

"Mind if I join you?" I hear Edward's disembodied voice behind me and I turn to find him. His entire body is in shadows with the living room fixtures giving off a backlight. He looks like a superhero in darkness…ready to rescue relaxed girls in hot tubs. Lucky for me, I'm the only one who fits that particular bill right now.

"Please! It's just what the doctor ordered after rushing around and traveling all day."

He drops his towel on the side of the hot tub and climbs over the side, sliding in and groaning in sated glory the whole way down, as he sits on the bench to my right. My breath catches in my chest, listening to his throaty moan of satisfaction and I have to look away, lest I start to froth at the mouth. I've been celibate for over three years, with the exception of my trusty fingers. All this moaning and groaning and chest action he's inadvertently displaying…like I said earlier, I'm not made of steel; a girl can only handle so much.

"Good, right?" I offer, stupidly. I figure that's better than volunteering to do a wet lap dance.

"God, this feels fantastic." He raises his arms out of the water and starts stretching them this way and that. Cracking his knuckles and rolling his neck, then he brings a handful of water up to his head and scrubs up and down on his face and through his very short crew cut. I have to bite the inside of my cheek and start studying my fingernails to avoid looking like a stalker. He starts to stretch out his long legs, but mine are already across the tub and propped up on the opposite bench. As soon as our legs meet underwater, we both instinctively pull our legs into our bodies and apologize in unison for the collision.

"Sorry!"

"Sorry…no, it's fine…here," I shift my body to the side a bit so that I can still have my legs stretched out, but they're on the bench to my left, allowing him to lengthen his legs along the seat to his right.

"So, what should the plan be for tomorrow? Hanging out and relaxing? Or starting the whirlwind tour?" he questions while his head is tipped back on the side of the tub, his eyes closed for the moment.

"We could do a tour if you want. Or go exploring on our own. Are you a golfer?"

He shakes his head. "Nah, never got into it. I've been on a few golf outings with my command before…basically I just try to not embarrass myself in front of my superiors. It's an expensive hobby…and not one I'm very good at. How about you?"

"Nope. Mike enjoyed it, but I thought it was boring," I laugh. "He would turn on the television on a Sunday and watch golf for hours," I shake my head, remembering. "Like watching paint dry."

We both burst out laughing and in that moment our eyes meet. One of those pregnant pauses which cause me to swallow tightly and smile again. "Anyway, the whole concept of Princeville golf will be lost on us, I guess," I shrug.

"Are you interested in a helicopter tour of Waimea Canyon?"

"Definitely. And my mom and dad said the fern grotto is a must," I add. "Oh, and of course a luau. I'd love to see a luau on each island, if we could."

He smiles. "A luau tour of Hawaii, huh?" He looks up at me, squinting his eyes in the darkness. "We could do that. Did your parents give you any other tips? I take it they've vacationed here before?"

"Yeah, when I was a very young girl, they came here for their tenth wedding anniversary. They spent a week on Kauai and another on Oahu. I'll have to email them tonight and ask again for some ideas. But I remember they mentioned the grotto, there's a movie tour we can take, the helicopter tour," I mark off with my fingers.

"The Nepali Coast on the northwest corner of the island and the rainforest at the top are supposed to be quite the sights to see."

"Awesome… between our basic knowledge and the online research we've done, I think we'll have a full plate this week." I look up and appreciate the star-filled sky for a moment. "So what do you think? How about the movie tour tomorrow and maybe a luau at night? Sound good?"

"Absolutely."

I sigh and shift. "Well, I think I'm gonna retire for the night. My fingers have completely pruned," I laugh. As I stand up, I wobble a bit, but Edward reaches out his arms to steady me around my thighs. "Whew! I think that wine and the heated water did me in."

"You sure you're okay? Here. Let me at least help you step out so that you don't tip right the hell off the balcony."

I smile and roll my eyes, playfully. "Okay, safety patrol. But thank you."

He steps out and wraps the towel around his waist. Holy shit, is that a sight. Now I know what he must look like stepping out of a shower. The warm water trickles down his shoulders, dog tags, abs and legs. And again, I have to withhold my groan of thanks to the Lord for blessing the world with such a specimen.

I sit on the edge of the tub and swing my legs around. He's standing there to grab my hands as he helps me. I straighten up and our bodies, heated and wet from the exhilarating hot tub experience, are inches away from each other. Our chests are rising and falling in time as I look up and our eyes lock again for the umpteenth time in the last ten days.

I swallow hard and smile. Too fast…it's too fast, Bella. Don't.

"Thanks," I clear my throat. "Are you done out here, too?"

He nods. "Yeah. I'm done. We should get an early start tomorrow. Bed sounds like the place to be." He reaches over and shuts off the jets.

"It does." I exhale, exaggeratedly, trying not to think about his bed and instead step toward the sliding glass door. Once inside, I immediately start to shiver because of the air conditioning. Goose bumps sprout all over my body.

"Damn, that's quite the drop in temperature. Do you mind if I turn the air down a bit?" he asks after moving the towel to his shoulders.

"No, go right ahead. If I need to, I can always flip the ceiling fan on in the middle of the night."

I walk to the small hallway where he's standing, adjusting the thermostat. I pass behind him, brushing against his back. I can feel the goose bumps on his skin as my belly skims the expanse of his tanned back.

I permit myself one final glance for the night as I turn in my doorway. We stare for a moment, I watch his jaw tense and clench, his Adam's apple bobbing. I wonder what he's thinking in this moment.

Are we there yet? Are we getting there? Too soon…too fast?

But it's calling to me…he's calling to me, even if it is silently.

"Well…goodnight," I offer, quietly, my eyes studying his.

He swallows once more and nods once. "Sleep well, Bella."

I step inside the room and close the door. My body falls into it with a dull thud I'm hoping he didn't hear. I crouch down on the carpet and allow my head to drop back.

Are we getting there? I don't know about the 'we', but I sure know I'm thinking about it…a lot.

I can feel it. The same bald eagles from the other night are flapping around in my belly again. Is he feeling them, too?

Something's definitely happening here…soon, I hope.

Military Terms:

Monitor- military member assigned to helping a Marine decide where his or her next duty station will be.

Twenty-Nine Stumps- the pathetic but well-deserved nickname for the Marine Corps Base in Twenty-Nine Palms. It's located in the middle of the Mojave Desert in California and there's basically nothing to do! (this definition was given NOT by Wikipedia but by my hubs, the Major, as he's experienced the boredom that is 29 Palms/Stumps, lol!)

Ninety-six- A four-day weekend; ninety-six hours work-free!

G4- The supply and logisitics department within a wing or a group.

3rdMLG- Third Marine Logistics Group; part of the Third Marine Expeditionary Force which is based on the island of Okinawa, Japan. Those stationed on Okinawa consider themselves to be "the tip of the spear," as they are frequently first to be mobilized when a conflict arises or there's humanitarian need around the globe. Sidebar: the Major just informed me that ALL Marines consider themselves to be the "tip of the spear"...cocky buggers ;) lol.

DODDS- The Department of Defense Dependents Schools are a network of schools, both primary and secondary, that serve dependents of the US Military. They're operated by DODEA (which was referenced in an earlier chapter) The Department of Defense Education Activity.

TAD- Temporary additional duty; the military's version of a business trip.

A/N: Happy New Year, sweet readers! Abounding thanks to my spectacular Team Cabana headed up by the fantabulous LaMomo the BetaNazi and my awesome pre-reading Cabana Girls: Cejsmom, Born Onhalloween and Jules Twifanawesomesox. And another special thank you to my military technical advisor, my hubs, who answers my questions about all things Marine Corps all the live-long day.

A fourth, yes FOURTH list has formed of ladies who are wanting to become official Call Girls and order a Last Call Girl T-shirt in honor of Callward! So excited that so many have discovered my first story and are enjoying it. If you'd like a Call Girl T-shirt, please come over to our FB group, The Cabanaboy's Playground, or just PM me and I will add you to the list! Call Girl shirts have gone viral, LOL! :)

Thank you so very much to all my readers, reviewers, lurkers, alerters, favoriters, tweeters, pimpers, etc. I'm trying to reply to reviews whenever possible to acknowledge your time and effort in reading and reviewing my story when there are so many others out there to choose from. So thank you, once again, with love.

Next update (hopefully) within two weeks! I haven't dismantled Christmas decos yet and Corasaurus Rex's 2nd birthday is this coming Saturday...so there are responsibilities that I have to address away from the computer. I'll do my very best to stick to my timeline, though! Thank you for giving me this extra week leeway over the holiday season. Jersey rocked, as expected! :D

xo, Jen