Sarah's POV
Ranger and I sauntered along the mountainside pretending to study the local flora. "Why are you so far out here alone Honey?" I asked him in order to turn our conversation more personal.
"I'm what you call a back county ranger." He said, and smiled apologetically. I looked at him puzzled and he continued. "I load up the mule with supplies and spend several weeks out in isolation. Kind of a patrol, I keep a lookout for hikers, like you, watch for trails that need repair that sort of thing."
I circled ahead, stopping him in his path to enable to speak to him face to face. "I've spent a lot of time on my own and I understand the peace it can give, but don't you ever…get lonely?" He cleared his throat.
"I feel very lucky to have this job. All I've ever wanted to do was to help protect the natural balance of the forests." He took my hand and I could tell he was surprised to find it so cold, but he didn't let go. We continued walking. "It's true some of it is mundane like issuing permits and collecting fees, enforcing rules and regulations, but once in a while I get to take about thirty students on nature walks and teach the kids about the botany and wildlife right in their own backyard." His eyes lit up when he talked about his job.
"It's important to enjoy what you do, but that really doesn't answer my question." I smiled seductively at him. My vampire magnetism was pulling him in more every minute.
"Sarah…yes, of course it gets lonesome at times." I stole the hat from his head and tried it on. It made him laugh and his eyes sparkled like emeralds. "You are a beautiful and…unusual girl, but relationships don't really work for me." I tilted my head and waited for an explanation. "I love the job, but the job is my dating downfall. I live in a rustic cabin in the middle of nowhere. Girls want excitement not outhouses." I had to laugh then.
"So, did they ever catch that guy?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood.
"What guy?" Ranger asked falling for the bait.
"The guy who stole your razor, Honey." Okay, waaay out of date, but a classic. He did laugh and put his hand up to stroke the beginning of his beard. I can make this work, I know I can.
2 Days Later
Bella's POV
I was getting ready for school when my phone rang. "Hello?"
"Hey baby sister. I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Emmett asked sarcastically.
"No." I answered; wary of his tone…what is he up to now?
"Cause if you and my alcoholic of a brother are busy…" He snickered.
"Gees, don't you have anything better to do than worry about our sex life?" Honestly.
"Oh man! It's really true. I thought Jaz was pulling my chain…OW! Stop it Rose, I mean it!" He was obviously under attack.
"Are you finished, because I have to get ready for class?" I said, losing my patience.
"Yeah, right…sure you're not busy hiding the sausage…spearing the bearded clam…invading the…"
"I'm hanging up now." Click
I went to the kitchen for some cheerios before I had to leave. Jasper and Alice were at the table discussing something in vampire-ese. I knew they were going to leave today and continue their scenic route south so I had to get that blonde tattle tale back before he could disappear on me.
I opened the fridge and took out the pie I'd bought at Freddy's last night. Edward had mentioned the conversation about food that had taken place on the foiled hunting trip. I cut a slice of pie and set it out on a plate. Jasper's head twisted in my direction. Good. I got a fork from the silverware drawer and sat down at the table directly across from him.
"What's that?" Jasper sighed. He knew what it was.
I put a bite of the pie on my fork and held it out to him. "Just some pie…pecan I think."
"Oh." He looked longingly at it. Alice rolled her eyes.
I put the bite of pie in my mouth and closed my eyes. "Mmmmmmm." Jasper was starting to salivate.
Edward joined us then, dropping his books loudly in the center of the table. "Quit it." He said sharply to Jasper who I have to assume was philosophizing of ways to get even with me for teasing him. Edward stared intently at me and watched me eat the pie. He reached out to tuck a lock of hair behind my ear. "You're having dessert for breakfast?" he asked quietly. I blushed crimson at his cryptogram. "Not a bad idea…" he added huskily, and my thighs rubbed together involuntarily.
Luckily Sarah chose that moment to flutter into the kitchen and we were all present. "I quit my job." She announced to the room in general and took a seat at the table.
"Where have you been?" Edward demanded of Sarah snappishly. We girls all got communally peeved at his tone.
"OUT…dad." She scoffed at him and turned towards Alice. "Now that I have this nifty bottomless credit card I'm going to become a full time student!" She was excited.
"Oh yeah, what's you major?" Joked Jasper.
She didn't recognize the standard pick up line for what it was but simply answered his query. "Zoology, just like Ranger. It'll give us oodles of things to talk about."
"Is that where you've been all this time?" Edward was stuffing his books into a satchel. Why was he so annoyed?
"Are you going to change him?" Asked Jasper.
Sarah and Edward both yelled, "No!" At the same time, and then looked at each other awkwardly. After a pause Sarah added quietly, "I like him just as he is." Edward nodded silently to her. So that's what it was, he was worried for her. At least they could finally agree on something.
"These inter…racial affiliations can be complicated." Edward stumbled over his words. I figured I'd better get us out of here before this came to blows. I grabbed his arm and told him we'd be late if we didn't go right now. He continued anyway while walking backwards toward the door. "You can't tell him what you are, and you can't have a genuine bond unless he knows." He pointed at her. "It's close to impossible." He dug himself further into a hole.
"Don't tell me what I can and cannot do Sugar! If I want to tell him about me, then I will!" Sarah shouted at Edward. Jasper and Alice kept looking from each of them like they were following a tennis match.
Edward stopped in his tracks and I all but fell over from the abruptness. "It's like you're a vampire, but you don't know ANY of the rules. The Volturi will not allow that kind of behavior." He spouted now exasperated. I pulled him towards the door again. It was past time to end this.
Sarah looked at us each in turn and inquired, "The…who?" Jasper's head hit the table with a clunk. Edward ran his hand through his hair and the room sans Sarah collectively groaned.
Bella's POV
Edward helped me make the bed. The bed, I can blissfully say has actually been getting used, and the way he was looking at me made me wonder if it might be time for desert again. Let's just say it was difficult to pacify Edward's new craving for dessert. "It's been like grand central station through here lately. What do you say we get away for the weekend love?" He asked me.
"Okay." Traveling with Edward was always a treat. "Where are we going?"
"Louisiana." That was unexpected.
"What's in Louisiana?"
"New Orleans, The French Quarter, wrought iron fences…mint juleps." He smiled at me.
People don't usually just walk up to the airport ticket counter the same day as their trip and buy two first class tickets. I thought the agent's eyes were going to bug out of his head. We showed our forged passports as identification and headed to our departure gate.
Edward's POV
The limo driver dropped us in front of The Peabody Hotel. The doorman signaled for a bellboy to collect our luggage. I walked Bella into the hotel and by the famous travertine marble fountain in the lobby. Good…the ducks were present.
In the 1930's the current general manager and his friend, Chip, having returned from a hunting trip and having had a little too much Tennessee sipping whiskey decided it would be fun to place their live decoy ducks into the fountain. It has been a tradition for the ducks to march down a red carpet and into the fountain at 11:00am and then back to their pens at 5:00pm ever since.
Bella was elated. I loved taking her to new places. It warmed me inside to watch her experience things for the first time. The Peabody is a very small chain of luxury hotels, but every time I visit a city with one I stay there. Besides the excellent service, the ducks make for a convenient midnight snack. Just kidding.
Bella's POV
After checking into the hotel Edward and I walked down Canal Street hand in hand. We paused from time to time to sightsee, window shop and smooch. We stopped in at a confectioner shop for chocolates for me, a trendy boutique for a souvenir for Sarah and a bookstore to search for a rare first edition for Edward. We almost walked past a tee shirt store, but I took Edward's hand and dragged him inside.
There were shirts hanging from every space possible, even from the ceiling. I noticed a printing machine at the end of the counter and decided to make my own. I selected a navy V neck and the clerk added the caption I asked for. I emerged from the little make shift dressing room in the back of the store and I got the reaction I was looking for.
Edward face broke into a full grin and out came the most carefree laugh when he read the message printed across my chest, "You Break It, You Bite It."
He noticed I was beginning to slow down and we started back to our hotel.
I enjoyed a small supper while Edward related a funny story to me involving Emmett, himself and an irate crocodile in Africa. Each was depicted with a salt shaker, a pepper shaker and a sugar dispenser in turn. He can be very witty when he wants to be. I finished and we went upstairs to our room.
Once we were inside our room and the door securely closed I found myself in a breathtaking embrace. Breathtaking as it seemed I'd never be let up for air, but then he released me and took several slow backwards steps. What's this?
Edward dug into his pocket pulled out something shiny that cascaded through his fingers, and tossed the mass right at me. I instinctively put up my hands and caught several metallic strings of beads in different colors. Okay, I'd never been to New Orleans, but everyone has heard of Mardi gras. Does this mean what I think it means? Judging by the evil grin I was getting, it did.
Edward's POV
I stepped back to allow enough room and then tossed the beads I'd picked up today while Bella was preoccupied choosing chocolates to fill a little square box. Four long strings of Mardis gras beads. She caught them, gazed curiously at them (any minute now) and then up at me in astonishment. There it was, that lovely blush I'd been thinking about all day. "Well? I'm waiting love." Toying with Bella is more fun than the autobahn at night.
Just look at her. Would it ever stop…the powerful wanting? Even after I've just left her my chest feels tight and my fingers ache to touch her again. When I hold her between my cold hands and feel her quiver waiting for me to take her…I want to please her till she cries out and opens herself to me.
While Bella was struggling against a decent upbringing I allowed my mind to wander again. Had it only been just over one week since I'd first met our meddling neighbor? So much had changed for the better. I had a great deal to thank her for.
I was immensely gratified to have been able to locate and purchase a delicate lavender parasol today. I had spotted the ridiculous thing in a window display of a small boutique and, I believe, probably shocked the sales lady by actually paying money for it. But…back to the present.
Bella's conflict was abruptly decided to my benefit as she slowly pulled her shirt off over her head and began a sort of strip tease involving the liberation of her bra, an indiscernible tune she was humming while wiggling her hips and the beads I'd pitched. Oh, so much to be thankful for. I tried to keep from tackling her as she completed her improved routine.
When she was down to her socks I went in for the kill, so to speak.
The End
Author's note; The Peabody Hotel is real as are the ducks. The original stands in Memphis and the others are in Orlando and in Little Rock. I invented the one in New Orleans for my own use. Hope you enjoyed the story.