"Did Alice make my guac?" Edward yelled over his shoulder.

Jasper sighed and slid his beer bottle from one hand to the other. Edward straightened and peered over the edge of the refrigerator door at him. "It's boys' night. She always makes my guacamole."

"It's in the red Tupperware," Jasper replied flatly.

Edward ducked back down and came up triumphant, holding the Tupperware container in one hand. "Score."

"You know, it's Bella's guacamole recipe," Jasper told him, his irritation finally starting to break through. He didn't like having any drama in his inner circle, and right now, there was a lot of drama brewing.

"What do you mean?" Edward asked, frowning. He sat down opposite Jasper and tore into a bag of blue corn tortilla chips.

"Bella gave Alice the recipe. It's Bella's. You like Bella's guacamole," Jasper reiterated.

Edward's frown deepened. He recognized Jasper's "grown up" voice, and his suspicion that this was no ordinary boys' night grew stronger. He took a big scoop of Alice's – no, Bella's – guacamole and chewed thoughtfully, buying some time. Jasper stared at him.

"All right. Hit me," Edward said, swallowing the last of his chips and dip. He took a swig of his beer. "Lay it on me."

"Come on, Edward, don't be a dick," Jasper scowled.

"Tell me how I should act, then," Edward snapped. "Am I not here so you can give me a lecture or some other bullshit? You should tell Alice to mind her own business."

"Leave Alice out of this," Jasper snapped right back. "She isn't the issue here. Bella is."

Edward leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "Haven't you been telling me for years that I should take more of an interest in Bella? Be her friend?"

"I did tell you that," he agreed. "But why now? I find it very interesting that the week Bella and Emmett get together is the week you decide you need to know Bella better."

"So they are together, then?" Edward asked softly.

Jasper snickered. When Edward asked Alice that same question, she told him that if it was so important for him to know, he should ask Bella or Emmett. "Answer the question."

"Answer mine," Edward demanded. His voice was harsh but his green eyes reflected something Jasper had never seen in them before...pain.

Instead of answering, Jasper took a long drink of his Heineken. "Tell me why you have this sudden interest in Bella."

Edward shrugged. Then his shoulders slumped and he rubbed a hand over his face. "I'm all fucked up, Jasper."

"What do you mean?" he questioned, leaning forward. Edward rarely opened up to anyone, even to him, and he was undoubtedly Edward's closest friend.

"I kind of just…I don't know. I always figured that Bella and I would end up together," he mumbled.

"You never even talk to her," Jasper pointed out, half laughing.

"Shut up, Jasper, it isn't funny," Edward protested. "And I know…but every time I tried to talk to her, she'd look at me like she was terrified of me. I figured it would happen whenever it was meant to."

"You haven't exactly been waiting for her," Jasper mused. "So…basically…you thought Bella would just wait for you forever, like a little puppy, until you decided you were ready to settle down?"

"No! Don't make it sound like that," Edward shook his head. "You make it sound like…"

Jasper shrugged. "Don't tell Bella that. Or Alice, for that matter. She'll skin you alive. It's not exactly flattering. And it makes you sound like a major asshole."

"I guess I am," Edward said sadly. "I mean, I totally missed my shot. I was waiting for her to make the first move. Now Emmett is all over her."

"She deserves someone who will be all over her," Jasper replied bluntly. "You're not ready to settle down, Edward. Leave her alone."

"I can't stop thinking about her," Edward groaned, looking up with haunted eyes. "It's like – as soon as I found out that she was with Emmett, something changed. All of a sudden she's all I want. I guess I'm too late. I waited too long."

"You just want her because you can't have her now."

Edward traced the label on his beer bottle. "You really think I can't have her?"

"I'm going to pretend that you didn't even say that, Edward," Jasper said slowly. "Because Emmett is one of my best friends. One of yours, too. And you'd never do that to your best friend."

"I'm glad you came to dinner," Alice smiled indulgently. "And I have to apologize again – "

"Alice, please, let it go," Bella interrupted her.

"Seriously, Bella," Alice leaned forward and grabbed her hand. "I'm sorry. I was way harsh and I didn't mean to be. I just get worried about Emmett. I'm kind of protective. But I'm so happy that you two are together. I know you wouldn't do anything to jeopardize that."

"Never," Bella shook her head. "Why are you so protective of him? I didn't realize you two were particularly close."

Alice shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She paused to take a sip of her water and look around for their waitress. "Emmett has liked you for a really long time."

Bella rolled her eyes. "I know. You told me that. And he kind of alluded to it, too, but that doesn't even make sense. He's been hung up on Rosalie. He was even trying to get back together with her on St. Patrick's Day."

Alice rolled her eyes. "Hooking up and being hung up are not the same thing, Bella."

"Whatever," Bella mumbled. She still hadn't really come to terms with the fact that she was actually dating Emmett – who, rumor had it, almost proposed to Rosalie Hale after graduation.

Rosalie was beautiful; tall, statuesque, blonde and goddess- like. She was curvy where Bella was slender. She was graceful where Bella was clumsy. Worst of all, she was an experienced, accomplished woman – and Bella often felt like a child, fumbling her way through life.

She didn't want to think of Rosalie, with or without Emmett, because it hurt her stomach.

"I'm serious," Alice insisted. She brushed an errant lock of hair away from her face and leaned forward, her eyes darting around, as if looking for spies. "Emmett has liked you since we were in high school."

Bella frowned and sat back in her seat. Well, that really just didn't make sense. He had happily dated Rosalie for years.

"Try not to worry your pretty little head over it," Alice said dryly. "Did you know his birthday is coming up? Next month."

Bella nodded. She did know that. "I have no idea what to get him."

"You've gotten him presents before," Alice pointed out. "He's had a couple of big birthday bashes. What did you get him then?"

She grimaced. "Beer and scratch off tickets."

Alice laughed. "Yeah, this year maybe you should raise the bar a little."

"Maybe something exercise-y," Bella thought aloud. "He works out a lot. Maybe there's some kind of gadget he'd like."

"That's kind of boring," her friend replied.

Bella was already too distracted to supply a witty comeback. It was a recurring problem; whenever she thought of Emmett exercising, it seemed she suddenly ran short on common sense.

A few days ago she woke up alone in his huge bed. It was too early for him to be at work or at practice, so she deduced that he must be exercising. After a few minutes, she heard a repetitive thumping noise coming from the other end of his house.

Curious, Bella threw on her pajamas (which somehow made it onto the floor during the night) and wandered down the hallway. One door was cracked open and the noises were obviously coming from inside that room. She had never been in it before.

Bella quietly pushed the door open wide enough to look in.

Her mouth dried up, and she suddenly wished she hadn't put her clothing back on.

Emmett wore only sneakers and a pair of longish black shorts. A punching bag hung from the ceiling, and thick black gloves covered his hands. He didn't see or hear her; he was totally in the zone. His feet never stopped moving and his chiseled arms moved in repetitive, quick movements.

His abs constricted and relaxed with each of his harsh breaths, and the sweat was practically pouring off him. She had never seen such an unadulterated display of testosterone in her entire life. Bella couldn't control her body's reaction to such delicious visual stimulation; she wanted him fiercely.

"Ummmm, Bella?"

Bella snapped out of her reverie and looked at Alice sheepishly. "Yeah?"

Alice laughed and just shook her head. "Have you looked at the menu? That's our waitress."

Bella snatched her menu and opened it up, hoping Alice couldn't tell what she was thinking about. She was too warm and fanned herself with the menu, then blushed furiously when Alice laughed out loud. "I'll just get a chicken sandwich. And I don't think exercise-y stuff is the way to go. He was looking at my sneakers the other day and said they were crappy. I think he's kind of particular with that kind of stuff."

"Guys don't know anything about fine footwear," Alice sniffed.

"Well, he said they were cute but they don't give my feet any support," Bella shrugged. At Alice's evil eye, she elaborated. "Alice, he goes to school for physical therapy. He knows about arches and support and all of that."

"God, please don't start spouting off Emmett's finer points. If that's your plan, I need to order a martini. Right now."

"Oh, please," Bella scoffed. "As if I'm going to make it through today - wedding shopping - without turning to hard liquor. You owe me, remember?"

It was a long day, and Bella got home much later than she expected. It was nearly eight o'clock by the time Alice dropped her off. Their shopping excursion was successful, though. Alice placed orders for all of her wedding favors.

Bella didn't want to point out that it was a bit premature to order favors, when she hadn't even decided on invitations….but then again, Alice marched to the beat of her own drummer. She knew what she wanted and seldom explained herself.

There wasn't much in the fridge for dinner, but there was a can of soup in the cupboard. Bella changed into sweats and twisted her hair up. She wanted to call Emmett. They'd only been dating a few weeks and hadn't yet gotten their schedules synched. She hadn't seen him in almost three days.

As she reached for her phone, the display lit up and it began vibrating. Bella laughed, seeing Emmett's name on the caller ID. "Hey. I was just about to call you."

"Oh yeah? Did you miss me?" he teased, sounding a bit breathless. It reminded her of watching him box, all sweaty and half naked.

"Yeah," Bella breathed.

"Are you hungry?" Emmett asked.

Bella looked at her pitiful can of soup. She actually was hungry, but she didn't feel like getting redressed to go back out. "Yeah, kind of…"

"Well, open up, because I've got Chinese."

Bella heard banging on the door and she laughed, hanging up on him and tossing her cell onto the couch. She raced across the room, her heart pounding with sudden excitement. She pulled the door open to reveal Emmett leaning on the wall across from her door. He had a duffel bag over one shoulder and big paper bag in his hands.

He held up the bag. "Special delivery."

Bella held the door open and Emmett slipped by her, pausing to kiss her. She licked her lips when he pulled away, trying to control herself. She never really considered herself a sexual person prior to her relationship with Emmett.

That had all changed on St. Patrick's Day. A large part of her new mindset was due to Emmett's skills in the bedroom, but it was more than that. Emmett made it fun. It wasn't just body parts and moving and sweating, it was laughing. It was fun. It was just better than anything else she had ever felt.

"Were you going to bed?" he asked, nodding at her attire.

She sat down at the kitchen table and watched him unload the Chinese food. He put the sweet and sour chicken and white rice in front of her, then grabbed plates and silverware. "No. Just getting comfy."

He unpacked the rest of the bag, pulling out his own favorites. Bella loved that he knew what to order her, no questions asked. It was also cute that he knew where her dishes were.

It was so easy to just be with him. Bella had always lived on her own and taken care of herself. Now Emmett was slowly saturating himself in every aspect of her life. She found that she liked to be cared for, much more than she expected. It didn't make her feel like she was losing her independence…she just felt loved. Her apartment felt more cheerful when he was there, and when he wasn't it became too quiet and empty, and she missed him.

"What are you doing this weekend?" he asked, taking a huge bite of lo mein.

Bella shrugged. "I didn't plan anything. I'm working Saturday until three but I'm off Sunday."

"Do you want to go on a hike on Sunday?"

He looked so excited that she couldn't bear to tell him that she hated hiking. She wasn't an athletic girl, and hiking just conjured up memories of rolled ankles and snakes and mosquito bites.

"Come on," he wheedled. "It'll be fun. I'll make a picnic and everything."

"Okay," Bella said grudgingly. "But not like a super long hike, right?"

Emmett started laughing so hard that bits of lo mein flew out of his mouth. He slapped a hand over his mouth and continued to guffaw, his big shoulders shaking.

Bella, who jumped at his sudden outburst of laughter, crossed her arms over her chest. "What? It's not that funny. You probably want to hike, like, fifteen miles or something ridiculous like that."

Emmett picked up his napkin and wiped his eyes. "Ahh. No, no, I'm not laughing about the hike thing. Do you remember the other night, when I was..."

Bella stared at him blankly. When he was…?

"When I went down on you," he clarified, trying not to laugh. As he expected, she choked a little and turned bright red.

"Yes, I remember," she whispered. Bella covered her face with her hands. "What? What did I do?"

Emmett laughed again, uproariously, at her reaction. "Well, just when you were about to come, you said – "

Bella bit her lip, trying not to giggle as Emmett's voice became all breathy and high-pitched.

"Oh, Emmett, please, please I'm sooo….I'm super close!"

"I did not!" she protested, laughing.

"I'm super close!" Emmett repeated, laughing harder.

"I still don't believe you, but I'm glad you find my incoherence so amusing," Bella pouted.

"I take great pride in your incoherence," Emmett grinned cockily. He forked up more lo mein, deciding it was safe to continue eating. "Maybe I can make you incoherent tonight."

Bella bit her lip and nodded. She had been on edge for days; every time she didn't have something to focus on, her mind brought up Emmett. Then she would invariably think of him boxing, or running, or maybe doing pushups…even though the only athletic thing she had actually seen him do was box.

"Oh, by the way, I got you something," he said, wiping his mouth with his napkin. He stood up and rubbed his hands on his jeans.

Bella watched him cross the room and unzip his duffel bag. He pulled out a box of sneakers and handed it to her. "This is for you."

Bella looked at the box stupidly for a moment before taking it. It was a pair of Nikes in her size. She opened the lid and looked at the pair of pink and blue sneakers, nestled together in the box.

"They're still cute," Emmett said. He shrugged. "I mean, they're the same colors as your other ones. But these will give you better support. You have really high arches."

Bella put the box on her lap, still staring at the shoes. Her vision blurred with tears, ruining her view of the pink and blue sneakers.

"If you don't like them you can exchange them," he said quickly. "I saved the receipt for you."

"You just bought them for me?" Bella asked, finally looking up at him. She couldn't remember a time when someone gave her something just because.

"Why are you crying?" he frowned, his voice worried. "I didn't mean anything by it. I just thought…they're a good pair of shoes."

She stood up quickly and knocked the box to the floor. Bella rose up on her tip toes and wrapped her arms around his neck. Just like she hoped, Emmett wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against his solid frame.

"What's the matter, baby?" he murmured, his words tickling her ear.

"I love them," she replied, squeezing him tighter. "I love the shoes."

"Good," Emmett said, but his voice was clearly puzzled. Instead of pushing the subject, he pulled back and kissed the side of her throat. "I missed you this week."

"Me too," she agreed. "Three days is too long to not see you."

He smiled and pressed his lips against hers, groaning throatily just a few seconds later. He forced himself to pull away, aware his heart was beating as if he was in the middle of a marathon. "Do you want to finish eating or…?"

"No!" Bella exclaimed, looking at him as though he was crazy.

He laughed shortly, not really in amusement but more because he just fucking loved this girl. He ran his hands down her back and over her ass, giving it a quick squeeze before lifting her up. Bella immediately locked her legs around his waist.

He staggered over to the couch. She was as light as a feather, and he knew she loved it when he picked her up and dragged her around. It definitely turned her on. But right now he couldn't – because his knees felt weak and he just needed to sit down and focus on her.

She was under his skin, more so than he could ever have imagined. He thought of Bella every second of every day, and it was becoming torturous. It was like he was addicted to her.

He collapsed onto the couch and Bella immediately sat up, grinding against him as she moved, and shoved him back. Emmett watched, with pleasure, as she pulled off her shirt and then began working on his.

Bella hadn't taken the lead in any of the times they had been together. He was more than happy to oblige, but this was something new and exciting.

She only looked up at him once, and at his wide smile she blushed again. He loved that blush. It meant he was doing something right, because every time Bella blushed with him, it was accompanied by a smile all her own. Emmett got a kick out of her "shyness." Bella wasn't really shy. Not with him, anyway.

Her fingers fumbled with his zipper, and Emmett thrust his hips forward to give her more room. Instead of unzipping him, she froze and looked up at him with wide eyes. He stared at her, lost in that gaze, until she gave herself a little shake and snapped out of it.

Then his fly was down and her hands were on him, squeezing him, sliding up and down his length. Emmett forced himself to focus on his breathing, trying to pace himself. He had walked around with a hard on for the past three days, and it wasn't going to take long to send him over the edge.

He kept his eyes tightly shut, because the image of Bella on the floor between his knees was system overload. He couldn't watch. He couldn't watch her hands touching him, making his muscles clench and tighten with longing.

But when he felt her soft lips brush against the head of his swollen cock, and then felt the warmth of her hot, wet mouth envelop him – his eyes flew open and he gasped for air.

Her hair was down – had he done that? It was up before. Her eyes were closed now, and her head bobbed up and down as she tried to take him completely into his mouth. Her obviously amateur strokes and disjointed movements were more of a turn on than if she'd handled him like a pro, because this was Bella. She was giving him something he didn't think she gave anyone else, and that pleased him an inordinate amount.

He endured the sweet agony for only a few more moments, until he knew he had to get her off of him otherwise the fun would be over. "Bella? I'm super fucking close."

She looked up at him as she raised her head, inch after inch of his cock slowly revealed. Finally it popped out of her mouth and Bella licked her lips. She grinned.

"Come here," he begged, holding out a hand.

Bella stood up and looked down at him. The rush of power through her body was unmistakable. It was a new feeling, one that she had certainly never felt prior to her relationship with Emmett. She slowly pushed down her sweats and kicked them off.

Emmett suppressed a groan, but Bella watched his hand go to his dick and begin slowly stroking. "Please, Bella."

She honestly couldn't tease him very much longer, because she wanted it so badly. Teasing Emmett could be fun, she'd had tastes of it before, but she wasn't any good at teasing herself. Bella hooked her thumbs into her panties and shucked them.

Emmett held out his hand again and she used it to keep her balance as she straddled him on the couch. The sensation of soft, worn denim against her thighs added another level of eroticism to their tryst. Bella hovered above him, waiting for Emmett.

He understood and held himself, simultaneously applying the slightest bit of pressure on Bella's waist. She lowered herself and they both held their breath, releasing it in short huffs when her body accepted him entirely.

She bent forward, leaning her forehead on his chest, and let out a tiny moan. Emmett dug his hands into the couch, silently begging Bella to start moving. He felt so broken, so desperate.

Then her hands moved to his shoulders and Bella used them to keep her balance. She experimentally rolled her hips, her wide, unsure eyes darting to his face when he moaned.

"That's good," he said roughly. "Just like that."

"I just – I don't know how – " she stammered, her face pink.

"You're doing it good," Emmett breathed hard. "Keep going."

Bella tried, but her knees sank too deep into the cushions, and it seemed like they were moving to an opposite rhythm. Her thighs began to burn and finally she uttered a cry, too frustrated. "Help me, Emmett!"

He leaned further back against the couch, jutting his hips forward. Bella watched his face, biting her lip when his dark eyes landed on hers. He looked hungry.

His big hands gripped her hips and she could feel everything; the calluses on the heels of his hands, each individual fingertip pressing into her flesh. He raised her, and then pulled down onto him at the same moment he thrust up.

"Oh," Bella gasped. She knew he would stop to see if she was okay, but she didn't want him to because it felt so good. "Don't stop!"

He laughed, but it was short and nothing was funny. "Hold onto me, Bella."

She tightened her grip on his shoulders and then Emmett thrust again and again; deeper, faster, harder. Bella clung to him, letting Emmett propel her closer and closer to what promised to be the best orgasm of her young life. Her emotions welled up inside of her, so big that they didn't even fit inside of her chest anymore, and Bella felt them leak out of her eyes and spill down her cheeks as tears.

She couldn't speak anymore, couldn't think, couldn't do anything but feel. Emmett's thrusts suddenly seem to lose rhythm and became more erratic. He groaned her name and hugged her tighter, crushing her against his chest.

The great dam inside of her broke, and Bella felt her body go rigid, almost painfully so, until great waves of pleasure coursed through her and loosened her muscles enough so that she collapsed on top of him. Emmett cradled her against him, mumbling sweet nonsensical words into her throat as he pulsed inside of her.

They remained like that for a long time, until their breathing and heart rates had come together as one. Emmett was content to stay there all night, but he felt Bella shiver and then goose-bumps erupted under his fingertips.

"Hot shower?" he asked. "Bed?"

"Mmmm," Bella nuzzled his cheek. "Cold lo mein in bed."

"Sounds good," he sighed.

It did sound good. It sounded better than anything ever. Emmett watched Bella hop on one leg as she pulled her sweatpants back on. Her shirt went on next, and then she walked down the hall to the bathroom.

He rubbed his chest, right over his heart, because it felt like the area had been ripped open during their lovemaking. He had crashed, helplessly and hopelessly, into love with Bella.

He had always liked her, always knew there could be more between them – but he kept a careful distance. As with all relationships, they had the potential to go wrong. If this thing with Bella ever went wrong, it would seriously hurt him. The kind of hurt you just don't ever recover from.

He stood up and kicked off his jeans, trading them for a pair of flannel pants from his duffel bag. Then he loaded his arms with cold Chinese food and met Bella in the bedroom.

A natural born optimist, he shoved away his darker thoughts and concentrated on the here and now…which was pretty damn good.

so....what team are you on now? ;)

don't judge poor edward too harshly...he's just a clueless boy. thank you to tracie and the preview girls =)

LUNA