I own nothing. Stephenie Meyer owns all…

A shot across the bows-A warning shot, either real or metaphorical.

Edward POV

"Does my butt look big in this?" Emmett asked in a mock woman voice as he walked ahead of Jasper and me down the hall.

"Do you think they'll be there when we get there?" Jasper asked me with an anxious frown on his face as we both ignored Emmett.

"I don't know…we told them that we'd meet them in the afternoon…it's only…" I paused to glance at the clock inside the elevator, "11.55am. Technically the afternoon doesn't start for another five minutes." I finished as the elevator began to ascend.

Once we reached the open Resort deck, we stepped out and headed towards the pool which was in the middle of the ship. We took off our t-shirts and flip flops and dropped them on a sun lounger each before we sprang into the pool.

I couldn't believe how good the combination of the cold water and the baking heat from the sun on my skin felt. The three of us mucked around for a while, jumping from the pretty tame diving boards, or just wrestled in the water.

The live music in the background created a great, relaxed atmosphere in the pool area as people chatted, laughed and even played chess together at tables a short distance from the pool.

Bella POV

We had one corner to go around before we made it to the pool. That's when Rosalie smacked me in the stomach, pushing me back. "Wait…I want to see if they're flirting with anyone" she said in a whisper as she pulled her sunglasses out of the way to look.

Alice and I both stood just behind the corner, waiting for her verdict. "Well?" I asked impatiently.

"Believe it or not…they're behaving…but we'll soon change that wont we ladies!" she laughed as she straightened up and plopped her sunglasses back on the bridge of her nose. I decided to take a quick peek at them before we walked around the corner to them, while Alice and Rosalie primped themselves.

I took me a few seconds to find them through the sea of people, but I finally spotted a person with familiar untidy hair. I gasped as I took in the sight of the three of them. I hadn't expected them to be so pale, but it suited them. The water from the pool seemed to make their skin glisten as the sun shone down on the tiny water droplets. I continued watching them as they splashed water at each other and wrestled one and other.

"Showtime!" Alice laughed as she grabbed hold of my hand, pulling me behind her. As we drew nearer, I swear I heard Alice whisper to Rose, "Now slowly take the sunglasses off!"

Edward POV

About twenty minutes after our arrival, my eyes caught some familiar faces. I nudged Emmett and Jasper, "They're here…" I stated in a ragged voice.

Rosalie walked at the forefront, looking absolutely gorgeous in an eye-catching red bikini. I realised that she also looked slightly intimidating as she strolled confidently towards the sun loungers, with a pair of black, expensive looking sunglasses on her head which she started to slowly take off. I quickly looked to Emmett when I heard him let out a torn moan.

I looked to Alice next. She wore a green bikini, and simply, looked ready to burst with excitement. I noticed that she was staring intently at Jasper who was beside me, with his mouth agape as he stared back at her.

Finally, Bella. She followed Alice and Rosalie, a vision in her black bikini which created an interesting clash with her pale skin. She had an amazing body…curves in all the right places and much longer legs than I'd guessed.

I shook my head and drew my attention back to Jasper and Emmett as the girls placed their things on the sun loungers with ours once Jasper had pointed them out to Alice. "Christmas has come early this year boys…" The dazed look on Emmett's face was priceless as he spoke.

Some splashing behind me caused me to turn around. Alice and Rosalie were headed towards us with huge grins on their faces.

"Hey there…sorry we were late…" Alice apologised as she casually passed me to get closer to Jaspers side. I noticed that Rosalie had done the same with Emmett, who reassured them that we didn't mind.

I looked over to Bella. She lay on my sun lounger as she read a book, oblivious to the lusty glances that she received as she lay there.

"I'm going to say hi to Bella" I told them as I swam towards her. I pulled myself up, and walked dripping wet to the sun lounger next to her. I ran a hand through my hair quickly in a dire attempt of getting it to look tidy.

As I sat down, she lowered her book, leaving it open on her stomach as she watched me. "Hi" she smiled once I'd moved Emmett's clothes out of my way.

"Aren't you coming in?" I asked her, motioning to the pool.

I caught the blush in her cheeks as she lowered her gaze and shook her head. "Why not?" I asked her. The curiosity built inside of me steadily.

"I can't swim" she admitted in a sigh. She bit on her lower lip nervously as she looked up to see my reaction.

"Is that it? Come with me…I'll stay with you in the shallower waters…" I offered reassuringly, holding my hand out, hoping that she would join me.

"Maybe some other time…"she gave me an apologetic look as she played with the corners of her book.

I lowered my hand, disappointed. "How about…I teach you to swim before the end of this cruise?…I know Tanya pretty well, I'm sure she could pull a few strings." I asked her as she continued to bite her lip as she contemplated.

She whipped her head back up to mine suddenly and asked in curiosity, "You'd do that for me?" she narrowed her eyes, looking wary.

"I solemnly swear to teach you how to swim." I vowed as I held a hand over my heart. She laughed at me, and then thanked me.

I noticed that she was playing with the corners of her book again, so I excused myself, "I'm going to head back to the pool for a little while…I'll be back" I smiled as she gave me a small wave.

Alice, Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper and I were on our fourth game of pool volleyball when I heard Rosalie gasp in surprise. We all looked to her, and then followed her gaze. I saw nothing of interest…a few women scantly dressed, some blonde guy chatting up some girl…and a few elderly people drinking lemonade at the poolside.

I looked back to Rosalie who had a murderous look on her face which matched Alice's. "That slimy, conniving, creepy sleaze bag!" Rosalie hissed as she narrowed her eyes apparently at the perpetrator of some sort of horrid crime.

"Rose?" Emmett asked hesitantly as he placed a hand on her shoulder. I noticed her relax under his touch.

Alice explained in an angry voice, "You see that blonde guy over there" she pointed him out clearly and then continued, "That's Mike…Bella has a date with him tonight."

Rosalie audibly let out a string of profanities which I also muttered under my breath. "What are we going to do? Tell her about him?" Alice asked us as I looked towards Bella. She lay there, unaware of what her date for tonight was up to.

"Leave it to us…" I smiled at the plan which had popped into my mind. I smiled with and evil grin on my face and quickly whispered the basics of Mike's demise to Emmett and Jasper. "I'll go and distract Bella so she doesn't notice that sleaze" I said as I scowled in Mike's direction. I watched as he now pretended to study the girl's necklace and whispered something in her ear.

I headed out and sat beside Bella as I did before while the other four grabbed some chilled towels and left the pool area as planned.

"Hey Green eyes, where did they go?" she asked me as she realised that the other four had disappeared.

"I'm not sure…but they said that they'd be back in a little while" I told her as I cut a quick glance at Mike. My objective was to keep Bella from noticing him. "So what are you reading?" I asked her as she went to chuck it on the floor beside her flip-flops and sarong.

"Wuthering Heights" she answered. I watched her face as she told me, so I noticed her raise her eyebrow, as if challenging me to mock her.

"It's a classic." I told her simply as I ran a hand over my baking shoulder. My skin was hot beneath my hands. I frowned in confusion as I tested other parts of my body like my lower back and chest. They felt just as hot.

"What's up?" Bella asked me with a worried sound to her voice.

"I don't know…I think my skin's burning…but I put sun lotion on before I left our room" I told her as I rubbed my forehead.

"Well it's probably just come off in the pool…want a top up?" she asked me as she got up, wrapping her sarong back around her hips before she went over to Alice and Jaspers lounger and came back with a bottle of sun lotion.

"Do you mind?" I asked her as she sat back down and shifted around so her legs were apart, on either side of the bed.

She patted the space between and said back in a sing-song vice with a smile on her face, "You scratch my back…"

I sat down in front of her and stared out into the ocean beyond as I heard the lid pop open. I gasped in shock as the cold lotion came into contact with my hot back. "Sorry…should have warned you" she laughed from behind me as her hands began to rub across my shoulders.

I closed my eyes and slouched forward in a more relaxed position, in bliss as she worked her way all over my back. I sighed in contentment as she finished, but to my surprise, her hands didn't stop moving. She began to massage my shoulders which I noticed had tensed up in my anger at Mike's exposure as a sleaze.

"Wow Edward...your shoulders are all knotted up" she whispered in amazement as her hands continued to rub and squeeze. I groaned as she worked through a painful knot. "Sorry…I shouldn't have done that…it's hurting you" she apologised anxiously as she drew her hands from my back.

"No…no, it feels amazing." I smiled at her over my shoulder. "Could you carry on…?" I asked her anxiously as I gave her the cutest look I could manage.

"Sure…" she beamed at me and set her hands back on my shoulders. She squirmed around a little uncomfortably for a few moments before she put her legs up onto the bed on either side of my body, bent at the knees. She squeezed her legs against me as she laughed, "It's more comfy like this." As she worked through my knots, we talked animatedly non stop about books and music, both arguing and agreeing on our tastes.

Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper and Alice returned after some fifteen minutes of having been away with triumphant looks on their faces. I caught Jaspers wink and Emmett with his thumbs up, telling me that they'd sorted out the plan for Mike's demise.

Bella's hands continued to work on my back, even as they all came and sat next to us. "Having a nice time there bro?" Emmett asked as he sat where I had been sat before.

"Nice is not the word" I groaned, with my eyes closed as Bella hit another tight spot.

"Come on…" I head Jasper laugh. I opened my eyes and raised my head to see him pulling Alice behind him towards the diving boards. Emmett and Rosalie soon followed, talking with their heads together.

Bella and I both watched as the two couples jumped from the middle platform, the girls shrieking as they reached the water.

"Want some frozen lemonade? Or something from the bar?" I asked Bella once she'd finished the impeccable massage to my shoulders.

"Sure, frozen lemonade sounds good." She said as she watched Alice and Rosalie play fight as they sat on Emmett and Jaspers shoulders.

I sat at a counter, waiting for our free frozen lemonades. I grinned stupidly to myself as I remembered how Bella's hands felt on my back. It felt more natural and comfortable than I imagined it would have. I expected her to be more embarrassed or hesitant, but then I remembered that she was the one to initiate it all by offering to put the sun lotion on me.

I looked back to her and froze as I my eyes saw a horrific scene. Mike was rubbing sun lotion onto Bella's back, sitting behind her as she'd done with me. I surge of possessiveness ran through my blood like a shot. I grabbed the two frozen lemonades and marched back to Bella.

I had to remind myself that Bella had no idea what Mike really was like as I sat down on the sun lounger next to the pair. "Thanks Edward!" Bella gave me a wide smile as I handed it to her.

"Who's this then?" Mike asked in a tone that sounded slightly jealous and possessive to my ears.

Bella took a sip of her lemonade, apparently unaware of what I heard in Mike's voice. She introduced us, "Mike, Edward, Edward, Mike." She motioned her hand between to two of us during the introduction.

"So you're the guy who's taking Bella out tonight?" I asked as casually as I could manage.

"That's me." He smiled at me before giving me a wink. My fury bubbled as he did that. I looked at Bella's back and noticed that he'd finished covering her back in sun lotion, but was now just letting his hands roam freely with a lustful look in his eyes.

"Looks like your finished" I remarked in an up beat tone while I gave Mike a threatening look.

He thankfully caught the hint and nodded. He then had the cheek to grip Bella's shoulders and press himself against her as he whispered something in her ear. She merely giggled as Mike got up and waved goodbye.

"He's quite nice isn't he?" Bella asked as she sat up and turned to look at me. I merely nodded, not trusting what I would say if I opened my mouth.

Bella POV.

"So….." I began as I bit my lower lip.

"So?" He asked with his eyebrow raised, intrigued.

"You scratch my back…I mean Mike beat you to the sun lotion bit…but you can still give me a massage right?" I challenged as I cocked my head to the side.

He laughed and nodded his head as he said, "I can try." My heart beat faster at the thought of Edwards's hands on my body. I didn't really know why, but the thought of Mike's hands on my body didn't create the same reaction in me.

I scooted myself forward quickly, making room for him to sit behind me. He sat with his legs on the bed, bent at the knees as I had done, while I slouched forward as he had done.

He began to rub my shoulders in slow, soft movements. My senses seemed to have increased by a tenfold, making me hyper aware of his every touch, that's when I ordered him to rub harder. His tantalisingly slow movements stirred unexpected feelings within me. I needed to create some sort of distracting pain.

I was bossy, but he complied with my demands. "Go lower…work around the sides of my shoulder blades" I ordered.

I winced as he somehow managed to rub the thin elastic string of my bikini under his thumb. "I'm sorry…" he apologised as he rubbed the painful spot quickly, in an attempt to expel the pain.

"It's aright…I'll sort it out." I told him as I began to pull at the stringy bow that was tied in the middle of my back. "I'm not having that happen again." I laughed as I let the strings fall. I crossed my arms over my chest to keep the bikini in place as I asked him to continue.

I blushed as I heard him clear his throat nervously, before he returned his hands to my back. I blushed even more when I heard his gasp as I let out an unconscious groan of pleasure. I behaved myself from then on as I kept my mouth tightly shut.

Unfortunately a clock chimed in the distance telling me that it was four o'clock. My shoulders dropped even more as I groaned, "I need to get going soon." He must have noticed as I did, that even after a few minutes, I had made no bid to move or asked him to stop massaging me.

"I really should get going…but this feel so good." I sighed in defeat as I began trying to tie the strings back behind me.

Thankfully he swatted my hands away after my few failed attempts, and tied the bow easily. "Done" He declared as he set his hands on my well massaged shoulders. My heart picked up its pace as I wondered if I could get away with leaning back onto his chest for a few minutes. I felt so comfortable, I dreaded leaving.

He snapped me out of my daydream as he gave my shoulders a small squeeze. "Thank you" I smiled at Edward over my shoulder before I stood up. As if on cue, Alice and Rosalie came towards us and flanked me on either side. Emmett and Jasper soon followed laughing with each other.

I grabbed my things off the floor as Rosalie and Alice got theirs. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do tonight!" Emmett laughed and then added a wink.

Jasper thankfully, gave Emmett a shove, and then turned to me, wishing me a good night. I turned to Edward who gave me a natural, carefree smile as he said, "Have fun."

Alice, Rosalie and I headed up to our room, leaving the guys behind at the pool. "O my God…did you see those arms…and the abs…his shoulders…his thighs!" Rosalie gushed as she snatched my book to fan herself.

Alice and I both laughed as Rosalie began to take big deep calming breaths. "Did you see Jaspers body…he's so strong and protective…did you see me on his shoulders Bella?" Alice asked with an exited smile on her face.

"Yeah I did! He never let you out of your sight!" I added as I nudged her playfully.

"What about you missy?" Rose began with an eyebrow arched. "First you give Edward a massage…then Mike comes along…then Edward gives you a massage!" she asked with a shocked look on her face as mine reddened.

I opened our front door, and stepped inside, tugging off my sarong, stalling. "Talk Bella…" Alice prompted as my silence stretched.

"What do you want me to say? Mike's cute, he's got a hot body and he's really sweet and charming…" I paused to look at them. I just caught them changing the expressions on their faces. Did they just look angry? I wondered, but continued anyway. "But then Edward's so easy to get on with…and…" I stopped again to look down at my feet "He's so sexy…" I gushed out as I plopped myself down on the sofa. "Did you see his body…the way the water sparkled on him from his shoulders to his stomach…and then you won't believe how muscular his shoulders and back are!" I poured out as I stared at the ceiling.

"You want to hug him; you want to kiss him…" Rose and Alice began to sing in unison until I told them to shut up.

Bella's date with Mike next…what did they all plan for Mike's demise?

P.S. Don't you just love me for getting the guys half naked in the swimming pool?!!?!

Reviews please!!They are my incentive to write such long-ish chapters!(They feel long to me anyway!)