CHAPTER SIX

Edward:

Purple, they are purple. All I can say is a man must really love his woman if he is willing to endure emasculating colours on the day he ties himself to her forever. Bella had rolled her eyes when I told her this.

"It's a happy colour," she responds. I just look at the crazy woman next to me who is folding white bits of card in half before handing them to me.

I slide the purple ribbon up and secure it with a small dot of glue. "I once heard that it represented sexual frustration."

Bella snorts and folds another place card. "Yes, your sexual frustration."

Bella holds her hand out to me and I reluctantly take the place card grumbling about my sexual frustration. We're alone in the house. Mom and Dad are at work, Alice and Jasper are organising one of the thousand things they've got to organise, and Rosalie had grabbed Emmett's hand and they left together with a quick goodbye over their shoulders so they were gone too.

Probably off to find new places to fuck in Forks.

I'm jealous of them. Assholes.

Because before I could do my small happy dance and haul Bella over the back of the couch, Alice had come up to me. Her lips twitched, her walk was smooth and blasé and her hands were behind her back.

Before I could even get out a good morning, she had loaded my hands with a small stack of white, rectangular sheets of cardboard and loops of tied purple ribbon. Bella received a copy of the guest list and their table numbers and fabric glue before Jasper and Alice disappeared out the front door and sped down the curvy driveway.

I had looked at Bella in horror, but she had just shrugged and taken it in her stride, setting up the coffee table in the family room. I had found some of Dad's old albums and the rock now blasted through the sound system.

"How many more are there?" I groan. I throw the card I'm holding at the other completed cards. They are all neatly lined up, but as this card hits the perfect rows the others scatter and fall off the silver platter.

"Edward," Bella chastises as she reaches over to fix the fallen.

"I'm just saying, for a small wedding of eighty-six I'm drowning in purple ribbon." Bella rolls her eyes at me.

"Just be glad that it's a wedding of eighty-six and not four hundred." She frowns at her words before picking up another place card and folding it perfectly. She passes the card over without looking but I don't take it.

I am in shock. "Why the fuck would you want a wedding for four hundred people? I don't even know that many people." She laughs humourlessly.

"I don't know." Bella's gaze is fixed firmly on folding the card to perfection. I feel uncomfortable as her mood takes a sombre turn. "I went to a big wedding like that once. The wedding party didn't know me from Jane Doe."

Her hand freezes on the crease of the white card. I don't know if I should be comforting her or not. I am out of practice. The last time I comforted someone I think it was my high school girlfriend. Bella's head snaps up and there is a huge smile on her face.

She throws the card on the table carelessly and stands. "Stand up," she says and I do as she says. "Smell." I do. The air smells like cake, but it has so for the last half an hour. Bella had started cooking cupcakes before we landed the place card job.

I look at Bella and wait for her to give me another instruction. Her smile is huge. I'm confused. "What am I doing?"

"They're done." I raise an eyebrow at her in disbelief. "Wait for it." She holds up three fingers and counts them down. On one the oven timer buzzes.

"Luck," I say. "You probably looked at your watch or something."

She shrugs happily and I follow her into the kitchen where the smell of red velvet cupcakes is the most potent.

She bends over and I check out her ass in her jeans. She laughs. "Stop looking at my butt!" She pulls out the tray. "Perfect, see?"

I slip my hands into the back pockets of her jeans and squeeze cheekily. I smirk as she rolls her eyes. "I do see."

"Ass."

I squeeze again. She picks up a cupcake and hovers it just below my nose. I go to bite but she pulls back quickly. My teeth snap together.

"Uh, uh, uh, no touching." She moves and my hands are wiggled out of her back pockets. She places the cooling rack on the last clean space available on the kitchen bench top.

"You aren't a clean baker, are you?" I drew a smiley face in the flour on the granite.

Bella snorts. "A real baker is not clean, cleaning whilst baking would distract me and therefore the delectable cakes you see before you would resemble something say... you would create." She grins and I feign hurt.

"I can cook." I watch as she methodically sets up ingredients and utensils. She raises her eyebrow at me. "I can cook," I insist again.

"Setting up the coffee machine is not cooking." She picks up the measuring cup and is about to dip it into the bag of flour when I interrupt her.

"I will cook for you, in fact, how about you go finish off the place cards and I'll make the... uh frosting?" Is it frosting or icing? Is there a difference?

She looked at me apprehensively. "Alright. Go ahead, I'll go get you the recipe."

She does this without a recipe? She leaves the kitchen. "You don't use a recipe!" My voice rose at the end as I called after her. Her response was to laugh at me. I could hear her tinkling giggles and manly snorts as she climbed the stairs.

Bella returns quickly with a crinkled piece of yellowing paper. She attaches it to the fridge with a magnet. I read over it while she sets up the saucepan.

"I trust you can use the stove top. The smoke alarms work, right?" she teases.

"This isn't the cream cheese recipe?" I turn and look at her. Her hands are poised on her hips and her jaw is slack. I smirk smugly. I've stumped her.

I fold my arms as she taps her chin. "I'm impressed, Cullen." I grin and perform a small happy dance in my head. She rolls her eyes as if she can see my thoughts. "It isn't. It's my grandmother's, hence the handwritten recipe. Don't ruin it." She points her finger at me playfully, well I hope it's playfully.

"Yes ma'am." I salute her.

"I'll be just in here." She leaves the kitchen and I'm on my own.

Shit.

Maybe I actually should've learnt to cook before I said I woulddo this. I could've asked mom to teach me. Years I've gotten away with grilled cheese and frozen dinner meals. Why am I pushing myself to cook for Bella?

Because I, Edward Cullen, never back down and I can't let Bella know she is right.

I walk over to the recipe on the fridge. I read through it quickly.

First step is to whisk milk, flour and salt in the saucepan. Easy. I use the measuring cup to put the milk in the saucepan and then the flour.

First problem: flour sticks to the cup because of the milk. I scrape out the flour/milk glue off the sides of the cup with my finger, as I want it to be as accurate as possible. I try to put it into the saucepan. I try flinging and shaking but neither work. I end up scraping the large clumps on the side of the pan before I wipe my fingers on my jeans and add a bit more flour, thinking that it will replace what was lost, and a pinch of salt.

Easy.

Second step is to cook and stir over the heat. I stir it once and then wait for it to heat up. It starts to bubble and eventually smell a little. I reduce the heat, like the recipe says and stir it once more. It's a little crunchy on the bottom. I wonder if it's meant to be like that.

"Edward, what's that smell?" Bella calls from the living room.

"Er, nothing!" I lie. Is it not meant to smell? I don't think it's an entirely bad odour.

"Do you need help?"

"No?" I'm not entirely sure. I pull the saucepan off the heat and inspect my work. The crustiness on the bottom is the burnt milk and flour mix. Which I'm positive is not supposed to be there.

I pop it in the fridge; I think the top layer is salvageable.

I stand there and scratch my head and think about my next move. It will probably take time to cool. The recipe doesn't have a time limit and I don't think there is such thing as something being 'too cool'. It's not like it can freeze in the fridge, right?

I go back to Bella, who has created more place cardsthan I thought possible for one person. She sees the shock on my face and smirks confidently.

"There's only a couple more and then all we've got to do is double check no one is missing and everyone is seated at the correct tables." Bella tells me in a bored tone making me think that she's a little peeved that Alice has enslaved her with such a tedious task.

I joke, "God forbid that Aunt Gladys is seated next to Uncle Mervin."

She snorts. "That's almost as unfortunate as their names."

I place my hand on her shoulder and tell her seriously, "Gladys and Mervin would take offense to that."

She slips the last of the bows on the folded place cards. "I've folded eighty-six cards and not once have I seen a Gladys or a Mervin."

I shake my head sadly feigning disappointment. "They're not going to be happy that they weren't invited to the wedding." Bella pushes my shoulder lightly and giggles.

"Ass." Before I can make a crude comment she continues talking loudly so I cannot insert my vulgar thoughts. "Here," she thrusts the list at me, "you take the list and I'll read out the names and their table number, you check them off. Ok?" I nod and take the list.

We work diligently, Bella calling out the names and me marking them off Alice's list. Alice is one little control freak when it comes to this planning stuff. Not only does she have the guests' names and table numbers but she has their relationship to either herself or Jasper, and some she has outlined specifically why they are seated where they are.

For this specific reason I am running away to elope in Vegas if I am to ever be chained to a woman.

I scan the list multiple times. I see my family, Alice's friends and Jasper and Bella's relatives. I see Bella's father. I know he's the chief of police here in Forks and I shudder slightly at the thought of him finding out about his daughter's and my unconventional friendship. I look over the Swans' small family. There are no aunts or uncles and there is only one grandmother mentioned. Then it hits me, why I have been scrutinising the relatives and guests for the Swan side. No mother is mentioned.

I glance at Bella as she is still calling out names and table numbers to me as she straightens the slight crookedness of the place cards on the silver tray.

I want to know why. Is that weird? Does it push the boundaries of this situation we've got here? I open my mouth to ask but close it again before the words come out. She doesn't notice. I'm allowed to ask questions and it's perfectly human to want to know more about a person. So then, why does this feel so wrong, so weird? Friends know each others' pasts, but are we even friends yet?

She mentions her father's name and I ask before I can stop myself. "What about your mother?" She freezes. Her hand is hovering over a place card that is perfectly straight. She places her small fingertips on the ivory card and pushes and prods it so it is not straight. She fixes it, moving and shunting it so many times that I can't even tell anymore what's straight.

What if her mother is dead?

I should've been more considerate. I know nothing about her past or her family. I shouldn't have just blurted the question out like that. I had seen it early yesterday morning that she had been hurt before. I could see it in her eyes, which now she diverted in every direction except me.

I open my mouth to tell her it doesn't matter but she beats me to the chase. She removes her hands from the card and pulls them up to her mouth, chewing on her thumbnail.

"She was invited. She didn't want to come." She clears her throat uncertainly and her eyes flick up to mine briefly. I see her swallow. "Uh, ok, table three..." She continues with the task but the boredom that filled her voice earlier was gone and replaced by something else. Disappointment? What type of mother would turn down her son's wedding?

I slide closer to her on the couch and wrap my arm around her. She flinches slightly before leaning in. I take the list, put it on the table and hug her hard. "I'm sorry." I don't know what one is supposed to say in this situation but it seems to do the trick. Her eyes water up and she wipes her wet lashes on the back of her hand.

"It's ok. It's probably best they're not here." She makes a bad attempt at a smile. I frown at the small, weeping woman in my arms. I don't dare ask who they are for fear. I lean down slowly and brush my lips against hers. I kiss her, barely touching her. It's chaste and soft. It is one of the slowest and most careful kisses I've ever had with Bella, but it is also one of the most powerful. Neither of us is pushing forward or trying to dominate. It's so sweet my teeth hurt.

My phone vibrates between us. Bella pulls back and a small smile tugs at her lips. I grin at her and slide my phone out of my pocket.

"Who is it?" Bella asks clearing her throat in the process. Her smile is still etched on her plump lips.

"Alice." I read the text and laugh. "She asked how things are going with you and then inserted a winky face."

She giggles. "I'm sure that winky face holds a lot of sexual undercurrent." I tap my phone on my chin while I think about my response. "Do you think they're on to us?" Bella asks.

"Alice, maybe, but then again Alice is probably just trying to play matchmaker."

Bella sits up straight suddenly. She's on her knees, bouncing on the couch slightly. "How about we throw them off the track ever so slightly?"

I narrow my eyes at her. "What do you mean?"

"Well, maybe we should start being a little less civil towards each other?"

"What like fight?"

She nods.

"I don't like it."

"Well, you don't have to physically fight me, maybe just tease me or whine about me. As soon as Esme walks in that door I'm going to complain that you are the worst person to do a creative project with." Her eyes gleam with the chance to abuse me.

"Maybe we could throw them off the track even more?"

Her eyes narrow. I know she's not going to like my suggestion.

"I could hint towards having feelings for Rosalie."

"No!" She screams. I just laugh. She groans. "Ok, do it. Come onto Rose. I don't mind. I don't care. Actually, I'll help you, but I won't like it."

I'm a little shocked at her sudden jealousy. We never defined ourselves as exclusive. Nor had one of us made the assumption that we were to also be interested in seeing others. We are stuck in some sort of limbo.

"I'll text Alice," I say.

Bella folds her arms across her chest. "What did you say?"

"I told her that things were fine with you and asked if she knew when Rosalie would be home. I also left a winky face."

Bella nods stiffly.

"Bella, are you ok?" Her attitude changes quickly.

No longer stiff and pissed off looking she starts to talk at a speed which could rival Alice's. "I just had the craziest thought; I could hook you up with Rose!"

I blanch. I have never been a duel-girl type of guy. She continues, "No nothing like that," she corrects waving her hand through the air as if to dispel my sour thoughts, "but maybe during the bachelorette party you could come on to Rose. She'll never accept because of Emmett, but it could throw them off the trail."

"This doesn't mean you're going to come on to Emmett, does it?"

"Oh, no, no, no, just you and Rose. It's much more believable."

"You make me sound like a man-whore!"

She tilts her head to the side and places her finger on her chin as she analyses me.

"Are you?" She's questioning me and it makes me feel slightly better that she's not being presumptuous. I don't know how to answer. My history with women probably isn't the clean slate like Bella's is with men.

"Um, I don't know." I tell her honestly. She is still analysing me. "I'm going to go see if I can finish that icing." I leave the couch quickly before I have to look into my past anymore than I have to.

I am in the fridge looking at the mixture with should have been thickened but still was thin. It had been a while since I'd put it in there, it should've thickened up.

"Edward!" Bella calls, "do you think this means we won't get to have as much sex? Now that we're being all sly and shit?"

"Nah. We'll just have to take advantage of the alone time we have. Saturday night we'll fuck in the limo, ok?"

She giggles. "Oh, Mr Cullen, you're so suave." I hear her changing disk in the sound system. One starts but she quickly changes it to the next one. "This has always been one of my favourite AC/DC songs," she yells.

Guitars and drums rip open the song before the rough vocals start. I recognise song as Cover You In Oil.

Bella's an AC/DC fan? Let alone this is one of her favourite songs? Why?

She enters the kitchen. Her hips are swaying with the beat. Her hands are positioned like she is playing an air guitar. She bobs her head and her hair flicks around her face.

She approaches me slowly while she 'rocks out'.

"This is one of your favourite songs?"

She blushes slightly but nods. "It's just that this song has always made me feel... I've always... I could just imagine what it would be like to fuck to this song." She leans up and her hot little breath washes over my ear. She swirls her pointer finger down my chest and around one of my nipples. It grows firm and she tweaks it a little.

"We may just have to test out your theory." My voice is husky in her ear as the thought of claiming her on the kitchen countertop rushes over my mind. I grip her hips and grind into her. I grow hard. Her hands duck under my shirt and moves up. My shirt is gone.

Bella reaches back and dips her finger in the mixing bowl that sits on the kitchen bench. She draws her chocolate covered finger to her lips and her tongue juts out and licks slowly. My breathing hitches and I grind into her. She runs the around my nipple and down my chest. She finishes just below the waistband of my jeans. The chocolate had started to harden in the bowl, but it does the trick on my overheated body.

Bella's tongue laps up the chocolate which is around my nipple. She pants spreading her warmth over my chest. Her teeth tug and pinch my nipple and I groan and grind into her. Her backside is pressed against the bench top. She pushes back, giving amazing friction. She moves to the line of chocolate. Her tongue licks and swirls down my chest and over my stomach. She nips and sucks.

Bella slides down my body. She licks up the last bit of chocolate on the line of hair that trails down and into my pants while she undoes my jeans. I'm very hard now, so as she pulls down my boxers with my jeans, I spring free. It doesn't faze her when I poke her in the cheek. She just lightly kisses my tip.

She gets up off the ground, taking my nipple in her mouth one last time she pulls away. I whimper as her tight body is removed from mine. She goes to the fridge and returns with a can of whipped cream.

She smirks. Her cheeks are tinged with red, but she is confident and sexy as hell as she slowly and sensually slides down my body again. She turns the can upside down and squeezes cream into her hand. She takes me in her warm, wet mouth pushing me in deep before releasing me with a pop. She then spreads her whipped cream along my length. It's a little cold but with Bella's hands on me I am too far gone to care. I am coated in cream and she looks up at me innocently through her lashes. My hand finds the back of her head.

Her tongue licks my tip first; very slowly my tip is dragged from deep on her tongue to the tip. She then sucks the cream off the head of my cock. There is cream on her lips. She looks up at me, again through her lashes, as her tongue darts out and catches dripping cream. She drops her warm mouth back to me and takes a long swipe from my base to my head. I groan, wanting my whole cock to be encased within her wet mouth. I want to push her head down on me but I restrain myself.

Her mouth opens likes a 'O' and slowly starts move down my length. Cream builds up on her red lips and I want to suck it off. I grunt and go to thrust into her mouth but her hands on my hips stop me. Her mouth has halted, too.

I hear a door open and Bella takes me out of her mouth.

Licking her lips she freezes and looks up at me in horror as we both hear it.

"Hello! Anybody home?"

Hello! So, who do you think it is? Tell me in a Review please?