Chapter 18

Edward unhooked my jet ski and away I went with my own smile. "I'll race you," I yelled over my shoulder. Edward tried to catch up and did when I went into a cove. He cut the cove. I came out of the cove close to him; because I was evil and wanted to win, I spun my ski sending water flying at him and then I took off again at full throttle. He came after me and once he got to my side, he did the same thing to me.

I sputtered, "You're so bad and a copy cat." Finally, we took it easy when we could see the yacht and together, we went back to the yacht. The porter helped us attach the skis to the boat. Edward was back on the deck first helping me back onto the yacht. Edward turned around and the porter handed him a note.

After he read it, he said, "That'll be fine." And the porter made like a ghost and just disappeared so that we could have our privacy.

Edward pulled me into his arms; as I asked, "What will be fine?"

"Salads and fresh fruit for dinner tonight."

"Yes that would be fine with me, too."

"Good, but do you know what I want right now?"

I said, "No, I don't."

So Edward pulled me in even closer and covered me in kisses. As he ended the delicious kisses, he said, "Thank you."

I asked, "Thank you for what?"

"For not being afraid of doing adventurous things, you would rather fly than shop. Rather jet ski and ride horses than go to a spa."

"Now I'll have you know; I've nothing against spas. But they do have their time and place."

"You like to really exercise and eat."

"Edward," and I pushed him back into the ocean and started to walk away.

"Bella, wait!" he sputtered as he came up from being under water. I was almost to my cabin crying when Edward wrapped his arms around me and said, "Stop Principessa."

"Don't call me that. Please just take me back to our fort and I'll just stay in my room for the rest of the night."

"Bella, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that; I'm not calling you fat or a pig in any way. Believe me you look beautiful and you have all the right curves." Edward started kissing me. I wouldn't let him in; but he was persistent. I gave in and he made sure to show me with his kiss how much he loved my lips and mouth along with the rest of body. Eventually, I was pressed against the hallway wall. After he made sure I had my sea legs back and I was standing safely in the hallway, he said, "I'm assuming you now understand what I was saying."

"Yes. I believe I do, you were telling me you like that I don't take three bites of my meal and then tell you I'm full or order a side salad and that is all. I believe you also commented in there that you enjoy my working out with you."

"You are correct, Bella. Now that is settled; I'll see you back up on deck by the lounge chairs in thirty minutes. I need to take care of a couple things."

"No problem. I think I'll go rinse off and then enjoy the sun."

"I'll see you later sun goddess."

We both went our separate ways. I slipped into the shower rinsing off. I slid off my suit and rinsed the sand off of me and my suit. After the shower, I slipped it back on and went back up on deck. I laid back down on my chaise lounge and closed my eyes.

The next thing I heard, "Water for the sun goddess."

"Yes, I would love some from the water god. After I took a drink of my water, I smiled as I asked Edward, "Water God, would you please reapply sunscreen to my back?"

He came down on the lounge chair and said, "I would love to my sun goddess. Now roll over for me."

Once Edward finished, I stayed laying like that and soaked up the sun for an hour. An hour later, the porter came and told us dinner would be ready in about an hour.

"Thanks," Edward said.

I rolled and looked at Edward. "I'm going to rinse off and put on my sundress that a really sexy guy bought for me." I got off my chaise lounge, leaned down and kissed him and said, "I'll be back."

"I'll see you soon, Principessa."

An hour later, I came out of my room and found an incredibly sexy guy leaning opposite my door waiting for me with his sparkling green eyes and crooked grin. Edward said, "Wow!" as he looked me up and down. After my shower, I left my curls all lose and full. I just clipped up the sides of my hair to keep them out of my face. I put my make up on fairly simply with a light pink lip gloss and the dress fit me like a glove. The top was snug around my breasts and the way the straps crossed in the back. I went braless, but the dress had plenty of support and shape.

Edward reached his arm out taking mine in the crook of his arm and led me back up to the couches where we had lunch. We sat next to each other. Edward took his wine glass and I picked up mine, "To my Principessa spending a beautiful day with me."

We clinked our glasses as I said, "Thank you," and blushed for Edward.

As he sat his glass down and picked up his plate he said, "Beautiful," as his free hand caressed the curve of my cheek responding to my blush. I picked up my plate and I ended up leaning my side on the back of the couch and Edward turned to face me and we fed each other off our plates. After we finished and we were relaxing while sipping on some more wine, Edward leaned in and said, "I'll be right back."

When he returned, he said, "Smile," and started taking my pictures against the sunset.

"Edward, stop. I tried to push his camera away."

"Bella, I have one other obsession; I haven't shared with you yet."

"What's that?"

"I love to photograph sunsets and sunrises. When we get home, I'll show you my photos. Now will you let me take your picture?"

"Yes, I suppose," And I spent time being photographed as the sunset. Finally, I said, "Edward, set it up for me to take your pictures."

Edward went from serious, sexy, to fun in all of his pictures. Then he came at me and said to go sit back down and he set the camera on a tripod and took several of us together. Once the sun was gone, Edward and I went and got our stuff together and headed back to the fort via the little boat. I again sat cuddled in Edward's arms as we went back to our beach. Jake met us on the shore and got us back to our cabin.

Jake stepped inside with us briefly and asked, "Is the plan to still be up in the air by two tomorrow?"

"Yes," I responded.

"Okay, unless you need me sooner, I'll see you at 12:45."

"Good night, Jake," we both said together.

"Bella, come to the kitchen?"

"Fine, but let me grab my laptop."

"Okay," so we met in the kitchen and I switched to shorts and a T.

Edward showed up with our flight plan plus he handed me a printout of the weather.

"When?" I asked.

"When I needed that half an hour on the yacht."

"Oh really!" I said as a smile crept across my face.

"Yes."

"I just want to check it again."

"Of course," and we did.

The weather going home was going to be perfect. All the weather was over Florida and north of there. We were heading northwest, so we were fine.

I turned my computer off and said, "Beautiful weather. Do you have connections with the weather god?"

"Yes, I called him up and threatened him with eternal rain if he didn't give me good weather. Bella, do you know Valentine's Day is on Thursday?"

"Yes." Edward handed me an envelope. I opened it and it was an invitation inviting me to a private dinner for two at his house with lots of romance plus a movie and a massage.

"Edward, did you make this?"

"Yes."

"It's beautiful; yes, I'll accept."

"I'm sorry I can't take you out. That's just not safe for us on that day. Would you come over after your last class?"

"Sure."

"Do you mind if I buy you a formal gown for dinner and I'll wear a tuxedo?"

"Edward, please let me pick out my own dress."

"Okay, if you want to, but I was trying to help you out of your aversion to shopping."

"Yes, I want too and I think I can handle it."

"Then be my guest, just be careful shopping."

"I will; maybe I'll take Jake with me."

"Please don't," and then Edward pulled me into a hug saying, "Come here." which led to a kiss. Edward pulled back and said, "Go out by the hot tub and I'll bring you a corona."

I said, "I'll go by the hot tub, but how about just a bottle of water for me?"

"Of course."

We sat and enjoyed the hot tub. Robert called Edward with a problem. They were working on a scheduling problem so I fell asleep peacefully in bed alone that night.

Edward was gone when I got up. He left me a note saying he would see me at 11:30. I spent the morning checking the weather and reviewing my notes from school. I decided to fly home in one of my new sundresses on and my bikini on underneath. Edward picked me up right at 11:30 and Jake helped Edward load the bags and then Jake followed us on his bike back to the airport. As we drove, Edward asked, "I hate to ruin a wonderful weekend; but when we get back, where are you going to stay? Would you consider staying with me at my house until after I leave to go filming?"

"Edward?"

"Let me tell you why! Most importantly, is that you'll be safe at my house. I have proven that and the other reason is that I like having you around."

"I was looking forward to getting back to my condo and I miss being there."

"Okay, how about you can go back to your condo? But I'm giving you a key to my house and if you ever need a place to hide, you know you can. By the way, I like my flight instructor in a dress."

I smiled at Edward and said, "I did this just for you because you've been such a good student." Jake, Edward and I ate our lunch on the plane after our bags were stored. Then Edward and I inspected the plane and our passengers arrived. Edward went to the cockpit and I soon followed. Our passengers soon arrived, I reviewed flight safety again. Our flight attendant said, "I looked more like a flight attendant than a pilot."

I smiled and said, "That's okay." Then I commented to all the passengers that I was going to have Edward making some flight patterns on the return trip home once we were out of international air space. When I was back in the cockpit with the door closed, Edward kissed me deliriously and then we taxied and flew away into the wild blue yonder. Once we were safely up and flying Edward asked if we could put his hand on my lap. I took his hand and settled it on my left thigh. It was an easy four hour flight home.

Once we landed back in Las Vegas, we went to the waiting limousine and Edward asked, "My place or yours?"

"How about yours for a little while?"

"Thank you," he said. Once we got there, I said, "Edward, I'm going out back. I need to stretch my legs.

"Okay. Go relax, stretch your legs and I'll meet you back there shortly."

I slipped out of my dress and sat in the hot tub for about 20 minutes. When Edward made it outside, I was sitting on the hot tub edge in my bikini. I could see Edward's brilliant smile even in the darkness of the backyard. He was quickly standing behind me, kissing my neck. "Have you had this bikini on under your dress all day?"

"Yes."

Edward slid into the hot tub and pulled me back down onto his lap. Edward said, "I may not be able to control myself anymore with that on you."

"Would it be better if it was off?"

"No, it wouldn't."

"Why?"

"You're already driving me crazy." I slid out of Edward's lap and stood up in the hot tub. Then placed a hand on either side of his lap and leaned in knowing full well the view he was getting. I finally said after it looked like he was taking a gulp for air, "Good night," I gently placed a simple kiss on his lips and then I climbed out of a hot tub. Edward couldn't even move.

Edward finally did say, "Make sure you let Seth check out the security system at the condo before he leaves."

"I will and thanks for the trip."

I changed, found Seth and we headed for the condo. "Seth, can we stop for food really quickly at the grocery store?"

"Of course, Bella."

That was a quick 15 minute detour. At the condo, Seth checked out the alarm and all was still good. Seth said, "Good night. Jake will be by for you in the morning at eight."

"Okay."

"Bella, are you okay?"

"Yes. I think I'm just tired."

"Okay and good night." I was left inside safe and guarded with electronics. I got on my treadmill and ran trying to clear my head. How could I have fallen in love with him in a month? There was no doubt I wanted to make love to him and I accepted all his advances. Yet he kept stopping but why? After 30 minutes and covering 4 miles on the treadmill, I showered and went to bed with a textbook.