Okay folks, I got a lot of positive reviews over the past few days and I just wanted to let each and every one of you know that I greatly appreciate each and every one of them.
Disclaimer: SM owns the original Twilight, I just play with the characters a little bit.
Chapter 8
Saturday January 28, 2012
EPOV
The trip to the beach was amazing even though we couldn't really stand to stay out of the cars for very long due to the chilly wind coming off the bay. Bella had a blast chatting with everybody over the old fashioned CB radio's that were in each car and I just sat back and enjoyed the purr of my amazing car.
But, reality set in quick the next morning because I had to head into the fire station with worry for Bella sitting in the back of my mind. Jasper and I were currently sitting outside on the roof chilling out and calming down from the call we had just came back from. It was 3 a.m. and we had only been back at the station about half an hour from one of the worst calls I had seen in a really long time. It was a motor vehicle accident out on I10 that left four people dead and one in stable condition at the hospital.
The worst part about it all was that it could have been avoided if the young teenage girl driving the one car had just called a cab instead of getting behind the wheel intoxicated beyond belief. She had been racing her friends and in her inebriated state had lost control of her sports car and crossed the median and hit an SUV that was carrying a family of four. By the amount of clothing and suitcases strolled out along the interstate, they were either traveling for home or from home. The entire family had died instantly and the bodies were nearly unrecognizable, and the young girl that had caused the wreck was resting in the hospital because she had broken a leg and several ribs. It was unbelievable.
"How am I supposed to raise a family with my girl, Edward, when I see shit like that all the time? How can I bring kids into this world when I see babies brutally murdered like that?" Jasper asked as he ran his hands through his curls.
I shook my head and tugged on my own locks. "I don't know, Jazz, I just don't know."
We sat there in silence and just looked at the stars until we heard the door open behind us. "Hey guys, what are y'all doin' sittin up here all alone?" Em asked as he sat down beside me in one of the other chairs.
"Just rehashing the accident." I told him honestly.
He nodded and shook his head. "Yeah, it makes me thankful that all of my girls are safely tucked into bed at home." He said with a sigh.
Jazz shocked me by his next statement. "Em, I'm quitting the station."
Emmett didn't seem startled or upset about this and it rather surprised me. "I know, Bro. I think we have all put our time in." He said quietly.
"What do you mean by that? Emmett McCarty, are you planning on quitting too? How did you know?" Jasper fired at him as he sat up and put his elbows on his knees and faced Emmett.
"You are my brother and I know you better than anybody. And I mean that I have considered going to volunteer only." He said as he relaxed in his seat like this was no big revelation.
We sat there in silence for the longest time letting this news settle in until I broke the silence. "So, when are we telling the chief that we're all turning in our badges?" I asked them.
They both looked at me and nodded. "Soon. Maybe before the new schedule comes out." Jasper said wistfully.
I nodded in agreement as did Emmett. "Sounds like a plan." We all agreed knowing that the new schedule came out on the 8th of February, just ten days away.
"Em, what are you planning on doing when you turn your badge in?" Jasper asked.
He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Maybe open a garage with my Rosie."
Before we could say anything more, the alarm sounded signaling the need for us at an apartment fire. We all groaned and jumped to our feet heading downstairs.
It was almost nine o'clock before I dragged my tired self through Bella's doors, thanking God that she had thought to give me a key after my first shift after we had started dating. It took us FOREVER to get the fire under control so the other team could take over. I hadn't even showered yet which I normally did before I came home to my amazing smelling girlfriend.
I unlocked her front door and slowly opened it, not knowing if she was awake yet or still asleep. I didn't hear anything or smell anything as I closed the door softly behind me, so I assumed she was still asleep. I slowly crept up the stairs and made my way down the hall to her room and smiled when I saw her curled around 'my' pillow and sleeping in my shirt.
I quickly grabbed my boxer briefs from the dresser and made my way to the shower to wash some of the smut and grime off me from my long ass night. Normally we got to sleep a little bit while on shift but I think we had caught maybe six hours total, and they were split up into little more than quick naps.
I stripped off my clothes quickly and tossed them in the hamper that she had reserved for my station clothes and stepped under the warm spray of the shower. I placed my hands flat against the cold tile wall and just let the water pour down over my tense shoulders and back.
I smiled when I felt smooth slim arms wrap around my waist. "Good morning, Baby." I told her quietly.
"Good morning indeed, Barman. Rough night?" She asked, placing a gentle kiss between my shoulders.
I heard the distinct sound of my body wash cap being opened.
I nodded. "You have no idea, Bella." I sighed as she began running the washcloth on my back and shoulders.
"How about I try to make it end on a happy note?" She said as she wrapped her soapy hands back around my waist and ran the washcloth over my chest and abs.
"Mmmm… and just how do you plan on doing that, Baby?" I asked her as I turned around in her arms and tugged her naked body flush against mine and under the shower spray with me.
I kissed her passionately as the water poured over our heads and slithered down our bodies. When breathing became a necessity we broke the bond between our lips and smiled at one another. "I'm almost certain you could, Baby." I told her quietly.
I wanted her beyond all belief but what I wanted more was to cuddle with her in bed before I passed out for the day.
She smiled at me and pecked me on the lips before stepping back and grabbing my shampoo. "How about we get you washed up and we will go cuddle in bed for a little while." She suggested as she squirted shampoo in her hand.
I smiled because she knew me so well in such a short amount of time. "Sounds perfect, Baby, absolutely perfect." I told her quietly smiling tiredly at her.
"Squat down, Barman." She told me so she could reach the top of my head. I chuckled and tipped my head down to her level.
BPOV
I woke up when Edward started the shower and smiled because once again he was home safe. I honestly didn't know how I was going to handle a lifetime of worrying about his safety every time he went to work. But, if he loved what he did then I would love him and be supportive in the best way I knew how.
I climbed from bed and joined him in the shower. After we were both squeaky clean, we got out and dried each other off before climbing into my bed together. Instead of me snuggling into him, I propped up against the pillows and headboard and let him snuggle into me since I would be getting up out of bed in a little bit.
"Comfy?" I asked him after he had rooted around a little bit to get more comfortable.
"Yes, very." He said quietly, it was obvious he was exhausted.
"Wanna talk about it?" I asked just as quietly.
He shook his head. "I don't wanna taint you with what we saw last night, just know that it was life altering and shocking all at the same time."
"What is that supposed to mean? Life altering?" I asked quietly, confused.
I felt him take a deep breath. "We are all thinking about turning our shields in together."
Wow! I didn't see that one coming at all. I thought he loved the fire department and what it represented. "Why? I thought you loved it?" I questioned.
"I did. Do. I just don't like the stress that it puts on you and on me. I want to use my college degrees and do something productive. I think I have put in enough time at the station and I'm not quitting completely." He explained softly.
I smiled because I had thought I had been keeping my worry and stress level pretty under control when he was around, but I guess I was wrong. "I will support you in whatever you choose to do. By the way, what are your degrees? As in more than one?"
He chuckled. "Yes, as in more than one. I have two bachelor degrees. One in business which I am already putting to use and the other is in architecture."
I laughed and scratched my nails up and down his back gently, calming him down further. "We can talk about this later, Babe, why don't you get some sleep. I will wake you in a few hours, okay?"
He nodded but didn't respond back. I smiled and muttered a soft. "I love you, Edward." Before leaning back and closing my own eyes.
I smiled when I heard his even softer "Love you, too baby," before sleep took over completely.
I didn't sleep long, seeing as how I had slept most of the night. I eased out from Edward's weight and stood there looking at him sleeping peacefully. I tiptoed out of the room and down the stairs to grade some papers until Edward woke up.
I grabbed the rest of the tests from Wednesday's, so I could get them graded and recorded so I could hand them back on Monday. I smiled when I saw quiet Shawn's test, he was one of my best students but also one of the shyest. I got through his paper rather quickly and marked a big A on the front page along with a 'Good Job, Shawn! Keep up the good work!" before moving on to the next one which caused me to frown and groan.
It was Jane's paper. I put it to the bottom of my stack and decided to grade it last and continued grading the final few papers. Most of my student's did fabulous but I could tell that some of them struggled with their explanations and a few of them used quotes from the book when I wanted their own words, not quotes. Finally, I was left with only Jane's paper.
I groaned as I saw her big loopy handwriting that she purposely wrote big so it would take up more space and try to get by with the excuse that she ran out of room. I smiled because I had been there done that and now attached a blank sheet of paper to the back of every page of the test and wrote in big bold letters to use it if they ran out of room.
I breathed a sigh of relief when she had actually answered the first question half right. I gave her as many partial points as I could but she still didn't get full credit. After I finished grading her paper and placed a big red "D" on the front page of her test and a 'Great effort, Jane. Keep up the good work!' I leaned my head back against the couch and groaned.
"Everything okay, baby?" Edward croaked from behind me in a sleep roughened voice.
I smiled when I looked at him upside down. His hair was sticking up in a million different directions, there were sleep marks across his chest, and he was rubbing the sleepies out of his eyes like a little kid as he stood there in just his boxers and a pair of socks.
I chuckled. "Yeah, just frustrated with some of my student's test grades." I told him and held out a hand for him to join me on the couch.
"Wanna go out tonight to vent some frustrations? I know this amazing club downtown that offers a great variety of music and fabulous kisses from a certain green eyed bartender." He said as he joined me on the couch and propping his feet on my coffee table and draping my legs over the top of his.
"You wanna go clubbing with me?" I teased him.
He nodded. "It could be fun. Maybe the whole gang can go, even Angela and Bree. What do you think?" He suggested.
I smiled. "Sounds like a fabulous idea, Barman. Lemme text the girls and you text Em and Jazz."
EPOV
When I had suggested going clubbing to Bella earlier I had had no idea that I would spend most of the afternoon keeping myself and the other guys entertained while the girls holed up in Bella's bedroom and bathroom getting ready. They had already been up there for three hours and it was almost time to go as it was hedging on to seven o'clock.
"I forgot how long women took to get ready." I complained as I stood up and headed towards Bella's kitchen to grab another Dr. Pepper.
Jasper and Emmett just chuckled. Thank God Angela and Bree already had plans or God only knows how long they would be up there. "Get used to it, Bro." Emmett said over his shoulder as he focused on the movie on the television.
I shook my head and headed back into the living room to flop back down in my chair when a sound on the stairs caught my attention. They were finally finished, I prayed silently.
Alice came down in a short dark blue jean skirt and some sort of sparkly lime green shirt with matching lime green heels. "Lookin' sharp, Ali." I told her as she passed by me and made her way to a speechless Jasper. They were perfect for each other, her over exuberance leveled out his quietness.
I looked up the stairs anxiously as Emmett came to stand beside me and clapped me on the shoulder. "Anxious, Edward?"
I nodded and smiled at him before looking back at the stairs. I groaned when I saw that it was Rosalie, but smiled at her because even in all of her self-assured attitude she was self-conscious of the baby weight that she still carried around. I whistled at her as Emmett was speechless, but grinning like an idiot at her appearance. She wore a blood red dress that ended a few inches above the knee and was flowy around her hips, not hugging her form at all. She really was beautiful, but she wasn't the one I wanted to see.
"You look beautiful Rosie. You really do." I told her as she walked into Emmett's arms and placed a kiss on his cheek.
"Thanks Buddy, you just wait until you see your girl. She looks amazing."
I nodded and walked around so that I stood directly in front of the stairs. I would see her immediately as she walked down the stairs but as I stood there, nothing was happening. I turned to Rose and Alice for reassurance. "Is she okay?" I asked them quietly.
They both groaned. "She is worried her outfit is inappropriate and a bit over the top even though she looks amazing." Alice said like it was no big deal.
"If she didn't feel comfortable wearing it, she shouldn't wear it." I told them as I marched up the stairs after my girl.
I walked up the stairs shaking my head at my persistent friends currently downstairs probably doing things that would shame most people. I found Bella pacing the length of her bedroom floor wringing her hands together nervously.
"Baby, are you okay?" I asked her quietly as I stood in the doorway.
She stopped suddenly and turned to face me with worry written all over her face. "Edward…" she whispered quietly.
I went to her side and wrapped my arms around her waist which was bared by the shirt she had on. "You look amazing, Bella." I told her and smiled softly at her.
"Really? It's not too much?" She asked quietly as she looked up at me from under darkened eyes and sparkly eye shadow.
I shook my head, pecked her on her shiny lips and stepped back motioning her to turn around. She smiled and did a small circle with her arms held out to show off the full effect of the shirt. The shirt was dark purple and contrasted nicely with her pale skin and dark hair. The shirt had ginormous sleeves on it that hung to her mid thighs but there wasn't much fabric besides that. It tied in the back and each half covered each breast before wrapping under her arms to meet in the back. One tug on that tie and she would be exposed for the entire world to see. Her entire torso and upper chest was bared and sparkling with glitter. She wore skin tight dark blue jeans with holes ripped up and down each leg. The jeans were so tight that they almost looked painted on. She had the jeans tucked into black leather boots that hugged her calves. Her hair was hanging down her back in soft curls.
"You really look amazing, baby, but if you are not comfortable going out in this then just change." I told her quietly.
She shook her head and smiled, pecking me on the lips again. "I think I'll keep it on, I was just nervous of what you would think." She said as she started to head out of the bedroom.
I chuckled and followed her out the room and down the stairs.
BPOV
It was silly to overreact like that but this would be the first time we had ever really gone out in a group like this and I didn't want to embarrass him. I knew that these knee jerk stupid reactions were from my time with Jake as he had always criticized everything I ever done.
Once Edward walked in the room, I was blown away by how sexy he looked. He wore a black button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, distressed blue jeans and his cowboy boots. His hair was artfully sticking up all over his head and his green eyes sparkled.
When we walked into the club from the rear employee entrance, Edward immediately wrapped his arm around my waist, tugging me to his side. "I don't wanna lose you in this crowd." He whispered against my neck.
I smiled and nodded, sinking into his side as he led the way to a table in the back that had a sheet of paper with 'RESERVED FOR THE BOSSMAN AND HIS FRIENDS. SIT HERE AND SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES!' wrote on it. We all laughed at the note and Edward looked towards the bar at Seth and Paul who laughed as Edward held up the sheet of paper.
We all slid into the booth with Jasper and Alice between me, Edward, Emmett and Rose. "Who wants something to drink?" Edward asked as he stood up to go to the bar.
We all placed our orders and Edward left, headed towards the bar. Em and Rose headed for the dance floor as did Alice and Jasper. I sat there by myself for a few minutes before making my way to the bar to help Edward with all our drinks.
I frowned when I saw some skanky whore leaning over the bar gripping the front of Edward's shirt. As I got closer I heard what she was saying to him. "Come on Eddie, I ordered a Southern Kiss the old fashioned way. I haven't had one in forever."
He shook his head. "I can't do that Katie, I have a girlfriend now. You will have to take it the new way now. Drink and a kiss on the cheek." He told her again as he attempted to remove her claws from his shirt.
"Come on Eddie, you don't do relationships. Only fuck jobs." She told him as she tightened her grip on his shirt. "I've missed you, Eddie. I need it really bad."
I shook my head and ducked under the edge of the bar instead of raising it up to get behind the bar. I walked over to where Edward and the girl still stood and wrapped my arm around Edward's waist and one hand gripped the other woman's wrist tightly. "He does do relationships now. WITH ME." I told her as I removed her hand from Edward's shirt in her state of shock.
She gasped and had the audacity to look shocked. "And as far as Southern Kisses go, only I can get them the old fashioned way, ain't that right, Barman?" I asked as I looked up at Edward's smiling face.
He nodded and locked his lips with mine, sealing away the rest of the noise, club, and people. When we broke apart there was a small applause from the surrounding patrons and shouts of 'Go Edward!' and 'Get a room!' and I buried my head in Edward's chest in embarrassment.
"No need to get embarrassed, Baby. I love your possessive side by the way." He said as he placed a gentle innocent kiss against my now smooth lips.
I chuckled and helped him finish fixing our drinks for our friends.
After we delivered the drinks to the table, we hit the dance floor and joined our friends as they grinded on their significant others.
When Pussycat Dolls "Don't cha" came on Alice and Rose grabbed my hands and pulled me over to dance with them, leaving the boys just standing there gawking as we grinded against each other.
OK (ahh)
Yeah (ahh)
Oh, we about to get it just a lil hot and sweaty in this mu'fucka (oh, baby)
Ladies let's go (uhh)
Soldiers let's go (dolls)
Let me talk to y'all and just you know
Give you a little situation... listen (fellas)
Rose was behind me and Alice was in front of me and pushed her ass back against me as she bent forward and ran her hands from her ankles slowly up her legs.
Pussycat Dolls
Ya see this shit get hot
Everytime I come through when I step up in the spot (are you ready)
Make the place sizzle like a summertime cookout
Prowl for the best chick
Yes I'm on the lookout (let's dance)
Slow banging shorty like a belly dancer with it
Smell good, pretty skin, so gangsta with it (oh, baby)
No tricks only diamonds under my sleeve
Gimme the number
But make sure you call before you leave
Rose grabbed my hands and put them behind her neck and ran a hand down my arm and further down the middle of my chest and finally settled against my stomach. It tickled more than anything and it took everything I had in me not to bust out laughing.
I know you like me (I know you like me)
I know you do (I know you do)
That's why whenever I come around
She's all over you (she's all over you)
I know you want it (I know you want it)
It's easy to see (it's easy to see)
And in the back of your mind
I know you should be on with me (babe)
Rose turned and put her back flush against mine and Alice turned to face me and we smiled at one another as Rose and I leaned against each other and started slinking down together.
Don't cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me?
Don't cha wish your girlfriend was a freak like me?
Don't cha
Don't cha
Don't cha wish your girlfriend was raw like me?
Don't cha wish your girlfriend was fun like me?
Don't cha
Don't cha
I reached out and wrapped my hands around Alice's dainty smooth ankles and ran my hands along her legs and as Rose and I stood back up, I even slid my hands underneath her skirt a little bit.
Fight the feeling (fight the feeling)
Leave it alone (leave it alone)
'Cause if it ain't love
It just ain't enough to leave my happy home (my happy home)
Let's keep it friendly (let's keep it friendly)
You have to play fair (you have to play fair)
See I don't care
But I know she ain't gonna wanna share
When we were all standing tall again, I turned my back to Alice and faced Rose's back and wrapped my arms around her waist and ran my hands up and down her sides and slid back down until I was squatted between the two of them.
Don't cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me?
Don't cha wish your girlfriend was a freak like me?
Don't cha?
Don't cha?
Don't cha wish your girlfriend was raw like me?
Don't cha wish your girlfriend was fun like me?
Don't cha?
Don't cha?
I tugged both of them so that I was facing each of them and gave them each a hand and started leaning back depending on them to hold me up. I smiled at the guys as I looked at them from upside down, my hair touching the ground. I blew a kiss at Edward before standing back up.
OK, I see how it's goin' down (ahh, don't cha)
Seems like shorty wanna little menage pop off or something (let's go)
Well let me get straight to it
Every broad wan watch a nigga when I come through it
It's the god almighty, looking all brand new
If shorty wanna jump in my ass then vanquish
Looking at me all like she really wanna do it
Tryna put it on me till my balls black an blueish
Ya wanna play wit ah playa girl then play on
Strip out the Chanel
And leave the lingerie on
Watch me and I'mma watch you at the same time
Looking at ya wan break my back
You're the very reason why I keep a pack ah the Magnum
An wit the wagon hit chu in the back of tha magnum
For the record, don't think it was something you did
Shorty all on me cause it's hard to resist the kid
I got a idea that's dope for y'all
As y'all could get so I could hit the both of y'all
We grinded against each other, with my arms over each of them and we just grinding our hips against each other as the song was winding down.
I know she loves you (I know she loves you)
I understand (I understand)
I'd probably be just as crazy about you
If you were my own man
Maybe next lifetime (maybe next lifetime)
Possibly (possibly)
Until then old friend
Your secret is safe with me
Don't cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me?
Don't cha wish your girlfriend was a freak like me?
Don't cha?
Don't cha?
Don't cha wish your girlfriend was raw like me?
Don't cha wish your girlfriend was fun like me?
Don't cha?
Don't cha?
We all exhaled deeply as the song was finally over. Rose and Alice both placed kisses on my cheeks and we earned a round of applause from the surrounding crowd.
We finished our slutty dancing just as the song ended and each of our significant others grabbed our hands and we spread out over the club to enjoy our couple time. I saw Edward glance at the bar and grimace when he seen how crowded it was, but continued to dance with me. I finally took matters into my own hands and stepped away from him tugging his hand in the direction of the bar.
When we got to the bar door trap, I turned to face him. "This is your pride and joy and I understand that. Go help. I will sit right here and watch." I told him before leaning forward and kissing his lips lightly.
He just shook his head and lifted the bar trap and stepped behind the bar.
EPOV
"You guys need some help?" I asked Seth and Paul who were doing everything in their power to keep up with the busy crowd. The both shot smiles my way and nodded eagerly. I stood between the two of them and started a new line and started filling orders.
I was in my rhythm when I felt a hand slap against my shoulder. "Want some more help, Bro?" Em and Jazz asked together as they stood behind me with shit eating grins on their faces.
I chuckled because they had ulterior motives for offering to help me. They always got laid afterwards because their women thought they looked sexy tossing bottles of liquor up in the air and catching it without spilling a drop. Well that was Jazz's reason. Em's was more like Rose felt sorry for his lack of ability to do more than pour simple drinks.
I nodded and the five of us spaced out behind the bar and quickly got the crowd under control as our ladies sat huddled together by the trap door giggling at Emmett's attempts of flare.
"Come on, Em, you can do better than that. You paint little girls fingernails for fun and do it perfect so you should be able to flip a liquor bottle up and catch it easily." I teased him as he attempted to practice with a plastic bottle much to the amusement of my patrons.
"Yeah yeah, Eddie. This shit ain't as easy as it looks." He chuckled as he attempted one more time.
We all laughed at him as the bottle clattered against the floor in another epic fail. "Hey Em, this is how it's done Buddy." Jazz said as he flipped two bottles in the air and spun around on his feet and caught both bottles behind his back and brought them to the shot glasses effortlessly all with a smile on his face.
Emmett just flipped him off and stalked to Rosie's side and laid his head on her shoulder and she just patted his head sympathetically. I wouldn't be surprised if in about a month they weren't pregnant again by the look on both of their faces. They had both wanted a large family when they first started and were still trying for a boy. Em said that once he got a boy out of her then he was done with having kids, but I didn't believe him a single bit.
I clapped Jazz on the shoulder and made my way to Bella's side and wrapped my arms around her from behind. "Have you had enough for tonight?" I whispered against her ear placing a gentle kiss there.
She nodded as she leaned back against me.
I looked to both couples as they were cuddled against each other also. "You guys stayin or goin?" I asked them.
Jazz spoke up. "We're goin. I'll see you two idiots bright and early in the morning at the station." He said as he tugged Alice up and towards the back entrance. She waved lightly over her shoulder and blew kisses to the girls. We all chuckled at her exuberance.
"Yeah, they're getting laid tonight. Lucky bastard." Emmett groaned against Rosie's neck.
She patted his head. "We're gonna head home. The girls are with George and Margaret until tomorrow." Rose said quickly as she shrugged off Emmett's head and stood up.
He smiled a shit eating grin and followed her without a word to either Bella or me.
"Let's go upstairs, Baby." I whispered right against Bella's ear.
She nodded and stood up and led me out the back door to the parking lot.
We walked hand in hand to the stairs leading up to my condo before I let her go ahead of me so I could have an amazing view of her ass as she climbed the stairs.
I groaned about halfway up them. She stopped and looked over her shoulder at me curiously. "What's wrong, Barman?"
I smiled at her. "Nothing is wrong, baby, just got a particular ache that needs your attention." I told her as I glanced back down at her ass.
She smiled and wiggled it a little bit causing me to growl and launch myself at her. She squealed and ran up the stairs.
I chased her all the way up to my door where she stood with her arms crossed across her chest because the door was locked. She had a key but I was almost betting that she had left it and the rest of her keys back at her house because she didn't have anywhere to put them.
"What's wrong, love? Forget your key?" I asked her as I stalked her into the door.
She smiled and nodded. "Mmmhmmm. Now that you caught me what are you gonna do with me?" She asked huskily.
I hope this lived up to the previous chapters. Please leave me a little review to let me know what you thought about it.