COVER ART IN MY PROFILE.

BELLA'S POV

"Mmmm," I sighed, feeling the warm water relax my muscles. I was trying to forget what had just happened. Had I overreacted? Emmett had never tried to hurt me before-was something changing?

I let my head roll back and closed my eyes as the water rinsed out the lilac-scented shampoo in my hair.

"Bella."

I screamed and nearly slipped at the sound of my name. I'm sure Charlie expected me to come back home without any broken bones. I was going to have to set some rules about everyone scaring me if I wanted to live up to that.

I wiped the steamy film that had fogged up the glass shower door. I could vaguely make out Alice's figure.

"So, what do you think?" asked Alice. She quickly slid the shower door open and modeled a yellow bikini with a white stone at the center of the top part. She looked fantastic, but I was naked.

"Alice!" I cried in alarm. I attempted to cover the most private areas with my arms. Alice rolled her eyes.

"Oh, come on, Bella, we're both grown women." She grinned and handed me a towel anyway. "Besides, I didn't see anything. Hardly." She laughed at my embarrassment. "Anyway, the others are back. We're all heading out to the beach so when you're done with your shower, put this on." She laid some type of blue fabric on the toilet cover. I squinted and recognized its shape.

"NO! Alice, I am NOT wearing that!" I said with disgust for the skimpy, blue bikini.

"Oh yes, you are. Even if that means I have to lock up all your clothes in the closet with a key." She picked up my dirty clothes.

"Fine. I'll just have to borrow Edward's," I replied, smiling proudly.

"Oh! Thanks for reminding me!" she said, sticking her tongue out right before she left the room.

"Alice, wait!" I yelled as she shut the door. "Damn that small vampire!" I said hitting the side of the showers wall. Getting out of the shower, I quickly dried myself off with the towel. I walked over to the bikini and picked it up between my index finger and thumb.

"Ugh," I said.

EMMETT'S POV

"Emmett?" called a gentle voice. I turned to look at Rosalie when she entered and pulled up my swimming trunks. She was wearing a red bikini, and her faced was framed by beautiful, blond waves. She hung her head and came up to me.

"I'm sorry for how I was acting before. I had some time to think while we were hunting." She ran her hand up and down my chest. I brought my hand to her face; she was stunning.

My Rosalie…she'd been by my side, taken me out of my painful, warm life and into this cold one. Overall, I was happy with how things had turned out; I'd grown accustomed to my life. Still, I longed to know how it felt to be human again.

Bella was human.

I took another look at Rosalie, my wife, but I was aware of how badly I wanted things to click with Bella.
She had something I didn't and that Rosalie couldn't give me: life.

Bella had warmth and human vulnerabilities. She was different; there were things she could experience that I no longer could.

And I couldn't even get a taste of it, because she was Edward's.

Rosalie seemed to be waiting for me to say something, so I pulled my thoughts away from Bella and said, "I'm sorry too, Rose. I mean, it was all fun and games, I didn't mean to piss you off. And…at least it stays in the family, right?" She smiled. I took her face in my hands. "We can get another one if you enjoyed riding in the Bugatti." She shook her head.

"It wasn't really the car that got me mad, Em. Sometimes you act so...childish. Don't get me wrong, I've always wanted a child, but I don't want you to be the child. I want you to be the man in my life." Rosalie grabbed my hands up to her. I realized we had finally gotten to the heart of the matter.

"You know we can't have a child, Rose," I said gently and brought her into a hug.

She stood quiet in my arms.

BELLA'S POV

"Edward?" I asked, peeking out only my head from the bathroom door. He was sitting on the bed, reading a thick book. Excellent, he was here. He stood up and put the book away. As he walked to me he smiled, his eyes the warm, amber color I loved. He wore only his swimming trunks; I took in his pale, stone-chiseled body, so slim and beautiful.

"She convinced you to wear it?" he asked smiling, expecting to see me wearing the bikini. Instead, I threw the bikini at him. He caught it in his hand and looked at it in confusion. I shook my head, took a deep breath, and opened the door completely, showing him my nude body. Even though he turned away quickly, I knew he'd seen me, but I wanted it to be more than a glimpse. I wanted him to see me, to take his time and let his eyes wander all over my body. I wanted to see the man in him crave me, desire me.

"What are you doing, Bella?" he asked, breathing heavily. I walked to him, grabbed his face and turned it to me so that he was looking down into my eyes.

"Edward, we've been together for two years, and I love you. I know you love me too, but sometimes...I don't think you...want me," I said. He wouldn't take his gaze away from my face. I tilted my head a little, an unspoken signal of encouragement.

Slowly, he allowed his gaze to lower. I walked back a few steps, allowing him to look at me in full. I felt a bit self-conscious, but this was Edward, my life. And I wanted him. He took his time, before finally looking back into my eyes. He walked to me, and gently kissed me on my lips. Gently grabbing my chin, he smiled.

"You don't know how badly I...You are so beautiful to me, and I want everything about you, Bella. I have to control myself every second you're around me, you know that. I am a man, and naturally I do have that... desire. But its not time yet."

So he was going to refuse me.

Again.

I became upset.

"THEN WHEN, EDWARD! WHEN WILL IT BE TIME!" I demanded.

"Bella, you are so fragile to me, I could never forgive myself if I harmed you."

"THAT'S BULLSHIT! You won't even try! I'll never be strong enough for you until you turn me, and you won't even do that!"

"I already told you what my conditions were: not until we get married." I could tell he was making an effort to be patient with me, and it made me even more angry.

"Yeah, whatever. You'll always find an excuse." I snatched the blue cloth away from him, pulled on the bottom piece, and held the top over my breasts to cover them. I realized I couldn't reach the back to tie it, but I sure wasn't going to ask Edward for help.

"Bella," he pleaded.

"Just leave me alone!" I shouted. I walked out and slammed the door behind me. I turned around and bumped into a solid wall.

"Ow," I said, rubbing my nose in confusion.

"BELLA! I'm so sorry! I didn't see you! Are you okay?" said Jasper, checking my face. The wall had in fact been Jasper.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I lied. I could feel my nose pounding in soreness. "Hey, do you mind tying this thing?"

"Of course!" he said quickly, tying the two blue strings.
"Thanks," I said.

"Wow, Bella, you look…amazing," he said, smiling. I blushed and crossed my arms in an attempt to cover my chest. I still felt half-naked. "Were you headed outside?"

"Actually, I was looking for Alice."

"She's out there; we all are. I came back in to see if you and Edward were coming." He looked at the door, waiting for Edward to follow me out.

"Yeah, Edward will be out in a bit. I'm ready, I guess." I looked down at myself and grimaced.

"You look great, Bella. Really," Jasper reassured me. "Shall we?" He held his arm out, and I smiled and wrapped my arm around his. He led the way.

As we stepped out of the house, I was finally able to see my surroundings firsthand. I could never even dream of something so amazing as this was.

From the corner of my eye I could see Jaspers body sparkling. The island only brought out the Cullens' beauty even more. I looked at him and smiled.

"You're beautiful," I told him. Jasper gave a hearty laugh.

"Thanks, back at you. You look really sexy, if you don't mind me saying…for a human I mean." He laughed again at the last bit.

"Ha, ha," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Hey, you're the one who's named Bella. And you truly are," he grinned. As we got closer to the beach, I could see the other sparkling Cullens, especially Rosalie. I mean, who wouldn't? I had never imagined she could look more perfect then she already did.

As we stepped onto the sand, the bottom of my feet burned.

"Oh, wow, the sand is really hot," I said, letting go of Jasper and hopping around.

"Here, let me give you a hand." He swiftly grabbed me and put me over his shoulders.

"Whoa! Hold on, I-" I attempted to catch my balance and grabbed on tightly to the top of his head. "You really don't have to, Jasper, it's fine, I can..." But he laughed, ignored me, and kept walking towards the beach. It felt like I was sitting on ice.

From my awkward position, I could see the Cullens. Carlisle and Alice were building a sand castle and Esme was laying on the sand with Rosalie. What about...my eyes swept the beach, and I saw him…Emmett. He swam out of the water and began walking toward Rosalie, smiling. He was sparkling like the other Cullens. Each muscle on his body was well-defined, and even more distinguished by the sun and water glistening off his body. It excited me in a way that felt...right.

"I see Rosalie and Emmett are on better terms now," I said with a cheerfulness I didn't feel.

"For now," responded Jasper. "Do you know how to swim?"

"Yeah, why do you ask?" Something told me he was up to something. Jasper looked up and smiled.

EMMETT'S POV

"Babe! Come on, the water's great! Come in with me," I said to Rose.

"Ugh, no thanks. I'll pass. I'm not swimming in the same water fish swim in. Not with this hair," said Rose. She tilted her head back and shook her blond hair in the wind. I had to admit she looked sexy as hell right now, but she was boring me. I hated how she never wanted to do anything fun. The only times she ever got messy were when hunting or playing baseball, and even that wasn't a common thing.

Suddenly, I heard someone screaming.

"JASPER! NOOO! AHHHH!" I turned to see Jasper carrying Bella…wait, that was BELLA? Whoa. Bella was in the bikini Alice had given her. I never thought I'd actually see her in it. She looked…I just couldn't take my eyes away from her. Jasper was laughing the whole way, even as he leaped high into the air and towards the deeper end of the water.

"HOLD YOUR BREATH!" warned Jasper. I watched as both Bella and Jasper went into the water. I heard Rosalie scoff behind me. Alice and Esme give a cheerful laugh and Carlisle watched on smiling.

"Now that's what I'm talking about," I said under my breath as I ran back into the water and swam towards them.