Chapter 10.

EPOV

When Bella, Alice and Rose got to the beach. I glanced over and saw that she was in casual beach clothes so I went back to playing Frisbee with Carlisle. Then the beach erupted with catcalls and whistles, so I turned to look and saw that Bella had taken off her t-shirt and was wearing a swimsuit that left almost nothing to the imagination. The towel she was wearing yesterday covered more than what she had on now.

I started walking towards her to cover her back up. Carlisle noticed what was going on and he understood why I left the game. Tanya came up to me, "why didn't you call me?" I ignored her.

Alice came over to me I thought she was going to try to stop me, but instead she whispered in my ear. "Why don't you go over and kiss her?" I smiled and nodded I knew why she said that. She could tell I had no interest in Tanya and she knew that Bella hated the attention she was getting. I also knew that Alice had a plan formulating in her head.

I walked up to Bella. Put my hands on the back of her head, and whispered, "Just play along okay?" she just nodded. Then I kissed her. She didn't pull back instead she pressed her body against mine and tangled her fingers in my hair. It took all I had to pull away and to talk to her. "What took you so long to get here? I told you I wanted to spend the day with you." I said to her loud enough for everyone to here. I wanted them to get the impression that we were together. It worked cause shortly after that everyone went further down the beach to party with their other friends.

"I am sorry I did that. But it looked like you needed some protection from the crazies."I told her as we sat down on the blanket together still holding hands. It just felt right to me. "No its cool." I wondered what she was thinking did she enjoy it or was it strictly for show. I guess I'll have to find a time to try it again.

We just sat on the blanket for awhile just casually touching each other especially when we thought someone was watching.

"Do you want a drink?" I asked her figuring that she would be safe enough if I left her for 5 minutes. When I got back it looked like she was sleeping so I decided it would be funny if I poured some ice on her. I didn't really feel like being mean to her but I wanted to go swimming so I figured that if I poured ice on her she would chase me and I was right she did.

When we got to the water I grabbed her in a hug to apologize for getting her with ice. Before I got a chance to talk though she dunked me in the water. I came up sputtering and I grabbed her again. This time she just stayed still. "I am sorry Bella. I just wanted to go for a swim and I thought that this would be the way to do it." "You could have asked me." "I know but this was way more fun." I said losing myself in her eyes. She was leaning closer to me and we were about to kiss. Then she screamed and hugged me tighter something or someone grabbed her leg. It was Emmett I didn't notice that my family had joined us in the water. I reluctantly let her go. "Sorry we didn't interrupt anything did we." Emmett said laughing he knew damn well he did.

Bella left to go swim with the girls but only after hitting Emmett. She was blushing. I just stood there watching her go.

"Man do you ever have it bad!" Jasper commented coming over to me. I just nodded.

"Hey man. Did you get anywhere yet?" Emmett came over asking. I shoved him hard and he fell in the water. He came up spluttering, "Edward you are going to pay for that."

He jumped up and pushed my head under. The girls saw the fun we were having so they decided to join us. Then we decided to play chicken. Rosalie on Emmett's shoulders, Alice on Jaspers, so that left Bella with me. Feeling her legs on my shoulders got my mind going in ways that wasn't really the way it should be. She managed to push both girls in so we won. Losers had to pay for dinner tonight. She fell backwards into the water and then grabbed me in a hug, "yeah we won." Then she kissed me. Not a friendly little peck but a kiss filled with so much passion that I had to force us apart. I knew that if she kept kissing me like that I might just have to do to her what the other guys wanted to do her. I didn't want to be that guy. I wanted her to want me as much as I wanted her.

I looked at her and I saw that her eyes were filled with lust. Did she really feel that way or was it the heat of the moment?

We heard my parents calling us from the edge of the water. We went over to them. I followed a little more slowly so that I could compose myself before getting out. I am sure that she would have noticed, and so would the rest of the family.

"you guys as much fun as this has been we still have that banquet to get to. So we need to leave to go get ready?" Damn I forgot that we had that dinner tonight. I would have liked to have spent the night just being alone with Bella or alone as one could get in my house. I didn't want to have to leave her by herself.

"Well I guess if you guys are going out, I'll go see Charlie." She started saying.

"No Bella we have a ticket for you too. Carlisle managed to get another ticket for you." My mom explained to her. "Um. Thanks but I don't want to impose, more than I already have." "No no Bella there is no imposition. You are family." My dad told her as he put an arm around her shoulder. She smiled then she rolled her eyes. She saw the look in Alice's eyes, she knew that it was probably going to be dress up Bella time. She tried one more time to get out of it though. "I don't have anything to wear."

"I knew that you were invited so I picked you up something in Paris." Alice told her. Then Bella covered herself up and was reluctantly pulled to her car.

I actually found myself praying that it was something with a little more cloth then the towel. I don't know how much longer I could control myself around her.

When I got back to the house I heard the girls in Alice's room and I listened so that I made sure Bella's voice. I didn't want to walk in on her again. She was there.

I quickly had a shower and pulled out my tux. It was a black tie affair which drove us all nuts but being the children of a prominent doctor we all had to make some sacrifices.

"Lets go guys the limos are here and if you aren't down here in five minutes. We are leaving without you. We still need to go grab Rosalie and Jasper. And I don't want to be late." Dad yelled we knew he meant it for Alice she loved to show off her clothes and a party like this was just her cup of tea.

I was waiting at the bottom of stairs with my parents. I could hear Emmett coming out of his room. "Wow Bells you look beautiful. At least this leaves something to the imagination." Then I heard a loud smack. I guess she must have hit him pretty hard cause he was still rubbing his arm when he came down. I just chuckled.

"She got you good didn't she." Mom asked still smiling. She loved it when her family got all dressed up to go somewhere.

Bella came down with Alice they both looked beautiful. The dress she was wearing was blue that came down to her feet with a slit up to mid thigh. I don't remember much else because like every other time I see her lately all I see is her. I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She was absolutely stunning. She was staring back at me. I guess she wasn't concentrating where she was going because she tripped and I quickly reached out to grab her. I caught her in my arms and held her there. "are you okay?" she nodded She smelled wonderful, I didn't want to let ago.

"okay guys lets go get Rose and Jazz." Dad said. And we all piled into the limo. I sat next to Bella so that when the other 2 got in they could sit beside my siblings.

"Bella you look beautiful." My mom said. Dad just nodded and looked over at me I haven't been able to take my eyes off of her.

We quickly picked up Jazz and Rose and then everyone got comfortable it was an hour drive to Port Angeles. We just sat and joked around.

When we got to the banquet. I noticed that the tables seated 10 people so I was wondering who was going to be joining us. I sometimes enjoyed listening to my fathers colleagues. I was actually thinking of ditching my musical career and becoming a doctor.

As we made our way over to the table I noticed that Tanya was standing with her father and mother. So I guess that made it so she wouldn't be sitting there. I felt a huge relief. I wanted to concentrate on Bella and not have to worry about Tanya.

"What do you mean that one of my guests has to sit elsewhere?" I heard my dad talking to the person in charge of seating. "I'm sorry Dr. Cullen but when I asked Dr. Denali if they minded moving to another table they said they didn't want to. Apparently their daughter was coming and she goes to school with your children so she wanted to sit with them. I am so sorry but we do have an empty seat at the table next to yours so your other guest won't be that far. And after dinner she can join you." My dad nodded and walked away.

I went over to the table to see who was sitting where and I realized that because she was a last minute addition to the party Bella would be sitting alone and I would be stuck with Tanya and her family. I also noticed that one of the nurses at Bella's table was one that I had known for most of my life and he loved to talk to my dad.

So I quietly went over to him. "Hey John, can I ask you a favour?" he nodded. "Would you mind switching seats with me. You see there was some kind of problem with the seating and my lovely friend over there would be sitting by herself. Do you mind if I changed seats with you?" I asked. He looked over at Bella and nodded he saw the look on my face. I was still keeping an eye on her. I knew she was all nervous about sitting alone so she was hesitating about coming over. "Sure man is she ever pretty." I quickly switched the placement cards.

Carlisle nodded at me, knowing what I was doing. We mingled for a bit, never taking my eyes off her. She was sticking pretty close to Alice. She didn't know anyone here really except my family and Tanya. When they announced it was time to be seated I felt an arm through mine and I heard her say, "Shall we" I knew it was Tanya. "Actually Tanya Bella is my escort for the evening and I will be sitting with her." She turned around and saw Bella for the first time all evening. "But you were supposed to sit with your family." She whined. "you can't just sit wherever you feel like." "Actually I switched with one of the nurses from the hospital. Enjoy your meal." I pried her fingers from my arm and left her standing there.

"Care to join me?" I asked Bella when I came over and offered her my arm. She took it.

As we got to the table I went to take her wrap and hand it to a waiter when I noticed that the back of her dress was backless.

Well there goes the self-control.

I really hope you liked this chapter and please review.