Chapter 5

Obviously I'm not Stephenie Meyer. All things in the Twilight Universe still belong to her and I'm stuck here, smacking my head, wondering, "Why didn't I think of that?" Ha, ha, but in all seriousness no infringement is intended on my part.

I really do have to apologize. I got super busy. Still am, but I took a moment to post this chapter for you all. I was just plugging along, not paying attention to the time. Well anyway here it is. Happy reading.

Before July 4, 2010

"Edward, what are you doing here?"

"I'm admiring my beautiful fiancée while she sleeps."

"I'm hardly beautiful after I first wake up. Seth always tells me I look like cousin It in the morning."

"That's what little brothers are for, and I have to admit your hair does look like a hay sack, but strangely enough, I like it."

"Well, you're required to like it," I laugh at him.

"Get dressed. It won't take me long to whip up breakfast then we can go exploring."

"The woods again?"

"No, Lake Michigan. So wear something skimpy."

"I didn't bring a swimsuit."

"Shorts will be fine, but if you'd rather, Alice sent you some things. There's several swimsuits to choose from in your dresser."

"Great, now I've got you pawing through my underwear drawer."

"Sorry. I get bored and lonely at night. A guy's got to find something to do."

I growled, throwing my pillow at him.

"I know you like me," he said waggling his eyebrows, ducking, the pillow flying over his head.

"What on Earth is that suppose to mean?"

"That you, my sweet girl, talk in your sleep."

"Oh, no you did not!"

He grinned hugely, waggling his eyebrows again, darting from the room, chuckling all the way down to the kitchen.

"Edward Anthony Mason Cullen! I'll make you sorry for that!"

"Stupid, never has to sleep, vampire," I grumbled, tossing the blanket to the floor. "Why do I even have a blanket on me?" I yelled to the floor below me, to be sure Edward heard. "It couldn't be so you could be sneaky and cuddle up to me at night without my permission."

I stocked to the dresser, pulling open the drawer with a little too much force. I almost spilled everything. I took a deep soothing breath, put the drawer back in place and began to paw through my new swimsuits. I was shocked to see so many, all bikinis. Not one single one piece.

"I can't wear these! You'll laugh at me!" I shouted at him again.

"Wear the dark blue one." He was right there outside my door peeking in.

I threw a wad of bikinis at him, he caught them all, laughing as he brought them back to me, depositing them in my drawer.

"I would never laugh at your body, Bella. I'd have quite the opposite reaction, actually."

"Hmm. It might be fun to see a vampire drool."

"Drool, pant, howl, whistle." He waggled his eyebrows yet again.

Hands on hips, I looked at him incredulously. "Be serious."

"Bella, you're gorgeous. Of course I want to see you scantily clad in that little blue number."

I rolled my eyes.

"I can wear my Speedos if you want." He smiled mischievously at me.

"They still make those things?"

"What do you think the Forks High swim team wears?"

"Um…" I looked down the length of him biting my lip.

Edward Chuckled. "Yeah, it's all good," he reassured me turning, wiggling his butt as he left my room.

He was right. His tall 6'2" frame was well muscled, but not overly so. He looked like he belonged on a swim team.

"I was not ogling you, Edward!" I was definitely lying. It was all good.

"Yes, you were," he sang back.

"You made me look!"

"Oh, yes. The devil made you do it."

I laughed in spite of myself. Whatever happened, I knew my life would not be boring with Edward around.

I closed my door and locked it, not that it could keep Edward out, but he did seem to respect some of my privacy. I wasn't too worried.

I slid out of my pjs into the "little blue number". I was so glad I decided to have myself waxed down there. It made things easier. I put on a pair of jean shorts that barely covered my butt and a cute vintage Dr. Pepper tee. I knotted the tee off to the side to show off my new bellybutton ring, which Edward has yet to find out about. Yes, I had a very productive but painful day to myself last Friday while Edward was hunting.

I smirked to myself in the mirror. I wondered what got into Edward. It was so out of character for him to ask me to wear a bikini. Seriously he could be such a fuddy-duddy, truly someone born in 1901. I'm surprised he doesn't have me dressed in a berka. I'm sure he'd be shocked to see my shiny new belly embellishment. I couldn't wait to see his reaction.

I laughed to myself as I suddenly thought of the "surprise" my baby brother sent me. It was my grandma Swan's tie-dyed muumuu she got in Hawaii on vacation a few years ago. My brother sent it to me as a joke telling me that sense I was going to be an old married woman soon I needed to look the part. He also sent curlers and green face mud, but I'd save those for another day.

I pulled the muumuu over my head, slipped on my red flip-flops, walked out to the hall, throwing my leg over the banister, sliding down. Edward never said anything, but I knew it irritated him to no end when I did that.

I sashayed into the kitchen, trying to gain Edwards attention, but his head was buried behind the refrigerator door.

"Need some help?" I planted a innocent smile on my face.

Edward pulled his head out of the frig to acknowledge me. His arms were filled with butter, jelly, milk and oj. Turning to smile he got one look at me and his jaw dropped open and he dropped everything in his arms. Lucky for him nothing busted open and he quickly picked it up and deposited it all on the table. I almost died laughing right there trying to imagine how I looked; me in my muumuu, flip-flops, and messy hair. Like 'cousin It' gone to Maui. Uncle Fester would be so jealous of this getup.

"Mm, something smells good. I should hurry and eat so we can go."

"Bella, are you ready to go?" he asked skeptically.

"Mm-hm. How do I look?"

"You… um… look. Oh jeez, heck no. Please put something else on."

I looked at him, feigning anger and hurt feelings. "You don't like it? It's from Hawaii." I lowered my eyes as if I were about to start crying."

"Bella," he sounded apologetic. He sighed. "Don't get mad. Alice has turned all of us Cullens into fashion snobs. Just ignore me, it doesn't matter what you wear anyway. But could you at least go comb your hair."

I looked up at him and smiled evilly. "I thought you liked my hair this way."

He was on me in a an 8th of a second. I squealed. "Why you little…" he started tickling me.

"Little what?" I asked between giggles. "Brat, monster, scallywag, scamp, rascal, monkey?"

"G. All of the above."

"Where did you get that hideous thing?"

"My baby brother sent it to me as a gag gift. You know, lingerie for an old married woman."

"Awesome, I know I'm just going to love your family."

"You will, especially Seth. He's the best baby brother ever."

"I just need to comb my hair. Hopefully you like what I have on underneath." I pulled the muumuu over my head."

"Much better," he smiled, then noticed my bellybutton.

"Um," he poked it gently with his finger. His eyes darkened and filled with what could only be lust. He palmed his face. "Wow."

"You like it?"

"Yeah," he said unconvincingly, then turned back to the stove to plate my breakfast. He sat a plate with scrambled eggs, bacon and toast in front of me.

"Thanks," I muttered.

"Did I do something wrong?" Edward asked, puzzled.

"You hate it, don't you?"

"No. No! Absolutely not. I love it. It's just that it took me by surprise."

"Sure."

"Bella, I really like it. It's…" he fisted his hair, "I'm a guy okay, I had a normal guy's reaction. I'm not use to having those kinds of reactions. Believe me, it's incredibly sexy. It made me think naughty things about you. Are you happy now?"

I smiled at him, fluttering my eyelashes. "You're allowed to think naughty things about me. After all, I am your fiancée."

"Just eat your breakfast and comb your hair," he growled, stomping out of the kitchen.

When I was done, Edward was no where in sight, so I bounded up the stairs to comb my hair in my bathroom. When done I slid down the banister again, surprised to find Edward at the bottom shaking his head at me. He was wearing dark blue board shorts and a plain black t-shirt. I wondered if he actually wore the Speedos underneath.

Caught ogling again, Edward laughed.

"Ready?"

"Yup," I popped the p. Edward mussed my hair.

"Humph. Now you get to look at me all day like this," I said pointing to my tousled hair.

"Promise?" he waggled his eyebrows. He did that a lot. I rolled my eyes. I was getting use to his sporadic mood swings. I suspected he was a little sexually frustrated. Over one hundred years old with no mate, I'd be a little frustrated too. Who knew how long it had been for him. Let's just say I didn't hold it against him. It did however make me a little nervous about marrying him in the not too distant future. I wasn't at all ready to marry Edward. I wasn't even sure I'd date him under normal circumstances, but I had to admit there was a playful dynamic to our relationship that I really liked. No matter what, I knew then that I would always want Edward in my life in some capacity. To give him up entirely would be sort of heartbreaking. Like loosing a best friend. Best friends turned lovers are not entirely unheard of. Well anyway the thought gave me hope that I could love him someday as he deserved.

I stepped outside and looked up at the sky. No sun, the sky was overcast. I never thought to ask about the weather, assuming it would be sunny bathing suit weather. I shook my head. That was silly considering Edward never went out on a sunny day. Of course not. Mr. Sparkles would draw too much attention.

Edward joined me on the porch a moment later, carrying a picnic basket.

"Come on. Let's get going before the sun makes an appearance." Alice was his go to weather girl. The psychic pixie didn't know everything, like how to predict what I would do next, but I sure wouldn't bet against her when it came to the weather or the stock market.

We got in the Volvo and he drove us to the Navy Pier, on Lake Michigan.

Edward helped me out of the car, holding on to me with one hand and the picnic basket in the other. But instead of walking to the Navy Pier, he walked to an area with a long line of luxury yachts.

"Wow, you rented us a yacht for the day."

"Not exactly. I bought one, well more than one, but this is the one I have in Chicago."

"Oh." My mouth dropped open at first sight of the vessel.

"Do you like it?" Edward was smiling proudly.

"It's pretty," I commented shyly.

"Pretty?" He looked at me incredulously.

"Sorry. It looks like fun?"

He chuckled.

"I'm not really a high maintenance sort of girl. Expensive things don't really impress me that much." I shrugged.

"I know. I only brought you here because it is fun. We're going to have a lot of fun today, Bella."

It turned out to be a beautiful sunny day. Edward's eyes popped out of his head when I stripped down to my bikini, which made me laugh. Then he laughed in turn when he stripped down to his Speedos, because my eyes did the same. He was one gorgeous hunk of vampire. Too bad he couldn't lay in the sun with me, at least not here on Lake Michigan on a busy holiday. At least he was able to enjoy being outside. There was a place for him to sit in the shade.

When night came we watched the fireworks over by Navy Pier. We were sitting side by side, holding hands. Suddenly, just before the grand finale Edward got down on one knee in front of me, fireworks exploding behind him; a nervous smile played on his lips. He produced a jewelry box the size of what might hold a ring.

"Edward?" I questioned him, wondering if this was really happening.

"Bella, I know that if given a choice, you'd probably tell me no. That's okay, I know I don't deserve someone as wonderful as you. I just want you to know that even though we have been forced into this situation I will do everything in my power to see you happy. You are a beautiful, intelligent and compassionate woman and I just love spending time with you. It's going to be so easy for me to learn to love you. You are so utterly loveable. This was my biological mother's engagement ring. If you will except it, I would like for you to wear it now."

I lifted the lid, hands shaking. Elizabeth Mason's ring, "So beautiful," I said as I stroked the diamonds. Tears were streaming down my smiling face. There had to be at least two carats worth spread out in an intricate oblong design set in white gold. The ring was definitely the most beautiful piece of jewelry I'd ever seen, but it wasn't the value of the ring that caused my sudden emo state, it was the sentiment behind it.

Edward had planned this whole day with this in mind. He was truly trying to give me everything in this relationship. He wasn't going to allow me to miss out on anything. This beautiful man was attempting to give me a romantic proposal, and succeeding. A feeling of warmth spread through my body, an unfamiliar, yet undeniable force. Was it the first stirrings of love? Time would only tell.

I looked up to see him smiling sweetly at my reaction. I nodded in agreement. "Yes, Edward. I would be honored to wear your mothers ring. Thank you."

He slipped the ring on my finger. "No, Bella. Thank you." He stood up pulling me from my chair into his arms. "You can't imagine how happy you've just made me."

He leaned down briefly to pick up the stereo remote. Debussy's Clair De Lune started playing in the background. Edward smiling, took my hands, laying them on his shoulders, wrapping his arms around me. We began to sway to the music.

"Bella," Edward said my name with unparalleled passion. "May I kiss you?"

He leaned his forehead on mine, gazing deeply into my eyes, waiting for my answer.

I was momentarily thrown by his question. Was I ready for this? It did seem silly not to let him. After all, in about six weeks we would be lovers, whether I was ready or not. This realization did strange things to my body. The feeling was hot and shivery at the same time. I trembled and felt my girly bits heat up. It wasn't a bad feeling, but not altogether comfortable either when my bikini bottoms started feeling squishy.

"Bella?" Edward sounded hopeful.

"Um… Okay."

I was preparing myself for a kiss that was cold, wet, with a lot of tongue and maybe a little groping, but what I got instead was cold, soft, sweet, and chaste. It was the perfect first kiss. But of course it was, Edward was always a perfect gentlemen. This alone should make me love him.

I have to say, I love Edwards romantic side. He always seems to know just what to say to a girl. "Sigh." Chapter 6 is coming up next, oozing citrus.