Here is the next chapter. Thanks to all my reviewers yet again you people are the best ever. I am still short of my goal of 20 though. Also thanks to SPOONS Secret Agent Alice who is a gymnast and who will be helping me make up my routines from now on- Thank you for putting up with any stupid questions I ask! Read and review!
XOXO,
Meg
"Oh, my God," I gasped.
We had turned around a bend in the manicured driveway. There, on a hill, was a gorgeous English manor house; designed in what I thought was a Victorian manner. Edward stopped the car and was laughing at the expression on my face.
" Do you like it," he asked.
" Like it? It's gorgeous. Is it your's?"
" My families, yes.
Carlisle's ancestral home, we summer here a lot."
He began
driving along a smaller path, leading around the house.
Yeah definitely not a house, I decided as we drove around it, more like a palace.
We pulled up outside of another building, this one a little more industrial looking. Edward grabbed my hand and pulled me along behind him. He could have been talking to me, but I was too busy craning my neck at the gigantic property. I could just make out a few other buildings off in the distance… and this was just their summer house.
I was from your average American family, well in terms of finances anyway. We had a pretty nice house just outside Center City Philadelphia. I was born in Forks Washington, but then my mom left my dad and she struggled for awhile. Gymnastics is a really expensive sport, especially once you to get to level 7 and beyond. I tried to help out with the expenses as much I could, any purses I won, I tried to give to Renee, and then I helped teach some of the younger gymnasts at my gym. It has gotten better in the last few years since she married Phil and since my purses got bigger, but still, it was really hard to imagine that someone could have enough money to have all of these amazing estates and still afford multiple Olympic/ Elite financing.
" Still there," Edward asked tapping me gently on my head.
I shook of my thoughts as soon as Edward touched me. The jolt of electricity was too much to ignore. " Yeah, just thinking."
He sighed, " You know, I really wish I knew what you were thinking."
" I'm thinking that I want to go swimming." I nodded at the professional size pool in the room he had just led me into. " Is there anywhere I can change," I asked trying to keep the lie from going flat.
He nodded and pointed at a door off to the side of the pool.
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Edward Pov:
I was enjoying seeing the look of amazement on her face when it turned into something else.
" Still there," I asked, tapping her gently on her head.
She seemed to jump at my touch. Hmm, I wonder if she felt the jolt of electricity that I did whenever we touched?
" Yeah, just thinking," she answered.
Frustrated, I sighed, " You know, I really wish I knew what you were thinking."
I really wanted to know everything about her. Anytime I thought I knew what her response would be she surprised me.
" I'm thinking that I want to go swimming." she nodded at our professional size pool in that I had just led her into. " Is there anywhere I can change," she asked. I could tell that she was lying about, but didn't say anything, I just nodded and pointed to one of the changing rooms off to the side. I headed to the one across from it.
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Bella Pov:
I quickly changed thankful that Renee had talked me into bringing something other than one or two one-pieces, I had brought in case I decided to workout in the pool. Then I caught sight of myself in the mirror of the dressing room and felt immediately self-conscious. I wasn't fat, but I kind of hated my bulky muscles. I wasn't just toned, to be an elite gymnast, you have to have killer muscles. Hell, I could probably pick up Emmett and throw him across the room without too much difficulty.
I always felt stocky. And in the cerulean blue halter bikini, I felt stockier than usual. The top ended at my ribcage and emphasized my rock-hard six-pack. The skort bottom cut of at the top of my thighs and you could see the line of muscle in them, even just standing still and not flexing my muscles.
I pulled my eyes away from the mirror and took a deep breath. I walked toward the door, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around myself insecurely as I went.
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Edward Pov:
I changed quickly and dived in the pool for some laps while I waited for Bella. A door opening shot through my concentration. Bella a towel wrapped around her torso and legs, was standing self-consciously by the edge of the pool. I swam to the side and pulled myself out of the water.
I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her quickly on the mouth. I moved my mouth to her ear. " Mmm, I love that color blue on you," I murmured near her ear. She shivered and wrapped her arms around my neck. She let go of the towel. And I stepped back.
My eyes raked her body- hey, I may be a gentleman, but I still am a man. God, she is amazing. She was so toned, and the blue bikini showed off her incredible muscles. She crossed her arms over her stomach, self-conscious again, and her muscles rippled. Damn, she looked strong. She could probably pick me up, hell, she could probably pick up Emmett. Could she get anymore perfect, and how could she be so unsure of herself?
" So are we going to swim or what," she asked.
" Oh bring it," I joked back. She got a competitive look on her face and stalked away from me.
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Bella Pov:
Edward was swimming laps, but when he heard me, he swam to the edge and walked over to me. Yum, did he look amazing wet. That boy didn't have a six pack, he had a bakers' dozen. I was trying to figure out what was different about him, then it hit me. He was wearing board shorts not his usual Speedo. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed me. Just as I leaned into the kiss, he pulled away, lips going to my ear instead.
" Mmm, I love that color blue on you," he murmured into my ear. I shivered at his warm breath and lips at my ear and wrapped my arms around his neck. I dropped the towel to the floor in the process. That was when he pulled away. His eyes raked over me and I crossed my arms in embarrassment. I tried to distract him.
" So are we going to swim or what," I asked.
" Oh bring it," he joked back, sparking my competitive side.
I stalked away from him and climbed the ladder to the high diving board. I smirked and turned my back on the pool. I jumped once, twice, before flipping into a double one and a half twist. I sliced cleanly into the clear water before surfacing. I swam over to him at the edge of the pull.
" Bring it, fish boy."
Edward looked at me and then cannonballed into the pool. The resulting wave was so strong it moved me a few feet.
" Perfect 10," I laughed as we both resurfaced from his tidal wave inducing cannonball.
" Oh, yeah, think that's funny?" He swam over to me in even strokes. I tried to swim away, but hello. He's Edward Cullen, Olympic swimmer. I didn't even stand a chance. His hands tightened around my waist before I could even take four strokes.
" Put me down!" Edward had picked me up and was wading over to the deep end. He just laughed and began to swing me.
" No, way, put me down," I squealed.
Next thing I knew I was flying through the air. I had time for one threat before I went under. " Edward Cullen, I am going to get you!" When I came up spluttering, he was almost doubled over with laughter. I swam underwater as quietly as I could; sneaking up on him.
I jumped up onto his shoulders and covered his eyes. In a disconcertingly fast move he flipped me over his shoulder and into his arms. He cradled me there as I caught my breath and then proceeded to take it away again with an amazing kiss.
We floated there for awhile, me cradled in his arms, kissing, in our own personal heaven. The Olympics, the pressure, the press, everything was outside the little bubble that we created for ourselves and it was perfect.
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Next chapter: Just when everything seemed to be perfect, it all fell to pieces. I was busted.
R and R and I should have another design up soon. Poll is still up.
Meg