I apologize for the delay and thank you for sticking with me! I just got a new isp and it's been giving me nothing but trouble. :-( Here's the new chapter, and things are about to get interesting. Please enjoy and leave me a review!!
---Bella---
A cool breeze from the window brushed against my neck and I shivered. I huddled under my blanket for warmth and found it was just as cold under there as it was in my room. It didn't make sense that my blankets would feel that way…oh yeah. I crinkled my nose as I remembered the events of the previous day. What would Edward think? My eyes popped open and I gasped.
"Oh shit!" I sat bolt upright, then clutched my head as the room began to spin. I flopped back down on the bed and closed my eyes. Emmett chuckled. "Not funny." I scowled.
"Told you so," I could hear him grinning. Jerk.
"Told me what?" I grimaced and pressed the heels of my hands into my eyes.
"That you didn't need it," I felt him chuckle again. "Hangovers suck, don't they?"
"I'm not hung over," I insisted. I opened my eyes and was assaulted by the dim morning light. I squeezed them shut again. "Just a little dizzy."
"A little?" he smirked.
"You're walking on thin ice, Cullen," I muttered, which only made him laugh harder. I quickly changed the subject. "And what would you know about hangovers, anyway?"
"I was human once, Bella," he said.
"Right. Right," I responded. "I keep forgetting that." I sat up, slowly this time, and swung my legs off the bed. I felt Emmett's cold hand on the small of my back steady me as I stood.
"Are you going to be okay?" he sounded sincere, and I smiled inwardly. Maybe he really did care.
"I'll be okay once I take a shower," I grabbed some clothes from my dresser and made my way to the door. I paused and turned to look at him. "Will you still be here when I get back?"
He answered with a nod and a gentle smile and I couldn't help but smile back. When had he gotten so incredibly sweet? I shuffled across the hall and into the bathroom. I turned the water on and let it run until the steam poured out from behind the curtain. I stripped and stepped in, gasping at first from the shock of the heat. I scrubbed my hands over my face a few times, and finally stepped fully into the stream. I immediately felt my muscles relax and all the tension fall away from my body. Small wonder what a hot shower could do. I stood with my head back for a couple of moments longer, then quickly washed and rinsed. I shut the water off, grabbed my towel and massaged the moisture away from my body. I rubbed my hair until it stopped dripping, which probably wasn't a good idea because I had to sit down to stop the bathroom from spinning. When I was steady again, I slipped into my underwear and shrugged into my jeans. I clasped my bra and adjusted the straps on my shoulders, then looked around for my shirt. I saw my pile of clothes from last night, and my towel. But no clean shirt.
"Shit," I swore. "How could I forget a shirt?"
I looked around again, hoping I'd missed it. Nope. Still not there. I sighed and settled for wrapping my towel securely around me. It was a little cumbersome, but would have to do until I could get in my room and find a shirt.
I padded back across the hall and opened the door, clutching my towel to my chest. I slid in and met Emmett's stare. He quirked an eyebrow at me and half-smiled. I immediately blushed and ducked my head.
"I forgot my shirt," I mumbled. I started to make my way to my bureau and caught my foot on the throw rug. I stumbled forward and instinctively put my arms out to brace myself against injury. My towel fell to the ground and I expected to follow when a pair of stone-cold hands grabbed my waist and righted me. I gradually looked up until I met Emmett's smiling golden eyes.
"You're such a klutz," he said with a chuckle.
All I could do was shrug, because, well, he was right. I smiled up at him and soon we were both laughing. Why I suddenly slipped my arms around his middle and hugged him, I'm not quite sure. It just kind of felt right. He didn't hesitate to return the embrace and slid his arms around me, holding me close. I enjoyed the way I felt in his arms. We held each other for what seemed like an eternity. He began to rub soothing circles on my back.
"Thank you," I murmured into his chest after a while. "For staying."
"Did you really think I was going to leave you like that?" he asked.
"I wasn't sure, to be honest," I responded. "I was just so afraid, so scared to be alone. I never want feel that way again." He pulled back and I craned my neck to look at him.
"So long as I'm here," he vowed, "you never will."
I was so struck by the sincerity in his voice that I couldn't speak. We stood in silence, just gazing into each other's eyes. He lifted one hand from where it rested on my hip and gently cupped my face. He stroked my cheek with his thumb, then leaned in and brushed his lips against mine in a soft, slow kiss. He gradually pulled away and I opened my eyes. I must have looked shocked, because he looked crushed. His hand fell away from my face and he cast his eyes down.
"Bella, I'm sorry. I just thought…" he whispered.
"Don't," I shook my head to silence him and took his face in my hands. I brought it up, and the hurt and rejection reflected in his eyes was more than I could stand. I pulled him toward me until our lips met. A surge of heat shot right through me and I reached up to clasp both hands behind his neck, never breaking the kiss. I wanted him closer. He either understood or felt the same, because he grabbed my hips and lifted me. I wrapped my legs around his waist and ran my tongue lightly on his bottom lip. He laughed gruffly and twined his tongue with mine. I had never felt this kind of passion before, and it was positively exhilarating. I would have carried on longer if it hadn't been for that pesky need for oxygen. I pulled back and gasped. My chest heaved as I gulped in the necessary air.
"Where," I panted, "Where did that come from?"
"You tell me," His fingers traced slow trails up and down my bare back, and I shivered. "I didn't know you had it in you."
"Neither did I," I giggled. "That was just so…wow. No one's ever made me feel that way before."
"What way?" he asked.
"I…um…" I faltered. How did I feel? I had felt safe last night, and this morning, when he promised never to leave, and then the kiss…I wasn't sure anymore. Did I…was I falling in love with him? No. I couldn't be. I hated him and he hated me…right? But how could his lips on mine feel so good? And his arms around me feel so right? Like they were made for holding me? This was wrong! I wasn't supposed to feel this way! It shouldn't be Emmett! It was supposed to be…
"Oh, no…" I whispered as the guilt washed over me.
"What's wrong?" he frowned.
"Edward," I sighed.
"What about him?" he wrapped one arm around my waist and began stroking my hair.
"I…he…" I stuttered. "Emmett, how am I going to explain this to him?"
"You don't have to say anything," he answered.
"He can read minds, can't he?" I asked
"Yes, but.."
"But nothing! He'll hear my thoughts!" I stayed his hand. "And he'll smell me all over you. He'll know! He'll never forgive me and he'll…he'll kill you."
"I can hold my own against Edward, don't you worry," he assured me. "And as far as everything else goes, well, I wouldn't worry about it."
"How can I not?!" I cried.
"Bella, let me explain something," he carried me over to the bed and sat down, holding me firmly in place so I was still facing him. "When it comes to you, Edward's mind-reading capabilities are very limited."
"What?" I was completely lost.
"Sweetie, he can't hear you," Emmett tapped my nose affectionately. "For some reason, your thoughts are the only ones he can't hear. So, as far as your worries over what just happened," he paused and caught my eye. "or what could happen are concerned, you are safe."
"But what about you?" I cocked my head. "Can't he hear you?"
"I've been hiding my thoughts from him for almost eighty years. I'll be fine, but I appreciate your concern." He kissed my forehead to reassure me, but I wasn't convinced.
"But he can smell me…" Emmett pressed his finger to my lips and I stopped.
"Got that covered, too," he said. "Edward didn't know I left last night, as you are aware. He left early this morning for a run. Jazz is going to tell him that you called while he was out, and I came to pick you up and bring you over to talk to him."
"Jasper knows?" I moaned and buried my face in my hands. "How does Jasper know?"
"He showed up at your window this morning while you were asleep." he answered.
"And you're sure Edward will believe him?"
"Jasper is very persuasive," Emmett shrugged, "It's sort of his thing."
"But if Jasper knows then Alice is bound to find out, and you know she'll run to Edward…" I stopped when Emmett began to shake with silent laughter. "What? Why are you laughing at me? This isn't funny, Emmett!"
"You worry too much," he chuckled. "Everything will be fine. Jasper won't say anything, Alice won't know and Edward won't find out." He swept my damp hair from my face and gazed into my eyes. "Trust me."
I leaned into his touch and sighed. As comforting as his words sounded, the fear still knotted my stomach. I let out a slow breath.
"I still have to explain why I ran out, though," I frowned.
"Can't really help you there," Emmett mumbled absently, his fingers now dancing lightly over my collarbone. His hands traveled down my back again and he pulled me close, burying his face in my neck. "You are positively intoxicating," he said between kisses that trailed from behind my ear to the hollow of my throat. I pushed his shoulders lightly.
"You're not helping!" I laughed. " I should get dressed if we're going to leave." I wiggled backwards on his lap and turned around so I could stand up. He yanked me back against his chest and I squealed.
"Do you have to?" He nuzzled the back of my neck. "I enjoy seeing you like this."
"I don't think Edward would enjoy you seeing me like this," I sighed and rested my hands on his briefly. Emmett grumbled something unintelligible, kissed my shoulder, then let me go. I stood and grabbed a long sleeved black tee and yanked it over my head. I slid my feet into my shoes, finger-combed my hair, took another deep breath and turned to face Emmett.
"Let's do this," I stated with a nod. He rose from the bed and joined me as I exited my room. I walked down the stairs in front of him and went to grab my keys from the rack by the door.
"You won't be needing those," he informed me as he opened the door. I was about to ask why when I saw my answer in the form of a shiny Jeep sitting in my driveway. "Jasper brought it by this morning."
He escorted me to the car where he helped me in before sliding behind the wheel. He started the engine and we idled for a couple of minutes.
"Are you sure this is going to work?" I couldn't shake the feeling that Edward was going to see right through us. I wrung my hands nervously. He placed a hand over mine and squeezed gently. I looked up at him and he smiled..
"He'll never know," Emmett leaned over the console and kissed my temple delicately. I sighed as he reluctantly pulled away. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes as he drove us back to the Cullen Mansion. Back to where my fate rested on one man's ability to tell a believable lie.