All recognizable characters are property of Stephanie Meyer and the author makes no financial gains from using them. I just like to make them spoiled little rich kids.

This story will bounce back and forth between the present time (senior year) and the summer before. Please do not hesitate to PM me with any questions you may have.

Big thanks to Shepeppy for betaing this for me.

Check out the banner for this story made by the very talented MsRason (link can be found on my profile).

July 1st continued

"Alright, D, you ready to try this?" James asked as he strapped Isabella into a life vest.

"I can't believe you're making me wakeboard." She glanced wearily at the board he'd placed at her feet.

"You put your feet in and hold onto the rope," he explained.

"Easy as that, huh?" she asked, twisting slightly as he tightened her jacket.

"You just skim the water like you do when snowboarding."

"I've never been snowboarding," she said, agitated.

"Really?" he asked, surprised. "What does your family do in the winter then?"

"Oh we go to the mountains and all, I just normally ski," she informed him.

"Well, I don't have any skis," he said as he lowered the board into the water. "So you'll have to try something new."

"Lovely," she muttered, sliding into the water.

James glanced back making sure she was in the water correctly and that she had a grip on the rope. He increased the throttle little by little watching Isabella the whole time. As the speed caught up with the rope, it jerked her forward before flying out of her hand.

"You gotta hold on tighter," he yelled after she'd come above the water.

She glared at him before swimming and grabbing for the rope again. He started out a little slower this time and when he was sure she had the rope, he increased the speed. It didn't fly out of her hands this time, but her feet flew out behind her and she was being pulled across the water on her stomach. James shook his head trying not to laugh as he killed the speed on the boat and dove off the back end.

"I'm going to drown out here," she said as he got closer to her.

"No, you're not," he rebuked, gripping her waist. "Keep a hold of the rope, but keep your butt underneath you and let the rope pull you upright." He tried to demonstrate by pulling the rope and pushing her up.

"You just wanted an excuse to grab my ass," she accused, smiling at him.

"Didn't know I needed an excuse." He grabbed it again and flashed her his biggest smile.

"Hmph," she muttered good-naturedly.

"You think you got it now?" he asked after he'd situated her again.

"Let's give it a shot," she replied, letting out a deep breath.

The boat sped up slightly quicker this time and he watched the determined look cross Isabella's face as she noticed the slack on the rope lessening. She tightened her arms and all at once she was on her feet and grazing across the surface of the water. A big smile appeared on James' face as she fought to keep her balance, her eyebrows scrunched in concentration. Once she had been up for awhile he decided to let her try the wakes and swerved the boat just slightly so she'd run over one. She wasn't expecting it though and when the top of the board dipped, she fell over. She popped out of the water with a smile on her face.

"You okay?" he shouted to her.

She nodded. "You could've warned me!"

"You wanna try again?" he asked, circling around so that she could grab the rope. She nodded, grabbing the rope and situating herself once more.

As soon as the boat had gained enough speed, she was on her feet again flying over the water. James looked over at her silently asking her if she was ready and with a curt nod he made a large turn. He couldn't help but smile at the determined look on her face as she sailed through the wake and continued skimming across the water.

"My arms are killing me," Bella noted as James drove the boat back to the dock.

"You're not used to it," he pointed out.

"I'm wiped," she said, leaning lazily back into the seat.

"I figured you might be," he said with a sly smile.

"What's that grin for?" she asked, suddenly taking notice of the grin on his face.

James uncharacteristically bit his lip before glancing over at her. "I told your mom I didn't know how late we'd be and that you'd probably be awfully tired when we got back." Isabella gave him an amused look. "So she suggested you just stay at my place."

"You have guest rooms?" she asked, playing the innocent card and James felt his shorts tighten at the thought.

"Oh we have them," he confirmed as he helped her out of the boat pulling her to him. "Not that you'll be using one."

She looked pensive for a moment before asking, "But where shall I sleep?"

He pressed himself fully against her and whispered in her ear, "Who said anything about sleeping?"

"What about your parents?" she asked, leaning back and looking up at him.

"They'll be gone until Saturday," he explained, picking up her hand. He began walking down the dock pulling her behind him.

"And what makes you think I'm that kind of girl?" she asked, arrogantly.

"Last night." He shrugged slightly as he opened the door to his father's Porsche 356 Speedster.

"What makes you think that'll happen again?"

"Perhaps I need to convince you?" he asked, leaning over her seat and moving it all the way back.

"What're you doing?" she asked, trying to remain calm but the alarmed note in her voice gave her away as he settled himself on the floor between her knees.

"I'm going to convince you." With that, he began sliding up the bottom of her sundress as he placed light kisses on the insides of her thighs.

"By doing what?" Her voice was breathy and the look in her eyes told him she already knew. "You do realize we're out in the open, right?" she asked as he continued up her legs.

"Isabella." His tone was suddenly serious and she couldn't help but stare back into his eyes. He reached for the handle and reclined the seat. "Just lay back and enjoy okay?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

Bella could feel the flush on her skin slowly dissipating as James drove down the highway with a confident little smirk on his face.

"Proud of yourself are you?" she asked, glancing over at him.

"A bit," he acknowledged, keeping his eyes on the road but running his thumb over her knuckles.

"You seem like you've had a lot of experience with that before," she observed.

"With the act itself or in the car?" he asked cockily.

"In the car," she clarified. "I've no doubt that you have plenty of experience with the act itself."

"Not much actually," he responded, still not glancing over at her.

"Really?" The surprise in her voice was unmistakable.

"No, normally I'm on the receiving end," he admitted, winking at her.

James could hear the water running above him as he gathered some food in the kitchen and let his mind wander over thoughts of Isabella's body. He thought about the water running over her soft curves and the soap clinging to her ample chest. He smirked to himself as he finished pulling items out of the fridge and made his way upstairs.

Bella came out of the bathroom fully dressed in a pair of white cotton shorts and a black tank top. Her hair was still wet and fell in waves around her shoulders.

"Feel better?" he asked, walking towards her after setting down the tray of food.

"Much," she admitted, grazing her hands across his chest and gazing up at him. He cupped the back of her head with his right hand and pulled her lips to his.

"There's some food over there if you're hungry," he informed her, still kissing the corners of her mouth.

"I'm starving actually," she said in a slightly seductive voice, breaking away from him and making her way to the tray.

"For food or something else?" he asked, looking over at her. She shrugged her shoulders and gave him a small smile. James shook his head as he made his way into the bathroom.

The bathroom was still filled with the steam from Isabella's shower and he breathed in deeply taking in her scent. The hot water felt good on his skin and he couldn't help but think about having Isabella in here with him. He washed and rinsed quickly wanting to get back to her. He turned the water off and realized that he hadn't brought any clothes in with him. He pulled one of the fluffy white towels off the rack and wrapped it around his waist before opening the door.

It took his eyes a minute to adjust before he realized that Isabella had shut off all the lights and was sitting on his bed amidst the glow from his iPod alarm clock. There was a light blue tint to her skin, but it still looked incredibly creamy.

"It's dark in here," he noted, not moving. She swung her legs off the bed and silently made her way over to him.

"Is that a bad thing?" she asked, sliding her hands lazily up his chest.

"I'm okay with it if you are." He was suddenly nervous and unsure why.

"I am," she said softly as she began placing kisses on his collarbone.

He took her into his arms, caressing the open skin on her back and let out a little moan when she nipped at the skin on his collarbone. She released him from her embrace as she led him to the bed and he picked up the remote for the alarm clock, quickly filling the room with Linkin Park. Bella stopped for a moment before glancing back at him and smirking.

"Interesting choice," she said as he lowered the volume a couple notches.

He sat on the bed and pulled her to him capturing her lips with his. She climbed on top of him, straddling his hips and digging her hands in his hair. The silkiness of her skin entranced him and he felt the need to touch as much of it as possible. He trailed his lips slowly over the curve of her neck and she sighed at feeling of his breath on her. She let her hands wander over his shoulders and down his arms, tracing along the lines of each muscle that lay below. He slid the straps of her top off her shoulders, placing light kisses there before continuing on.

She began tracing the curve of his ear with her tongue and he couldn't help grinding her into him. She took a deep breath and stretched her arms above her head, signaling that it was okay to remove her shirt. He started at the bottom, sliding his thumbs over her front and his fingers over her back as he pushed her shirt up, revealing her chest. He took a deep breath taking her in as she dropped her shirt on the floor. He ran his hands over her chest once, barely touching her before placing soft kisses right below her collarbone. He rubbed his thumbs over her already firm nipples and felt them grow harder under his touch. She let out a light moan as he placed his mouth on her and he palmed the other breast in response.

After exploring her for awhile he brought his lips back to hers and kissed her passionately. She stood as they continued to kiss and slid her shorts off over her hips, stepping out of them once they hit the floor. He let out a slight groan, running his finger tips over her hips as he realized she'd had nothing on beneath them. She kissed him hungrily, running her nails down his back, causing him to shudder in response. Tracing the line of the towel, she brought her hands to the front and removed it letting it fall to the floor.

She placed kisses down his neck and onto his chest as she slid her hands up his legs and over his length. He groaned into her mouth as he picked her up, feeling her warmth on his abs. He turned around and laid her on the bed before reaching into his night stand. He kissed her again as he positioned himself above her. All of a sudden, he felt unsure of himself and wondered if this was right. He glanced up at her, staring deep into her eyes.

"Are you sure?" he asked the question that had never appeared before in his head.

She smiled softly and ran her fingers over his cheek before whispering, "Yes."

He smiled softly at her before placing a light kiss on her lips and speaking again. "I took her hand in mine, and we went out of the ruined place; and, as the morning mists had risen long ago when I first left the forge, so, the evening mists were rising now," he quoted. Her eyes shined with deep emotion and he knew it was all for him. For the first time, he looked upon his lover with something more than simple desire and when he entered her, it all felt right.

Present Day

Bella walked through the front door of the Cullen home with Edward shortly behind her, flipping his keys around his finger and whistling softly to himself. They both dropped their leather backpacks on the sofa in the foyer before continuing through the house.

"Ah, young Master Cullen." A butler came in, addressing Edward. "Your father has asked me to inform you that your brother and sister will be arriving tomorrow afternoon and not to make any plans for dinner."

"Fabulous," Edward muttered, walking into the kitchen; Bella and the butler following him.

"What a way to spend a Saturday evening," Bella slightly scoffed as she entered the kitchen.

"Mr. Cullen also asked for your attendance as well Ms. Swan," the butler informed Bella. Edward smirked as he searched the inside of the enormous fridge.

"Thank you, Aro," Edward said, his voice slightly muffled from inside the fridge.

Aro turned and left the kitchen without another word. Bella sighed and hoisted herself up onto the island in the middle of the kitchen.

"I didn't know you had siblings," Bella said as Edward produced two bottles of Coke in glass bottles.

"Whose room did you think you were staying in?" he asked.

"Glass bottles?" Bella asked with a cocked eyebrow as she took a sip.

"All soda tastes better in glass bottles," he informed her, leaning next to her.

"Very true," Bella agreed, taking another drink. "So, I'm staying in your sister's room? Will she want it back while she's here?"

Edward smiled playfully at her. "Yeah maybe you two can have a naughty pillow fight or something." She smacked him in the arm with her left hand. "No, I was joking," he admitted. "Jane and Alec have the south wing of the house. Your room was never occupied."

The two sat there in silence, both lost in their own thoughts as they sipped from the glass bottles. Bella was reflecting on the conversation she'd had with Kate a couple nights ago and wondered if Kate's advice had truly been genuine. The hurt on Emmett's face this morning when she'd shown up with Jasper had tugged at her, but she knew that Kate knew these boys way better than she did and agreed that Emmett would probably need more of a challenge if he was going to stick around. Bella could already see from just one week of school that the majority of the females would fall into these guys' laps with barely a nod of recognition.

Emmett seemed so different from the rest of them when they were alone though. He opened doors for her and acted like a complete gentleman, almost the same way James had over the summer. She blinked hard as the thoughts of James from over the summer flooded through her head. Wednesday night had almost been too much for her and she knew she wouldn't be able to sit next to him the entire hour during physics, so Emmett's distraction had helped.

She hopped off the counter and threw the glass bottle into the recycling can that she knew was kept just outside the back door. Her face was set in determination as she decided to make sure Emmett knew that she wasn't just toying with him.

Bella's abrupt momentum startled Edward from his own thoughts. This first week back had been more confusing for him than any he could remember. Something was off between him and Angela and he had no clue what it was. Things with Tanya weren't much better either and the fact that he hadn't spent anymore time with her since Tuesday evening was weighing more on him than he'd like to admit. The desire for her just wasn't there. Twice this week she'd tried to pull him into the projection room above the school's theater but he'd turned her down. He knew it wouldn't be long before she made an issue out of it and he really wasn't looking forward to dealing with that.

Perhaps the thing that was bothering him the most, though, was the fact that Bella had appeared in his dreams twice more since the first one on Monday night. He had no idea why this girl kept invading his subconscious, but she did. He tried to listen when she talked during lunch without being too obvious about it. On the one hand, Emmett was obviously interested in her, J was making some sort of move on her, and he knew that James wasn't over her at all. It was too much competition from his own friends to deal with, not to mention any extra attention he paid her would be immediately noticed by Tanya and possibly even by Angela, another headache he did not need.

There was something about her though. Small things she did that always caught his attention. He'd even woken up early on Thursday, eager for their ride to school together. He'd been home three nights this week to have dinner with his parents simply because he knew she'd be there.

He shook his head in attempt to clear his thoughts before following her in and dropping his empty bottle into the can as well. Bella watched him with an amused expression he didn't understand and when he raised his eyebrows at her in question, she simply shrugged and turned away.

"So, did you need a ride tonight or is one of your many suitors picking you up?" Edward asked as they climbed the couple stairs to the east wing of the house.

"Aren't you picking up Angela?" Bella asked, slightly surprised he had offered her a ride.

"Yeah, but I doubt she'd mind. I think she actually likes you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, curiously.

"Well, she's not exactly keen on all the other girls if you know what I mean," he said, cocking his head to the side.

"Like who?" she asked, even though she already had a pretty good idea. While no real hostility had been shown amongst the group over the summer, Bella had picked up on small things here and there.

"Well, she's not that big of a fan of Kate, but if I were to be giving Tanya a ride…Well that might be an issue."

If she knew what kind of a ride Tanya would prefer to be getting from him, she might have an even bigger issue, Bella thought.

"Imagine that," she chose to say instead.

"Rosalie said she talked to you," he said as if that explained everything.

"She did," Bella admitted, nodding slightly. "Doesn't mean I don't understand why Angela would have an issue with you giving Tanya a ride."

They had reached the end of the hall and Bella had her hand on her door. She turned back to face Edward and ran a perfectly manicured finger along his jaw line.

"I know I'd have an issue with it if it were me." She smirked at him before turning and going into her room. Edward stood there for a moment, briefly remembering the dreams he'd been having all week and then turned quickly into his room, heading for the shower.

Kate stretched out across her deep purple pillows, completely sated.

"So, is there any news to report?" Garrett asked as he crawled back up her body, placing open mouthed kisses on her bare stomach.

"On?" she asked her tone light and unemotional.

"James and Bella," he replied in an annoyed tone.

"Oh," she said as if just recalling that this information would be interesting to him. Garrett knew the tone well enough to know that she'd simply been waiting for him to ask and rolled his eyes even though he knew she couldn't see. "Well, they're still apart, obviously."

"So, I'm winning the bet then." He smirked as he continued to place kisses on her taut stomach.

"He's not ready yet," Kate replied coolly.

"She seems to be getting awfully cozy with McCarty," Garrett observed.

"Emmett?" she snorted the name before bursting into laughter. "Please, that boy is nothing but a distraction until Evans can fully remove his head from his ass and step up."

As much satisfaction as he got from winning random bets with Kate, Garrett felt slightly guilty making them at his friends' expense. Emmett was a decent guy, if not a bit of a blockhead, but they all six brought something to the table and Emmett played his role well.

"So you don't think Bella will become attached to him?" he asked, wondering what Kate's game plan in all of this was. He knew that she left little to chance and it wouldn't have surprised him at all to find out that she had essentially pushed Emmett and Bella together in an effort to get James to really take notice.

"Hardly. Emmett is a distraction for the time being. If Bella's attention isn't focused elsewhere for a bit, James will never come around. Boys are always great little distractions." She smirked down at Garrett as she ran her hand through his thick, dark, tousled hair.

"Is that what I am?" he asked, biting her skin softly and causing her to smile wider.

"Well, you certainly can be." She giggled and he smiled back in response. "Seriously though, they had too much going on this summer for either of them to not be sucked back in right away, but he's not ready and she shouldn't accept anything less. Therefore, she needs a distraction; you're obviously not available, Demetri's not much of a threat, J's well, he's J and Edward has too much going on to begin with."

"Which leaves Emmett," Garrett stated.

"Exactly." She smiled down at him as he propped himself up on his arms.

"What will you do if Emmett gets attached though?" Garrett inquired, trying to find holes in her plan.

"Emmett is easily amused. I'll find some half-witted sophomore with a new set of huge bouncing boobs and Emmett will be happy again," she mused.

"You've got this all figured out, don't you?"

"Of course." She shrugged and smiled at him. "Now get off of me so I can shower before Emmett's tonight."

Garrett chuckled lightly and rolled off her per her request. His eyes never left Kate's legs until she shut her bathroom door cutting off his view. He rolled back onto the millions of pillows that adorned her bed and began to plot. This was one bet he was not going to lose. Kate was a master manipulator, but her downfall was that she often sold others short. While Garrett hadn't seen much interaction between Emmett and Bella so far, tonight would be the perfect opportunity. With a little luck and some well placed comments, Emmett and Bella would be a lot more interested in each other than Kate had planned and come Christmas, Evans would still be single.