This chapter has not been revised by any beta readers. Please help me improve my English by contacting me if you find any grammar mistakes
Bella grasped my hair with both hands and stared deep in my eyes. "What a man!" she breathed.
I broadened a wide smile at her comment. Bella knew how to make me feel virile, a real man. "I don't even need a bed to make you scream-" I murmured in a husky voice.
We were kissing when we suddenly stopped. There was someone outside who left in a rush. Considering the sound of its steps, the person might be listening behind the door.
We looked worried at each other.
"I believe we woke someone up." Bella bit her lower lip, as she always did when she was worried.
"Argh!" I left the bed and wore my boxers. "I better go back to my room."
She wore her nightie and followed me to the door. I turned to her before leaving and kissed her again. I'd never get tired to kiss her.
"See you at breakfast."
I silently closed the door and turned on my heels to go back to my room.
"GOD DAMNED!"
I almost slipped and fell. Marissa gave a little jump, startled. She was right behind me, staring at me with wide eyes. She looked at the door and then back at me.
"What are you doing here, Marissa?" I was terrified to be caught.
"I've just arrived."
I grasped. "And why are you wandering around the house like a feline?"
She swallowed nervously before answering. "I was looking for you. It's 9am. Auntie asked me to wake you up. She says breakfast is ready." Marissa looked awkwardly at the door. "Who's in there?"
"My fiancée."
"Oh."
A very awkward silence fell between us. Marissa's face was as red as a cherry; I was sure she'd heard Bella and I having sex.
"I went to wake her up-" I made a gesture towards the door, "For breakfast."
Marissa nodded. "Great. So… uh... we're waiting for you."
"We'll be there in a minute."
Marissa nodded again and left. I went back to my suite and took a hot shower to calm down my nerves. I was pretty sure Marissa had a crush on me, and the last thing I wanted was to break her heart. Not that my near marriage haven't done the job already.
When I went to the kitchen, Bella was already there, drinking coffee milk and eating cookies. Marissa sat on her right, and I took the last seat on Bella's left, after greeting everyone with an awkward "good morning". I had the sensation that everybody knew what I'd done a few moments ago.
Bella helped her hair behind her ear and Marissa stared at her neck.
"What's this? Are you hurt?" she pointed at a purple mark on Bella's neck.
I felt my stomach twist. She immediately covered it with her hair and scratched it. "Mosquito bite. It itches as hell!"
I breathed in relief and raised my eyes to meet my mother's, but she was too busy spreading cream cheese on bread; she hadn't even paid attention to the conversation.
When everybody's stomach was full, she looked at Bella and Marissa, and smiled.
"OK, girls. Today's a very special day for the bride." She nodded to Bella, "We're going to help her choose her wedding dress. The big boys will have a day off." Mom looked at my oldest male cousin, dad and I.
"I don't want to have a day off-" I murmured.
"Aww, he's so in love!" my cousin laughed and patted my head. I felt blood concentrate on my face, but I didn't lose the timing and patted his head too.
My mother ignored us. "Bella, dear, it seems you'll have extra company today." she held Bella's hand.
"Really? Who?"
"Jaime, Lauren and Meredith. You're familiar with them, aren't you?"
I stared at her. Bella's lips had gone paler.
"Oh, yeah. Sure." She stuttered. "But we've never talked to each other. The first and last time I met them in person was when I met Joey."
"Why are you nervous? Anything wrong?" Mom asked.
"No, not at all. It's just-" she looked at us "I'm not sure if they're going to like me. I kind of stole Joey from them."
"This is non sense." Dad answered back. "Everybody has the right to fall in love and get married."
As Bella didn't seem convinced, Mom tried to cheer her up. "Don't worry, dear. The girls presented themselves to join us today. They wouldn't have done it if they were against you."
She sighed.
"All right, then. I trust you."
As soon as Bella finished the word "you", the doorbell rang and I went to open the door. Meredith's face was the first to smile at me; following her was Jaime and Lauren.
"Hey, girls! Come in!"
Bella's expression was hard to decipher when she greeted the girls. I hoped she wasn't about to have a new crisis of jealousy because of them. Lauren, Meredith and Jaime were just friends of mine. I sighed, pushing that thought away. There was no way Bella could doubt of my love, was there?
Mom drove Marissa, Lauren, Meredith and Jaime to the wedding dress store and I followed them in my car, with Bella right by my side. She was too silent for my taste.
"Is everything all right, love?"
She nodded but made no answer.
"Something's annoying you. I can read you like a book. What's wrong?"
"It's nothing—"
"Don't lie to me."
"Well—" she considered the next words for a moment "It's just that I envy your friendship with them."
I shook my head.
"I knew it. You're jealous."
"No, I'm not!" she answered back "I envy it. It's different. And—" she hesitated a bit, "I feel weird when I have to share you with them."
I had parked at this point of the conversation. My mother and the girls were leaving the car in front of me when I stared into her eyes. She tried to look away, but I touched her chin with the tip of my fingers, and she stared back at me.
"Look at me." I made a pause "I'm yours. It'll never change."
She nodded.
"They're just my friends." I went on; caressing her face "You're the one that I love."
She touched my hand and kissed it. "Okay."
"Remember this when you feel that way."
"I will." She gave me a shy smile.
I leaned toward and kissed her. "Have fun. And make sure to choose the most beautiful dress in there."
Bella broadened a wider smile and went out of the car. I remained inside, observing her join the others to enter the store.
I had never been in a store like that before. It was wide and bright; fancy and comfortable chairs were available for the bride's friends to sit and help her choose the perfect dress. The seller, a tall woman around her forties, offered herself to show me all the dresses that would fit a daylight wedding. The designs were so wonderful that I didn't know which to try first.
Lauren approached me. "Let's begin from the beginning. Here, this one. Do you want me to help you dress it?"
"Yes, please."
"Can I join you?" Jamie asked.
"Sure!" I said.
They followed me to the fitting room and helped me with the dress. Its fabric was smooth as a feather, and swayed at the lightest wind. Lauren was adjusting the baby pink cetin lace at my back, when she stared at me through the wide mirror in front of us.
"We'd like to apologize, Bella."
I stared at them, in silence.
"We were mean about you, when Joey went in a serious relationship with you." Jaime said, as she did a bun with my hair. "We were kind of jealous. He'd never had a serious girlfriend, and to get involved with a fan is a touchy situation. We didn't know who you were or which your intentions were."
"I understand." I limited myself to say.
"We even tried to convince him to break up with you." Lauren confessed.
I stared at her, startled. She noticed it and quickly amended, "He was so blind in love! In fact, he is. We take care of each other as a family, and he's like one of our brothers. We worried about him."
"What did you think I could do to harm him?" my voice raised an eight.
Jaime shook her head. "Get pregnant."
My eyes slithered in shock to her.
"You must agree with us that a couple of fans have done it before, to take money from their idols." Lauren said.
I considered that. "Yeah, you're right."
"Can you forgive us? We're really sorry." Jaime begged.
"What're your considerations about me now? Have it changed?"
Lauren eyes widened, "How couldn't it? Joey loves you. His family loves you. You've moved to live with him, and you're getting married."
I looked from one to another. "All right." I shrugged.
"Is it OK with you, then?" Jaime wanted to know.
"Sure! We can be friends, can't we?"
They both smiled. "Yeah!" they whooped at the same time.
"By the way, this dress is awesome." Lauren took a good look at me.
"Is she ready?" We heard Marissa's voice "Let us see it!"
Jaime and Lauren grabbed my hands and we went out the fitting room. Feeling my heart lighter, I could finally broaden a sincere smile.