Disclaimer: I take no credit in the characters within this story; those are the sole work of Mrs. Stephenie Meyer. I do, however, take credit for the specific, new traits I gave them and am quite proud of them.
Note: Thank you guys! I'm glad that I have been able to capture your interest! Keep on reviewing and I'll keep on posting. Just remember, the more reviews I get, the more incentive I have to write faster ;).
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My jaw dropped as I stared at her while she looked through a rack. I couldn't even bring myself to look at Edward, I didn't want to know what he was thinking abut that particular comment. "Alice! That is not funny!"
She glanced over, taking in both my shock and plead at the same time. Her smile twitched down a little as she glanced over at Edward before her eyes carried back to me. "Don't look at me like that guys."
We turned to each other at the same, or faces mirrored masks of shock. Quickly we looked back at Alice again, my eyes widening a little as I pleaded again. She met my gaze and tried to stare me down, but I was just as stubborn as she could be. Finally she sighed. "Fine; it wasn't a good joke. Not for you two; your just too close to see the humor." She mumbled something about Emmett under her breath before walking over to me and shoving a stack of clothing at me. "Dressing room, come on."
I nodded, turning and giving Edward a small smile as I followed Alice to the back of the store. Unlike the other store, the dressing rooms were open so Alice shoved me into one before stepping behind me. "Bella! That was a perfect opportunity to make him think! If you had just ignored it, or even laughed he would have never been able to stop asking himself if you just it funny or if you really had been flirting!
"I seem to recall me making it clear we were doing this my was, Alice, not yours. And in my way I'm not going to torture him any more that I want, okay? Can you handle that?" The anger in my voice practically burned my throat as I hissed the words at her.
Her face fell a little as she looked down to her feet. She seemed ashamed. "I'm sorry Bella. I didn't mean to…"
I stopped forward, touching her arm. "It's okay Alice. I know you are just trying to help. But as it is I'm doing more than I originally anticipated. I mean, god, that woman now believes Edward and I are sleeping together! What am I supposed to do with that? Why would I even say that to begin with?"
She smiled and handed e a shirt off the top of the tack. "Because you want it to be true of course."
I thought about that as I took off my halter and slid the tank top into place. Oh god, she was right.
--
--
After a few more hours at the mall Edward and I were finally able to pull Alice out, first by telling her that we had to get to the hotel and that we had to have plenty of time to get ready. I was clinging to Edward's arm as we walked across the parking lot. I hissed with every step I took, a pain shooting through my feet. "Dear God Alice, look what have you done to poor Bella!"
She looked over meekly, "Sorry Bella."
I laughed. "I just don't see what you expect me to o tonight." At the very thought I groaned and lifted my bad filled arm as we finally reached the car. "I can hardly walk; how do you expect me to dance?"
"Well, your feet wont be hurting then," she said as she opened the trunk and dropped her bags in.
"Alice, a few hours are not going to make my feet stop hurting." I said, pulling Edward with me as I dropped my own bags. 'They just got a work out to the tenth power."
The trunk was filled when Edward dropped his load on top of ours. I heard Alice laughing as she climbed into the car. Oh god, what was she planning? "Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Edward whispered as he helped me limp over to the passenger door. "Should I prepare myself for a shock?"
"Honestly? I don't know any more than you do. You may want to just in case. I know I am." Then I opened the door and climbed in, my eyes glued to Edward as he walked around the front of his car, his skin practically glowing in the sun. my breath almost stopped, but I managed to avoid it. I take a deep breath as I prepare myself. "So, why won't my feet be hurting Alice?"
"Because Edward gives amazing foot rubs of course." I turned to look at her, my eyes catching momentarily on the bag hanging, probably my dress, before they continued to her face. She was smirking. "Isn't that right Edward?"
I glanced at him as he maneuvered the car out of the space and headed toward the highway. "If you say so Alice."
"Don't be modest Edward," she snapped. "And you'll give her one, right? So she can go dancing with us?"
"Of course; if Bella so wishes." He got onto the highway, speeding past other cars and exits. I grabbed onto my door, rather terrified by the speed… again.
"Edward, slow down." I squeaked, watching another car as we streaked by.
He turned his head to look at me before easing up on the gas. "Bella, I have never been in an accident. I'm a good driver; I swear."
"I don't' doubt you as much as I do the other drivers." I admitted, relaxing a little at our slightly slower pace, though the cars were still passing in a bit of a blur. "If someone was stupid enough to cut you off though… or try to race…"
The car slowed down a little more and we were only going slightly faster than the other cars on the road. I smiled at him. "Thanks."
He smiled as his blinker went on and he got off an exit before taking a right, following traffic as we drove toward the heart of Seattle. I watched him drive for a moment, they way he concentrated on nothing but the road and the other cars. The way every now and then someone would piss him off and his jaw would tighten along with his hands, making his arms and face twitch. But soon I felt uncomfortable staring at him so openly and turned to Alice who was smiling out the window. "So, how far is the club from the hotel?"
"Walking distance!" she sang, looking at me with a huge smile. "It won't take but five minutes."
I laughed and looked back at the bag. "Can I see it now?"
"Nope!" she laughed, touching the bag gently. "Not until its time to get you in it."
I sighed and look forward just as we pulled up to the front of a grand hotel, reaching up at least 30 stories into the air. I stared, amazed by its elegance and glamour. Then a man in gloves and a light coat opened my door for me. "Good evening ma'am."
I just stared wide eyes as he helped me out, never before having been offered this kind of service. He seemed to notice my amazement because he smiled sweetly and squeezed my hand before opening Alice's door and helping her out. She just laughed and went to the trunk, opening it for another guy who began to place all of the bags on a cart. I opened the door to the backseat and leaned in to get the bags there to find Edward already grabbing them. He smiled at me for a second as I pulled back. "Great minds think alike Bells."
I laughed and nodded as I leaned back out and stepped beside Alice who took my arm and led me inside and straight to the desk. The woman standing there smiled at us as she looked up. "Hello."
"Hi. I'm Alice Cullen. I have room reserved?" she said, smiling back as she shuffled through her purse for her ID and credit card. The women took them and quickly typed some information into the computer. When she looked up again to say something her eyes caught on something just past my ear. I turned and saw Edward walking toward us.
"Umm…" she said, looking back at the computer as if trying to figure out what she was going to say. "Oh, yes. How many keys do you need for the rooms?"
"Two for each." Alice replied her eyes darting to her brother who was now right behind the two of us, glancing around the lobby. I was still leaning on Alice as I looked back at the woman behind the desk. Her eyes were glued to Edward as she typed across her computer again. Was there any woman who could at least try not to stare?
"Okay, here are you're keys Miss Cullen. I just need you to sign your receipt and-"
"Hold on." Alice said, looking toward something across the lobby. "I'm sorry, I'll be right back. Edward, help Bella up to the room. I'll be up in a minute to help separate the stuff. And I'll be back to sign in just a moment."
I watched as she hurried away, across the lobby as if seeing something. "Sometimes I wonder about your dear sister Edward."
"I know exactly what you mean," he said, taking my arm in his before grabbing all the keys off of the counter. "But let's just get upstairs so you can relax. I'm afraid to know how much your feet hurt."
I nodded, only glancing briefly at the woman again before letting myself be led away and toward an elevator. She was looking between the two of us with a little frown. What was with these women and actually thinking I was competition? I sighed, my eyes glancing only momentarily up at Edward. "What room numbers?"
"925 and 928," he said, looking at the cards. "Ninth floor then. That's not too bad."
"At least Alice didn't try to get the penthouse. That just seems like something she would try to do."
"She did try." Edward said quietly, smiling a little.
I bit almost bit my tongue as I snapped my jaw shut. "God, I mean, I know that you guys grew up with money to spend, but it scares me sometimes. Alice isn't poor but I don't know how she can manage to spend so much!"
We reached the elevator and were on our way up before he answered. "Alice makes a ton of money; she works so many extra hours. But, when we were younger, on top of making a college money account for us, Carlisle also made an after college for each of us that have build up plenty of interest. Alice drops all of her money in there and has money to burn."
"Oh," was all I could really say. I mean, what else? I never knew that. "And what about you?"
"Well, I'm a little more careful with mine, but that's only because I really am living off it at the moment. And I will for a while. I'll be in school for a while…" he trailed off a bit as the doors slid open and I knew there some something else that he wanted to say, but was holding it in. It hurt a little to have him hold back. He never had before.
"Edward, what's on your mind?" I asked, tilting my head as he looked at the room numbers as we passed the doors. I glanced at the ones on my own side. 902…904…906…
"Nothing." 908…910…
"Don't give me that." I said, nudging him. "I would I hope I know you better than that by now. You're not saying something that you want to. What is it?"
912…914…916... then he stopped, pulling me to a halt with him. "I just…"
I tilted my head, waiting for him to continue, but he just stared into a blank space. "Edward, you know you can tell me anything."
"I know. It's not that I don't want to tell you, Bella… I just don't know myself yet. And it could hurt so many people. Disappoint them. And that's the last thing I would ever want to do."
I let go of his arm and turned so I was standing right in front of him. "Edward, nothing you could ever say would disappoint me. Nothing you could do. And you know you can talk to me; please don't hold back. Three years doesn't end a friendship."
He stared down into my eyes. "Okay, I'll tell you, but not now. Later. When we have time."
I smiled up into his face, letting him know that was fine, before grabbing his arm again and pulling him toward the rooms. We opened the door to 925 first, peering in at the single bed. Edward's room. After shutting it again we went down the hall just a bit to 928 and opened that one to find the double beds. The cart of stuff was already in the middle of the floor. I walked in, automatically sitting on the end of a bed and lifting up the legs of my jeans to try to get my shoes off. The knots I had tied double had started coming out, allowing the real knot to stay but the loops to disappear. I began to struggle to get the knot in the right lace out, but it had been pulled tight.
"Do you need help Bella?" Edward asked, ducking down in front of me and lifting the foot in his hand. I tried to swat him away but he just laughed. "Don't be stubborn; you want your shoes off, don't you."
"Fine," I mumbled, sitting up and watching as he picked at the knots with languid fingers, getting the first out with no problem. He then proceeded to unwrap the band from around my ankle slowly, looking at the marks that they had left. Finally he pulled it completely off. I sighed, feeling blood rush into my heel with a throb, then down to my toes.
"Feel better?"
"A bit," I said, looking down at him as he set my foot down and lifted the other. His finger constantly touched my leg as he pulled at the strings, having a little more trouble. I watched him closely, taking gin the cute little line between his eyebrows as he struggled with the knot, the frown on his lips, the little twitch in his cheek. I smiled to myself, enjoying not only his touch, but also his frustration. "Having trouble Edward?"
He looked up, a small smile taking his lips. "Of course not! There is no know that's a match fro me." His fingers were still fiddling with it and, while still looking up at me, gave one last tug that released it. "See?"
"Oh yes Edward. You are the ruler of the knots." I teased, patting his head.
A wicked smile came across his face as he finished removing the shoe. "Are you teasing me again Bella?"
"Oh no, I would never!" I laughed, wiggling my toes in an attempt to get feeling back.
Before I even had a chance to try to defend myself he launched and tackled me to the bed, laughing. "And then sarcasm on top? I'm not sure I can forgive that."
I wiggled a little under him, laughing as I struggled to get away. His entire body went rigid seconds before he put his arms around me and pulled back, lifting me with him. Before I could react to being on my feet he wiped my legs out from under me and lifted me into his arms. I squeaked in surprise and wrapped my arms around his neck, afraid to fall.
"Now, what am I going to do with you?"
"Probably just put me back down." I said, staring at him and letting my arms relax a little now that the initial shock was gone.
He studied my face, my favorite grin plastered on his own. "Nah."
"Really? So what are you going to do? Just carry me around all night?" I had to admit that it didn't sound like a particularly bad plan.
"Nope. I'm just going to have to find a very… particular place to put you," he said, winking while he moved slowly toward the door. I wiggled a little, trying to swing my legs out of his grasp, but he held tight. "Don't even think about it!"
I laughed and stopped wiggling, preferring to really torture him. I lay my head down on his shoulder and he kept walking to the door, his grip relaxing a bit on my legs. Then I leaned forward and blew ever so gently on his neck. I felt him shiver and stop walking. I took a deep breath and did it again, savoring the way his body shook under me. His head swiveled so he was hiding his neck while looking down at me too.
"Stop that!"
I laughed a little before sitting up a bit and leaning forward so my lips almost touched his ear. Where was all this coming from? Oh, it didn't matter. "I think not." I whispered, letting my breath blow across his ear, creating another shiver. Then I dropped my head right into the side of neck, giggling as I did it yet again. His arms tightened on me as I chuckled, my lips brushing his skin. I took in a breath, preparing to do it again but finding myself lost in his scent instead.
The door was pushed open then and I lifted my head quickly, looking at Alice. She lifted both eyebrows and stepped through the door. Why hadn't we closed it all the way? "Edward?"
"Yes Alice?" he asked, his voice tighter than normal.
"Why are you carrying Bella?"
"Revenge." I replied first, laughing. "Though I'm beginning to wonder if maybe I'm better at it. What do you think Edward?"
He growled deep in his throat, but the smile that was still on his face contradicted the sound. I had to laugh at that and his eyes laughed with me, while he managed to keep only a smile on his face. Then, as if we had the thought together, we looked back at Alice. She sighed and walked toward us.
"Well, I have to get Bella dressed and ready. You have 30 seconds to put her down and be out of this room." And then she disappeared into the bathroom.
He met my eyes. "I'm almost tempted to take you with me. I need double revenge now and there is a pool downstairs…"
I laughed. "Oh yeah? You'd do that to poor, sweet, little me?"
"Sweet?" he gave me a critical look. "You?" He was beginning to lower my legs slowly, apparently planning to follow Alice's orders, but reluctant about it. "That's funny."
I tightened my arm around his neck and, before I could even think about what I was doing, put myself nose to nose with him, smiling. When I spoke I used the sexiest voice I could muster, not really thinking about it too much so I couldn't back out. "Oh believe me Edward, I'm extremely sweet."
Surprised, he dropped my legs quickly, but still had one arm on my back, causing me to be pushed against his chest, my feet dangling and my nose still almost brushing his. I watched with a bit of a smirk as he attempted to come up with a comeback, only to have his jaw work up and down but no noise.
"Edward! You have less than 10 seconds left!" Alice called from the bathroom.
"Yeah Edward, better hurry so you don't get in trouble." I whispered to him, my smile firmly in place as I teased. "Wouldn't want big bad Alice to come out here and whoop your ass."
He seemed to wake up with that and looked away from me and back toward the bathroom door. Alice was standing there, tapping her tow. He looked back at me where I was still nose-to-nose with him. Then he loosened his grip so I could slide to the floor. I was a little disappointed, but knew I had to do what he wanted. However, I did it nice and slowly, letting my body slide along his, and with a grace I had never before mustered. When I was firmly on my feet I stepped back, surprised by the hand that was still on my hip. I look another step back and flinched, my foot pounding. He released my hip then.
"What's wrong Bella?" Alice asked from the door, looking peeved that Edward was still in our room.
"Just my feet." I muttered, taking a last look into Edwards's eyes before walking toward Alice. They were veiled.
She looked at me then, her eyes apologetic. "I'm sorry Bella."
"I know Alice. It's okay."
I heard the door open behind me and then close a second later. I took anther step toward the bathroom, again flinching, only to jump when there was a loud knock on the door.
"Alice. I need my key! It's on the floor by Bella's shoes." Called that sweet voice from the hall.
Alice hurried to where the keys lie and grabbed one before running back to the door and pulling it open. "That's not all you forgot Edward."
"What do you mean?"
"All of your clothes are in here. Do you plan to just sit in your room with none of your stuff?"
I heard him sigh and then saw him as he stepped back through the door, a hand running through his hair in the way I recognized so well. His eyes met mine again and he gave me a smile before walking past me.
"Anyways, you can't leave yet. I forgot about Bella's feet. Would you mind giving her a hand with them? Can't have her limping in the club." Alice sang, walking over to me and taking my arm.
Edward looked at us and nodded. "Yeah. Okay. I can do that."
"Great, there's cream in the bathroom. I'll do her makeup and hair while you get her walking right again." Alice said, pulling me into the bathroom, my feet screaming as I went after her. She sat me on a little chair that was placed in the middle of the floor. The bathroom was huge! I sighed when I sat down, feeling my feet pulse again. You would think they had a heart of their own with the way I was feeling mine in them. "Okay Bella; you'll have to stay still."
I just nodded as I leaned back and closed my eyes, waiting for Alice to begin to comb out my hair or to start poking at my face with bristly brushes. Instead I felt Edward's warm hand lift my foot and his thumb run across my heel. "Alice; she blistered."
My eyes shot open as I looked at him. "You're kidding!"
"No." he shook his head while he traced a white pustule on my foot. "Not bad, but there are a few small ones. I'll have to pop and cover them if you want to be dancing tonight. What shoes are you wearing?"
"Don't worry, she has no heel and her feet are well covered. I was careful about that when I bought them for her today."
I turned quickly to her. "You did what?"
"I know you hate it when I buy you stuff and that you were such a good sport about it today, but I couldn't let you get your shoes when you don't even know what your dress looks like! And you'll like them. But, I promise, I won't buy you anything tomorrow if you don't want me to!"
I sighed and turned back around as she lifted a brush from the counter. I felt a little prick on my foot and looked at Edward. "Jesus Edward! Where did you get a knife?"
"It's just a pocket knife Bella; for situations like this. Breath. It doesn't hurt." He began to move the knife back to my skin and I closed my eyes tightly, trying not to hyperventilate. Behind me I felt Alice remove the braids at the same time that I felt the prick again. I stopped breathing and tried to focus on only the little tugs on my head, trying to forget that I had feet at all. And it actually worked out rather well. Well, it did until Edward ran his finger up the center of my foot, making me laugh involuntarily. I opened my eyes to see a little smile on his lips while he watched me. "I'm sorry; your not ticklish are you Bella?"
"Of course not." I couldn't hold back the smile completely and felt my lips twitch as a result.
His smile widened. "Oh good. I'm glad." His eyes flicked up to Alice. "They don't happen to have a first aid kit in here somewhere, do they?"
"Under the sink. I'll get it." I felt a braid fall back to my shoulder only to hear a door creak open. Damn that girl was fast. How could she get across a room in less than a second? Then she was back, handing a white case to Edward.
"Thank you." He popped the case open and pulled out three tiny spot Band-Aids. I watched as he carefully placed them just right on my heel, smiling to myself. He then proceeded to lift up a little complementary bottle of cream and put some on his hands, rubbing them together to warm it. "I'll try to avoid them, but let me know if it hurts. Okay?"
"Yeah." I said, closing my eyes as he began to massage the center of my foot gently, his fingers running circles across the skin. It felt amazing and I hardly noticed when Alice began curling my hair unless she tugged it particularly hard. He moved from the center up to directly under my toes and put a little more pressure on, making me want to do nothing more but sigh, which I did, and moan, which I managed to hold in. He continued to massage around my foot, careful to avoid the bandages.
--
Approximately an hour and a half later Edward was long since gone, my hair was done in perfect, loose curls, my makeup was on, and now, all I was waiting for was Alice to finish with her own makeup. Apparently I wasn't allowed to get dress until she was ready to go. I sat on the bed, staring at the floor for with no thoughts of anything other than what I had done earlier. I was embarrassed to say the least. Could I have thrown myself at him any hard? And the whole sweet comment. Oh god.
Finally Alice came out, dressed perfectly in a deep maroon corset top, tight leather pants that hung extremely low on her hips, and wicked black high heels, adding almost three inches onto her height. She looked amazing.
"Ready to see your dress Bella?" she asked, smiling to herself as she went to the closet and pulled out the bad I had seen in the car. "Now, be prepared. It's not as long as you'd like, I know, but I have a feeling you are going to adore it."
I sighed and nodded. If I didn't like the length, the chances I would actually like it were slim to none. But then she lifted the veil, revealing a strapless dress that was a green I well knew; the exact color of Edward's eyes (pic is on my profile! I just adore it, though this particular shot makes it look like a bubble hem… ignore that). I felt myself begin to smile. She was right, it wasn't as long as I would like, but I did love it. "My god Alice."
She smiled. "Yeah, I had a feeling you would like it."
I stood up, walking toward it and laying my hand on the gorgeous fabric. "It's beautiful."
"I thought so. And the color was just so perfect; I knew you wouldn't be able to say no." I saw the small smile playing on her lips. "And walking in on you guys earlier just further assured me. "
I blushed a little, but didn't say anything about that, just took the dress from her and unzipped the side. It looked like it would fit. "You amaze me Alice, you know that? I mean, first you make me try on that skimpy little dress, but then you buy something that is just so…. perfect."
She laughed, taking the dress back. "Okay, get your new bra."
I almost skipped over to the bag that I had placed on my bed and pulled out the black and silver one. I had just gotten it in place when there was a knock at the door and Alice, having put the dress and bag on the bed, pranced over and opened it without hesitation.