Happy Hump Day!

So Bella? How'd you like the Cullen family dinner?

Put Your Hands On Me- Joss Stone

~~oo~~

Chapter 18: Nose flared. Lips pursed.

BPOV

I couldn't stop smiling.

Even after all that weirdness at dinner.

The Cullens were freaks. Except for Edward. And Esme.

Edward.

I take back all the things I said about Creepy Hot Guy. Okay not all the things. He is still hot.

But definitely not creepy.

Amazing. Tortured by his family. But not creepy.

I wiggled my nose into the sweatshirt again as I drove. Smiling underneath the heavy fabric of Edward's sweatshirt.

I could nuzzle into that smell for eternity.

He must have worn it at some point, because it was more Edward than Tide or even Snuggle.

God I wanted to snuggle Edward. Wrap around him and never let him go.

I had long legs. I could wrap him like a koala and he'd be stuck with me.

I smelled the shirt again and sighed.

I was getting way too worked up over it. I could still feel his hand on my waist, could still feel his thigh against mine from dinner. It was like he had imprinted a piece of himself onto me by his touch, and now with the smell of him in my system, I was like a drug addict needing my next fix.

Tomorrow was too far away. So I snuggled in deeper to my stolen piece of Edward.

I pulled into the driveway; surprised to see Charlie was still awake. Looking at my phone, I was surprised it was only 8:30.

It felt like midnight.

Those freaky Cullens had worn me out.

Especially Mr. Cullen.

I shivered as I walked towards the house, remembering his drilling gaze at both Edward and I.

What was his deal?

I didn't want to think about Emmett. Ugh. He was the complete opposite of Edward.

So why did people think so little of Edward?

"Don't waste your time, Bella," Lauren had said.

I admit, I had called him Creepy Hot Guy because he had looked at me a little strangely that first time.

And he had vanished for days.

And he seemed to like my boobs.

And then there was the grinding in the book stacks.

And the bathroom issues. I wondered if he had a UTI or something.

Nervous Bladder Boy…

But certainly not creepy.

I smiled again beneath my pilfered sweatshirt and locked the door behind me, crying out when I turned to find Charlie standing right behind me.

"Well, you're back late," he said with a knowing smirk. "Good reconciliation?"

"Mrs. Cullen made me stay for dinner," I hedged. "And you didn't tell me about how strange they are!"

He put his hands up as if to ward off my attack and shook his head laughing.

"I told you to watch out for that Emmett boy!" he said and followed me into the kitchen.

"I met him tonight," I replied. "Or figured out who he was. He's in my gym class."

Charlie pursed his lips, fluffing his moustache out a little doing so.

"Do I need to have a word with him? Is he acting strangely?" he asked, in full on cop mode.

"No, Dad," I replied laughing. "No worse than any stupid jock. I'm fine, really."

"I haven't had too much interaction with Dr. Cullen," Charlie said.

I shivered again, thinking back to the Cullen Inquisition. He was a doctor?

Maybe it was in his nature to ask questions.

What seems to be the matter? Where does it hurt? Are you screwing my son? Do you need a prescription for birth conrol?

"He's very," I said, pausing to find the right word. "Inquisitive."

"You got interrogated, huh? Must be serious," he quipped.

"You're as bad as they are, Dad," I retorted. "I am just a lab partner."

"Was Esme nice?" he asked. "She's always kind when I see her."

I smiled at the memory of how nice she had been.

"Yeah, I liked her," I whispered.

He frowned and pulled at the strings to the hood of the sweatshirt.

"Hey, that's not your sweatshirt."

Great investigative skills, Dad.

Forks was in such good hands.

"Mine got wet in the rain. Edward gave me one of his so I didn't get cold," I said, narrowing my eyes at Charlie when he grinned.

"Uh huh," he murmured and grabbed his beer from the table to take with him to the living room. "I hope this Edward is not like Emmett, Bells. I'll be sure to gas up the cruiser tomorrow. I have to keep my eye out for him now!"

"Dad!" I cried. "He's just my lab partner!"

Sad, but true.

"Uh huh," I heard him say from the hall.

I left him to his game, retreating to my bedroom to covertly sniff at my new treasure.

Like those people that sniff glue or markers.

I was hooked on Edward Cullen.

And until I could get close enough to bury my nose in his chest and inhale to my delirium, I was limited to just his clothes.

I stripped out of everything but my underwear and slipped the sweatshirt back on. It was soft, with those little balls of fuzz on the inside that rubbed against me as I moved. Snuggling down into the blankets, I closed my eyes so that I could imagine Edward's eyes again as he had stood there tonight by my truck.

So close.

His hand draped casually along my waist.

And his eyes drawing me in, almost black in the dark night, but fully concentrated on me.

And maybe my lips.

I wanted to feel his lips so badly. They looked incredibly soft.

I bet he was no slobberer.

I inhaled deeply and imagined him dipping down, much like I had wanted him to in that moment.

Leaning in. Soft breath across my jaw.

Nose skimming across my cheek.

Getting closer.

Lips brushing. Hot. Soft like velvet. Touching. Pressing.

"Edward."

My hand had slipped under my underwear, my body needing more than just his smell and my imagination.

His hands. I wanted his hands on me.

Long fingers searching me out.

"Mmm."

His lips moving down my neck. I could almost feel the burn of his whiskers. I liked it tonight, where his clean-shaven face from the morning had taken on a most distinct masculine feel with his five o'clock shadow.

His hands were all over me.

Searching.

"Yes."

Urgent. Needed to feel him. Needed to feel that flush.

The tingle I felt whenever he touched me.

Fingers moving. Insistent.

Preparing me for him.

Touching me there would be…

"Yessssss."

Heart hammering, breath heavy, I hummed as I felt the tension I had felt all night drip off of me from my climax. Thoughts of him made me feel like jelly. What would it be like for real?

If it was even possible.

I curled into a ball and hugged my pillow against me, imagining him there in my small bed. His warmth and smell surrounding me as I drifted off to sleep, smiling at the hope that tomorrow, we could talk some more.

So as my alarm wailed at me, dragging me out of pleasant dreams of a more exciting Biology class, I took a little extra time getting ready. I wanted to look good.

I practically bounced on the balls of my feet on my way to my locker when I arrived at school.

Nothing was going to get me down today.

I smiled to myself as I pulled books out of my backpack, making a little more room for the sweatshirt that was tucked inside. I had wanted to wear it, like a billboard that screamed, 'I was with Edward Cullen last night!' but then I was worried he'd think it was weird.

But I had it with me, just in case he asked for it. And if he didn't, it was going home with me.

"Hey, Bella."

I turned, smiling at the voice behind me, only to step back in surprise.

Mike Newton was right there, smiling back at me like a goon.

"Oh, hey, Mike."

He leaned a little closer, one hand on the locker next to me and offered me that bold look boys get when they know they have you trapped. I stepped back as far as my tiny locker would allow me.

He smelled like bad cologne and as he drew closer, the noxious smell of Lysterine invaded my personal space.

Not the minty fresh kind. The piss yellow flavor. I hated that stuff. It reminded me of the dentist.

"So, I wanted to ask you something," he said, his voice low and gravelly.

Normally I'd like the rough sound of a boy's voice saying those words in that way.

But this was Mike Newton.

"I really need to get to class, Mike," I replied, pulling my backpack in between us.

"It'll only take a minute," he whispered and let his eyes travel southward.

Thank goodness I had my backpack shield on. With the added Cullen armor inside.

I swallowed and looked past him, trying to figure out a way to escape.

It was then that I saw him.

Coming straight for me.

Nose flared. Lips pursed. Staring hard at the barricade that had me trapped.

Oh my.

Edward looked pissed.

I blinked and watched in awe as he moved directly to us.

Like Luke Skywalker as he maneuvered through the Death Star trenches, Edward was moving past other students, on a mission.

And I was his target.

Fifty points if you hit the right spot.

"Bella."

That was the low and gravelly voice that could do me in. And the possessive eyes didn't hurt.

Not one bit.

"Edward," I breathed.

Well, barely breathed. Because he made me completely breathless.

"Cullen," Mike said, edging away from me slightly but just enough to open a space for Edward to fill.

He moved in, his body leaning into mine like a human shield.

Edward's eyes zeroed in on mine.

Did I say I was breathless before?

I was most definitely now.

"You left your sweatshirt at my house last night," he said, the deep timbre of his voice making my knees knock.

I needed a cigarette, and I didn't smoke.

But before I could even utter a word; before I could swallow or move, he was leaning in, his eyes flitting towards my lips for a split second until he adjusted at the last minute, his lips moving towards my ear. My eyes fluttered closed at the heat of his breath against my ear, my body on fire with his leaning in to me with gentle pressure.

I lost track of everything but the feeling of him against me.

So much better than the library, or even in my dreams.

Smooth jaw brushing my cheek.

Hard chest against mine.

Fingertips tracing along my arm.

And then a sudden chill as he stepped away and looked around, swallowing hard. I was remotely aware that Mike had disappeared, and it was just Edward and I standing there.

Not that we weren't getting looks from people across the hall.

All just blurs. My eyes were locked on him.

He turned back to me and licked at his lips, his eyes on the sweatshirt in his hands.

"Sorry," he murmured. "I didn't mean to get so close, but he was making you uncomfortable."

I nodded dumbly.

There was no way I'd find the means to talk anytime soon.

"You all right?"

I nodded again, still looking at his lips.

The bell rang, muted in my ears from the blood rushing through them.

"That's the bell," he murmured.

I simply nodded again.

The side of his mouth turned up slightly, making me blink and drag myself back to reality.

Not a dream.

Edward Cullen was smiling down at me.

"I'll see you in Biology, Bella."

I watched him turn and walk away, hands tucked deeply in his pockets as he glanced back at me, eyes dark and a smile still on his face.

And he still had my sweatshirt tucked under his arm.

~~oo~~

AN: Mmhmm. Biology should be interesting…

More tomorrow!

MWAH!

steph