Chapter 9
Bella couldn't believe her eyes as she opened the door. A stunning woman was standing there. The 'stunning and I know it' smile on her lips got even wider as she blew past Bella and jumped in Damon's arms planting a loud smacking kiss on his lips. She felt her stomach drop as her throat dried.
Damon pulled away from the woman and took a step back. His red stained lips went pencil straight even as his eyes traveled over the woman's shoulder and met Bella's.
"What are you doing here, Andie?"
The woman, Andie, ignored Damon and instead turned to Bella who was still by the doorway, staring at them and trying to ignore the nausea in her stomach
"Well, aren't you such a cutie? You're even cuter in person than you are on camera."
Andie pinched Bella's cheeks as if the latter was a child. Raising an eyebrow Bella stared at the older woman. What the hell? Puppies were cute. Bella stepped back annoyed
"I'm Andie. I'm Damon's girlfriend."
The brunette girl knew who the older woman was. Angela had her as a role model, Andie Starr a small town reporter that went from her school paper to have her own column in both the Mystic Daily News and Richmond daily. Angela also said she was married! What did that say about her roomate?
"Bella Swan"
She extended her hand. Andie's long fingered one clasped hers tightly with a smile that barely left the fire engine lips.
"Pleased, I'm sure."
The reporter finished. Bella blinked and forced a grimace on her lips hoping it looked enough like a smile.
"What the fuck are you doing here, Andie?"
Damon interrupted their awkward greeting. His icy blue eyes looked frozen and if he was a cartoon character steam would be coming out of his ears. Andie looked at Damon with a shocked expression.
"Honey, I thought Stefan told you I was coming. I get to spend the weekend with you! Isn't that exciting?"
Andie walked back over to Damon and threw her arms around his middle. Bella had never seen anyone so casual in front of cameras. Damon's icy eyes found Bella's dark ones and a look of regret washed over his face. Andie did the same with an utmost innocent one.
"Oh, Bella, would you be a doll and give us some space? If you don't mind, I would like to have a few private moments with Damon."
Bella blinked a few moments before she nodded suddenly aware of how this sudden meet-up looked
"Of course. I'll be at the lake if you need me"
With a nod she walked past the happy couple, grabbed her book from the floor, shoved her feet in a pair of midnight blue flip-flops and skulked outside looking and feeling like a child sent to it's room.
From her perch on the deck of the back porch Bella's eyes traveled to Damon and Andie standing next to each other, talking heatedly beside a silver Mercedes.
Andie's shoulder length dark hair was perfectly styled in messy curls. She wore what could only be described as a vacation outfit, a pink floral blouse with sleeves that fell freely, a light brown skirt and riding boots. Even so she was just as tall as Damon, making Bella feel like a dwarf in the room, and as she talked to her boyfriend, she kept running her fingers up and down Damon's arm and had a coaxing look come across her attractive face. The gold ring on her wedding finger made the whole thing look like a scene from a bad movie.
Biting back a groan Bella walked down the wooden steps to the lake and settled on a large boulder with her book. She wasn't averse to hiding one bit. After all she and Damon had spent an easy week and a half being in paradise by themselves. The rotten apple had to be in the scenario!
Rising her glass of sweet iced tea to her lips she heard a shrill ringing sound. Surprised she sat back up, did her best not to slip and fall in the lake, and looked around. The cordless phone was tossed in the bushes surrounding the lake, only a few feet away from the porch. How did it get there?
"Hel-?"
"Kick that bitch's ass to the curb!"
Talk about a blast from the past. Bella's eyes widened, her mouth popped open and she pulled the phone from her ear. Looking at it she whispered
"Emmett?"
"Hi Bella!"
The happy go lucky voice of the big burly vampire called out. Bella's brown eyes traveled to the nearest camera hanging from a tree and she blinked. Raising the phone to her ear, she didn't look away from the camera
"What do you... How did you get this number?"
"That doesn't matter. Who the fuck does she think she is? You're not going to allow her to come in and treat you like some second class citizen, are you?"
Emmett's voice was shrill and loud. Bella closed her eyes and licked her dry lips.
"Please tell me you haven't spent the last few days perched in front of the TV"
She pleaded, not really sure why she cared.
"Of course I did. We miss you"
He said in a childish tone before becoming serious again
"Now go in there and get your man back. You two are adorable, even Eddie says so"
The vampire said with indignation. Bella let a wry chuckle out.
"She's his girlfriend, Emmett, Who am I to tell him he can't have his girlfriend around? Now, where's your wife? Someone needs to get you away from the TV set"
Emmett gave a long drawn out sigh of frustration.
"She's drooling over the shirt the wench has o- OW! Rose that hurt. OH! OW, what did I say?"
"Sorry Bella. I'll take his phone away. By the way my oaf of a husband is right. Kick the bitch out"
Click!
Bella looked at the phone in astonishment. What the hell had just happened? Putting the phone down she hugged her legs close and rested her head on them
"This can't be happening"
She tried to take several long breaths to calm her raging nerves, but it didn't work. She knew he was getting too close to Damon, but couldn't help herself. There was something about him that Bella couldn't resist. Maybe it was the aura of mystery surrounding him or maybe she was just pathetic. She shook her head and prepared mentally for one of the wolves to call but the phone remained silent. Was it possible they all missed the phone call and she was in the clear? she sure hoped so!
Damon leaned against the fence surrounding the deck and lit a cigarette taking a deep drag. his light eyes took the form of his roommate curled in a ball with the phone next to her. He wanted to hurt whoever hurt her! At some point she had stopped being a human sized, walking, talking blood bad and had become a person that he was very interested in.
"It's okay, Damon. Of course you want to spend some quality time with you girlfriend so I completely understand why she's here, okay?"
Bella called without turning back. She kept her dark eyes on the lapping water hoping her voice was soft and understanding, unlike how she really was feeling at the moment. Damon shook his head.
"It's not okay, Bella. I forgot the suits arranged for her to visit. It's unfair to spring this on you like this. Just say the word and I'll send her away."
Bella felt a lump come to her throat. Damon was handing her an excuse to get rid of his girlfriend. Only she couldn't do it. People would say she was too polite for her own good but it wasn't that. She was slowly, hell she had already fallen for him. Having his girlfriend around would be a walking, talking, reality check for her. She needed to get herself under control. She unfolded her body and sat straighter. She shook her head.
"No, Damon. You should be able to spend some time with her. I don't mind. I'll even make myself as scarce as possible. You two can have the bedroom. I'll take the couch"
It was the right thing to do. Damon's eyes met hers and his froze even more.
"If that's what you want"
Throwing the butt of his cigarette to the wooden floor, the vampire stomped back to the house. Bella let a sigh. Was he taking it out on her? It's not like she invited his very much MARRIED girlfriend here. She only took herself out of the equation.
From inside the house the slam of the bathroom door was heard. Annoyed Bella stood, grabbed her things and went to the house. Andie was lounged on the couch with a tiny cell phone to her ear. She didn't look up or acknowledge her at all. Bella set her things on the lounge coffee table and went straight to the bathroom.
If this was the only place they could have an honest conversation between them, so be it.
"Turn your microphone off"
Damon requested. He was standing next to the tub with a stoic expression on his face. Bella complied and closed the door behind her blocking the view of the hall camera.
Damon looked down at Bella and reached out which shaking fingers and stroked her cheek lightly before he put his hand back down. Bella's skin tingled where Damon had touched his face.
"Look, Damon, I'm not going to keep you from seeing your girlfriend. I may not like that she's here, but if you want some time with her, I guess I'm okay with it"
"That's just it, Bella, I don't want her here! We have no relationship outside of the bedroom. She's about to get her own show and I'll be her major celeb. She's here for publicity. She doesn't care about me and I don't care about her"
Damon spat with honesty bursting out of all and each one of his body's pores. He put both his hands on Bella's hips and pulled her close. Their eyes locked. Bella felt her heart beat faster and leaned closer to Damon, their bodies millimeters away. She tilted her head back just as he tilted his down.
Damon's gaze traveled over Bella's face and he smiled a sweet smile at her. He leaned down and gently pressed his lips against hers. That was it. A switch was flipped and suddenly the two grabbed each other tightly with mouths and hands exploring every inch of their bodies.
Bella let a soft gasp as she was hoisted on the sink. It was silenced by a pair of lips. Damon let a light moan when Bella's legs wrapped themselves around his waist. His ring bumped on her earrings when the neckline of her top was pulled down roughly and the fresh skin was covered in kisses.
Bella couldn't believe this was truly happening. This was the part when she usually woke up, alone in the big bed the two shared. Placing small kisses from the top of her breasts up to her neck Damon felt his teeth elongate and his gaze darkened.
With Herculean effort her pulled back forcing his face to relax.
"This was a mistake"
He said before he left the bathroom to fast for a human to act. Closing her eyes Bella felt hot tears sliding down her cheeks.
