"Eventually, I am going to have to get more of my clothes. I can't live in your t-shirts and no underwear forever." I said to Edward on Monday morning. He was sitting at the kitchen bar eating a bowl of oatmeal while I nibbled a slice of buttered toast. We still had not made it to the market.
"I don't see why not." He said with a smirk as he read the New York Times on his tablet.
"I'll call Alice and see if she's home. I need to go and pick up my clothes, not to mention my computer." I mused, half to myself. I really needed to stop by my own apartment as well and get more clothes and necessities.
"How about you ask her to bring your things here…and then we all go to New Jersey to hang out by the pool at my parents' house?" He asked, not looking up from his iPad.
"Edward…"
"Come on…we can have a few beers around the pool...get a tan. It's a beautiful day outside." He said, finally looking up at me. "When's the last time you've been out of the city?"
"It's been a while. Months." I admitted. "But I don't know…"
"If it's too weird we'll leave. I'll say I have some work to do. My mom really wants to meet you."
"When did you talk to your mother?"
"Earlier this morning, while you were still snoring."
"I do not snore!" I frowned and crossed my arms like a petulant child.
"Whatever, princess." His eyes went back to his iPad.
"Can Rose and Jake come, too?"
"Of course. It'll be fun." Edward said, a wide smile on his handsome face.
I sighed. I guess I couldn't put it off forever. I prayed that the Labor Day gods would smile on me and that Emmett would not be at this party.
~SD~
An hour and a half later, I was getting out of the shower and Alice handed me a bathing suit to wear that still had tags on it. She had brought over my things but obviously I didn't have any swimwear packed in my suitcase.
"Alice, I'm not wearing that." I told her, looking at the bikini skeptically. It was hot pink and it was tiny. Microscopic, actually. Just four triangles held together with string.
"Why not?"
"It's so… small." I said, wrinkling my nose.
"So? You have the body for it. Isn't this why we go to spin class?"
I snatched the suit from her. "Fine. I'll just keep my clothes on over it."
Alice rolled her eyes and left me to get dressed. I could hear peals of laughter from Jake, Jasper, Edward and Rose when she opened the door. I smiled to myself, happy that they all seemed to be getting along. Emmett hated hanging out with my friends- gah, I had to quit it with the mental comparisons between Edward and Emmett. I quickly put on the bikini and pulled on a denim skirt and an off the shoulder gray tee that I'd bought from Alice's store over top of it. I put my wavy hair up and slid into a pair of black sandals before joining everyone in the living room.
"No way are the Patriots winning the Superbowl this year!" Jake was saying, pointing at Jasper.
"Well, it damn sure isn't going to be your team, the Broncos!" Jasper said heatedly.
"What about San Francisco? They've been looking really good in the preseason." Edward chimed in.
"Yeah, but their QB is coming off an injury. He's still not a hundred percent." Jasper said.
"How about Seattle?" I asked. All three of them turned, looked at me and rolled their eyes.
"Seattle? I know that's your home team but…hell no." Jake said.
"Definitely not." Jasper added.
"Yeah…no. Not gonna happen." Edward agreed. "You ready to go?"
"Yup."
"We can all fit in my truck." Jake said as everyone stood up. Jake owned a huge black Ford Expedition that he and Rose had spent months customizing. It was his pride and joy.
"You look gorgeous, baby." Edward whispered into my ear as we waited for the elevator. My heart fluttered from his words, from his warm breath that tickled my ear, simply from being near him. He was dressed casually, donning a pair of plaid board shorts, a form fitting white t-shirt and his sexy aviator sunglasses. He was so hot.
The ride to Edward's parents' home wasn't long. With Edward giving Jake directions, we were there in about forty five minutes. When Edward pointed out the house, my jaw dropped. It was huge, sprawling. The enormous lawn in front of the house was a perfectly manicured sea of green grass, colorful flowers and lush shrubbery. The circular driveway was filled with cars, so we had to park on the street.
"Dude, did you have to mow this gigantic lawn when you were growing up?" Jake asked as we walked along the stone pathway leading up to the house.
"When I was growing up, we didn't live here, we lived in Queens. And we had no lawn. They've only lived here for a few years." Edward explained. The front door was unlocked and we all stepped out of the sunshine and into the Cullen's expansive living room. It was bright and modern, yet still cozy. The walls were covered with pictures of Edward, Emmett and their parents.
"Is that you?" I asked, pointing at a framed picture of a wiry boy, about eight or nine years old, playing the piano.
"Yeah, it's me." He chuckled, pulling me along.
"I want to look at the pictures. You were so cute." I told him.
"Later."
We traipsed through the living room and the spacious kitchen and out to the backyard. There were quite a few people milling around the pool, but no one was in the water. Kate was the first to spot us.
"Eddie! Izzy!" she called from the other side of the pool and then ran over to us, practically knocking us over with the force of her hugs. Edward introduced her to Rose, Jake, Alice and Jasper. She greeted them all politely.
"I didn't think you were coming! Izzy, I'm sorry if I said the wrong thing yesterday. My mom says that my mouth works faster than my brain sometimes." Kate spoke rapidly, her brown eyes pleading with me to understand.
"It's okay, we're here. Where's Irina?" I asked, looking around.
"I'm right here." She said, sliding the door closed as she exited the kitchen, two water bottles in her hands. More introductions were made.
"See what I mean? All old people." Kate whispered. I looked around and I had to agree; the crowd was definitely on the mature side.
"Well, we're here now. Where's the beer?" Edward inquired.
"How would I know? Uncle Carlisle won't let me have any." Kate pouted.
"I'll go get some beers. And some music. You guys just make yourselves at home." Edward instructed before he walked back into the house. All eyes were on us as we walked around the kidney shaped pool; I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised. We were all young, Rose looked like she stepped off of a runway in Paris, Jasper looked like an Abercrombie and Fitch catalog model, Alice was dressed to the nines as usual in a red romper and silver platform heels and Jake was five shades darker than everyone at the pool and it wasn't because he had a tan.
We found a few unoccupied patio chairs and pulled them all together.
"Come on, let's get in the pool." Alice urged. She kicked her heels off and pulled her strapless romper off, exposing her adorable navy bikini. She and Jasper sat on the edge of the pool, splashing the water with their feet. Kate and Irina eased into the pool as well. Edward returned with a cooler and some speakers.
"Jake, can you help me set up these speakers?" Edward asked.
"Sure." Jake replied. They fiddled around for several minutes until the beginning chords of "Don't Stop Believing" filled the backyard.
"Journey?" Jake asked.
"My mother loves them." Edward explained.
"I've seen them in concert twelve times." A warm feminine voice behind us said.
"Izzy, this is my mom." Edward said. I stood up and turned to face the mother of both my ex and current boyfriend. She was beautiful, with dark hair and dark eyes like Emmett. She was effortlessly chic in a pair of white pants and a yellow billowy top.
"It's nice to meet you Mrs. Cullen." I said nervously. My heart was beating a mile a minute.
"Call me Esme, please. It's so nice to meet you, Izzy!" She exclaimed with a grin. "Kate has been talking nonstop about you since Saturday. She really thinks you are the bee's knees. Irina, too."
"Bee's knees, Mom?" Edward rolled his eyes.
"I'm sorry. Izzy, they think you are the shit. Is that better, Edward?"
"No." Edward replied.
"Mrs. Cullen…Esme…these are my good friends. That's Alice and her husband Jasper and that's Rose and her fiancé Jake." I said, pointing each person out to her.
"Nice to meet you all. Welcome to our home. Help yourselves to food, drink, whatever you want. Carlisle's getting ready to start on the grill. Are any of you vegans? Are hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken alright? "
"It's perfect. Thank you." I said.
"Edward, did you bring the cooler out?"
"Yep, right there." He said, pointing.
"Okay, turn up the music, hand out some beers and let's have some fun!" she enthused before flitting off to speak with another group.
"Excuse my mother's enthusiasm. She loves playing hostess." Edward told me as we pulled Coronas and Bud Lights from the cooler and handed them out. Jake turned the speakers up and everyone at the party began to loosen up a bit.
"She's really nice." I said honestly. She was charming and effervescent and I had liked her immediately.
"Edward! Come over here and say hello to the O'Briens'!" Esme called from the other side of the pool. Edward kissed my cheek and promised to return quickly before walking over to join his mother. I sat down in a chair and sipped my beer.
Rose pulled off her denim shorts and tank, showing off her red and white polka dot bikini. I chuckled to myself as one man's eyes practically bugged out and he choked on his drink.
"Come on, Iz. Bring your beer over and get in." Rose said.
"I can't. My arm." I gestured to my sling.
"You can put your feet in. Come on!" Alice exclaimed. I narrowed my eyes at her. She knew I didn't want to take off my clothes. She narrowed her hazel eyes right back at me. Well, it wasn't like my bikini was any skimpier than anyone else's. I stepped out of my sandals and pulled off my skirt and top. I sat down next to Rose and stuck my toes into the water. Oh, it was warm. It felt divine.
Rose pushed Jake until he fell into the pool and then Jake pulled Rose down with him, splashing water on all of us. Soon they were all in the water along with Kate and Irina playing volleyball, the two guys against the four girls.
"You are absolutely killing me with that bikini, Izzy." Edward whispered as he sat down beside me. He had taken his shirt and sneakers off.
"Does it look bad?" I asked self-consciously.
"Baby…you look so sexy." He breathed, his eyes traveling over my body and darkening with lust. "Your ass…fuck…"
"Edward…Izzy." I looked up and Dr. Cullen was standing over us. I stood up as quickly as I could and wished that I had on more clothes.
"It's nice to see you again, Dr. Cullen." I said. I'd met him once briefly when I was with Emmett. I could only imagine what kind of woman he thought I was. I tried to put those thoughts out of my mind.
"Hey, Dad." Edward said as he stood. They embraced in a masculine one armed hug, slapping each other's backs. Dr. Cullen and Edward were the same height and build. They even had the same intelligent green eyes, but Dr. Cullen's hair was blonde with silver streaks.
"How's that arm?" Dr. Cullen asked me conversationally.
"It's okay. I go back to the orthopedist next week."
"Edward said they still haven't caught the man who assaulted you?"
"No, not yet." I replied.
"Well, I hope they get that scum off the streets soon."
"Me, too." I agreed.
"Son, can you help me at the grill for a few minutes?" Dr. Cullen requested. "I don't know where your mother went off to."
"Sure, no problem. I'll be back, Izzy." Edward said and he and his father walked away toward the grill in the corner of the yard. Instead of sitting at the pool, I wrapped a large towel around myself and went into the house and to the living room. There were two huge bookcases on either side of the brick fireplace. I studied the titles- mostly classics: Pride and Prejudice, 1984, Brave New World, One Hundred Years of Solitude.
I wandered over to the wall by the winding staircase to inspect the collection of framed photos. Edward was small as a child; Emmett towered over him in most of the pictures of them as kids. There were pictures of both of them in baseball uniforms and Emmett in his high school football uniform. There were graduation pictures, high school and college. Edward had grown from a small boy to a gangly teen and then to a strapping young man with a confident smile.
"I was wondering where you went." Edward said quietly, startling me. I had been so absorbed in the photos that I hadn't heard him come into the room.
"I was just looking at the pictures." I said. "What's this? You never told me you played in a rock band." I pointed at an image of Edward at about sixteen or seventeen, playing guitar on a stage with three teens. His hair was much longer then and hung over his forehead and in his eyes.
"Yeah, a few of my friends and I got together and started a band. We were really into Blink-182." He laughed. "We played some gigs the summer before we went to college. It was fun."
"I'll bet you had a bunch of groupies." I giggled.
"Would you have been a groupie if you'd have known me back then?" he asked, wrapping his arms around my waist.
"Probably. Guitar players are sexy."
He leaned down and our lips met softly, but in mere moments the kiss became heated, our tongues twisting and twirling. His hands slid under my towel and he caressed the skin of my thigh, slowly inching closer to my…
"Edward!" I pulled away from the kiss and removed his hand. We were at his parents' house and there were at least forty people in and around the pool, just twenty feet away.
"Izzy…you look so good…your ass is perfect…have I ever told you that?" He murmured, as he softy sucked behind my ear, the spot that always made me weak. He pulled me against him and I could feel his hardness pressing against my stomach.
"You feel that? I want you so badly…please, baby?" he pleaded, his voice filled with need.
"Here?" I whispered.
"Come on." He pulled me down a short hall and into a powder room right off the kitchen, and turned the lock on the door knob after he shut the door. He ripped the towel from me, letting it fall to the floor and kissed me again, passionately and possessively, pressing my body into the sink.
"All the old men were watching you in your little bikini." He whispered between kisses. "I wanted to tell them all that you are mine. So fucking sexy and you don't even realize it." He pushed my top up and rubbed my sensitive nipples until they hardened under his touch. He wrapped his lips around one, licking and sucking. I had to bite my lip to keep from moaning.
"Turn around, baby." I turned and faced the mirror over the porcelain sink. I felt his hands ghost along my legs as he pulled my bikini bottoms down. I quickly stepped out of them and braced my arm against the sink. His teeth nibbled the fleshy part of my bottom and I gasped in surprise.
"Spread your legs…stick your ass out…just like that." I watched his face in the mirror as he entered me. His jaw went slack and he groaned quietly.
"You're so deep, Edward." I whispered as I reveled in the feeling of him filling me up. He groaned again, his expression seeming almost tortured as he moved in and out of me.
"Izzy, I don't think I can go slowly. I need you too much." He admitted. His hips began to speed up and he looked feral as he pounded me.
"Does my pussy feel good, Edward?" I cooed, my eyes glued to his reflection. His eyes rolled to the back of his head. He grunted loudly and gripped my hips to him with force.
"Shit…" he practically growled. His hooded eyes squeezed shut and his jaw clenched, then his whole face relaxed into a half smile. He opened his eyes and his gorgeous face reddened slightly; he dropped his head onto my shoulder.
"Baby…I'm sorry." He whispered against my skin.
"Sorry for what?"
"You didn't come." He stated. I was so enraptured by watching his pleasure, I didn't even care. Truthfully, seeing him wanting me so badly that he lost his control was a huge turn on. It made me feel…powerful.
"I was so desperate for you, I just couldn't…I'll make it up to you. I promise." Edward murmured as he pulled out of me.
"It's okay, Edward." I said while he tucked himself back into his board shorts.
"Let's get back outside before anyone notices we are gone." He turned the sink on and washed his hands.
"You go ahead. I need to…clean up a bit." I admitted as I straightened up and turned to face him.
"Okay." He tilted my face up and kissed my lips. "You are just so beautiful."
"Whatever." I said, pushing him away and laughing.
"One day you'll believe me." Edward said seriously.
"You make me feel beautiful." I told him, my voice soft.
"Good. Because you are." He said, kissing me again. "I'd better go."
He left me then, closing the door behind him. I took care of my business swiftly and returned to my beer and my friends at the side of the pool. Edward was back at the grill with his father, but he gave me a heart melting smile when he saw me walk by.
"Where the hell did you go?" Alice asked when I sat down.
"I was just inside, looking at pictures." I told her without meeting her eyes.
"Yeah, right." Rose said with a giggle. Jasper and Jake just chuckled and got up to grab some food.
"I have to admit, I thought this was going to be weird." Alice said. "But it's been fun. No awkwardness at all."
"Um, I think you may have spoken too soon." Rose informed us, looking past Alice and I, toward the house. We turned to see what she was staring at. Emmett was walking through the sliding glass doors and his arm was wrapped around the shoulders of a petite, gorgeous girl with long light brown hair.