AN: Two more left.

Enjoy!

Chapter 13

The first day of the James invasion of Forks was what I expected. He was pouting.

"Bella, that guy is sitting on the porch," Edward told me. He stood against the counter, shirtless as he sipped on his coffee. "The jerk looks like he's sucking on a lemon."

My head was pounding and I shuffled over to the coffee pot. "That's his normal face."

I was fairly certain the way the sledgehammer in my cranium was working on my brain, the gray matter would be dripping out of my ear.

"Here's the milk, baby." Edward handed me the carton and kissed the top of my hair. "You need some Advil?"

"I think I need a brand new head. Have an extra in the upstairs closet?" I cringed at his laughter. "Quiet tones, Edward."

"Should I bring him out some coffee? Do you think he slept out there all night?" Edward peeked out of the window near the kitchen table. I went over to join him and looked out over his shoulder.

James sat on the front porch and read the newspaper. He was writing notes about what he read in a small notebook. The clothes he wore were immaculately clean and his pants were perfectly pressed.

"Edward, that man slept somewhere that is spotless. I'm sure wherever he's squatting at, he's cleaned it, sanitized, and probably fumigated it first," I explained. I noticed a Starbucks cup next to his foot. The only Starbucks was five towns away. I guess that even after dating a stripper, James still though he was too good for Dunkin Donuts. "He's got his overpriced caffeine. Why are you wanting to be nice to him?"

Edward smirked at James who had just spilled coffee onto his shirt. "It must sad for him to lose you. I won the perfect girl."

I kissed my romantic man's shoulder. The sunlight reflected on his muscles and I couldn't help running the fingers of my left hand over them. With the other hand, I was holding up my coffee cup and guzzling down the steaming liquid.

Edward snorted and angled his body toward me. "What are you doing, woman?"

"I find stroking you comforting. You are a great replacement for a cat."

"I know something else you can stroke," he teased. His fingers caressed my scalp.

I relaxed into his touch. "I know it sounds like an excuse, but really I do have a headache. Can you take a raincheck?"

Edward wrapped his arms around my waist. "I expect much stroking tonight."

"Of course, sir. Hangovers last don't last all day." I squeezed his waist. "James won't leave if we ignore him. That man is stubborn."

"I'm guessing that was the only thing the two of you had in common."

I had to laugh at that. "At first, it seemed that we were more in tune. We had a love of learning. I thought that was enough, but I can see now that I married an insufferable bore. Of course, it wasn't like there were any better options who wanted a girl like me."

"Bella—" Edward ran his fingers through my hair with a serious expression.

I tapped his nose and moved away. "I know what it was like back then, but I appreciate you trying to disagree with me. I'm going to sneak out the back for a minute."

"Baby, running away won't solve anything," Edward stated. His face was so very serious. I missed his smile. "We need to face this head on."

"We will, but I think James needs a demonstration of my feelings." I gave Edward a peck on the lips before quietly sneaking out into the backyard. "Trust me."

Tiptoeing in the immaculate yard that my talented boyfriend created, found what I needed to get James to leave. My prey was still reading the paper and acting like he owned the place. He needed to learn a lesson and this teacher was going to shove it up his stupid face.

"James?" I asked sweetly. My weapon of choice was hidden behind my back.

He looked up from the paper and observed my outfit. I wore only a tank top and sleep shorts and my ex-husband wrinkled his nose. "Is that really the most appropriate ensemble to be wearing in public, Isabella?"

I sprayed him with the hose on the soak setting. "Get off my property!"

"What are you doing, Isabella? This sweater is wool!" He yelled and tried to take off his precious cardigan. "What if it shrinks?"

It will still be ugly, I thought.

"Go home, James!" I him again with cool water.

"Bella! We need to talk!" He was trying to wipe his wet glasses with a damp Kleenex. Good luck with that, asshole.

I sprayed his Kleenex. "Talk to your stripper!"

"Victoria and I parted ways! I missed you, dearest one!" He cried and tried to duck my hose assault.

James was a liar. He tugged on his ear, which was a sign of his deception. That stripper dumped him.

"I don't care. I'm happy, James. Go home!"

Of course, stubborn James couldn't make life easy. "Go to dinner with me! You should at least give me a chance to explain. You owe me that much."

"Pardon me, but why should I owe you anything?" I held my hose up to his face. That man was going down.

James, of course, didn't care. He always thought he was the one that was in the right. "You weren't trying to be a true partner in our relationship, Isabella. You always were studying or being so very quiet in the bedroom. I think if you showed some exuberance for my manhood that our relationship would have flourished."

I was going to wrap this hose around his neck and choke him. I would be freed by any judge, because James was such a delusional jerk. I wasn't allowed to show exuberance with him. He told me to be quiet. There was study hours that James made for us every night. My life was organized in James's vision of a fruitful existence of study and mental excellence. I was finally free and I wasn't going to be wrapped back up in my ex-husband's web.

He continued, as I shook with rage, "Come to dinner with me. We can discuss you coming home with me."

James was insane. There was no way that I would go to—

"Fine. I'll meet you at the lodge. Take Smith Road and turn right at the Tractor Depot." I had a plan.

"That sounds unappealing. There's a satisfactory French bistro in Port Angeles, but it could work."

I sneered at him. "It will be the lodge or nothing, James. See you at seven. Go dry off."

Another blast for good measure, made him fall on his butt. I couldn't stop laughing as I went past him and back into the house.

"Bella, honey, you okay?" Edward asked. He looked nervous.

"Edward, we are going to dinner at the lodge tonight. Fancy some steak?" I ran my fingers down his chest.

Edward touched me lovingly. "I will always take you there. Whenever you want. Will that asshole be there?"

"Yes." I rubbed my nose up and down his neck.

"Bella, I don't want to be someone you use to prove a point." His eyes were melancholy.

I took his face in both of my hands. "You're going to prove the most important point. Edward. You are what love really is. I didn't know until I met you. I was wrong about what I felt with James. That wasn't love. It was settling. My emotions with you are at an all time high. I finally feel what its like to want more for somebody else and to be the best possible me for them. For you."

Edward was quiet for a moment. He stared at me and I returned the gaze. I was all in this for as long as he wanted me. I was banking on forever.

It was so fast when Edward's hands grasped thighs and my legs were wrapped around his waist. His mouth went immediately to mine and he sucked on my bottom lip. Edward pushed me against the wall. We kissed and clothes were ripped off in frantic movements.

Our movements were so violent that a vase fell off a nearby shelf. It shattered on the floor.

"Baby, I'm sorry! Your headache!" He covered my face with light kisses.

I smiled at him. "Look at that. My headache vanished with a poof."

He slammed into me and it was an intense, room destroying experience that made me see stars.

We were in a naked heap on the floor next to the couch.

"Edward, we ruined the living room," I pointed out. There were feathers everywhere. How in the hell did we rip up the pillows?

"I think IKEA is in order." Edward kissed my forehead. "Do you want to put together some Swedish furniture, lover?"

Not really, but—

"I would love to put shelves together with you, Edward."

Anything for him.

XXXXXX

James sat at a table wearing an old suit. It was tweed and there were patches on the elbows. It was evening wear for him. He was looking at the frayed, white table cloth in dismay. This was not his idea of fine dining.

The lodge was a place to get a good steak and beer in a glass. It was rustic with wood paneled walls and there was a moose head staring down on us from over the fire place. My father and I celebrated special events together here when I was young and in pigtails. I hated the way that James was sneering at a place that held a special place in my heart.

"James, how are you tonight?" I smoothed down my sundress. It was more colorful than what I used to wear with him. The flowers that danced on the fabric, made me feel lighthearted and joyful.

My new look was not impressive to my ex. He arched a single eyebrow. "You look nice."

Before I could say a word, Edward came up and wrapped an arm around my waist. "She looks beautiful."

This is the point where I swoon. Edward was dressed all in black and looked like a dream.

James didn't share my positive appraisal. His face was still unimpressed. "Who's this man, Isabella?"

"James, this is my boyfriend. His name is Edward Cullen and he's incredible." I smiled up at Edward. He was my sun.

Edward held me closer. He kissed the side of my head. We were a pair.

"Bella! This guy is not like us!" James squealed. "He's trailer trash! Can he even read?"

You knew James was frustrated when he called me by my nickname.

Before Edward could punch him, I jabbed James in the forehead. "Don't you fucking dare. Edward is so much better than the two of us. I'm in love with this amazing man! His knowledge of plants, nature, and ecology is absolutely staggering. I've learned so much from him about the world and about love!"

"God, Bella, he has a mullet!"

"James, that mullet is the sexiest thing I've ever seen." I might have fibbed a little bit about the hair, but the man attached to it was the sexiest thing. "I'm sorry that your exotic dancer left you, but—"

James slapped his hand on the table. "Victoria went to explore opportunities in Vegas!"

"I don't know you, but it seems to me that you were dumped," Edward said. He put his head on my shoulder. "Bella is happy in Forks. You weren't a good couple. I love her and I'm asking you to respect that."

"Isabella is dependable! I need someone steady!" James was shaking a salt shaker onto the table. I think he might be going insane.

Edward chuckled. "My Bella is a firecracker and a wildcat in bed. You don't know the real Bella. She came alive here. I think you should go back home and meet the perfect girl for you. Someone who makes you feel complete like Bella does for me."

James just pouted.

"James, we're leaving now. Try and have a happy life. We all deserve that." I squeezed his shoulder.

"Okay, Bella." James started poring out the pepper shaker. Perhaps he could write a paper about getting drunk for his doctorate. I couldn't care less. I was a happy girl.

I took Edward's hand and started to lead him out of the restaurant. "So about the hair—"

"You were exaggerating about liking it." He let out a chuckle.

"Lover boy, your mullet is still trying to suffocate me." I swung our arms playfully. "I would love to be able to breathe after having sex with you."

He pulled me into his body and kissed me until I was breathless from loving not swallowing extra hair.

"I think a trim is in order," he said. Edward looked like he wanted to ravage me in the parking lot.

Hallelujah! The angels were singing about a haircut.