Chapter Fifteen

After stuffing their faces on burgers and grilled chicken, Edward, Bella, and their friends sat around the fire on the beach. The wind was especially cold when the sun set earlier, and everyone was happy to be together and warm around a fire. A few girls they met the day before were staying with Bella and Angela and seemed to get along with the others.

Mike was talking up one of newcomers named Jane, as Eric tried to teach Zafrina how to serve a volleyball; their net still set up. Ben seemed content to talk to the very shy Heidi, who often timidly smiled at him. All three were on a spontaneous road trip and from the central California, unaware of how hard it was to get a last minute, affordable, hotel near the beach. After talking with them, Bella checked with her parents and Alice, and the girls were staying for the rest of the week at her place.

The newcomers also meant each of their houses were full, leaving little privacy. Thankfully, Bella still had her own room and invited Edward to stay the night with her for the rest of his vacation. How could he say no to that offer? It was too bad that Bella and Angela were staying longer than they were; driving up together would've been fun.

Edward and his friends all sat down to talk earlier to see if they could stay for the extra week, but at Bella's place after the newbies left. She had indicated that she wouldn't charge them.

Unfortunately, Eric and Mike had work the two days after they originally intended to be home. Jobs in their small area were hard to come by and they couldn't afford to let them go. James had his cousin's wedding on the east coast, and his whole family was leaving early to help. Edward and Alec could stay, but couldn't leave the rest of their friends without a ride. In other words, they were leaving the following Wednesday, maybe Thursday if they agreed to drive without stopping for anything other than gas.

They had to make the most of their remaining time together. Everyone agreed to hit the road the following morning to check out the boardwalk in Santa Cruz. Alice and Jasper had given them each an unlimited pass for the rides, and gave Bella a gas card as one of her graduation presents. All they had to spend money on was food.

Music pounded a heavy beat nearby, everyone taking advantage of the last hour before they would have to lower the volume significantly. They followed the noise ordinance to avoid the law showing up, with so many people drinking underage.

Edward watched Bella dance with the girls, her hands in the air and hips swaying. He wasn't the only one with their gaze glued to them. Who could blame them? Her laughter rang, filtered a little higher with her tongue hanging out. She'd giggle and smile, swerve and drop down low, mimicking the other girls.

It was driving him insane.

Someone slapped the back of Edward's head, but without looking, he punched the fucker in the arm. "Asshole."

"Shit, you're knuckles are boney as fuck," Alec whined and plopped down in the chair beside him, rubbing his shoulder. "Why are you not out there with her? We got less than a week and you're down here with the rest of us."

Edward shook his head, his eyes on Bella. "Look at her, she's having fun. From what she told me about the last year of her life, it's a rarity. I can't take that away from her." He laughed as the music changed and the girls started head-banging, laughing more. The way her skin glowed from the light of the fire made him want to join her. He would soon enough, but he wanted her to enjoy herself for a while longer. "Then there's the fact that she told me yesterday she was drugged and assaulted. I'm not an asshole that's going to push her."

"I see your point." Alec popped the top of another Heineken. "You're not like him, you know? I know you're still afraid to care for her too much." Edward grunted in response. "After Bree died, Riley wasn't the same. Despite his broken heart, he fucked any girl in skinny jeans or a skirt, until it wasn't enough for him to forget."

After Riley lost his girlfriend of two years in a car accident, he looked for anything to help him cope, eventually turning to the drugs that killed him.

"He was worse than you and James combined."

"Exactly, which is why you dated so little, afraid your parents would have another thing to compare you to him." Alec shrugged. "Then again, you never realized half the girls in school wanted you."

Edward had, until his brother died and not much else mattered after that.

"We talked about it, and decided we'd let it happen naturally. Look what happened the last time we planned."

Yeah, he wasn't happy with the way he handled that day and he knew she felt the same on her end.

"Puke fest." Alec groaned, shaking his head. "I get it, but I'm glad to see you like this again." Edward offered him a smile. "It's a good thing she's moving to California, too."

Edward's eyes almost popped out of his head. "What did you just say?"

"That's she's moving to California, too." Alec looked confused. "Have you even talked to her about college?"

"No, it's a subject we tend to avoid."

Alec's head fell back, looking at up the night sky. "What the fuck am I going to do with you?"

"Do you know what school she's going to?" he asked, practically ready to jump to his feet and run to her.

"No, Angela mentioned in passing," Alec said much too innocently. "Why don't you go find out?"

Edward's eyes narrowed. "You know, don't you?" He didn't wait around for the answer and made his way through the dancing girls. Several of them whistled, as Bella cocked her finger for him to come to her. She didn't have to ask him twice. Her arms circled around his neck the second he was within reach, as a hum vibrated through her when his hands settled on her hips. Still dressed in the black bikini and lacy cover thing from earlier, she'd added a pair of cut offs that hugged her ass and his blue button up. Her fingers played with the shorter hair at the nape of his neck, and he had to dip down for a taste of her sweet mouth.

After a few seconds, he pulled away and rested his forehead on hers. "What school are you going to this fall?" She looked confused, likely wondering why he would bring it up when they had avoided it so often since they met. "Please tell me."

"Cal Poly. It's in San Luis—"

He cut her off with a groan and another kiss, his hands drifting from her hips, over her ass and down the backs of her thighs to lift her up. She made a little noise in her throat in surprise as her legs wrapped around his waist.

"I take it," she said, pausing for a second to catch her breath, then another kiss. She pulled away to look him in the eyes. Her gold-brown eyes turned to a bright whiskey tone in the firelight. "You're going there, too, aren't you?"

He only smiled and closed his eyes as she pressed her lips to his again. Her soft curves perfectly conformed to his harder body, her warm breath a tease against his neck, her hands urgently tugging his mouth to hers. Ignoring the catcalls, he asked his cousin to watch Riker, as he ran toward the stairs that would lead to Bella's house and so much more.