Chapter Nineteen

Edward and Bella ran out hand-in-hand onto the deck, down the flight of stairs to the beach as the others were still laughing in the house. A light sprinkle fell from above, but the excitement of what had occurred a few minutes before made them a little reckless.

"I can't believe you guys did that," Bella said, trying hard to contain her laughter. "And when did Alec get an anchor tattooed on his ass?"

The image of her smiling and laughing so freely had Edward reaching for her, his hand slipping into her rain-dampened hair. Her grin remained as he pressed his lips to hers, a little giggle escaping her. Her fingers slid down his sides and he couldn't help but groan at her touch. Watching her move and dance for the last couple of hours had driven him crazy; all he wanted was a few quite moments with her.

He had to remember that their trip wasn't only about Bella, but about friends, new and old. It was all about Bella for the moment and she didn't seem to mind. Her hands continued to descend and then moved toward his back to give his ass a squeeze. Hiding his arousal and the moan that seemed to rumble in his chest proved futile, not when she did things like that. The scrape of her teeth along his bottom lip only deepened his need. He had to pull away to breathe, to give him a chance to calm down. She nuzzled his chin and continued to tease him with little nips along his jaw.

"Edward," she said in a raspy whisper. "If everyone is here, that means…"

He didn't even wait for her to elaborate, because he figured out what she meant. No one was at his place. Barefoot and somewhat desperate, they ran toward the road that separated their houses, sprinting down the warm sidewalk until they reached his front door. He sampled the spray of freckles along her shoulder as she unlocked the door with the key he'd given her the day before.

"Oh God," she said, panting and pushing through the door. "If you keep doing that, we'll never make it up to your room." He had no problem with that, but the chances of one of his friends walking in on them didn't sit well with him. Slapping her ass playfully, he demanded that she run up the stairs. He had to remember to have her always walk ahead of him, just to watch that sexy sway of hers.

Appearing slightly shocked by his display, Bella ran up the stairs quickly and instantly went to work on losing the shorts she had put on after she won the dance competition the second she stepped into the room. He started to do the same, but it must've been too slow for her taste, because as soon as she was naked, she helped him undress. There was something about letting her do it, strip him bare that had him frozen, allowing her do what she wanted. She touched him skin to skin every time she exposed a single inch of him. Her lips, teeth, and tongue teased him until he was a panting mess. Once he was naked, he grabbed her face and kissed her hard, desperate for a taste of her, for that connection.

She pushed him onto the bed, grabbing a condom before stretching her beautiful body over his. They continued to explore each other as their legs intertwined. Their hands slipped between them, working together to put on the condom. His groan was nearly painful as his need to be as close as possible.

Would he ever get enough of her? He hoped he never would. He exhaled sharply, but breathed in slowly the moment she took him inside her. Her hands rested on either side of his head, her dark hair teasing his face before she was kissing him. His hands couldn't find one place to rest, sliding down her back, over her ass, and anchoring on her hips as she moved. She was as fluid as when she danced, rolled with a rhythm that left him speechless. Lost in her for several minutes, in the way she gasped his name, he answered with hers on his lips when he felt her fall apart. Their bodies twisted the second she was able catch her breath, only to lose it again once he had her beneath him. He thrust and thrust, chasing the oblivion he sought.

Her fingers twisted in his too long hair, tugging his mouth to hers. Before she could kiss him, her lips only an inch away, she cried out his name as his fingers slipped between her thighs. The way her eyes went wide right before they clenched shut, sent him over the edge along with her.

Sweaty and exhausted, he fell to his back beside her, panting but unable to stop the smile on his face as he disposed of the condom. Her laughter mingled with his in the air, as she gently slapped his chest.

"You are so cocky now," she said, giggling and holding her hand over her heart, still struggling to breathe. He playfully growled in her ear, pulling her close until he could kiss her temple.

"I'm a guy, and getting his girl to come twice in a fucking row is going to go to his head." She teased him about his choice of words, but soon they settled down, grateful for a few more minutes alone.

"Bella," he said, his voice soft, and even he heard some of the vulnerability in his tone. "Are you willing to keep this going long distance, at least until school starts?"

She hooked her leg over his hips and nuzzled his neck. "I don't see a problem. Students can move in by August tenth, with school starting a few days later." She propped herself up and climbed on top of him.

What a view, Edward thought, as his hands slid up her thighs.

"Ever heard of FaceTime or Skype?" she asked, teasing and taunting him. The way she waggled her eyebrows clued him in on the kind of "talks" they'd have over the coming weeks.

His hand curled around the back of her neck, pulling a little of her hair up. "Hell yeah, we can do this," he said, sitting up for another kiss. He wanted a few more minutes alone with her before their friends came to get them for dinner.

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The following day, the group managed to make it to Santa Cruz, the weather was perfect for a day on the beach. Edward left his dog with the neighbor since they'd be gone all day and the group left in two vehicles since it was longer drive. They arrived early enough to get decent spots on the beach and once the attractions were open on the boardwalk, they spent most of the morning on the rides and checking out the shops.

For lunch, they couldn't seem to decide where to eat that would accommodate all ten of them. In the end, the group split up to find something to eat.

Taking Bella's hand, Edward walked toward a restaurant they'd seen earlier when he spotted a photo booth. "What are you doing?" she asked, as he pushed her inside the tiny space. "We've taken a shit load of photos already."

They had and he knew he'd spent a little time going through all the ones of her while they were apart.

"Not in a tiny little space like this," he said, settling her on his lap. There was enough room for her to sit down the small seat provided, but he wanted her closer. He pulled out his wallet and deposited the money, as Bella adjusted her bikini top under her lace cover up. He had a love/hate relationship with that scrap of fabric. He could see just enough of what she wore beneath to tease him, but so could everyone else.

"Ready?"

She gave him a big smile. "Engage."

He kissed her cheek and hit the button on the touch screen. They made faces at the camera and then at each other. After having friends around them most of the day, he finally had her all to himself. She was crossing her eyes and sticking out her tongue as the camera clicked, but his gaze was on her. Noticing his attention was not on the camera; she looked at him and saw something that had her kissing him. His arms tightened around her waist, savoring and wishing for more time.

"Live in the moment," she whispered, resting her forehead on his. "We'll worry about tomorrow when it gets here."

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"What are they watching?" Bella asked a few hours later, James and Jane having joined them on the boardwalk for the last hour. Edward shook his head, craning his neck to see over the crowds' heads.

"Looks like a small band is playing on the beach," he said, tugging her toward the music. The sand was considerably cooler as the sun started to set over the horizon.

"Who is it?"

Edward shook his head, shrugging. "I have no idea," he said as they came to a stop around a wall of gyrating bodies. He settled onto one knee in front of her. "Hop onto my shoulders, see if you can see who it is." She climbed on as instructed, yelping when he stood and holding on to the top of his head to keep her steady.

From what the crowd was saying, it was a local band named Midnight Star. Besides a few of their own songs, they played covers of some of their favorite music. Bella whooped and hollered, and soon, their friends, having heard the music, joined them.

On occasion, Edward's hands would wander up her thighs and she'd tug on his hair for him to behave. In just a few short songs, she was a quivering mess; damn him and his hands. When a familiar song started, she asked him to put her down. The second her feet touched the sand, their arms wrapped around each other, his heading dipping down to sing in her ear, "Look outside it's already light and the stars ran away with the night."

Her eyes closed, loving the sound of his voice and feel of his breath on her skin. Falling—it was the only way to describe what she was feeling in his arms. It was there; a spark of something stronger than anything she ever felt before. With the lit up boardwalk as their backdrop, surrounded by friends new and old, they kissed and hoped "tomorrow" would wait a little longer.

AN: Lyrics are Ocean Wide by The Afters.