Life's A Beach
Chapter 5
A/N: Thanks to everyone for the sweet comments! I'm glad you liked the kiss…sigh. As always, everything Twlight belongs to Ms. Meyer. Any music belongs to its respective singers/groups.
Bella rested her elbows on the table, her chin on her fists, sighed, and watched her old and new friends. She thought to herself that there had never been a more wonderful night. The most beautiful boy she'd ever met sang to her – to her! And he kissed her. It was the best kiss she'd ever experienced. Everyone else looked nearly as happy as she felt.
Alice, tiny thing that she was, was tucked under Jasper's arm as he took a last look around the empty bar. Only the six of them remained. Emmett wiped down the bar and kept stealing sideways glances at Rosalie, who picked up all the little stuffed crabs from the floor and was putting them back in the silver buckets. Edward packed away his guitar, the job taking him twice as long as usual since he couldn't stop looking at Bella. Jasper deposited Alice next to Bella and started putting chairs up on tables. He'd do a final clean up in the morning, before opening for lunch.
"There's one thing I don't get about this place" said Alice.
"What's that, darling?" asked Jasper. "If the three of us can't answer it, nobody on the island can."
She stole one of the stuffed animals from the bucket and held it up. "If Edward got these cute little crabs thrown at him for breaking rule number 2, what's rule number one?"
The three guys shared a mischievous look and shouted together. "Everybody goes home happy!"
"Well, now there's a rule I can get behind" purred Rosalie.
Emmett grinned, tossed the rag he'd been using behind the bar, and nearly impaled himself on the railing trying to get around the bar. "And there's a behind I can…."
Rosalie's eyebrow went up. "If you want to live, you won't finish that sentence." Emmett, a man who was much smarter than he pretended to be, decided to quit while he was ahead.
"Well, then, that's my cue to lock up" drawled Jasper. "C'mon, Miss Alice. Let me walk you to your car."
They all made their way outside, pairing off to share some end of the evening kisses and getting to know you caresses. Edward gently but firmly pulled Bella close to him. He wrapped his arms around her hips, his hands resting on her back in a way that made her skin tingle and her breathing pick up. "I'm glad you let me sing to you tonight" he said softly, before planting a sweet kiss on her forehead. "I hope it wasn't, well, I hope you didn't think it was too corny." He actually blushed a little, which melted Bella's heart.
"It was perfect" she murmured. "Every bit of it." She poked him in the chest. "Remember, we set a record for best first kiss after those songs."
"So we did" he whispered before kissing her softly on the neck just behind her ear. He fought a sudden urge to nibble on the sweet skin, afraid to mark her. Instead he pressed his lips more firmly against hers, hoping to convey with his lips what he felt in his heart but wasn't ready to say. He felt a little foolish, but in a good way, wanting this girl so much when they'd only just met. But there was something about her, something about this pull he felt toward her. Like magnets. "Meet me on the beach tomorrow morning?"
"I don't know. Do you promise to keep control of your dog?" Bella smiled at him, remembering her run in with the overly enthusiastic Aro that morning.
"I can't even promise I'll keep control of myself" he said with a little growl, only partly kidding. "But I'll do my best to keep Aro under control. If anyone's gonna knock you in the water tomorrow, it's gonna be me." There was that cheeky grin again. "Maybe you should wear a white tee shirt again. You know, just in case."
Bella swatted his arm, pretending to be annoyed. "Watch it."
"Oh, I would" he said. "I already did." He blushed again at the memory.
"Maybe I'll wear a bathing suit tomorrow." Now it was Bella who had the evil grin.
"Ok" stuttered Edward, imagining what she'd look like in a bikini. He had a good imagination. "Till tomorrow, then."
"Till tomorrow" she whispered, just as his lips pressed against hers. His hands slid up her back, cradling her against him as they explored lips, tongues, teeth. They finally broke apart, reluctantly, only to find that the other two couples were similarly occupied.
"Hey" shouted Edward. "If I have to stop, so do you guys." Reluctantly, the others separated, the boys stepping back as the girls settled into the little car. They all said their goodbyes, agreeing to meet up at Jasper's again the next night.
No sooner had the car pulled out of the parking lot when Rose and Alice began to sing a very off-key version of "Surfer Girl" that had Bella rolling her eyes. "You guy suck at singing, you know that, right?"
"We know" said Rose. "But there's so many things we're good at. And we've only just begun to show those boys what they are."
"Just remember, I'm the one who found Jasper's Pub" said Alice, polishing an imaginary medal on her chest. "You owe me, both of you."
"She's right, you know" said Bella to Rose. "We gotta give her credit for that."
Rose thought for a moment. "Ok, Alice, you deserve a prize for that. Think about what you want, because Bella and I definitely owe you for this one. And besides, Bella, this means you are I are off the hook for the rest of our trip."
"Why are you off the hook?" Alice narrowed her eyes. "I had to pick a restaurant, why don't you?"
"Because, pixie, we are going back there every night." Rose turned the car into the driveway. "And if things go the way I'm thinking, we may get to find out whether they can serve breakfast too." All three jumped out of the car, shouting and giving each other high fives. "Now, let's go open a bottle of wine and toast the magic that is Hilton Head for dropping three beautiful men right in our path." They danced up the driveway arm in arm, singing Beach Boys songs at the top of their lungs, and making plans for the next week.
Back at Jasper's house, the boys sat in front of the TV, sharing beers and talking about their luck in finding not just Bella, but her two friends.
"Best night ever" said Emmett. "With more nights ahead."
"You didn't tell her, did you?" asked Jasper, looking at Edward.
Edward just shook his head, dangling his beer bottle from his fingers and staring at his feet. What had seemed so perfect just a few minutes ago faded a little in the face of reality - a reality Jasper wanted him to acknowledge even though Edward didn't want to think about it. Couldn't he just have one night to forget about everything except the beautiful girl he'd been nearly wrapped around? Did he have to decide his whole future right now? Meeting her was going to complicate everything but he couldn't help but think she might be the best thing that ever happened to him.
"Tell her what?" asked Emmett, who was busy making the selfie he took with Rosalie into the new wallpaper on his phone.
"That I'm leaving in two days. That I have to go back to Chicago." Edward set the bottle down just a little too hard, splashing beer on the table. He ran his fingers through his hair, a sure tell that he was upset.
"Hey, man, you still have some time with her" said Emmett. "But I hear you. Is there any way you can stay longer? When do classes start for you?"
"The problem isn't my classes" Edward said, pacing. "There's another whole week before they start. The problem is my father. I've been summoned home" he made air quotes "for a serious discussion. That's what he calls it. It's really him explaining to me what my future is going to look like."
"Edward" said Jasper, sighing "don't….you don't have to give in on this."
"What do you want me to do, Jasper?" Edward stared out the window. The full moon reflected on the sand, turning it a shimmering silver. Was there any place as beautiful as this? Not in Chicago, that was for sure. It might be his favorite city, but it just didn't compare. He knew, deep in his heart, that this place felt more like home than the city where he was born or the house he shared with his parents.
"I want you to tell him how you really feel. What you want." Jasper put an arm on his cousin's shoulder and gave it an affectionate squeeze. "But for tonight, I want you to relax, finish your beer, and think about the beautiful Bella Swan, and how you're gonna see her tomorrow morning."
"Oh, yeah" said Emmett. "If I were you…"
"For the love of shellfish" laughed Jasper "he's not you. He'll actually woo the girl, not just tell her how lucky she is to have him."
"Hey" Emmett pouted. "Rosie didn't seem to mind me saying that."
Edward and Jasper both cracked up at the earnest look on Emmett's face. He might be an overgrown teddy bear, but he had no filter when it came to talking to women. Edward thought that based on what he saw tonight, Emmett may just have met his match in Rosalie. She looked perfectly capable of giving it right back to him.
"No offense, but I think I'll figure out what to say to Bella without your help, Em." Edward finished his beer. "I'll see you in the morning, guys. And thanks. I know you're just looking out for me. I'll figure it all out." He climbed the stairs to his room, changed out of his clothes, and flopped on the bed. He started making plans for the next morning. He was going to woo Bella. Not only was he going to woo her, he was going to win her over, all in the next 48 hours.