Chapter 14

Barbecue and Surprises

When I awoke that morning, I was in Edward's arms and felt more than happy and secure.

Not even Jo gave me that feeling, I realized after a moment's reflection.

Edward chuckled.

"Do I have to worry? Every morning when you wake up, you think about Jo!"

I stretched - as best I could - in his arms.

"I've already made progress, my darling. This morning I was thinking about you AND Jo," I returned teasingly.

"Then you shall be forgiven!" he said, kissing me.

The kiss reminded me again of last evening.

Flashback

When we could separate from each other in the pool, Edward wrapped me in a bath towel, took me in his arms and dashed with me to his room.

He put me down in the bathroom after a few seconds.

"Would you allow me to use your bathtub, Edward? I know it's weird, it's just that since we were in the pool for so long, I got a little cold," I asked hesitantly.

"Of course, Bella. You don't have to ask for anything here. You're allowed to do whatever you want," he echoed, somewhat amused. "Shall I draw your bath for you?" he asked.

"No, you go ahead and take a shower. I'll do it!"

I spoke the words without thinking.

When I realized that I was standing in his bathroom, I immediately blushed, of course. Edward, however, grinned at me mockingly.

"Don't worry, Bella. I'll wait until you're ready. As soon as you're in bed, I'll take a shower."

I was grateful to him!

He took my dirty bath towel and walked out of the room.

However, when I got out of the bathtub half an hour later, I found no towel.

"Edward, where are the towels?", I asked him.

"ALICE, ARE YOU STUPID!", however, I heard him yell the next moment.

Had he understood me?

"Yes, Bella. I hear you. Sorry, Alice was trying to have some fun and stole the towels. They're in the closet next to the shower on the top. Just take one out!"

I went to the closet and opened the door.

What a bummer, why is the cabinet so high too!

"Um ... Edward!? The closet is too high, I can't reach it!"

I heard him sigh outside the door.

"There will be consequences, Alice," he muttered to himself.

"Okay, I'm coming in, Bella! I'll cover my eyes, I promise! Just do me a favor and please don't look in the mirror. Otherwise, covering my eyes won't do any good."

I swallowed.

Oh man, Alice is going to pay for this! This just screams for revenge.

"I'll help you, Bella," he murmured softly as he entered the bathroom.

He went to the cabinet and took out the towel. He himself had to stretch a bit, but got it well. He held the towel in my approximate direction and was about to leave the bathroom again when I looked at him more closely.

He wore only a pair of boxers, that butt ... just delicious.

"Bella ...," he reprimanded me with mock indignation, but kept walking.

I looked to the side, ashamed - I definitely still had to get used to the fact that he could always and everywhere read my mind - when I suddenly saw my own reflection.

Edward stopped and sucked in a hissing breath.

Oh no, I shouldn't look in the mirror after all.

I quickly averted my eyes and wrapped the towel around me. When I then registered what had just happened, I turned tomato red.

Edward had just seen me naked! Besides my horror, I asked myself how he thought about me. Does he think I'm beautiful? Or did he draw in the air because he didn't like what he saw in my thoughts?

"Bella!" he snapped me out of my thoughts "How could I not like your body? You're beautiful - outside and inside, the most beautiful thing I've ever laid eyes on!"

I think I turned even redder! Was that possible at all?

Edward, however, only laughed!

"Go on, put some clothes on in my room. There are no mirrors there. I'm going to take a shower in that time!"

Flashback end

Had he really told the truth yesterday? Did he really think I was beautiful?

"Bella, how many times do I have to explain this to you. You are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen. And you're not only beautiful, you're just gorgeous. Now please stop thinking about how you stood naked in front of the mirror. I can't get the look out of my head as it is," he finally snapped me out of my thoughts.

I blushed again.

'I'm sorry. I'm making this harder than it needs to be.'

"Not that you think I don't like to think about it, my angel. However, I didn't want to walk around drooling all day and just spouting unintelligible stuff. Emmett would probably hold that against me for the next hundred years!"

He grinned mockingly.

When Charlie joined us that evening and Emmett lit the grill, I was just standing in the kitchen with Esmé.

Esmé told me that she was in some clubs and had to cook something sometimes. I helped her by giving her a few more tips. She could already cook so well, but with the spices she did not yet get along so well, as she herself admitted.

It turned out to be a very nice evening.

Charlie grinned happily at Edward and me. He was happy that we had found each other, as he told me in a quiet minute. He was also insanely happy that I was talking again. However, we agreed not to tell Mom, as we were afraid she would find out the real reason.

He suggested that I spend the night with the Cullens today as well.

"But Dad, I have my school clothes at home and no more clothes for tomorrow with me."

I felt bad for the Cullens. I was a person who was literally imposing myself. I didn't want to disturb them another night.

"No problem, Bella! We'll have that in a moment," Alice said and was gone in the next moment.

"Bella, you're not bothering anyone here! Everyone is happy that you're talking again and that I've finally found my mate. Believe me, you're not imposing on anyone here," Edward murmured to me so quietly that Charlie didn't hear, but the rest of the Cullens did.

They smiled warmly at me.

"Oh, they're having a barbecue here?", I heard Jo's voice behind me a short time later and turned around.

Charlie and the rest of the Cullens did the same!

"Who's that," Charlie asked around the room.

Everyone looked at me.

I had to swallow.

"Dad, this is Jonath. He saved me back in Phoenix!"

I did not dare to speak further.

Edward pulled me onto his lap, wrapped his arms around me and looked at me encouragingly. He gave me courage and for that I was once again more than grateful to him.

"Dad, you know, what happened back in Phoenix was not a simple robbery. Angela was murdered. She was sucked dry by a vampire. Jonath saved me at the last moment, or I would have been killed by her too!"

My voice was just a whisper.

Edward held me tightly as I relived everything in my mind.

However, I noticed how he stiffened when I spoke of my near-death. He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles stood out white.

Charlie was silent, he was frozen.

I looked helplessly at Edward.

"Give him a moment," he whispered in my ear.

I noticed that it had become very quiet.

Oh! I remembered that I had not told anyone about it except Edward. Jonath knew it for quite some time!

"Jonath, my darling! Are you still chasing after that girl? Why didn't you let me suck her dry back then? You are such a little devil," a girlish voice suddenly came from the forest and a woman stepped into the clearing.

The only other thing I caught was the Cullens jumping up.

I just stared at her fiery red hair.

Then everything was black ...