DISCLAIMER: The story doesn't belong to me; the characters are property of S. Meyer, and the plot belongs to Annalau Thank you so much for letting me share your story in English!

Gracias Laura, por darme esta oportunidad!

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Chapter 26

Heated

"Brother, put down your hysteria" Alice opined. "I came to see my nephew and leave him his birthday present because he's the only nephew I have..." She looked at my belly with a mocking smile, I snorted trying to swallow my words. I watched as he set the big gift box down on a table. "Honestly you should think about getting a paternity test now that the child is born because you'll end up supporting someone else's child."

I didn't pay attention to her words or even to what Edward answered because my eyes were on the sidewalk, or rather, on Jess and the blonde who had gotten out of Alice's car.

What was Jessica doing with Alice? How long had they known each other?

Without thinking, I walked toward them.

Jess immediately folded her arms and lifted her chin in a challenging manner while the other just watched me.

"Do you know Alice?" I asked directly.

"Hello, Isabella" Jessica answered. "You are too inflated. I never thought that a pregnancy would deform so much the body..." She kept silent when she saw my eyes wanting to annihilate her. "Yes, Alice and I were in college together. I didn't know she was your husband's sister."

"Of course you knew. You knew it all along," I made it clear. "And that's why you insisted I should be a slut like you," I pointed at her with my forefinger.

"It's not my fault that everyone badmouthed you," she said before pursing her lips.

"You're a fucking hypocrite" The anger I felt didn't make me measure my words. "I don't doubt for a moment that you and Alice colluded against me. You're a couple of filthy vipers."

"You're worse," Alice challenged me. "Always thinking you're superior to everyone else."

"That's enough, Alice!" Edward held his sister by the waist as if he was afraid she was going to attack me. "I told you you're not welcome here."

"No," I replied. "If you think you're less than me, it's not my fault. I've never felt superior to anyone, but if your self-esteem is lower than mine, that's the difference."

Her expressive eyes widened to the max.

"Bitch!" she spat, making me feel bad.

"That's what you would have wanted, Alice. That I was a bitch to scream it to the whole world and fill your brother's head with stupid lies, which I don't doubt you did," I gave Edward a quick glance and he denied. "Only I'm nothing like that and we know well that your pain lies in me being a professional woman who doesn't depend financially on her parents because she doesn't want to work or have a boyfriend to fulfill her every whim." I chuckled, shaking my head as memories flooded my mind. "Now I understand our conversations where you always insisted I shouldn't work so your brother could support me. You wanted me to be a frustrated woman like you, depending on everyone because you're not even capable of filling out a damn resume."

Jessica laughed, but I didn't think anything of it.

Alice struggled in her brother's arms ready to attack me. She had the look of a psychopath ready for anything.

I didn't hesitate for a moment to take two steps back and cover my stomach with my hands. I knew Edward would never let her touch me.

He yanked her into the parked car while she continued to struggle, and her friends held her down and helped her up.

"Thanks for confirming what a snake you are," I said louder than I should have. Jess just looked at me angrily and climbed in the back next to Alice who was still raging against me.

I turned my back on them and walked to the backyard.

"Bells..." I heard Edward's voice as he held my shoulders. "Calm down, don't get exalted."

We stopped, leaning against a wall of the house. Edward didn't hesitate to approach me.

"Are you all right? I'm worried you're going to make a fuss in your condition."

"What did they tell you about me?" I asked. I needed to know if they had filled his thoughts with lies.

Edward sighed and leaned both hands on the wall, imprisoning my body with his arms.

I bit my lip and stupid butterflies started fluttering inside my belly. His closeness made me nervous, however, I was not able to lower my gaze, I liked seeing his eyes.

"Answer me first: how do you feel?" He had learned his face very close to mine.

I swallowed.

"I feel fine," I stroked my belly and looked into his eyes. "I'm mostly confused, trying to assimilate why your sister hates me."

"She envies what you are, Bells. A woman who never gives up and has an awesome character."

"Don't say that" I muttered, "I lost my way and because of that... we got divorced."

He took a step closer to me and his body pressed against my belly. My heart pounded hard in my chest, the nerves that his closeness made me feel reminded me of those first dates. Our first touches.

One of his hands rested on my belly, he began to slide his palm very gently without leaving my eyes as I felt my heart pounding in my throat.

My chest began to rise and fall.

Mentally I cursed myself for not having chosen a more revealing and flirtatious outfit, simply with the tiredness of the day I couldn't manage to wear anything other than a simple yellow cotton dress.

"The important thing is that we have rectified, Bells," he gave me a half smile while stroking my swollen stomach. "You look agitated, why?"

Why the hell did his voice have to be so seductive? Why did he provoke me? Didn't he realize how much his closeness made me feel? We were alone, cornered against a wall in complete darkness. Of course, I had to feel thousands of butterflies going through my bulky body.

I had needs. I was pregnant. Alone. And then him talking like that and touching my belly, by God, of course, I was horny.

"Because...well...it's hot, isn't it?"

He sighed keeping a smile on his lips and held a strand of my long hair, tangled them in the tip of his finger leaving his face very close to mine.

"Bells..." he whispered, his lips inches from mine. "I want to do something I don't know if it's right."

I breathed in his breath, even stood on my tiptoes. I couldn't stop appreciating his face. I brought my hands to his biceps and lightly squeezed his strong muscles.

"What do you want to do?" my voice was barely a whisper.

One of his hands cradled my face and his thumb gently stroked my lips.

The mere touch sent shivers down my spine, my skin bristled, and I swore on my life that my heart was a gallop full of emotions.

I closed my eyes willing to taste his lips after so long.

I was thirsty and dying to have some of him.

I felt his breath. He had smiled.

"Mommy, Daddy!"

I opened my eyes instantly.

Edward pulled away at the sound of Chick's voice and I sighed in resignation. Our son ran to us and took our hands, leading us with him to the back door.

"Why were you hiding?" he said innocently. "It's so dark in there, aren't you afraid?"

"No!" Edward and I answered in unison. We looked at each other and smiled in complicity.

It was time to pull out my moth-eaten weapons of seduction.

I didn't want to let him go.

Not again.

"Edward," I whispered, "would you like to go to the movies?"

-Final del formulario

That was CLOSE. What do you think will happen next? I'd like to read your opinions.

Thank you for reading! :)