Chapter 9:
I woke up in a tangle of bedsheets and Alice. I relished the feel of her small limbs entangled in mine, listening to her slow, even breathing as she slept soundlessly. It was warm, comfortable, and felt surprisingly natural. Alice's head rested under my chin, her short raven hair was tousled. I planted a kiss on the top of her head, and then inhaled her sweet scent. She smelled like sweet spring lemongrass, but her shampoo must be different because I could make out traces of citrus and coconut.
Alice stirred slightly, and then snuggled closer. This made my heart flutter in affection. She was very cute. I wanted to lay here forever, with Alice warm in my arms. But I knew I had to leave. I didn't want to imagine what would happen if her mother walked in on us cuddled like this.
I expected her to wake when I slid away, pushing a pillow under her head to substitute my shoulder, but she remained fast asleep.
I dressed and gathered my things, constantly going through the list of required errands in my mind, as to not be tempted to crawl back into bed with the beautiful girl. But the strategy was not working. When I looked back at her, the urge to return to her was so powerful, it dizzied me. I shook my head in disbelief. It was amazing how she had such a hold on me—even when she wasn't conscious.
I placed one last kiss on the top of her head before sneaking out in search for Firerain. Thankfully, the Cullens were nowhere to be seen.
Firerain led us into the Heaven's Tear. The Sunday crowd was lively and robust. Children darted between legs, consumers haggled mercilessly for goods, shouting over the voices of others, and various animals filled the streets. Usually, seeing the town so high-spirited excited me, especially after a hard, lonely week at the farm. But not this time. The moment I walked out of Alice's door, a strange emptiness filled the cavity in my chest.
I did what I came to do, purchasing the supplies we very much needed at the farm. It was difficult—my arm was still bound in a sling. Luckily, the boy at the feed shop felt bad enough to help me load feed into Firerain's wagon.
It was about noon when I finished my errands. When our stomach rumbled, I tossed Firerain a piece of dried fruit, and nibbled on my own. I sat on the back of the wagon, behind a barrel of oil, and on top of a sack of feed.
"How bout we drop by the Black's?" I told Firerain. He seemed to weigh this request. He was probably inclined to go back to the Cullens—after Alice had spoiled him so much. But when we approached the fork in the path, Firerain went down towards Jacob's house.
When we arrived, I one-handedly eased myself out of the wagon and strode up to the door. A mixture of feelings churned in my stomach. Guilt from seeing Alice first instead of him, nervousness from his strange behavior the last time I saw him, and the selfish desire to turn around and return to Alice.
Jacob's mother answered on the third knock. She greeted me with a smile, but her eyes were strained. This was usual. Raising Rebecca and Jacob on her own, Billy's death, and Rachel's flight from home had torn this woman apart. She had remained strong—but you could still see the pain in her eyes, something she would have to carry with her for the rest of her life.
"Hi Mrs. Black, is Jacob here?" I beamed at her.
Her smile waned and her eyes grew tighter, "No, I'm afraid he's not here right now."
Her expression drew a red flag. "What happened? Is he okay?" My eyes immediately flickered to his workshop's door. Woodwork was a dangerous profession. Jacob had gotten loads of splinters and scrapes, but there were some close calls that nearly left him impaled by a shard of wood.
"Yes, he'll be fine."
"You mean he's not fine now?" My stomach churned. "What happened?" I repeated.
She paused, at loss for words. I was starting to feel very uneasy. Mrs. Black was not the one to hold back information—especially from me. The Swans and the Blacks were practically family.
When she didn't answer, I pressed, "Did something happen to Jacob?"
"No." She said. "He's fine." She gave me a reassuring smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "He's actually staying with Sam Uley."
"Oh, that's his cousin or something, right?"
Mrs. Black nodded.
That was odd. He was usually so busy taking care of his mother and Rebecca, that he hardly spent time with his extended family. And I got the impression that he didn't like Sam Uley that much. If he wanted company, he usually sought out Quill or Embry, or visited the Clearwaters, who were only a half-an-hour walk from here.
"I see." I paused, "When is he coming back?"
"Maybe a week or two." She sounded unsure.
I didn't buy it. Jacob didn't leave his mother and sister alone on unsure terms, or for very long. And there was something strange about about Mrs. Black's expression that made me think she was not being truthful. It was just so unlike her. And so unlike Jacob.
I was about to ask her if she needed help with anything while Jacob was absent, but Mrs. Black spoke first.
"Have a good day, Bella." And she shut the door.
I stood there, unmoving. What was going on? An eerie chill entered my veins. Something wasn't right. But I had no choice but to return to Firerain, and make our way elsewhere.
On a last minute whim, I decided to swing by the Cullen's mansion. They weren't far from the Blacks, and It would be rude to leave Alice like that, without gratitude or goodbyes.
The forest path took us by Heaven's Tear lake, it's mystical water a bright, unnatural blue. It was strikingly beautiful for being a place of morose superstition.
The wind seemed to still as we passed the lake. The eerie feeling returned then, twisting in my stomach. What was wrong with Jacob? The water shimmered, as if something invisible teased the surface. I urged Firerain to move faster.
When the mansion came into view, Firerain's trot quickened. He was no doubt aiming for the green grass to snack on.
I eased myself off the wagon before I saw Alice there, standing on the deck with her arms crossed and her expression sour. Still—the sight of her managed to take my breath away. She looked lovely in a simple pink dress. My pulse quickened. She was angry. Had she reconsidered how she felt about last night's touching?
"Hey Alice." I said tentatively.
"You left." She said in a cold voice.
"Er…" I stammered. Was that the reason for her anger? "Yes, I had to run some errands, and you looked so peaceful sleeping, I didn't want to bother you."
Her expression went from cold, to guilty. "You're right." She sighed, hopping down the stairs to meet me. "I guess I can't keep you chained up in my room, as much as I might want to."
A mixture of both fear and arousal confronted me. She didn't look like she was joking.
She stood up on her tip-toes and threw her arms around my neck, holding our bodies deliciously close. "But I'm glad you came back. Where did you go?"
I was stunned by the sudden display affection. It sent a sudden rush of heat down my spine. I looked around her front yard, looking for signs of her family nearby.
"Don't worry about anyone seeing us, this is private land." She purred.
The seductive tone of her voice made me dizzy and hot, creating a persistent throb between my legs. It took all of my concentration to form words. "But your family…"
"Wouldn't mind." She finished.
She pecked me quickly on the lips. My mind was reeling, lost in the feel of her small body. I could not look away from her bright blue eyes.
"So?"
"Hmmm?" I murmured, suddenly captivated by the movement of her lips. There were so soft… I wanted to kiss them again.
Alice sighed and took a step away from me. Disappointment flooded through me. I never wanted to leave her embrace.
"What's wrong?" I eyed the space between us distastefully.
She shook her head, but a smile appeared on her lips. "You're so easy to distract. I was trying to ask you a question, remember?"
"Oh." I blinked. "Right. I went into town for supplies. That's all. What about you? What did you do?"
Alice thought for a moment, "A little painting. Helped Esme dust the shelves a bit."
She calls her mother by her first name as well? Strange.
"Working on a painting project?" I asked, hoping she would allow me to see it.
"it's nothing." She brushed off.
"I think you should show me what you're working on." I insisted.
She frowned. "No, not until it's finished. Half-finished pieces are terrible."
"Something finished, then."
Her frown held.
"Come on, Alice, why don't you want to show me your artwork?
"Not yet." She said.
A strange, shameful expression crossed her face and her cheeks reddened. I opened my mouth to ask why, but closed it. Something about her expression kept me from asking. I dropped the subject.
"Want to have lunch with me?" She asked.
My immediate reaction was to decline, not wanting to impose on her family again, but I knew Alice well enough to predict the temper tantrum that would follow if I declined. "Sure."
After a long debate about who should prepare lunch, I managed to win. It was easy to whip something up with the Cullen's abundance of food.
"Where is your family?" I asked her as I prepared lunch, noticing the empty house.
"Working or hiking. So we're all alone." She pouted, but there was a devilish glint in her eyes.
I tried not to think about Alice's intentions. So I focused on putting food on the table.
Alice groaned when she took a bite of my cooking. "Oh Bella, this is amazing."
The sound of Alice's moan churned like a hot stone in my stomach. The images of last night whirled in my brain, and all of a sudden, I wanted her again, to touch her, and make her moan underneath me.
She must've caught the hungry look in my eyes because a knowing and triumphant smile spread across her face. She was doing it on purpose.
Damn her...
"You're not allowed to make noises like that." I warned her.
She raised an eyebrow at me in feigned innocence.
"You know what I'm talking about."
She smiled, her grin wicked and oh so sexy. Then, she forked a piece of food, tossed it into her mouth, and gave a loud, throaty moan. She closed her eyes and let her head fall back.
I stood up quickly and walked over to her side of the table, eager for revenge. She must not have heard me approach, because when she opened her eyes, she gave a startled squeak seeing me right next to her.
"You shouldn't have done that." My voice was low and husky. Without waiting, I leaned over her chair and ran a hand over her breast through the thin material of her dress. She jolted in her chair, a surprised gasp escaping her lips. Her nipple tightened immediately under my touch and I took the opportunity to catch the tip between my fingers, squeezing very gently. Her gasp turned into a desperate moan. Her body shuddered.
The sound of her pleasure reawakened my desire so fiercely, my knees felt weak. I could feel myself growing very wet, very quickly. If I wasn't careful, I would end up throwing Alice on the dining table and doing her right there. But I couldn't give in, that would spoil the revenge plan.
And then I walked away, returning to my side of the table. I continued to eat, a satisfied smile on my face. I didn't look up to meet her gaze, but I could feel her furious stare like daggers on my face.
How will the day play out? Stay tuned for chapter 10.
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