Thank you to those who reviewed! It's a day later than usual, spent the weekend moving out of our apartment instead of writing. I didn't have much time to proof read, so PM me if you see an error.
Chapter 10:
"Thank you for lunch." Alice said icily, still angry about the teasing.
"You don't sound all that grateful." I joked as I gathered the plates, stacking them neatly to clean them in the kitchen.
I turned on the water, mesmerized by the luxury of it. Running water. Now that something I would kill for back at the farm. I put the dishes in the sink and began to wash them.
I gasped when Alice's thin arms wrapped around my waist, pulling her body against my back. A shiver ran through me. I swear I could feel her hard nipples against my back. The soapy plate in my hands slipped from my fingers and clattered noisy against the other china.
"Alice!" I scorned, lifting up the plate to check the ceramic for cracks. The last thing I needed was to break something of the Cullens. One piece of expensive china was more than I'd earn in a year.
"What?" She asked innocently.
"You're distracting me. I almost broke a plate."
"That's okay," Her voice was a low purr now, "Esme has plenty." Alice's hands ran up and down my waist, exploring. I had to bite back a moan. If Alice heard me, she would know she'd won, and I couldn't let that happen.
"No, it's not okay." I tried to sound indignant, but my voice was trembling.
Alice used her palms to massage the tight muscle of my abdomen, sending a wave of scorching desire through me. My knees felt weak, and I was afraid they were going to buckle underneath me.
"You said I didn't seem grateful," She leaned harder against me, pressing her small breasts hard against my back. Her nipples felt like small, hot pebbles. She ran her nails against the thin cotton covering my abdomen, and the muscle responded by twitching. Under the weight of the desire and pleasure, my knees buckled, and I grabbed the counter for support. I couldn't stop the gasp of surprise that left my lips.
"So I'm showing you my gratitude." She whispered seductively.
"You've got the best room in the house, and you won't even use it." A silky male voice intruded.
I jumped in fright, sending soapy water everywhere, drenching Alice, myself, and the floor.
We both whirled around to see the immaculate Edward Cullen, leaning against the entrance frame with an amused expression. He looked completely unfazed, as if this were something that he saw every day. His amber-gold eyes were calm, but were dancing with excitement.
Even though he lacked surprise or anger, I was beyond mortified. What did he think? What did he see? I was frozen in horror.
"Can't you knock first?" Alice asked, irritated.
He arched one perfect brow. "Knock before entering the kitchen? There isn't even a door here." He shook his head.
I threw a desperate look towards Alice, but she was glaring at her brother, her lips pressed into a line. But she didn't look scared at all. Shouldn't she be? Weren't we just caught doing something very very taboo?
I warred with myself, unable to decide whether to make a run for it or act natural. While I debated, frozen in the state of horror, the siblings continued to banter.
"I hope there's a good reason that you rudely interrupted us."
Oh God, that sounded awfully suspicious. Didn't Alice have the sense to play it off as something else?
"We weren't—" I stammered.
"It's all right Bella," Edward said, "We already know that Alice is a little freak." He winked at her.
She scowled at him. "Speak for yourself." She mumbled.
When that didn't diminish my horrified expression, he continued. "Don't worry Bella, there's no judgement in this house. You don't have to hide anything." He gave me a reassuring smile before backing out for the kitchen.
"Now," Alice turned to me, her blue eyes intense with desire, "Where were we?"
She took a step toward me and placed her hands on my waist. She leaned in to kiss me, but I took a step back. My heart was still hammering in my chest and the icy chill of horror was still fresh in my veins.
"Wait a second, Alice." I pleaded. Hurt flushed through her eyes from the rejection.
"What's wrong?"
"What does your brother think we were doing?" I whispered.
She frowned, "That doesn't matter."
"Of course it does! I don't want your family to think that we—" I struggled to find the words, "We—"
"That we...?" Alice prompted with a raised brow.
But I couldn't find the words. Lovers? Were we lovers? I almost laughed from the ridiculousness of the Idea. Me? Having the beautiful, rich, and talented Alice Cullen as a lover? Even if being gay wasn't crime punishable by death, that would certainly be. I was a farmer—a nobody.
So if Alice could not be my lover in this universe, what were we? What was I to her? Her play thing obviously. Why else would she bother with someone of my social class?
"I don't want them to think there is anything going on between us."
She looked confused. "But there—"
"Shouldn't be." I finished.
I sighed when I took in her perplexed expression. "Alice, if you haven't noticed, I'm a farmer."
"Of course I noticed." She looked completely taken aback.
Why did she look so confused? It should be obvious. We lived in different worlds, worlds that never touched. We shouldn't even be friends. It was blasphemy.
"And what will your parents think about you hanging out with a farmer?"
"They don't mind. They love you, actually."
I barked a laugh. Love me? Yeah right. If anyone in town saw them playing hostess to someone of my class, it would immediately tarnish their reputation. And being seen with me would be detrimental to her future.
And the destruction of her social class was the best possible outcome. If it were known that we so much as kissed… we would be burned at the stake for homosexuality. Her father's riches and status could not protect her from that.
"I've got to go." I whirled around and headed to exit the kitchen, but Alice held onto my wrist.
"Let's talk about it." She pleaded.
"There's nothing to talk about." I said in a low voice.
"Bella, please." Her voice was a whisper, hurt and tormented. It tugged painfully at my heart, especially because I was the one causing the hurt. I could not refuse her. Not when she begged. My goodness, I was already wrapped around her finger.
"Fine." I mumbled.
She strode forward, towing me through the living room and up the stairs to her room.
When the door closed behind us, she turned on me, placing her hands on her hips. She started me down with angry blue eyes. She looked positively adorable when she fumed like that. If the situation were less severe, I would be chuckling.
"Okay." She huffed. "What's wrong?"
I looked down at my work boots, unable to face her. "We shouldn't be seen together. You know what they do to people who do homosexual things." I whispered, checking over my shoulder, which was silly. We were alone. "And I don't want those things to happen to you."
She said nothing for a long moment. When I looked up, her expression had softened. "That's a real fear, I suppose." She sighed, "But my family doesn't mind those sort of things. I'm not their first gay child."
My jaw dropped to the floor. There was another gay Cullen? No way. There were many rumors surrounding the Cullens, but that was not part of it. My mind went back to the dinner, and how Edward and Jasper seemed to sit a little too close. How their hands brushed against each other, how intently they gazed at each other, and then it was obvious. How did they hide such a travesty?
As if reading my mind, Alice continued. "But we can be ourselves here. In our home. No one will find out, not if we're careful."
"But…" I stuttered. This question had been burning in my mind the moment Alice invited me to stay, but I could not bring myself to ask it. What were we exactly? Acquaintances? Friends who did taboo things? Lovers? I shook my head. I was afraid to hear the answer.
I was tempted to bring up the second real issue, about the difference in our social classes, but I knew what she would say: It doesn't matter. I sighed.
Alice looked at me expectantly.
I changed the subject, releasing another question that had been brewing in my mind. "Alice?"
"Yes?"
"How old are you?"
She smiled guilty. "Haven't you heard that you're not supposed to ask a woman their age?"
I rolled my eyes. I waited, but she did not answer.
"Come on, Alice, it's been killing me thinking that I've been ruining your youthful innocence." I eyed her warily. Her beauty took my breath away, no matter how many times I saw it. Her smooth flawless skin, pink lips, and bright blue eyes. She looked about fourteen or fifteen. If that were true, I might as well jump out the window.
She laughed, a pleasant, tinkling sound. I could listen to her laugh forever.
"I'm twenty-one. So you don't have to worry about that." She looked at me with a wicked glint in her eyes, "Instead, you should make an effort to protect your innocence."
"Twe—twe—twenty-one?" I stammered in utter disbelief.
I was prepared for her to announce that she was a year or two younger than me, or my age at the absolute oldest. But I was not expecting, nor prepared, to learn that she was five years older than me. I would've never guessed, not in a million years.
She chuckled at the shocked expression on my face. "I don't look it, do I?" She sighed, "The troubles of being short…"
"I'm not sure I believe you."
"How old did you think I was?"
"Fourteen." I admitted, my face reddening with shame.
A flash of irritation crossed her eyes. Apparently, this annoyed her.
"Really?" She scoffed. "Do I act fourteen?"
Yes and no. She didn't have the seriousness that seemed to come with adulthood. She was much too happy, too carefree. But then I remembered how she talked me out of running away from the bed, and how she dragged me to her room to reason with me. Those were not the actions nor the conversations of a young teenager. It was the actions of someone more emotionally mature than I.
"Sometimes." I grinned at her now.
She narrowed her eyes at me. Clearly, this was not the answer she was looking for. "Oh yeah?" She challenged, walking towards me, her eyes boring intently into mine.
I swallowed a nervous lump in my throat. She moved even closer, pushed me down, forcing me to sit on the bed, threw one leg over my thighs, and then the other, so that she was straddling me. Every worry, every insecure thought escaped my brain, overtaken by the feel of her legs wrapped around my hips, her body inches from mine, and her eyes darkened with desire.
It was startling to think she could make me go from sulking to outrageously aroused in just seconds. There was something incredibly delicious about this position. We were almost the same height now, our lips very close. She leaned in, letting her lips graze mine in a terribly teasing way.
"How about now?" Alice's voice was low and alluring.
I was beyond answering. My head was filled with her scent and the almost feel of her lips. The heat coursing through my veins and gathering between my legs was absolutely maddening.
She pulled our bodies close, wrapped one arm around my neck, and used the other to run her fingers through my hair. I couldn't stop the moan from escaping my lips. Her body felt much too good.
"You should know, that I'm very mature." She murmured against my lips.
I couldn't take it anymore. I captured her lips with mine, earning satisfying moan from Alice. The kiss quickly turned fierce, her mouth hot and hungry against mine.
"Sure you are." I mumbled between kisses. I placed my hands on her hips and squeezed. She yelped, and then bit down on my bottom lip. I groaned.
Alice began to tremble, her moans becoming desperate, her kisses, hungrier.
My body responded to her unspoken pleas. The throbbing between my legs was becoming unbearable. If we continued in this direction, we were definitely going to be in trouble.
Aaaand… stay tuned for chapter 11 ;) Please review, it will motivate me to write.