Rosalie's arm was in direct contact with Bella's back, her hand slung to rest on Bella's hip. Bella's t-shirt was pushed up just enough that her bare stomach was in direct contact with Rose's side. Her skin buzzed where it touched Rosalie's.
She happily moved her fingers across Rosalie's tight stomach, marveling at how warm her skin felt under Bella's wandering fingers. Bella had spent six months with Edward, and every day had been an exercise in dodging frostbite. She had never laid in bed next to a human girl, but she bet that, somehow, it would feel like this. Or, it would if that human girl had Lucy Lawless' musculature, Scarlett Johannsen's poise, and Megan Fox's attitude.
So, basically, it would feel like this if that human was, somehow, Rosalie Hale.
Rosalie looked at her phone, slowly scrolling as Bella explored her free permission to touch the vampire. She couldn't understand how they could lie here, skin to skin, on top of the blankets, and she was comfortable.
"Rosalie?"
"Hm?"
"You're sure you're not warmer than other vampires in your family?"
"I'm not, as far as I'm aware. I don't generally measure everyone's temperature."
Bella resumed her finger's gentle journey around Rosalie's midsection. She was obsessed. When Rosalie laid still and just breathed, the perfectly toned ab muscles demanded Bella's full attention attention. She wanted to lick Rosalie's abs (again). Bella controlled herself, but just barely. She tensed up, attempting to contain the urge. It was difficult.
"What is it?" Rosalie questioned as she continued looking through her phone.
"What was Kate talking about?"
Rosalie lowered her phone. "I have no idea what you mean." Rosalie lifted her phone back up to her face. "Wow, did you see it's going to rain all week? That's crazy."
Bella set her chin on Rosalie's arm and looked up at her face. "So, she wasn't asking for you to pass me like a blunt, the way you used to in the 60's?"
"Isabella Swan!" Rosalie looked genuinely offended. She was ready to apologize, until Rosalie said, "I never treated women like objects. Only men." The laugh that erupted from Bella came out more like a bark. "The free love movement was different. Kate and I traveled for a bit, seeing what people's new attitudes had to offer. Turned out, it was a lot."
"So you and your cousin just..." Bella waved her hand. "Went out and had threesomes?"
"Amongst other things. We had a lot more than threesomes."
Bella's eyebrows knitted together. She felt...bad?...about that. Rosalie traveling and sharing women, having free interactions with whomever she wanted? It didn't bother her that Rosalie had had fun...so what did bother her? "You're not going to share me, right?"
"No!" Rosalie was too loud. Bella jumped. "Wait, first, it would never be up to me. I don't make those decisions for anyone. I wouldn't make them for you. You just told me you're not ready to have sex. So I'm not going to let my horny cousin get her hands on you. As your mate, it's my job to make sure the only hands on you are mine." Bella felt a warmth settle in her chest. Rosalie spoke quickly. She had a desperation about her, like she needed to be understood. "If being adventurous was something you wanted, we could discuss it. For the record, though, I haven't been happy to share with Kate in decades. You might find this hard to believe, but I'm extremely jealous. I don't like to share. I'm... possessive."
Bella snorted and kept looking at Rosalie, smiling. She poked Rosalie in the side. "You said 'mate.'"
Rosalie rolled her eyes. "Fake mate, mate, whatever." The warm feeling withdrew, and Bella felt a little emptier. It was odd, but she didn't think much about it.
A thought struck Bella, and she wasn't going to be able to keep it to herself. "Why did you hate me?"
Rosalie's fingers, which had been playing At the soft skin on Bella's hip, froze. "I didn't." Rosalie's eyes looked anywhere but Bella's face. "I was jealous of you. And kind of possessive of you when I had no right to be."
Rosalie's eyes came up to meet hers. She clenched her jaw. "This," Bella gestured to Rosalie, "was jealous of this?" She gestured to herself.
Rosalie captured the hand and pulled it to her face. She kissed Bella's palm before letting her hand go again. "Don't do that. Don't compare yourself like that." Bella nodded and waited. "Carlisle found me in a…situation I would not have survived, and did not want to survive. Rather than try to save me or kill me and end my torment, he saw something in me. Something he wanted for Edward." Rosalie lifted her lip in disdain. "When Edward saw that I had been turned, he rejected me, and that hurt. The last words said to me in my old life, and the first words in my new life, were disdainful, hateful attacks on me."
Bella laced her fingers through Rosalie's. She didn't know if this was comforting for Rosalie, but she liked thinking that it was.
"When Edward stayed single, that soothed that hurt. Especially when I started dating Emmett. Then Edward met you , and the old rejection returned."
"I'm sorry."
"Shut up." Rosalie was smiling.
Bella pressed. "Possessive though?"
"He jeopardized everything about your life every moment he spent with you. Missing you, touching you, even the words he said to you. Everything was dangerous for you. No matter how much he wanted you, he would always want to kill you more. I hated that so much. I wanted to protect you from all of that."
Rosalie rolled on her side, shifting so they could be face to face. "Every second you spend with us is a second where something could go wrong and you could die instantly. You understand that, right?"
Bella understood that maybe more than anyone human alive. Humans did not get to survive vampire attacks. She had. "Yeah."
"With him that danger was increased 100%. I know Jasper hurt you, but I truly always thought it was going to be Edward who did. It felt like it was my job to protect you from him. It didn't make sense. I couldn't even play nice. But I was determined to keep him from killing you if I could. I voted we leave and never come back last year. I thought it was best for you."
"Ouch." Rosalie grimaced. She must have known that would hurt for Bella to hear.
"I am sorry about that. It seemed best for you."
"Promise me something."
"Depends on the promise."
"No decisions about me, without me."
"I promise."
"That was easy."
"That's what she said."
Bella gasped, scandalized. Rosalie Hale just made a 'that's what she said' joke. Bella dramatically pinched herself. "Did that just happen? Are you…funny?"
In an instant Bella was on her back, both hands pinned above her head, with Rosalie straddling her. "Take it back." Rosalie's fangs were out again. She leaned closer until their noses were almost touching. Bella assumed this was supposed to be menacing. "Take it back right now. I'm funny." Bella watched Rosalie and wondered what the vampire could see.
Bella couldn't help but tease Rosalie. "Why? Are you going to punish me? You have some silk handcuffs around here?"
"No. The scarves are silk. The handcuffs are fuzzy." Bella should have known better. She should have known not to push Rosalie. She craned her head back, checking for silk or handcuffs. It wasn't like she expected items to just appear on the bars of the headboard, but she had to check. "What? Do you want to see them? I can get them out of the drawer."
She focused back on Rosalie. "What drawer?"
"The sex drawer." She sat up, let go of Bella's hands, and pointed at the bedside table to Bella's right. It looked so unassuming. There was a small lamp, a clock, and a stack of books on it. "It's the bottom drawer. And a top drawer." She winked at Bella.
"You have a sex drawer?" Bella was intrigued. And a little turned on.
"I do. Lots of people do." She felt warm under Rosalie's questioning gaze. "Do you?"
"No! I don't even know what would go in one!" She was curious, though.
"Would you like to look in it?"
"Yeah. No. I'm scareoused."
"Excuse me?"
"Scareoused. I am scared and aroused. Scareoused."
"Stop saying it. That makes it worse."
"Have you never been scareoused?"
"Bella, I forgot to tell you something." Bella stopped giggling. She waited. "I took a vow of celibacy. Just now. While you were talking."
The giggling came back. Bella collapsed back onto the bed, clutching her stomach as she laughed. "I don't think I'm ready to see your sex drawer yet. Rain check?"
"Save it for when you're wet, understood," Rosalie smirked at Bella before walking to the other side of the room.
Bella stayed on the bed. "If that's what 'rain check' means, then you'll be showing me that drawer soon." Rosalie laughed loudly, and Bella smiled. She enjoyed how easy things were with Rosalie. If they could exist like this forever, maybe surrendering her free will for survival wouldn't be so bad.
Around 9 pm, Bella called her father to ask for permission to stay over. Rosalie liked spending time with Bella, and she liked that Bella wanted to spend time with her as well. Bella made the phone call with her cell balanced on her right ear and her left ear resting on Rosalie's chest. Rosalie sat stock still, listening to the ringing of the phone and Bella's breathing, which she could feel against her collarbone.
She heard the Chief pick up as Bella posed her question. He agreed easily, though he wanted to hear from Esme or Carlisle. "Not a problem, Dad. They'll call soon."
Your phone hasn't moved much tonight. You're being safe, right?
Rosalie accidentally laughed. Bella choked out, "Excuse me?"
You know, whatever the newfangled protections are. I might not be up on the lingo, but the only sex is safe sex. Someone called for Chief Swan in the background. I want to make sure you're safe, kiddo. I gotta go. If I don't pick up, make sure they leave a message with a callback number. I'm trusting you. Love you.
"I love you, too." Bella hung up and covered Rosalie's mouth with her hand before she could speak. "Don't. Just don't."
Rosalie kept all the jokes she could have made to herself. There were so many, including that they could add dental dams to the sex drawer just for Charlie's peace of mind. Bella's stomach growled. "Oh, Esme is going to kill me. She stocked up the kitchen to make sure I would feed the human regularly. Come on, I'm sure my cousins are dying to get to know you better." Bella sat up and stretched. "Also, watch out for Kate. She's electric."
"Like her personality?"
"No, literally. She can electrocute you." Rosalie thought about it. "Actually, maybe you're immune to that, too. I would prefer you don't find out; We do not have an AED on the premises, other than Kate."
They went downstairs to join the rest of the family. Halfway down the stairs, Bella paused, turned around, and assessed Rosalie. She looked Rosalie up and down, her eyes pausing on Rosalie's exposed abs. She started to reach out, paused, and seemed to think better of it. Rosalie tilted her head. Why didn't Bella say what she wanted? Bella pointed at Rosalie's stomach, then raised her eyebrows.
Rosalie didn't speak Bella. What did the girl want? She laid her hand flat on Rosalie's abs, and her heart rate rose dangerously quickly. Did Bella want her to cover herself? That felt borderline offensive.
Bella looked frustrated. She left her hand on Rosalie's stomach, then put the back of her other hand on her forehead and pretended to faint. Bella seemed to be indicating Rosalie should cover up for her sanity and safety. Rosalie didn't laugh, exactly, just let out an exhale through her nose to indicate her amusement. She waved her hand at herself, as if to say, If I must. Bella must have taken that as permission because she buttoned up Rosalie's shirt for her. She didn't button it all the way up, and Rose took note that her abs seemed to be Bella's weakness. She would remember that for the future.
"What were you two just doing?" Alice asked when they finally made their way to the bottom of the stairs.
"Mind your business Alice, I don't kiss and tell." Bella said as she strolled into the kitchen.
"It didn't sound like kissing," Alice pushed.
"Mind your business Alice," Rosalie cut in, "Bella doesn't kiss and tell."
"I'm supposed to know everything," Alice whined.
Jasper appeared from thin air. "No, darling, you just want to know everything. Those are not the same. You'll be okay. Hi, Bella."
Bella waved. She seemed at ease surrounded by vampires. What a strange human.
"Someone in this house doesn't kiss and tell? Tell me anyways!" Irina sat at the redone kitchen island.
More vampires appeared, taking a seat to join the human party.
"You don't all have to watch me hunt," Bella huffed eventually as she walked around the kitchen.
Rosalie watched the girl open another cabinet and shut it again. She didn't think Bella wanted her specifically to go away, but she answered anyway. "I offered to help earlier. You said," Rosalie made her voice abnormally high, "' I know my way around a kitchen Rose; I'll be fine.'"
"I am fine! It's just awkward when you're all watching!" Rosalie looked down the island and realized that Bella might have a point. Rosalie, Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Kate, and Irina sat on barstools, watching Bella look for utensils and ingredients. "You don't have a crowd watching when you slay mountain lions."
"You heard your girlfriend, Rose, go away. Let me watch her in peace." Kate kept her eyes on Bella. The way she looked up and down Bella's body made Rosalie's skin crawl. Had Kate always been so predatory? Irina leaned around Kate and eyed Rosalie. "I promise not to look with my hands."
Rosalie glared at the island and looked for something to throw. The closest item was a solid crystal fruit bowl. It disappeared from in front of her. Alice was back in her seat, and the bowl was long gone when she said, "Esme would kill you if you destroyed that. I put it somewhere safe."
Kate bounced in her seat. "Come on, Rosie Posie, just a taste! Your girlfriend seems so sweeet." Kate licked her lips and stretched her hand across the countertop towards Bella.
"Do not touch," she snarled, "my MATE." Rosalie had not meant to move. She wanted to yell at her cousin and maybe scare her. However, she found herself on the opposite side of the island, body between Bella and Kate, and she had slammed her fist into her cousin's outstretched hand, burying it into the marble countertop. Esme was going to be angry. The island had now been broken twice in one week. "This is not my girlfriend. She is not a plaything. She is not for you to torment, hit on, or touch in any way. She is a person. She is my mate." She repeated the words. "My mate." She wanted to yell it one more time, to drill home that Kate was way out of bounds. Rosalie felt a fierce pleasure. She loved telling Kate off; that was it. That had to be it. "Her name is Bella, and you will treat her like the living, breathing person she is." She grabbed Kate's hand and twisted it, keeping the palm away from herself. Kate hissed and activated her shocking power, but it lacked its sting. "If you ever touch her without her express permission, I will rip your arms off and burn them. Do you understand me?"
"Rose, she gets it." Emmett attempted to step in.
She didn't let go. She took in the expressions of everyone around her. They all looked surprised. Jasper looked confused. "When she confirms she understands, I'll let her go."
"I understand, Rosalie. I will not ever touch Bella without her express permission."
"Rose," Bella spoke quietly, her gentle hand landing on Rosalie's lower back.
"Apologize." She freed Kate's hand.
Kate rubbed her wrist as she apologized to Bella. "Bella, I'm sorry I was so crass. I should have known that no joking would be allowed with your very angry mate in the room." She stuck her tongue out at Rose. "I would not touch anyone without their permission. Except for Rosie Posie, who I am going to beat the shit out of when you leave." She winked at Bella. "I would never want to shame one mate in front of another, especially when the bond is so new. I could still steal you, I bet."
Rosalie moved to lunge at Kate, who disappeared out of sight. There was an awkward silence that fell over the room. Rather than acknowledge anything that had happened, she walked over to the cabinet Bella needed and opened it. "Bella, will you be okay here with Alice for a bit?"
Bella pulled down the measuring cups before she faced Rosalie. "Are you about to go chase Kate and throw her off a cliff?"
"No." Rosalie clenched her jaw. Bella put her hands on her hips and waited. "I was going to throw her off a waterfall."
"Does the waterfall go over a cliff?" Rosalie worked her jaw, grinding her teeth together. "You know, I'm not feeling safe here with Alice. If you leave, I will feel unvalued by my mate."
The two women stood in the middle of the kitchen, staring at each other. Rosalie could go anyway; She should go anyway. Kate had disrespected her- and Bella- in her own home. She couldn't be allowed to think she had gotten away with it! Bella pushed her hair away from her face as the staring contest continued. She blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. "Fine." Rosalie returned to her seat next to Emmett and pretended nothing had happened. This was a monumental task, given the hole in the new island and the silence in the room.
Irina left to go find either of her sisters, and the Cullen/Hale clan waited with Bella, watching as she whipped up some foul-smelling meal of chicken and vegetables. Alice's lip curled as she sniffed. "Bella, how can you eat this?"
"I imagine the exact same way that you can fantasize about biting my neck and slurping me ip like a chicken noodle soup. Sorry, Jasper."
He shrugged. "No apologies needed. I'm full." He pulled at his collar. "I am real sorry about the papercut situation. That was the worst birthday present I ever gave anybody." Rosalie covered her face. Her brother and her mate commiserating about their meal choices. "Actually, my family didn't really celebrate birthdays, nor did anybody'n the vampahr war, so-" Alice covered his mouth as fast as possible.
"So, that may be the first birthday present you've ever given anybody?" She laughed. "Fifteen stitches, one concussion, hallucinations, and your sister. That's a big gift. How will you ever follow it up?" Jasper mumbled into Alice's hand.
"How about, we all just focus on getting you to your next birthday?" Rosalie felt like none of them were taking this seriously.
Esme appeared then. Her smile illuminated the entire room as she watched an actual human cook in her carefully curated home kitchen. "Mom!" Bella sounded delighted. "I require a favor."
"Please, call me-" Esme paused in the middle of a very rehearsed 'Call me Esme.' "What did you say?"
"You said call you mom so I thought-"
"You thought correct! What do you need?" Esme rubbed her eyes as quick as possible. "Are you missing a pan? Do I need different ingredients? Whatever happened to my island, I don't even care."
"Could you call my dad and tell him I'm staying here? It's the trial run of my release from grounding. If you don't check in I go back to being grounded."
"Done." Esme was gone as quickly as she appeared. Rosalie was realizing her house felt a bit like Grand Central Station as supernatural creatures flitted in and out at all times. She wondered if it bothered Bella at all. Jasper pulled Alice from the island, and Emmett moved back to the couch to play video games. As quickly as they all arrived, they disappeared too.
Bella resumed cooking without saying much. Rosalie stood next to her in the kitchen. She was partly interested, amused, and horrified. The food smelled disgusting to her. Bella sampled a bite then smiled. It was clearly good to her. She kept stirring the chicken with her spatula as she added more sauce and spices. Rosalie watched how comfortable Bella was cooking. She moved like it was second nature to her. There was no clumsiness, no insecurity. At one point, she paused, contemplating something.
"Do you need something?"
Bella was pulled from her thoughts by Rosalie's voice. "You know, I do. Come here please?" Rosalie took a few steps closer. Bella reached out, and with her free hand, undid the bottom button of Rosalie's shirt again. The gap was just big enough for Bella to easily slide her hand across Rosalie's abs. "Perfect."
"Bella, I'm starting to think you have a fixation."
"You would be right." Bella smirked. "I'm fixated on this chicken." Rosalie let the girl have her joke. She still had a hand on Rosalie's taught stomach. If she was honest, she was loving the attention Bella lavished on her body.
Rosalie had been given attention by many men and women in her century of life. They had all told her she was beautiful. They had all told her they were in love with her. None of those humans had ever just given calm, kind attention to her or her body. They had been needy, wanting, and demanding. As she stood here with her 'mate,' all Bella wanted was touch. She wanted contact. Just a little. When Bella moved her hand to plate out her food, Rosalie missed the warmth. Only a little.
Rosalie patiently waited for Bella to finish eating, spending time with Emmett, then Alice and Jasper. The girl moved slowly from person to person. It looked like she was making up for missed time. Rosalie quietly read while Bella socialized. She did not need to, or want to, rush the girl away from her family. She kept an eye and ear out for Edward or Kate. As the clock approached midnight, Bella started to watch her. She felt the girl's eyes on her, but she didn't want to misread the situation. Finally, Bella yawned.
"Tired?" Bella indicated she was, so Rosalie set her book aside, took Bella by the hand, and led her upstairs. Humans and their bedtimes. This would be so strange to get used to.