Beautiful Disaster

"Then come."

Although relief clearly floods her she doesn’t climax right away, probably because it takes her a few minutes for her subconscious to let her ease up on her control enough for it to happen – only that we don’t have those minutes, as just before I feel her go from relaxing to tensing with her climax, the door bell rings.

I stop immediately while Bella utters a loud whine, but I ignore that.

Checking the clock of the TV, I’m surprised who would come to visit us at after eleven in the evening.

"It’s probably just someone who got the wrong apartment number!" Bella huffs, and I have to admit, that explanation sounds likely. I’m also reluctant to get up and check, so after a few moments I shrug – and resume my previous attempt to drive her crazy.

The interruption has clearly torn her out of the worst of her lust crazed state, but within a minute or two I have her right at the edge again. Her hips now hump my hand as she knows she doesn’t have to hold back any longer and can let go whenever she’s ready – at least until the bell goes off again.

Followed by a knock on the door.

Bella’s face scrunches up as she lets out a frustrated shout, her head smacking back against the couch, and I start laughing before I can rein in the reaction. That pretty much destroys what little is left of the mood, and when her eyes open her glare is everything but friendly. I know I should remind her of her place in a stern voice now but I can’t stop laughing, and it only gets worse when she grabs a pillow and hurls it at me, the motion dislodging my stilled fingers from her ass.

"Oh, you think that’s funny?"

"Very," I try myself at a dry retort, and her livid glare only makes me crack up again.

She’s on her feet and yanking on her clothes before I can do much against it, but before she can reach for her jeans I grab her hips, and none too gently shove the butt plug back into her. Well prepared as she is I’m sure it’s not even uncomfortable but she gives a surprised yip that sends me into more fits of laughter, and I note to myself that yes, I do deserve the thump onto my shoulder I get for it. The door bell rings once more, making me laugh hard enough that I have trouble breathing and she is able to get out of my grip, finally yanking up her pants.

Watching her stomp towards the door, her face still flushed with exertion, her hair mussed while her fingers are clenched into fists I hear her mutter a lethal, "This better be important or I’m so gonna shove my hand up someone’s ass!" as she rounds the table. I get up myself while I push the towels together, out of the sight, and vault over the couch to join Bella by the door.

Just as I reach her she yanks the door open, and I see her anger turn to stupefied surprise instantly.

"What are you doing here?"

It’s a valid question, but not the first one that comes to my mind when I see who is standing in the hall outside, drenched from head to toes from the downpour we’ve mostly ignored so far. In fact, judging from his overnight bag and backpack I can kind of venture a guess just what Jazz is doing on our doorstep at this hour of the day.

"What’s wrong?"

His light eyes flit from Bella to me, then back again, and finally settle on the floor between our feet. He sighs loudly, and his voice is hoarse and slightly shaky when he answers.

"Alice kicked me out."

Another sigh, and when he looks up, his eyes once again do that ping-pong match between us.

"I know I’m probably the last guy you want crashing on your couch, but I literally have nowhere else to turn to."

My brain is a little sluggish to catch on – and parts of it seem to be stuck in Bella’s ass stilll- because I haven’t even started to formulate an answer when Bella opens her mouth.

"Don’t be ridiculous, of course you can stay with us."

Her words tear me out of my stupor, and it’s foremost elation that I feell- not about him staying, I’m kind of indifferent about that, but just the fact that her struggle with herself from a few weeks ago seems to be a thing of the past.

She still looks a little hesitant when she glances over to me, though, and I can see that she’s starting to regret blurting that invitation out before asking me, yet her words pretty much sum up what I would eventually have come up with myself. And finally my brain kicks into gears again

"Come on in. I’ll get the spare blankets from upstairs."

I don’t know why I feel like giving them a few minutes of privacy – probably because Jazz looks ready to break down any moment and I don’t think he’ll appreciate me hanging around for that – but I head upstairs while I grab my phone in passing. I have to admit, my stomach feels a little queasy the longer my mind has to mull over the situation, but just as Bella is quick to overcome any resentments when her friend needs her, I feel like I’m obliged to do the very same. And all things considered, he still is my friend.

Only why it takes me three whole minutes to dial Alice’s number is beyond me – she is my friend, and I’m sure that whatever happened between them must have left her a mess – although I get my answer seconds after she picks up.

"Edward? Why are you calling at this ungodly hour, is something wrong?"

Irritation and surprise are warring inside me, and I’m barely able to stop myself from asking her what the f**k is going on. But it’s kind of obvious.

No tears in her voice, not even a sniffle, as if there isn’t a good reason why I would want to call her dripping all over my living room.

"Ah, nothing, I just remembered I wanted to ask you …" Ask her what? My mind is blank, so I blurt out the first thing I can think of. "There was a change in shifts at the hospital, I won’t be able to make our dinner date this week. Do you mind if we, ah, skip it?"

"Of course not, dufus!" she laughs – actually laughs – then I hear her smack her lips. "I don’t know how Bella does it, not getting frustrated with your work hours. But nevermind, it’s okay."

"Sure, great," I offer lamely, then finally get my shit back together. I know Alice is the queen of denial sometimes, always was, but I know she won’t lie to me outright.

"Everything alright with you?"

"Yeah, why shouldn’t it be?"

She even sounds normal, not strained or stressed or close to tears, and that’s when I realize that I’ve been wrong. A moment the betrayal hurts but then my emotional defenses come up, and I force myself not to care. I would have taken her side in this, whatever it is, but if she doesn’t want my loyalty, I’m not beyond giving Jasper the benefit of the doubt when I listen to his side of things.

"Don’t know, it was just a question. Have a nice evening."

"You too!"

Her chipper tone grates, and even after ending the call I stare down at the phone in my hand until the display winks out. A sound behind me makes me look up, and I find Bella teetering at the door, clearly reluctant to enter the room.

"Alice?"

"Yeah."

Even to me my voice sounds flat, and I can see the resulting worry lines appear on Bella’s forehead.

"Are you mad? At me, I mean, for telling Jazz he can stay? But he’s looking like shit, and outside it’s a nightmare and -"

"I’m not mad at you," I assure her, then fold my arms around her when she steps up to where I’m still sitting on the bed. Burying my face in her stomach I inhale her scent, mixed with the unmistakable note of her arousal and the abundance of lube, while I force myself to calm down.

"It’s okay," I finally grunt, then turn my head up so she can see the sincerity on my face. "Of course he can stay, he’s our friend, if he needs us he can depend on us. If you’re okay with him hanging around, that is."