Viewing things under this light also explains why he hasn't done anything to backstab me over thesummer. Why he hasn't sicced Charlie at me at Bella's birthday party, why he has tried several timesto strike up a light, meaningless conversation without trying to make me look like an ass - and alsowhy he has never defended himself when I've gotten into his face like the defensive little fucker I'vebeen acting like. All that doesn't make up for the damage he has caused - but at the same time I'mfinally able to accept a fact that has been weighing me down for a while now - as much as I want topunch him in the face for how he has made me feel, I just don't have it in me anymore to hate him. Hemight be a manipulative asshole, but he has also been my best friend since college, and while I'llnever be able to forget what he has done, I can maybe start to forgive him."I take it that's a good thing as you're not living inside a Monty Python's movie?""I'd say yes," I retort. R
Jazz seems to run out of topics, and when he scores five 3-pointers in a row I feel a little vindictive."I've run into Alice today."He doesn't even glance my way but his next shot barely even hits the hoop before it bounces back, andI catch him roll his shoulders in what I know is a defensive gesture for him from the corner of my eye."I hope she's doing okay?"He even sounds sincere, which makes me feel a little guilty for bringing up the topic, but when mynext throw evens out the score I decide that it was worth it. And some time he'll actually have to facethat she's still around."She seemed fine, if a little stressed. But I couldn't really tell because she ran off within the minute Ishowed up at Rose's.""Always the little busy bee," he snorts, then does a slam-dunk by the book.When he passes the ball back to me it hits my chest a little harder than necessary, but I ignore thesilent challenge."Yeah, seems like she's too busy to talk to me at all, compared to
He nods, appropriately wary."If you know what's up, sure.""Of course I know what's up with her." I don't even try to hide the scorn in my voice at the implicationthat I have no idea why my girlfriend is acting weird. Then again I'm not about to tell him just for thesake of gloating, not to make it easier for him to deal with her, but out of a certain amount ofvindictive glee. If my revelation today with Rose has been right, I have every reason to rub his face inthe fallout of the shit he has caused - and has probably not even realized exists.Rolling my empty bottle between my palms, I stare at the green glass for a moment before I catch hisgaze, steeling myself against trudging into a topic I haven't expected to be discussing with him ever."Remember your little prep talk that you gave her the week after our colossal fuck-up?" I can be fair,he's not the only one to blame for it all.Jazz nods, and I have to hold back a chuckle at the way he's suddenly all tensed up
The next morning going to work is helll- the combination of sexual frustration, a light hangover andsome residual soreness in my muscles makes me less than happy to leave the bed, and the followingkiller shifts at the hospital don't help to improve my mood. The only thing that keeps me going is thepromise that between the day before Thanksgiving until Black Friday afternoon I'm going to be offrotation so that I can at least see my family again. And maybe guilt-trip Bella into a booty call or twoif we haven't gotten rid of Jasper until then.The few days until then all blur together, and when I finally make it home for my fifty hours offreedom it's already late afternoon. Neither Bella nor Jazz are in so I go straight to bed, and it feelslike only seconds later when the loud bang of the door downstairs falling into the lock startles meawake again. I'm about to roll over and pretend I'm not awake when I hear someone running up thestairs. A moment later the door bursts
the fuck out of here!"My words come out flat and hollow, and after another stutter of something unintelligible Jazz finallygets the hint and walks out backwards, the sound of the door closing behind him echoing through theroom with a final quality to it. My head snaps around back to Bella, and her gaze is defiant when Icatch it."I think it's obvious that we really have to talk," is what she finally says, frustration heavy in hervoice. And fuck, I'm really starting to hate these words. I think it's obvious that we really have to talk."I hate those words, but I know that they are true. We have to talk. We have to, but I don't want to.That's the only thing that my racing mind seems to agree on. Silence stretches between us, until Bellafinally extricates herself from my lush grip. She ends up lying next to me on her back, and I can feelher gaze heavy on me, but I just keep on staring at the ceiling."Edward?"Her voice is raspy with emotion, but something in me imme
we can have our talk."Her words come out with a finality that I can't protest, but instead of reaching for the clothes I get upand stalk towards the bathroom."What the fuck do you think you're doing?" she shouts after me, and I hear her light footfalls follow.I've already reached the door to the adjacent room when I feel her hand on my arm, her gripsurprisingly strong, but before she can pull me around I turn to her, nearly unbalancing her with theunexpected motion. Seething down at her I wait until she's looking into my eyes before I open mymouth to speak."I'm going to take a shower first, because I'm not going to have that kind of conversation with yoursweat and cunt juice all over my cock."She lets go of me so fast as if I'd slapped her, and whatever strength of will has kept her temper incheck until now is not enough to keep doing so. Her cheeks darken with anger, and a low growlechoes forth between her clenched teeth."You fucking asshole!"With that she
Jazz blinks, then clears his throat again."Guess not. But it's a start to try to explain that I'm not out to break the two of you up with my mostmalicious schemes, or some shit like that. Because I'm not. And there are no schemes."Seeing him ramble nervously like that strangely eases me, and while neither the anger nor frustrationgo away, I feel a little less apprehensive about this."Just tell me what Bella thinks I need to hear. Because clearly the Cerberus huffing in the living roomdownstairs won't let either of us out of here if we don't get this over with.""Easier said than done," he retorts."Always is."Jazz falls silent for a moment, then leans back against the wall next to the towel rack, probably in anattempt to either look casual or assume a more comfortable position, but tensed up as he is it doesn'tseem he achieves either. I take another sip from my coffee before I sit down on the counter, notexactly coincidentally where I've last fucked Bella without
the fact that I felt like I had something to prove to myself for a while after the accident that left meincapable of jerking off for half a year alone, and after that it just kind of got a habit, being therebound guy. To which she, 'Rebound guy?', and I, 'Yes, you know, the guy women pick up in a barwhen they're still all torn up about the asshole who just left them, then have great sex with for onenight, a week, or maybe even a month, and after that they move on because it was just sex. No harmdone, fun for everyone involved, don't see that there's a problem.'"I kind of expected her to at least be appalled, you know, the kind of most women get at that, but shejust shrugged and said, all cool, 'So how does that make you feel, no longer being a manwhore?' I wasreally surprised at that, although I already started to wonder why, and asked her if she was like that toall of her clients. She shrugged and explained that it was her job to be what her clients needed –lendin
Their almost identical grins make me laugh, and I let my head fall against the back of the couch just soI don't have to look at either of them."I really don't give a fuck. As far as I'm concerned, the only room I'm in charge of decorating is theattic upstairs. The rest is up to you.""You can't do that! Don't be such a pussy just because you're afraid Jazz will keep bitching like a littlegirl when you make the right choice.""And what, dear Bella, is better about Edward's former room than mine? My room has the betterfixtures for lights and electronic equipment, and there's even a specially built nook in the back for asmall freezer!""Which is the reason why I think it's better equipped to be the office, not the bedroom! I so need adoor between where I sleep and where you keep your porn collection. Your computer isn't cominginto the bedroom, either.""It's not porn, it's my World of Warcraft collectibles collection!"Thankfully the sound of the doorbell saves me fr
My remark makes her draw her forehead into a frown."You really think he'd be self-conscious just because I was around? He should know that I wouldn'tdo anything to him or talk him into doing anything that he doesn't want to do.""I don't think it's that. It's hard to explain, but he seems happy where he is right now. With us, includedas an equal, loved and cherished, but without any responsibilities or anyone having any expectationsof him. He obviously likes to top in a scene, but he doesn't want to be a Dom, and I don't think thatwill change much. You know that not all of us get off on having to care for someone else like that.""Don't even dare to speak another word. Last time I checked, I was the one telling you it was okay tobe into power play but that it wasn't necessarily a prerequisite, just like everything else. Differentfolks, different strokes, right?""Yes, Mistress."I get an eye roll for that, and I'm disappointed when she doesn't even try to slap me pla
if that still bothers me, and will likely only get worse if we have kids – I know that our family, as itis, will be a warm and nurturing environment for anyone to grow up and live in.The last part of her remark turns my smile into a grin again, and I snort."I already pity the unlucky bitch or bastard who calls Bella's righteous wrath down upon them. Whenshe was out with Rose and her baby last week and someone looked at them in what she thought was acondescending way, she got right in their face. I don't want to think about how much worse it will bewhen it's her own brood that's under scrutiny. She really doesn't suffer fools gladly anymore.""Did she ever? I still remember a time when you didn't have the balls to confess your undying love toher because you thought she'd laugh at such a mushy sentiment, particularly when admitted after themutual destruction of a bottle of tequila."Although it has only been a year, thinking back to a time when I couldn't just walk up
"Can I get you anything else, or will that be all?"Handing Raven back my signed receipt, I smile at her and shake my head."No, thanks. Assembling all of this and putting the new equipment through a series of stress testsshould keep us busy for a while."It's still somewhat weird, but without a doubt more relaxing, to just get a nod and my credit card backfrom her."If you change your mind, we have the scented lubes on sale until after the weekend.""I'll remember that. Thanks," I reply, then grab the last package and carry it to my car, barelymanaging to close the rear hatch after I add my purchases. When I go back into the shop I see that Bethis finally done talking to the woman she has been holed up with in a corner of the café area for the lasthalf hour. I wait until she has left the shop before I saunter over to my former mentor, hugging herbefore I take the seat opposite her."I take it everything is okay - you spent an extra twenty minutes hanging around here
I set a slow and relaxed pace – for one I just love watching Bella writhe under Jazz's mouth, foranother I am aching all over from yesterday's exertions. As much as I don't mind pain in general,feeling my thigh muscles lock up because of that strain is not something that gets me all hot andbothered.Taking Bella's invitation for what it is, Jazz seems to increase the intensity of his ministrationsbecause soon she is moaning constantly as she comes, one hand still gripping his hair, the otherdigging into the mattress. When she goes slack again it is with a glow on her face and a decisive"Ouch!" as she shifts her weight off one hip, wincing briefly.When she pushes his head away he rests it briefly on her thigh, but Bella is not done with him yet byfar. Instead of just lying back now, she starts inching down the bed until she's lying underneath Jazz,their faces almost flush with each other."Let me take care of that," she coos, reaching for his cock and starting to st
I moan into her mouth when she wraps her fingers around my cock, instinctively moving closer to her.Jazz's arm is around my hip while he strokes my stomach, his lips and tongue alternating between myneck and shoulder. None of us is really in a hurry to actually get it on for real, so we stay that way,relaxing and touching each other.Things change when Bella eventually lets me nudge her thighs apart so that I can run my hand up herinner thigh to her pussy, the contact making her moan. Jazz stills for a moment, then pushes his cock alittle more decisively against my lower back, but I ignore him for now. Looking deep into Bella'shalf-lidded eyes, I cup her entire sex with my hand, then push just the tip of two of my fingers into herpussy, feeling her swollen labia wet and warm against my hand. She utters another moan, smilinglanguidly, then stretches and moves her hips into my hand, clearly wanting more.I feel Jazz push himself up at my other side, probably so he can
then I wouldn't have run even if he had told me to suck off a couple of strangers."Jazz shakes his head, still bewildered, while Bella settles back against me and resumes her tale. Hetakes the rest of it better than I've expected, besides a few cut-off moans when she speeds up jerkinghim off. Despite that I'm still curious when he makes a face at both of us at the end."I get why you didn't want me around for roughing her up," he gripes at me, then narrows his eyes."But why did you think you had to keep me from the rest? Beth, Charlotte, Peter and Gerard havewatched me fuck people before. I don't think any of us has a problem with seeing each other's nakedasses anymore."Bella's hand drops from his cock and she rearranges herself so that she is lying on her back, able togaze at the both of us. The look on her face is still somewhat quizzical when she turns to Jazz."I think I'm kind of speaking for Edward and myself when I say we assumed you'd have issues withsomeon
"You know that just like you guys get to fuck each other when I'm not around sometimes, Edward andI end up screwing without you. So what?It's usually a thing of impulsive horniness and opportunity, not a statement of possessiveness. We allknow it happens, and I don't think any one of us is resentful when it does?"She keeps staring at him until he shakes his head."I won't deny that I had a hell of a great time yesterday. We fucked a lot and it was great, we did acouple of things that I've started to miss a little, and a few more I didn't even realize I wanted to dothat badly. But, quite frankly, I think the only reason I felt remotely glad you weren't around the wholetime was because I didn't want to worry about you feeling weird about any of it, because I needed tolet go and have not a care in the world in order for it all to feel as good as it did in the end. I wouldhave loved to share all of it with you if I'd thought you would have appreciated it all as much as
tries to roll them both over. That finally gets her to move for real, but when she tries to push awayfrom him he holds her down, his whole body more or less perched on her back."Let me up, you stupid oaf!""Stupid oaf, eh? What kind of crappy romance novel have you been reading? Is that the worst you cancome up with?" he taunts, then starts tickling her. Bella shrieks, now fighting to throw him off for real,but worn out as she is Jazz has no problem keeping her underneath him.She finally gives up and looks pleadingly over at me; I'm hard pressed not to laugh at them both."Help me!""Now that's unfair," Jazz grumbles, then eases up and rolls off her, coming to lay side by side withher. Bella sneers at him, then grins and settles back into her pillow. She groggily rubs her eyes andyawns loudly, without covering her mouth."You're early."Jazz nods as I repeat my observation, briefly looking from me to her as I join them on the bed atBella's other side."There wasn