The Promise
by Laura Spudzmom
Chapter 11:
Bella strolled the boardwalk toward the boarding house, a small smile on her face as she nodded in greeting to those she passed. She was looking forward to her visit with Mrs. Cuthbert as it had been two weeks since she’d seen her last and to her surprise, she’d become quite close to the woman.
She’d come to rely heavily on her companionship, especially since her marriage as she was the only one she could go to for any sort of advice. Turns out, the woman was a well of information in the area of dealing with a husband and Bella felt she needed all the help she could get.
They’d been married for just over a month now and while she loved being married to Pete, they still had their difficulties, made even more complex by Bella having to hide certain details of her life and large portions of her true personality. It was beyond mentally tiring and, at times, down right overwhelming.
After their wedding day, she’d been frantic to get the house and Pete’s office protected. None of it was fool proof, but to Bella’s thinking, something was much better than nothing in keeping her husband safe from a feral Jasper, so she’d done it the first chance she’d had.
Jasper
Just thinking the vampire’s name made her angry and she balled a fist at her side as she walked, wishing for all the world that she owned one of those nifty WW2 flame throwers because if she did, she would torch the fucker, gladly.
She had to admit that she was a bit shocked at the level of hate she felt for him, especially since she knew the future him wasn’t all that bad… well, with the exception of wanting to suck her dry like a 7/11 slurpee at her 18th birthday party. That, admittedly, had put a damper on the whole ‘let’s be friends’ thing.
In this time though, there was no getting around the fact that he was a first-class bastard.
Her thoughts went back to when she had begged him to leave them alone and it had been plain that he’d enjoyed her desperation, her fear. She had seen it in his cold red gaze and the cocky smirk on his face…
She shuddered at the remembrance and quickened her pace, her stomach grumbling with hunger as her thoughts turned to what she’d be having for lunch at Mrs. Cuthbert’s. The woman was a fantastic cook and she was starving since she’d kept breakfast very light this morning. She’d felt a bit queasy so she’d kept it to toast and tea.
Finally arriving, she climbed the few steps and knocked, smiling when Mrs. Cuthbert pulled the door open and greeted her. “Isabella! Come in child, come in!”
Bella stepped in, removing her gloves and hat as Mrs. Cuthbert shut the door. “Here dear, let me take those.”
“Thank you Mrs. Cuthbert.”
She set them on a table by the door and bustled into the dining room as she spoke. “Come on in and take a seat. I was just about to serve. You’re right on time.”
Bella glanced around the empty room as she seated herself. “No one else joining us today?”
Mrs. Cuthbert filled a glass with lemonade, setting it next to Bella as she answered. “No, just the two of us today sugar. I’m afraid all the boarders are out on business and the like.”
Bella smiled as she took a sip from her glass. “That’s just fine with me. I wasn’t really in the mood for strangers today anyway.”
Mrs. Cuthbert eyed her carefully as she poured her own glass full. “All right girl, talk. What’s goin’ on? Problems? Anything I can help with?”
Bella sighed and set her glass aside. “Nothing really specific. I really think it’s me. I feel… off lately and everything upsets me. I even get emotional when he does sweet things; all weepy and girly.” She glanced at Mrs. Cuthbert. “I’m just a bit of a mess lately, that’s all. It really reminds me of that time of the month, except…”
Bella froze, her mouth dropping open as she stared down at the empty plate on the table. She’d been so worried about Jasper and what he might do and when, that she’d not given a thought to anything else… her period, for instance.
Mrs. Cuthbert dipped her head down, catching Bella’s gaze. “…except?”
Bella raised her head, meeting the woman's amused gaze. “Except, it’s not that time of the month, and I haven’t had a monthly since before the wedding.”
Mrs. Cuthbert grinned widely. “Oh lordy, sounds like you’re in a family way to me child!”
Bella blinked, a flat look on her face as the woman cackled in glee, complete with clapping hands as she bounced in her seat. “Good lands sugar, that man of your’s doesn’t waste any time, does he?”
Bella reached for her glass, taking a sip as the possibility sank into her consciousness slowly. She shouldn’t be shocked really. She and Pete, since getting used to everything and actually figuring out what they were doing, had been going at it like bunnies.
And why not? …Bella defended herself against that annoyingly accusing voice in her head. The one that said she’d just hosed her life by getting pregnant. The voice that sounded shockingly like Renee…
He was hot, gorgeous, and now that he knew what the hell he was doing… holy hell, she just couldn’t get enough of him… lack of birth control be damned.
Mrs. Cuthbert remained quiet. sipping her lemonade as she watched the myriad emotions play over Isabella’s face. It was really a sight to see, and it seemed to her that Bella was almost having some sort of debate in her head. She had to stifle a laugh as Bella went from looking worried to having a defiant scowl, finally coming to settle on acceptance as she gave a tiny shrug and reached for her glass, taking a sip before meeting her gaze. “If I am, I am. Getting all upset isn’t going to do me any good, now is it?”
“No child, it sure won’t. ‘Sides, babies are a blessin’. You should be happy, and just think of how happy that man of your’s is gonna be when you tell him!”
Bella choked on a swallow of lemonade and Mrs. Cuthbert reached over, patting her on the back. “Mercy child, you’re supposed to drink it, not breathe it.”
Bella shot a glare at the smirking old woman as she finished up coughing into her napkin. “Has anyone told you that you have a bit of a mean streak?” She dabbed at her watering eyes as Mrs. Cuthbert grinned.
“Just a time or two sugar. Now, are ya ready to eat?”
“Sure, now that we have all the life altering realizations out of the way, why not?”
The rest of lunch had been pleasant and she’d left Mrs. Cuthbert’s with a promise to return soon.
For now, she was on her way home to make dinner as cooking without modern methods took a bit longer. She’d always been a good cook, but it had taken some time to get the hang of it with cast iron cookware and a wood stove. Needless to say, Pete had suffered through the standard burnt offerings that most newlywed husbands experienced for a time and Bella had felt like a complete failure with shed tears and all. Thankfully, Pete had been a complete sweetheart, consoling her and choking down the food with a sheepish smile.
She smiled to herself at the memories. He was perfectly imperfect and she loved him more each day that passed.
Waving to a neighbor, she climbed the steps and entered the house, gasping in surprise and she was picked up and spun around by her husband, who kissed her nearly breathless in the next seconds before placing her back on her feet. “Hi Darlin’. Where’ve you been?”
“That was quite the welcome.” She laughed as she removed her gloves and hat. “I had lunch at the boarding house with Mrs. Cuthbert. I hadn’t been to see her in two weeks and she’d threatened to drag me to the boarding house if I didn’t visit soon.” She shrugged and placed her hat and gloves on the table by the door.
He pulled her close, softly kissing the skin just under her ear. “Well, good thing you went darlin’. I’d hate to have to throw Mrs. Cuthbert into the lock-up for stealin’ my girl.”
She chuckled and turned her head, capturing his lips in a heated kiss as she pressed herself against him, an aching need building within as their tongues and lips nipped and played. Breaking the kiss she murmured, “Pete, I want you…”
He nodded and reached for her hand, just beginning to turn for their bedroom when she tugged and shook her head, a fiery glint in her eyes. “No, right here, now.”
She backed up and hopped up on the table by the door, knocking some thing off in the process, though neither of them paid any attention.
Pete was mesmerized, watching as Bella slowly pulled her heavy shirts up, exposing her stocking clad legs to his heated gaze.
When they were hitched all the way up, she smirked and crooked a finger, beckoning him forward into a passionate kiss. “Are you just gonna stare cowboy, or are ya gonna get busy?”
He groaned and backed away a step, unfastening his pants as quickly as he could before moving forward with a grin. “Never let it be said I kept my lady waitin’.”
She giggled and kissed him as his hand ran up the inside of her thigh. He broke the kiss and cocked a brow at her, a wicked glint in his eye. “No knickers Mrs Whitlock?
She circled her arms around his neck, pulling him into a light kiss where she whispered against his soft, moist lips. “That’s right husband. Now what are ya gonna do about it?”
Freeing himself from the confines of his pants, he circled his free arm around her and jerked her close with his hand against the small of her back. Lining up, he entered her without warning and she gasped in pleasure as her head fell back. “God above Peter Whitlock, but you feel good…”
He held her hips close with that hand on her lower back while leaning his other against the wall just behind her as he set up a brisk pace with his firm thrusts.
Bella leaned her upper body back, her hands braced on the table top and more items clattered to the floor as they both chased their peaks, her legs wrapped firmly around his hips.
She moaned and cried out as the pleasure built and he leaned forward and kissed her deeply. “Come on sugar, ya ready? Are ya ready for me?”
She bit her lip and moaned as she felt herself peaking. “Oh god, yes… yes!”
Four more powerful strokes later, Peter thrust as deeply as he could as he came with a guttural groan, the back of her dress clenched in his fist as he gasped and worked to catch his breath. Bella leaned against him, kissing his neck as he chuckled. “Hot damn, I need to come home in the middle of the day more often darlin’.”
Bella cupped his cheek and kissed him sweetly. “You won’t get any arguments from me.”
Bella strolled the boardwalk toward the boarding house, a small smile on her face as she nodded in greeting to those she passed. She was looking forward to her visit with Mrs. Cuthbert as it had been two weeks since she’d seen her last and to her surprise, she’d become quite close to the woman.
She’d come to rely heavily on her companionship, especially since her marriage as she was the only one she could go to for any sort of advice. Turns out, the woman was a well of information in the area of dealing with a husband and Bella felt she needed all the help she could get.
They’d been married for just over a month now and while she loved being married to Pete, they still had their difficulties, made even more complex by Bella having to hide certain details of her life and large portions of her true personality. It was beyond mentally tiring and, at times, down right overwhelming.
After their wedding day, she’d been frantic to get the house and Pete’s office protected. None of it was fool proof, but to Bella’s thinking, something was much better than nothing in keeping her husband safe from a feral Jasper, so she’d done it the first chance she’d had.
Jasper
Just thinking the vampire’s name made her angry and she balled a fist at her side as she walked, wishing for all the world that she owned one of those nifty WW2 flame throwers because if she did, she would torch the fucker, gladly.
She had to admit that she was a bit shocked at the level of hate she felt for him, especially since she knew the future him wasn’t all that bad… well, with the exception of wanting to suck her dry like a 7/11 slurpee at her 18th birthday party. That, admittedly, had put a damper on the whole ‘let’s be friends’ thing.
In this time though, there was no getting around the fact that he was a first-class bastard.
Her thoughts went back to when she had begged him to leave them alone and it had been plain that he’d enjoyed her desperation, her fear. She had seen it in his cold red gaze and the cocky smirk on his face…
She shuddered at the remembrance and quickened her pace, her stomach grumbling with hunger as her thoughts turned to what she’d be having for lunch at Mrs. Cuthbert’s. The woman was a fantastic cook and she was starving since she’d kept breakfast very light this morning. She’d felt a bit queasy so she’d kept it to toast and tea.
Finally arriving, she climbed the few steps and knocked, smiling when Mrs. Cuthbert pulled the door open and greeted her. “Isabella! Come in child, come in!”
Bella stepped in, removing her gloves and hat as Mrs. Cuthbert shut the door. “Here dear, let me take those.”
“Thank you Mrs. Cuthbert.”
She set them on a table by the door and bustled into the dining room as she spoke. “Come on in and take a seat. I was just about to serve. You’re right on time.”
Bella glanced around the empty room as she seated herself. “No one else joining us today?”
Mrs. Cuthbert filled a glass with lemonade, setting it next to Bella as she answered. “No, just the two of us today sugar. I’m afraid all the boarders are out on business and the like.”
Bella smiled as she took a sip from her glass. “That’s just fine with me. I wasn’t really in the mood for strangers today anyway.”
Mrs. Cuthbert eyed her carefully as she poured her own glass full. “All right girl, talk. What’s goin’ on? Problems? Anything I can help with?”
Bella sighed and set her glass aside. “Nothing really specific. I really think it’s me. I feel… off lately and everything upsets me. I even get emotional when he does sweet things; all weepy and girly.” She glanced at Mrs. Cuthbert. “I’m just a bit of a mess lately, that’s all. It really reminds me of that time of the month, except…”
Bella froze, her mouth dropping open as she stared down at the empty plate on the table. She’d been so worried about Jasper and what he might do and when, that she’d not given a thought to anything else… her period, for instance.
Mrs. Cuthbert dipped her head down, catching Bella’s gaze. “…except?”
Bella raised her head, meeting the woman's amused gaze. “Except, it’s not that time of the month, and I haven’t had a monthly since before the wedding.”
Mrs. Cuthbert grinned widely. “Oh lordy, sounds like you’re in a family way to me child!”
Bella blinked, a flat look on her face as the woman cackled in glee, complete with clapping hands as she bounced in her seat. “Good lands sugar, that man of your’s doesn’t waste any time, does he?”
Bella reached for her glass, taking a sip as the possibility sank into her consciousness slowly. She shouldn’t be shocked really. She and Pete, since getting used to everything and actually figuring out what they were doing, had been going at it like bunnies.
And why not? …Bella defended herself against that annoyingly accusing voice in her head. The one that said she’d just hosed her life by getting pregnant. The voice that sounded shockingly like Renee…
He was hot, gorgeous, and now that he knew what the hell he was doing… holy hell, she just couldn’t get enough of him… lack of birth control be damned.
Mrs. Cuthbert remained quiet. sipping her lemonade as she watched the myriad emotions play over Isabella’s face. It was really a sight to see, and it seemed to her that Bella was almost having some sort of debate in her head. She had to stifle a laugh as Bella went from looking worried to having a defiant scowl, finally coming to settle on acceptance as she gave a tiny shrug and reached for her glass, taking a sip before meeting her gaze. “If I am, I am. Getting all upset isn’t going to do me any good, now is it?”
“No child, it sure won’t. ‘Sides, babies are a blessin’. You should be happy, and just think of how happy that man of your’s is gonna be when you tell him!”
Bella choked on a swallow of lemonade and Mrs. Cuthbert reached over, patting her on the back. “Mercy child, you’re supposed to drink it, not breathe it.”
Bella shot a glare at the smirking old woman as she finished up coughing into her napkin. “Has anyone told you that you have a bit of a mean streak?” She dabbed at her watering eyes as Mrs. Cuthbert grinned.
“Just a time or two sugar. Now, are ya ready to eat?”
“Sure, now that we have all the life altering realizations out of the way, why not?”
The rest of lunch had been pleasant and she’d left Mrs. Cuthbert’s with a promise to return soon.
For now, she was on her way home to make dinner as cooking without modern methods took a bit longer. She’d always been a good cook, but it had taken some time to get the hang of it with cast iron cookware and a wood stove. Needless to say, Pete had suffered through the standard burnt offerings that most newlywed husbands experienced for a time and Bella had felt like a complete failure with shed tears and all. Thankfully, Pete had been a complete sweetheart, consoling her and choking down the food with a sheepish smile.
She smiled to herself at the memories. He was perfectly imperfect and she loved him more each day that passed.
Waving to a neighbor, she climbed the steps and entered the house, gasping in surprise and she was picked up and spun around by her husband, who kissed her nearly breathless in the next seconds before placing her back on her feet. “Hi Darlin’. Where’ve you been?”
“That was quite the welcome.” She laughed as she removed her gloves and hat. “I had lunch at the boarding house with Mrs. Cuthbert. I hadn’t been to see her in two weeks and she’d threatened to drag me to the boarding house if I didn’t visit soon.” She shrugged and placed her hat and gloves on the table by the door.
He pulled her close, softly kissing the skin just under her ear. “Well, good thing you went darlin’. I’d hate to have to throw Mrs. Cuthbert into the lock-up for stealin’ my girl.”
She chuckled and turned her head, capturing his lips in a heated kiss as she pressed herself against him, an aching need building within as their tongues and lips nipped and played. Breaking the kiss she murmured, “Pete, I want you…”
He nodded and reached for her hand, just beginning to turn for their bedroom when she tugged and shook her head, a fiery glint in her eyes. “No, right here, now.”
She backed up and hopped up on the table by the door, knocking some thing off in the process, though neither of them paid any attention.
Pete was mesmerized, watching as Bella slowly pulled her heavy shirts up, exposing her stocking clad legs to his heated gaze.
When they were hitched all the way up, she smirked and crooked a finger, beckoning him forward into a passionate kiss. “Are you just gonna stare cowboy, or are ya gonna get busy?”
He groaned and backed away a step, unfastening his pants as quickly as he could before moving forward with a grin. “Never let it be said I kept my lady waitin’.”
She giggled and kissed him as his hand ran up the inside of her thigh. He broke the kiss and cocked a brow at her, a wicked glint in his eye. “No knickers Mrs Whitlock?
She circled her arms around his neck, pulling him into a light kiss where she whispered against his soft, moist lips. “That’s right husband. Now what are ya gonna do about it?”
Freeing himself from the confines of his pants, he circled his free arm around her and jerked her close with his hand against the small of her back. Lining up, he entered her without warning and she gasped in pleasure as her head fell back. “God above Peter Whitlock, but you feel good…”
He held her hips close with that hand on her lower back while leaning his other against the wall just behind her as he set up a brisk pace with his firm thrusts.
Bella leaned her upper body back, her hands braced on the table top and more items clattered to the floor as they both chased their peaks, her legs wrapped firmly around his hips.
She moaned and cried out as the pleasure built and he leaned forward and kissed her deeply. “Come on sugar, ya ready? Are ya ready for me?”
She bit her lip and moaned as she felt herself peaking. “Oh god, yes… yes!”
Four more powerful strokes later, Peter thrust as deeply as he could as he came with a guttural groan, the back of her dress clenched in his fist as he gasped and worked to catch his breath. Bella leaned against him, kissing his neck as he chuckled. “Hot damn, I need to come home in the middle of the day more often darlin’.”
Bella cupped his cheek and kissed him sweetly. “You won’t get any arguments from me.”
DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.