Rating: M- For language and situations.

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight.

Special shout out to my beta's amandac3 and DannysMom…Love you girls, especially after all the craziness the last few days, thanks for cheering me up :-)

So they have made it to Lake Isabella. Yeah! And it seems you all agree with me, Edward on a Harley is hotter than hot... It is amusing to me though that more than half of everyone believes that Edward was wrongly accused :-) ... well, we will see soon enough... okay folks, let's see what happens when they hang with Jessica and her posse of bobble heads.

Chapter 3

"Bella, I am so glad you decided to come." Jessica said, half-heartedly.

In truth Jessica had hoped that Bella would not show up at all as she didn't like the way Mike couldn't take his eyes off of her when they were in town earlier today. As Jessica looked Bella up and down she couldn't see what the big deal was. Bella just seemed plain to her.

"Who's your friend Bella?" She asked as she turned to face Edward, batting her lashes.

"My name's Edward, Edward Masen." Edward said, reaching out his hand to Jessica.

Jessica quickly scanned the good looking man as she reached out her hand to him. Edward hesitantly shook it, feeling uncomfortable with her behavior. She grinned and brought her hand to her hair, twirling the ends and smiling at him flirtatiously. Bella knew that she shouldn't be jealous. She had no claim to Edward. She had just met him but seeing Jessica blatantly throw herself at him infuriated her.

"So, we can just set up anywhere?" Bella quickly inserted, forcing Jessica to look at her.

Jessica sighed dramatically, "Yes, we have this whole area. We just started grilling and some of the guys have gone out onto the lake."

Jessica couldn't believe how handsome Edward was. She couldn't wait to see him in just his shorts, well, truth be told she would like to see him in nothing at all. Mike was handsome but nothing like what she was witnessing before her. She had never seen Edward up close but had seen him riding his motorcycle a few times. The thought of Mike ogling Isabella didn't seem to bother her as much now that she had some edible eye candy of her own. She was disappointed however when Edward and Bella bypassed what was clearly her table and walked towards the back. Figures!

"Hi! I'm Alice."

Bella smiled at the short, perky girl with the crazy hair. She was patting the bench near her, indicating they could sit with them. Bella looked over at Edward who just shrugged and placed the cooler on the table. Bella reached her hand out to the girl.

"I'm Bella, nice to meet you Alice."

Alice smiled widely before she reached for Bella's hand, "Don't pay any attention to Jessica." She said motioning her head discretely Jessica's way, "She is always a bitch, has been since high school." Alice whispered as if afraid someone might hear her.

Bella was not having any of that. She had plenty of experience with girls like Jessica. They thought they were better than others because they had money or they were pretty. It was always sad to Bella that girls like Jessica never changed, that they insisted on living life as if it were one big high school. Well, Bella was not about to get involved in any childish high school games. She was 26 years old, had lived most of her life in the city and she knew how to take care of herself. Bella glanced over at Jessica who was chatting with a couple of other bobble headed blondes.

"Is she aware that when you pass 25 you're supposed to actually 'act' like an adult and not some petty 'mean girl' from a bad movie of the week?" Bella asked bitterly, her sarcasm clearly coming to the forefront.

Alice and Jasper looked at each other and then back at Bella while Edward tried unsuccessfully not to giggle. He loved her sense of humor and her take no prisoner attitude. She was clearly not from around here. She reminded him of all the city girls he had known when he lived in Chicago and Los Angeles.

"Umm, I think Jessica might have missed that memo. Maybe you should let her know. I'm Jasper, by the way, but everyone calls me Jazz." He said reaching his hand out to shake Bella's and then Edward's hand.

"Yeah, well, somehow I don't think she would understand it." Bella said with a laugh.

The four of them laughed at Jessica's expense and then laughed some more when Jessica looked their way and gave them a speculative look. Bella already liked Alice and Jasper. They seemed different than the rest of the bobble heads here. Well, they certainly dressed different that's for sure. Alice was a tiny thing and if Bella were to venture a guess she would say she couldn't be more than 5 ft. tall. She was skinny with spiky black hair that looked like it must have taken a whole bottle of gel to do up. She was wearing a bright orange tank top over a lime green one and a short denim skirt with those 4 inch plastic heels that Bella had always affectionately referred to as hooker pumps. Jazz was wearing a loose pair of faded blue jeans, some black combat boots with a white t-shirt and a paisley vest. He had topped off his look with a brown fedora hat that covered his shoulder length ashy blonde hair.

"You're Edward right?" Jasper asked, eyeing him speculatively.

Edward cringed, "Yeah, I'm Edward."

Jasper nodded, "It's nice to meet you. You ride that Harley don't you?"

Edward couldn't help but smile, "Yeah, she's mine. Do you ride?"

"Sometimes." Just then Alice squeezed his hand and gave him a strained look. He sighed and kissed her lightly before he turned back to Edward, "I used to race some but I lost control of my bike in my last race and well..." He moved his hands to his jeans and proceeded to roll them up to his knee, revealing his severely scarred leg.

Bella gasped at the sight while Edward let out a soft breath and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, man." Edward said to him.

Jasper nodded his head again, "Yeah, well, I was bumped, tried to straighten out but just as I got it under control I hit a divot and BAM!" Jasper said throwing his hands in the air dramatically, "The bike went sliding, dragging me along with it." He glanced down at his leg and started to roll his jeans down again, "It's kind of fucked up and ugly."

"You're still beautiful, honey." Alice said as she nuzzled into him.

He smiled down at her and then kissed the top of her spikey head. She hugged him tightly as he glanced at us and rolled his eyes, mouthing the words, 'she's biased'. Edward and Bella both grinned at them and came around to sit down. Edward sat down on the table and spread his legs slightly and without thinking Bella found herself sitting on the seat between them. Edward's sharp intake of breath made her catch what she had just done and she moved away from him quickly.

"I'm so sorry Edward." Bella said flustered, God, why don't you just whip his dick out and get it over with!

"Umm, it's okay. I was just surprised. You can sit there if you'd like." Edward said, once again allowing his body to do the talking while his brain stomped its foot and shook its fists at him.

Bella watched him hesitantly, wondering what she should do. She really wanted to sit there but that was so intimate. It was clear that there was something going on between them, some spark that ignited whenever they were in close proximity to each other but what did she really know about him other than he was gorgeous, rode a hot bike and had been in prison. Sensing her hesitation Edward reached down and patted the seat in front of him, watching as her eyes grew darker and her lip curled into one of those sexy smiles that made his cock twitch. She walked over to him and sat down between his legs, feeling the heat brewing between them.

Alice and Jasper had watched their exchange and found it amusing that they were trying so hard to not give in to their obvious attraction to one another. Bella sat there stiff and unsure of what to do next while Edward remained perfectly still, as if he were a statue afraid to actually move. They are just too cute, thought Alice.

"Are you Grandma Swan's granddaughter?" Alice asked, thinking this must be who she is.

Bella nodded, "You know my Grans?"

Jasper and Alice both smiled, "Everyone knows your Grans." They said in unison and then giggled against each other.

"She is just very sweet Bella, she helps everyone in town. She bakes for people who are sick. She is probably the kindest old lady around. She's like everyone's grandma." Alice said with the most genuine smile Bella had ever seen.

"I remember her baking a lot when I was younger." Bella said sadly.

"I think I might have met you once or twice when you were little. You stopped coming out though when you were what, eleven or so?"

Bella sighed, remembering exactly the day her relationship with her grandma had changed.

"Bells!" Her grandmother said jovially. Gran always seemed to chuckle when she answered her phone, "I can't wait to see you."

"Grans, I can't come out this year." I say quickly so I won't cry.

"Oh, I see." I can hear Grans normally steady voice shake and she doesn't seem so happy anymore. "Why's that, sweetheart?"

"Mom says that she can't send me because we are moving this summer."

"I see. Well, if it's money, I have some put aside. I could help." Gran offered.

"Hold on Gran." I say excited. I cover the mouth of the phone and call out to mom, "Mom, Gran said she could help if I still wanted to go out there."

My mom glances at me sideways and sighs, "Is that what you want Isabella, to go play at grandma's house while I do all the moving on my own?" She then raises her eyebrow in disapproval, "Of course it's your choice." She says as she looks away.

I can feel tears in my eyes, "Gran, I can't make it. Next year okay?"

"Of course, Bells."

"I better go, Gran. I love you!"

"I love you too my sweet little girl."

"Gran, I'm not a little girl anymore. I am going to be 12 in just three months."

I can hear Gran laughing again and that just makes me giggle too. I wish my mom would let me go but I know if I do she will be mad at me. I am excited to move but how will I see grandma if I'm so far away? And that thought makes me sad again.

"I keep forgetting how grown you are?" Gran says through fits of giggles.

"Isabella, you need to hurry we have a lot to do!" I hear mom say from the kitchen.

"Mom's calling Gran. I better go but I'll talk to you later, okay?" I say and before I hang up I think I hear Grans crying.

Bella is brought out of her memory by the feel of long fingers grazing over her hair. The sensation was like some sort of kinetic energy that immediately made her feel close to him. Without hesitation Bella laid her head against his thigh, feeling tears come down her cheeks. She never did go back to see her Gran. Every year something would happen and her mom said they couldn't do it and then Bella had hit her teen years and was no longer interested in spending time with her grandmother. She had boys to pursue, friends to hang out with, time to kill. In time she found herself talking to her Gran less and less, usually only when her mother pissed her off. Bella realized that it had been years since she had actually seen her grandmother and thought it sad that her Grans had to get hurt for Bella to come out.

"Isabella." Mom says over the phone.

"Yes, what is it mom?" I glance at the clock, 7:00 a.m. Why the hell is she calling me so damn early? I stretch a little and then feel a hand brush up against me. Oh great! I forgot about him.

"What the hell is going on?" I say as I sit up and wipe my hand over my eyes. I glance at my hand and see black there. Fuck! Alec grunts and reaches for me.

"It's your grandma." There is an edge to mom's voice.

"Hold on Mom." I say as I slip out of the bed.

I look around the floor and spot Alec's t-shirt so I quickly slip it on and then glance back at the bed. He is lying on his stomach, his tight ass completely exposed. Alec works in my office and is my occasional fuck buddy. It has been awhile since we have been together but a work get together and several margaritas later I found myself fucking him wildly in my bed. We left the bar close to 1:00 in the morning, were at my apartment by 1:20 and he was asleep by 1:30. Fucker! What a colossal waste of time. I don't know why the hell I even invited him back here, he isn't even that good. My vibrator is more satisfying and now I will have to do that whole awkward thing where he wants to hook up again and I want to forget we ever hooked up in the first place. God! There is just no chemistry with anyone. Maybe it's me. I don't know. I can hear my mothers impatient breathing on the other end and quickly exit the bedroom.

"What happened to Gran?"

"Apparently she slipped last night in her bathroom and they had to admit her to the hospital."

"Is she okay?" I ask as I make my way to the couch, plopping down on it in shock.

"I don't know, Bella. I am going out there. My plane leaves in three hours. I'll call you when I know something." Mom says, oddly kind and compassionate.

"Thanks mom." I say, feelings tears already pooling in my eyes, "Hey mom, can you please tell Gran that I love her and that I miss her."

"I will." She says hanging up.

Oh God! Gran please be okay. I should have gone out to see her. I shouldn't have been so selfish. It's been a while since I have even talked to her. Why? It's like I always thought she would be around, that she would always be there to let me vent about what a bitch mom was being. She always listened to me. I wrap my fingers in my hair and just cry. Cry for all the time I have lost and all the time I might end up losing. I cry for all the birthdays and Christmases I have missed and for forgetting what was truly important. I cry for my Gran who I miss so much.

Edward had watched as that familiar faraway look passed over her face. He had assumed she was thinking as that seemed to be her thinking look. He was at a loss as to what he should do. With a mind of their own his fingers began to lightly graze her soft hair. He longed to lean down and smell it, to just bury his face in her long, thick locks and to feel it tickle his cheeks. When her breathing changed he glanced down at her and could see that she had tears in her eyes. When she first laid her face against his thigh he thought he might die or cum on the spot but she was so distressed which, in turn, distressed him. He wasn't sure what she was thinking about but he knew she was upset. He had wracked his brain trying to think about what he should do. He was unsure and hesitant as he leaned down slowly, inhaling the most delicate scent of roses mixed with the smell of the spring air after it rains. She smells so good!

"Isabella." He said as he leaned down close to her ear, "It's going to be okay."

It was only then that she actually looked up at him, a look of sadness and loss on her beautiful face. He gently swiped his thumb under her eyes and wiped her tears away. He was filled with a strong desire to take care of her, to ease her pain. He had never truly cared about anyone and, aside from his Aunt Esme and his Grandmother, no one had ever really loved him unconditionally. His heart beat faster than it should but he had no control over how his body seemed to react to her.

Bella closed her eyes, trying to get a hold of her emotions. She couldn't believe that she was having an emotional meltdown let alone having one in front of people she barely knew. In front of a man that she was highly attracted to and wanted to impress. He was being so gentle and caring that it left her feeling even more distressed at the way she had dismissed her grandmother so many years ago. She desperately wanted him to hold her and to take away the guilt she was feeling.

"I hadn't seen her in years and the only time I ever talked to her was when I was angry at my mom. I was so selfish. She must have hated me." Bella said, tears breaking up her words.

"My aunt said that Grandma Swan talked about you all the time and when she found out you were coming to stay with her she was so happy. I don't think she hated you at all." Edward said soothingly as he gently stroked her cheek.

"Really?" Bella asked stunned, lost in his smooth voice and the feel of his fingertips on her face.

Edward nodded and Bella smiled before taking a long, deep breath, resting her cheek against the palm of his hand. Edward could feel a stirring within him and for the first time in his life he believed he might be able to have a normal life.

"Bella, we all love your grandma and are glad you are here. We were really worried she was going to get sent away." Alice said kindly.

"Well, my mom wanted to do that." Bella said, catching her breath and sitting up.

Edward smiled as he tucked her hair behind her ears and in return she turned and offered him a smile that immediately made his heart flutter. Bella felt so alive with Edward. He awakened things within her that she had never felt before. Alice's perky voice forced both Bella and Edward to look at her.

"Is it true that you're from New York?"

"Yes, we moved to Long Island when I was eleven and then a few years ago I moved to Manhattan for a job."

"That must be very exciting." Alice said dreamily.

Bella laughed. Everyone not from New York thought that. It's not that she hated it but she was just lonely. She had a great job and a really nice apartment but she wanted more than that. She wanted a life worth sharing with someone. She wanted love.

"It can be." Bella replied, "But generally that exciting stuff only happens in the movies."

Bella found herself leaning against Edwards's thigh again except this time there were no tears coming out of her eyes. She gently traced the seam of his jeans from his knee to his ankle and stopped where his skin was exposed. She found herself gently slipping her finger underneath his pant leg and tracing the tip of her finger against his skin, smiling at the texture of his soft hair and how it was now sticking up straight.

Edward was aroused. He liked the feel of her fingers on his skin. He liked her touching him. He had never had anyone actually touch him in this manner before. The women he had been with were always a quick lay, most of the time he didn't even get undressed. But what Bella was doing was erotic and sexy. His body was breaking out into goose bumps all over and his cock was twitching in delight as it responded to her gentle touches. His breathing began to change and he swallowed loudly as he leaned his head down again to inhale her sweet scent.

"Do you want me to stop?" Bella asked, never taking her eyes off of the movement her fingers were making across his skin.

She could feel her desire escalating from deep within her, at her very core she wanted and needed him. The heat between them was hotter than the desert air and the energy she felt being near him was stronger than anything she had ever felt with any man she had ever been around. She felt his hot breath bearing down on her ear and she wanted to just turn her head and press her lips against his.

"No, I like it." Edward finally said, his voice rough and heavy with need.

"Edward Masen?" The man Edward dreaded seeing the most spoke from behind him.

Edward sat up quickly leaving Bella breathless in anticipation. She wasn't sure what was going on but she could feel Edward's body tense up. Mike walked over to the four of them, flanked by a couple of other guys that Bella did not recognize. Edward and Mike locked eyes. The tension was clearly palpable in the dry, hot air. Bella's heart began racing as she looked between the two adversaries.

This was such a mistake. Edward thought as he quickly moved his leg around Bella and stood up. His fists clenched at his sides as he prepared himself for the worst. He didn't want to fight, especially in front of Isabella, but he would if need be. Of course, knowing Mike, he wouldn't fight. He would call the police on Edward, landing him right back in the place he least wanted to be, prison.

"You have some nerve showing up here." Mike spat at him.

"He can go where ever he pleases." Bella started to say before being cut off.

Mike raised his hand up in a vain attempt to stop Bella from saying anything else. This simple act infuriated Bella. She had only met Mike once and that was earlier today. He seemed like an idiot who had gotten by on his looks for what she imagined was his whole life. He had no right to say who went anywhere. Bella stood up as well and placed herself in front of Edward.

"Put your damn hand down. Who the hell are you to say who can and can't be here?" Bella fumed and Edward couldn't help but raise his lips into a perfect smile as Mike turned his attention to her.

"Look, you're new around here so I will let that slide." He said as Bella rolled her eyes at the fool in front of her, "But we don't want any sex offenders around here, so this asshole you brought with you needs to go."

Bella gasped and Edward's heart sunk but it wasn't until Bella turned to him with tears in her eyes, that he felt as if he had died a thousand deaths. He had been afraid to tell her why he had been in prison although he knew he should. She would have found out sooner or later but to have it blurted out without any explanation or background information seemed unfair to him. As he watched her face shift from hurt to anger to disgust and back to hurt again his heart broke and he felt as if his world was ending, yet again.

When Mike had uttered the word sex offender Bella's mind had shifted to all kinds of possibilities, ranging from rape to sexual abuse to, well, those were the only two things she had associated with the word sex offender. Bella felt a panic begin to envelop her as she looked at him, tears pooling in her eyes. Why didn't he tell me?

"Is that what you were in prison for?" She asked the question he most wanted to avoid.

"I can explain." Edward replied meekly.

"You can explain? FUCK!" She screeched as she chided herself internally for allowing her desire to cloud her better judgment. What the hell did I get myself into?

A/N… RutRoh! So hmmm, is that what any of you thought? Man oh man, what a punk move on Mike's part but then again. Jiminy crickets and things were just starting to heat up. Whatcha think of Jasper and Alice? And bobble heads, I don't know it's just a phrase I like to use for all the yes people out there, the ones that do and think whatever other people tell them and have a hard time forming opinions of their own. They always remind me of those bobble headed dolls…LOL… I know that is kind of mean huh? Sorry, I'm not a saint, hehehehe...

Soooo, where do we go from here? Sex offense is a big deal and that's a lot to handle. Will Bella hear him out? How does one actually 'explain' a sex offense? Tune in next week to find out. There are some pictures on the blog of Lake Isabella so go have a looksey ... And don't forget to hit that review button, let me know what ya think

Also, I will be starting my TMH Novella (A Man Invincible... www dot fanfiction dot net/s/8064941/1/A_Man_Invincible_A_Take_Me_Home_Novella) featuring TMH's very own Bad Ass Daddy C beginning on August 1st so, don't miss out. Remember I will be posting that story daily throughout the month of August (31 chapters in 31 days... Hell yeah!) but relax, you will still get this one as well since Daddy C is already written it won't interfere with weekly postings of A Dry Heat. So go alert it before Daddy C pulls out his knife and gets all Bol'shoi on ya. Can't wait to give you that one as well :-)