Showing posts with label FictionFreak95. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FictionFreak95. Show all posts

Saturday, September 19, 2020

TLS Special SNEAK PEEK Feature

 

The Lemonade Stand has spent so many years bringing you the best the Twilight fandom has to offer, and we are very excited to have the chance to offer you even MORE. We've watched stories grow and develop from first post through COMPLETE, and now we're lucky enough to share previews of the stories that will soon be your new addiction.

The excitement has been building for weeks as Belladonna and TheFictionFreak have been pic teasing us images for their next co-writing adventure. Today, they have graciously agreed to share an excerpt from their upcoming new fic Clean Sneek.  Be sure and put them on alert so you don't miss out!


banner by LizziePaige

Clean Sneak
 by Belladonna and TheFictionFreak

Summary: Bad guys. Good girls. Black-market booze. Love at first sight. New York is on the cusp of something big in 1927. So are Edward Cullen and Isabella Swan.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

MARIE: Are you ready to do this again, sweets?

JO: Ready as I’ll ever be, doll. 

MARIE: This fic’s gonna be different from Body of Christ. A lot less church. A lot more crime. About the same amount of booze.

JO: Right. But still no foxes. 

MARIE: When we make a promise we keep it.

JO: Thanks, God. 

MARIE: With Body of Christ we gave Fleabag a HEA. Now we’re doing, what? Giving Romeo and Juliet a HEA? Who do we think we are, Jo?

JO: We’re righting all the historical wrongs, Marie. We’re doing a service here, one FanFic at a time. 

MARIE: I’m also writing as a shout-out to Gus and Pauline. My grandparents inspired me a little with this one. 

JO: My inspiration is drawn from never having to Google Catholic Mass, ever again. 

MARIE: *cackles as she writes in a Catholic Mass*

JO: At least I know if this guy attends, he won’t be paying attention to the priest.

MARIE: Right. He’ll be watching Kitten. 

JO: Like a fuckin’ hawk. 

MARIE: Ain’t it a crime when the one person you love most in the world is the one person you shouldn’t be with? 

JO: Love conquers all, though. Right? 

MARIE: Let’s hope.

JO: As long as we don’t have to pray, I’m in (okay, but maybe we’ll have some silent talks… with Him).

MARIE: You want to share a teaser from our new fic, Clean Sneak, or are you too busy praying?

JO: *whips out teaser for TLS* I’m ready. Let’s do this. 


~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I set the crate of liquor down onto a bar stool next to Esme and peek over her shoulder. 

“Carry the five,” I tease. She don’t need my help though. Esme’s smart as a whip.

Her head snaps up. “Edward.” She checks her watch and breathes easy. “Thanks so much for doing this.” 

“No worries. Got a new guy, wanted to show him the ropes anyway.” 

She sets her pencil down. “New guy, huh?” 

“Yeah.” I glance around at the crowd. “Yorkie was skimming off the top from Marcus, so...”

Esme steps around to the other side of the bar and pulls out a steel box from underneath all casual, like I didn't just tell her the guy got clipped. “You trust this new guy?” 

“Time’ll tell. For now he’s good at what I need him to do.” 

She pulls a wad of money out then locks the box up and shoves it back underneath the counter. She slips the cash into the front pocket of my pants, smooth as silk, as she joins me on this side of the bar again. 

I don’t need to count it. I know it’s all there.

I bend down and kiss her cheek. “I’ll see ya in three days.”

Esme gives me a wary look all of a sudden, like she wants to tell me to be careful out there, or maybe remind me I’m better than what I am. But she knows I’m too old for that shit now. She knows I’m in too deep.

“Don’t worry, Es. I got this,” I tell her as I back my way across the room. 

She waves me off and goes back to her paperwork. 

I spin around to head for the exit when I’m practically knocked off my feet. At first, all I see is sequins, silk and the face of a fuckin’ angel. 

I catch her by the waist and her hands fly to my shoulders. We end up chest to chest with her hanging onto me, and me clutching her like my life depends on it.

And she’s no angel. All dame. 

I don’t wanna let her go. 

“Jesus H. Chri…” the words die in her mouth as she looks up into my eyes. 

“My thoughts exactly.”

We’re like that for a minute, frozen like we’re ending a dance we never even started. 

She peeks up at me through long lashes. Her eyes are bright with excitement, holding my stare like she’s not gonna look away even if I paid her to. They’re big and brown but lamplights bring out little flecks of gold in ‘em. 

Her lips turn up in the smallest hint of a smile, full and beautiful. The kind of lips I wanna fall against. The kind I wanna feel everywhere. She blushes a little, but she’s not ashamed. It’s like she wants me to see. I don’t mind. It brings out the red in her lipstick and it matches her dress. What there is of it anyway. It’s more like a scrap of cloth. Not that I’m complaining. 

From the feel of her against me, there’s not much underneath it either. 

“Where’d you come from, fella’?”

“I could ask you the same, doll.” 

I stand the two of us upright, but instinct has me holding on to her like she might disappear if I let her go. Truth is, I don’t want her going anywhere. Not unless I’m headed there too.

When her lips part, I don’t think twice. I gotta know what they taste like. I pull her tight and her breath catches. Her short hair swings into her face, and I brush it away from her eyes. It doesn’t look to me like she’s got any objections. So I slip a hand behind her head and lean in carefully, like I might break her or something. Her eyelids flutter as she tips her head.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Meet us at the joint account on fanfiction.net: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/12927018/

When are we posting? Monday 9.21.2020. 

Saturday, January 11, 2020

TLS Special SNEAK PEEK Feature



The Lemonade Stand has spent so many years bringing you the best the Twilight fandom has to offer, and we are very excited to have the chance to offer you even MORE. We've watched stories grow and develop from first post through COMPLETE, and now we're lucky enough to share previews of the stories that will soon be your new addiction.

There's nothing better than finding out that two of the fandom's talented writers are collaborating on something new! This week we are excited to feature Body of Christ by Belladonna and TheFictionFreak. They recently wrapped up Hades, a love story - sort of and its companion piece Friend of the Devil. Now they've promised us a hot priest and we can't wait to get started!


banner by LizziePaige

Body of Christ by Belladonna & TheFictionFreak



Summary: She was clearly in pain. She clearly needed help. How could I deny her? How could I ignore the distress of a child of God? I couldn’t. And that was my downfall. BxE AH AU of the spiritual kind 

~~ 00 ~~

Marie: We’re supposed to write an intro.

Jo: *blank stare*

Marie: Jo?? If you don’t say something I’m just going to write sappy things about you for the next 500 words. The intro will be a love letter from me to you.

Jo: Should I tell them about your smutty story?

Marie: *blushing* Please don’t. Yet. Tell them about our hot priest.

Jo: Fine. So, we got to talking about the show Fleabag one night. And there’s this hot priest played by Andrew Scott (you can imagine how that conversation went: Marie… Jo… MARIE… JO!) … and well, how could we not write Twilight fanfiction about this?

Marie: There are lots of reasons NOT to write Twilight fanfiction about this. #1: My mom’s Catholic, for Christ’s sake. But Jo’s persuasive, and maybe just a little in love with Andrew Scott.

Jo: A lot. I’m a lot in love with him.

Marie: Anyway… Jo shared a particularly scandalous piece of random writing with me on a cold January morning, and well, I was in. I couldn’t say no. I LOVE writing about things that make me uncomfortable. And things that are, well, hot. This covered both bases.

Jo: Plus we get to give Edward an HEA this time.

Marie: But will his HEA involve following his life’s calling? I mean, being a priest could maybe make him happy, right? Or is his HEA walking away from his vows?

Jo: One never knows! Also, I suppose we should mention we’re not killing Jake this time, Jake lovers.

Marie: Jo made me promise not to kill Jake. I love killing Jake, but I love Jo more. Also, I kinda love this Jake. I know. Weird. Next thing you know pigs will be flying. Reality show hosts will be President.

Jo: Marie……. *whispers* back on topic...

Marie: Sorry. We should really be talking about the fic. What do you think we should tease?

Jo: I think I know.

~~ 00 ~~

“Bless me father, for I have sinned. It’s been a very long time since my last confession.”

Her voice is low but confident. Straight to the point.

And a bit harsh.

It’s actually quite normal for someone who’s been absent from church for an extended period of time to be nervous their first time back but there’s something else here.

Something that piques my curiosity. Something in her tone.

She’s certainly not the first person I’ve wondered about. I tend to do this a lot. Try and pinpoint the underlying emotions this confessional witnesses.

I’ve been a priest of the Catholic church for four years now. I’ve had my own congregation for one. I don’t have the experience that some of my elders do. They find confessions to be more of a necessary task than assistance for the downtrodden. They’ve grown immune to the empathy it requires. People require. People need.

I, however, often still find the reasons behind someone’s absence from church intriguing. I also find their reasons for coming back equally compelling. I like to understand the before so that I can help them with the after. It’s what I do after all. Help. It’s my calling.

Some members of the church struggle with their sins, some, not so much.

Sometimes it’s a whisper, a subtlety to their words, or the way they deliver them, that tells me they need assistance in more ways than just a standard prayer asking for forgiveness.

This one, despite the simple words of her memorized statement… is screaming for it.

“May the body of Christ be-”

“I’d like to preface this confession with the fact that I am here because my mother guilted me into it and not because I think I need any absolving whatsoever for anything I’ve done with my own life.”

Honestly, I’m not sure if I’m quiet because I’m stunned into silence or because I’m waiting to see if she’s finished her thought.

“And if I may, it’s only slightly creepy to make someone sit in a dark, dank box and confess their secrets. I mean, what’s the purpose anyway? If we wanted you to know them, they wouldn’t be secrets. Right?”

So, the latter then.

I wait.

“Hello?” She’s agitated.

“Sorry. I didn’t know if you were done.”

She hesitates but then gives me a short, “I’m done.” And I can almost envision here there, stubborn, crossed arms and all.

“Okay, first of all, please know, no one’s forcing you to be here.”

“Ha!”

“And secondly, the dark, dank box is a metaphor. I like to think of it as a place where people generally like to keep their sins. Where others won’t see. Or hear.”

She’s quiet again after that. So I continue.

“It’s there to make you more comfortable with confessing your secrets. But, if you’d like, we can take this out into the light of day, so to speak, for the entire congregation to hear you. I’m open to anything.”

“Um.”

I smile. And I admit, I enjoy stunning her into her own silence. I’m a bit competitive that way.

I also like to let others hear their own words so they can feel the impact of those words.

“Hello?”

A pin could drop for the next few moments. I’m pretty sure I hear her swallow.

Anyone who’s spent the past year getting used to my practices as a priest knows I have only the best intentions in making light of this holy custom. But she doesn’t. How could she? She hasn’t stepped foot inside these walls the entire year.

I’m one hundred percent certain I would have noticed.

The dead air eventually leads me to believe that I may have overstepped. Embarrassed her. Changed her mind about being here.

Damn. This is my fault.

“Go with God,” I tell her as I stand to leave and consider my sarcasm going forward.

My hand is on the knob, mid-turn when I hear her again. The door is nearly open.

“I kissed my sister’s fiance,” she blurts out.

And the way she says it tells me there's a lot more to the story than that.

So I sit my ass back down, prepared to listen to everything she has to say.


~~ 00 ~~

We're planning on posting the prologue on Monday, then weekly chapters beginning Friday, January 17th. Hope to see you there!


Don't forget to add Belladonna and TheFictionFreak so you can follow along with us!

Monday, July 22, 2013

TLS Fics of the Week 7/16/13 - 7/22/13: The Sexy Six are up


Departures by TheFicChick
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8625604/1/Departures
"Every day for the rest of my life, I will wonder how kissing a virtual stranger goodbye could have felt like a hello." Rated M

Review by @Bebeninja

Bella is a flying out of Chicago to Seattle in the middle of winter, a week after Christmas.  The airport is packed with post-holiday travelers and those stranded from flight delays. Edward is on an EOD (military bomb squad) team and is on his way out on a tour of duty in Afghanistan.  He offers her a seat, and their story begins.

In their friendly conversation, they quickly cover topics of family, tantric sex, and women’s magazines.

"Well, since we've discussed family, hometowns, and your bedroom,

 I'd say it's about time I asked your name." His smile is warm and I feel

 something unfamiliar but not entirely unwelcome unfurl low in my belly.

They bond over Pearl Jam and other mutual music likes in their iPods.  And while their exchange is innocent at the start, it quickly becomes peppered with innuendo as they spend time together and really start to notice each other.

Breathtakingly green eyes, the jawline of a marble statue, eyelashes befitting

a starlet, long fingers, and he just used the word poetry. And just like that, I'm

aroused in an airport terminal.

When flights are delayed further, Edward asks her to breakfast. They eat, walk the terminal gift shops together, exchange personalized key chains, mark up a map with places they want to go, discuss public sex experiences, and Bella even takes off her shirt!

But despite all the sex talk, the UST isn’t overdone and in your face. TheFicChick possesses the unique ability to reveal character and develop a story through believable dialogue that gets you so comfortable with the characters, it’s like you’re sitting right next to them, chin on hands, listening to their conversation and nodding along.  Ok, maybe that’s just my fantasy.  But it’s still truth.  Their banter is playful, and the fact that it is so believable makes it all the more dreamy.

"You're like a Kennedy, aren't you?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Like, big family, all perfect, all beautiful."

He beams. "You think I'm beautiful?"

Warmth creeps up my neck, and I shuffle through my magazines so I have something to do with my hands. I do think he's beautiful, especially when he's smiling at me like that, and I want to kick myself for tipping my hand so spectacularly. 

"You know what I mean."

"I know it takes one to know one, Bella Swan."

Through their conversations you get to know these characters so well that you feel what they feel before they can tell you what they’re feeling. You know when important things are happening.  You can feel the instant connection and building attraction.

"I think we've surpassed the stranger portion of the program, don't you?"

Edward considers me for a moment and glances away from my face and down to his shirt before his expression sobers, his eyes hooded. "Yes. I'd say we have." There is a faint scraping sound, and I look away from the intensity of his eyes to see that he's pushing and pulling on the red straw of his now-empty smoothie, thrusting it in and out of the Styrofoam cup.

The motion is erotically reminiscent of something else, and heat licks at my body.

By the time Bella’s flight is ready to go they don't want to say goodbye.

"If this were any other day, and if I weren't flying off to fiddle with bombs in the middle of the desert, I'd ask for your number."

I attempt to swallow against the lump that lodges itself firmly in my throat.

"If you weren't flying off to fiddle with bombs in the middle of the desert, I'd give it to you." My voice is barely more than a whisper.

They can’t help but kiss.  They exchange emails and he takes a picture of her with his phone. He writes immediately and they both can't stop thinking about each other.

This story was originally written as a O/S, and she was fiercely persuaded to continue it.  Because that’s what we do around here.  If you’re as good an author as TheFicChick, we butter you up with sweet, true words, and then demand more.

The bulk of the remaining chapters are flashbacks to the four months that passed between that day in the airport and the day Bella is sitting in traffic on her way to pick Edward up from his tour.  Things moved fast. They wrote each other, sharing more about themselves, flirting, discovering more about what they think of each other, and counting down the weeks until Edward is back stateside. Bella admitted “I suspect there's nothing about this that isn't somewhat strange, stranger. So how is it that it feels so normal?”

By the end of the first week, Edward was already asking, “ARE you still single? I thought I'd been working on changing that.”

Through a series of events, Bella met and became close to Edward’s family while he was away.  They began referring to each other as boyfriend/girlfriend.  Their words shifted from innuendo and flirting to outright plans to be naked together.

From: Edward Cullen

To: Bella Swan

Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2012 7:29 p.m. PST

Subject: The horse


Bella,

Forgive me for saying so, but there are certainly parts of me that could be described as…"horse-like." And rest assured that I'm not talking about my hair.

xo,

Edward

. . .

From: Bella Swan

To: Edward Cullen

Sent: Friday, February 24, 2012 6:12 a.m. PST

Subject: The jockey


Edward,

Which parts of you, specifically?

And that's convenient, as I've been told in the past that I'm a pretty good rider.

xo,

Bella

For reasons you will have to read about, they have a short window of time to be together upon Edward’s return before they are temporarily separated again.  Within a matter of days they’re exchanging I Love You’s.  And all I can say is their sweet, blessed reunion more than makes up for the long wait!  It sounds unrealistic, but the friendship and the trust that they’ve built with their words alone, and the way TheFicChick reveals their feelings with hers, makes you realize these two are meant to be together.  In fact, you long for this to happen.

Departures gives you everything you need in a fic in the perfect amounts: friendship, humor, UST, a little bit of drama to keep things interesting, and of course, romance.  It moves you, entertains you, makes you laugh, and yet, it’s so very original.  TheFicChick beautifully delivers all of these in a complete and tidy package of 10 chapters.

I can tell you that with over 300 fics under my belt, this has got to be in my top 20.  So, if you haven’t gotten to this one yet, you definitely need to join in on the flailing and read this story.  Go.  NOW!


Accidentally in Love by Missus T
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7778961/1/Accidentally-in-Love
A personal ad for a fake fiancée leads to something they never expected.  Two lonely souls discover that faking it might be the best thing that ever happened to them. ExB AH RatedM


Stay by Fictionfreak95
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8767352/1/Stay
Sometimes a blast from your past is exactly what you need to ignite your future. AH, BxE. Rated M


Rubbish by Belladonnacullen
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6763895/1/Rubbish
Trash. Dirty. Filthy. Late nights. Early mornings. Finally open your eyes to see Edward staring back. It's hard to remember to take out the trash when you're a high-class hooker. Do you need help cleaning house? Let the garbage collector do it. Rated M

Ties That Bind by EmmalynnMarie21
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9410800/1/Ties-That-Bind
"Car wreck, girl pinned, expect casualties!" The lieutenant shouted as the men raced to the trucks. Fireman Edward Cullen and his crew receive a call on a cold October night that will change their lives forever. All human, AU, cannon pairings. Rated M for adult content. Rated M

To Destroy by Walkingwithgiants
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7493279/1/To-Destroy
In the words of Abe Lincoln, "The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend." Bella works for a man that makes her teeth grind. "My boss is an asshole," she cried. Rated M

Friday, January 4, 2013

Welcome To TLS Nursery!




Welcome to TLS Nursery! Here we nurture all of the newborn stories (stories published within the last 30 days or so) that we love! Everything in our nursery has been read and approved by a few, or a lot, of the TLS ladies, and we think you will enjoy cuddling up to these babies as well.

As ever, there are some amazing stories to check out this month! Remember to leave these amazing ladies some love, and let them know TLS sent you.

Happy Friday!

XOXO



Stay by FictionFreak95
Sometimes a blast from your past is exactly what you need to ignite your future. AH, BxE.

Humbug by iamvican
"If I could work my will, every idiot who goes about with 'Merry Christmas' on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding." Yeah, Dickens kind of had a point.

Leaping by counselor
She has a cabin on the beach for three weeks. He has a three-storied Victorian built by his grandfather. They meet and decide to leap to the last day so they don't waste time. Then they will work their way backwards to 'hello' and unravel the attraction that gives them the courage...to leap.

Seventh and Pine by iambeagle
Eating food, drinking beer, and watching football are acceptable ways to spend your Thanksgiving Day. Wooing your niece's insanely attractive babysitter, however, is not. EPOV

Hatchet by PrettyKittyArtist
Edward Cullen rules Forks. He does what he wants, when he wants. What happens when he meets his match and she's got a lesson or two for him to learn?

The Man in the Long Black Coat by CrackedFic
A confident man with a dark secret arrives in town, ready to make it his new playplace. But when he runs into a teenage girl with a secret of her own, his confidence is shaken, and his life may never be the same again.

Changing My Course by twilover76
Sparks fly when two strangers collide in the dark. Will Edward star in Bella's future, or will the politics of her life be too much for him to handle? AH/M

Highline by EKSmith
"I needed this trip. Rose needed this trip. For me it was closure - a way to keep a memory alive. For her it was empowerment - a way to prove to herself just how truly strong she could be." Set in the Canadian Rockies. A WitFit story. AH, BPOV, Canon Pairings

Sunday, April 22, 2012

TLS Fics of the Week: The Fab Five reviews are up!



Better Than Pie by Savannavansmutsmut

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7793773/1/Better_Than_Pie

Bella decides marriage will solve her financial problems and auctions herself off as a wife, only to be bought unknowingly by an unsuspecting Edward who cares for his meddling but well-meaning Down Syndrome brother, Emmett. All human and canon Twilight - Rated: M

Reviewed by: Kelly Clwn



Better than pie opens with us finding out that Bella is struggling financially, although she is working two jobs, she is still finding it hard to make ends meet and is worried that should she become sick she would be homeless, so as a last resort she has auctioned herself off.



I checked the website again. I couldn't believe I was doing this, but it was working. I had put myself up for auction. Not for a slutty night of sex. I made sure they knew I wasn't in for that. No, I was auctioning myself off as a wife.

I could cook, clean, and iron with the best of them. My only requirement was that they support me through college and pay for my medical care as any husband would.



When the auction closes she emails the winner and invites him over to talk and have dinner with her, but the man at the door is not quite what she was expecting.



The man that arrived was short and plump. When he finally looked at me, I realized he had Downs Syndrome. I smiled and took his hand and led him inside.

"My name's Bella, what's yours?"

"I'm Edward tonight, I like being Edward. He's handsome."

I smiled; all my bidders had verified their finances before they were allowed to bid, so I wasn't worried. In fact, I was kind of relieved. If this guy needed a friend and wanted to marry me, I could do it.



However as the evening progresses it becomes more and more apparent that Bella cannot go through with marrying ‘Edward’, so she asks whom he lives with and if he needs picking up. Making the call, Bella speaks with a very angry man who is livid that she seems to be taking advantage of his brother, but eventually agrees to come and pick him up.



Thirty minutes later, I opened the door to a gorgeous man who looked furious. He was about to storm in when I stepped in front of him. "Now just settle down, there's no reason to get angry, it was all just a misunderstanding. I'm sure Edward here was just trying to help out."

"Edward?" he growled. "I'M Edward, that's Emmett," he snapped pointing sharply at the man I'd had dinner with.



After clearing up that misunderstanding, the real Edward is still annoyed with Bella when he finds out the reason Emmett was there in the first place, assuming she was after Emmett’s money and wondering why she doesn’t just ‘work as a maid’, but Bella quickly puts him in his place and explains her reasons.

Emmett, who has had the time of his life with Bella, is upset that he won’t get to see her again because she is so busy, but she quickly arranges a play date with some free time and Edward agrees, surprised that Bella wants to see Emmett again.



Still not trusting her motives, Edward watches Bella carefully through security cameras whilst she is visiting his home and it’s here he learns why Emmett took such drastic measures to find him a wife.



"You and Edward, you guys have to get married, he's sad and lonely, but he doesn't tell me. I have a friend at art class, her name is Rosie, but Edward doesn't have any friends."

Bella frowned and rubbed Emmett's shoulder. "Emmett, honey, you can't make Edward be my friend. I'm sure he has friends, but like me, he's just too busy to spend time with them."

Emmett shook his head no. "He doesn't say it, but he doesn't have friends because of me." Emmett sounded so sad. "His friend, Tanya, wouldn't come back and play after I met her, neither would Irina or Lauren. They don't like me so he doesn't like them."



Bella is appalled by this and asks to speak with Edward privately, laying into him about exposing Emmett to such awful women, however Edward explains that they were blind dates and he is equally as upset that Emmett had overheard what had been said.



Emmett is still all for them getting married, he likes Bella and loves his brother and wants to see him happy. Both Edward and Bella try to explain that things don’t work like that but Emmett is insistent. While Edward is not thrilled, he realizes that stopping Emmett is next to impossible, having been through his email and found several enquiries about Russian brides, knowing how much Emmett enjoys Bella’s company and being a busy man, he finds himself reluctantly agreeing to honor the original deal.



"You're not the one who gets to pick who I marry. I pick who I marry, Emmett," I said sternly.

He just rolled his eyes. "Well, pick Bella already; we need her as much as she needs us."

Bella blushed and covered her face with her hands. She had tears in her eyes when she reached for Emmett. "Hey, buddy, look, your brother doesn't want me, okay, so don't make him mad. We can still be friends, right?" she asked looking at me.

It all clicked in my head then. If I didn't get myself a wife soon, Emmett was sure to get around me again and send away for one. I didn't speak Russian, so we would be up a creek without a paddle. "No," I said with finality.

"No?" she gasped and looked between Emmett and me.

"No, I'm going to hold you to the contract. It was my handle that was used to bid on you and so ultimately, I won you."

She looked at me confused, "You want me to marry you?"

"Yes," I said annoyed that she sounded appalled. This was her idea in the first place. "I'll get the marriage license squared away."

Emmett started jumping around squealing hooray. "I get to keep my Bella!" he shouted and then picked her up, squishing her to his chest and spun her around.



So two weeks later Edward and Bella tie the knot and she moves into his mansion, separate bedrooms of course. Bella gets to experience Edward with Emmett and realizes he’s not as standoffish and cold as she first thought; it becomes clear that the brothers are incredibly close and adore each other.

Edward who is still cautious and observing Bella and Emmett’s relationship soon sees that she genuinely cares about his brother.



As the story progresses, we get to read along, as inevitably Edward and Bella start to get closer to one another, Emmett is always on hand with his happy go lucky nature and sometimes unwanted advice to help them along in their marriage.



Add in some troublesome puppies, nosy neighbors, some hormones and a large chested cook and what you have is a cute, sweet, funny tale, which will have you falling in love with savannavansmutsmut’s Emmett as quickly as Bella does.







Shamrocks & Shenanigans by Mathisson-rec'd by Nic

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7965930/1/Shamrocks_and_Shenanigans

Bella is working for a catering and event planning company. She has just about pulled off the reception of the year when she's introduced to Edward Cullen, mafia boss. Can he show her that even bad guys can be good .AH/CC
Twilight - Rated: M


Reviewed by: Twific Crackmum

The story opens at a wedding reception. Bella is a supervisor at the catering company which has been hired to handle the reception. Her sister Angela's ex-boyfriend, Mike Newton, is causing a scene. Mike also happens to be the father of Angela's little girl Abigail, but won't accept responsibility or pay any maintenance for her. Suddnely a tall, dark and hadsome man steps in to help diffuse the situation. Guess who? Turns out that Edward also happens to be Mike's boss. Edward compliments Bella on organising a great function and disappears into the night, but not before bestowing upon her one of his infamous nicknames. Bella is now "Legs".

The next day, after having dinner with her father Charlie, they happen to "run into" Edward outside in the car park. It's obvious that Edward and Charlie have met before, and Edward casually mentions that it's been too long since Charlie has visited the Cullen home. Edward is accompanied by on of his inevitable blonde skanks, who is non too pleased at the attention that Edward gives Bella.

Whilst out clubbing, Bella has another run-in with Mike. What she doesn't realise is that Edward is nearby, and hears her giving Mike and his girlfriend a piece of her mind about Mike being a dead-beat Dad and not financially supporting Abigail. Suddenly, money starts appearing in bank accounts and College Funds are set up in Abigails name. Bella starts to realise exactly how much pull Edward Cullen has, but still doesn't realise the nature of his "business".

Bella decides she wants to thank Edward personally for intervening in Angela's problems, and goes to his office, which just happens to be inside a strip club (hello Soprano's!). Edward is shocked and amused at her bold behaviour. Instead of her thanks, he asks to take her out to dinner:



"Not so fast, Isabella," Edward rose from his desk. I turned my attention back to him and sat back down in my chair. "Although it was very courageous for you to come here and thank me for helping your sister, I'm afraid I cannot accept only that." His eyes never left mine as he continued. "After all, I did get Fig to pay your sister a large sum of money, did I not? I'd say that mere words would not be quite sufficient."

I was at a loss for what to say at this point. This had not gone as I had planned. This was only supposed to take a few minutes and I would be on my way home. He was right; I was attracting unwanted attention.

"Then please, enlighten me on how I can properly thank you."

"Easy, Isabella, have dinner with me."

So begins the "wooing", which Bella is resistant to, and which Edward gets hopelessly wrong. It's clear that Edward is trying to win fair Bella's heart, which does not go down well with the army of skanks that are always in attendance wherever he goes. Some sticky situations ensue, and there are some really funny moments. There are only 8 chapters of this story posted so far, so the story hasn't really "hit it's straps" yet. The Volturi have just arrived on the scene (the Italian Mafia arm), so I'm sure that's going to mean trouble. There's lots of snarky dialogue to entertain, and I can't wait to find out how (if?) Edward finally gets Bella.





The Agreement by Gemgirl65

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7945391/1/The_Agreement

 A virgin. An escort. A contract signed. But falling in love wasn't part of the agreement... AH, E&B
Twilight - Rated: M

Reviewed by: coldplaywhore


Not that long ago, I realized that all the WIP’s I was reading were beginning to wind down and I needed something new to read. The lovely Ed Mazin had mentioned a one shot on the Lemonade Stand Facebook group entitled ‘The Guitar’, so I read it and really enjoyed it.  Of course then I had to scan the authors’ page to see what else she had written and lo and behold, I found The Agreement.



Bella is a nineteen year old virgin who knows exactly what she wants – to not still be a virgin when she turns 20. So, to accomplish her goals, Bella dips into her savings and hires herself an escort for a night full of romance and sex. Enter, Edward Cullen – the escort.


The story is currently a slow build as Edward and Bella get to know each other and their motives, desires and goals while in their hotel room for the night.  They are both intrigued and enamored by the other, and they both wish that they had met under different circumstances, but they will take what they can get. Considering Edward is the escort, he’s remarkably nervous about it all, and Bella, who should be shy and tentative about losing her v-card is much more confident. It’s an interesting dynamic they’ve got going on.



"Are you sure you want to do this now?" He reached out and touched his fingertips to the dark silk growing from her temple. "We could watch a movie first. Or finish our game. I promise to answer all your questions without flying off the handle."


"I might take you up on that. Later," she answered. Her hand crept up to touch the soft terry opening of his bathrobe, then slid inside. She located his heart within seconds, pressing her hot fingers against its rapid beat. His own breathing matched the pace of hers now. His hand drifted down from her hair to the side of her face, caressing her warm skin. He couldn't stop staring into her eyes, so trusting, so willing. So ready.


She looked up at him curiously. He seemed to be as nervous as she was, maybe more so - yet another thing about this evening that didn't make any sense.


"Your heart is beating so fast," she said, her eyes questioning him. "You aren't a virgin too, are you?" she added with a laugh.


His face cracked with that slightly crooked grin of his. "No, not like you think. But the truth is, I've never done this before, either."


Her forehead scrunched in confusion. "What . . . ?" she began, shaking her head.


"I've never taken anyone's virginity."



Though the story is only 10 chapters in, Gemgirl65 updates fairly regularly and each new chapter leaves me wanting more! Go read it!





Vines by FictionFreak95

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6346090/1/Vines

After years of running away, Edward Cullen finds himself back at his family's Napa Valley vineyard. What should have been a short trip & quick sell of an old run down crop turns into one of the hardest decisions he never thought he'd have to make. AH, BxE Twilight - Rated: M

Reviewed by: Obsmama



On a fall day in 2010 I opened up the prologue of Fictionfreak95’s Vines and I still remember smiling at the thought of reading a armyward from Jo.  The idea of it so different from what she had done in her past stories.  How little did I know that this story would be like NOTHING I thought.  It wouldn’t just be about a soldier serving his country, it would be about a man and the complexities of life and love. It would be about healing your past and saying goodbye to things that can never be changed.  I will admit that it is a rollercoaster of emotions but in all the truest, best ways.  That beautiful fall day I was introduced to Grape Guy and Pie Girl.


We meet Edward on his way home for the first time in more than 4 years.  The family vineyard in Napa, it’s the last place on the planet Edward wants to be and the circumstances for his return are grim.  But as soon as he lands back in town he meets someone that changes everything.


"Can I help you with those? Looks like a lot of…"

"Don't…" she hesitated, reaching. "…Please don't drop that, it's got very expensive machinery in it," she frantically instructed as she reached harder for the bag.

I held it out to her but then hesitated, and pulled it back. "Expensive machinery…hmmm," I put on a serious face. "You have a pipe bomb in there, miss?" I asked her, pretending to go about searching her private property.

I don't think she exactly knew how to react to me and I wasn't even sure myself why I was engaging in the tease but I just couldn't resist, she was so…stressed.

I wanted to laugh at her. Or, make her laugh, rather. So, I eyed her, suspiciously.

"You planning on blowing up the station?"

"That's not funny."

I scowled. "It was a little funny."

"Um, no, it really wasn't, do you have any idea how many people are risking their lives every day overseas for our country because someone thought bombing us was a good idea?"

So serious.

"I have an inkling," I chided, and with that chide, I added a smirk. Hell, I couldn't help myself.

Something that was apparently becoming habit with this woman.

"Yeah? Well your inkling should probably be better put to use by doing some research, pal, now if you don't mind…I…"

Ouch.

"Oh, I mind…I mind very much," I grinned, blocking her path with my body.

Her eyes were…deep. And looked sad, oddly enough, I thought.

Why in the Hell was I even doing this? I had shit to take care of.

A vineyard to sell.

Still, she was kinda cute.


Bella is facing her own set of struggles when she meets this strange, blunt guy in Edward. Her life isn’t hers anymore and it's quickly spiraling out of her control as a wedding looms in her very near future.


In wine tasting, it’s the back notes of it that make the difference between a good glass and a great glass.  The same thing applies to storytelling and it's what Jo does so well; she brings in so much rich history and character depth without bogging the story down or slowing the plot progression.  She tells us a beautiful love story, not just between Edward and Bella, but of all the relationships in their lives.  The heat and passion between them is unparalleled, she grips us with each and every encounter but there are moments which you see each of their vulnerabilities.  These glimpses of bitter behind the sweet that will leave you yearning and heartbroken.


I knew how to make a woman cum.

I especially knew how to make Bella cum.

I loved making her cum.

But this… this wasn't about sex and orgasms. It was about conveying to her that I would miss her.

Miss this.

Being with her.

My tongue told the tiny nub of sensitivity on the outside.

My fingers told her on the inside.

And when she came, the sounds she made told me the same things.

I kissed her quivering belly, the dip between her breasts.

Her breasts.

And those nipples.

"Bite down," she whispered.

Eyes closed.

Arched body.


There are also these moments that made me want to crawl into the story; to breath in these beautiful sceneries, to taste the wine Edward was making at that winery where life had never made sense to him before his Pie Girl.  This is one of those love stories that makes you ache for a love like theirs.


"What do you want…Edward?" I asked him, softly, hardly able to speak, at that point, as he stood just outside the doorway, becoming more and more soaked by the minute.

But he didn't seem to mind as he remained there, leaning against the Hales door, closer to me than I'd originally thought he was.

A slight smile appeared on his lips, as he said one simple word.

One that was going to make every decision I'd made in the past few weeks seem…worthy.

"You," he said and I managed to remain expressionless, even though I was distinctly aware that my heart was about to jump him before I'd gotten a chance to.

I couldn't move.

Couldn't breathe.

Couldn't think.

And then he reiterated himself, in case I hadn't understood him the first time, I guessed.

"I want you, Pie Girl."

This is a story about the love between a father and son, it’s about new love, old love, and fading love.  It’s a story about the true beauty and heartbreak of love.  This is a story about all the complications of love.  I feel so fortunate to have gone on this journey with these characters, I think you will too.  It’s complete and waiting for you to fall in love.







Watching Her by Les16

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7956616/1/Watching_Her

She's his Drummer Girl. She plays. She dances. She's got secrets. He watches her. If he comes out of the woods will she let him in or close the doors forever? Daily Updates. AH.

Reviewed by: J'me Pretty

I should've come up with a better plan. I should've baked her a pie or a casserole or something and brought it over to welcome her to the neighborhood, or hell even just knocked on her front door and introduced myself as her neighbor … anything but leavingher a cryptic letter in the middle of the night.

Edward Cullen has a crush.

As the story opens, we meet Edward.  In the woods.  In a hoodie.

He likes to watch her…

Thinking about the brown-haired beauty that will be making an appearance any second makes me extremely happy about that.

It's not always easy, listening to the guys in the locker room go on and on about this chick or that chick and all the things they've done, but I know none of that's for me. Doesn't mean I don't want it, because Lord knows I really do, but up until now, not one girl I've ever met ever did much for me.

Not until her that is.

 Drummer Girl.

I don't know her name yet, so that's what I've started calling her in my head.

Pretty apt description I think, since she plays thevdrums. And when I say plays, the girl fucking rocks. The first night I crept through the dark and saw her, I about came in my pants watching her she was so fucking hot. Sweaty, hair flying everywhere, arms flexing with each up and down movement; I swear it was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen. I play the guitar and piano so I know about getting lost in the music, but her … shewasn't just lost, she was totally immersed. She played with such wild abandon, it was as if she was running, trying to escape some unseen or maybe even unknown force and wouldn't stop playing until she was safe.

Free.

If I had any thoughts of talking myself out of watching her, after seeing her that first night, after watching the way her chest heaved and her body swayed and moved, after watching the most gorgeous smile I've ever seen grace her face when she was done … any thought of being able to stay away flew right the fuck out the window.

I want to know what makes her play like the devil himself is chasing her.

I want to know what the hell she's doing awake every damn day at two in the morning.

I want to know why she looks so sad when she walks out of her house.

I want to know her.

I want her.

Her  is Drummer Girl, or Bella. He sees her driving through town and is instantly interested.   He's more than interested… he's invested.  Some might think he's obsessed—and that may be, but to me, he's your average teenage boy, hormones in overdrive, and completely twisted up in knots over a pretty girl.

As the story progresses, Edward starts to notice things about Bella.  He loves to watch her play the drums, listen to the music that comes from the building out back where she beats out the sounds with her sticks, but what he begins to see is that she's lonesome, and possibly hurting.

He cares for her, and each night that he returns to watch her and listen, he becomes more and more curious about the beautiful new girl.  That's when he decides to move things along and makes his move.

This is where the notebook comes in…

My mouth goes dry. My dick wants out so it can show its infinite appreciation for how sexy she looks. The blood that races through my veins feels warm, tingly, and my entire body shivers as I watch her practically skip toward the garage, her flip-flopsslapping against the asphalt. The sound floats through the still night air andby the time it reaches me, I'm finally able to swallow over the golf ball-sizedlump in my throat. 

"Please don't freak out. Please don't freak out. Please don't freak out," I chant andbang my head lightly against the tree to punctuate each word.

I don't know why I didn't, besides the fact that as much as I want to know her, find outeverything about her, I like watching her.

Call me a perverted sneak if you must, but it's the fucking truth. The way she moves, the way she plays, the secret smiles that come out of nowhere, except from deep inside ofher, keep me coming back night after night. 


She's going to freak, and she's going to hate me, I think and ball my hands up in tight fists inside of my hoodie. My heart leaps into my throat as she slowly makes her way toward her drum set. I know she hasn't seen the notebook or the sticks yet because she's looking in the direction of the bookshelf as she walks. God, I wish I knew why she has a shelf filled with self-help books, some medical books, and most strangely of all, a book on rebuilding car engines. It's driving me crazy, trying to reconcile those books with her, wondering how they connect. Are they hers? Has she read them, and if so why?

Oh, fuck. I begin panting, my breath choppy and quick. She takes another step and then comes to an abrupt stop. She sees the drumsticks and the notebook on the stool. Her head whips around and the wide, fear-filled eyes I see makes my stomach drop. She takes a tentative step forward and then stops again, closer, but not close enough to read the letter. My hands are on each of my legs, fingernails digging into the denim.

Shit, shit, motherfucking shit, I scream silently. I'm such a fucking asshole for doing this to her. I watch as she takes the final step, stopping directly in front of the stool.Her body is ramrod stiff and I swear I can feel her fear float through the air. Her mouth is open, her pink tongue darting in and out. There is no doubt if I were closer, I'd beable to hear the pounding of her heart. 


My feet are rooted to the ground; I'm frozen in place as if cement covers my shoes. I want to move, to go to her, to explain that I was only trying to do something nice for her, to make her smile. I'd tell her that all I want is to be her friend because shelooks so much like she needs one … that I could listen to her play for days andnever get tired of it. That I want her to be able to finish her song, that it'sall I can think about. 

I force my legs to move, just the smallest of steps before I'm the one that stops dead in my tracks. She's stepped closer, close enough now to read the letter. She liftsher hand, tentatively, inching it closer, so, so slowly, as if it's a snake,coiled and ready to strike at any moment.

Oh no, oh God, this is it. She takes the final step and I watch, spellbound and petrified as she gingerly picks up the drumsticks. Her hand closes around them and with her other, she holds the notebook. I'm transfixed, my lips pressed tightly together, holding every ounce of breath inside my body. 

Her eyes widen and in the next moment, she drops the notebook as if it's caught on fire and burned her hand. The pages flutter as it falls through the air. Clack, ping, clack, ping.The sound of the drumsticks dropping to the cement floor rings out, allow and desolate.

I'm sick. I'm so angry at myself.

You will love the notebook exchange.  He's adorable, scribbling down awkward sentiments while he tries to open communication.  He doesn't want to scare her off, but he's so tired of being a spectator.  He wants to know the girl that's wormed her way into his heart, the girl that he's never met, never exchanged a hello with…the girl that completely absorbs his every waking thought.

We start to wonder about Bella.  What's her story?  What's she doing in Forks?  Why is she so sad?  Why does she spend so much time alone?  Edward is bound and determined to find out what's going on with this girl, and Bella's just as stumped by Edward.  When we finally get to hear from her, we see a girl very confused by this odd attention.  She's not necessarily scared, but she's definitely wary of it.

With a hand that trembles so hard it looks like I suffer from Parkinson's disease, I reach out and pick up the drumsticks, gripping them so tightly in my hand my fingers turn white. I hold the notebook in my other hand, reading words but not comprehending them. I read once, then again, this time the words making sense … but not.


Drummer Girl … last night … afraid … won't hurt you … My mind plucks outwords, each one more ominous somehow than the one before. Like I've beenshocked, I loosen my hands.


Oh, God.


I turn around quickly, my hair swinging. I can feel the rush of air from moving so fast. I stare out into the night, wondering, knowing that whoever the freak is, he's probably out there right now, watching me, probably through binoculars, leering, panting doing God knows what to himself.


Perverted fucker.


Yeah, she's very guarded about her admirer, but as the story progresses, and she begins to trust him, she finds some comfort in having someone to talk to and confide in.


I was blown away with this story.  When Erin first told me about the idea, I was instantly excited.  She's got a good thing going with this story—andbonus… it updates DAILY.  How can you beat that?  Plus, with daily teasers as well as coordinating Disney characters for each chapter, you are in for one unique journey with Watching Her.


Edward and Bella still haven't met face to face, but that's the great part—you have time to catch up!  There's so much going on, so much to wonder about, and Edward's inner monologue is truly entertaining.  You'll have a crush of your own after chapter 1.  He's just an adorable creeper.


I am honored to be a pre-reader, so knowing what's in store makes me even more excited about reviewing this.  I can't say it enough.  This story is one that will suck you in right away, and keep you hanging on the edge of your seat foreach update.  Do yourself a favor and give this story a read.  You will not be disappointed.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

TLS Fics of the Week 2/2 - 2/8/2012- The Fab Five Reviews are up!

Each week, you tell us which fics are moving you the most.  This week, we've got five great fics for you to dive into. Sorry for the delay in delivering these on time this week, please enjoy!

REMINDER: TLS Fic of the YEAR poll ends midnight EST, tonight. If you have not voted, you can vote here: http://kwiksurveys.com?s=LKJJGL_af8d66da



Blood & Glory by Drotuno
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6755101/1/Blood_Glory
The definition of a mercenary is a soldier for hire. His crew are trained fighting machines. Hers are smart PIs. What happens when they need each other to survive? Canon couples. AH/AU/ Rated M for lots of reasons, including violence and lemons. Twilight - Rated: M.
 
Reviewed By: Suebee Betafairy Thundercocks-ho

If you know me, you know that I read a lot but that I don’t recommend a lot.  A fic has to be really stellar for me to tell people to read it.  It speaks volumes, then, that Drotuno’s Blood & Glory (and the following two fics in the Gravity Series) is my go to rec.  Truly, it is my first suggestion whenever someone asks me what to read.  It is written impeccably (with a shout out to beta JenRar) and action packed with no superfluous scenes and some of the sweetest and hottest lemons I’ve ever read.  And this Bella and Edward are, hands down, two of my favorites.  Bella is strong and fierce and Edward… oh my, this Edward.  He’s a mercenary - a soldier for hire working for his dad - a helicopter pilot who is undeniably sexy, yet sweet when it comes to Bella, with an endearing stutter that makes an appearance when he’s feeling nervous and vulnerable.  I read an interview Drotuno did and she described him as pretty much the perfect man, and I agree wholeheartedly.

At the beginning of B&G, we see Bella in her element as a ballsy Private Eye on assignment.  She is kidnapped by a truly evil gun for hire working for the Mafia to keep her as collateral for Charlie Swan’s testimony against a powerful mob boss.  She is not raped, but she is tortured and severely traumatized and is eventually rescued by Edward.  Because she and her coworkers are in danger, they are all gathered and placed in a safe house with the rest of Carlisle’s team guarding them.  These are some of the best depictions of supporting characters I’ve seen and possibly my favorite Alice.  And the eventual showdown between Bella and one of Edward’s female team members is truly breathtakingly brilliant and left me in tears for both of them.  But, at the heart of this story, Bella is trying to recover from the psychological and physical scars left by her time in captivity.  We see this against the backdrop of riveting action and suspense as a result of the team keeping away from the bad guys and eventually trying to catch them.  And it is during this forced seclusion in a safehouse when we truly see her and Edward’s relationship grow and blossom.  She needs him to take things slow because she’s still in her head much of the time and shies away from touch due to what happened in that basement.  Edward putting scar cream on her to desensitize her to touch might be one of the most tender yet sexy moments I’ve read.  Who knew scar cream could be so hot?  I thought about including the passage here, but it really is a moment best experienced while reading the fic in its entirety.

And the lemons… if you have read anything else by Drotuno, you know she can write lemons like no one else.
I could feel him shift just enough, and then slide languidly into me. A whimper escaped my mouth as he completely filled me, his head falling to my shoulder. We clung to each other for just a moment, our breathing ragged, our hands gripping hard onto one another.

Edward's hand drifted down my side, along my thigh, to my knee, where he suddenly lifted it between us, sinking even deeper into me than before. I'd never been in that position, and it was fantastic. I could feel everything inside of me clench down on him.

I gasped when he pulled back, thrusting in with a touch of force. It was a taste of what was to come. He was not going to be gentle; this was something I would be feeling way after we landed in Seattle.

"I want you to come so fucking hard, baby," he growled into my neck, dragging his teeth across my skin. "I want you to feel me into next week. I want you to know that I'll always be...right here," he grunted, thrusting into me again.

Edward began a rhythm that was deep, with swiveling hips and long pushes into me. His forehead pressed to mine as his mouth quirked up into a breathtakingly sexy smile. I leaned back on my hands, my hips meeting him with every press of his hips, and more than once, I cried out his name, and more than once, his hands gripped too tight at my hips, but it was the kind of pain that felt good, that added to the entire experience.

My first orgasm hit me hard and fast, causing my leg to slip off of his shoulder and down to the counter top.

"One," he growled, suddenly pulling out of me and dropping to his knees.

And it just goes on from there.  In case you were wondering, the final count on this lemon alone is three.

I also truly appreciate that Bella doesn’t suddenly become better.  Her recovery is a struggle as it would be in real life.  But with her strength and Edward’s love, as well as the support of all of their friends, she’s able to make huge strides.  And I really appreciate that even in the third part of this series, we still see occasional glimpses of the after effects of her trauma as they would be for anyone experiencing what she did.

Blood and Glory really is the definition of a perfect fic to me.  Go read it!!!  The Beta Fairy seal of approval doesn’t get much stronger than that.




Penal Code by FictionFreak95 and Bellaflan Fanfiction
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7706291/1/Penal_Code
Undercover Cop Edward Cullen wants some excitement on his beat. Bella, whom he mistakenly thinks is a hooker, desperately needs to snap out of her funk. How deep is Edward willing to go undercover to get the girl? COLLAB with BELLAFLAN! AH/Comedy Twilight - Rated: M
 
Reviewed by: Kitty Vuitton and Kelly Clwn
 
I will tell you right now, this review for Penal Code will be very difficult for Kelly and I to write, as we basically wanted to copy the entire 4 chapters and post them as our favorite lines! BellaFlan and Jo have come together to write us what can only be described as one of the funniest story out there. It has me hiding in offices or bathrooms to read because I laugh so hard, my co-workers think I am losing my mind. And FYI, you will never ever want to eat pudding again. TRUST ME!!!

Edward Cullen, brother to Alice, is your all around good guy and one of New York’s finest, an undercover cop who loves his job. He isn’t going to let anyone get in the way of making an arrest.

"I've got an ASP in my sights; I'm gonna follow along and make a collar." I actually chuckled quietly to myself as I said it. This whole undercover thing was gonna take some getting used to. Being a cop for quite a few years, I wasn't exactly new to the workload, but I'd just been promoted recently and was a little gung-ho, so to speak.

"You know, you could just say hooker, Edward."


Then we have Bella Swan, Communications Director for the NYPD, who is unwillingly forced by her friend Alice Cullen to attend Rose’s costume party, and also forced to dress in a costume that makes her look like a hooker. See where we are going with this...

I looked like a costume shop hooker, which was a fair assessment since I bought the outfit from an actual costume shop, but dude...


"I'm gonna punch you in the tit, Alice."


"Why? You look hot. If I wasn't working tonight I'd totally dress as your pimp." She cupped my breast.


Edward spots Bella almost immediately and the fun truly begins. After what constitutes the funniest meeting ever, Edward actually invited Bella back to his apartment, for pudding. Granted, both of their definitions of pudding are extremely different. The whole time, Edward is fighting an inner battle with himself because he thinks he is bringing a hooker home to sleep with.

"Hi there."

I decided to play it cool... you know, reel her in then slap the cuffs on her when she asked for the money.


Except that... she ignored me.


So I increased my speed a little and caught up to her. "Um... helllooooo."

She eyed me funny.

"Yeah?"

"In a hurry?"

"Sort of . . . is there something I can help you with?"

"Depends. Are you offering to help me with something?"

"Um, not really. Hey, there's something in your pants!"

High priced hooker, maybe.

Wait... "In my..."

I looked down. Shit.

"Oh my god, is that a gun?"

"Depends on your definition of gun," I winked for her. She was kinda cute. As far as
hookers go, that is.

"Well . . . can you kill me with that thing? Is it regulation size?"

"I'm pretty sure regulation isn't the word I would use for it. As far as killing you... I try not to hurt pretty women with big hair these days unless I absolutely have to... or they ask me to... which isn't really the norm."

"It is too big, isn't it? I knew the hair was awful. God, I suck."

Oh shit, was she gonna cry? Do hookers cry? I'd collared hookers on the beat before, but they never cried... and this was different... I was supposed to be covert and shit. What the fuck was I doing anyway?

"Hey now, I didn't say I didn't like it... It's kinda... Bea Arthur-ish really."

Oh my god. Bea Arthur? Seriously?

"She was such a handsome woman."

"She really was."

Why were we talking about Bea Arthur?

"Look, I'm really nervous. I don't do this very often . . ."

I mumbled, "that makes two of us."

Of course this is just the beginning. After they arrive back at Edward’s apartment, Bella really does want pudding, where as Edward thinks this is some sort of code word.

"Sure! I mean, I'm not exactly dressed for The Plaza or anything, but . . . you know, I'd kill for a pudding cup."

Pudding cup? Was that like hooker code for cum on my face or something?

"Um... okay."

"With cream."

Definitely code for cum on my face.

Handjobs are given, pudding is eaten (and yes we mean a pudding cup) and Bella eventually falls asleep, in said pudding cup. At this point, Edward is freaking out because he has a hooker in his home and he just knows he is going to lose his job. So imagine his dread when he runs in to her at the the New York Police Station where they are both waiting to speak with Commissioner Swan. Edward of course thinks Bella has been arrested and while Bella is actually there to speak with her father. After another case of crossed wires and unspoken miscommunications, they agree to meet up for coffee.

The rest of my day went by with absolutely no word from my sister, and it drove me completely insane. Did she get the message or not? And if she had, why wasn't she calling me back? Was she concocting some plan to get Bella out of the prostitution business? Was she debating turning me in? I mean, Alice loved me and all, but she was also very by the book.

I was still thinking about it - wondering why I hadn't heard from my sister - when Bella walked up on me as I waited outside my apartment building.

She must have had the night off because the hair looked like it did at the Commissioner's office the day before, and her make-up was barely there at all. The smile that spread across her lips as she approached put me a little more at ease . . . Who was I kidding? I was shaking in my boots, not just from first date jitters, but from genuine fear that someone would see me out with her.

"Hey," she said.

"Your hair flattens out nicely," I greeted like a schmuck.

She laughed. "Uh . . . I have absolutely no idea how to reply to that. You ready to go? Or would you prefer to begin with a solemn oath that you won't cum on my face?"

"Unless you ask me to," I joked, taking her hand. We walked in silence the rest of the way to the coffee shop.

After Edward suffers through a stressful 'date' where he runs into some work colleagues who, much to his surprise, also know Bella. He takes her back to his place for 'pudding', resulting in another sleepover. Everything is going great until they are rudely awoken by a knock on the door!!! DUN DUN DUN!

If we haven’t made it clear before, we are such big fans of this story, you must run out and read it right now...GO...RUN! Read!



Stolen Secrets and Shattered Dreams by FoxxyJ
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7385951/1/Stolen_Secrets_and_Shattered_Dreams
A NYC barman views his mind reading as an isolating cancer, until he meets a lonely 28yr old trying to escape her sad reality. His life is full of harsh lessons. Hers an uphill battle, so she never complains when a beautiful boy treats her badly. EXB AH Twilight - Rated: M
 
Reviewed by: Evilnat

Stolen Secrets and Shattered Dreams by FoxxyJ centers around BE BAR.

At BE BAR, there are three rules:

Rule Number One: Leave your troubles at the door.
Rule Number Two: Always—always address the staff by name.
Rule Number Three: Just be.

BE BAR also has a gimmick where all the staff wear a t-shirt with a character printed on the front as part of a different theme, each night, and they only answer to the name of that character.  The shirts become a way for Edward to convey something about himself.  The rules help him cope with his gift and the shirts are a way for him to remain anonymous.

Bella Swan stumbles upon BE BAR one day whilst running an errand for her boss.  Her truck breaks down and she has no money, her cell phone is flat and she needs help.  The bartenders inform her that she must follow the rules to get service.  Bella thinks Sugarlips, as he’s known from his t-shirt, is hot from the moment she sees him and has dirty thoughts about him.  After promising to return the money she borrows for a phone call Bella thinks that maybe Sugarlips is reading her thoughts, he basically offers her the dirty thing she’s been thinking and freaks her out.

"So, before we go any further, you have to tell me to get fucked," he said, utterly serious.
"
No," she retorted horrified. "That'd be rude." Bella looked away. She couldn't do this. As annoyed as he was making her, she couldn't be rude to a perfect stranger. Or just kiss him for that matter, regardless of whether that was what she wanted to do or not.

You are not kissing him. 

But, look at him… 

He waited for her eyes to return to his before he raised his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders at her. "Well, if that's what you want to be… if you want to be rude… then do it."

"No, I can't."

Goddamnit, if I don't want to, you bastard. 

"Who says you can't? I'm telling you to, and in here…" he gestured to the four walls "…we play by my rules."

Bella went to speak but realized her answer would only win his argument for him. Her thoughts flashed to her life, her work, her friends, the library, back at college. She then thought of her parents and how they had admonished her for a lifetime when she let her emotions control her behavior growing up. Hell, her father still did when she acted anything but proper and polite in public.

He smiled. "Let me guess… 'society' expects you to be polite and good. Is that what you were going to say?"

Is he reading my mind? Holy shit. 

"No," she lied. "I was going to say…"

"Your parents?" he finished for her.

Fuck. 

Off. 

Bella narrowed her eyes at him, but he continued, undeterred. She didn't like feeling out of control.

Bella has money problems and has kept a lot of stuff to herself about her financial status; she’s even kept it from Rose, her best friend.  She lives from paycheck to paycheck just to survive so going to BE BAR and seeing Sugarlips, or Edward, becomes something that helps her forget for a while.  She also finds him frustrating, he seems to be interested but then he does something to chase her away.  She can’t work him out.

Edward Masen has a gift, although he’d call it a curse, and pushes anyone away that gets too close, except for Alice his sister and Jasper her boyfriend.  He has spent a lot of his life in hiding and doesn’t trust anyone.  But when he ‘sees’ Bella’s thoughts he just can’t keep away, although at first he tries to.

"I can't read your mind like a book or hear your thoughts," he explained. "I see images."

"Images?"

"Pictures. Some people think in words, some don't. Visual people think in images—varying degrees, of course. Some people's images are hard to interpret, but you…God. Your mind is so beautiful." He gave her a small smile.

"Really? I think in pictures?"

"Yes, almost completely, and they're so detailed it's easy for me to know what you're thinking. You're like a story book."

"Wow."

"Wow is an understatement. Your sexual images are the dirtiest, most erotic things I have ever witnessed. I didn't think anything could shock me after thirty years of seeing inside people's heads, but fuck, Bella... That first day you came to the bar, you completely blindsided me."

How embarrassing! 

"No, it's not embarrassing." Edward was more animated now that the focus had shifted from him to Bella. "I wish you could see them. It's so fucking sexy, Bella. That's why that day I broke all my own rules and practically told you what I could do."

We meet Emmett at the door; he’s the friendly bouncer who is so genuinely happy every time we see him.  He falls for Rose even through her bitchy demeanor.  Rose is not the most likable character but we see her slowly changing throughout the story.  Alice is Edward’s sister who also has a gift, she and Jasper are together but she is ‘in hiding’ like Edward.  Jasper is a great character; he’s sweet and understands a lot about what Bella is going through with Edward.

Bella and Edward form a hot, sexy relationship from the start. The lemons are scorching and it’s as though Bella and Edward’s connection amps them up.

Bella’s relationship with her Father is another central part of the story.  He is her reason for doing what she does, spending her spare time with him and all her money to provide for him.  She makes a lot of her life decisions with him in mind and not all of them work in her favour but she does what she has to.

Stolen Secrets and Shattered Dreams is a great read, it’s funny, fluffy, a little angsty and sexy.  Chapter lengths are perfect and each time one updates it leaves you wanting more.

Please check it out, you won’t be sorry!

Nat
xx



Take What You Want by Purelyamuse
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7716152/1/Take_What_You_Want
Based on January 2012 witfit prompts. Though she's known Edward for years, they've just started hanging out. His crass, smelly boy self is not appealing, but his looks and charm are. How will Bella deal with her feelings for the gross, flirty boy? Twilight - Rated: M
 
Reviewed by: vampshavelaws

Take What You Want is a witfit story, which basically means a story inspired from word prompts—and boy is it so much fun to read.

A bit about the characters: Edward... he’s a little different to what we’re used to, or more-so his hygiene habits are. He’s stinky and has long fingernails, but makes up for it all with flirtatious banter and his undeniable good looks.

Bella... she’s fun and despite not wanting to fall for Edward—because, dude, he smells—she can’t help but be drawn in. His childish antics are lovable and their chemistry is second to none.

They’re teenagers and I love that they act like such, instead of forty somethings with a one-seven stuck by their name.

From the very first chapter, it becomes apparent that Edward likes Bella. His teasing brings a smile to your face. And Bella... well, she isn’t as immune to it as she’d like.

"You know you want everyone to know about our late night rendezvous."

"There was no late night rendezvous."

"Just keep telling yourself that, princess." He leans in and peers over my desk. His head's right next to my boob. If he turns, he'll smoosh it with his nose. "It's the first day back, why are you all . . ." He sweeps his hand across my desk, and my paper goes fluttering to the floor.

In my attempt to catch it, I knock my pencil as well. Groaning, I lean over to get them, but Edward beats me to it. "Got it," he says, but he stays down low for a peculiarly long amount of time.

"Can I have my stuff now?" I huff.

"Mmm," he says, "That depends . . . can I?"

I look over the side of my desk, and Edward is scanning my legs. Damn this skirt Alice convinced me to buy.

"Uh, no." I say tucking my legs back and crossing them at the ankles as far away from Edward as possible.

"It's a shame. They're nice legs, but at least I can look."

"No, you can't."

"See . . . here in America . . . it's a free country. I can do what I want. And if I want to look at nice legs, I will. Speaking of . . ."

Ms. Benson enters the classroom, her pencil skirt highlighting her shapely figure and nice calves. "Bounjour. Ca'va?"

"Tres bien," Edward says in response, though he's staring right at me.

Over winter break, Alice and I sat with our diaries and outlined our new year's resolutions. I listed things like eat less chocolate, watch less stupid TV, and study more while Alice focused on her relationship with Jasper. At the time, I didn't think anything of it. That's her life. Jasper, I mean. My life is school and family. There was no reason to write anything about anyone else, but now, now I think I may have to add something to my list.

Stop noticing Edward Cullen noticing me.

And stop liking it when he does.

Their relationship grows into friendship as the story progresses, despite being attracted to one another in a different sense, too. They date other people, all the while flirting and teasing. It gets harder not to cross that line into more.

"She broke up with me. Said I had a 'wandering eye'. Wonder where she got that idea." He makes a great show of looking me up and down, and when his eyes catch mine again, I have the urge to kiss him. Hard. Just swallow him whole. But I don't, so I continue talking.

"I wonder," I whisper, staring at his lips.

Edward leans forward, places his hands high up on my thighs, and swirls his thumbs in one slow, firm circle. My lips part automatically, and Edward leans in. "You smell even better when you're all wet."

My breathing halts, and I can feel the heat from his body so close to mine. His mouth brushes over my own briefly before he bites down, trapping my bottom lip between his teeth.

I long for him to tug on my lip, for him to yank me off the counter and into his arms, for him to push me back, smacking my head again the mirror, but he does none of these things.

Instead, he laughs.

"And you say I'm easy." Edward reaches backward and snags a towel for himself, running it over his hair. "Let's get out of here; I'll take you home."

I hide in the bathroom for a minute, trying to remember how to breathe. I put my shirt back on but hijack the towel. I am still so damn cold.

I meet Edward and his smug grin outside. He opens the car door for me and laughs when I thwack him "accidentally" with my towel on the way inside. I scowl and pout.

"Don't be such a poor loser."

"I'm not a loser. You're the—"

"Bella, hey, I didn't know you were here."

My stomach drops out from under me, and I turn my head ever so slowly to be met with Mike smiling at me as though he's so happy to see me. He probably is. Only problem is, up until now I sort of forgot that he even existed.

"Um, yeah, we found out about the party late today, so, yeah, we're here. Edward drove me because we're friends, and yeah."

"Why are you all wet?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Edward spits out.

"I fell in the pool. It was dumb. Just—I'm cold so we're gonna go, but I'll call you, okay?""Yeah, okay."

Just when I think I'm in the clear, Mike does the unexpected: he leans in and kisses me.Right in front of Edward.

Edward gets in the car and starts it immediately, putting it in reverse. I'm amazed that Mike's able to close the door for me before Edward starts to speed away.

"Um, so . . ."

Edward's jaw tightens when I start to speak.

"Mike sorta asked me out last night, and I sorta said yes."

Edward's hands flex and strain on the steering wheel, his knuckles whitening with the force of his grip.

"We had our first kiss at the park last night, and I—"

"I can't listen to this, Bella." His tone is serious, but he needs to know what's going on, so I continue.

"But if you'd just hear me—"

He turns to look at me before speaking in a low, menacing voice. "Would you just shut up?"

"The whole time it was—I don't even know, and I just—I kept thinking about—"

"Shut up!" he bellows, and I clamp my mouth closed as he's asked.

I want more than anything to tell him that that's when I knew for sure that I had feelings for him, but I can't. He won't even listen to me anymore, and I've ruined everything.

Edward retaliates by ignoring Bella, kissing a bunch of girls and finding himself a new girlfriend in the form of Angela Webber. He won’t talk to her, starts to treat her differently, Bella’s heart breaking in the process.

Do they work it out and re-find their friendship? I’ll leave that to you to figure out.

purelyamuse has created a story that is so much fun to read, not to mention incredibly well written. Her characters are likeable, the plot having a little bit of everything: angst, romance, humour. It’s an all around easy read.

I love all types of HS stories, and this one is no exception. I’m confident you’ll love it. So if you haven’t started it yet, what are you waiting for?

XOXO




Strange Brew by Magnolia822
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6536802/1/Strange_Brew
Soon-to-be college senior Bella Swan needs a summer job. Edward Cullen needs a worker for his new tasting room at Cullen Creek Brewery. She doesn't know much about beer, but she knows how to push his buttons. Romance/Humor, ExB, M for Lemons/Language Twilight - Rated: M

Reviewed by: Cejsmom

I must admit that I am kinda freaked out that I am writing a review for one of my favorite stories by one of my favorite authors!  Wow! Magnolia822 has consistently impressed me as she always does an amazing job of creating complex Edward’s, smart as hell Bella’s with a cast of some quirky, witty, unforgettable side characters.  She delves into their past, weaves interesting tales and leaves us with a taste of a story that we won’t soon forget.  

When I think of “Strange Brew” I think of a really hot Edward, a compassionate Bella anda Carlisle like no other - can we say germ phobe!!!)  Edward, along with his brother, Emmett, are owners of a newly expanded microbrewery and have just hired Bella to work thetasting room.   Let me correct that,Emmett hired an inexperienced, young Bella to help run the tasting room and Edward isn’t too pleased with it. Edward, has problems of his own, essentially a soon to be ex-wife, who is out to ruin him and he doesn’t want any unnecessary distractions or added work added to his already full plate.  Edward isn’t happy where his life is at themoment but is working on turning it all around. Little does he know that we can’t always dictate what or who our future holds for us.  Sometimes we meet people who are just destined to be a part of that future, no matter how hard we may resist. A perfect example of this is Bella. The chemistry when Bella and Edward first meet, is there, right underthe surface, and is ready to explode.

"So...I'm not hired." She lifts her head again, thestatement more of an accusation than a question. I feel like a completedick—not the first time today. It's not her fault my brother is an unthinkingidiot.

"No," I say, trying to backpedal. "I just need toknow you're qualified for the job. I'm really looking for someone who'll beable to interact with the customers, teach them about beer, make them loveours, and want to buy it."

"I can do that," she says clearly.

"What do you know about beer, Bella?" I can't hide myskeptical tone, but instead of being daunted, she looks me right in the eye.

"If I'm being honest, not much. But I'm a fast learner and ifyou'll train me, I'll be fucking awesome at this job." She claps her handover her mouth, just like kids do when they realize they've just said a dirtyword. It's pretty funny. I can't help laughing a little.

"Bella, please. I'm not your dad."

"Sorry. Just a instant reaction to authority figures,"she says, dropping her hand. It goes on a little journey up her thigh to clenchat her side. It's interesting, this combination of nervousness and bravado.

"I'm an authority figure?"

"I don't know," she says, her voice holding the hint ofa challenge. "Are you my boss?"

I hesitate just for a second, distracted by her impatientfoot-tapping. She's got her hands on her slim hips, waiting for my answer. Itake a slow sip of my coffee.

"Well, I'm no one you need to worry about swearing in frontof, for the love of God." I sigh heavily and stare at her. "Listen, Ineed someone dependable to help us get the tasting room off the ground. Ourdistribution is widening, and it's important to show a positive, knowledgeableface to the public. We open in two weeks. Before that happens, you have tolearn everything about our products and everything about the manufacturing process."

"Okay," Bella interjects, but I keep talking. I have noidea why I'm suddenly so willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, but Ilay it all out for her.

"I'm a pretty big asshole, but if you can deal with me, andlearn all the shit you need to learn, you've got the job. Do you think you'reup for the challenge?"

She looks me right in the eye, a slight smirk spreading over herface. "I think I might fucking be."

The brewery makes beer that even I want to drink!! Raspberries, chocolate and other interesting ingredients make up the beers in this independent micro brewery. When Edward does teach Bella the ropes, and introduces her to their beer line, it is one of the most exotic food tastings I’ve read.  As their relationship develops, so does Edward’s attraction to Bella.  He may have some competition for her affections though. Bella is a student with a past of her own, who isn’t afraid to go for what she wants; who she wants though is the question.

Finally, we're down to the one dark beer she hasn't tried—ourOatmeal Porter. It's a little sweeter and less hoppy than the Imperial Stoutshe tried earlier in the week, and if she liked that, she's gonna love this. Ihope.

"Now this shit...this will go good with any kind of roastedmeat or stew," I explain. "But it's also good with desserts,especially chocolate."

Bella's eyes widen, and she smiles, taking a sip. "Mmm...this is good."

"Wait till you try it with the this," I say, breakingher off a piece of the organic dark chocolate bar. She takes it and bites off asmall corner.

"Don't tell me you don't like chocolate, either."

"I fucking love chocolate—are you kidding? I just like tosavor it, so I always take little bites."

I want to laugh at her and tell her there's a whole bar here if shewants it, but I'm kinda enjoying watching her nibbles. She takes a sip of thebeer and moans, and I'm glad I'm standing behind the bar because my cock isdefinitely taking an interest in the sounds she's making. Fucking hell. I had to go with the chocolate, didn't I?

"Wow... that's just... wow... amazing. It makes the beertaste more like coffee...and yeah, it's sweet without being too sweet."There's a little chocolate on the corner of her mouth, and her tongue darts outto catch it, and, yeah, my cock likes that too.

"I'm glad you...like it." Honestly I'm a littleflustered. Is she doing that shit on purpose?

Before I have time to consider the answer to that question, I hearEmmett's and Seth's loud voices before their bodies emerge from around the corner.

"Taste test! Fuck, yeah!" Emmett exclaims when he seesthe food.

"Hey, Em! Hey, Seth," Bella greets them, setting herglass down as Seth approaches. I can't hear what they're saying becauseEmmett's so loud.

"Goat cheese and fig, huh? Never seen you bring this shitaround here before." He picks up a piece of baguette and elbows me beforeit disappears into his big mouth.

"It goes good with the Raz Wheat," I explain.

"Sure, sure."

I'd answer him with a snide remark, but I'm distracted by thesound of Bella's giggle... she's laughing at something the kid said. And heseems a little too fucking pleased with himself.

"Edward?" Bella turns to me. "Um...if we're donehere, is it okay for me to get a ride back with Seth?"

Did I just leave you wanting for more???  Of course I did and this story will not disappoint you.  I can assure you that there is no reason to fear reading this amazing story.  In addition to the brief tutelage of beer making you will get to meet some of Magnolia822’s most endearing characters and experience some wonderful writing as she takes you through the story of “Strange Brew”.
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