Cure for the Ache
Bella POV
I blew my nose in yet another tissue. Having a cold sucked. I balled up the used tissue and shot for the wastebasket from my perch on my bed. Of course, I missed by a good two feet, etching a mental note to remember to put that in its rightful place once I was done with this chapter. There was one thing and only one thing that I liked about having a cold; it gave a geek like me an excuse to read all day.
After I finished chapter 13, my most favorite chapter in the entire book, I set down my hardback copy and remembered to chuck away my tissue. I groggily walked into the kitchen and pulled out a can of chicken noodle soup from the pantry. Setting the can on the table, I took a quick visit to the restroom.
I heard the door bell ring. A smile spread across my face instantly. I knew exactly who it was before I opened the door to his handsome face. Edward Cullen. My best friend who happened to be the hottest man on the planet was at the door. Wait, scratch that, Edward was the hottest guy in the universe.
"Hey, Beautiful," Edward greeted me as he walked in. Beautiful. That was the name he always called me. And in my position, it didn't help me at all.
"Hey, Handsome," I returned as he shimmied out of his tan leather jacket and threw it on the floor beside his sneakers.
I took a sharp intake of breathe as I realized what was under that jacket of his. He was wearing the emerald button down shirt I had gotten him for his birthday last year. June twentieth was his birthday and I knew it better than I knew my own. I had had no clue what to get him, so I got him a shirt he would look good in. He always looked God-like in dark green because it made his pale skin stick out with his emerald eyes popping even more so.
I couldn't just get him a button down either. I had to make it special. I mean he was my best friend, we have to have a little fun with birthdays don't we? So, of course, I had to add a little something to the shirt.
After purchasing the shirt I went to Edward's sister Alice for a little help with a sewing machine because if I did it myself, I would end up using my finger as thread. Alice, being my best girl friend in the whole wide world, (Edward and I were friends since ninth grade at that year Alice became part of the exchange student program and went to Britain. When Alice returned Edward introduced us and we have been best friends ever since) helped out gleefully.
That little pixie could work a sewing machine. She embroidered the picture that I found into the handcuff on his right arm perfectly. Now Edward had an emerald green shirt with the family crest on the fabric. Needless to say, I fell to the floor every time he wore it. It was his new favorite shirt that his best friend had given him as he would tell anyone who asked where he got it.
"Alice and Jasper called. They said to be ready for a surprise on Wednesday." Edward said, trailing behind me as I walked into the kitchen to finish making my soup.
"Just like Alice to bring home a surprise from her honeymoon. She knows just as well as you do that I hate surprises." I grimaced as I searched for the can opener. Alice and Jasper had just married and went to Hawaii for their honeymoon and were due back in two days.
Edward chuckled and took the can opener from my hands. "You're sick. I can at least help you out somehow." Edward poured the soup into a pot and put it on the stove as I sat down in a wooden chair at the table.
"It's just a cold. I'm not helpless." I pouted, amusing Edward from the sound of his laughter.
"I know. Just take it as I am keeping you safe." Edward smiled his crooked smile that I loved so much.
I didn't get it. "Keeping me safe?"
"This thing has sharp edges, Bells" Edward teased. To say I was accident prone was an understatement. I could trip on air—never mind, I did trip on air…frequently.
"Ha-ha. You should be a comedian." I said flatly, not letting up my pout.
"Take it easy, Bells." Edward walked over and kissed the top of my forehead. I turned away so he couldn't see how big I was grinning or how hot my cheeks were. He had absolutely no idea how he affected me.
He put his hands on the edge of the table and leaned his back against the edge so he could still see if he accidentally ended up messing up the soup. Edward may be handsome, but I was the cook. Yet, I don't know how I could be with how many sharp objects that entailed.
Once the red had gone down I let myself look at him again. He was looking directly at me. He was melting me into a puddle. Bring on the mop and pail.
We held gazes for too short of a moment for my taste before he turned away to stir the soup. "So what are you're plans for the day?" Edward asked casually. Nice to know he affected me so greatly, yet I didn't faze him in the least bit.
"I'll probably end up reading some more and watching movies. You?" I replied.
"Nothing at all. Work holiday since they are replacing the tile." Edward worked at an office downtown where he handled something with the stock market. It was all too complicated and boring for me to understand.
"Wanna stay here to 'take care of me' so I won't be so bored?" I asked, putting air quotes around his words which he rolled his eyes.
"Sure, Bells. But no The Notebook this time. You'll get mad at me all over again if I laugh at all your blubbering!" He smirked. The Notebook was one of my favorite movies.
"Eh, you know you want to cry, too. Guys are just afraid to expose their vulnerable side." I giggled at my own words. Gosh, I was a geek. Maybe that was why I worked as an editor for science fiction and fantasy books.
"Sure. I'll let you believe that." He winked at me as he put my soup in a bowl in front of me. "Eat up. I wanna pop some popcorn."
"Extra butter!" I said, remembering to swallow before I spoke so I wouldn't embarrass myself more than necessary.
"You don't even have to remind me anymore." I could hear the smile in his voice as he chucked the bag of kernels into the microwave.
After I finished my soup and Edward had already vacuumed down half of the popcorn, we walked into the living room. I set a tissue box on the coffee table even though my cold was a little better because of the DayQuil I had just swallowed. Edward plopped down as I grabbed a DVD. I scanned over my DVD collection and found the perfect movie. He only said, I quote, "No The Notebook this time."
I popped in the DVD and hit play with a smirk planted firmly on my face. Once the movie started, I laughed as Edward groaned and threw his head back against the couch. "You only said no The Notebook, last time I checked this was Titanic!" I teased him. Two could play at his little smart-aleck game.
I sat down on the couch and swung my legs into his lap. He put the popcorn on the coffee table and started moving his fingers in little circles against the creamy skin above my ankles. Yep, he had no idea how big of an affect he had on me.