A/N: So this story idea came to me in a dream, you might call it my Meadow Scene. I just had to get it out of my head before I forgot everything. I dreamt about a real politician but of course changed his name and identity to qualify as an ExB fanfic (and save myself from embarrassment!) If you are one of my Letters From the Heartland readers you're probably thinking, "Books, why the hell aren't you working on Chapter 27 right now?" I know, okay! I feel like I'm cheating on all of you with this One Shot. But I swear, it was a one time thing. This fic means nothing to me... I only love you. Now that this is out of my system I can get back to Letters.
I hope you all enjoy this product of my REM sleep (which is hard to come by with three kids I'll have you know!) Don't forget to leave a review.
The October Surprise
All the lights in the hallways had been turned off for the night even though a few aides and campaign staffers were still hard at work in spite of the late hour. The darkness was a continuing effort to show the American people that their various representatives did not waste taxpayer funded electricity. The opposition called it pandering to voters and supporters said they weren't doing enough to conserve energy. It was nothing out of the ordinary this deep into a campaign season. October was the home stretch for the hundreds of people working around the clock to get their House or Senate member reelected. After November 4th it would all be over; either the pressure would be off for another term or they would all be headed home come January.
One of the few remaining glows of florescent lighting came from the third office on the left in the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington D.C. It was the office of Edward Cullen, and unbeknownst to him, his main speech writer was in for another long night. Bella Swan had just scrubbed two paragraphs from a speech she'd spent days crafting. Even though her boss was ahead in the polls by a ten point margin she still wanted to make sure his remarks for the following day's press conference were perfect.
The junior senator from Pennsylvania had left the office hours earlier to make a speech on the Senate floor advocating for some piece of legislation. Bella couldn't keep track of all the committees and legislation with which Senator Cullen was involved. She had diligently followed his projects the first six months that she worked for him but eventually got lost in the shuffle. Edward Cullen was one of the few politicians who went to Washington with genuine ambition to make a difference and was actually following through. His dedication to so many important issues meant he spent more time working and less time enjoying the spoils his position afforded him. Admiration for her boss and large doses of caffeine were going to get Bella through the next thirty four days until elections.
The sound of The Battle Hymn of the Republic roused Bella from the catnap she was awkwardly taking in Edward's office chair. She cracked her neck left and then right before reaching for her cell phone.
"Hello, Bella Swan speaking."
"Bella, you're in D.C., right?" a frantic voice asked over the phone.
Alarmed, Bella replied that she was. "I'm sorry, who is this?" She glanced at the clock on the wall and saw that it was after midnight.
"It's Stephen Cross," replied Cullen's political adviser. "I just got a call from the secret service. There was an incident outside the Capitol Building. Cullen was attacked by someone on the street and he's hurt. But I'm in Philadelphia right now."
"Oh my God, what happened?" Bella demanded. She jumped to her feet and began searching the room for her purse and keys.
"He was taking questions from a small crowd and someone must have rushed him. The Secret Service said he was stabbed, but that's all I know. Can you go to the hospital and find out what happened?"
"I'm on my way."
"Bella, don't speak to the press until we can come up with an official statement."
"Jesus Christ, Stephen! Who cares what the press thinks? Edward could be in the ICU or worse for all we know!" She threw her phone into her purse without bothering to wait for his response. Stupid political adviser, she thought to herself. Everything is about the optics to them.
Twenty minutes later Bella burst through the double doors of George Washington University Hospital's emergency room and stated her name, demanding to see Senator Cullen. She thought for sure she'd be turned away since she wasn't related in any way to the high profile politician. Surprisingly, there was no opposition from the nurse behind the counter. She simply looked up the room number and directed Bella through the maze of halls to room 108.
"Thank you," Bella mumbled and walked quickly towards Edward's room.
There was no telling what she would find inside the room, but her heart was pounding and her stomach was twisted in knots. She feared the worst, that maybe Edward was badly hurt or in a coma. But at least he was alive; he had to be or the nurse wouldn't have allowed her access, right? As Bella rounded the corner of the hall she noticed that there were no secret service agents present or staff of any kind.
As she entered room 108 Bella immediately saw Edward's eyes were closed. His head was slightly elevated with pillows and there was an IV in his right hand. The image of her boss lying in the hospital bed disturbed her even more than she expected. She looked for injuries and there was a white bandage wrapped around his left forearm. There was no one sitting at his bedside which she found odd. Why was he all alone?
Bella had always secretly found Edward Cullen to be quite handsome. Tall and lean with short brown hair and bright green eyes. He was younger than most of the other House and Senate members and his personality was equally appealing to his looks. She wished she could see those beautiful green eyes at that moment. His body was dressed in one of those ugly hospital gowns which was an unsettling sight. It made him look so fragile. Bella had never seen Senator Cullen in anything but a suit and tie before.
She quickly crossed the room and sat in the chair beside the bed. Bella instinctively placed her small hand over his and squeezed. She was relieved to feel that his hand was warm. For a few minutes she sat there watching the slight rise and fall of his chest as he breathed on his own and was comforted by the steady rhythm of his heart on the machine behind his head. She wished a nurse or doctor would come into the room so she could ask about his condition.
Edward appeared to be sleeping but she was still very worried. She thought someone ought to call his wife. Hopefully Stephen had thought to give Rosalie a call after the incident. She must be worried sick about him, but without speaking to a doctor Bella knew that she would have nothing new to report.
It was nearing two o'clock in the morning when Bella felt Edward's arm move. She must have dozed off at his bedside because it took her a moment or two to remember everything that had happened and why she was in a hospital room holding Senator Cullen's hand.
"You found me," Edward said as if they'd been playing a game of hide and seek. He smiled brightly when their eyes met.
"Are you okay, Edward?" Bella asked feeling stupid.
She could see that clearly he was not close to death as she had feared just a little while earlier. Edward was more than alright, he was awake! Bella was so relieved she squeezed his hand tighter and sighed with relief.
"I'm okay, Bella. Still a little shaken up, but otherwise okay."
"I've been so worried. Stephen told me that you were stabbed?"
Edward winced at the word. It reminded him of what occurred hours earlier and he could practically feel the cold steel slicing his skin all over again. Senator Ayotte had accompanied him in the ambulance and wouldn't stop talking about the attack. It was why he'd demanded everyone leave him alone after his wounds were stitched up. All he wanted to do was sleep and try to forget about what had happened.
"Yes, twice. Kelly and I were outside the Capitol taking a few questions. This crazy man forced his way through the center of the crowd and lunged at me."
"Twice?" Bella whispered. Her eyes fell to his forearm wrapped in a bandage five inches long.
"That's a defensive wound. I put my arm up to protect my chest and he slashed me," Edward said noticing her wide eyes. That one's not too deep."
"And the other?" Bella urged.
Edward tried to move his hand to point to the location of the other wound and realized it was being cradled by Bella's. She blushed as he pulled his hand away and he pressed his lips together not knowing what to say. Everything about this day was humiliating. He hated feeling helpless and weak in front of one of his employees. Especially Bella.
"It's on my torso. The doctor said I was lucky the bastard only nicked a rib. A few inches lower and I would probably be in surgery right now."
"Can I see?" Bella asked.
She needed to know how badly Edward was hurt and without thinking about what she was doing reached for the hospital gown to pull it up. Edward quickly grabbed the gown out of her hands and pulled the blanket close around his waist.
"I'm not wearing pants, Bella," he answered embarrassed.
"Oh, my God! I'm so sorry. I don't know what I was doing. I just have this horrible vision in my head of you being slashed across the gut like in a horror movie or something. I pictured your intestines spilling out all over the steps of the Capitol Building."
Edward smiled weakly. "This is why I told Stephen to send you, Bella. I knew you'd be able to keep a cool head," he teased.
Bella scowled at his sarcasm. "There's nothing funny about what happened to you! I was so scared."
"I know. Believe me, I know."
"Did anyone call your wife yet? Have you talked to her?"
Edward frowned and looked away from her face. "No, I told the doctors not to."
"But why?" Bella gasped. "Rosalie needs to know. She won't freak out as much if it's you who calls her. She'll believe that you're going to be okay when she hears your voice."
"It's not that," Edward replied and looked at the entrance to his room to make sure no one was walking around the hall. "Rosalie and I are separated, Bella. That's why I don't want anyone calling her."
"Separated? How did I not know this?" Bella asked surprised.
"I didn't want to file divorce papers in an election year and then have to answer media questions about my marriage. I'm sure you understand that."
"Of course I do, but may I ask how long it's been? I just mean... divorce papers already? You're not going to try to work it out?"
Edward looked ashamed and Bella immediately regretted pressing the Senator for such personal details. They had always had a strictly professional relationship and it was none of her business what Edward and Rosalie decided was best for their lives.
"It's been four months, but there's no hope for reconciliation at this point. I'm ninety percent sure she's already sleeping with someone else. So that's that," Edward answered. "Don't look at me like that. I'm a grown man, I'll be fine."
Bella bite her bottom lip and blushed. "I'm sorry. This has been a very shocking day. You don't know for sure that she's sleeping with someone?"
Edward frowned and said, "We were having an argument a month ago and she blurted out that she was seeing someone named Emmett. Rose is known for being theatrical at times. She might have said it just to piss me off but I haven't bothered to find out who the guy is or confirm the relationship. Truthfully I wasn't any happier in the marriage than she was. We've only waited this long because of the election."
"Well, Rosalie is an idiot to walk away from someone like you, in my humble opinion," Bella said softly.
Edward looked at Bella's face and saw the sincerity in her expression. "It's my fault too. I spend too much time in D.C. She always complained that I didn't go home enough."
"That's because you're working so hard here," Bella defended. "And you do go back to PA to talk with constituents all the time between legislative sessions."
"Speaking of which, I'm scheduled to go back to PA for a number of town halls soon, aren't I? I'm supposed to visit at least twenty Pennsylvania towns in the weeks leading up to election day."
"Um... I think so, but Edward, you need time to recover. I don't think you're going campaigning for a while."
"I have to show my constituents that I'm alright. I need to get back to work as soon as possible," he insisted.
As Edward finished that sentence a tall, stern looking nurse with squared shoulders entered the room. "You're not going back to work for at least a week, Mr. Cullen. Your body needs time to heal."
Bella pushed her chair back so the nurse could take Edward's vitals and wag her finger at him in closer proximity.
"Ow! That hurts," Edward grumbled as the nurse wrapped the blood pressure cuff around the arm with the stab wound. "I understand my condition is serious, but as soon as I feel able I'm leaving this hospital."
The nurse chuckled, clearly not affected by the senator's insistent tone of voice. "You're leaving here alright. The secret service is making arrangements for a medical transport back to Harrisburg for you."
"I'm not going home," Edward refuted. "I'll stay in D.C. until I've recovered enough to hit the campaign trail."
The nurse glanced at Bella who tried to suppress a smile. She knew from experience how Edward reacted whenever he was told he couldn't do something. It only made him more determined to do it. "Well, if you want to leave the hospital then I don't see an alternative to Harrisburg. I've been informed you don't have a residence in the city. Where are you going to go, a hotel? You need looking after."
Bella knew that what Nurse Ratched was saying was the truth. Edward routinely slept in his office even when he was in town for more than a few days. He never wanted to be like some of the career politicians who lived in expensive hotels as if it was an apartment building. He would need a place to stay.
"I work for Senator Cullen," Bella interjected. "I'm coordinating the arrangements for his care."
The nurse lifted an eyebrow but didn't push the issue. She finished up with Edward and made a few notes to his chart in silence. As soon as she was gone Bella moved her chair back to its place next to Edward's bedside.
He looked frustrated after the exchange with the nurse. "I know what you're thinking, but I'll be fine in my office. The sofa bed is very comfortable."
"Are you in pain?" Bella said instead of responding to his asinine suggestion. There was no way she would let him try to recover from a violent physical attack in his office.
Edward sighed, calming himself before answering. "Yes," he admitted.
He looked so defeated that Bella placed her hand back over his and rubbed her thumb across his wrist. It was worth noting that this was more physical contact between them then they had experienced in the last year of working together. Bella wasn't so sure it was a good habit to fall into but she couldn't seem to pull her hand away.
"I understand that you can't go home to your house in Harrisburg because of Rosalie. Your first town hall meeting is ten days from now in Doylestown. You can stay with me until then. You'll be better off with me than in a hotel room. But you have to promise that you'll let a doctor check you out before you travel back to Pennsylvania. If the doctor doesn't clear you for travel you have to cancel the first few stops until you're healthy. Do we have a deal?"
Edward pursed his lips contemplating her offer. He had to admit to that the opportunity to get a glimpse into Bella's personal life was tempting. There was something special about her that he hadn't previously had an opportunity to discover through their working relationship. And his injuries were hurting more than he was letting her see. As tough as he wanted to be, he was concerned about being alone in his current state. He didn't even think he could get out of the bed without help.
"Where do you live?" he wondered aloud.
"I live in Capital Plaza."
"How did you manage to find a place so close to the Hill?"
Bella smiled, "It's a studio and at one time there were three of us living there."
Edward's eyes bulged in shock. And she mocked the tight living quarters in his office!
"Don't worry, it's just me now. You'll have peace and quiet there," Bella assured him.
"Alright, but only if you're sure that I'm not putting you out. I think I work you too hard as it is; now you have to play nurse maid too."
Bella blushed and glanced down to try to disguise her embarrassment. In fact the idea of tending to an injured Senator Cullen was far less a burden than he was thinking. She prided herself that she had never even come close to flirting with Edward before. She was determined never to fall victim to the charms and power of any politician. Especially Edward. If was far too common in Washington and she refused to be Lewinsky-esque.
He had always been equally straight-laced with all his female staff and it was another quality in him that she admired. It helped that Rosalie Cullen was always in the forefront of Bella's mind whenever she started daydreaming about the senator. Now she was presented with new challenges knowing that Edward wasn't a happily married man as she previously thought. Still, she wanted to be professional and never get involve in sordid affairs with an elected official. She was confident Edward felt the same way about his staffers.
She met his eyes with hers and smiled. "I don't mind taking care of you at all, Edward. I was so worried about you tonight. I'll feel better knowing that I'm there to help you get better."
His grip tightened around her hand and Bella felt her heart rate increase. "I don't know how to thank you, Bella. Not just for letting me stay with you but for rushing to the hospital too. I'm glad that I have someone like you to depend on."
She couldn't be sure, but Bella felt a strong bond forming between them. It was almost like they were taking a step closer to becoming friends when their relationship had been strictly business before. Bella supposed getting stabbed in the rib would make anyone cling to those who cared about them. And Bella genuinely cared about Senator Cullen so she didn't find it a cause for concern.
She gently removed her hand from his and searched her purse for her cell phone. "I need to make some calls; let everyone know how you're doing. I'm sure Stephen is freaking out."
"Okay," Edward replied.
"He's going to need to release a statement on your condition. You know the morning news will be running with the story," Bella explained.
"I still can't believe this happened," Edward groaned. He attempted to sit up straighter in bed and winced at the pain in his side.
"You stay put. It's after three in the morning; you should try to get some sleep. Stephen and I will handle the press. That's why we're here. You just worry about getting better."
Edward nodded his head and closed his eyes obediently. Bella tucked the blanket around his body and smoothed his hair off his face. "I'll be in the hallway," she whispered and quietly retreated from the room.
Bella's apartment was a little bigger than Edward had feared. He looked around as she pushed his wheelchair into the center of the space. There was a double bed pushed into one corner of the room and a sofa at the foot of the bed facing the wall mounted television. Next to the bed was a dresser with piles of books on top. On the other side of the room was a tiny table with two folding chairs and the kitchenette. There was a door on the far wall that led to the closet and bathroom.
"It's not much, but its home," Bella announced cheerfully. She was nervous about having Edward see her tiny apartment. He was accustomed to far more square footage.
"I can see your personality shining all over this space, Bella. It's very homey," Edward complimented.
She parked the wheelchair next to the bed. "Thanks. After my roommates moved out I redecorated. What exactly do you think speaks to my personality? The Hello Kitty piggy bank?" she joked. She'd forgotten that was there when she came home earlier to tidy up before Edward's arrival. Had she noticed it she would have surely hidden the childhood keepsake in the back of her closet.
"I do have questions about that, but no. I was referring to the purple sofa, the perfectly made bed with matching purple pillows, the tidiness and organization in such a small space. And of course, the framed replica of the Declaration of Independence hanging over the bed."
Edward inspected the titles of some of the books on top of the dresser and chuckled. "Only Bella Swan would have Jane Austin next to Karl Marx next to Alexis de Tocqueville."
Bella sneered playfully, "Are you calling me eclectic or nerdy, Senator?"
"Eclectic, definitely," he grinned. "And worldly, sweet, intelligent, cultured, selfless."
"Don't stop there, you're on a roll," she teased. Edward just smiled and shook his head.
Changing the subject away from her book collection Bella gave him the sixty second tour of the apartment. She pointed out things he might need like clean towels, plates and drink ware, the outlet to charge his iPhone, and the remote for the TV. She told him the sofa pulled out into a bed and she would crash there so he was more comfortable in the big bed. Edward tried to argue with her but she was insistent that he recuperate in a proper bed. Eventually, he ran out of energy to resist.
"Do you need help getting out of the chair?" she asked after winning the sleeping arrangement argument.
"I don't think so but I might need help getting into the bed. It's quite high off the ground," Edward said.
"Oh, yeah it is, sorry! I used those As Seen on TV bed risers so I can cram more stuff underneath it."
Bella held the wheelchair steady as Edward gingerly rose up and stood with one hand on the dresser. She slipped her arm around his waist and supported his weight as he inched himself onto the bed. Edward looked like he was in pain as he scooted to the center of the bed and Bella slipped another pillow behind his head.
"How's that?" she asked as he relaxed back against her personality-defining purple pillows.
"Very comfortable. Thanks, Bella."
"Don't mention it. Let me turn the TV on for you." She grabbed the remote from the sofa and handed it to him. "Are you going to flip through the cable news shows to see what everyone is saying about you?"
"I'm afraid to look. The talking heads are probably having a field day."
Bella frowned and changed the channel before handing over the remote. "History Channel it is then."
Edward chuckled and then groaned. "Ow, it hurts to laugh."
"I'm supposed to change the bandage every day, and no showers until tomorrow."
"That sucks," Edward replied.
"Sorry, Nurse Ratched was very clear about keeping the stitches dry."
"Nurse Ratched?"
"Wasn't the resemblance uncanny? Aside from the silly white nurse's hat."
"I'm surprised you know the character. Isn't One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest before your generation?"
"Yes, but I've seen every Best Picture Oscar winning movie all the way back to Gone With the Wind. It was a personal goal of mine."
Edward smiled. "I've learned more about you in the past forty eight hours than I have in the past year. How is that possible?"
"You're incapacitated with nowhere to run," she shrugged. "For the first time in six years you have time to relax. And you're stuck with me for the next week."
"Maybe that's not such a bad thing," Edward suggested with a smile.
"I still don't know much about you either. Except that I've followed your senate career, obviously."
"Weren't you a college kid when I was elected?"
"How young do you think I am, Senator?" she scoffed.
"It's not polite to guess a woman's age."
"I'll have you know I've voted in count them, three presidential election cycles."
"Oh, really? Let's see, this year is a midterm election... so I'm guessing you are twenty eight?"
"Twenty eight and a half, but who's counting?" she smiled. "I'm going to stop when I get to twenty nine anyway."
Edward smiled. "And never married?"
Bella shook her head. "Came close once. But I put my country ahead of him too many times and eventually he broke it off."
"Well, he's an idiot to walk away from someone like you, in my humble opinion," Edward said softly.
Bella bit her lip as she felt Edward's green eyes boring into hers. She recognized that he was echoing her words from the first night in the hospital and it made her stomach do flips. She knew immediately that she needed to put some space between them. Playing nurse was going to be trickier than she anticipated.
"Can I get you anything? Are you hungry? Do you need pain meds?" she offered.
"Just water, please?"
"Sure." Bella went to her tiny kitchen and retrieved two bottles of water from the refrigerator.
Edward's discharge papers were on the table and she read through them quickly before returning to the bedside. In her absence he'd covertly changed the channel from Pawn Stars to CNN and put the closed captions on hoping Bella wouldn't notice. Not knowing what the pundits and pollsters were saying about the attack was driving him crazy. He didn't even know if the attack had been classified as a random lunatic or a lone wolf terrorist. Nurse Ratched wouldn't tell him anything per Stephen's instructions.
"I saw that," Bella noted as she handed Edward a cold bottle of water.
He smirked guiltily. "I can't help it. Only a month until the election, and I'm attacked on the streets in D.C. It's maddening. And see? They're talking about me right now!" Edward exclaimed pointing at the television.
"Senator from Pennsylvania, Edward Cullen, is said to be resting comfortably after being discharged from George Washington Hospital earlier today. With only thirty two days to go until elections many are speculating as to whether this random attack will hurt or help him at the polls. Here to discuss the senator's condition and odds at winning reelection in his purple home state is statistician, Nate Silver. Nate, what do you make of this rather unusual October surprise? Tumbling stock markets or charges of infidelity, sure, but there's no precedent for a shake up like this so close to election day..."
"Would you look at that? They don't even care if I'm going to live. They only care if my poll numbers are shrinking to within the margin of error," Edward complained.
"That's not true, they spent all day yesterday debating whether or not you were going to live. You know the media is only concerned about ratings. You never used to care so much what Chris Cuomo or any other media personality said about you. What's changed?"
Edward sighed, "I hate that I can't fight back. I was defenseless when I was attacked on the street and now I can't even appear on these yahoo's shows to refute what they say about me."
"Do you want me to send Stephen out to get some airtime and assure viewers that you'll be back on your feet in no time?"
Edward scrubbed his hand over his face in frustration. "I don't know. Maybe after I speak with him. He's supposed to call this afternoon, isn't he?"
"He's meeting with the Philadelphia Inquirer today and then headed back to D.C. He'll probably call you from the road."
"Okay."
"Don't get yourself worked up. Voters aren't going to care that you're temporarily laid up. You'll heal and be back on the Senate floor by the next news cycle."
Edward nodded his head just as a cell phone alarm started buzzing from across the room. Bella went over to her purse to dig out her cell phone and turn off the reminder for Edward's medicine.
"Time to play doctor," she announced. "You need your meds and a fresh bandage."
Edward made an unhappy face but didn't comment as Bella brought a washcloth and new bandages over to the bedside. She sat next to him and waited to see if he would lift his shirt for her. She knew better than to try and remove it again by herself. After a few moments of awkward silence she said, "I need to get to your side and your arm, Edward."
"Oh, right," he replied. Edward gingerly slipped his left arm out of the shirt sleeve and lifted the entire shirt off his body. "Is this going to sting, nurse?" he joked trying to break the tension. He could see Bella's eyes shifting over his chest multiple times to parts of him where they both knew there were no wounds to clean. He wondered why she did that.
Bella bit her lip and hoped the color wasn't showing too deeply in her cheeks. She was so accustomed to Edward only wearing suits with a tie knotted tightly around his neck. She'd often wondered but never confirmed until that moment what a toned and muscular body Edward was hiding underneath. With gentle pressure she washed the skin around both wounds and she could already see how the stitches were beginning to heal. She felt the cut across his rib cage was a crime in and of itself for the way it marred his perfect abdominal muscles.
She applied the ointment the doctor had given her to help reduce scarring and secured new bandages over each line of stitches. "All done," she breathed. Her eyes shifted back to his taut stomach and the hair covering the center of his chest in one last attempt to commit the sight to memory before he slipped his shirt back on.
"Thanks," he said gruffly, watching her inspecting him. He was slow to put his t-shirt back on and their eyes met briefly, both wondering what the other was thinking. Bella diverted her gaze first, getting up from the bed and walking to the kitchen table. While her back was turned Edward slipped his shirt back on and reached for his cell phone.
"I should probably start returning some of these calls," he said idly.
"That's a good idea. Start with your brother, please? He's reached out to me and Stephen multiple times. And your mother. And Senator Sestak. And don't forget Senator Ayotte."
"Gosh, I should make a list," he teased.
Bella grabbed a pad of paper from the kitchen table and brought it to him. "I already did," she said proudly.
He took it from her chuckling to himself. "Thank you."
For the next few hours Edward made phone calls to friends, family, and fellow legislators. The Vice President called that afternoon to pass along the president's thoughts and prayers. Bella listened to Edward talking to many prominent politicians while she diligently worked on a revised speech for his next public appearance. She couldn't help the amusement she felt when he called his mother. Edward might be a thirty six year old United States senator but that didn't stop his mother from doting on him like he was still a young boy. Bella listened for over thirty minutes as Edward confirmed over and over again that he was never in grave danger and he was recovering quickly. He ended that call saying, "I love you too, Mom."
Bella made dinner for them around five o'clock and they ate together in the bed watching C-SPAN because Edward's cosponsor of the education reform bill was on the hill advocating for its passage; a job Edward had been anticipating doing himself. Bella could see it was killing him not to be there.
"He's not articulating the main purpose of the bill," Edward said irritated.
Bella finished chewing the chicken in her mouth and replied, "You mean the Common Core component?"
"Yeah, it's not just about the budget and state allocations for Christ's sake."
"Justin told me he thinks the House version is going to pass by a narrow margin. He said education reform is a top priority; they want it passed before the lame duck session begins."
"Who's Justin?"
"One of Speaker Ryan's aides."
"Oh, I thought you were going to say he was a new campaign hire or maybe your boyfriend or something."
Bella nearly choked on a piece of broccoli. "You think Justin Sweeney is my boyfriend? He's 53 years old!"
"No, I didn't think that. You just said Justin... He's the only Justin I know."
"Oh. I told you my life is a little too complicated to date. I just work too many hours for any man to handle," Bella shrugged.
"So it's my fault?" Edward said lightly, trying to make her smile.
"No, of course not! I love my job. I've wanted to work on Capital Hill since I was eight years old. My dream is to work in the White House. I want to be the Press Secretary someday."
"Really?"
"Yes. When I was ten my church was renovating and they were going to throw out an old wooden podium. My dad brought it home and put it in the rec room in our basement. I practiced making speeches to all my stuffed animals. It was great."
"I had no idea you had such ambitious goals, Bella."
She smiled sweetly. "You never asked before."
Edward took that as an invitation to ask her more questions as they finished dinner and got ready for bed. They talked about life in their home states and what they thought about various hot button issues in Washington. Edward was surprised to find they agreed on many topics and where they disagreed Bella had thoughtful, persuasive arguments for her positions.
At bedtime he tried to convince her to sleep in the bed and he would move to the pull out sofa but Bella refused. He could see he wasn't going to win the battle so he lay in her bed and stared up at the white ceiling. He preferred sleeping on his side but it was still too painful to turn to his side. Edward struggled to get to sleep that night as he lay in Bella's bed with the sweet smell of her perfume lingering on the pillow.
Edward woke the next morning to the smells of crackling bacon and coffee. He carefully eased his sore body out of the bed and made a quick stop in the bathroom. He looked like hell; three days of stubble on his face and his hair was more disheveled that even he was comfortable with. At least he was able to walk on his own. Not to say he didn't like leaning on Bella for help, but he was ready to stand on his own two feet again.
The table was set when he returned to the main room. Bella had made scrambled eggs, biscuits, bacon, and coffee and orange juice. He sat down at the table careful to keep his back straight so the stitches in his side wouldn't be strained. He noticed she had already showered and dressed and he wondered how early she usually woke up.
"I would have made you some authentic scrapple but I didn't have the right ingredients. And it sounds really gross," Bella said as she sat down across from him.
Edward laughed as he poured a cup of hot coffee. "Thank you for the intentions. I grew up eating it but haven't had much of it recently, maybe because I've spent so much time inside the beltway."
"Next time we're in Pennsylvania you'll have to advise me where the best place is to try some."
"I'll do that," he promised.
"You were able to get out of bed sooner than I expected. Maybe we won't have to cancel your first town hall after all."
Edward scooped a forkful of scrambled eggs into his mouth nodding his head emphatically. "God willing," he said. "What's in these eggs? They're really good."
"Bella smiled. "My grandma's secret ingredient. I'm supposed to call Stephen later today to give him an update on your condition."
"Tell him I'll be ready. I'm feeling much better this morning."
Bella scrutinized his face as he ate everything on his plate and starting reaching for seconds. At least his appetite had returned. "I was serious about the doctor's visit, Edward. I want a doctor to tell us that you're okay to get back to work full time before I let you leave here."
Edward nodded his head in a patronizing manner. "I remember. Now, really, what did you put in these scrambled eggs!"
Bella pressed her lips together firmly and pretended to lock her lips with a key and throw it away over her shoulder.
After breakfast Edward asked Bella a very important question, waiting on bated breath for her answer. "Am I allowed to take a shower today?"
Bella's eyes softened as she smiled at him. "The doctor said 48 hours, so I think you're in the clear."
"Thank God," he replied. "I think my mood will improve 100% once I'm clean."
"Do you need help?" she asked. Bella jumped to her feet to show him to the bathroom.
He held up his hand to her in protest. "No, I can manage. My masculinity has been challenged enough in the past few days."
Bella frowned. "Just remember not to scrub the stitches, and pat the areas dry. Don't rub with the towel."
"Ok."
"The towels are behind the door and in the medicine cabinet are disposable razors and extra tooth brushes. Help yourself."
"Thanks, Bella. I'll be alright."
"Okay." She looked unconvinced but still retreated back to the main living area.
Edward closed the bathroom door, smirking at the thought of little Bella trying to assist him in the shower. Maybe he should have allowed it just to see the expression on his face when he stripped down! He set the water to warm and carefully removed his clothes. The stab wounds didn't feel like gashes anymore, just tight itchy skin. And his body ached like he'd been hit by a bus, which was probably from falling to the concrete during the attack.
With some difficulty Edward managed to shave his face clean and then took a much needed shower. He washed away the dirt and sweat from his body but seemed unable to shake the uneasy feeling that was still haunting him. No amount of hot water was going to rid him of the memories from that night. He hoped that the images in his mind were temporary; that once his brain fully processed what happened he could move past it.
He turned his thoughts to Bella and how much he'd learned about her in the last two days. He had no idea how feisty she could be when discussing politics and he wanted to talk more with her about policy. He could feel her eyes on him almost constantly and wished she would come out of her shell for longer periods of time, because when those moments happened he really liked what he saw. He couldn't figure out why scrambled eggs tasted so much better when he ate them with Bella, but for some reason they did. So much better; he knew there was more to explaining it than just her grandmother's recipe. It was something about her.
Edward wrapped a fluffy purple towel around his waist knowing that it was no coincidence that the color matched the sofa and bed pillows perfectly. He gave himself another look in the mirror and was pleased to finally see himself in the reflection again. He remembered Bella mentioned tooth brushes but hadn't seen them in the medicine cabinet so he opened a couple drawers in the vanity looking for them. He spotted her prescription for birth control pills and it threw him for a loop. He didn't like the idea that Bella was sexually active. She'd made it clear there was no boyfriend in the picture but that didn't mean she didn't fuck once in a while. Women have needs too, right? Edward slammed the drawer, upset with himself for even caring what one of his speech writers did in her spare time. Bella was a beautiful woman, that he couldn't ignore, but she was a member of his staff. That meant she was off limits.
Finally, he found a tooth brush and distracted himself by brushing his teeth long and hard. Doing so in such a small bathroom proved difficult. Lost in thought, he banged his arm against the corner of the towel rack that hung on the wall by the sink. It would have been nothing more than a small bruise except that the place his arm connected with the towel rack was the exact location of the stitches.
Edward howled in pain, dropping the tooth brush into the sink. He checked his arm and saw that the wound was starting to ooze just a little bit. "God damn it!" he shouted.
"What happened?" Bella called from just outside the door.
Edward wiped his mouth of toothpaste and placed both hands on the corners of the sink to lean on as he rode out the throbs of pain coming from his left forearm. "I'm fine. Don't need any help," he replied in a strained voice.
The door opened anyway and Edward sighed in frustration. "I told you I'm fine. Minor run in with the towel rack. No big deal."
"Let me take a look," she offered. Bella couldn't help but notice Edward was clad only in a towel. His back muscles rippled magnificently as he leaned over the vanity staring at his own reflection. His hair was wet and was starting to curl at the ends.
"Don't look at me like that," he replied when their eyes met in the mirror. "I showered on my own, shaved, and almost got my teeth brushed without incident. I feel better today, honestly. I haven't even asked for my pain meds."
"I was just offering to help. I know you're not an invalid, Edward," she replied softly. "And it doesn't make you less of a man just because you need someone to lean on."
Edward smirked but didn't turn around. Bella sighed quietly thinking of how to express the thoughts that she couldn't keep inside any longer. "I know you feel like circumstances are out of your control and I understand why that's hard for you. But I've been thinking about what you said before, and for what it's worth your masculinity has never come into question in my view. In fact, I've never been more acutely aware of your masculinity than in the past few days," she added; her voice shaky from nerves.
"What do you mean by that, Bella?" he urged softly, turning to face her. He smirked as he leaned against the vanity in a poised, confident manner.
Bella's eyes fell to his chest and this time she couldn't pry them away. The bathroom was steamy, Edward was practically naked, and speaking in a suggestive tone that made her think that perhaps she might not be rebuffed if she were to reach out and touch his glistening wet skin. If fact, his body language suggested that he was practically begging for it. She felt her cheeks flush at the thought but couldn't find any words to respond.
"Never mind what I said," she finally answered. "I'm just checking to make sure you're okay in here."
Edward knew she was lying the second she looked down at her feet. He'd learned her tells in the last year of working together. Bella couldn't lie to a person's face, she always looked away. She would make a terrible politician.
"That's bull shit and we both know it," he replied. "You could have checked on me from the hall and felt assured that I was okay in here, so that means you opened the door for a reason. I'm very good at reading people, Bella. And when a woman stares at a man the way you're doing it means something."
Bella shook her head, trying to deny what they both knew was happening. She had solid, mature reasons to ignore her impulses, but they were all escaping her at the moment. All she could think about was getting that damn towel off of him.
"I'm sorry if this isn't what you wanted to happen but I can't ignore it any longer. I have to know... why did you ask me to stay here? Why did your eyes glaze over when you cleaned my wounds? Why do your scrambled eggs taste so fucking good? Why are you afraid to be honest with me?"
"I don't want to be another bimbo scandal for the media. As far as they are concerned you're a married man," she managed to answer.
"Is that all that's stopping this? My marriage is long over, Bella. I wouldn't be standing here with you if it wasn't. I care about you, and would make sure your privacy was protected. I've kept my separation quiet for four months. I can keep us a secret too, if that's what you want. I'm a politician for fuck's sake; we know how to keep secrets," he joked.
Bella couldn't help feeling moved by his fervent plea. It seemed absurd to think he could really be interested in her, but when her eyes lifted to his she knew there was no use resisting any longer. The expression on his face was serious; he wanted her, the same way she wanted him.
"I asked you to stay here because I wanted to make sure you were taking care of yourself and I liked the idea of spending time alone with you. I stared at your body because you are surprisingly fucking hot under those suits you always wear. And I've been afraid to tell you how I really feel because the truth is I do want you, okay? Is that what you want to hear?"
"Why would it be surprising to you that I'm fucking hot?" he asked with a straight face though she knew he was teasing her.
"Don't laugh at me," she chided playfully. "Despite every reason why I tell myself that this is wrong I still want you so bad."
"Come here, Bella," he breathed, all humor gone from his voice.
She took a tentative step towards him, but in the confines of the small bathroom that was all it took to bring them within inches of touching. Edward breathed deeply and parted his lips but made no motion towards her. He wanted it to be her decision to cross that line.
Just when he was beginning to fear that Bella would reject his advances she lifted her face to him and pushed up on her tip toes to reach his mouth. The moment their lips connected felt like fireworks on the Fourth of July. Her little hands threaded into his hair and pulled his head down so she could kiss him more deeply. Edward groaned as her tongue slid into his mouth. His arms encircled her slender frame and pulled her flush against his body. The passion in his kiss matched hers as they battled back and forth for dominance.
"See?" he said when they parted for air. "If this is so wrong then why does it feel so damn right?"
Bella moaned and sucked his tongue back into her mouth. She was losing control of herself, completely drowning in sensation. Edward's cock was hardening against her belly and all she could think about was getting it inside her in any capacity. His hands rubbed up and down her back as they kissed, and soon ventured down further. Bella loved how it felt when his hands gave her ass a firm squeeze. The only coherent thought she had was the awareness that he was still injured. She didn't want to hurt him in any way that would make him have to stop what they were doing.
The aggression behind Bella's kiss was a major turn on. Edward could hardly believe this was the same blushing woman he'd spent the last few days with. She was passionate and frantic to touch every inch of him she could. The way her fingers tugged on the roots of his hair was enough to drive him insane. Edward quickly assessed the lingering pain in his left arm and thought it was manageable. He tried lifting Bella up to take her out to the bed but quickly realized the gash in his side wasn't going to cooperate. The doctor had said not to lift anything weighing over twenty pounds for at least a week, which apparently included sexy young speech writers.
Bella saw the pain in Edward's face when he tried to pick her up and quickly formulated an alternate plan. "Sit on the edge of the tub," she demanded breathlessly.
He did as she asked, excited to see Bella taking the lead, and in return she threw off the t-shirt she'd been wearing.
"Take off that fucking towel," she breathed.
"Show me your fucking tits," he retorted.
Bella had never heard him curse before; it was oddly erotic. She reached behind her back and unhooked the pink bra she wore. Edward's eyes widened as it fell to the floor. Then she smiled brazenly and palmed her supple breasts, juggling them up and down and pinching her nipples until they were hard peaks pointing in his direction. He reached out his arms to her, coaxing her to come to him.
"My turn to see you, Senator," she cooed, reminding him that his eyes were still fixated on her breasts.
Edward chuckled and raised his gaze to her eyes. He was pleased to see her face was bright with excitement and she was biting that lower lip enticingly. He pulled the towel away from his body in a teasingly slow fashion, exposing his long thick length to her.
"Come sit in my lap," he urged.
Bella shook her head as she shimmied out of her blue jeans. Edward's cock was even bigger than she'd imagined and the first thing she planned to do was see how much of it she could stuff into her mouth. She dropped to her knees, kneeling on the purple bath mat and running her hands up Edward's muscular thighs.
"Oh, Bella," he moaned when he realized what she was about to do.
She smirked at him and licked her lips. Edward braced himself on the edge of the bathtub and closed his eyes as Bella's hot mouth engulfed him. He hadn't had a woman pleasure him in that way in quite some time. He recalled that on the last occasion where Rosalie did, it wasn't with nearly that much fervor. Edward gasped as Bella sucked his cock slowly, in a painfully teasing manner. He knew he wouldn't last long the way she was circling him with her tongue and nipping his sensitive skin with her teeth.
"You have to take it easy, baby. It's been a while for me," he said in between moans of pleasure.
Bella smiled around his erection and slowly backed off. "What do you suggest then?"
"Sit on me. I want to feel what it's like to be inside you."
When she stood up Edward grabbed her hips and pulled her stomach against his face. He kissed her smooth skin over and over working his way up to her breasts. His mouth pulled her taut pink nipple into his mouth and sucked hard on it making her gasp. Edward moved to the other side, lavishing equal attention to her other perfect tit. He would have been content nuzzling her naked body much longer, but Bella had an aching need between her legs that she couldn't ignore.
She gently pushed him away and climbed into his lap. Their eyes met as she placed her hands on his shoulders and sank down over his cock. He felt amazing inside her and Bella got the intense, familiar urge to start rocking against his hips. As soon as she did she saw Edward wince in pain.
"That hurts you?" she breathed.
"The thrusting," he groaned. "Fuck, I wish it didn't, but it pulls on my side..."
"It's okay, don't hurt yourself," Bella replied. "We'll find another way."
She stopped moving over him and just reveled in the full feeling of his cock inside her. Bella ran her hands through his hair and kissed him passionately until her sex fogged brain could think of another way to fuck him without putting strain on his wound.
"I got it," she finally said and eased off him entirely.
"That's no solution," he whined, feeling the loss of her pussy to be agonizingly more painful than his stupid stitches.
"Shut up and put your good arm around me," Bella giggled as she turned around.
Edward obeyed as she faced away from him and sat on his lap in that position. "Fuck," he whispered as she mounted him, bent forward and holding onto the edge of the sink for support. He had no idea she would be so adventurous; he could only imagine what they would be like together once he was healthy again.
"How does that feel?" Bella asked over her shoulder.
"Like fucking Heaven, baby."
Bella started rocking her hips, testing to see how Edward would handle it. There were no complaints after a few thrusts so she experimented with a faster pace. Edward moaned in pleasure and moved his left hand up to fondle her bouncing breasts. His other hand traveled south to finger her clit so Bella assumed that meant he was in no pain. It was game on.
She rode him hard for as long as her legs would support her in that position. She would be sore the next day but didn't care what price she'd pay for the kind of pleasure that was about to explode from within her. Edward's fingers worked her over until she was close to falling apart. His breathing was getting louder and knew he was getting close too. She never wanted it to end but before long she felt herself losing control.
"Come with me," she begged, knowing that she couldn't hold out much longer.
"I'm ready," he panted in reply.
Bella picked up the pace, ignoring the ache from her thigh muscles. The ache between her legs was taking precedent. Edward whimpered and quickened the circling of his fingers around her clit. It was a maddening feeling for him to resist the immense urge to thrust his hips against her ass, but also oddly erotic to stay still and let Bella control their movements.
"I'm coming," she yelled. "Oh, God Edward!" He felt her clench around him and it set off his own orgasm. Together they fell over the edge, holding each other tight as they rode out the waves of pleasure.
"My God, Bella. That was... Earth shattering," Edward said when he could finally think straight again.
Bella was still catching her breath and leaning forward against the sink. Carefully she pulled herself off his dick and sat back against his chest. Edward nuzzled his face against her neck and wrapped his arms around her waist. He kissed her neck and nibbled on her ear.
"Can you stand, Edward. I want to take you back to bed."
"I think so," he said and managed to get up without her assistance.
They walked through the apartment together and turned down the covers on the bed. Bella snuggled up next to him, lying on her stomach so they were facing each other. Flashes of what just transpired between them kept popping into her head and she couldn't believe she'd had the nerve to just have her way with Senator Cullen like that. Where had that Bella been hiding, she wondered?
"What are you thinking about," Edward asked. "You have an awfully big grin on your face."
"I think it's because I'm happy," she replied.
"I'm happy too. And I just realized Chris Cuomo was wrong."
"About what?" Bella chuckled.
Edward cupped her face with his hand and rubbed his thumb along her cheek. "About the attack being an October Surprise. It may affect the election polls for a couple days, but once I get out there and people see that I'm fine it won't matter. So that means it's you."
"What's me?" she asked confused.
"You're my October surprise, Bella."
She smiled and scooted up higher on the bed to kiss him. "Buttermilk," Bella said sleepily.
"Excuse me?"
"In the eggs. I whisk them with buttermilk before scrambling."
Edward chuckled under his breath and kissed Bella's forehead. Their bodies snuggled closer under the covers as they fell asleep tangled together, Senator Cullen and his October surprise.
A/N: Please leave me a review! I need positive reinforcement.