Disclaimer: All characters/Twilight belong to S Meyer – I just like to play a little.

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CHAPTER 2

Bella sighed as she looked in the rear view mirror again. How would she ever explain this 'adventure'? She laughed quietly, NOONE would believe her. She didn't even believe her! Edward Cullen sprawled out across the back seat of the rusty Uno? Not possible. But as she snuck another look at him, she saw again the dark circles under his eyes. They looked almost like bruises. He seems vulnerable, sad almost. She felt a feeling of protectiveness inside herself. Now she really did snort, yeah, like he needed to be protected, from her probably.

She saw the sign for the town and began to slow down. She needed to wake him up. She drove slowly through town and parked near the square, under some trees. She turned to wake him and found those green eyes looking at her.

Edward ran a hand over his face and through his hair. "Fuck, I'm so tired." He said quietly, almost to himself.

Bella shifted in her seat. "There is a baseball cap in a beach bag there. Also a pair of Aviators. Put them on. It is quiet outside today, too hot and Siesta is just over. Come on." She spoke quickly and opened her door. Climbing out, she reached in and pulled her seat forward.

Edward got out. Bella laughed "Oh! We are fucked! This won't work. Baseball cap and a tuxedo? Take the jacket off, roll up the sleeves and untuck the shirt." Shestood frowning up at him. "Hmmm. Well, it's better than nothing I suppose." And with that she turned and began to cross the street.

Edward was dumbstruck. Who was this girl? One minute, he was sure she was coming on to him and the next she was dismissing him like he was nothing special.

´You are nothing special Dickward! ´ He could hear Emmett in his head. He watched as Bella stood on the other side of the road. She looked impatient, almost like she was waiting for an annoying pet to behave it's self. The word 'pet' conjured up something quite different for Edward and he felt a slight tightening in his gut. He shook his head slightly and quickly crossed the street.

"Took you long enough! Is everything okay?" Her voice was slightly husky again and although she tried to sound irritated, he could hear a little apprehension in her tone.

"Sure. Just trying to get my bearings. So, where are we headed?" he matched his footsteps to her as she was about a foot shorter than him. Out of habit he kept his head down and angled towards her.

Bella licked her bottom lip. "Um, clothes first, and then some toiletries and then some groceries. Is that okay with you?"

He just nodded as she looked up at him. A few feet up the road and she turned and bumped into him."Sorry! We are going in here" she pointed to a clothing shop. "Not designer stuff, but good cheap clothes."

When she said "cheap" Edward suddenly got a horrible feeling. Money. He needed money and he had none. FUCK! Alice normally took care of these things. He felt a rush of anger at his fuzz brained sister for screwing up this trip. He turned away from Bella "Fuck! Fuck!", He muttered under his breath. He pinched the bridge of his nose. He stood glaring down at the ground, lost in thought, when he felt a small hand on his arm. He jumped slightly and turned to face Bella.

She saw the flash of anger and stepped back from him, quickly dropping her hand. She blushed scarlet. "S...Sorry! Um, is there are problem? She stammered.

"Oh Bella! It's not you; I was just realizing that I don't have any money on me. Alice usually does this stuff and all I've got is my passport." He looked frustrated and uncomfortable.

"Well, it sounds like Alice is taking far too much blame here. You really should do things for yourself sometimes. Not leave everything up to your… person. Don't worry about the money for now. Let me do this and you can just pay me back when you have some money." She laughed up at him " it's not like I don't know who you are, Sparky" This time she grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the shop.

Edward just let her pull him along behind her. She teased him like he was just a regular guy, but she didn't seem completely at ease. He frowned slightly and he was almost frog marched along. She was a bit of any enigma. He liked her spunky, quick wit and her attitude. She seemed to bounce back from a bad mood quickly. That bottom lip and that tiny pink tongue, damn, she made him want to do things to her. Edward smirked as he watched he pull a couple of shirts off a rack. She would no doubt have a nervous breakdown if she could see what he wanted to do to her. If she knew what he was – in private – behind closed doors...

"Earth to Edward!" Edward blinked and stared as Bella shook a shirt in front of him. "Is this one okay? He looked down and pulled a face, "I'm getting a choice? Now that is a first! I normally get told what to wear and when." He looked at the size of the shirt she was holding up and smirked. "Too small, little girl" He said quietly, and sniggered.

Bella thought she would die now. The Voice. Like verbal sex. This made her blush. Thankfully, Edward had taken the shirt and turned away towards the shelf. The voice made Bella want to go home and open the box she had hidden in her closet. STOP! She shouted to herself. He would be totally disgusted and shocked if he knew what she was - in private – behind closed doors...

Edward held a blue cotton shirt as well as a grey one. A couple of pairs of jeans which looked okay, actually. He had also found some boxers and a couple of tee shirts. Bella had added a pair of sleep pants, socks and a pair of sneakers. Edward had protested, he hated shoes at the best of times and had said that he would never wear them. She had also added a cable knit jersey, saying that the weather could turn soon.

Well it was mid September. Next they walked into a mini supermarket and Bella called out a greeting to the cashier. She took a trolley and made her way down the isles. They came to the toiletries section "I don't mind sharing, Edward, but I'm not sure you want to smell like Orange blossoms and strawberries, so you may want to grab some stuff."She was pulling the piss out of him again. She seemed to get some sort of enjoyment out of it. Two could play that game.

He leaned in close and whispered into her ear, his lips almost touching her lobe "What else do you like to share, Bella?" He chuckled as he heard her gasp and saw the blush in her cheek and tips of her hears. Quickly he moved away and grabbed some toothpaste and a toothbrush, as well as shower gel, deodorant, shaving cream and a disposable razor. A small bottle of shampoo and conditioner and he was set.

As he threw the items into the trolley, he saw that she looked really uncomfortable and nervous again. Shit! Him and his big mouth. He was such an idiot! "Bella, I'm sorry, I was just fucking with you. You don't have to be nervous around me. You are safe okay?" Without thinking he reached down and had taken her wrist in his hand. Now he stood gently rubbing his thumb over the delicate bones of her wrist. So beautiful, he thought. "Please look at me." She looked up at him and he saw the slight irritation and a little bit of excitement as well as, shame? "You are safe with me." He said again.

She smirked at him "Said the spider to the fly..." and she laughed "Come on Sparky, I'm getting hungry", and she walked towards the front of the store. Edward just shook his head and followed. Maybe she was a little unstable.

While Bella was paying, she asked him to take the bags to the car. She gave him the keys and asked him to put everything on the back seat, and the trunk didn't open.

He smiled to himself. His family would love to see him in this car. He had never driven a car like this. Even at sixteen, his first car had been a silver Volvo. Bought with his own money from his first movie. He smiled at the memory. What would surprise people was that he still drove a Volvo most times; just that now it was an SUV. And his second car was an Aston Martin Vanquish.

After the bags were stowed in the back he leaned back against the car and waited for Bella. He was her come out of the market with a tall, dark haired man. Edward looked at her. Her black ankle length gypsy style skirt was light and drifted around her as she walked. She was wearing a white cotton top that slipped off one shoulder and revealed a thin white strap beneath. The man reached out and pulled her top up. Edward saw her frown slightly and step back. He felt his fists clench. He wanted to smack the man's hand and pull her away. WHAT? That's ridiculous, he thought to himself.

Bella laughed again and mock punched the man's stomach and she turned to cross the road to him again. When she reached the car, she waited for Edward to move out the way, but he stood there frowning down at her.

"What?" she looked irritated again.

"Boyfriend?" he almost growled "I thought you were here alone" his tone was accusing.

"Relax, Sparky. He is my or our landlord's son" She motioned to the car door "Can you move? We should be getting home".

He quickly opened the door and she got in. He closed it and moved around to the passenger door and got in quickly.

She started the car and pulled out. "We will be there in about 15 minutes." she said without looking at him.

Now he turned to study her. She was quite beautiful. Not in the classical sense of the word, but the delicate bone structure of her face and hands, he saw feint traces of color on her fingers.

"So your name, is Bella short for something?"

"Isabella"

"So you are an artist" He said.

"Trying to be." She laughed

"What medium do you prefer?"

She scrunched her nose a little. Cute. "All really, I enjoy acrylics and water colors and charcoal as well. So, I suppose I haven't found the one thing. I even take photographs. I took a course in school and enjoyed it."

She bit her bottom lip "So what brings you to Italy?"She asked

Edward let out a hiss of irritation. Would the questions start now? "Premier." He said shortly.

She shifted uncomfortably and he saw the blush on her cheeks and neck "Sorry. I didn't mean to pry..."

Now he felt bad. "I'm sorry. I enjoy the fact that you don't pry. This is my last stop on a long promotional tour and I'm just so sick of the attention, you know?"

Now she looked at him. "It's okay Edward. And I can understand, I hate any kind of attention or fuss."

They drove in silence and Edward noticed that they were turning off the main road and onto a gravel pathway. He saw a group of trees and as Bella drove past them he saw a Red Cottage tucked up against the grove. His eyes felt heavy. He hadn't slept properly in nearly 48 hours, with travelling and time changes.

She pulled the car to the front of the cottage and stopped. "Welcome to Villa Rossini" she said in a fake deep voice "not much, but its home for now" She opened her door and laughed. "You did say quiet, right? Well there's not much here except, me, a few birds, lots of trees oh and cell phone reception, if you are lucky. Come on, I show you around."

Suddenly Edward was tired. He was so very tired. He got out the car and felt like he was going to fall over. "Hey!"He felt her arms go around his stomach and he gripped her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" he could hear the concern in her voice. "Tired" was all he muttered.

"Come on, lets get you to bet then" Edward let out a bark of laughter "So forward, Isabella" and Bella clicked her tongue "Oh! Shut up! You know what I mean."

She was leading him inside. It was cool and smelled like her. He felt himself being guided down a hall and had a dim recollection of greens and reds and stone and then she was pushing him gently backwards and he felt cool cotton behind him. "Gooood" he muttered and then he felt gentle fingers graze his jaw. "Sleep now" she whispered. And quiet darkness closed around him.

Bella watched him as he lay on his back with his legs dropping off the side of the bed. She knew that he wouldn't be comfortable for long. She needed to unpack the groceries.

She closed the curtains in the bedroom quickly and turned on the aircon. She walked out and closed the door. As she walked down the hall way to the little 'great 'room that comprised of the kitchen, dining room and lounge area, she grinned to herself. Edward Cullen was in, okay so ON her bed.

The funny thing was that she didn't really see him like that impossibly handsome movie star. Not now, she thought back to this morning and all that had happened and realized with a little shock that as soon as they had connected on the side of the road, he had just become Edward. Just Edward. A man. And yes, a very, gorgeous, beautiful man, but just Edward, none the less. She smiled to herself. Her friend, sort of. For now.

She unpacked groceries and took out his clothes and toiletries. She headed back down the short hallway and opened the door "Edward?"

He hadn't moved in the last 15 minutes. He was snoring slightly and he was frowning. His hand moved to his shirt. He was probably uncomfortable, she thought, She needed to take some of his clothes off. She felt her hands shake at the thought – Oh come on Bella, grow a pair! She thought to herself, he is just a man like any other, like... Charlie. And then she really wanted to laugh, so not like Charlie. But she had experience in undressing her father as he had lay in a drunken stupor numerous times.

She moved quietly over to the bed and kneeled down and untied his shoes. She slipped them off and then took off his socks. No smell – so unlike Charlie! She sat back, okay, now for the shirt. She came up onto her knees and began to unbutton the crisp white shirt, damp with his sweat. Normally this would repulse her, but she felt slightly aroused by the smell of sweat, mint and wood that came from him. You are sick! She thought to herself, as she gently rolled him over to pull his arm out of the sleeve. Turning him towards her she maneuvered his other arm free.

Fuck me! What a body. He was well built but trim, muscular but tapered. She itched to touch the hair that covered his chest and then she looked down to the trail of dark hair that led from his navel to his… Oh Sweet Heavens above!

She reached for his belt and heard him moan. Her eyes flew up, but she saw that he was still sleeping. Oh good, he couldn't see the lunatic that was undressing him, wanting to have her mouth all over his body! Focus! She thought, as she quickly unbuckled his belt and pulled it off.

Without giving herself time to think, she unbuttoned his pants and slid the zip down, being careful not to touch ANYTHING! At that moment Edward shifted and lifted his hips slightly, so she gripped his pants and pulled them over his hips and down his legs.

Thank God he was wearing boxers! Now in a hurry, Bella quickly gathered all of his clothes and carried them out to the kitchen.

She tossed his socks and shirt in the washing machine, along with the clothes that she had bought for him. She folded his tux pants and put them on a hanger together with the bowtie and jacket.

She felt his phone in his jacket pocket and pulled it out. He had turned it off, so she left it on the counter. She started the washing machine and quickly ate an apple. She took the art supply bag that she had with her and headed up to the little loft area that was open to the lounge. Her canvases were up here. There was also a pull out couch and an old arm chair. In the corner sat an old upright piano, which her landlord had told her was his mothers.

Upon returning to the kitchen, Bella picked up Edward's cell phone and the bag of toiletries and went into the bedroom. She put the cell phone on the side table and went into the bathroom and put his things on the shelf above the sink.

Back in the bedroom, she picked up the thermal throw and pulled it over his body. He had turned now and was lying across the bed with his head buried in the pillows. Her eyes travelled up his back. It was toned and muscled and lightly tanned, his arms looked strong and she felt fission of desire wash over her. No drooling now, Bella, she thought and quickly, before he caught her eye fucking him, she left the room again.

Bella pulled out a bottle of water and sat at the kitchen counter. Well this was a turn of events she had not foreseen.

The Tuesday had started off normal enough! Bella looked at the clock over the stove, it was late already, no wonder she was feeling hungry, as she was about to slip off the bar stool she heard a knock at the door. She jumped and for a moment felt fearful. Had they been followed after all?

"Bella?" she smiled with relief as she heard Angelo's voice. "Hi Angelo" she smiled at the tanned wrinkled face of her landlord and friend for the summer. "Marko phoned and told Maria that you have a guest?" DAMN! Small towns. She tried to find a suitable lie. She was a terrible liar at the best of times. "Um, yes. My... friend from back home came to visit me for a few days. He's sleeping at the moment. Jet lag" she could feel the blush start. Angelo smiled at her. "A friend is good to have around, Bella. Maria says you are alone too much. She makes supper for you and your friend."

Bella noticed the dish in Angelo's hands for the first time. "Thank you! She really didn't have to." Now she felt bad for the little white lie. But it wasn't really. He was her friend and he was staying for a few days.

Angelo smiled again and looked down the passage towards the closed bedroom door. "Is nothing. She make too much Ravioli anyways." Bella loved the thick Italian accent and the charming way he spoke English to her.

"Gracie" she murmured and took the dish from him. She put it into the oven and turned back to him. "I must be going. Be safe Bella." And he tipped his hat and left.

Bella heaved a sigh of relief when Angelo left with a wave. She felt so protective of Edward. He seemed to be in a vulnerable state and she wanted him to feel safe. She knew what it was like to feel scared and alone.

FLASHBACK

Once again she was standing in her bedroom, facing Jacob and his anger. He had been supposed to make her feel safe because he had been her friend for so long and her boyfriend for almost a year. She could smell the alcohol coming off him. They had been to a graduation party at Mike Newton's place and Mike had once again come on to her. She had told him to leave her alone, she hated these parties. Everyone always got drunk and stupid and she didn't drink, because of living with an alcoholic father, it repulsed her. Jacob had insisted they go. He had been acting odd for some time, getting angry with her, bossing her around especially after what she had told him.

Jacob has caught her with Mike and had dragged her out of the house. She had shouted at him that he was hurting her, but he didn't stop pulling her until he got her home. Charlie was snoring in front of the television as usual and Jacob didn't even hesitate before he almost ran up the stairs. Bella tripped and he just pulled her up "Fuck! You are so fucking clumsy, get in here now!" He almost spat at her.

Bella stood in her room, crying and staring at the boy that she thought she had once loved "What the fuck is wrong with you Jacob?" she shouted,

She didn't see it coming, when his hand landed across her cheek and she flew backwards into her bed.

"You don't listen, Bella. You are a cocktease and a bad one at that."

She was shocked. "Jacob..."she began to sob.

"Shut up! You are a little slut and you want to fuck everyone but me, Bella!"He moved towards her,

She scrambled to her feet. She was crying and shaking "GET OUT JAKE. LEAVE ME ALONE! MY FATHER WILL KILL YOU!"

Jacob laughed "YOUR FATHER? He may be the Chief of Police, but he is a drunk, Bella and he doesn't give a shit about you, he never has. You are a fucking dead weight around his neck!"

"Jacob. Get out of my room and my house. It's over. I never want to see you again."

Jacob gave her a disgusted look. "You are nothing to me anymore Bella. You are sick and deranged, you have sick ideas. I the guys that you want it rough and they think you are a fuck up like your parents."

"You want me to control you? To dominate you? Okay Bella, here I come…" Bella felt the fear in her 18 year old heart, he kept coming and she had nowhere to go….

END FLASHBACK

With some effort, Bella shook off the memory and quickly made a salad. She check that the Ravioli was warming up and moved to take the clothes out of the washing machine and she transferred the washing to the tumble dryer. She thought of Edward again and laughed to herself when she remembered that in her old bedroom in Forks, there was a poster of the man sleeping in her bed on her wall. When her food was ready, Bella dished up and poured herself a glass of wine. She put her ipod on and sat at the kitchen counter eating and listening to music. It wasn't really late, only past 8pm, but Bella was quite tired after the day's events and the heat drained the energy out of her.

She quietly walked into the bedroom. Edward lay much the same as earlier. Bella quietly pulled out a pair of sleep shorts and a tank top and slipped into the bathroom. She stood under the cool water and sighed. All the tension of the day washed away. She quickly washed her hair and body and stepped out. She dried off quickly, did her ablutions and brushed her teeth. She pulled a comb through her hair and got dressed.

She walked over to the bed. Edward lay on his stomach still, the blanket had slipped down. Bella pulled it up a little but pulled back as she felt the over whelming compulsion to run her fingers over the plains of his back. She couldn't see his face, as it was hidden in her pillow, but his hair was that perfect just fucked look that it always seemed to have. She smiled as she took a pillow off the bed and quietly left the room. "Goodnight Sparky" she whispered.

There were spare blankets sheets in the closet in the hallway and Bella found what she was looking for. She took her bundle upstairs. On her first day here, Maria had shown her that the couch in the loft pulled out into a bed, so Bella removed the cushions and quickly made up her bed.

She heard the alarm on the dryer and went downstairs to fold the clothes from the dryer. She quickly iron his two new shirts as well as the dress shirt that he wore that day. Once the washing was folded, Bella secured the front door and left one lamp burning in the kitchen area in case Edward woke up.

She climbed into bed and closed her eyes, to the sound of his voice in her head and those green eyes and crooked smile. She smiled to herself and felt the quiver of anticipation over what tomorrow would bring.