Chapter 2
I was rummaging through Emmett's pack, trying to find something that would keep them warm and insulated through the night. Emmett shivered and tugged on the zipper of his fleece as if it could go higher. Edward wore nothing more than a damp, threadbare sweatshirt that was flipping me off. His jaw was clenched, probably to keep it from chattering more than from irritation. However, I was pretty sure he was indeed pissed. I, on the other hand, was flabbergasted.
"Where did you get this shit?" I asked, holding up a blue enamelware mug. "Walmart?"
Edward growled. "We're in the fucking middle of nowhere. Where are we supposed to get camping gear?"
Emmett chuckled. "How'd you know? Walmart. Shit, now that's a story."
This garnered a glare from Edward. Why the hate? Maybe he had anger management issues.
"That's the problem, this is camping gear, genius. You need climbing gear." I couldn't believe how careless and irresponsible they had been. "You have no business being out here," I mumbled more to myself than to anyone else.
"It's not like we planned on still being out here, Bella!" he shouted, stressing the disdain on my name. He turned his glare towards Emmett.
"We just thought...we just wanted...to see more. Learn the terrain, get a feel." Emmett flashed his blues eyes in my direction and sheepishly explained. Yeah, that's totally believable.
"Seriously?" I rolled my eyes at them. "What the hell you are doing twelve miles off of the main trail with nothing more than a CLIF bar and one blue cup, I will never understand. You told me you were hiking to Bear Point." I was, of course, referring to the conversation we had earlier today when fate decided to pull the rug out from under me...again.
"Hey, it's Bella! Look!"
I lost my breath and grasped at my heart as the my blood pounded in my ears. This happens when you are in the middle of bumble fuck Oregon and you hear a strange voice call your name. I steadied myself as I took in the sight before me. Impossible.
"Oh my god! Emmett?" I squeezed my eyes shut and reopened them, still unbelieving. Now, coming towards me, in all their glory, were Emmett McCarty and Edward Cullen. I couldn't keep the smile from breaking out across my face. "What in the hell are ya'll doing here?" I referred to both Emmett and Edward, but I refused to directly address the latter. Still, after three months, his attitude and comments at the pool left me feeling hostile and confused.
"We're hitting Bear Point." Emmett pulled the straps on his backpack. It was huge...and camo.
"Are you camping?" I kicked the dirt with my boot and quickly scanned Edward from the bottom up. I inadvertently shook my head at his shoes. Chucks? On a mountain? I took a deep breath and continued. Green shorts covering most of his legs. Hmm, I could see the definition in his calves. Standard white, v-neck t shirt that stretched nicely across his broad chest. Aloof stance with his arms crossing his chest and his chin down. Trusty Risky Business glasses. Baseball hat. Scowl. Just as I realized my once over had turned into a complete survey, he cleared his throat. Wow. He looked good. And clean.
I was suddenly aware that I had not seen my reflection in about 4 days...the last time I showered and shaved. Shit. I ran my hand threw my hair then panicked as it got caught between my forehead and my ear. Not good. I gave it a sly tug and my hand came free. Ouch.
"No, just a day hike. We've got to be back in LA Thursday. Just taking advantage of the break to check on the progress of Ed's house. It's looking good." He looked over at Edward expectantly. Even Emmett realized Edward had swallowed the mute pill.
"Yeah, well, Bear Point is a great hike. You'll love it. Stay on the marked trail and you should be good. It has several trails that feed into it."
"Cool. What about you? What'cha got in that pack? A twelve-year old?" he questioned, tipping his chin towards my huge mountaineering pack, his eyes twinkling.
Edward pursed his lips and looked to the side clearly bored with this encounter. What was it about me that made him so uncomfortable?
"Yeah, um, no. Um, gear, everything." I laughed. "I'm hoping to stay for a few days. We are supposed to get some weather tonight, so the morning shots should be great." I really was excited, after two months of dry hot days, storms were finally starting to work their way over the ridge. I was looking forward to the cool front and maybe even some rain to wash off the layer of dust.
"So, we'll let you get to it." Mr. Social finally spoke up.
Emmett sighed and shot a look in Edward's direction before returning his gaze on me. "You're going at it alone? You sure you'll be all right?" His brow creased in genuine concern.
"It's not my first time camping alone. I'll be perfect." I smiled. "It was great seeing you again, Emmett." I crossed the imaginary dividing line between us and gave him an awkward hug around the backpacks. His arms stretched around me, and I could feel his chest flex as he laughed again.
"You have some serious shit in that pack, Bella. Seriously, what's in there."
"Come on now, I'm a lady. If you want to see my gear, I expect dinner first." I winked, then stepped back. "Edward." I nodded a farewell. That was all he was getting from me. He didn't like me and I didn't care for him either. We had a clear understanding in that respect.
"We have gorp. You know good old raisins and peanuts!" Emmett shouted as I walked away. "Does that count as dinner?" I glanced over my shoulder to find his face all lit up with a killer smile. "I really want to know what's in your pack!"
"Dream on, big boy!" I yelled back, giving him a wave goodbye and turning my head so he couldn't see the huge smile on my face. He was entertaining. And cute.
He didn't look so cute at the moment, freezing his ass off beside me. "We just got turned around," he chattered. "It was an easy mistake. The trails are marked for shit."
He was right about the trails. For such a popular trail, it was not clearly marked, but these two were way off course. They had wound up spending the better part of the day traipsing through dense forest with rainwater and dew drenching their socks, shoes, and entire lower bodies. Wet clothes, no food, and freezing temperatures. They were damn lucky they found me.
I had plenty of supplies to get us through the night and off the mountain. I had yet to share my stash as I want to see what I could scrounge from their backpack. I didn't find much though. The infamous bag of gorp. Two mint chocolate chip CLIF bars. An entire box of hot chocolate packets. One fantastic blue speckled cup. That was one cup. Were they going to share? I dug further. Aside from their water bottles, I found a Coleman ice pick, some heavy twine, gum, an opened mini pack of tissue, bug spray, a whistle, and a snake bite kit. Nothing to keep them warm or dry.
I shook my head at their ignorance. I expected nothing from Edward, but Emmett had hiked the Grand Canyon, he should have known better and I called him on it. "What were you thinking, Emmett? You had to make the decision to go to Jefferson Park well before missing any trail head that would lead you here."
Eyes down, Emmett began, "Well, I thought..."
"He thought we could catch you. Maybe work the summit trail with you," Edward interrupted with an edge to his voice. His eyes were livid. "Of all the stupid…" He glared at Emmett. My assessment was right, he had obviously moved passed the panic of being lost at this point, he was just mad.
"You got something to say, Pretty Boy?" Emmett challenged.
Edward laughed bitterly. "The irony! We are hunting down a fucking photographer into the wilderness!" He turned his anger on me. "What the fuck are you even doing out here anyway?"
I could feel my eyes widen at his audacity. I dropped the pack on the ground in front of me. I had my beanie cap on and my hair was keeping my neck warm. My down jacket usually kept me at a comfortable body temperature, but at Edward's words, I could feel myself heat to the boiling point.
"Clearly, I am trying to get a prized photo of two jackasses, freezing their asses off while sharing a tender moment over a single cup of hot cocoa!" I shouted as I pull out my camera and aimed it at him.
In a blur of arms and straps, Edward lunged at me. My heart stuttered as I thought for a moment he was going to hit me.I jumped back, dropping my camera. I rolled backward off the stump I had been sitting on and fell to the dusty ground. Before he could reach me, Emmett jumped up and grabbed him by the arm and shoulder.
"Dude! What the fuck?"
Wild eyed, Edward looked like a caged animal. His chest swelled with deep breaths. He clenched his hands into fists and closed his eyes as Emmett pulled him back, positioning himself between Edward and me.
Emmett stared him down. "You need to chill the fuck out!"
"Motherfuck!" Edward shouted, opening his rage-filled eyes again. "I don't want to relive this nightmare on every newsstand of from here to London!"
Emmett's voice was surprisingly calm. "I think you're overreacting. No one wants to take your fucking picture here! You are being neurotic! No one knows you here, man!"
"You're kidding me, right? Look at us!" He waved his hand in the air at their pathetic state. "One shot bankrolls her for a fucking year!"
"So, what's your plan, Einstein? You're going to physically assault the only person that can get us off this fucking mountain in one piece? Get a grip! You are such a fucking asshole sometimes!"
"I wasn't going to hit anyone." Edward mumbled, then shot back to Emmett, "I'm the asshole? I'm the asshole?"
"Yes! You are the fucking asshole."
"Who thought of the brilliant idea to climb a goddamn mountain with a box of raisins?"
Hearing it out loud made me giggle. This is entertaining. I bit down on my lip and checked my camera for damage while they continued.
"Well, at least my biggest concern wasn't worrying that a mountain lion was going to come out of nowhere and fucking eat me!"
"No, it was finding out whatever the fuck is in that fucking pack of hers. It was trying to get in her pants. That's what it's always about with you, isn't it?"
I was going to interrupt since he was bringing me back into this. Asshole was right. They were chest to chest, red-faced, and neither one looked like he was going to back down. I sat back down on my stump and kept my mouth shut.
"Don't fucking talk about her like that. You don't know her."
"Oh, and you do? What's to know? She's just another fucking photographer with her lens in my face. That's all I need to know."
"You are such a judgemental prick sometimes. Not everyone gives a shit about you, by the way. Maybe if you had stuck around that day at the pool, you would have found out the woman takes pictures of things, not people. Definitely not assholes like you!"
Edward stepped back and his eyes found mine for a moment before he tilted his head back and looked at the sky. I thought for a second that I might have seen a tad bit of remorse in that look he gave me. I could have been wrong, though.
The pause in their argument opened up an opportunity for me to speak. "I'm going to put my camera away. Okay?" I shoved the camera back in its bag. "Does that help? Now we're going to set up camp, start a fire, eat, and then try to sleep. When morning comes, I will help you two get off this mountain. In return, I ask that you please try to not kill one another until I am not around to witness it. Thank you very much."
I stood up as Edward stared daggers at me and Emmett looked at the ground. Gathering some wood would allow me some much needed alone time.
I zipped up my jacket and pulled on my gloves. I had made it about twenty yards away from camp when I heard heavy feet behind me. When I turned, Emmett was carrying a few good sized branches.
"Your friend is a social misfit." I handed him a few smaller branches for kindling. I figured he could be my sherpa.
"Completely. I'm really sorry about all that. I totally did not try to find you to get in your pants, by the way," Emmett said seemingly sincere.
"I'm not sure if that was an apology or an insult?" I smirked while shaking my head. He was almost irresistible.
He smiled in that way that made his dimples more obvious. "It was me trying not come off like some sort of jackass. But, if it makes you feel any better, I was kind of hoping to get you in my pants."
I laughed out loud. "Yes! I definitely feel better, but it's not happening tonight, Mountain Man. I have a single tent and one sleeping bag. The Asshole might not appreciate us doing the tent tango under his nose."
"Tent tango?" He almost dropped the firewood, he was laughing so hard. "Shit, Bella. You are one funny chick." We started heading back to our campsite, and Emmett got all serious for a moment. "Don't let him get to you. The problem is his, not yours."
"What exactly is his problem? I get that he has something against photographers and having his picture taken. But I don't understand why he's so angry all the time. How do you put up with him?" I reconsidered for a moment, continuing my thought process. "Hmmm. Maybe it's me." It usually is...
He looked at me curiously, like he was trying to figure me out for a second. "When I say Temple of Trouble what do you think of?"
He clearly wanted to change the subject from his friend to lighter topics. If he wanted to play word association with me, I figured I'd give it a go. "Well...Are we talking an actual temple? Something haunted? Human sacrifice? You aren't here to kill me, are you?"
Emmett began laughing again. "Seriously? Temple of Trouble? How about Tennessee Daniels?"
Shit, this game was hard. "Whiskey? You mean Jack Daniels? It's made in Tennessee. The temple thing is throwing me off. Country music? I got it! Getting caught drinking whiskey in a temple somewhere down south!" Now, I was laughing with him. "I've heard of some wacko religious groups in Knoxville!"
"You cannot be real, Bella Swan," he said, shaking his head and smiling at me like it was some big mystery.
"Hey." I slapped his arm playfully. "Oh contraire, I am the real deal. In fact, you're about to learn just how real with this feast I have planned for dinner tonight. You may even get a peek at what's inside my pack, Mr. McCarty." It was a shameless and probably lame attempt at flirting, but he was fun and made me feel special.
"Well, I can't wait to get in that pack of yours. Edward might be disappointed there aren't any twelve-year olds in there." I huffed and rolled my eyes. He sighed and his smile faltered a bit. "Kidding. Edward is a complicated guy. I usually put up with him because I get paid to, but there's a sweet guy in there somewhere."
He wasn't making much sense. Did he just call Edward sweet? "First of all, real men don't call other men sweet. Secondly, I can't imagine getting paid enough to put up with his attitude, but I'll take your word for it." I picked up one last piece of wood. "I think you must be a saint, Emmett McCarty."
"Hmmm, saint or sinner. I've been called both, how about you figure that one out on your own," he said as he took the piece of wood from my hands and added it to the pile in his arms and started back towards camp and bellowed, "Come on woman, feed me!"
Saint or sinner...at the moment, I was leaning heavily towards saint.
Setting the wood where I wanted the campfire, I put Emmett in charge of getting it going. I pulled some fruit and sandwiches from my pack and set them out for the boys, in case they were hungry. I set up my tent and blew up my air mattress. Unrolled my sleeping bag and pulled out my pillow. I figured I'd worry about sleeping arrangements later and got to work on dinner. I had plenty of food since I'd planned on being out for a few days. Neither man had spoken to the other since their blowup, but Emmett had polished off two of my peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I knew Edward was starving by the telltale rumble of his stomach every few minutes, but he hadn't eaten any of the food that I had set out for them. He just sat on the ground, watching Emmett stoke the fire.
I wasn't going to offer my food to him, but my stubbornness finally gave way to pity as I tossed an apple towards his lap. Never looking up, he caught the apple with his hands and immediately took a huge bite. He looked up at me as he chewed, I couldn't help a small smile from forming on my lips. Hey there, Stubborn Asshole. His eyes softened, but he never smiled back.
The tension at dinner was almost as palatable as the instant camp food we were eating. Emmett was wolfing down one beef enchilada entree with another warming by his feet. Edward was silently eating the lasagna packet while I picked at the remaining PB&J. It was pretty smushed and not very appetizing. The temperature dropped when the sun set, but the fire was strong so it was not uncomfortable.
Emmett finally broke the silence. "Is that all you're going to eat?" Saint.
"Are you worried that I don't have anything else to feed you?" I smiled. His eyes gave him away as he grinned sheepishly. "I only have one fork and one spoon," I pointed out, gesturing to the utensils they were using to eat. "I'm good with this. Eat up. I have plenty, I swear. I have eggs and oatmeal for the morning. I could even be persuaded to make pancakes!"
"You're like the Martha Stewart of camping," Emmett said with a chuckle.
"We'll see. I'm not sure I've mastered the art of making a tent out of a T-shirt or a sleeping bag out of a sock."
"I can sleep out here," Edward mumbled between bites of the cheesy goo.
"Wow Edward, what a great idea!" I mustered up as much sarcasm as I could.
"You two can have the tent to yourselves. I'll be fine." He sat up a bit straighter and looked directly at me.
What was he thinking? He was acting like Emmett and I wanted to be alone. Did he honestly think I would have sex with Emmett in the tent? With him out here, on the ground by the fire? This man was beyond ridiculous. Not to mention, there was no way he could sleep without the protection of the tent. We had to all squeeze into my small tent tonight whether we liked it or not.
"Here I just assumed you liked having fingers and toes."
"It's not that cold."
"You're sitting by a stoked fire!" My patience with him was wearing out. "You will freeze!"
"Yeah, and probably get eaten by a mountain lion!" Leave it to Emmett. I couldn't help it, I started laughing. How were these two even friends?
"Or a bear," I added, still laughing. I took the last bite of my sandwich, dusted my hands off, and stood up to set some water to boil.
"Drop dead you two," Edward snapped, but I swear I saw him almost smiling in the firelight.
"I don't think so! I'm earning my merit badge for Saving Stupid Boys Who Get Lost In The Woods, so I need you alive. We're all sleeping in the tent. So don't even think about crossing me, City Boy!" This was the most civilized conversation Edward and I had shared. It made my heart flutter in the strangest ways. Exhilarating yet nerve wracking because I wasn't sure what would set off his ire.
"Whatever, but I'm not sleeping next to him after he's eaten two packs of beef enchiladas." Edward was obviously trying to keep up his Stubborn Asshole persona, but I could see a twinkle in his eye as he looked at me while teasing Emmett.
Oh shit. What have I done? In an attempt to impress them with a hot meal, I may have just signed my death sentence in the gas chamber.
Emmett was unphased. "Fine by me, you can Bella can ziplock yourselves in the sleeping bag and I'll take the air mattress." Emmett set down his fork and stretched his arms above his head.
Oh, hell no. "We're sharing the air mattress, just like we're sharing the tent and the sleeping bag. My stuff, my rules."
"You drive a hard bargain missy, but if you make me some of that hot chocolate, you've got yourself a deal!" Emmett leaned back in and dug around in his backpack before yielding his blue cup. I made myself a cup of tea and could barely contain myself as I handed a very grateful Emmett the blue enameled cup filled with steaming hot cocoa.
"Mmmm." Emmett's face was priceless as he sipped his drink. He looked like a little boy on Christmas morning. "This is so good. Want a sip?" He leaned up and offered Edward the cup.
"Well, I aim to please, Emmett." I winked. If I could have slapped my hand to my face I would have. Did I really just say that?
I thought I heard Edward mumble, "One fucking cup..."
Emmett snickered into his mug and took another sip, blowing first. I finished my tea in a big gulp, scalding my tongue. It was one way to keep me from saying stupid flirty things.
I stirred another packet of hot chocolate into my empty cup. "Here." I pushed the cup over Edward's shoulder. Edward reached back to take the cup without look back towards me. I felt his fingers brush over mine as I let go of the handle. His touch was soft and gentle, so opposite of his demeanor. Before I could overthink the exchange, I announced, "I'm going to get ready for bed. Ya'll should do whatever you need to do as well. It's past my bedtime and I'm starting to get cold."
I pulled my toiletries bag from the tent stepped out into the darkening woods for some privacy. As I brushed my teeth, I tried to quell the nerves in my stomach. I was anxious about how things would play out in the tent. Edward was a piece of work. Thankfully, Emmett's cheery demeanor balanced out Edward's cold disposition. I spit my toothpaste out and swished some water in my mouth swished heading back to camp. Edward and Emmett were finished eating and Emmett was cleaning up. I watched as Edward tossed his drink into the fire as he stood up. Why did that hurt my feelings? It wasn't even my hot chocolate.
Emmett groused, "Offer it up next time! I would have finished that!"
"Seriously? It was fucking disgusting. It doesn't even taste like anything!"
"Dude, it's time to drop the fucking attitude. Can't you just shut up and be thankful we had a hot meal and a place to sleep tonight. You have to admit, we are totally putting her out. Eating her food, crashing her camp..."
"It's not like this is my fault. Besides, I'm sure she'll be well compensated for our mistake. What a story to tell her cronies or better yet, sell to Us Weekly!"
"Jesus, Edward. Don't you get it? She doesn't know you, man. Not a clue." Emmett chuckled. "She thought Tennessee Daniels was a distillery or something. Any opinion she has of Edward Cullen is all from you. Nice work on that, by the way. She thinks you're an ass."
"You expect me to believe she seriously has never heard of Temple of Trouble?" Edward pulled off his hat and scratched the hair above his forehead. "Has she been living under a rock?"
"There's still a thriving world outside of L.A. that doesn't give a shit what's on the cover of People Magazine. If you could clear your head from all the smog, you might remember it."
Edward pulled his hat back on and looked down at my camp mug, still in his hand. "So according to you, she's never heard of me?"
"No. Clue." Emmett chuckled and shoved his garbage into his pack. Saint.
I wasn't sure what to make of their conversation. Edward clearly thought he was someone worth knowing, but my nerves were frayed and I decided I didn't really care either way. I was losing at least three days of shooting, and I didn't have the food or the energy to finish this trip anymore. If I let myself think about how few photos I had for my upcoming opening I would have a panic attack. I'll worry about that tomorrow. Just breathe and get through the night. I remembered the beef enchiladas, maybe I shouldn't breathe too deeply. I made my way back into camp and handed Emmett my toothpaste and camp soap.
"It's going to be tight quarters. Be gentlemen and wash up a bit?"
"Toothpaste, Bella? Want my breath minty fresh?" Hmmm...sinner.
"I want to keep the air in the tent as breathable as possible," I told him, enjoying our playful banter. I handed him my package of baby wipes.
"Ha! That's going to take more than toothpaste! I've road tripped with this guy after a Taco Bell run. I hope you like brass bands because it's going to be a musical night in that tent," Edward said, swiping the toothpaste from Emmett's hand.
"Good God, Edward! Did you just make a joke?" Emmett guffawed.
"Air quality is not a laughing matter, it's a global issue," he replied in a mock-serious tone.
"Two! They were somewhat lame, but they were attempted jokes! You're on a role Edward! Maybe you should try a comedy next time." Emmett looked at me expectantly obviously proud that he was able to show me a lighter side if Edward.
"Thanks for the warning, City Boy. I would hate to die unwittingly from asphyxiation." I smiled at Edward before turning to Emmett. "I didn't think to bring my aromatherapy candles, so know when to take it outside." I winked at him. "Please."
"I swear to God, Emmett, if you pull the covers off me again, I'm going to kick your ass!"
"It is so fucking cold. I can't help it!"
The tent shook as Dumb and Dumber played tug-of-war with my sleeping bag. I had unzipped the bag and spread it across all three of us but it was like trying to share a handkerchief. At least I was I the middle and stayed relatively covered. We had pulled on all the clothes I could find that fit. Emmett was wearing my rain jacket, socks, and beanie hat. He looked like a refugee from the Titanic. Edward had my down jacket draped across his legs and my long sleeved shirt was tied around his shoulders. While I was grateful the storms I expected never passed through, the crystal clear skies let the cold air settle. The temperatures were surely below freezing. I thought the three of us would generate some body heat in the tent, but we were each maintaining a respectable distance from each other. Emmett and Edward were practically pressed against the walls of the tent and I was laying on my back staring at the ceiling. But with this battle of the blanket, Emmett's legs were tangling with mine and Edward's hands were flying over my head.
"I have nothing over here!" Edward reached across me and punched Emmett in the shoulder. "Just quit moving!"
If I wasn't so physically and emotionally exhausted, it would have been comical.
"Oh my God, stop!" I turned on my side facing Edward and backed into to Emmett before I could stop and think of what I was doing. Emmett froze as my ass pushed up against, well, I could only imagine and quickly pushed any wondering thoughts from my mind. I did however, instantly feel the warmth of Emmett's chest pressed against my back. "Edward, just scoot closer. I'm not going to bite you. If we can get closer, the bag will cover you both." I fisted the front of Edward's sweatshirt and gave it a tug pulling him closer to me. I could feel his warm breath fan across my forehead, but I kept my eyes on the ridiculous sweatshirt he was wearing. I pulled the sleeping bag across Edward's shoulders and back.
"Thank you," he said quietly. The softness in his tone made my stomach flutter. Maybe the asshole wasn't an asshole after all.
"Emmett? Are you still covered?" He gave no response, so I scooted back into him even more. "Emmett?"
"Uh, yeah. I'm good." His voice was strained and I felt him squirm a bit then settle into his space. Definitely sinner. His elbow was digging into my back, but I just kept still.
My heart was pounding as the reality of my situation took hold. I was sandwiched between two men that I barely knew. In my tent. On a mountain. I took some deep breaths to calm myself. All air quality jokes aside, I love the smell of tent air. Usually, it's a deep earthy smell of pine, dust, and nylon. Tonight, all I could smell was Edward. I was too nervous to move and my face was inches from his neck. Salt, sweat, outdoor air mixed with a faint hint of fabric softener, baby wipes, and toothpaste filled my senses, making it impossible for me to fall asleep.
I could tell by the unsteadiness of his breath that he was still awake, too. I tucked my hands under my head and closed my eyes. I tried not to move my legs. I could feel Emmett relax behind me and was glad at least one of us was asleep, or at least good at faking it. I didn't hold out much hope for myself. I wasn't freezing, but I wasn't warm either. Edward shifted around trying to get comfortable and I chanced a glance at him.
"Sorry." He stilled himself and grimaced.
"It's okay. It's not quite a five star hotel, is it?" I whispered. I felt like I was apologizing.
"It's all right." He slipped his arm out of the sleeping bag and tucked the ball of clothes, serving as his pillow, under his cheek before snuggling back under the cover.
I barely heard him as he stared down at me. "Good night."
I couldn't see the color of his eyes and tried to remember if I had even seen him without his sunglasses. He sounded tired but the the dimness of the tent and faint shadow of stubble made it hard to read his face. I felt myself heat with embarrassment either from being caught staring at him or because I couldn't offer him something more comfortable.
I shook my head at myself and closed my eyes again. "Good night, Edward."
It didn't take long for him to slip into a quiet slumber. As tired as I was, I couldn't for the life of me fall into a deep sleep. I was in and out but never sure if I was awake or dreaming. I lost all concept of time. It was dark in the tent, but the glow of the moon cast a bit of light through the tent walls. Every muscle and bone felt stiff. The arm I was laying on had fallen asleep. It was in dead limb mode. I pulled it from under my head with too much force and my hand met a stubby chin. Edward's stubby chin. He grunted and mumbled something incoherent.
My eyes flew open. Now, I was wide awake and fully conscious. I remembered where I was and who was with me. I froze. Soft steady breathing in front of me and deep throaty breaths from behind. Despite his warm and cuddly appearance, Emmett was like a brick wall - complete with rough edges and sharp angles. Something was digging into the back of my head and poking into my lower back. I hoped it was still his elbow. I tried to move again, but my legs were pinned down. I wasn't sure whose legs they were, but when I tried to slowly pull my own back towards me, it felt like they were under a steel beam. I was dying. I was so tired and so...stuck. I managed to pull one leg free before Edward breathed deeply and rolled onto his back and stretched one arm out above his head.
Shit...please don't wake up.
I laid as still as possible until I was sure he asleep. His body was radiating just the right amount of heat. I felt drawn to him now that he had rolled away. It wouldn't hurt to snuggle just a bit closer, I reasoned through my sleepy haze. I wasn't going to lay on top of him, just press myself against him and move away from Emmett, who was destined to leave bruises with those knobby elbows. I would be sure to keep my hands to myself. I just needed his body heat and soft sweatshirt. It was totally the sweatshirt that was pulling me in, I told myself.
My head fit perfectly into the space under his arm. His chest felt firm and so much better than my small camping pillow on top of the slowly deflating air mattress. I tucked my chin and snuggle closer. I could hear the steady drum of his heart beneath me. The sweatshirt was really soft, it reminded me of my cotton sheets and made me miss my bed. I mindlessly brushed my fingers across the center of his chest lulling myself into a soundless sleep.
A/N: I don't own Twilight.
This is so fun. I needed a tutorial to upload this chapter, so please know that I don't even pretend to be good at this. There are many amazing writers, I am not even pretending to be writing anything other than a very predictable, fun, light story. If you find yourself grinding your teeth, it's my fault. If you are smiling, credit goes to Troublefollows! And if you are wishing this was a better story, go read Quarterback Sneak by Jayhawkbb!
Thanks for reading and reviewing :)
