Chapter 2
BPOV
"I'm exhausted," Edward says, pulling back the covers on Emmett's guest bed. "I'm so glad we have a real bed and our own room tonight." Backpacking means sleeping in hostels, using communal bathrooms, and giving up a lot of the comforts we're used to at home.
"Me too, baby," I tell him, snuggling up to him. He kisses my shoulder before reaching across my body to switch off the lamp on our bedside table. "It was so nice of your friend to take us in. He seems really ..."
I pause purposefully, waiting for Edward to fill in the blanks. I know Emmett was a foreign exchange student who lived with Edward's family in high school. I know that they've traded letters and emails over the years, but that they haven't seen each other since then.
And after seeing Edward blush, stammer, and fucking giggle in Emmett's presence, I know there's something else going on, too.
"He's a good friend," Edward says, squeezing me tightly. His breath is warm on my face and smells like honey - a remnant of the sweet Basler Leckerli we had after dinner.
"Yeah?" I ask, my tone even, patient. I know my Edward - if I push him, he'll clam up. I stroke his forearm, my fingers making little swirls on the inside of his wrist. It's quiet for a minute, while I wait and Edward thinks.
"What?" he asks, sensing my lingering curiosity.
"You tell me what," I retort, lacing my fingers through his. I lift his hand to my mouth and kiss his knuckles one by one.
He breathes. Unfamiliar noises-quiet creaking, far-off footsteps, the low hum of Emmett's television-fill the silence.
"Em's just ... he's ..." Edward stumbles, squeezing my hand. "It's just that um ... when he lived with us, he uh ... well, we ..."
Then it clicks. A memory surfaces, from a few years ago when my relationship with Edward was new. When we were in the confess-your-secrets, explore-your-fantasies phase. His reaction to the big, sexy Swiss stud down the hall makes sense.
"That's him, isn't it? Emmett's the guy? The one you fooled around with before we met?"
www . about . ch / culture / food / basler_leckerli . html - If you're curious, here's the recipe for Basler Leckerli, Swiss honey cookies.