A/N: Thank you for your response to the first chapter…you've made me smile... :D
Thank you Kimmydonn for catching my bad, elusivetwi for your f-awesome comments and nicnicd for helping me find the pretty.
Disclaimer: Anything remotely resembling Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. Any of the stories within, belong to me. Please do not copy or translate without permission.
Land In My Arms
Chapter 2
BPOV
Los Angeles
After an unbelievably nasty fight with traffic, I arrived home from my late-afternoon class on Wednesday with a border-line migraine. Even though I was beat, I trudged my way up the stairs because the elevator in this building gave me the willies. My bag became heavier as I climbed toward the second floor.
Unlocking the door to the apartment, I pushed it open with my shoulder and threw my bag on the couch, knowing I'd end up there eventually to study. My evening was going to be long though, so after changing into comfy clothes I looked for anything to help me unwind first. Wandering back into the kitchen, I grabbed a couple of Wheat Thins to throw in my mouth, unloaded the dishwasher and went through the mail. My laptop was a definitely a no-go: my habit of getting lost in celebrity gossip for hours or looking on iTunes to create new playlists wasn't exactly conducive to getting my studying done.
Finally, when I felt I was relaxed enough to study, I made myself a cup of tea and fished my reading assignment, a text called Women and the American Experience, out of my bag.
I wasn't two pages in and then my cell phone rang. It was Edward.
"Hey," I greeted him, smiling.
"Hey yourself," he said," Not catching you at a bad time, am I?"
My body reacted immediately to the sound of his smooth voice. It was so sexy—all deep and warm. You can catch me anytime.
"Nope. Just about to dive into some reading for my seminar, but I can hold off on it. What's up?"
"I just got into LA. I'll be here a few days for some training so I thought I'd give you a call right away..."
"Cool." Wow, Bella. That's a really scintillating answer.
There was an awkward pause. I wasn't entirely sure if it was on my part or his. I was still shaking my head over my reply when he cleared his throat.
"Still feel like grabbing dinner this week?" he asked quietly.
I breathed easier, glad I hadn't run him off with my lackluster conversational skills. "That sounds like fun," I said, barely being able to hide the smile in my voice. I picked up a strand of hair and began to twirl it.
"Are you free tomorrow?"
"I am." I continued to twist the long strand of hair around my finger until it coiled on itself.
"Training goes until five, but we could meet somewhere after at around six."
"How about the Third Street Promenade? It's on Wilshire. There's a bunch of great places to grab a bite down there, and stuff to do afterward." I let go of my hair and sat up on the edge of the sofa.
He agreed, so I gave him the exact spot where we could meet, nervous anticipation building in my stomach the entire rest of the time we spoke.
The next night, I dug through my closet looking for something to wear. Casual, dude. I think. A pretty navy blue top with some flounce to it and a new pair of dark washed jeans ended up fitting the bill—I looked nice, but not overdressed.
I looked at my ass in front of the mirror after applying my favorite lip stain. I didn't wear makeup much but a little would leave me feeling a lot more confident. My jeans made my butt look great.
The sun was setting under an orange haze when I got to Santa Monica, giving the sky a beautiful, lazy feeling.. Yet, despite the relaxed feel to the evening, my nerves were beginning to show. Fidgeting while I waited, I worried that I wouldn't recognize him out of uniform. Or, possibly worse, that he wouldn't recognize me.
Get it together, Swan. Chastising myself mentally for being silly, I reasoned that we had already spent time together, although it was under a slightly alcohol-induced haze. And he'd certainly recognized me in the airport the week before...
It was then that my worries were proved unfounded.
How could I not recognize Edward? I'd know his hair and his eyes anywhere. Tall and walking toward me with a grin on his face, he stood out among the crowd in a button down shirt with rolled up sleeves and a pair of jeans. He pulled off casual just as well as he did his uniform.
I wasn't entirely sure how to greet him. Since we had been somewhat intimate already, I nervously (and gratefully) left it up to him.
I received a brief, warm hug and a murmured "Hello" after he kissed my cheek. My neck stretched to catch his clean, sexy scent as he moved away. Man, he smells fantastic. I felt the heat rise in my face—not to mention the reactions in the rest of my body.
"Hey." I smiled up at him.
"Well, you promised me good food and I'm starving. What's on the menu?"
"Are you up for some sushi?"
"I haven't had sushi in a long while. I could totally go for that."
"My favorite place is up here, then." I motioned ahead of us and turned to walk toward Sushi Roku.
Our conversation over dinner was light and easy. We talked about growing up in our respective hometowns. I was impressed to learn he grew up in Chicago and went straight into the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.
"Take it you know a senator or two?"
"Yeah. My family has been in Chicago a long time. We kind of know some people," he said as he took another California roll off of our mutual plate. "Most of that thanks belongs to my mom."
"What does she do?"
He took a sip of his beer, his tongue sweeping out for just a second to lick at his lips. "A lot of things, really, but she mainly spends her time working for different charities. Some of them are directly connected to the hospital where my dad works."
"He's a physician?"
"He's the Chief of surgery at Chicago General."
"Wow. No pressure there," I said while swirling my wasabi and soy together.
"Honestly, they've have been really supportive of everything I've done. Granted, I've pretty much always done what was expected of me, but it worked out because of what I wanted to accomplish."
Edward told me about how he started flying, his stint at the military academy which led to him flying career in the military, and his move to the Air Force Reserves so he could pursue a career with the commercial airlines. He'd done all of this at a fairly young age and seemed rather pleased with the path his career had taken. Between his jobs with the airline and the Reserves, he kept a pretty busy schedule, only allowing himself a little playtime here and there.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure." He leaned casually back against the seat, seeming so open. It was a nice trait of his—honesty from a man was a nice change.
"How do you get away with the tattoo and body piercing in the Air Force? Don't they frown on that?"
He chuckled."Yes. There is a very specific policy on tattoos and body piercing. Mainly, nothing can be exposed when you're in uniform or on official duty in civilian attire. I didn't do this until I got out. Then, well...I suppose you could say I went a little nuts. I'll take the piercing out if it interferes with any activity when I'm on duty, though."
"Oh, but I like it." I stopped. I bit my lip and looked out the window quickly, pretending to watch the people as they walked by.
I heard him clear his throat gently.
"Where did you spend most of your time as a kid?" he asked, changing the subject to smooth the awkwardness I'd created. I turned back and noticed that he was attempting to hide a smile.
I explained about growing up in Phoenix and then moving to Forks because of my parents' divorce.
"No siblings then?"
"No. I have a friend that's kind of like a sister though. You?"
"One sister. She's in New York finishing up at NYU. I don't get to see her much, but we talk frequently."
After pushing my food around a bit, I abandoned my chopsticks and picked up a roll to shove in my mouth. I looked out the corner of my eye and Edward was smiling.
"Sorry, chopstick challenged," I laughed as I wiped the wasabi and soy off of my face with my napkin.
"I appreciate that you're comfortable around me."
Oh, if you only knew.
We continued to chat about the kinds of things we liked to do. I talked about the kind of books I liked to read: the required ones, the perennial favorites, and I spilled the fact that I loved to read mindless celebrity news on occasion.
"I'm a full-fledged book nerd," I said with a shrug.
"Where did you go to undergrad?" he asked. I watched him place a piece of yellowtail sashimi in his mouth. My eyes couldn't help but linger on his lips when his tongue snuck out to catch a bit of sauce that had been left there.
I recovered quickly and replied, "UW, of course. Go Dawgs!" I smiled as I raised my fist. "I'm taking courses at USC to complete my Masters in History now, though. I really lucked out. My program is flexible enough for my work schedule and my advisor is awesome. Charlie, that's my dad, is torn, though—ever loyal to the Huskies."
He seemed truly interested as I talked about my courses at school. He listened carefully, and it felt like talking to an old friend. I watched his eyes for any sign of offense at my verbal vomit. There was none.
"I actually studied some military history while I was at the Academy and I like to read when I have the time. I guess that makes me kind of a book nerd, too." He grinned at me and gave a light shrug.
"Oh?" I perked up, "What do you like to read?"
"A lot of the classics, non-fiction..."
Talk about a dream guy.
We talked books until the check came. I glanced at my watch, surprised at how much time had passed. He was just so easy to talk to. I drank the last of my Sapporo and told him, "I need to wash up before we go. As much as I love this stuff, it can be kind of messy."
"Me too," he grimaced. "How about I'll do the same, settle the bill and meet you back out here in a few?"
"Deal," I said. I walked to the back of the restaurant and found the ladies' room. As I was washing my hands, I looked in the mirror and noted my reflection. My face had a glow about it—evidence of how much I was enjoying myself. Or was it the beer I had?
I dried off my hands and opened the door. In the dark hallway, Edward was leaning against the wall waiting for me. I felt like all I could see were his eyes watching me as I moved toward him.
"Ready?" he asked.
Outside, it was a beautiful night and, not ready to end the night so soon, we decided to continue our walk along the sidewalk above the beach, wandering aimlessly while I told him about balancing school and work.
"You must be pretty busy then," he said.
"Yeah, I'm trying to stay focused so I can complete this in a reasonable amount of time."
"No time for dating, then?" he asked, his voice slightly hedging.
"Oh, God no," I said without even thinking. "I think Mike ruined me."
"Mike?"
I blushed and looked down to watch my feet as they moved along the sidewalk. "He was this, um...guy I dated for a while. We met on a flight where he was the pilot..."
I trailed off then, wondering if he thought I had a partiality toward pilots, or if I was fitting easily into some stereotype of flight attendants.
"I know a few pilots named Mike. There's Johnson, but he's older and married so I really hope it's not him. Let's see," he said, seeming to find the guess who game amusing. I, on the other hand, was mortified. "Hayes is around our age, but I've always thought he was too stuffy to date anyone in the business. Surely not Newton—"
I stumbled then. Damnit...
"Mike Newton?" he asked, sounding surprised.
"Yeah, why?" I asked sheepishly.
"Seriously? He's the biggest cheese ball."
"The cheesiest."
We laughed and continued to walk down towards the pier, though my laugh was weak. I felt like I had just sealed my fate. After a few minutes of silence, I spoke up.
"With your crazy schedule, no dating for you, either?" I wondered, looking for any sign that he was taken.
He paused for a moment, looking out at the ocean. "Well, until recently I had been dating someone on and off, but it started to get really complicated. High expectations from both our families. I don't know... I think at this point in my life I prefer to keep things casual."
Inside, I was a little disappointed. Maybe a lot disappointed. I'd had a really nice time with him tonight...as well as the time in Hawaii, which was simply mind-blowing. But it didn't seem as if he was looking for much more than a no-strings-attached relationship. I wasn't sure what to think about that, or if that meant that...whatever this thing was between us was more than I was hoping it could be.
But, then again, that could be fun, too...
"I get that." I understood. A guy like him who had everything going for him, and was active and committed to his career, wouldn't want to get attached. But I was also omitting a significant portion of the truth—how could I not want to be with someone like Edward?
I needed some kind of tangible label for this. I looked over at him and said, "So," I waved my hand back and forth between us, smiling. "What's this?"
He stopped. He grinned back at me, making my insides go warm. He pursed his lips, furrowed his brow and looked pensive for a moment. Then with the most beautiful and conflicted face, he said, "Friends? But good friends. Where I have license to hang out with you whenever I want."
"Whenever you want?" I said laughing. A little part of me went gooey inside and I didn't think my face could contain my smile. Put on your big girls panties and go with it. "That's cool."
And, in a weird way, it was. I'd rather have a part of him than nothing at all, and it would hurt nothing to spend some time with him when we had a spare moment. My life was so busy as it was that dating had been downright difficult for me. And wasn't I allowed some fun every now and then? I was fairly certain that going into something like that with the knowledge that it was supposed to be fun and simple would make it easier to protect myself from hurt feelings when it ran its course.
We walked in silence for a few minutes as we made our way back towards our cars. I was silently buzzing with butterflies over agreeing to keep things casual, but they weren't a bad sort of feeling. It was kind of exciting, in a way.
Plus, I'd get to spend time with a great guy. And that wasn't a bad thing in my book.
"I had a great time tonight, Bella. Call me anytime if you want to talk or chat. Even vent about school."
"Thanks, I will. I had a great time—too."
He wrapped his arms around me to hug me goodbye. The hug lasted a little longer than I would have expected but I inhaled every last scent of him that I could.
He released me, walked over to his car, and then turned and raised his hand to wave goodbye.
I climbed into my truck and placed my bag on the passenger seat. I sat there smiling to myself, pleased that it had been such a relaxed evening. My phone beeped.
Drive safe. Watch out for cheesy pilots.
I laughed. Methinks this could be the start of a very good friendship.
-O-(_)-O-
Edward called around noon the next day. After chatting for a few moments, we planned a movie night at my apartment that evening, already arguing about what we were going to watch.
Sitting down on the couch, I cradled the phone next to my ear, lifting my hands to re-do the ponytail that was already in place.
As we discussed the movie choice together, I let him know how movies were of major importance in my life. I let it slip that I might have had over five-hundred titles in my possession.
"Wow. Who needs Blockbuster?" he quipped.
"Any ideas on what you'd like to watch?" I asked smugly. His next response could have made or broken our entire friendship.
"Gone In 60 Seconds works for me."
"Dude. Wait. Have you not seen it over fifty times?"
"I don't know...maybe," he said, chuckling.
"I'm invoking the 'Fifty-plus Rule.'" I asserted.
"And what, pray tell, is the "Fifty-plus Rule"?" he asked.
" It's when I know you've seen something over fifty times, I can immediately negate your choice."
"How do you know I've seen it that much?"
"You're male. It's clearly obvious."
"So for your Fifty-plus List, it'll be what...Bridget Jones? Pride and Prejudice? The Notebook?"
"Hey. Don't hate on some of the best chick movies ever made. Just for that, I'm picking a chick flick."
"What about Italian Job?"
"Definitely Fifty-plus rule."
"Road House?"
"Really?" I tapped my fingers on my knee in a staccato pattern.
"The Rock."
I just paused, waiting for a moment of brilliance.
"Okay, chick flick it is," he conceded, laughing. "Do you have something against testosterone fueled movies?"
"Oh no, not at all. It's just that there's a time and a place for them." I smirked into the phone.
That night, he arrived at my apartment with a six pack of Heineken in one hand and two bags full of In-N-Out burgers in the other.
He obviously saw that my expression had changed to one of a purely ravenous nature. As soon as I spied the goods. He immediately put the bag behind his back.
"Ooh. Does It like In-N-Out?" he teased.
I leaned toward him into an almost crouch. "Hand it over. You've discovered my crack." I said.
"Yes, and a lovely..."
I stood straight up "Aaaah! Not what I meant!" I held up my hand and turned a deep shade of crimson.
He started laughing and relinquished the bag, placing it on the counter. I immediately snatched one bag and went through the contents: two cheeseburgers, one Animal Style burger, two fries, and in the other bag a chocolate and a vanilla shake.
"You've made me a very happy woman. I haven't had this in awhile."
"Glad to be of service ma'am." He laughed at me as I dove into a heavenly cheeseburger.
After we were done eating, we parked ourselves on the floor in front of my DVDs, and plowed through the selection. I'd pull out one, he'd scrunch up his face at me; he'd make a suggestion and I'd raise a brow at him.
We finally settled on something more in the middle—Walk the Line. He'd never seen it, but said he wouldn't mind looking at Reese for awhile. I lightly pushed him back with my foot and he fell off his knees onto his butt, laughing at me and my half-hearted attempt.
I put the DVD into the player while Edward pulled a couple of beers out of the fridge.
About part way through the movie, I had curled my legs up underneath me on the couch and he had relaxed to the point where his arm stretched over the back. He seemed to be enjoying the movie whether or not he wanted to admit it.
When I stretched my legs a little to the center cushion, his hand dropped down and held my feet. He didn't look over at me; he just held it there. It felt nice.
My thoughts started to wander. I imagined what it would happen if his hand started to move up my leg, continuing up until he had to position himself for better access. Would he crawl over me, pinning me to the couch, movie forgotten as his hips rolled circles into my own? Maybe he'd dip his head down, whispering into my ear all the naughty things he wanted to do to me...
I let out a squeak.
"You okay over there?"
"Yep. Great." I said in a clipped tone.
He moved his hand off of my feet and rested it back on his thigh. I may have been a little disappointed.
When the movie was over, I sunk down on my side of the couch, just about to doze off. Some hostess I was. Through my daze, I felt a blanket being settled over my shoulders.
He touched the top of my head with his hand and smoothed my hair. "Goodnight, Bella. I'll call you in a few days."
And with that I heard him move around in the kitchen for a few minutes, tidying up, I assumed. Then as he quietly stepped out, I fell deeper into a comfortable, more contented sleep.
-O-(_)-O-
I woke up the next morning, still on the couch. I panicked, thinking I had overslept until I spotted time time on the clock. My lecture wasn't until later in the afternoon so I hadn't missed anything yet.
I shuffled over to the coffee pot suddenly wishing I owned an espresso machine instead. I found a note attached to the top.
It's already made and ready to go, Sleeping Beauty. Have a good day in class. -E.
They broke the mould when they made this one. He even set the timer correctly.
Pouring the coffee into a mug, I walked over to the fridge to get my creamer. I took a look at my schedule that was hanging under a Windy City magnet. My next trip was going to take me through Dallas, so I called Rose. It had been a while since she'd stayed in LA with me, and I was missing her fiercely.
"Hey, Girly!" she said.
"Whatcha up to?" I said as I poured the creamer into my coffee cup.
"I just got in from Austin last night. I've been riding most of the morning and doing some chores. Emmett just left to start another big construction job. Good thing is I'm home for a couple of days."
Rose found Emmett—or should I say Emmett found Rose—at a Rodeo dance. He wouldn't take "no" for an answer, and they'd been together ever since. He was a big guy, all muscle and smiles, and together they made a striking couple. Rose was not an easy catch but Emmett wasn't one to back down from a challenge. He discovered her soft side and knew when to be there for her, and she seemed to cherish the stability he gave her. You could tell when he looked at her how in love with her he was.
"I'm heading to Dallas the day after next. Want to meet up for dinner or something?"
"I'd never turn you down."
Arrival: Dallas/Ft. Worth
Our trip got in around four p.m. the next day, and Rose came out to meet me for dinner in Arlington, which was near the Dallas/Fort Worth airport.
She asked me what I'd been up to lately, and I filled her in on all the things she had missed since we'd seen each other last. I told her about school and talked about a couple of trips I'd been on lately. I didn't elaborate on my time with Edward. It was something I wanted to keep to myself for awhile. Besides, it wasn't like Edward and I were dating or anything.
Rose's voice brought me out of my thoughts. "Have you talked to that pilot you met in Hawaii?"
I looked up from my salad, chewing slowly. "I ran into him in Salt Lake City when I was there. We chatted a bit."
I took a drink of my wine and resumed pushing my lettuce around, looking for the perfect piece to pick up. I took a bite and looked back up at her. Her eyes were boring right through mine.
"Uh-huh. Spill."
"There's nothing to spill."
She pursed her lips. I could tell that her foot was bobbing up and down underneath the table. "Do you wanna play some poker?" she said pointedly. "I could use the cash."
I laughed. "How about I just hand it over. I've played with you before."
I continued to ignore her comment. She watched me closely for another minute, no doubt hoping for a change of mind that wasn't going to happen.
"Alright, I'll leave it for now, but if you continue to look like that—all moony-moony, I am going to start digging."
I smiled and took a sip of my wine. I loved having a friend that knew me so well. Rose knew when to push and when to back off.
"I might give you shit about things, Bella, but I want you to be happy. You know that, don't you?" Rose said to me with a serious tone.
"I do Rose, and I love you for it."
"You'd better," she said.
We sat awhile longer enjoying another glass of wine when I glanced at my watch to check the time.
"Hey Rose, It's getting kind of late."
Since I had an early departure the next morning, we called it a night. I hugged her before I headed into my hotel, glad for the time we'd gotten to spend together. I missed her a lot when she was gone. She looked content and in love, though, and I was happy for her.
The next morning was bitter cold. I was working one of the smaller planes and was sitting up front and covering First Class. The pilots had made their way onboard, making the usual small talk and grabbing their coffee and juice for the flight.
I was still pretty chilled from the weather outside. After living so long away from cold temperatures, it was hard to get used to them out of the blue. I walked to the front closet to grab my work-issued sweater out of my suitcase. With little time until boarding, I grabbed blindly and shrugged it on.
I turned back and walked down the aisle a little to let everyone know it was time to begin our work day. Just then, I heard the first passenger heading down the jet way. Putting on my best morning smile, I walked back around to the front boarding door.
Something caught my eye. When I looked down, I saw my giant pair of pink granny panties on the floor. My eyes got wide and my mouth flew open. As I bent over to pick them up, the first passenger down the jet way caught me desperately trying to hide what seemed like ten yards of cotton material.
At that moment, one of the pilots stepped out of the bathroom with his pants undone, attempting to zip them up. The passenger took one look at me, looked at the pilot and a "knowing" look crossed his face.
I about died. To top it off, he was the only passenger in First Class for that leg. Every time I placed a drink in front of him or his meal, he looked up at me like Yeah, I've heard about you flight attendants... All I could think about how the heck they had landed on the floor in the first place.
Shockingly, the whole thing made me think of Edward and our joking the other night about cheesy pilots. Once again I really hoped he didn't think I was only into him because he was a pilot.
I took them out of my dress pocket and stuffed them in the galley trash. There went my big girl panties.
-O-(_)-O-
Los Angeles
Because I spent much of my time writing to complete my weekly paper the week flew by. I wasn't looking forward to the weekend because, even though I was working, it was the dreaded "Day-In-Which-I-Don't-Participate" cleverly swathed in hearts and flowers. Any date I ever had on that day was a complete disaster.
Edward called me on Thursday night.
"Any plans for the weekend?"
Was he casually fishing for info? A little part of me hoped he was.
"Nope. Thank Goodness. Just working. How 'bout you?"
"I'm headed to Atlanta then Baltimore for my trip this time. Pretty straightforward," he said.
"Why? I'd figured you'd have some hot date on this weekend...Valentine's Day and all."
Now, I was fishing.
He snorted. "No. Unfortunately, that day comes with too many expectations. I'd rather do something special for someone on the spur of the moment. Then it's more genuine."
"Wow. Not all women would agree with you there, but I'm impressed." He'd make someone a great boyfriend, I thought to myself.
There was a knock on my door.
Confused because I wasn't expecting anyone, I said to Edward, "Could you hold on a minute?"
"Sure. No problem."
I set my phone on the counter and headed to get my door. When I peeked out the peephole, I saw nothing. Spooked, I unlocked the deadbolt and slowly opened the door. No one. I opened it a little wider and looked into the hallway. Just when I figured it was nothing, I looked down. There in front of my door sat a lovely bouquet of tulips, all different pastel colors, in a vase with a beautiful moss green ribbon tied around it..
I picked the arrangement up and walked back in, closing the door with my foot and. I removed the card, and turned it over.
Friendship isn't a big thing, it's a million little things -Anonymous
Enjoy. - E.
I might have silently squeed a little.
Crossing the room, I set the flowers down on the counter and then grabbed for my cell. "Dude. You didn't have to do that! But thank you. I love tulips."
"I just wanted you to know that I was thinking of you, Bella."
I was a bit choked up at that. He already treated me better than any boyfriend I had in the past. I mean, he had me at "Turn Around". Wait. I meant, uh...
What did I mean? I tried to recompose myself.
He stayed silent for a moment. Then he said," I've never had a girl for a 'good friend' before." His voice was quiet, but I heard the emphasis he'd placed on those last couple of words. My insides melted, again.
"Well, I'm glad we became friends. too. It's nice to have someone to kick around a little," I joked.
"Anytime," he laughed. "And with that, I'll let you go. Have a good trip this weekend and I'll talk to you next week sometime."
"Bye, Edward. Thank you, again."
"Bye, Bella."
I placed the tulips on the kitchen island where I could see them from every part of the living room and kitchen. Feeling jubilant, I took the note and walked over to my small cedar box on the shelf and placed it inside.
That's when I started keeping all of his notes.
-O-(_)-O-
Some Happy on the iPod:
Waiting-Green Day
Supernova-Liz Phair
Learning to Fly-Tom Petty