When the memory lifted, I realized that her parents had finally left and she was sitting alone. I also realized that I could finally see her face, and the first word that came to mind was stunning, but I knew it was inadequate. She was everything I remembered and more; her eyes and her hair were a warm, rich deep brown and her beautiful cinnamon skin was flawless. I found myself wondering if she tasted like cinnamon, too.

Snap out of it!

I wanted to approach her… to at least say hello, but my feet were firmly planted on the ground. What if she was married? What if she had seven kids? What if she didn't even remember me? Did I really want to risk ruining the perfect creature that I had built her up to be in my mind?

Yes. It was worth it to finally put my mind at ease. I had never been able to completely let go of the memory of her, always wondering what had become of her in the many years since I had seen her. This way I could say hello, catch up on things, and hopefully exorcise the memories of her when I saw that she was nothing special… just like all the other girls.

I watched for another moment as she rifled through her large messenger bag, finally pulling out a mangled paperback and an iPod. When she went to stick in her ear buds, I told myself that it was now or never. If I waited until she started playing her music and reading, I knew that I would lose my nerve.

Here goes nothing…

"Bella?" I called out, slowly walking across the hall. She sat up straighter, her eyes darting around, looking for the person attached to the voice. "I was wondering if that was you." I smiled, approaching her slowly.

"Yes?" She stared at me blankly for a moment, trying to figure out how I knew her name.

"Aw, now don't tell me that you don't remember me," I teased, holding my hand over my chest as if I were wounded. "I know it's been a long time, but you practically lived at my parents' house for three years!"

Gasping loudly, she stood up quickly, staring deep into my eyes for a second before squealing and clapping her hands in excitement. "Oh my God, Edward!" She threw her arms around my neck and squeezed me tightly, kissing both of my cheeks when she pulled away.

"Wow," I laughed nervously, shaken by her instant enthusiasm and affection. "That's some welcome."

"Sorry!" She blushed. "Being back home always brings out the Brazilian in me. We're an affectionate bunch, you know."

"Wait, back home? You don't still live here in Brazil?"

"No, not for years! I live in America now."

"You're kidding me." I frowned, unable to comprehend that she had been closer than I'd thought. "So, where are you headed?" I asked, gesturing to the different terminals.

"I'm afraid it's back to DC for me. I was visiting my family for Christmas, but I need to get home for work. This is so crazy, seeing you here like this!"

"That's nothing, try this for crazy. Are you flying United?"

"Yes, why?"

"Then we're on the same flight."

"No!"

"Yes," I smirked.

"Do you live in the DC area, too? I didn't think any of you Cullens were still around."

"No, I'm actually based out of New York right now. I just happen to be going there for a meeting at one of my employer's branch offices."

"Well," she smiled brightly, "I don't know about you, but I think it sounds like Fate wants us to get reacquainted. What do you say, Edward? Want to join me and catch up?"

"I'd love to," I nodded. "However, I was just about to ask if you wanted to come with me back to the VIP lounge. I'm a Red Carpet Club member, so I'm allowed to bring in a guest… if you'd like?"

"Are there free drinks?" she asked, arching one eyebrow playfully.

"Of course."

"Let's go!" She laughed again, the warmth of if making me feel feverish. I waited as she shoved her belongings back in her bag. Once she had thrown it over her shoulder, Bella turned back to me, placing her hand in the crook of my elbow as if I were her escort. "Lead on, kind sir."

"Why thank you, milady," I bowed exaggeratedly, happy to play along.

When we reached the lounge, Bella whistled low to herself as she looked around at the beautiful décor. "My goodness… Edward Cullen, coming up in the world."

"What? It's not like I own it," I chuckled. "I'm just a member. Believe me, when you travel as much as I do, it's worth it for the added comfort." I stopped in front of two cozy looking armchairs and motioned for her to have a seat. "What can I get you to drink?"

"Guarana, please," she said with a beautiful smile.

"That's it? Nothing from the bar?"

"No, alcohol makes me drowsy. I want to stay awake so I can talk to you. Also, it's probably my last chance to have any for a long time; it's not as easy for me to find in the states, and I hate needing to go to specialty stores that are out of my way."

"Then Guarana it is," I said with a wink. I stopped at the hostess desk and retrieved my bag before heading over to the refreshments, grabbing a bright green can labeled Guarana Antarctica for Bella and bottled water for myself. "Ask and you shall receive." I smiled, handing her the can as I sat down.

"Thank you!" She took it from me and then turned herself so that she was facing me completely, her legs folded under themselves until she was sitting Indian-style in the chair sideways. "So tell me, Edward… what has you traveling so much that you need fancy lounges to relax?"

It took me a moment to answer, distracted by how comfortable she looked sitting there… how eager she seemed to talk to me. I hoped I wasn't imagining it.

"Well… it's not that I need them," I finally replied. "It just makes things more bearable. You don't ever splurge once in a while? Treat yourself to something nice?"

"Yes, of course, when I can. It took all of my extra savings to pay for my first class ticket this time, but I was determined to be more comfortable after my last visit had me crammed between two screaming children in coach the whole way home."

"See? You get it. Now imagine if you had to spend eighty percent of your time crammed between screaming children… or stuck waiting around in loud, obnoxious airport terminals."

"Alright, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that you're not some elitist snob," she laughed. "Although, you are wearing a designer suit!" She reached her finger out and flicked my Armani silk tie for emphasis. "You preach about comfort when traveling, but you look so prim and proper."

I instantly wanted her to touch me again.

"Hey, a good suit can be very comfortable if it's well made. Besides, I ran late at work. I didn't have time to change."

"So, what is it that you do? Are you a traveling suit salesman?" she teased.

"Ha ha, very funny." I couldn't stop smiling as we talked. I hadn't had such a fun conversation with anyone in a long time, and we had only just begun speaking. "Actually, I'm a communications consultant. I get sent all over the world to set up different companies with specific computer programs."

"Oh yes, computers! I should have guessed. You were always glued to a computer. I think that's how I always remembered you: the back of a head."

Well that's not very flattering.

"Is that all I was?" I frowned. "Just the back of a head?"

"Pretty much." She shrugged. "I practically had to stomp my feet and scream at you whenever I needed to get your attention."

Oh Bella… if only you knew how much of my attention you really had.

"What can I say?" I sighed. "I guess I've just always been better with computers than with people."

"Oh, I don't know if that's true." She shook her head slowly, looking so deep into my eyes that I felt like she was looking into my soul. "I remember that you were always a caring older brother. Even though we all knew you'd rather be anywhere else, you always stepped up and looked out for us."

"Please… I babysat to leech up free utilities."

"Play it that way if you want, but you're not fooling me. I could tell that you loved your brothers a lot."

"Well, shit. You don't think they noticed, do you? I'd hate to ruin my hard-earned reputation as the back of a head." I winked at her again to let her know I was teasing.

When the hell did I become a winker? That's twice now.

"Your secret is safe with me," she whispered, her dark eyes glowing with playfulness.

I changed the subject abruptly before I forgot myself and just stared at her for hours. "So, what's been going on with Bella? All I know about you is that you live in DC and like Guarana."

"Well, I'm an Assistant Professor at Georgetown."

"No shit?" I felt my eyes widening in surprise. All these years wondering what had ever happened to her, and she was at fucking Georgetown the whole time? When she looked at me questioningly, I stumbled to cover up my shock. "Uh… that's a really good school. What department?"

"Languages and Linguistics. I teach Portuguese and Spanish, but I also help foreign students with their English."

"Wow! What made you get into that field?"

"I went there, myself. As soon as I was old enough to leave for university, I told my parents that I wanted to go back to America. I missed it so much. I think that's why I picked Georgetown, to be honest, because it was so close to where we lived in high school.

Anyway, when I went back, I realized that my English had gotten a little rusty, so I spent a lot of time boning up at the language lab. I guess it sort of stuck with me. I really like the feeling I get from helping the students." She blushed at her admission, like it was something to be ashamed of.

"I think that's wonderful," I said honestly. "You should be proud of yourself. It's rare that someone can really enjoy what they do for a living."

She frowned slightly. "Yes, well… I wish my father felt that way."

"He doesn't approve of your career?"

"Not particularly. I mean, he's proud of me in his own way, I suppose, but he's still waiting for me to give up my foolish ideas and come home." She sighed quietly. "He's not alone in his thoughts, either. All of my brothers hate it, even though Jake is living in Florida, himself, and I really don't see how that's fair. Sam and Paul give me grief about it whenever I am here, and Jake takes over as soon as I get back in the states. Also my grandparents, my aunts and uncles, my cousins… they all think that I should be back home and living with my family until I find a suitable husband."

"Really? That seems a bit… outdated."

"That's Brazil," she laughed. "Independent, single women aren't very common here. Whenever anyone hears what I do, they give me this look of pity, like something must be wrong with me." She tilted her head to the side as she spoke, demonstrating what she called the 'pity head tilt.' "It's as if they just can't comprehend the idea of someone not choosing to get married right away and stay home making babies."

I tried to ignore the odd flutter in my stomach when she mentioned marriage and children.

"And your entire family feels this way?" I couldn't believe that anyone would be anything other than full of pride for this beautiful, smart, brave woman. I was insanely proud of her, and I wasn't even related.

"Yeah, pretty much everyone but my mom. She's the only one who doesn't judge me. She is always encouraging me to follow my dreams and live my life the way I want." The smile had returned to her face, along with the glowing light in her eyes. "I think she remembers how it felt when she was younger, to want to do things and always be held back. So, at least I have one person in my corner!"

Without thinking, I reached out and covered her hand with my own, pretending not to notice the jolt of electricity that her warm flesh sent through me. "Now you have two."

Bella blinked for a moment, glancing at our touching hands before blushing deeply and bowing her head in what I could only assume was embarrassment. "Thank you, Edward. That is very sweet of you."

I pulled my hand away slowly, already missing her warmth, hoping that I hadn't crossed some sort of line by touching her. "Well, it's the truth," I said softly.

"Anyway…" she chuckled nervously, changing the subject. "Tell me all about my first true love who got away." She put her hand over her heart and fluttered her eyes, pretending to be pining for Jasper.

At least I hoped she was pretending.

"He's good… from what I hear. I don't really see the family very often any more, though."

"Why is that? You all seemed so close." A sadness entered her voice that I immediately wanted to destroy.

"It's not that we aren't still close; we all care about each other. It's just that after my parents moved to Chicago when Dad transferred jobs, we all sort of went our separate ways."

"That's horrible!" she gasped. "When you say it like that, it sounds like you broke up with your family."

"No, nothing quite as dramatic as that," I said, smiling. "Emmett got his college sweetheart pregnant halfway through school, and since Rosalie was a local girl, he ended up settling down right there in Iowa so they could be near her family. They have three kids now and he coaches high school football."

"You know, I can picture that way too easily," she laughed. "I bet he loves it. And Jasper?"

I couldn't help feeling a pang of jealousy when she mentioned his name again. Why should I begrudge her wondering about someone she once spent so much time with? It wasn't like she was dying to find out if he was still single.

Or was she?

"Uh… he's good. Last I heard, he was living down in Texas with his girlfriend, Alice."

"Texas? How on earth did he end up there?"

"He did some traveling after school, playing guitar here and there as he went."

"Oh yes, the music! He was always in one band or another," she laughed.

"Yeah, well… he never stopped," I chuckled. "He studied music and music appreciation in college, but he never felt that studying it was enough. He went through this total nomad phase, wandering around with his guitar, 'Just him and his music,' as he liked to say. Anyway, a couple years ago, he was playing at some little dive bar in Lubbock when this spunky little thing walks up to him after his set."

"Let me guess," Bella said with a smile. "It was Alice."

"Very good," I nodded. "Apparently, she said something like, 'What do you want me to make you for breakfast in the morning?' And of course Jasper, thinking it was his lucky day, told her that his favorite breakfast was biscuits and gravy, only to have her reply, 'That will work for now, but if you think I'm making that every day for the rest of our lives, then you've got another thing coming.'"

"So bold!" she laughed. "Let me guess: they've been inseparable ever since?"

"That's right. He stopped wandering around, started planting some roots. He just opened up a rare guitar shop in Austin last year, and so far it's becoming pretty successful from what I hear."

"Oh my God, Jasper?" she laughed. "Running a business?"

"I know, it seems crazy, right? But he made Alice his manager, and that girl has got some insane marketing skills, apparently. He just sits back and talks guitars all day with all the local musicians, and they seem to love him. Alice also talked him into giving lessons in the back of the store, and now their business has almost doubled."

"Wow, they really sound like they make a good couple. I wonder why they haven't married yet."

Was she jealous? Was she happy that he was still technically single? I couldn't fight off the instant feeling of dread that her question brought.

"Well," I paused, trying to force myself to focus. "I'm sure it's only a matter of time. I think they've just been too busy with the shop for now. I don't think there's any question that he plans to stay with her for as long as she'll have him." I was happy that it was true, but a part of me wondered briefly if I would have said it even if it hadn't been.

"I'm happy for him," she smiled.

We were both surprised when the announcement was made that our plane was boarding. Somehow an hour had flown by in the blink of an eye.

"I guess that's us," Bella said with a sudden frown, casting a gloom over her previous brightness. "I hate to cut this short; I've had a lovely time chatting with you."

"Same here." I was pleased to realize that I meant it. "You said you're in first class, too?"

"Yes, this trip is my first time. It's so much nicer!"

"Well, maybe I'll see you inside."

"That would be nice." She blushed again.

There was no maybe about it. We would be sitting together, come hell or high water.

Once we had boarded, I waited to see where we were both located. I had my usual single seat by the window, while Bella was in the center aisle a few rows back, next to an older woman who appeared to be in her sixties.

Alright Cullen, it's time to turn on the charm.

While the flight attendants were busy getting everything prepared for takeoff, I casually walked down the aisle, stopping next to the woman on Bella's right and crouching down so that I was eye level with her.

"Pardon me, madam. I was wondering if you could help me."

She jumped when I spoke, not expecting to have a stranger approach her the moment she sat down. I saw Bella perk up beside her, her eyes wide with surprise.

"How… uh… how may I help you, young man?"

I held out my hand to her, introducing myself. "My name is Edward Cullen, what's yours?"

"Why, Ruth Daniels… do I know you?" She took my hand slowly, allowing me to shake it.

I held onto her hand, gripping it warmly with both of mine. "Well now, Ruth Daniels, I've never had the pleasure of meeting you before, but I do, in fact, know this lovely lady sitting beside you."

She looked from Bella back to me. "Oh, you two know each other?"

"Yes we do, Ruth." I smiled warmly. "I was wondering if you might see fit to be kind enough to switch seats with me."

"Oh dear," she sighed, looking around nervously; an act that caused the skin between her eyes to crinkle. "I didn't think we were allowed to do that. I'd hate to get in trouble."

"I understand the concern, Ruth, believe me. However, I've just been reunited with this dear friend after thirteen long years. We barely had time to catch up in the lounge before the flight, so I was hoping to sit by her and continue our conversation."

She thought for a moment before turning to Bella. "Is this true, dear? I'd hate to switch him if he's going to be bothering you."

"Oh no, he could never bother me!" Bella shook her head. "Mr. Cullen is definitely an old friend, and I would love the chance to keep talking with him."

"What do you say, Ruth?" I smiled again, my brightest one yet. "I've got a cozy seat right over there, right by the window. It's all yours if you want it."

"A window seat?"

I could tell that I had her. "That's right. I have a special seat that I reserve by the window. It's a single, because I normally value my privacy, but that's just how much reuniting with my lovely friend here means to me. Can you help a guy out?" I threw in my third wink for the day, and it must have done the trick because she smiled and nodded.

"I suppose it won't hurt anything."

"Thank you, Ruth! You have made my day." I pulled her hand up to my lips and kissed the back of it.

"My goodness," she laughed, fanning herself. "You're much too handsome and persuasive for your own good." She grabbed her things and stood up, turning back to speak to Bella one more time before leaving. "Have a pleasant flight, dear."

"You, too! Thank you so much." Bella looked at me in awe when I sat down in the newly-vacant seat next to her. "I thought you said you were better with computers than with people?"

"I am… why?"

"Then you must be really damn good with computers, because you totally just owned her right now."

"I never said I didn't know how to get what I want," I smirked. "I'm just more comfortable with computers."

"Why is that?" she asked, turning to face me.

I thought for a moment before answering. "I guess… I just understand how they work much easier than people. If a computer is doing something I don't like, there's almost always a way to fix it."

"So it's a control freak thing?" she laughed.

"I think there's more to it than that… but I'll admit that I don't like it when things don't go my way."

"Okay… Edward is intense. I'll try to remember that." She smirked at me sideways as she buckled her seatbelt.

"You do that," I chuckled.

We talked through the entire takeoff, barely noticing anything else around us for hours. After we talked about my family some more and I told her how my parents were doing, Bella eventually circled the conversation back to me.

"So, the only one who doesn't seem very settled yet is you. Traveling all over the world, never in one place for very long… are you happy?"

I blinked a few times, unprepared for her direct question. "I… uh, well… I enjoy my job." I swallowed thickly, surprised when I realized that the words didn't feel as true as they once did. "I always liked the travel, and I've never really made time for much else in my life. Regardless of what you saw earlier, I really don't get on that well with people… so the less I'm in one place, the better.

That's actually what my meeting in DC is about; they keep trying to offer me the branch manager position there. I guess their numbers haven't been that great lately, and they think I can whip it into shape and keep things running smoothly."

"Edward, that's wonderful!" Bella clapped enthusiastically.

"Thanks." I felt my cheeks coloring slightly, not used to caring what others thought. "I'm just not sure that I'm ready for something like that. I've always turned these down in the past… it seems like a big commitment. I mean, what if I hate it there? Then I'm stuck."

"And what if you don't?" It was a simple question, but it made me think. "Edward, I know it's none of my business, but being in one place for a while and getting to know people has got to be better than being sent out on the road over Christmas."

"Oh, well… that was my choice. I always volunteer for any assignments near the holidays."

"What on earth for?" She gave me an expectant look, as if to let me know that my excuses had better be good ones.

"For one thing, it's more money. There's always extra holiday pay involved. But mainly… I'm the only one who doesn't have a family." My voice dropped lower, as if it were something to be ashamed of, which seemed odd to me, since it had never bothered me in the past.

"Yes you do! You have parents who love you and brothers who look up to you. They don't count?" She looked at me speculatively, as if she was trying to figure me out.

It made me feel like a bug in a microscope.

"Yes, but… I don't have a wife and children. I don't think anyone else should have to miss Christmas with their families just so that I can go sit in some dining room in Chicago surrounded by people who pity me for not having what they have."

And that was the heart of it, really. I loved my family, but I had started to feel like an outsider when my younger siblings began showing up with significant others and I had still never brought a girl to dinner. The more my mother would ask if I was dating anyone, the more I would feel defective.

It wasn't that I didn't date. I met women, very attractive women, in my travels who were always willing to offer me a night on the town in an unfamiliar city. Sometimes I would accept, depending on how long it had been, which usually led to me accepting their bodies as well. However, none of them ever made me want a return visit. Nine times out of ten, I usually just wanted to get back to my hotel room and get back on my computer.

That last fiasco with Jane in Denver had been enough to put me off the thought of dating for good.

"What do you think I face when I go home?" Bella asked. "I already mentioned all the pity I get for not doing things the 'right' way. I know it can be frustrating, but I still wouldn't let it keep me from seeing my family, Edward. And you can't even use the excuse that you live in a different country like I can."

"True… I'll give you that."

"Look… as annoying as my family can get at times, and as inadequate as some of them try to make me feel, I know that it all comes from a place of love. Whenever I get tempted to push them back and wait just one more Christmas to visit, I remind myself that any one of those people could be taken from me at any given time. My father could be hit by a car… or my grandmother could have a stroke. Deus nos livre," she whispered to herself, lifting the small golden crucifix around her neck to her lips and kissing it quickly.

"Good point." I nodded, imagining how it would feel to get a call telling me that my mother was sick, or that my father was injured. "I guess I just hate the feeling that I'm letting them down or disappointing them all the time."

This time it was Bella's turn to surprise me. She reached out and grabbed my hand between both of hers, sending that familiar jolt of electricity through me once again. "Edward, they love you. They will always love you. Forget still being single; imagine how much more it hurts them when you avoid spending time with them."

I was taken back briefly by the concern for me in her eyes and the warmth of her skin. Normally, if any other woman I had dated had tried to tell me my business, I would have gotten offended at her nerve and ended the evening early. However, nothing felt odd or strange to me about this.

Bella just felt… right.

She always had. Even though I had never been able to call her mine, I was willing to admit now that I had always wanted to. I had spent my entire adult life searching for anyone who could make me feel even a fraction of the emotion I felt when I was with her, and nobody had even come close.

I closed my fingers around hers, squeezing them tightly. "I'll remember that," I whispered.

We both stopped for a moment, staring deeply into each other's eyes. I could see a faint touch of pink coloring her cheeks and soon felt an answering heat spreading across mine. The longer that I looked at her, the more I felt something growing and building inside of me, forcing its way through my gut and up out of my mouth.

"Bella… I've always—"

Just then the pilot's voice came through over the loudspeaker, effectively cutting off me and my big mouth. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. It appears that we're going to have to land a few hours earlier than expected. Apparently a nasty blizzard has formed in the DC area, and I'm sorry to inform you that Dulles International won't be accepting any new flights until further notice." A loud groan rang out through the plane, the sound of many travel plans being ruined. "We will be landing at Miami International Airport in about thirty minutes. The United staff there will do their best to help you all find flights that might get you closer; otherwise they can assist you with lodging for the night until you can get a direct flight. We're sorry for any inconvenience this may cause and hope that you continue to fly with us in the future."

"Oh no!" Bella gasped, the tension between us immediately forgotten. "I've never had anything like this happen before. Have you?"

"All too often," I said, patting her hand gently, unwilling to let her go yet. "It always throws off my schedule, which I hate, but I've found that it's usually easier to just take the hotel room if you can get it and wait it out. Miami is a nice big hub that gives us a lot of options, but they will only be able to find a handful of empty seats on any given plane this time of year, certainly not enough to accommodate all of us. I've found that by the time you can find a seat, and then fly to wherever it is, and then get yet another ride from there to home, it can take just as long as waiting it out. Also, the rooms can go pretty fast, so I've learned to just try to grab one immediately."

She thought for a moment. "My brother lives here… in Florida, I mean, but I think he's almost an hour away. I'd hate to bother him in the middle of the night like this."

"Yes, it is after three a.m." I nodded, glancing at my watch. "Tell you what… why don't you let me handle it? I'll get us a couple nice rooms at the same hotel; that way you won't be totally alone and you also won't have to wake your brother."

Please say yes. Please say yes.

She frowned slightly. "That would be great, but I didn't exactly budget for anything too nice. I think I'd better just call Jake."

I wasn't about to let her out of my sight so easily. I didn't want to lose her again. "Don't be silly, it will be my treat."

"No, I can't let you do that. It wouldn't be right."

"What if you just call it a late Christmas present?" I smiled at her, praying silently that she would accept.

"But then what would I give you?"

"Believe me, Bella… more time with you is a gift in itself. I haven't enjoyed myself this much in longer than I can remember."

Her cheeks colored again slightly, causing me to note mentally that cinnamon mixed with rose was my new favorite color. "Okay," she said quietly, ducking her head in embarrassment.

"Really?"

"I don't see why it would hurt to find a room for the night. Thank you for your help, Edward."

"And thank you for taking it." Suddenly I felt about ten feet tall, secretly hoping that the blizzard lasted for days and days, finally allowing me some time alone with her.

Once we landed and got to the help desk, I immediately went to work finding us a nice hotel. I knew accommodations would be tight, but I wasn't going to be caught dead taking Bella to Motel 6, for God's sake. I knew we wouldn't technically be staying there together, but I still felt the urge to impress her.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Cullen, but the only thing I can find available over a two star rating is the Mandarin Oriental. It's a five star luxury suite." The attendant typed rapidly on her computer, looking up at me briefly in between each new page she pulled up on her screen.

"That sounds perfect."

"Yes, sir… but there's only one suite available. You wanted two."

"Oh. Well, I guess I better take the two star, then." I felt the urge to pout like a child, but knew that it wouldn't help anything.

"Certainly, sir." She clicked a few more items before frowning. "I'm sorry, sir… it appears that we've just missed the available rooms. All I have left now is the suite."

"I'll take it," I grumbled, angry with myself. I should have taken the two rooms when I'd had the chance, rather than wasting my time trying to show off. Now I was left with a luxury suite like I'd wanted, but only one of them. I finished up at the help desk and went off to tell Bella the bad news.

I hope she doesn't think I set this up.

"Well, I've got good news and bad news," I called out to her when I found her browsing through the postcards. She had gone to see about our luggage while I handled the room, and judging from the two bags at her feet, she had been successful. "Good, you found my bag."

"It wasn't exactly hard," she laughed, pointing to the large Property of Edward Cullen tag hanging from the handle. "So, what's the news? Give me the good first."

"I got you a gorgeous luxury suite in a five star hotel."

"Wow! Really? That's great! Then… what on earth is the bad news?"

"It's my room, too."

She was quiet for a moment, a puzzled expression growing on her face. "What exactly does that mean?"

I sighed loudly, shoving my hand through my hair. "It means that I wasted too much time trying to find us both nice rooms. Now even the cheap rooms are gone. I managed to get the last room available… but there's only one."

"So… we're sharing?"

"It would appear so. Only if that's okay with you, of course."

"Are there two beds?"

"No, it's a king. But I'm sure there's a sofa or something I can sleep on… or the floor if I have to." She was quiet for a few moments, just staring at me. "Please don't think that I intended this. I'm sorry that I couldn't do better."

"Please, Edward." She waved her hand dismissively. "I trust you. I'm sure the room will be lovely, and I don't mind sharing. We're both adults here. There's no reason you should have to sleep on the floor."

Oh God.

I knew in my rational mind that we were only discussing sharing a room to sleep in. I knew that. But it didn't stop the wave of butterflies that attacked my stomach when I thought of laying so close to her for hours, without the risk of anyone busting in and telling me it was wrong.

Wrong.

I had spent so many years convincing myself that even thinking of her was wrong, but I couldn't deny that being with Bella tonight had felt like the most natural thing in the world.