Betad by kitchmill
Preread by Hoodie
You guys are funny.
Pushing the door open, I step inside and hang up the keys. I shrug off my coat and hang it on the hook on the back of the door before bracing myself to be a gracious hostess to my guest. "Can I get you something to drink? There's water, juice, soda, tea," I say as I lock the door.
"So many choices."
"Yeah, well I like to keep my options open. So, what'll it be?"
He opts for tea, and I pour him a glass. Setting it down on the counter, I scoot it in front of him.
"I'm hungry. You hungry?" Edward asks.
I force a mouthful of tea down. "Starving."
"You got any butter, bread, cheese? I can whip us up some of my mediocre grilled cheeses."
"Really?"
"Well, yeah. It's the least I can do for you letting me stay here. Where do you keep the pans and I'll get started." Edward rounds the bar into the kitchen.
I point to the cupboard with the pots and pans before gathering the rest of the supplies.
"You go sit and watch the magic happen," Edward orders, and even though I've never taken kindly to being bossed around, I gladly do as he says since he's cooking for me. Maybe bringing him home wasn't such a bad idea.
"So, Bella Swan, is it?"
I'm surprised he remembers.
"Yep. And you're Edward Anthony Masen."
"Sure am." Licking some butter off his finger, Edward grabs another piece of bread. "You got a middle name?"
"Doesn't everybody?"
Edward shrugs one shoulder. "I don't know. I don't know everybody and I'm not trying to. Just you." He points over his shoulder with the knife.
I'm not sure if my reaction is flattery or fear from being addressed with a sharp object.
"Well, if you absolutely must know."
"Oh, I absolutely must."
I silently sigh.
"It's Marie. And my real name is Isabella," I blabber for some reason, giving him more information than he really needs. "But, everybody calls me Bella for short. You got a nickname? Something not as proper as Edward?"
"Not really." He drops a piece of buttered bread on the pan and it sizzles. "My grandma used to call me her little Eddiekins." I smile at his backside. "And my brother, he sometimes calls me Eddie. But that's only when he actually takes the time to call."
"He doesn't live around here?"
"Nope. Denver."
"Colorado?"
"That's the one."
"Wow, that's far. You got family there or something?"
He shakes his head.
"He move there for a girl?"
"Uh … you could say that."
I give his back a confused look. "I could?"
Chuckling, he scratches his chin on his shoulder then shrugs. "Yeah, Mary. Mary from Colorado."
It takes me long enough, but I eventually start to catch on. "Ah. I get it. You mean Mary Jane."
Edward turns to me, feigning surprise. "You know her?"
I quirk my brow and smile. "Not personally. But I've heard good things."
He nods. "Yeah. She is pretty smokin'."
I shake my head at his lame joke, laughing to myself when he turns away to flip the sandwich.
"Speaking of which, I should probably burn this shirt. Unless you have a secret to getting out blood stains."
"No, but I can try." Sliding off the stool, I disappear into my room and bring out an oversized T-shirt for him to wear. "Here, you can wear this while I try and wash yours. But no promises."
After tossing the spatula on the counter, Edward pulls his shirt over his head and I momentarily forget how to swallow. He's more muscular than his shirt had let on. But that's not what ultimately catches my attention. His skin is nearly as light as mine, decorated with a scattering of bruises in all different stages of healing over his ribs. I don't get all that long of a look before he grabs the shirt out of my hand and pulls it on over his head.
"Can I ask you a question?" I ask.
"Shoot."
"Why were you left out on the street like that? Who jumped you? Why did they jump you?"
"Good question. Now, can I ask you one?"
I cross my arms over my chest, more than annoyed he didn't answer me. "I guess."
"What was a girl like you doing out in the middle of a neighborhood like that alone?"
"A girl like me?"
"Yeah. Nice, clean." Turning his head, he looks me up and down. His gaze stops on my hips then raises to my eyes. I hold his stare until he looks away. "The kind who carries a can of pepper spray around and announces it."
After flipping the grilled cheese over once more to check it, he tosses it onto a plate. He cuts it at an angle and hands me half.
"Well, if you must know, I was heading to a party. I couldn't remember the address so I had the cab driver drop me off on the nearest block so he could get home to celebrate New Years with his wife and kid. No big deal." I shrug and take a bite of my sandwich. It really hits the spot. "So, what about you? What's your story?"
"I have no story."
"Everybody has a story."
"Not me."
"Yeah, okay." I take another bite before tossing the crust in the trash. "Thanks for the sandwich," I force out instead of a rebuttal. I refuse to get into another fight with him.
"No problem. Hope you liked it."
"It was very tasty." It nearly kills me not to threaten him with some sort of additional bodily harm, but I refrain by heading out of the kitchen.
After I show him around, I leave him alone for a minute to soak his shirt in the washer. When I get back, he's lying on the couch with his eyes closed.
"Hey! Get up. Come on." I snap my fingers in his face and his eyes open.
"I was just testing you." Yawning, he sits up. "Congratulations, you passed."
Scooting between his knees and the coffee table, I take a seat beside him, instantly feeling how tired I really am, too. "All right. So, what are we gonna do? We got a lot of time to kill and I don't think I can make it through a movie."
"Yeah, me either."
We stare at the blank TV while we think of what to do in order to keep ourselves awake.
"I've got some board games, but they're all missing pieces." I scrunch my nose.
"How 'bout PlayStation or Xbox?"
"Nope. No game stations. Sorry."
Edward shrugs. "I guess we could always take turns doing each other's nails."
"For real?"
"No."
I give him a look then flick off my shoes. "Well, I'm gonna go change real quick." Standing, I point at him. "I better not catch you sleeping again when I get back."
Edward holds up his hands, and I disappear into the bedroom, sure to lock the door before I get naked. Putting on my flannel top, I button every single button then pull on the bottoms because I have company. Since I'm not trying to impress him, my hair goes up in its usual messy bun. However, I do forgo my penguin slippers. If I have to be stuck with this guy the rest of the night there's no way I'm giving him any extra ammunition.
He's still awake when I return to the living room and plop down on the opposite end of the couch.
"Nice jammies."
"Thanks."
"What are those? Penguins?" He leans over to rub a piece of the fabric between his fingers.
"Yeah. Why? You got a problem with penguins?"
"No. Not at all. I actually think they're kinda cute. Like you."
A crease in my brow, I give him an unsure smile. "Are you hitting on me right now? Is that what's happening? Do I need to take you back to the hospital?"
"Hell no. And, I would never hit on an attractive girl I was stuck with all night. What kind of guy would that make me?"
"Oh, so now you're stuck with me?"
"That's not what I meant and you know it."
We go silent again and stare at the blank TV before I finally give up and turn it on. I flip through the channels a few times before settling on some home makeover show.
"Happy New Year, by the way," I say, remembering neither one of us really got to celebrate.
"Yeah. It's been a real great start so far."
"Meh, I've had worse."
"Really?" Edward turns to face me. "Well, don't hold out on me. Let's hear it."
I regard him with a squint before pulling my legs in and turning to face him, too. "Okay. But if I do, you have to tell me something about you."
He squints back, briefly thinking about it. "Fine. Now spill."
OK, what if it was James Franco? He's probably the least creepy James I've known. And he's cute and charming...
