Day 4, Prompt 8

17th December (Thursday)

Edward

"Oh, that's nice."

I sigh happily as I sink into soft cushions and take a long draught of my beer. It's been a really long week, and everyone in the lab has retired to the local pub for our usual Thursday night drinks. I am dead tired, my muscles aching from spending all day tied to my workbench in the lab, and my head pounding from patching up quarrels over nothing between almost everyone.

I'm not sure what's going on at home, either – Rose came home yesterday almost in tears, but refused to talk to me about what was wrong. I'm hoping it's just that she's having a tough week at work too – if she won't talk to me about it, it can't be anything about me, right? Just so long as she hasn't found the ring. It's hidden away, right at the back of my underwear drawer, and what woman in her right mind would be digging around in her boyfriend's underpants? Hah. Underpants that said boyfriend isn't wearing, obviously. I chuckle to myself, and try to stop myself imagining Rose's cool hands sliding down into my boxer shorts. I don't think about how her fingers would stroke and slide and squeeze...

I'm shaken rudely from my thoughts by a braying laugh in my ear. Jess and Lauren throw themselves down on to the sofa, one either side so I can't get away. At least now the semi is fading away – nothing like a rude awakening to take care of business. Lauren has stretched her arm across behind me, and is leaning in a little too close for comfort. I start to edge away, get a little more space, but Jess is on that side, already somewhat the worse for wear, with a wine glass in one hand and something else clutched in the other.

I look up, confused, trying to see what she's dangling over my head.

"Mistletoe!" Lauren squeals, before kissing my cheek. Presumably even she has more sense than to aim for the lips and risk an embarrassing scene. "So, Edward... Have you been naughty, or nice?" She leers at me and continues in hushed tones: "I can be both, whichever you like."

The semi has definitely gone now, and taken my relaxed mood along with it. "I don't doubt that." I force a smile as I extricate myself from her clutches. "I've got to go soon, I told my girlfriend I wouldn't be out too late."

Lauren's face creases into a disappointed frown. "Girlfriend? I thought you and Bella split up?"

"You're a bit behind the times." She still looks confused. "I broke up with Bella, yes. But I've been going out with Rose for about eight, nine months now."

Jess is smiling. "I'd give up if I were you, Lauren. Look at his face – just mentioning her name makes him grin like an idiot; he's clearly smitten with this girl."

She's right, I am. I feel myself starting to blush, and look away, abashed. She doesn't stop, though.

"Come on, sit back down. Tell us all about her. Why did you and Bella break up in the first place?"

Why didn't Bella and I break up would be a better question. I grimace, thinking back on what a lopsided nightmare of a relationship that turned out to be. It was like being involved with a shadow; she always just did whatever I wanted to do. Granted, it made for an easy life, and it certainly ensured she got on with my mother, but it wasn't very... challenging. There's no satisfaction in pushing and meeting no resistance. I always felt like I was taking and never able to give. Even when I tried to do things for her, she would turn it round so we were doing my favourite things. How do you explain that you left someone because they always gave you everything you wanted? It's impossible to say that without sounding like a complete asshole.

"It just wasn't working out, you know?" It seems safer not to elaborate.

Jess raises an eyebrow. "Okay, fine. What about this new girl, then?"

I can feel a grin stealing on to my face. I can't help myself, I try to suppress it, but I'm beaming just thinking about her.

"Her name is Rose. Rosalie. I met her at that fundraiser earlier this year; you remember the one? We, er, hit it off straight away." My grin widens slightly, remembering that night, and the following morning. And the following night. "She's a lawyer, so we struggled to see each other much – so much work on, blah blah blah. We've solved that problem, though. She moved in with me about two months ago, and everything's brilliant."

"I'm glad to see you happy, Edward. Really, it's fantastic." Jess hugs me, then gives me a playful shove. "Fuck off home to your perfect girlfriend, then. Merry Christmas!"

I hug her, and Lauren, and give them both a kiss on the cheek. Despite the conversation about Rose, Lauren still giggles and gives me the look that she thinks is seductive. I roll my eyes at both of them and say my goodbyes to everyone else.

When I get home, Rose is already asleep. She has a paperback in her hand and her bedside light still on, so she must have been pretty tired to have fallen asleep like that, though she stirs awake as I creep about the bedroom and undress. She grumbles as I slide into bed and bury my face in her hair.

"Shh, it's just me," I whisper. "Go to sleep."

She rolls over and pulls me closer to her, pressing her hands into my back and her hips against mine. Her face is pressed into my chest as we both drift into sleep. My God, I love this woman.