Disclaimer: I don't own the characters - I've just borrowed them from SM to have fun with - enjoy xx
CHAPTER SIX – Reunions, Restrooms and Royalty
Only slightly behind schedule because of heavy Saturday night traffic, Edward and Jasper's cab arrived at a plush restaurant in the middle of London's theater-land. The exclusive upstairs floor was very popular with celebrities, as the owners kept a strict and rigorously observed privacy code. Anyone who bothered a celebrity, or tried to take photographs inside the restaurant, would be asked to leave immediately.
Mike and his partner, Jessica, were already there when Edward and Jasper arrived, and were seated at a beautifully dressed round table set for nine places. They were able to have a brief chat with Mike before the other guests arrived, but Jessica sat quietly, gazing at Edward with her mouth slightly open, not saying a word, which Edward found slightly off-putting even though he was used to this reaction from women.
Edward was determined to stick to his plan to not drink any alcohol during the evening. When asked, he ordered a mineral water with ice and lemon; his intention being to go to bed that night with a clear head. He also intended eating only the blandest dishes on the menu in order to further reduce the chance of having another nightmare.
He spotted Emily Young and her husband entering the restaurant and stood up to greet them. They were escorted by the maitre d' to the table and Mike did the introductions.
After a few more minutes, Angela Webber arrived, apologizing profusely that the two screenwriters who had helped adapt her book into a script, were unable to attend. They were stuck on the other side of the English Channel in Brussels waiting for a flight out, and had already been delayed for six hours. Mainland Europe was in the grip of an air traffic controllers' dispute, and the only way to get across the channel at the moment was either by boat, or train via the tunnel. Jasper had heard about the strike and was beginning to get concerned they might not be able to get to Paris as planned, and was hoping the dispute would be resolved before Monday.
Angela chose the chair next to Edward and greeted him warmly.
"It's a privilege to meet you, Edward. Sorry, you don't mind me calling you Edward, do you?"
"Not at all, Angela," Edward replied, smiling back at her.
As usual, he had appraised Angela as soon as he saw her, and immediately dismissed her as a possible sexual partner. She was quite short, slightly overweight, nearer fifty than forty he guessed, but still very attractive, with a lovely, cheery smile. He instantly felt relaxed talking to her.
"I suppose Mike told you I insisted you were offered the part of Gregory," Angela said, blushing slightly.
"Well, it was actually Jasper who told me, but I was very flattered to be number one on your wish list. Why did you feel I would be right for the part?"
"Oh, Edward, apart from being the right age and a great actor, you have an old-fashioned air about you and you are quite a dashing young man." Angela giggled nervously. "It wasn't difficult imagining you in Edwardian clothes either; even your name is right for the era!"
Edward thanked Angela for the compliment and asked, "Are all your books historical novels?"
"Yes, I cannot imagine writing a contemporary story. Did you know I'm a Professor of History at Cambridge? My writing started off as a hobby and after my first story was published it ended up earning me more in the first year than I could make in a lifetime as an academic!"
"No, I didn't know that, Angela; that's very interesting. Is the nineteenth and century..."
Edward stopped mid-sentence as he heard Jasper let out a faint gasp. He looked up to see what had provoked that reaction, and standing on the other side of the table was Bella. She wasn't looking at either him or Jasper, her eyes were transfixed on Angela, who was by now chattering away to Emily's husband.
Edward stood up from his chair, and the sound broke Bella's gaze. She gave Edward a sheepish smile.
"Hello, Edward. How are you?"
"I'm fine, Bella, apart from a slight limp. How are you?"
Bella didn't have time to react to Edward's sarcastic response as just then Alice appeared behind her and squealed when she saw Jasper. Jasper didn't squeal back, but he was very pleased to see her.
"Are you and Alice here on your own?" Edward asked.
"Yes, we were lucky enough to get a cancellation at the last minute."
"Why don't you join us?" Jasper suggested. "Angela's colleagues were unable to come and we have two spare places."
Bella glanced at Edward to see if she could tell from his expression whether he was happy or not with the arrangement. She saw him indicate that he was okay with it, by giving her a slight nod of his head and a smile.
"Thank you, Jasper; that would be very nice."
Bella walked over to the empty seat next to Angela and offered her hand to shake.
"You may not know me, Miss Webber. My name is Isabella Swan. I'm a huge fan of your writing. I've read everything you've ever published and my local bookstore is under strict instructions to get me first editions of all your future books. I would dearly love to act out your words if you were ever to put one of your stories on the stage."
Angela beamed up at her and grasped Bella's proffered hand with both of hers.
"Isabella Swan; I've heard so much about you. I'm staying on in London for your opening night on Wednesday, and I'm so looking forward to it. It's an absolute honor to meet you. Please sit next to me; we have so much to talk about."
Edward looked around at the table and wondered why he was there.
Alice was practically sitting on Jasper's lap, and he was grinning from ear to ear looking like the cat who'd got the cream.
Emily and her husband were behaving like newly-weds should, as Sam was hardly able to stop touching her all the time. He kept stroking her hand, then raising it up to his lips to kiss.
Mike was being especially attentive to Jessica. Edward presumed she was star-struck, as when they were introduced, she couldn't string more than two words together. The last thing he wanted to do was to annoy Mike if Jessica was lusting after him, so he didn't initiate any conversation with her.
Most annoyingly of all though, Bella and Angela were totally engrossed in their conversation about novels he had never heard of, so he was sitting there, knocking back his mineral water with no-one to talk to.
After a while he signaled the waiter and asked for a whiskey and soda. Jasper gave him a hard stare and Edward mouthed, "Just the one, because I've got nothing else to do with my mouth, asshole!"
He was just raising the whiskey to his lips, when he heard Bella exclaim,
"Edward's playing Gregory?"
"Yes, he was my first choice," Angela confirmed to Bella. "That's why we're here."
"You could've fooled me," Edward muttered under his breath, sulkily.
Bella peered around Alice so she could see Edward fully.
"Edward, I'm impressed. I thought you were an action-movie type of guy; not one for serious dramas."
"Well that just shows how little you know me, doesn't it, Bella?"
"And I'm playing Georgina, hopefully," Emily added, and then put her hand on her mouth and dropped her eyes down to the table, as if she was trying to avoid eye-contact with anyone.
Mike's attention turned away from Jessica. "What do you mean 'hopefully' Emily? Is there something I should know?"
Emily had turned a brilliant red color on her cheeks, so Sam jumped in to save her.
"Emily's just found out she's pregnant, Mike; she'll be just over four months along when you start shooting. If the pregnancy goes as it should, she won't be showing too much by then so it shouldn't be a problem."
Mike looked relieved. "Honeymoon baby was it?"
"Yes," Sam chuckled. "A bit of a surprise, but Emily seems fine, so we're not expecting any complications."
Emily looked up. An embarrassed smile appeared on her face as congratulations were offered. Mike ordered champagne and after they toasted Sam, Emily, and the baby's good health, the first course arrived and the banter was light-hearted and friendly while they were eating.
When dinner was over, they all swapped seats. After talking to Jessica briefly, Bella found herself sitting next to Edward. She leaned forward and whispered in his ear.
"Do you want to call another truce, Edward?"
"I don't know whether I can risk it, Bella. Last time we called a truce, you almost broke my shin bone. I wasn't aware that Louboutins were putting steel toe caps in their stilettos now, or were they specially made, just for you?"
"Well, you deserved it; you were an asshole, and you touched me without permission, so don't deny it."
Bella said that with a smile on her face, and Edward couldn't help but smile back.
"I know; I probably did deserve it, but it still fucking hurt."
Edward guessed that this was probably his last opportunity he had to speak to Bella before they went their separate ways, so before he could think twice, he spoke quietly, so no-one but Bella could hear,
"I don't know what it is about you, Bella, but you bring out the best and the worst in me. I haven't met anyone like you before and I must admit, you fascinate me. I can't stop thinking about you and would like to get to know you better. Are you able to spend some time with me before I go back to the States next week?"
Bella blushed slightly and fiddled with the napkin on the table as she thought of her response to Edward's declaration. She knew what she really wanted to say to him and had gone over it in her mind several times during dinner, but she still hesitated before she bit the bullet and came out with it.
"Edward," she whispered, "We have a connection; I don't know what it is, or where it's come from, or why for that matter, but you and I know there's something going on here. You're so not the type of guy I go for; in fact you're the complete antithesis of my 'ideal man'. I should in all honesty despise you as you're arrogant and very rude sometimes. Also, we have nothing in common; you're not into classical theater or literature as far as I'm aware. So, why can't I get you out of my mind? Why am I thinking of you when I'm rehearsing? Why did my heart-rate increase when I saw you this evening, and why am I even telling you all this?"
Edward was taken aback by her confession and was, for a few seconds, speechless. He looked around at the other guests at the table; they were all in deep conversation with one another, so no-one had heard what Bella said to him.
He shook his head in bewilderment as he wondered what to do or say next. If it had been anyone but Bella, he would have taken her hand and held it, or run his fingers through her hair. But he didn't dare touch her without permission, after what happened last time.
"So what do we do about our 'connection' Bella? Do you want to take this further and go out on a date with me?"
"No, not now, Edward; I have to concentrate on my seasons at The National and Stratford, so, frankly, my life is too busy for a relationship at the moment. I just needed to be honest with you, and now we can say goodbye on friendly terms."
"You can't just drop a bomb like that; say you have feelings for me then walk away. Surely we can meet up before your opening night and see where this goes?"
"No, we can't; it wouldn't be fair on me or you. I'm really sorry, Edward. Anyway, would you excuse me, I need to find the restrooms."
Edward got up as she left and his eyes followed her until she disappeared from view. He sat down at the table and perused the last drops of whiskey in the bottom of the glass and thought about what she had said.
'Arrogant and rude'. Was that her impression of him? Did she actually despise him because of his behavior? He wished he had an opportunity to show her there was another side to him, but then he asked himself, "Have I got actually got another side to me?"
He looked over in the direction of the restrooms, waiting for her to appear again, then thought to himself, "fuck this," and left the table to follow in her footsteps.
The restrooms were out of sight of their table and he loitered outside the ladies room until Bella opened the door. She jumped in surprise when she saw him.
"What are you doing here?" she hissed.
"Don't worry, Bella, I'm not going to touch you, but I can't leave it like that. Life's too short not to take this further if there's something between us. Why can't we meet up, just once, on our own?"
Edward was leaning over her as Bella looked up at his anxious face. She could see a slight hint of desperation in his eyes, so she laid her hands on his chest, as if she was trying to gently push him away, and shook her head.
"Edward, I don't want to start something that's bound to finish almost immediately. I don't have the time or the inclination to have a relationship with you at the moment, and I don't do one night stands."
Edward's hands lightly gripped her shoulders and he manoeuverd her body backwards into the Restroom, kicking the door shut behind him. Before Bella had a chance to resist, his lips were on hers for just a moment in a brief, but still passionate, kiss. He pulled away from her and looked directly into her eyes.
"You touched me first, Bella," he said with a smirk, then his mouth was on hers again. This time Bella eagerly responded. His tongue easily slipped inside her mouth as his arms enveloped her body, lifting her onto her tiptoes.
Bella dropped her purse on the floor and wound her arms around his neck. As he crushed her against him with his strong arms, she was instantly aware of his arousal pressing against her stomach. She weaved her fingers through his silky hair and whimpered, as his soft and sensual lips were making her whole body tingle.
Their lips eventually broke contact and they stood in the middle of the ladies room, grasping each other's arms at the elbows, gasping for breath as they both came back down to earth, until they heard the sound of a toilet flushing and the lock of a cubicle door being pulled back.
"Oh crap!" Edward cried, as he grabbed Bella by the hand as she was frantically trying to pick her purse up off the floor. He managed to pull her out the door before they were spotted and they fell out into the corridor laughing, then hurriedly attempted to straighten hair and clothing before they went back into the restaurant.
"You go back to the table first, Bella. I'll go in the men's restroom and come back in a few minutes."
Bella nodded as she was unable to speak for the moment, then strolled nonchalantly through the busy restaurant as though nothing had happened, even though her mind was in turmoil.
"No, no, no. You can't do this, Bella," she was saying to herself. "I know he's unbelievably attractive, and his kissing technique is sinful, but this is totally wrong. You mustn't get involved with anyone at the moment. I need to speak to Alice, when I can prize her away from Jasper that is."
Alice and Jasper were obviously in the middle of exchanging phone numbers as she approached the table. Alice looked up.
"Where have you been; you've been gone ages?"
"I bumped into Edward when I was coming out of the restroom and he was going into the men's. We were talking. He'll be back in a minute."
Both Jasper and Alice noticed Bella's flushed complexion and were instantly suspicious. Edward appeared then, and he purposely spoke to Mike and Sam for a few minutes, rather than go over to where Bella was standing.
Jessica was staring up at him again with her mouth slightly open and a glazed expression on her face, which he found a bit off-putting. She hadn't said a word to him all evening apart from "Hello" when he arrived, but he could definitely pick up that she was lusting after him. Edward made sure his eyes were fixed on Mike while they were talking, and then he backed off without speaking to her. He walked over to Bella's side of the table, just as she was picking up her jacket.
"Are you leaving?" he asked, sounding surprised, as it was only just after ten o'clock.
"Yes, I've got an early start at the theater tomorrow. The director wants to fit in another rehearsal on the actual stage, and as there's another production going on in the afternoon and evening, we can only rehearse in the morning. So I'm sorry; I really have to go."
"Can I at least have your number so I can call you?" he whispered, so no-one could overhear.
"No, Edward. I told you I haven't got time for a relationship, and as tempting as you are, I can't take this any further."
Edward stood in front of her and brushed a stray hair away from her face.
"Please don't tell me you didn't feel something back there; we were on fire. In fact, I'm still on fire!"
Bella looked down at his groin area and nodded in agreement.
"I'm not denying that I felt something back there, Edward, and it was a bit more tangible than fire!"
Edward smirked, but Bella put her hand in his as though to shake it.
"It's been great meeting up with you again, Edward. Good luck with the movie and the rest of the tour. Maybe we'll cross paths again in the future when we're back in the States."
Edward was at a loss what to say as he could tell that Bella was determined not to change her mind, and he wasn't going to start pleading in front of everyone at the table. He took Bella's proffered hand and brought it up to his lips and kissed it gently, then reluctantly let it go. Bella blushed furiously and said, "Goodnight, Edward."
Alice jumped up and grabbed her coat and bag, then bent over to kiss Jasper on the cheek. She grinned at Edward, then said goodnight to the other guests.
Bella turned to Angela, who was by now quite tipsy as she had been slowly working her way through the cocktail menu. She bid her goodnight, saying that she hoped they could work together in the future. Then she walked out of the restaurant, and effectively, out of Edward's life again.
Sam and Emily rose from their seats and said goodnight, which prompted Mike and Jessica to start getting ready to leave after settling the tab.
Angela grabbed Edward and Jasper's arms and used them to haul herself out of her chair.
"Here are my two 'knights in shining armor'. Are you going to escort this old bird to her carriage and get her home safely?" she joked. Edward linked her arm in his, and gallantly helped her weave her way through the crowded restaurant. She only collided with other diners a few times, but they were fortunately good humored enough not to say anything when their chairs were jolted.
Once outside, Edward hailed a cab and gave the driver Angela's address in Primrose Hill, a handful of notes, and sent her on her way. Ignoring a couple of persistent Paparazzi who were hanging around outside the restaurant taking photographs, they eventually hailed their own cab to take them back to The Savoy.
"So, who are you going to dream about tonight, Edward?" Jasper asked jokingly when they were on their way.
"Bella, I hope," Edward responded immediately without thinking; then realized he had just dropped himself in it with Jasper.
"I knew it! You had a tryst with her, didn't you? She was red as a beetroot when she came back from the restroom, you dog."
"Yes, Jasper, we had...words. I really like her, but she doesn't want to know; she says she's too busy for a relationship."
"Ha! Your charms didn't work on her then; you must be losing your touch."
"Leave it alone, Jasper," Edward grunted. "I'm not in the mood."
Jasper grinned to himself as he flicked his phone open when a text message came through. His eyebrows shot up and he giggled like a schoolboy, then tapped a response in and put his phone back in his pocket with a satisfied grin on his face. He sat back in his seat and looked out of the taxi window as London at night flashed by.
The taxi drew up in front of the hotel and Edward got out, but Jasper stayed behind.
"Aren't you coming?"
"No, I've got something I need to do; I'll see you in the morning. Have a good rest tonight."
"You're going to see Alice, aren't you?"
Jasper winked at Edward as he tapped on the cabs interior window and gave the driver an address in Kensington.
"Sweet dreams, Edward," he chortled, as the cab disappeared into the night.
"Fucking marvelous," Edward grumbled. "Everyone's getting some action except for me, and I'm too scared to go to bed now."
He was tempted to go to the hotel bar to drown his sorrows, but instead took the elevator up to his suite, pondering the fact that it was eleven o'clock on a Saturday night in London, and he was on his own, when everyone else in the city seemed to be partying.
He tried to watch a movie on one of the cable channels, but couldn't concentrate on the plot. All he could think about was the feel of Bella's lips on his, and her taste when his tongue was in her mouth. When he wound his fingers into her loose curls, he couldn't recall ever feeling hair as soft and it smelled of summertime and strawberries. As he lay with his feet up on the comfortable sofa in his suite, he felt thoroughly frustrated that he didn't know where Bella was staying as he was tempted to go there now and beg her to reconsider spending some time with him.
It was one in the morning before he started getting ready for bed. He had been trying to put off the moment, as he didn't want another dream like the ones he had last night and during the afternoon. But his eyes were feeling heavy and he knew he wouldn't be able to stay awake much longer, and if he didn't get into his bed, he would fall asleep on the sofa and would probably wake next morning with a bad back and a stiff neck.
When he'd got back from the restaurant, he had checked the suite to see whether there was anyone hiding in cupboards, or behind the sofa, or in the bathroom, or under the bed; just in case Tanya had sneaked her way in there while he was out. Then he made certain the door to the outside corridor was locked securely, and just to be sure, he moved a large chair over and wedged that up against the handle. He checked all the windows were closed and there were no washing cradles dangling conveniently outside with Tanya hanging off one. As he climbed into bed he was content that he was safe from uninvited guests coming in while he slept. As his head hit the pillow, all he hoped for was a long and uneventful sleep.
He lay on his back, then on his side, then on his front, saying over and over to himself, "I'm going to dream about Bella, I'm going to dream about Bella." He forced himself to think of scenarios, like strolling hand in hand down an idyllic riverbank with Bella skipping along beside him with flowers in her hair; or being alone with her on a secluded island, on a white sandy beach, surrounded by turquoise sea, then all of a sudden he felt a strange movement between his legs.
"What the hell! I'm on a horse. I can't even ride, what the fuck...!"
"My Lord, we're almost at the castle. Do you wish to wait 'til nightfall before we attack?"
"What the hell is this guy on about? What castle? Attack what? And what the hell am I wearing?"
"My Lord, we need to make camp until darkness falls. The Black Prince's castle is surrounded by his men and our only cover is the forest."
"I agree, Sir Charles; we'll rest here and attack at night. My Lady will have to wait a few more hours to be rescued; I just pray to God she has not been violated by this monster."
"Oh my Holy God, I'm in Medieval England; wearing fucking ironmongery."
And who the hell needs rescuing? I dread to think."
A/N:
Before you read on, who do you think has put Edward in this situation? With bodice un-ripped (as yet), lets be off to 'Merrie' England!
Joan xx