Chapter-7: A Whole New World
EPOV
"Mmm," she moans next to my ear, making my already painful morning wood stand up straighter as if to salute the warm female body resting against mine. Greedy bastard, I admonish it.
As if my punishment wasn't enough, she then proceeds to stretch, throwing one leg over my hip, practically spooning me. Fuck. Me.! "Bella?" I call softly, needing her to move away before I did something very ungentlemanly. Nothing happens. Clearing my throat, I try again. "Um … Bella? Can you move?"
In a sleep-heavy voice she replies, "Don't want to. So warm." Then she lets her hand wrap around my torso, just a few inches above where I need her. That does it.
Jumping out of her arms, I yell, "Bella, get up!"
She winces and then slowly opens her eyes. With her lipstick rubbed off on the pillowcase and the remnants of mascara running down her cheek in a dried up teartrack make her look like a party animal; that is until my eyes fall on hers. With the slight dent on her forehead and the confused look on her face, she looks heart-wrenchingly innocent. Then her eyes seem to focus on me before zapping down to the bed and then down at her body. Her eyes widen, making me grin.
"Did you …?" she starts before amending the question. "Did we ..." I just wait for her silently, enjoying myself immensely. "Did anything happen?"
"Define anything," I ask solemnly.
"Edward!" she chides. "We didn't … did we?"
"Well ..." I stop, wanting to tease her just a bit more. The pleading look in her eyes makes me sigh and speak the truth. "We didn't. I mean you totally came onto me, but I showed utmost self control. Besides you were passed out, and I'm not into necrophilia. In fact, I personally find Prince Phillip's eagerness to kiss a comatose chick very disturbing."
She lets out a sigh of relief, allowing herself to fall back on the bed momentarily before sitting up. "What happened at the wedding? God! I must have missed Angela's farewell. I should probably get home."
"Shh." I place a finger on her lips, silencing her. "Everything went smoothly. I talked to Ben to make sure that they were sent off to their honeymoon on time."
"But I … you … how did I get here?"
"Don't you worry, Rapunzel, I broke into the tower and whisked you away from there," I tell her. "You don't ever have to go back there."
She stares at me for a long moment and then laughs. "You're good," she says. "I admit I was wrong about you. You're not a Wickham."
"You thought I was Wickham the wicked?" I ask, pretending to be hurt. "Oh fair Bella! How you wound me!"
She laughs and then flinches back. "Don't make me laugh. I have a killer hangover."
"You did chug the entire content of my flask," I inform her and then point her toward the ensuite bathroom. "Why don't you freshen up? I'll find something to help you with the hangover. Anything in particular you wanna eat?"
She seems to think for a moment and then says, "Cheese. I want the unhealthiest food you can find full of cheese."
I offer her a bow. "Your wish is my command."
She's almost at the door to the bathroom when she calls, "Edward?"
"Yes, Bella?"
"I'm sorry about how I acted when we met yesterday. I was a little overwhelmed, I guess."
"Just a little, I think," I say with a wink.
She smiles shyly. "Thanks for not leaving me last night," she says before turning around and walking into the bathroom.
I remember the hauntingly sad look in her eyes last night and wish I could hold onto her forever so that she'd never feel left alone again.
By the time we're sitting facing each other on the balcony and horking down mega cheeseburgers from the room service menu, I feel like there's an understanding between us. We exchange teasing remarks and banter back and forth.
She asks about the risks of my job and in turn I ask her about her dreams. She tells me that even though she studied business to be of use to her father, her heart has always been on writing. She confides in me that she's found an internet writer's community and has submitted a manuscript to an editor just to gauge where she might be in the writer's pool.
I'm in the middle of pleading with her to let me read something of hers when my cell phone rings. Excusing myself, I answer the phone without looking at the caller id.
"Hello?"
"Edward, my boy!" Professor Denali's voice booms in my ear. "I've got great news for you."
"Prof.? What's up?" I ask, a small ball of dread forming at the pit of my stomach.
"The funding went through, Edward, the funding went through!" he informs me, sounding overjoyed.
Somehow, I can't find it in me to be just as overjoyed as him. My eyes go to Bella. This can't be happening now! "That's great, Sir," I remark, trying my hardest to fake enthusiasm. "When do we leave?"
"In six days, this thursday," he answers, his excitement palpable. "I can't believe we'll finally be able to get this project rolling."
"Me neither."
"Now then, my boy, get packing and meet me in Chicago on Wednesday," he instructs before hanging up.
I stare at the phone in my hand after we hang up as if it's one of my worst enemies for pushing me away from Bella so fast. "Ahem." She clears her throat. "Where are you going?"
"Mexico. We've been trying to get a funding to explore these underwater caves that are thought to hold Mayan relics," I tell her. When she doesn't respond, I lift my eyes to look at her. She looks crestfallen … all traces of the smiles from just minutes ago gone from her eyes. "It's really not too far away from home."
"I see," she says as she reaches for a glass of orange juice. After drinking half of it in one gulp, she places it back on the table between us. "I should get home. My parents must be worried."
No! Without thinking, I grab one of her hands."Bella, I leave in five days."
"Yeah, I'm happy for you." She looks anything but though. Instead of pointing it out, I decide to take a chance. "Give me five days."
"What?"
"The next five days … spend them with me," I request her. "Please … I want to get to know you better."
"But you're leaving ..."
"Not forever," I counter. "Please, Bella, I feel like we have a connection worth exploring. Please tell me I'm not insane and you feel it too."
She lifts her chin, a defiant look on her face. "So what if I feel it? You'll leave anyway."
"I will, but only so that I can come back to you," I say. "Can you honestly say you'll never regret not giving us a chance for even one moment for the rest of your life?"
She closes her eyes and sighs. "Edward, I … I'm not the kind of girl boys fall in love with. You'll get bored and leave."
I shake my head. "I doubt it. Besides, I'm not a boy, Bella, I'm a man, and I want a chance to prove you wrong. Tell me you'll give us a chance."
She opens her eyes and looks at me intently as if making up her mind and then, without any preamble, she gets off her seat, walks around the table to come stand next to me. Leaning down, she presses her lips to mine, letting me taste the OJ on her lips, and trust me, people, OJ has never tasted so good.
BPOV
I don't know why I do it, I don't know why it feels like Edward's different from any other man I've ever met, but I decide to stay … to give him five days. And once I've made up my mind, those five days turn into the best five days of my life.
Instead of drowning in my depressive life, I find myself smiling and laughing with him. We go shopping for his expedition, we spend hours soaking up the sun at the beach and then at night, after having dinner at quaint diners, we fall asleep reading to each other, our arms wrapped around each other. For once in my life I don't care about what my parents will think. With him by my side, I venture out of my comfort zone and start job hunting by setting up my profiles in job searching websites because the only way I won't have to depend on my parents anymore is by getting a job and getting a place of my own.
And thus, for the first time in my life, I start feeling alive.
However, the worst thing about time is it flies by when you're enjoying life. Just like it started, our blissful time comes to an end. I don't cry on the way to the airport as we drive there. I don't ask him to not go when he pulls me to his chest and kisses me, promising me that he'll be back before I know it. The only thing I do is hope.
I hope that he'll come back.
I hope that this fluttery feeling in my stomach when I see him is what poets call love.
I hope that he feels the same.
I hope that when he gets back, I won't be alone anymore.
A/N: One more chapter to go.
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Thanks for reading.
Love,
Ann
