A/N: I'm loving all your reviews! They make me giddy and giggle like a school girl at some ? I'm so sorry for not replying to ones after the first chapter. School started unloading homework and projects on me and the only break I can get for fanfic is to make the necessary changes from Cherry, and then upload it to post.
Chapter 7
Bella
My alarm goes off at seven and I roll over, pressing snooze and rolling back to Edward's warm embrace.
"We need to get up," he says, sleep evident in his voice.
"I know," I mumble. "I just don't want to. I'm too comfortable and we didn't get a whole lot of sleep." The dull ache between my legs is proof of this. He hums in response, but neither of us makes any effort to move.
I'm just dozing off when the alarm buzzes again. I sigh, roll back over and shut it off. Rubbing my hands over my face, I try to wake myself up. This interview will take a while, considering they'll take new photos. Groaning, I reach over and grab my phone.
"Holy shit," I breathe out.
"What?"
"I have fifty-something texts—all from the girls—and my Twitter mentions have blown up! I haven't checked that in a couple of days, but there's over three hundred tweets." By the time I'm done talking, Edward has his front to my back and is looking over my shoulder.
I scroll through the tweets first, noticing that a lot are from Friday night's outing —that I'm in town, where I was, who I was with, how hot I am, dating speculations … the usual.
"If only they knew how sexy you really are," Edward says, kissing my bare shoulder.
I snort. "Yeah, well, they have their magazines and professional or paparazzi shots. They don't get to have the real me." My words turn into a moan when he kisses his way up my neck to my ear.
"Damn straight. The real you is for me and only me." He bites down on my ear and pulls. I turn my head and I'm rewarded with his lips on mine. I open my mouth to taste his bottom lip. Edward deepens our kiss, tangling our tongues together, but soon I must break away for air. He shifts and moves to cage me in, kissing his way down to my breasts and circling my nipples with the tip of his tongue.
"As much as I would love to go again, we can't." I gasp and jerk as he bites down on my nipple.
He chuckles. "Why not? You seem to be enjoying this." He flicks the same nipple with his tongue just to prove his point.
"True, but my lady parts are a bit sore from doing way more than they're used to, and we need to go get my stuff so I can shower."
He sighs and sits up, still hovering over me. "Okay, let's get this adulting business done." He throws the sheets off and gets off the bed, standing completely naked and reaching out a hand to me. "The sooner this is over, the sooner we can be alone behind locked doors again."
I take hold of his hand and we start the day. Edward jumps in the shower and I get dressed and start the coffee. As that brews, I read through my missed texts, smiling and laughing at the girls' words. I send off a quick text saying that we'll be over soon and we can talk then. When Edward's done and ready to go, we head for my apartment.
*WYB*
Edward
As we enter Bella's apartment, both Rosalie and Angela give us knowing looks with their "hello" and "good morning."
"Ladies," I greet with a smile and head nod.
"I'm just gonna go shower and change," Bella says nonchalantly. "I won't be long." She raises up on her tip toes and I lean down, giving her quick kiss. She turns and walks to her room as she points and acknowledges our friends. "Be nice or I won't spill."
Rose rolls her eyes. "Give us some credit. It's not like this is the first time we're meeting him."
Bella reaches her room and closes the door, the shower starting a few minutes later. Now's the chance to get a question off my mind and answered from the girls' point of view. Coffee travel mug in hand, I start the question as I walk over to the couch. "So, I just have one question … well, maybe two. Which parts did you two play in this seduction game, and was there anything that happened that wasn't part of it?" I already have most of these answers, but I there must be something that wasn't planned.
Rose tells me that she picked her up from the airport and Bella filled them both in on what she wanted to do when they got to Bella's room. Angela was her wardrobe advisor, apart from the actual photoshoot, and Rose was, in her words, the "plan manager," or the one to keep Bella from straying too far.
"She wasn't happy about it at times, but she knew why she needed us," Rose says matter-of-factly. She shrugs. "When she decided to take the DJ's offer to dance, I knew I was going to have to be a good friend. That was not part of her plan, but I guess she saw an opportunity to make it harder on you and went for it." I snort and nod.
Oh, it made it harder.
"She didn't expect you both to get so worked up when you danced, either," Angela states and Rose agrees.
"And as her 'plan manager,' I had to interrupt. I felt bad at first, because getting you worked up was the point for that night, but I think she failed to realize how much it was going to affect her too. She called me a few choice words in the car on the way home from Back Breakers," Rose says, snickering.
"Oh, I just bet she did." I say, giving her a mock glare.
She shrugs. "It was still worth it."
We talk a bit more, this time about them and their relationships. Rose and Ang seem to be on the same page as Emmett and Eric are in the seriousness of them. I know both guys want the girls to move in with them, considering the girls are paying rent on a space they don't spend enough time in. And while mine and Bella's relationship has just started, I'm in line with the guys. I guess I can broach the topic and see what she thinks.
Bella comes out a few minutes later, having only spent twenty minutes in her room. Her hair is wet, her long curls already forming, and she carries a make-up bag. She sits next to me and we all keep chatting as she "puts her face on."
Bella's phone vibrates on the coffee table. "Time to get going."
We say our goodbyes and head out to talk about me, my shop, and us.
"So, with all the great works of art you've made, do you have a favorite?" Irina asks. She's been doing the questions this time, as Mary helps Bella get ready for some photos. It's been an hour now, so our chat should wrap up soon.
"Well, apart from mine, not really. I mean, each one is different from the next and I have my own reasons for why I like each one. They're my works and I put my all into each one."
"Your clients couldn't agree more. And forgive me if this is too personal, but I must ask—do you have a lucky lady in your life and if so, does she have a favorite?"
I chuckle and turn my head for a quick toward where Bella is just finishing up. "Well, I do have a lucky lady, as you put it, but it's quite new and I haven't gotten a chance to ask her. But, you could ask her yourself?" I raise my chin in Bella's direction.
Irina takes the hint. "Bella, our model, is your girlfriend?" I nod, still smiling. "Huh, that explains it," she mutters, and I can't help the snort that slips out. "When I told her she was a top pick for this, she said she knew you well. I guess I just didn't realize how well."
I explain that we've been great friends for years and it's only been in the recent days that we've been together. They don't need to know the exact timing. "I've loved her for a long time—same goes for her. It just took us a little longer to see it than we would have liked."
"That's so sweet." Irina's eyes light up and a small smile forms. She looks back at her laptop, trying to get back on track with her questions. "Okay, last question and follow up, if needed. When will we see a new piece for display purposes, like the International Auto Show coming up in a few months' time? Can we by chance have one piece of information about it?"
Nodding, I tease, "I have the plans down and will be starting it later this week. My clients take priority, so I need the space to take my time and make it perfect. As far as anything about the project, all I can say is that you'll have to wait and see what will be on the very fast car."
Irina finishes typing, saves it, and closes the laptop with a sigh. "All right, that's it for the inquisitions! Now we can get started on a few more shots of the two of you. Now that I know you're together, we can get even better photos."
While I'm not sure what kind of positions she's considering, I couldn't agree more. I'm ready to touch and hold my girl.
Irina calls everyone to attention and things get started. Bella and I reshoot a few photos from the day before, and are put in a few different, more intimate positions that will leave no doubt in people's minds that we love each other.
Before we know it, it's four o'clock and Laurent, with the agreement from Irina, ends the shoot. They officially have everything they need for the issue. Irina gives Bella her week off, stating she needs to be back to the home office by next Monday. She's happy for us and we deserve a little down time before the next contract.
This gives me time to convince her to move in with me and to move her stuff in when she agrees.
Bella walks over, wearing a smile. "Hey, you ready to go? I have a text from Angela and Rose wanting us to hang out with them and their men at the apartment for a game night."
"Yeah, that sounds fun. Do we need to bring anything?"
"Food's all taken care of, so just the alcohol," she reads from her phone.
"Cool. Would you like to drive this time?" I really want to see her handling a stick.
Bella purses her lips, thinking. "How about we drive ourselves to the apartment, that way my car is at home. Then, we can run to the liquor store down the street."
My insides deflate a little, but I perk back up when I remember she'll be around all week. I agree and we part ways to our cars. I watch as she backs up and pulls out ahead of me.
Game night has been in progress for a couple hours now, but everyone seems tired already, and not just from the alcohol. Us three guys work in the morning, Rose has one more free day before she flies out to Texas, and Angela flies to Florida on Wednesday.
Knowing that real life starts again in twelve hours, Emmett, Eric, and I give each other a look. It's time to give these girls an even better reason to come home. Eric pauses the Wii baseball game and leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
"Okay, the guys and I have been thinking, and we just want you to hear us out. We understand that you want a space to call your own, but why don't you three just move in with us?" He pauses, letting the suggestion sink in a bit. "I mean, look at it this way: none of you are here more than a week for every three to six weeks you're out working, except for Angie. You spend more money keeping this place clean and secure than you do actually living in it."
The girls listen to him and when he's done, they just look at each other, having a silent conversation.
"Em," Rose questions, "do you feel this way, too?"
Emmett nods. "Yeah. Yeah, I do. I want you with me as often as I can get you. You already spend most nights you're in town with me anyway. Why not all the time?"
Rose sighs and looks at Bella, who just nods and stands. I'm about to ask where she's going, but Rose speaks up. "We were approached by our landlord Friday morning before Bella left for the shop." Bella returns with a few papers, placing them down on the center of the coffee table for all to see. "He stopped by to hand us our new lease papers, since our current one ends in two and a half months." Rose spreads the papers out. "We haven't signed them yet."
We all look a little closer and notice that the X's are indeed void of their signatures.
"We were going to talk about our options and decide tomorrow when we all had the time," Bella says, meeting my gaze when I look up.
"Well, we can talk about it now instead. We said what we think you should do. What do you think about it?" Eric asks.
The girls relax back and watch each other for a few seconds. "Girl talk in my room?" Bella suggests. The other two nod and they make their way into Bella's bedroom, closing the door once they're inside.
All we can do is wait.
Five minutes later, the door opens and they walk back to sit with us, their faces giving nothing away. It's frustrating.
They say nothing for what feels like an eternity. I see Bella's cheek dimple in and know she's biting the inside of it. I know her well enough to know that she bites her lip when turned on or nervous, but when it's her cheek, she's trying to not laugh.
"Oh, for fuck's sake!" Emmett blurts out. "What's with the silent monk acts?"
The girls lose it then, laughing hard enough to wipe the corners of their eyes. They eventually calm down enough to put us out of our misery.
"We see your points, and accept the offers to move in with our chosen partners," Bella says, letting me release the tension in my body.
I wrap my arm around Bella, pulling her closer so I can whisper in her ear. "You know what this means, right?"
"You mean, do I know that I can start bringing my things over tomorrow?"
"Well, yeah, but that's not what I was referring to."
"Okay ... what?"
"It means that I get to fuck you on every surface in my house, anytime we want without any cockblocking from your roommates, or from you needing to leave earlier to get your bags ready for work."
She hums in approval, then turns her face towards mine. "That … is a fucking beautiful observation."
Then, because I can't help it and I can do what I want now, I kiss the ever loving shit out of her. We only stop when she pulls away, laughing at our friend's protests and Emmett's suggestion that we "get a room!"
"You know what?" I say to anyone listening. "I think I may just do that."
A/N: Epilogue posting tomorrow!
