Chapter 7

** Bella POV **

"Alice, I have a date tonight. He's coming here and I absolutely don't know how to cook anything!" I yelled desperately into the phone.
"You got a date, missy?! Finally! Well, if you hope to actually get laid with your cooking skill you should just accept now that you cooking anything can't be an option at all. I suggest you buy take-out."
I sighed. I can't make Edward eat pizza. I want him to have the best possible.
"I can't do that. I want an actual sophisticated dinner with wine and everything, you know? Not pepsi and spaghetti with meat sauce-kinda date. He should not see that side of me. At least not yet, anyway." Pictures of Edward watching me sleeping while I looked like a raccoon came to mind. He got to see me like that. Perhaps he would actually survive if I served spaghetti with meat sauce? Perhaps I should just … No, absolutely not, Bella! You must woo him, I thought as I loudly sighed again. I needed to show Edward I could actually both look and act like an actual human.
"I'm really impressed you actually have a date. I've tried to set you up like five times now, and you've been completely impossible every time. Is it someone I know?" she asked in her gentle high-pitched voice. Yes, all right, it's someone you know!
"It'll be my secret for now." I said softly. "I hardly know him yet, just please, for the love of God help me with this and I'll tell you about the date later. I really don't want to screw it up and certainly not on the first date. I don't even know why I invited him to my place – I've never made dinner for anyone. Not even my parents!"
She sighed loudly. "There are two possibilities to this, Bella, either I cook a meal for the two of you, which I most certainly don't suggest as a reliable option either, or there is that gourmet take-out place a couple of blocks from you. Check their menu and order it, place it neatly on some plates and take the credit for it. I've certainly done that to Jasper a couple of times, but don't tell him that." She chuckled.
I loved this woman. She had quickly become a close friend of mine, and this was one of the reasons. I'd never come up with that idea myself. If I didn't have Alice I would have made Edward spaghetti and I don't even completely know how to make that without burning something either.
"You. Are. A. Genius. Alice! Thank you so much. I think you might possibly just have saved my butt! Got to go and make a fabulous meal now, with a little help from our gourmet friends a couple of blocks from here!"
"Call me later, I want to know how this'll turn out with Mr. Secret. Besides, I need new gossip! Have fun, and Bella; don't worry too much, you'll do great. As everyone will say, be yourself, it really is the best advice anyone could both give and get. Bye!"
The genius Alice Cullen saved the day. I called the gourmet place and two hours later, and 200 dollars cheaper the night was saved. It was all so fancy and pretty. I felt almost proud of myself.
I had even vacuum cleaned the apartment and put on a pantsuit and I felt good about myself. I was nervous as hell, and I'd even curled my hair. I usually didn't do so much out of myself, but I wanted to make a good impression. I kept thinking I didn't want the last he'd seen of me to be my drooling raccoon face. I wanted him to know I could look good.
A couple of minutes past 7 o'clock I heard the knock on my door and my heart stopped beating. I got goosebumps all over my arms. My cheeks quickly flushed and my breathing hitched. I wanted this to go well, and I'd prayed more than once to a certain God not to embarrass myself. Even just a knock on the door made my stomach knot. I was so exciting, and I opened the door with great anticipation, and right there where I last saw him he stood again.
He looked as handsome as the last time. His red hair pushed back and his beard shaved. His green eyes shun so much they astounded me. He awkwardly handed me a bucket of flowers and a bottle of wine. He was so adorable.
"Hey! Good to see you again. You look amazing!" He said, and he kissed my cheeks softly.
I could feel my cheeks flush again. And as soon as he had entered my apartment the awkwardness subsided. He was so smooth in his movements, and I could feel his eyes on my anywhere I went.
Dinner was "almost ready" and just needed to be placed on the table. As we had sat down to have dinner the conversation flowed easily. He asked about the picture of my sister and niece in the wall. He said I lived very Nordic.. It was an easy conversation. We both eased up and I could feel myself relax and enjoy myself. He was easygoing. And hilarious. And so kind.
And .. so handsome.
I'd been on many dates before, but this time it was different. After a couple of hours I'd regret how much I'd done to myself – he made me feel so at ease around him. I didn't feel the need to be perfect around him. He just made me feel like.. me. We talked like we'd known each other for years. And it made me feel so at ease. He made me feel so comfortable.
And most importantly he said he undeniably loved my cooking.
If only he knew.
I tried to hide a huge grin as we had finished dessert.
After two bottles of wine we had learned a lot about each other. He was a doctor and ran a free clinic with his brother, Emmett and his adoptive father, Carlisle. He told me his parents had died when he was young, and that he couldn't remember them. He said he loved to travel, and had been all over the world. He told me he'd actually been in Stockholm two year ago on a conference two blocks from where I used to live. We had the same interests in books, movies and music apparently.
He was an odd character though. There wasn't much he couldn't answer or had an opinion about and it was a lovely change of scenery for once. He had incredible knowledge and he was inspiring as heck to talk to. There was just something about him.. He seemed much older than his 27 years. He definitely had an old soul, and he looked at ease with himself. He was everything I'd ever looked for in a man, and everything I'd always hoped Jacob could have been.
The evening went better than I could have ever wished and hoped.
Before I realized it the evening had turned into early night.
We'd gone to sit on my couch. We sat close to each other. I was so drawn to him. I could feel his warmth radiate off him and being on our third bottle of wine certainly didn't help. He stroked my cheek ever so softly. His touch was so gentle yet firm at the same time. I tried to think of a time when I'd had this many butterflies in my stomach and failed. Everything was so different from the others I'd been with – and especially how I'd been with Jacob.
Edward made me feel alive.
His smile was captivating. It was all I could focus on. And his shining beautiful eyes. He drew me in and it felt so natural to lean into his gentle touch, and before I knew it his lips were on mine while his hands kept stroking my cheeks and touching my hair.
It felt so innocent. And good. His lips was just like his touch: His lips caressed mine as they fit perfectly around them. Our lips moved against each other and the kiss because more and more heated. Our breathing hitched and the spark between us was most definitely alive.
The kissing session became more and more heated. Our hands were everywhere. All over each other. Feeling. Touching. Grabbing. Caressing.
And, my god. The look he gave me. And the moans and groans. I'd never been so turned on before or felt so desperate to make love before. I had a burning desire like I'd never experienced. I wanted him.
We undressed each other hastily and quickly ended up in my bed. Sooner than I'd had time to really think how this were going.
I certainly don't think it was our intension to end up here, but in the earlier hours of the night Edward Cullen and I made sweet sweet love.