Authors note; Beta'd by Frannie; any remaining mistakes belong to me. Just for the record, my stories are not based on any facts, legal or otherwise. I don't claim to know anything about law or Hollywood, I do, however, use my imagination in spades.
Once she was conscious again, Bella was terrified. She had never fainted before in her entire life and yet the moment Edward had told her where he planned on taking her, she had seen fuzzy, black spots dance before her eyes and then it had all gone black.
She had come to, moments later, with Edward's beautiful face hanging over her, far too close for her peace of mind. There was something about him that made it hard for her to concentrate at all. She had stared up at him, befuddled, while he stroked her cheek with a slightly unsteady finger, his face etched with worry.
"God, I'm sorry, Bella," he said, his tone low and concerned.
She couldnt speak; she even seemed to have lost the normal function of her head because she couldn't even nod as she wished to. So they simply stared at each other.
Eventually, she forced her voice to work, even though it was husky and unlike her normal soft tone. "It's fine...I'm fine...Edward, I don't know what happened."
"You fainted," Edward stated dryly.
Bella struggled to sit, the blood in her head whooshing dangerously as she did so.
A flush of embarrassment flooded her pale cheeks as Edward continued to watch her, his gaze intent and probing.
"Can I get you anything?" He asked at last. "Water? A cold cloth for your head?"
Bell shook her head and smiled at him ruefully. "No, I'm fine, thanks."
Edward returned her smile, and her heart lurched wildly at his gorgeous face. "Was it so bad?" He asked.
In confusion, Bella shook her head, eyes quizzical. "What do you mean?" She asked hesitantly.
"My asking you to go to the Oscars with me. Was it too much too soon?" He looked away as he waited for her answer.
The smile on her lips grew as she leaned towards him, mainly to reassure him, mostly because she felt drawn to him in a way she couldn't explain even to herself. Bella wanted to be as close to Edward as she could. "It was...a bit much. Sorry. I was expecting a normal party, you know, nothing fancy or posh. The Oscars is such a huge deal, Edward. I'm not good enough to go there with you. I'm just...me. Nothing special. You should take someone else."
Edward's head snapped around at her description of herself, coming face to face with Bella, so close he could have counted her lush eyelashes if he had so been inclined to do so. The slight sprinkling of freckles across the bridge of her nose was adorable, and her plush lips made his mouth water.
He tried to speak, to tell her she wasn't right about herself at all, but all coherent thoughts left his mind at the sight of her sweet face.
"I can't." He said softly, neither of them moving away, each staring at the other as if caught up in some enchanted spell.
"Can't what?"
"I can't take anyone else. It's only you, Bella. No one else will do, as I told you before."
A small smile lifted the corners of her lips and softened her eyes.
"Thank you." She whispered. "But I still can't go with you. What will I wear? How will I know how to act? Edward...I've never been on a date before at all, let alone one like this."
He leaned in slowly, so as not to spook her and pressed his closed mouth to hers. Their eyes remained opened as they kissed, slowly, softly.
Their lips broke apart, and they breathed each other in as they continued to stare.
"I will buy you a gown and I'll get a professional to do your hair and makeup if you want...and I think we can practice your date skills right here...with me."
Bella's heart was pounding so hard it felt as though it might jump right out of her chest.
Edward stole her breath and caught her imagination. He also confused her and terrified her, but only because she was so scared of failing him.
"Okay, I'll try. But if I embarrass you in front of millions of people, it's all your fault." She whispered sweetly.
Edward laughed, his shoulders shaking as he watched her serious expression.
"I'm sure my reputation will survive whatever you do."
"Will they take pictures of us?" She asked.
Edward sighed as he stroked a hand across her petal-soft cheek. "Yes, they will. Even more so because I'll be with you. I can't lie to you, but I'll be there with you, and I won't let you go even for a moment, I promise."
Bella digested this information quietly, her heart throbbing oddly in her chest at his honesty. No one had ever respected her as much as Edward did; no one had ever trusted her enough to give her the truth. It made her want him more than ever.
If going to the Oscars was something Edward wanted her to do, then she'd do it to please him.
She smiled at him timidly, her eyes not quite meeting his as she tried in vain to find something more distracting than Edward's eyes.
"Okay." She said at last.
"Okay?" Edward inquired, not sure if he'd understood her correctly. Firm fingers grasped her chin lifting her face to his. "Okay, as in 'okay you'll go to the party with me'?"
Bella nodded, her mouth suddenly dry, as Edward forced her to look at him. "Yes, okay I'll go to the party with you."
A blinding smile of pure joy and triumph spread across Edward's face as he pulled her closer and pressed a chaste kiss to her nose. "Thank you." He said seriously. "You won't regret it."
Bella wasn't so sure.
.
.
.
A day later, after arranging their entourage, flight, and bodyguards, Edward spoke to a lawyer he knew, who also just happened to be a private eye, about Bella's particular case. The lawyer, who went by the name of Benjamin Burton, said that there was no law in the United Kingdom or indeed anywhere, which could bind a person over the age of eighteen to a guardian. The only scenario Benjamin could think of was an inheritance that might be tied up until Bella turned twenty-one. If that was so, then her so-called guardian told her that lie to keep her with him until she came into the money. His plan after that could have been anything, but the options that came to mind, made Edward's blood grow cold.
Aro Volturi was even more of a despicable human being than he had originally thought.
Edward paid the lawyer a considerable sum of money to find out what he could about Bella Swan. The names of her parents had never come up, so Ben would be starting from scratch. The last thing Edward wanted to do was bring them up now, just when she seemed to be settling into her new life so well.
Even Josh was flourishing. Well-fed and loved, he was now acting like a boy his age should. In the true manner of all children, he took his new surroundings for granted and acted as if he'd never known anything else. He adored the girl, Jane, who had become his pseudo nanny until a proper governess could be found for him. Without realising it, Edward had begun to think of both Bella and Joshua as a permanent part of his life.
Bella still spent a great deal of time with Josh, but she had also begun to study. Under Edward's guidance, she had enrolled in an online university, and she had chosen her field of interest with no hesitation at all.
Journalism.
Bella showed a natural aptitude for learning, which made Edward feel ridiculously proud of her.
Benjamin Burton procured a passport for Bella and Josh on Edward's instructions. They were legitimately made, and each held a photo, which Edward had sent Bella and Josh for the day before.
He stared at them briefly before pushing them into his rucksack along with all his other travel documents.
Exhausted after a long day of filming, Edward showered and changed into a hoodie and a pair of well-worn jeans before going to find Bella.
Most of the scenes he had done today had been aced and needed no retouching. There were only a couple of reshoots before he was done with this particular project.
He knew that the dressmaker he had paid an exorbitant amount to yesterday would have visited Bella by now; Edward was more than a little curious to see what Bella had chosen to wear to the Oscars. He knew that it was a big deal for a woman to choose a gown, but he couldn't have cared less what Bella wore. She was fucking perfect as she was.
Bella jumped as he knocked on the partially open door, which led to her sitting room.
She had on a loose fitting robe of some silky fabric, which clung to her body in all the right places. Her hair was loose too, flowing down her back like a river of rich chocolate.
She grinned at him, her eyes taking him in hungrily. "Edward!" She laughed. "I chose one!"
"Let me guess what colour it was." He said. Scrunching up his face, pretending to think. "Green?"
Bella came to him taking his hands her face filled with laughter. "No, not green."
"Purple?" He guessed again, pulling her closer.
She frowned, "I hate purple."
Edward wrapped his arms around her body ever so casually, her hands still in his, so that her arms were effectively trapped behind them. "I give up, tell me what colour it is - but that's all you must tell me. I want to be as surprised as everyone else tomorrow night."
Bella gazed up at him, her eyes becoming heavily- lidded, her voice husky. "It's scarlet."
Edward was surprised. Red wasn't a colour he'd ever imagined on her, hut he knew she would look like a goddess wearing it. Her long dark hair and eyes would go so well with the hue.
"You'll look amazing, Bella." He said sincerely, as he kissed her softly. She sighed and whimpered as he explored her lips, a soft release of air, which sounded as sexy as hell and made him instantly hard.
Tightening his hold on her hands, he locked her up against his body. Their lips clung as they parted briefly, their gazes sealed.
"I've missed you," he murmured against her mouth.
Pride surged through her at the admission coming from Edward.
He had missed her.
No one had ever said that to her before.
"I missed you too, Edward. So fucking much." She sighed, relaxing her defenses and just speaking without thought.
His shoulders shook with laughter at her cultured voice saying that single swear word. It sounded so foreign and yet exactly like the girl he had met.
An enchanting flush of pink spread across her cheeks at his laughter. "I'm sorry." She apologized once she realised what she'd said.
Edward kissed her again, his laughter fading as they deepened the kiss and his tongue slid into her mouth.
They swayed together at the tsunami of pleasure that imploded between them.
"Don't you ever change. I told you that you're fucking perfect and I meant it." He said, voice rough, as he pulled away for a moment.
Bella smiled up at him, not struggling even once, despite his tight hold on her hands. She found that she liked this show of dominant behaviour from Edward. It made the blood rush through her veins with thrilling speed. It made her dizzy with pleasure; it made her want him more than ever.
"Okay, I won't change, just for you."
Edward kissed her again, easily lifting her tiny body with his hands and hers beneath her ass. He walked them backward until his knees hit the side of her bed. He fell, taking her with him, where he changed the position of her hands from behind her to above her head.
The silk dressing gown parted carelessly as Edward settled on top of her, the slender thighs parting to accommodate his hips.
Bell was gasping for air as he released her mouth and began a fiery path of discovery along her neck. His messy hair tickled her chin as his stubble-roughened face rubbed along the curve of her throat.
Testing the situation, Bella pulled at her hands experimentally, to see what he would do.
Edward stopped at once and looked down at her, studying her expression carefully before tightening his hold even more, securing both of her hands with one of his.
A slow, sexy as hell smirk spread across his face when he heard her soft moan at his actions. It was clear to him that far from being scared, she was turned on by his holding her down.
Bella arched into his touch when his slowly exploring hand reached her breasts. With hungry eyes and careful hands he peeled back the fabric to reveal her nipple hardened nubs and tip-tilted, perfectly shaped breasts.
Bells face flamed as Edward gazed at her chest, no one had ever seen her naked before.
"Don't be ashamed, Bella. You're so fucking beautiful you take my breath away. Can I touch you?"
Without words she nodded, her lower lip caught between her teeth.
Needing no encouragement, Edward leaned down and captured a nipple with his mouth. She cried out loudly and shuddered as unbelievable pleasure surged through her most intimate places.
She'd had no idea that this would feel so good.
Edward sucked at her tender flesh with slow deep tugs, which made her hips thrust up towards him. The ache grew between her legs until he placed his thigh between hers and pushed against her secret swollen places.
Josh was asleep already, so Edward had hoped that they could have a while to enjoy a few kisses, he had never imagined that it would escalate so quickly to something that was more than a little out of control. Fuck, he wanted her so badly it was like a sickness in his blood and the only cure was Bella.
She smelled like a wild desert bloom, sweet and intoxicating.
Her skin was as soft as fine velvet beneath his hands.
Edward was lost to her charms.
He was enslaved.
He grazed his teeth gently on her nipple as he released it and laved the other one with similar care. Bella was near incoherent, her moans and whimpers growing louder as she became lost in the dark world of pleasure, which Edward was creating.
She never wanted him to stop touching her.
Edward's hardness was cradled between her thighs, rubbing against her most private place. She didn't know exactly what happened next, only that somehow he was supposed to be inside her.
Rose had spoken to her about sex, and she had listened with rapt attention to the details, which her friend told her in sometimes lewd detail. It had sounded animalistic, and at that time, it was not something she ever truly wanted to do.
However, this was different, this was Edward. Bella found she wanted to do all those things with him; she wanted to consume him and have him do the same to her.
A soft knock and a throat being cleared, made them freeze instantly. Edward rolled off her prone figure, and she quickly pulled the robe back into place, her cheeks feeling overly warm.
It was the housekeeper, letting them know that dinner was ready.
The door was opened a crack and Edward wondered just how much Mrs. Knotts had seen. Not that it really mattered because she had always been unfailingly loyal to him and his family.
As she left them, Edward turned to Bella and grinned at her ruefully. "Sorry about that. To be continued later?" It was a question.
Bella nodded jerkily, her face still warm. "Yes."
Edward kissed her softly and then left the room. Bella dressed quickly and followed him. They had planned to have dinner together since Edward would be coming home late from filming. Josh had been fed earlier in the kitchen and sent to bed at seven pm.
He was flourishing with this new routine, and this made Bella jubilant. At first, she had been a little anxious hearing Edward's ideas about a young child's routine. But he had been backed by Mrs. Knotts, his old nursery maid and Bella had allowed it simply because it sounded reasonable to her.
They dined very quietly and then went to bed, in their own rooms. A very early start the next day made it necessary to get a good night's rest. To Bella's disappointment, Edward had kissed her very chastely and then said goodnight.
She felt very wide-awake and irritable, but she wasnt sure why.
Sulking slightly, she went to bed after kissing Josh on his forehead.
Edward felt as if he had gone a little too far with her that night and he had pulled back to get his bearings. Being with her inflamed him so much that he felt he might forget himself and hurt her somehow and that was unthinkable.
So, he decided that he would keep a little distance between them for now, just to be on the safe side.
.
.
.
The flight from London to Los Angeles was a long and tiring one. Bella and Josh were both wide eyed, and awestruck most of the journey, which made Edward see everything through new eyes. He lost the bordem he usually felt and he saw everthing with an innocence he had long since lost.
Their comments made him laugh more than he had in years. Once their meal was served, Josh quite casually went to sit on Edward's lap to eat his food. Bella watched them, her heart close to exploding with adoration for them both.
Josh soon after fell asleep on Edward's shoulder. He didn't move the boy, and he carried him off the plane upon their arrival at L.A.X.
Bella was a nervous wreck by the time they arrived at their hotel; the night ahead filled her with dread and excitement.
The tabloids had announced Edward's intention to attend this evening's star-studded event, and the speculation was high as to whom his date would be. Chateau Marmont was discreetly opulent. Its famed villas filled with every imaginable luxury and whim. Bella found out that they had a double room and a single.
The meaning was clear and her eyes met Edward's at once, her gaze shy, his worried.
"I can change it if you like, my agent booked the suites. She must have thought...that we...were together." He said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck and then raking his wayward hair off his face in a typically 'Edward' gesture.
"No, it's fine," Bella said, shooting him a small smile.
Jane took Josh's hand and led him off to be bathed and changed. He would be having an evening of child appropriate entertainment with Jane and Mrs. Knotts.
Bella hugged him tightly before being whisked off by an entourage of stylists and makeup artists who had been waiting for them to arrive. Usually, it took days to accomplish what Bella had hours to achieve. Edward's routinely late arrival had meant plenty of planning and guidance to get everything just right.
Edward smiled at her as she was guided away. "See you later." He said. "It's going to be okay. Don't worry."
Bella knew he was right, but couldn't suppress a tingle of alarm running down her spine. She was so far from everything she knew; her only links to reality were Edward and little Josh.
But she trusted him, so she went willingly with the people he had entrusted her to.
.
.
Edward spoke with his publicist as soon as he could. Just as he had thought, there was no sign of Aro Volturi, the police having had a 'step down' order from him as soon as he had realised who Bella was with. Megan advised him to keep acting as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened; he was simply a high-profile celebrity taking his girlfriend to the Oscars.
Edward agreed, yet he couldn't help wonder if Aro would give up so easily on what he had been trying to get his hands on for so long. Whatever it was, Edward vowed that he would find out exactly what Bella was going to inherent and from whom and make sure she received what was rightfully hers.
Authors note: thoughts?
