AUTHORS NOTE: This is my first story. Edward is an actor. Bella lives in Forks, the location of his next movie. Sparks fly easily when they first meet, but will things always stay that easy for them?
Thanks to all of you that have reviewed or put it in favorites or alerts. You're all awesome.
Rated M: angst, language, lemons.
There's a new song in this chapter (Jay-Z - Hollywood): http:/www[dot]playlist[dot]com/playlist/18746192139
Here we go, people. Hang on to your hats. Bella's going to LA.
CHAPTER 10
Hello...Again
The flight was only a few hours, but the intense anticipation made it seem like days. Edward had called before my flight left Port Angeles to tell me where he'd be to pick me up at LAX, and when I landed in Seattle, I'd had ten texts from him telling me how much he loved me and missed me. The span when my phone was off while I was flying between the two cities had obviously been too much for him.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have started our descent, in preparation for landing. Please make sure your seat backs and tray tables are in their full upright position. Make sure your seat belt is securely fastened and all carry-on luggage is stowed underneath the seat in front of you or in the overhead bins. Please turn off all electronic devices until we are safely parked at the gate," the female voice announced over the cabin speakers.
I loved this part of flights. Eager passengers throwing away cups and napkins into the awaiting bags that the flight attendants carried around. Excited voices buzzing louder than during the regular part of the trip. Seat belts clicking and bags shuffling as they're placed under seats. The rare crinkling of the paper bag from someone that was afraid of flying.
As soon as we landed and were taxied to the gate, I stood to grab my small carry-on from the compartment above me. I could barely contain myself. Edward was waiting for me only a few minutes away.
"Welcome to Los Angeles," the flight attendants and pilots greeted, as I walked into the air bridge up to the terminal. The familiar sound of my luggage wheels raking over the metal bumps on the air bridge sent a spark of excitement through me. That's a sound I associate only with flying. After walking through the gate, I scanned the signs hanging from the ceiling looking for the direction to baggage claim. That's where Edward would be. I followed the mass of people as they headed left.
The sun shining through the windows was blinding. It had been oddly sunny in Forks for the past week apart from a few bouts of rain, but it was nothing like this. This was bright and vibrant and alive. I looked down at my clothes and flattened my practical traveling attire wanting to look my best for the man in my life.
Alice had rummaged through my closet and picked out the best clothes for me to wear each day. Since LA would be warm but the plane would be chilly, she dressed me in some cute cutoff jean shorts, a sheer white t-shirt and a black cardigan that I could take off once I got here. The one thing I did not approve of were the heels she put me in. My feet friggin hurt from all the walking between terminals.
Her excuse: "You've heard that Miley Cyrus song! Everybody wears stilettos in LA. You don't want to look out of place."
I'd laughed at her, but inside I actually was afraid at how I'd look in LA next to all of the beautiful women. I was pale. My hair was brown. I wasn't tall when I wore sensible flat shoes. My boobs were okay, but they weren't huge by any means. Would I be as beautiful to Edward when there were countless comparisons near me with larger breasts, blonder hair, and darker skin?
The crowd in front of me was angling toward the oval-shaped, metal belts off to the side. Since I was wearing the heels that Alice had forced me to wear, I didn't have to stand on my tiptoes to see over a lot of the crowd to look for Edward. Alice's daydream flooded my thoughts. I'd love nothing more than to run up to him and crash into his arms. I needed to feel his lips on mine and his breath fanning across my cheeks. My fingers longed for his silky hair and the muscles on his back.
My eyes scanned the people impatiently waiting around the carousel, but they couldn't find the bronze hair of the man I loved. Maybe he was standing off to the side to get out of people's way. Our plane's luggage hadn't come up yet, so I walked around looking for him lugging my bag with me. I couldn't find him anywhere. The room was large with multiple baggage carousels, so I whipped out my cell phone and turned it on. I'd give him a call to see where he was at. It was possible he went to the wrong baggage claim. Maybe I was in the wrong baggage claim.
I browsed over the passengers waiting, and recognized three from my catalog of people that sat near me. Well, that wasn't it. As soon as I heard the tune of my phone completely turning on, I pressed the Contacts button. Before I could hit Edward's number, a message popped up on the screen. Three new voicemails. I hit the button for my messages and waited for them to begin. It was Edward.
"Bella..." he sighed. "Jane just called me. I have to go to an interview with a magazine. It wasn't supposed to be until tomorrow morning, but there were some scheduling conflicts...and...I just don't know what all happened. But...I won't be at the airport to pick you up. I cannot believe that this has happened. Please forgive me, baby," he begged. "I tried everything short of quitting. I swear to you that I tried-" and the message cut off. Tears were prickling up in my eyes that he sounded so sad. I wasn't mad at him. How could I be? He tried all he could. I hit the button to listen to the next message.
"Sorry. I got cut off. I have been trying for the past hour to get ahold of Marcus to pick you up at the airport, and he won't answer. I swear to all that is holy that I'm going to fire him if he keeps this shit up. Baby, I want to be there. Please know that I do. But, I'm afraid that you'll have to get a taxi to my house. It's unacceptable, but it's the only way. Emmett was busy, but he said he'd be able to cut out of his meeting a little early and meet you at the house." The message stopped again.
Third message. "Son of a bitch! They need to make messages longer! Anyways, Emmett will be there to let you in and get you settled. I'm sorry he can't make it to the airport in time, but this is the best I could do at the moment. I love you, Bella. Please don't hate me for this." How could I hate him? He was obligated to go somewhere, and he was doing everything he possibly could to make this easier for me. He proceeded to tell me his address and apologized once more before telling me he loved me again.
I put the phone back in my pocket and walked over to the belts. Some luggage was already circling, and I only had to wait a couple of minutes for mine to appear. Pulling it off the track, I turned around and followed the signs to the exit. A line of yellow taxis as bright as the sun waited outside the door. A man in front of me waved me over and grabbed my bags to put in the trunk. Sliding into the backseat, he asked for the address. He whistled.
"Nice neighborhood, miss. You a celebrity?"
I couldn't help but laugh wearily. "Nope. Not a celebrity." He was interested in why I would be going to that neighborhood, but I wasn't about to tell him I was dating Edward Cullen. That was none of his business. He put the car in drive and angled out of his spot on the curb. A couple of honks and brushes with death later, we were on our way out of the airport.
"Do you mind if I listen to some music?" he asked, while looking in the rear view mirror at me.
"Absolutely not. I'm just grateful for the ride." I replied. I watched as he fumbled with the switches on the radio.
It ain't for everybody
Welcome to Hollywood, baby
Jay-Z. A freaking Jay-Z song! That damn Alice, and that damn Miley Cyrus. To top it off, I was wearing a damn cardigan. The driver was staring at me skeptically in the rearview mirror probably wondering why I was laughing so hard.
My spirits were lifted as we passed along palm tree lined streets. Los Angeles was beautiful. The heat of the late summer sun was glaring down on me through the windows. My cardigan had to go. Forty-five minutes after leaving the airport, we pulled up to a large gated house. Outside next to a monster of an SUV stood the familiar monster of a man that once sat on the end of my bed.
The taxi driver got out to get my bags while Emmett opened the back door for me. Before I could blink, he had me wrapped up in a huge bear hug wiith my legs dangling more than a foot above the ground.
"Bella!" he exclaimed. "How's my brother's girlfriend doing?"
"Hi...Emmett," I squeaked. "I'm doing okay." This was odd. I'd met the man for a few minutes, and he was treating me like his sister.
"Sorry my ass brother wasn't there to pick you up," he joked.
I shrugged. "I don't think he's an ass. Something came up. There's nothing for me to be upset about."
He just looked at me for a second before speaking. "No wonder he loves you. You're awesome."
"He told you he loves me?" I asked.
He blushed. "Well, I kind of tricked him into admitting it."
"How?"
"I started yelling that he was in love in front of everybody, and then he hauled off and slugged me to shut me up."
My mouth was hanging open. "He punched you?"
"Yeah, but he punches like a girl. No offense, by the way. But, it barely stung. Then, he admitted that he loved you."
"I love him, too." That's when I heard someone clear their throat behind me.
I rotated my head and saw the taxi driver standing at the trunk with my luggage. "Oops!" I said, realizing I'd never paid him. I turned back to Emmett. "Can you put me down now?"
"Oh, crap! Sorry, Bells." He placed me back on the ground, but before I could pull my wallet out of my purse, Emmett had handed a wad of bills to the driver and had picked up all of my bags from the road. He slung them into the back seat of his SUV and led me to the passenger door.
"You Cullen boys are such gentleman," I praised.
"Our momma taught us well," he said, while he tipped an imaginary cap at me.
Once sitting in the drivers seat, he pulled up to the gate and pressed the code on the pad to open it. The gates opened smoothly with a quiet click, he pulled forward and we headed for the house. It was a taupe two story home with a Spanish influence. The courtyard in front had a beautiful round fountain, and ivy grew up the front wall. The terracotta tiled roof shown bright red in the scorching sun where the numerous trees were not shading it.
I loved architecture, and from the looks of it, this house looked like it was built in the earlier 1900's. If these walls could only talk, I'm sure they'd have numerous stories of lavish parties with beaded flapper dresses and flowing champagne.
Emmett stopped in the circled drive around the fountain and got out to get my bags. I opened my door and took a step out.
"Wow, it's gorgeous," I whispered in awe.
"Yeah, it sure is," he replied. "Edward loves buying real estate and renovating them to their original character. You should have seen this place when he bought it. It was falling apart. He did the same to the apartment in Paris."
"He has an apartment in Paris?" I loved Paris. It was my favorite city in the world. After I left Jake, I took two weeks to regroup in the French capital. Walking the cobblestone streets. Smelling the fresh breads in the markets. Tasting the wines and cheeses. Reading along the Seine. It was just what I needed.
"Yeah, he bought that a few years ago when he was done with this place. I've never been there, but I've seen pictures. The windows look right over the Seine and Notre Dame Cathedral. Lucky bastard," he muttered, while he lugged my bags through the door. "Follow me. I'll take your things to his bedroom."
My legs followed him up the stairs, but all I wanted to do was head through the house out the back doors and take a swim in that amazing blue infinity pool that overlooked the city. "Wow," I whispered to myself.
Emmett barreled through the door and threw my bags on the bed haphazardly. The room was very airy. It was surprising. I imagined something much more masculine and dark since he was a single guy living here. The light beige walls, white bedspread, warm wood floors and large windows reminded me of the lightness and ease of my home. My body instantly wanted to curl up on the bed and take a nap.
"Well," Emmett began. "I hate to leave so soon, but I've got to get to another meeting with the production company. Edward should be home in an hour or so. He said to make yourself at home, eat whatever you wanted, take a shower, whatever."
I nodded. It would be strange to be here alone for a long amount of time. This home was Edward's, but it still felt foreign to me. It smelled of him, and I saw touches of him around the room, but it was still uncomfortable for the time being.
Emmett walked up to me and placed his large hand on my shoulder and squeezed gently. "It's okay, Bella. Nothing to be worried about. He wants you here, and he wants you to be comfortable. Take your shoes off and relax."
I smiled. He was right. I was stressing over nothing. I loved the man that owned this house, and I was going to be seeing him in a hour. "Okay, Emmett. Thank you for helping me with the taxi and my bags."
"Not a problem. I'll just get out of your hair. Don't be alarmed when he comes home. It's not an intruder. This place is locked up tight."
I nodded again, and he turned to leave. Waving, he said, "I'll see you tonight at the premiere. Got to go support my brother."
As soon as I heard the click of the lock on the front door, I took my heels off and wandered downstairs in search of the kitchen. My stomach was protesting not being fed all day. Nerves would probably limit the amount of food I could intake, but I at least needed a snack. Sliding a gorgeous glass paned door to the side, I walked into a kitchen that was just as light and airy as his bedroom. White cabinets and dark slate counters filled the room. Opening the refrigerator, I scanned the shelves for some sustenance.
A bottle of water, a small plate of carrots and broccoli, and about ten pickle spears later, I made my way back up to the bedroom. He had like three unopened jars of pickles in his fridge. I loved pickles. We were more perfect than I thought. As soon as I saw the bed, my body swayed with exhaustion. I could allow myself a small nap while I waited for him. Crawling up onto the covers, I curled into a ball in the small place between my luggage. I was just too tired to move it out of the way.
I was awoken a short time later to the bed shifting.
"I'm sorry. Did I wake you?" I heard a soft, velvety voice say into my ear. My body rolled over and found itself encircled in the arms of the man that spoke the words.
"Edward?" I asked. My eyelids were too heavy from sleep to lift and see for themselves.
There was no answer – only soft lips meeting mine. I'd missed this so much. It took only a millisecond for me to react. His arms tightened and pulled me to his body across the bed covers. My mouth molded around his, and our tongues caressed in longing. I felt his left arm release me and his hand found the side of my face where he brushed the hair away from my cheek and kissed the place that was left bare now.
"I love you, Bella. I'm so sorry I wasn't at the airport. Please forgive me for not being there," he begged.
I forced my eyes open to look into his eyes. "Forgive you?" I breathed. "You don't have to ask for my forgiveness. I understand."
"You're not mad at me?" he asked incredulously.
"Of course not. What could I be mad at? You had an obligation, but you still found ways to make my traveling as easy as possible. I'm grateful for what you did."
He leaned in and kissed me again. "You...are the most amazing woman I've ever met," he said. "I still feel awful about stranding you like that, but I'm happy you're not upset with me."
"I couldn't be mad at you," I said, as I kissed him again. "What time is it?"
He pulled back and looked at the clock on nightstand. "It's four o'clock."
"Crap! I've got to get ready!" I flew out of his arms and off the bed in an instant. My eyes darted around the room at the four doors on the inside walls. "Which door leads to a bathroom? I need to take a shower."
He got out of bed and wrapped his hand around mine. I sighed at the sensation that I'd missed. "Follow me," he said. He led me through one door, and I was taken aback by how large and beautiful the bathroom was in front of me. White marble graced almost every surface.
His finger pointed at a stack of white fluffy towels on the edge of the jetted tub. "There are some towels for you. Take your time and relax. We've got plenty of time before the car comes to get us. I'll leave you alone." He was backing up toward the door before I could even respond.
"Wait!" I ran up to him and threw my arms around his waist to stop him. "I love you, Edward. Thank you for all of this." He kissed me softly on the forehead before cupping the sides of my face and kissing me on my lips.
"Go, get in the tub," he instructed with a pat on my butt. "I'll bring your bag to you after you're settled in and starting to prune." I giggled and then turned around to skip to the jetted slice of heaven. After filling the tub, I sunk myself into the hot pulsating water and silky bubbles he'd set next to the towels. The soft whirring and massage on my muscles lulled me back into sleep.
A cool hand on my forehead woke me. "You ready to get out?" he asked quietly, snapping me out of my dream.
"How long was I asleep?" I asked.
"I've been sitting in here for about thirty minutes, so for at least that long. Don't worry. There's still over an hour before Marcus gets here." Sitting up, I noticed the bubbles had all but disappeared from the tub. I was completely exposed to him. He had seen my top half naked before, and I knew that I shouldn't be embarrassed to show my body to the man I loved, but I was still a little shy. Especially since he said he'd been sitting in here for half an hour just looking at me.
He could sense my trepidation as he stood up to grab me a towel. He looked me in the eyes and said, "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on, love. Don't be embarrassed." The rose that was blooming in my cheeks may have been masked slightly from the tint that was already there from the warm water. He sure did have a way of making me blush.
His hands wrapped the towel around my shoulders and led me to the walk-in shower. He fidgeted with the controls silently to get it to a comfortable temperature and then took the towel from me, pushing me into the glass enclosure gently. I stepped in, closing my eyes, and let the water cascade through my hair and down my skin. Two hands joined mine moments later while they ran through my hair. These hands had shampoo on them and were massaging my head as they lathered my mahogany strands from behind.
The man attached to these hands turned me around once they were done soaping me up and allowed the water to rinse out the soap slowly. I leaned my head back, enjoying the strong streams of water on my scalp.
My eyes remained closed as I felt his body press up against mine while grabbing for something from the tile cubbyhole in the wall. Another soap squirted into his palm before he started raking his fingers through my hair again. His lips met mine, and I opened my mouth to him while he paid close attention to the tips of my tresses. After thoroughly coating them, he ran his slick, strong hands down my back, massaging each muscle on the way down as the water rinsed out the conditioner. I moaned into his mouth and trickles of water found their way onto our tongues as they themselves massaged each other.
"Edward," I whimpered. He lead me back to the tile wall one step at a time, holding me to him the whole way, kissing me like his life depended on it. I gasped at the shock of cold tile when my back came in contact, but I did not care. My eyes still had not opened from when I first stepped into the shower. His hands had traveled to my sides and were inching their way up at a painstakingly slow pace. Our breaths were ragged and short. His heart was beating so rapidly I could feel it against mine. They beat in unison. Two hearts calling out to one other.
The hands that were worshiping me with love and affection had cupped the sides of my breasts and were massaging those now, as well. His mouth dipped from my own and followed a tickling rivulet of water down my chest. Wet. Everything was wet. The water from the shower head. My hair. My body. His body. His mouth. His tongue. The place between my legs. He circled my peaked nipple with that wet tongue, and I cried out in pleasure.
"Oh God, Edward." He hadn't even touched me in the place I needed him most, and I was already on the verge of orgasm. "Please touch me," I begged. As his hand traveled down my stomach, complying with my request and not teasing, my skin began to goosebump. I had needed this for so long. My body had craved his touch since he had touched me briefly that first morning. His thigh came forward, moving my legs apart for him.
I felt his long fingers graze down between my legs and slowly slide between my slick folds over my most sensitive bundle of nerves. I threw my head back onto the wall at the feel of the release building in my stomach. Unhurriedly and calculated, he stroked two fingers along the length of my wetness and around my clit. Panting at his touch, I grabbed his shoulders and pulled his mouth to mine, consumed by passion. He groaned, sending a vibration through me, and I could feel his dick twitch on my stomach. He was so hard, so big. The tip of his erection was slick, so I gingerly reached my hand down and curled my fingers around him, running my thumb over the head. "Ung," I heard him grunt.
Without so much as a word, I felt him pull away. I groaned at the loss of his touch but felt him drop to his knees. What was he doing? Lifting one of my legs over his shoulder, he buried his face between my legs and his flattened tongue swept slowly through what he had been working on with his fingers. "Edward!" I screamed before taking hold of his wet hair. He inserted two fingers as he sucked and licked my clit meticulously. My mind went blank besides focusing on the pleasure he was bringing me. In and out, he moved his fingers. Side to side, around, over, front to back he washed his tongue over me. With one more curl toward my g-spot and a perfectly timed nibble around my sensitive nub, my muscles clenched violently, and I crashed around him with a scream of ecstasy. "Yes, Edward! Oh God, yes!"
My hands let go of his hair as soon as the waves rippled through me, and I grasped for the wall so that I would not fall. I was unsuccessful in finding something to anchor myself to in time. Instead of falling ungracefully, though, his strong arms caught me as I slunk to the marble tile floor. I opened my eyes for the first time as he cradled me to his warm body.
"I love you, Bella," he said quietly before kissing my lips, tongues brushing. I could taste myself on him. "You should probably finish up in here and get ready. I'll be downstairs if you need anything."
I used my hands to grab his arms. "Wait...you...what about you?" I asked, blinking in confusion and from the water that was dripping into my eyes.
"It's my job to make you happy."
"But, Edward..." He silenced my protests with his lips again.
When he broke away, he tucked my hair behind my ear. "You may have not been with a man before that cared enough to only please you, but I'm here to show you how it should be." With one more chaste kiss, he stood up and helped get me standing on my own two feet again. When he stepped out of the shower and wrapped the towel around his waist, he winked. "Tonight. We'll have the time to do what I want to do to you tonight." Then he turned and left. Tonight.
He was right, though. I had lost count of how many times I had fulfilled Jake's needs with nothing in return. I figured that was normal because he was the only man with whom I'd ever been intimate. Although Edward made me feel loved and appreciated by doing this, I did not want to be like Jacob. I would please him individually as much as he pleased me.
I took a few minutes more in the shower cleaning myself up before I stepped out and wrapped my body in the same towel he'd had draped around my shoulders. I found my toiletries bag on the counter and felt my way through it with my hand for my blow dryer. After doing my hair in a tousled, wavy hairdo, I put on my makeup. I decided to make it a little more dramatic than usual because this was a big event.
Once completed with that, I tiptoed out into his bedroom and grabbed my garment bag. After unzipping it, I pulled out the dress that I'd wear tonight. What Alice had designed was magnificent. I'd never seen anything like it, even in her store. The gradient she'd described to me was a fluid change from one color to the next. The lime green flowed into the emerald. The emerald transitioned into the teal before meeting the cobalt, navy and purple. The colors were placed in pleated fans layered all the way down the dress. The black grosgrain ribbon accented my waist as a belt. To add more drama, she'd hand painted black-dyed tips to the silk fans.
After putting on the lingerie Rosalie had given me, I lowered the zipper in the back of the dress and put it on backwards so that I could zip it back up. Once it was closed, I turned the garment around carefully so that I did not snag the fabric. I found my black stilettos that Alice had packed and made my way toward the stairs after a few moments in front of the mirror fixing minor details in my makeup and hair. I was ready as I'd ever be to go show Edward.
As I made my way down, I heard someone jogging on the wood floor below toward the stairs. It was him. He took one long stride and started running up the steps two at a time before he lifted his head and saw me standing there. He stopped instantly, mid-stride and stared at me with wide eyes and a box in his hand.
"Oh, my God, Bella," he breathed. "You look...gorgeous...amazing...those words don't describe it well enough."
I laughed lightly at him, while my cheeks blushed again. I carefully spun on the step, to make sure I wouldn't fall down the stairs in my heels, and asked if he liked what he saw.
"Yes!" he sputtered. "That's one of the most beautiful dresses I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot. It's damn privileged to be on the most beautiful woman in the world, too." While he was saying this to me, I took the time to scan what he was wearing. It was a charcoal gray suit with a white button down dress shirt underneath. The top two buttons were undone, and he was without a tie. It was the sexiest thing I'd ever seen. His hair was its usual sculpted mess, but it almost had a small fauxhawk shape to it.
"You look so incredibly sexy," I told him before throwing my hand over my mouth. I didn't mean to say that. He'd been complimenting me with words like gorgeous, amazing and beautiful, and I went straight to sexy. He deserved more than that. "I mean, you look so incredibly handsome."
His long, lean legs brought him up the stairs to me. Dropping his mouth to my ear, he whispered, "Don't be embarrassed to call me sexy, Bella. You're incredibly fucking sexy yourself. I love this dress on you, but from what I've seen, I like you naked even more."
"You're making me weak at the knees again," I whined, leaning into him. "I don't want to fall down the stairs."
He laughed and wrapped his arm around my waist. "I have something for you," and he opened the large, flat box in his hand. Inside was an exquisite necklace. "Are...those...diamonds?" I stammered, running my fingers over the chain made of probably a thousand tiny diamond stones.
"Yes, they are, and this is a 23-carat green tourmaline." He pointed to the incredibly large stone that hung down like a pendant that was encircled by the same tiny diamonds. It was the color of his eyes. "I had Alice call me the other day after she started designing your dress so she could tell me the color, and when she said that it had green, I knew what I was looking for."
"Edward...you can't give this to me. It's too much." He was insane. This had to cost him a fortune.
"Too bad," he said, as he reached into the box and took it out. Before I could protest any further, he'd walked up behind me and had started clasping it. The stone hung heavily over my chest, and my fingers picked up the tourmaline so my eyes could inspect it.
"It's beautiful," I breathed. "But, you really shouldn't have. You don't need to buy me gifts for me to love you."
He turned me around to face him. "I know I don't need to buy you gifts. But, because I love you, I want to." He leaned down and kissed me softly. He was probably being careful to not mess up my makeup, but I didn't care. I'd touch it up in the car. My lips returned his kiss much more furiously while my hands pressed his body up against the wall of the stairs. His hand grabbed the underneath part of my hair near the base of my neck while we both groaned.
He broke the kiss, gasping for air. "We need to get going before we skip out on the whole damn thing," he laughed. I grumbled from the loss of contact. "Marcus should be here any minute. Do you have a purse?"
"Oh, yeah. I forgot my clutch upstairs on the bed," I said, while cleaning lip gloss off of my face.
"I'll get it," he called, as he took the few steps up to the landing. Once he emerged from the room, purse in hand, he led me down to the front door with his hand on my lower back. Marcus was waiting with the back door of a limo open. We made our way there, and Edward told him that we could go straight to Mann's Village Theatre. I got in first and noticed we weren't alone. A cat call rang through the limo when I slid into the seat. It was Emmett.
"Stop hitting on my girlfriend," Edward playfully scolded his brother as he sat next to me. The door shut, and moments later we were pulling away. There was another woman in the car with us. She was in her early thirties and very pretty with a blonde hair. Emmett's date?
She slid back along the seat and extended her hand to me. "I'm Jane. Edward's manager." I remembered her from the phone conversation. I shook her hand.
"Hello, Jane. I'm Bella. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, too, Bella. I've heard a lot about you, and boy was Eddie here right about how pretty you are." I blushed again. "Amazing dress. Who is it?" she asked.
"Ummm...my best friend Alice Whitlock is a designer. She's up in my hometown. She designed this for me." I played with the ends of one of the silk fans while I told her about it. The ride was easy. It didn't seem to take long before we were pulling up to the theater. My eyes widened at the hysteria outside the car. I could hear it before I could see it. There were thousands of fans screaming for autographs and hundreds of photographers yelling for the perfect photo opportunity.
"Are you sure you're going to be able to handle this?" Edward asked. Unsure if it was really the truth, I nodded, unable to speak.
"She can't walk next to you Edward," Jane interrupted.
Edward snapped. "What?"
"No way," she replied. "You said we weren't making a comment on her, so I'm not allowing you to take her on the red carpet with you. That would be thrusting her into the spotlight, and you yourself said you didn't want to do that to her."
I sat there confused. Was I not going to be able to go? "Edward?"
"She's walking in with me," he said defiantly. "She went through the trouble of dressing up and looks amazing."
"She can go on the red carpet, Edward, but she cannot be seen next to you. She can walk with Emmett." Emmett smiled and Edward got angrier. Before he could blow up at Jane, I placed my hand on his arm.
"It's okay," I whispered. "This is your job. I'm just your date. I had nothing to do with this movie. Go do your interviews and take the photos with your costars. Emmett will keep me company." His eyes were pleading with me to be quiet and take his side. "It's okay," I whispered again. It really was. I was still going to the premiere with him. We'd just be separated for half an hour or so.
"Bella, you're not just my date. I love you, and I want to share this with you."
"I know you do, but we haven't gone public, yet. The focus would be taken off the movie and you and your costars and put on us."
"She's fucking smart, Edward." Jane jumped in. "Listen to her."
He paid no attention to her. "Please, Edward. Don't worry about me. I'll see you when you're done." He nodded silently and leaned in to kiss my cheek. The doors opened just then, and photographers started going crazy. Security was not holding them back well enough, so Edward pushed me toward Emmett at the front of the limo. Emmett grabbed my arm as I stumbled, and Edward got out pushing them back with his own hands. Jane followed, unaffected by the crowd.
My new date banged on the partition at the front of the limo, and it lowered.
"Yes, Mr. Cullen?" Marcus asked.
"Take us around the block and pull up again. We're going to try to separate ourselves from Edward. I think they got a picture of him kissing Bella. I want to throw them off and act like she's with me."
This was insane. We made our way around the block through the crowds and traffic and pulled up to the curb again ten minutes later. The door opened, and Emmett stepped out reaching a hand back in the car for me. I put my heeled foot down on the pavement and pulled myself out. The flashes from the cameras were blinding, and the screams from the crowd were deafening.
"Who's the girl, Emmett?" a photographer asked. "Who are you wearing?" "Are you here to support your brother?" "What's your name, beautiful?"
I looked at Emmett, and he shook his head 'no' to my unvoiced question of, "Do we answer?" I nodded, and we made our way onto the red carpet. His left arm was draped across his body holding onto my upper arm, and his right hand was on my lower back. He was being protective, just like Edward. These Cullen men were something else. An announcement blared through the speakers over the chaos, and I heard them call out Edward's name. The girls in the stands went wild as he jumped up on a platform, taking the mic from the emcee.
He was up there, and he was talking to the people through the mic, but his eyes were scanning the red carpet looking for me. It took him a matter of a few seconds to spot my dress, and I saw his body relax instantly. He knew I was safe. He thanked the cast and crew for such a wonderful time, and then he was on to his next obligation a minute later.
Emmett helped my apprehension by pointing out lunatic fangirls in the stands. Signs asking Edward to marry them, unfortunate clothing choices with his picture plastered all over them, adult women crying once he signed their poster. It was nuts. He was just a regular guy that happened to star in movies.
The large number of "I love you's" I heard screamed from the stands was starting to give me a headache. I rubbed my temples and muttered, "Sucks for you because he loves me," and Emmett started to laugh at how disgruntled I was.
"Let's go. It looks like he's nearing the end of the line." He led me toward the entrance of the theater, and we stopped a couple of feet behind Edward as a twenty-year-old woman jumped the barrier and slammed into his chest. The unexpected force knocked him back into me, which in turn caused me to fall into Emmett. Luckily, he was a big guy and was able to hold us both up as security dragged the girl away.
Edward turned around immediately and grabbed my face. "Baby, are you okay?" He was running his hands up and down my arms looking for injuries.
"I'm fine," I said, a little shaken up. I took a deep breath. "I'm okay." Much to my surprise, Emmett's surprise, Jane's surprise and every person in attendance's surprise, Edward wrapped his arms around me and placed a kiss on the top of my head. My arms remained at my side. Should I put them around him? Do I keep them like this? I really wanted to put them around him.
"Thank God," he muttered. "I thought I'd hurt you. What a fucking crazy bitch!"
"Edward?" I murmured into his chest. "We are still outside. Everybody is watching this."
"I don't give a damn," he replied. "I'm just happy you're alright. We can go in now. That's enough for one night." His hand grabbed mine, and I reached back for Emmett's hand to pull him along. The three of us walked in through the theater doors looking like a kindergarten class crossing a street toward a private room.
Jane came bursting through the door a moment later. "Do you realize what you've just done, Edward?" she yelled. "Rumblings about the girl Edward Cullen just kissed on the red carpet are rolling through the crowd at mach speed. My phone has already rang four times in the mere minutes since you did it."
I looked up at Edward in alarm while he just shrugged his shoulders. Her phone rang again. "There's nothing to say besides 'no comment,' remember?" he said. "You are representing me, and that is our understanding."
Did he really think that would squash the hysteria? I'd read magazines before. I knew they were out for blood when they found out about a love interest of any major actor. It was splashed across every magazine on every news stand in every supermarket and on every street corner.
"Fine, Edward. We'll leave it at 'no comment' for now. But, you better understand that they will find out information about her, and it will be published whether it's correct or not." Edward turned his eyes to mine.
"Bella, I gave information about you to Jane," he said. My eyes widened. What kind of information? He threw his hands up. "Now wait. I only gave her your name, your age, your dad's name and that you own a bookstore. She has not published it and will not publish it unless you and I both agree to it. I don't think it's necessary right now. They have no idea who you are, and they won't for a while. Nobody knows who you are besides the four of us in this room right now, Marcus and then your family back home. If they do any digging, they will only come across that story saying I danced with someone in Houston. It'll be like trying to find a needle in a haystack."
I took a deep breath. "What about the paparazzi in Forks? They'll know you weren't in Houston."
"I don't think they picked up on the fact that I was seeing you. If they had, it would be in a magazine right now and it's not."
I agreed. "Okay, I trust your judgment. Let's leave it at 'no comment' for now."
"Okay," he smiled. "Let's get in the theater and watch this movie. Emmett, will you take Bella's arm and lead her in? If we try to minimize our close proximity, maybe people in there won't talk." We all walked to the doors that were being held open for us, and we made our way down to our reserved seats. Edward and Jane walked in front of us, and Emmett led me in his same protective stance. We took our seats, me between the two men, and waited for the lights to dim.
Several people walked up to Edward and Emmett to say their hellos including the other actors in the movie. I met his costars Maggie, Heidi and Benjamin. The two women seemed very nice – a little too nice. I didn't like the feeling they gave me. Their eyes seemed to rip his clothes right off of him. Step off, ladies.
Choosing to ignore it so that it didn't ruin my evening, I focused my attention on the people around us. There were lots of celebrities in attendance. I felt that I should be a little more shell-shocked at this, but for some reason I wasn't. Maybe it was because of the time I'd spent with Edward. Here was one of the most famous and lusted after men in the world, and he was just a regular man to me. Behind closed doors and out of the spotlight, he did normal things like look for new books and go to bars to drink. If he was like that, they all were probably like that.
The lights dimmed and he leaned into my ear. "I wouldn't normally stick around for these things because I hate watching myself in movies, but I did invite you all the way here to watch it, so we're going to."
I shivered at the way his breath fanned across my neck. I wanted to turn my head and kiss him, but even though it was dark, I knew dozens of eyes were trained on him at this very moment. I shook my head to let him know I heard him. He stayed where he was at my ear. "You are so breathtakingly beautiful, Bella. I love you more than you'll ever know." I turned to him, our lips just a hairsbreadth apart much like that first night in the booth at the bar, and saw the love he felt for me in his eyes. Every fiber in me screamed to kiss him, but I knew it would be a mistake. The people directly behind us would see it. People in the adjoining rows would see it. Everyone would see it. But, I wanted to.
He shook his head infinitesimally 'no' as I sat there contemplating this. I released the breath that I'd been holding before nodding at him again silently. It was so hard to hold myself back. Being in love makes you want to do stupid things, but I couldn't do that to him. I turned my head back to the movie and watched in contemplative silence.
Every so often, he would brush his shoe up against my foot or leg or trail his fingers along the length of my arm as he rubbed his arms pretending to be cold. I tried not to react to his touch because I knew he was doing this secretively. To reassure him that I appreciated what he was doing, I would take the necklace in my fingers and place the green stone to my lips briefly like a short kiss.
During the lone love scene in the movie, he grabbed my hand under the armrest and murmured that I should shut my eyes. I followed his instructions until I felt his squeeze. It was over. The sounds that I heard from the speakers were hot. I wondered briefly if that's what he actually sounded like during sex. My ears wanted to find out. My body wanted to find out if he could do to me what he had done to her.
When the lights went up and the crowd applauded, he led us out a side door of the theater. Emmett shuffled me through winding hallways a little quicker than I liked in my shoes until we reached a door in the back of the building. Edward turned around to face me. "Marcus is parked in the back so that we avoid the photographers. Let's go, baby." He placed his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his side before Jane opened the door.
Flash. Flash. Flash. Flash. Flash. Flash. Flash.
Cameras were flashing in rapid fire. There Edward and I stood in the doorway, his arm around me, my arms circled around his waist looking up at him in adoration. It took only a second for Jane to react and slam the door shut. The yelling on the other side of the door was loud. They were hungry wolves. And, they'd found their prey.
"Shit!" Edward yelled. He let go of me and started pacing the floor. "How did they get past security? This is a private alleyway!" Jane had pulled out her cell phone and was calling someone.
"Rebecca, we've got a problem. I need you in the office in one hour. Call Rachel in, too. We've got to release a statement for Edward. The paparazzi have multiple photos of him and his girlfriend together at the premiere."
"Nooooo!" he roared. "You are NOT releasing a statement."
"Edward," I said. Jane kept talking on the phone, ignoring Edward, instructing Rebecca on where to start.
"Edward," I said a little louder. He wasn't listening to me. Nobody was listening to me or paying any attention.
"Edward!" I screamed. "Jane has my permission to release the fucking statement!"
All three turned to me in shock. It didn't take him long to rush up to me.
"You don't understand what that means for you, Bella. They will print information about you that's not true and very hurtful no matter what we say. It could damage your career. They will be outside your business and your house when you go to work in the morning and when you go home at night. Your father will be questioned high and low about you. They will find out about Jake and your mother. Do you understand that it's not simply releasing a statement verifying that we are together? This is going to change your life."
I took a deep breath before responding. "I understand that it will change my life, Edward. But you don't seem to understand that I am okay with that. You told me on the phone that you will love me forever. What does that entail? If you plan on loving me forever, then I am going to be by your side forever. Eventually they would catch on when I show up to events with you or when we get married or whatever."
He stood there, not even flinching at the mention of marriage. "Are you sure this is what you want? Do you want me? Do you want to live this life? Are you willing to sacrifice your freedom and privacy to be with me?"
Without hesitation, I spoke loud and clear for him to hear. "My answer is yes to all of your questions."
He smiled before shaking his head. "Let's get to the car, then." We walked back to the door. Before Jane opened it, he grabbed my hand. "Don't let go...ever." I knew he didn't only mean his hand. He meant of him, his love and our life.
"Never," I whispered. Jane threw open the door and we were hurtled out into the screaming photographers. Edward's hand was tight on mine as he pulled me through the crowd. He wasn't going to let go.
"Is this your girlfriend? What's your name? Where is Tanya tonight?" Huh? Tanya Paul? "Are you still fucking Tanya? Did you throw her away for this slut?" My head turned to follow the voice that asked the last three questions, and it fell on a man with long blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. He was smirking and holding up a camera.
"Excuse me? What did you just say?" I asked him.
In my confusion of why this man was saying such things, I hadn't noticed that Edward had stopped dead in his tracks. He spun slowly and walked over to the man that was heckling us. I reached out a hand to grab his arm to try to stop him - to try to snap him out of whatever had overtaken him. It would be my fault if he ended up in jail. All my fault for responding to what he had called me. But, I wasn't stupid. Edward was much stronger and bigger than I was. In reality, there would be no preventing an altercation.
Edward walked up and got as close to the blonde man as he could. When he spoke, I cowered at his tone. It was menacing; almost a growl.
"Not this time, James. Stay away from her, or I will kill you with my bare hands."
Emmett ran up behind Edward then and grabbed his shoulders. While trying to yank him back, Edward was yelling obscenities at the man. Everything was a freaking flurry of activity. Flashes of cameras were going at record pace. The noise had grown to a thunderous level as everyone feasted on what was going down. I felt lost in this mess that was unfolding before my eyes. All my fault.
But, wait. What did Edward mean by 'not this time'? What did this have to do with Tanya Paul? Holy shit. Is he dating her? Questions were swirling in my head when Emmett grabbed my arm, pulling me along with him and Edward. My feet stumbled over the cracks and dips in the pavement as I tried to see the man one more time. Who was this James?
Emmett threw us in the back of the limo, right as my eyes connected with his. They were black and evil. His mouth was curled into a snarl. His hands were crushing the camera in his grasp. The door slammed, and he was gone.
"Marcus!" Emmett yelled, snapping me out of my haze. "Take Jane back to her office. The rest of us are going to Edward's." When the partition went up, Emmett looked at the two of us. "We need to have a little chat."
When we arrived at the house, I dragged myself in behind Emmett, and Edward followed behind me. Neither of us had spoken a word to each other. I was too afraid to know the truth. But our relationship couldn't go any further until I knew what was going on between Edward and Tanya, and what this James guy had to do with it. The man that I'd pretty much just told I wanted to marry stormed past me when we got in the foyer and made a beeline for the liquor cabinet in the wood paneled dining room.
Emmett and I sat down across from each other at the table quietly while Edward poured himself five shots in a row of vodka. After he replaced the bottle, he grabbed a full bottle of scotch and sat down at the head of the table. No glass. He took the lid off and brought it to his lips. I wanted to stop him, but I let him do what he wanted. This was not the time to cross him. Looking at Emmett, I could tell he felt the same way. He was going to let him drink himself into a stupor.
After five minutes of silence and chugging of the amber liquid, he slammed the half-empty bottle down on the table, splashing some on his clothes.
"I FUCKED UP!" he roared. I jumped at the volume of his voice. If it wouldn't have looked childish, I would have thrown my hands over my ears.
"What did you do, Edward?" Emmett asked.
"You want to know what I did? What I did?" he seethed through his gritted teeth. "I. Fucked. Tanya. Paul."
I felt myself die inside as the last words left his mouth. I had been betrayed once again, cheated on by someone that I trusted and gave my whole heart to so that I could find happiness. And, once again, my happy little world that I had created had been ripped from my grasp with no warning. He told me that he loved me. He told me this with such ease, such potency...such cruel deceit. Now I knew. Everything he'd ever spoken to me was a lie.
Despite the familiarity of this betrayal, this was a thousand times worse than what Jake had done to me. The love I felt for Edward had consumed me so fiercely and so quickly. There was no going back once I invited him into my bookstore. There was no going back when I made room in the booth next to me at the bar for him to sit. There was no going back when he asked if he could kiss me again, to share my breath and my soul. He owned my heart from those moments on. My face scrunched up, feeling the impending scream of agony in my lungs rushing up my throat. I was not going to be okay.
AUTHORS END NOTE:
Confused? Sorry to leave you hanging like that...actually, no I'm not :) Take a deep breath because it's only just begun. Next chapter is a doozie. It's the longest I've written at 12,000 words.
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