A/N: So sorry! I had planned on posting this when I returned from vacation, but seemed to forget my Beta has a real life, too. I just got the chapter back and made my corrections, so here you go. It's over 8,400 words, so maybe that makes up for the delay.
Lots of thanks, as usual, to my Beta, magan bagan, and my Twilighted Validation Beta, qjmom. I would also like to thank my new pal, jadsmama, who talked me down from a ledge while I was writing this chapter and shared a story that inspired a particular moment during this little date.
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or Stephenie Meyer or anything Twilight related. I do, however, own a nice tan, thanks to the sun in PCB, FL, and various broken shells my 2 year old insisted on bringing back. Now, on with the show!
I rushed home Saturday afternoon after lunch. Anxious to get home, I sped through the traffic at an alarming rate. I rushed up to my apartment and flew through the door. I realized, much to my dismay, after walking in my kitchen that it was only 2:00. I had five hours before Edward was going to pick me up. I felt silly for rushing home so quickly.
I huffed, upset with myself for being so excited. After the ordeal with Mike, I had vowed to take some time to get myself together again. And now, here I was acting like a sixteen year old that had been asked out by the star quarterback. I was practically giddy.
Needing something to occupy my time, I shuffled around the apartment tidying up a bit. But there is only so much tidying up you can do when you live alone. I threw some clothes in the laundry and played on the computer for a little while. I flipped through the channels on the TV and saw there was a pretty good Lifetime movie on, so I rooted myself into my spot on the couch and stared at the TV for two hours.
By 5:00 my nerves were shot and I was biting my nails, so I decided to take a long hot bath. That calmed me for all of five minutes.
At 6:00, I started getting ready for the date. I dressed in the outfit Alice had laid out for me that morning. After much contemplation, I decided to leave my hair in the ponytail from earlier. Alice would have killed me, but she'll never know. I touched up my makeup and added some more lip gloss. Slipping on my shoes, I walked into my living room to wait.
At 6:30, I was pacing. This, of course, was my first date since Mike. I hadn't dated anyone in almost two years. My nerves were getting the better of me and I started wondering why I had agreed to this date. Why, Bella? Because he's HOT! Because he's a doctor! Because he obviously likes you!
A knock froze me in my tracks. I timidly walked toward the door and opened it. There he was….all that beautiful man meat. He had on a pair of jeans that fit him nicely and a green button up with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. That hair was in its usual disarray. He wore that damn gorgeous smile and roamed his eyes up and down my body, obviously taking me in as well.
"Hi," he breathed. Feeling the heat rising in me, from the blush and from somewhere else a little farther south, I ducked my head slightly.
"Hi." He reached over and pulled my chin up with one finger.
"There. I need to see that beautiful blush. You look lovely tonight, Bella." Well, if I wasn't red enough already, I sure was now.
I gave him a timid, "Thank you."
"Are you ready to go?" I nodded.
"Just let me grab me grab my purse." I went to the table, snatched it up and headed back to the door. He held his hand out to me as I approached. I hesitantly took it while he smiled, trying to reassure me. I took a deep breath and followed him out the door, closing it behind me. We walked hand in hand, side by side, to the elevator in silence. When the floor number lit up and the chime sounded, announcing the arrival of our ride, we stepped in. As we rode down to the lobby, I looked up at him, hoping to break the silence that was killing me.
"So, are you going to tell me where we are going?" His mouth turned up.
"Nope. Not yet." I rolled my eyes at him while smiling. We reached the lobby and he led me outside to his car. Being the gentleman that he was, he held the door for me while I climbed in. He shut it behind me and hurried to the other side. I was admiring the interior as he settled in the driver's seat.
"Wow, Edward. This is a beautiful car." The interior was sleek and classy. The seats were black leather and the interior panels were silver and black.
"I know. She's a beauty, huh?" He ran his hands over the dashboard in a loving fashion. I giggled to myself. I know I love my car, but geez. He was almost molesting his. He heard my giggles and snapped out of his haze while clearing his throat. He started the car and merged into traffic. The ride was quiet again, and I tried to come up with something intelligent to say. I drew a blank. Luckily, he felt the need to break the deafening silence as we wove through the traffic.
"So I remember you telling me about your mom on the ride back from Port Angeles. What about your dad? What does he do?" Oh man. Here goes. Not that I had dated a lot, but I had lost more than one boyfriend as a teenager when they found out my dad was a police chief.
"Um, he is the Police Chief of Forks." His eyebrows rose.
"Oh, really? That's awesome. I have the utmost respect for law enforcement. Even more so now that Emmett is a cop. Now there's something I never expected. He spent half his time as a teenager evading trouble from the cops and now he is one." He chuckled.
"Yeah, well my dad is married to that job. He is there pretty much all the time. I was alone a lot when I was with him."
"Oh, I'm sorry," he said in a concerned tone.
"No need to be. I enjoyed being alone then. I could read in peace and do pretty much what I wanted. It was nice to have that freedom as a teenager. It wasn't like I was going to go wild anyway, considering my dad was the police chief." He chuckled once again.
"I guess not." With that, we pulled into the parking lot of La Bella Italia, my favorite restaurant. I had a feeling Alice had a hand in this date. This was a pretty snazzy place, though, and for a moment, I felt a bit underdressed. Remembering that Edward was wearing jeans also, I relaxed a little, content with the fact that he didn't care much about appearances. He pulled up to the valet and put the car in park. My door was opened by a very young guy who openly stared at me. I began to climb out when a hand was held out to me. I took it and looked up to see Edward glaring at the valet who was slowly backing up. Another young guy came up and gave Edward a ticket before hopping in the driver's side and speeding off to park the car. He didn't let go of my hand as we walked through the doors and up to the hostess station. The two girls standing there openly gawked at us. No wait-let me rephrase that. The two girls there openly gawked at Edward. When I returned their stare, one shyly looked away and busied herself with stacking menus. The other, however, glanced briefly at me, seeming to assess the competition, and then returned her gaze back to Edward while breaking into a wide smile.
"Hello," she purred. "Welcome to La Bella Italia. What can I do for you tonight?"
"We," Edward emphasized, "have a reservation for two under Cullen." She checked her little list and nodded while gathering two menus.
"Right this way Mr. Cullen." Am I freaking invisible? She sashayed, and I do mean sashayed as in swinging her hips from left to right as far as they would go, down the aisle toward the back of the restaurant. The entire place was basked in candlelight giving it a romantic atmosphere. She stopped in front of a small table set for two and gestured for us to have a seat. She placed the menus in front of us and turned to Edward.
"I hope you have wonderful evening and enjoy your meal. If there is anything I can do for you, you know where to find me." I gave a very unladylike snort, intending for it to be quiet, but it came out louder than expected. Edward looked at me, amused. I blushed and looked away. The hostess huffed and stomped off toward the kitchen.
"Well, that was awkward," he said nervously.
"Aw. She was just trying to be nice." I smiled coyly at him. He laughed and relaxed in his chair.
"Besides, she probably just felt the need to flaunt her blonde hair and other 'assets' so you could see what you were missing." He grew serious and leaned up to me.
"Bella, make no mistake. There's no one I would rather be with right now than you." He stared intently into my eyes and leaned a little closer.
"I prefer brunettes, anyway." What do you say in response to that? My mind was going a mile a minute. You are my soul mate. We are destined to be together. I want to take you home, slam you against the door, rip off your clothes and make you scream my name. But I didn't say that. That's hardly something you say to someone during the first hour of your first date if you ever want to see them again, right? This is also not helping my "Bella's going to take it slow after the Mike ordeal" plan. But, what the hell?
So I winked at him and said, "Good thing I didn't go with the heavy highlights like I was contemplating." He gave a hearty laugh and sat back in his chair. Just then I noticed a waitress heading up the aisle, intently eyeing our table while tugging her shirt a little to accentuate her ample cleavage. I had a feeling the hostess ran back to report the scoop on the hottie sitting at our table.
"Good evening. My name is Liz and I'll be your waitress tonight. What can I start you off with?" She hadn't even looked at me since she walked up to the table. What the hell? Do the women that work here have no shame? Edward looked pointedly at me so she reluctantly turned to me to wait for my answer.
"Um, I'll just have a coke, please." She jotted it down on her little pad and returned her attention to Edward.
"I'll have the same." She nodded and smiled sweetly.
"Are you ready to order or do you need a few more minutes?" Again Edward looked at me and waited.
"I'm ready if you are." He nodded so I continued. "I'll have the mushroom ravioli, please." He looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking.
"Yum. I believe I'll have the same again." She sneered my way and scribbled the orders down before gathering our menus.
"Ok. I'll put these orders in and should be back with you shortly. If you need anything, just give me a holler." She placed her hand on his before he quickly retracted it from the table and laid it in his lap. I stifled a giggle behind my hand. His blush was rivaling my own at the moment. The attention was clearly making him uncomfortable.
"Does that happen to you a lot?" His blush deepened. Of course it does, Bella. Look at the man.
"Um, sometimes, but they usually aren't that forward. Are you uncomfortable? We can leave if you'd like." I shook my hand while still giggling behind my hand.
"No, no. I am enjoying the entertainment. I'm willing to bet another hot blonde will deliver the food to the table." He playfully glared at me.
"If I get hit on again, I will do whatever is necessary to make sure they understand that I am not available. Just a warning." Well, so much for him being the only one blushing. But the vixen in me barged her way through with my army of hormones trudging behind her.
"Bring it on, Dr. Cullen. I'll do whatever is necessary to help rid you of those pesky girls. It won't be the first time."
"Oh, I'll be sure to 'bring it' Ms. Swan when the time is right." His eyes turned dark and I started breathing heavily. There was just too much sexual tension between the two of us. I needed to diffuse it. Quick. Before things got out of hand. Or in my hands. Or in my pants… Stop! I needed to change the subject.
"So are you excited about your new job? What department will you be in?" His eyes relaxed a little and he toyed with his napkin.
"I'll be in the ER. I really want to work in Pediatrics, but there is nothing available at this time. I'm keeping my eyes open though, so I can maybe transfer soon." Sounded like the ER was not really where he wanted to be."
"Not a fan of the ER?" He shook his head and a beautiful tuft of bronze hair fell and rested right about his eye.
"Not particularly. In big cities, the ER can be a pretty stressful and sad place." He concentrated on folding and unfolding his napkin. There must be a story there, but I wasn't going to pry at this time.
"So, what about you? Are you looking forward to the start of the school year? How long have you been teaching?" I grew excited. I loved talking about my new job and was anxious to get started again.
"This is my second year. I am so excited for the semester to start. Last year, it took a while for me to get in the groove of things and I had kind of a problem getting respect from some of the seniors since I am so young, but they eventually came around. I am hoping this year will go a little smoother." He gave me that crooked little grin that reminded me of a teenage boy.
"If I had a teacher that looked like you in high school, I believe I would have behaved a little better." I rolled my eyes and sat back in my chair with my arms crossed over my chest.
"You're incorrigible."
"I know. It's one of my redeeming qualities," he teased.
I looked up and saw Liz heading our way with a tray in hand. Edward turned to see what I was looking at and turned back around with an evil glint in his eye. He snatched up my hand that was lying on the table and intertwined our fingers. As she neared our table, he slowly brought our hands to his lips and started kissing my knuckles. I stared in silence, dumbfounded. Other parts of my body, however, reacted immediately. My breathing picked up and I felt my nipples harden under my bra. The waitress started placing our plates on the table having to maneuver around my arm which was stretched over the small table. Edward payed absolutely no attention to her and continued placing feather light kisses on my hand. She huffed and muttered, "Enjoy," before stomping off toward the kitchen. Once she was gone, Edward dropped our entwined hands from his face but didn't break the hold. He simply stared at me as I am sure my face turned every shade of red imaginable. He dropped his gaze and my hand and cleared his throat.
"This looks delicious." He picked up his fork as I reached for a breadstick. I tore off a piece and devoured it. It was wonderful. Soft and warm, and lightly coated with butter and garlic. I made a mental note to go easy on them just in case I might happen to get a good night kiss.
My eyes unconsciously darted to his lips. They were full, but not in a girly way. More of in a kissable way. I could envision them on mine, moving in sync and then slowly making their way down to my neck, lower to my collarbone….lower. I was brought out of one of my many daydreams, which were spiraling out of control tonight, by a low moan coming from him, apparently appreciating the wonderful quality of the food. The moaning did not help my daydream problem.
Our conversation progressed comfortably during the meal. We talked a little more about our childhoods. He made me laugh with his stories of Emmett and him as children. They were some trouble makers, apparently.
The waitress came back and dropped off the check. He pulled out his credit card quickly, placed it in the black folder without a glance at the ticket, and sent her on her way. He glanced at his watch.
"I hope she hurries. We are going to be late."
I studied him, trying to figure out of some of hint as to where we were going. No such luck.
She brought back the black folder with his credit card sticking out and handed him a pen before winking at him and walking away. He sighed and opened the folder to quickly sign the receipt. He stood up suddenly and grabbed my hand.
"Come on. Let's go." He sounded very eager, so I quickly jumped up and joined him. We made our way back out through the doors and he handed his ticket to the valet and asked him to hurry. The car stopped in front of us just a minute later and I climbed in as he held the door open. I watched him shut the door and glide around the front of the car to his side. He settled in his driver's seat and we took off. We wove in and out of traffic while I gripped the handle on the door.
"Wow, you drive really fast," I stuttered out.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I tend to get carried away. I haven't driven in a while and my foot tends to get a little heavy." He slowed the speed down a little, but it really didn't matter since we pulled into a parking lot a few minutes later. He once again jumped out and hurried to my side to help me out. He then walked around and popped the trunk and pulled out a quilt. I cocked an eyebrow at him in question. He grinned and grabbed my hand.
"Come on." He tucked the quilt under one arm and pulled me along. As we walked he glanced at the sky. Following suit, I looked up and saw the clouds rolling in. Of course. It had been a whole two days since it rained last.
"It had better not rain. I checked before we left and it's not supposed to rain," he pouted. I couldn't help but laugh at his childish sulking.
"I bet it holds out. It doesn't look too bad yet." We reached the top of a hill and I looked down to see several other couples scattered across a vast lawn in front of a huge screen. An outdoor movie.
"You brought me to an outdoor movie?" I clapped my hands together like a little girl and tugged him along as he chuckled at me. I sought out the perfect spot under a tree and pointed to it. He walked over and spread out the quilt underneath it, next to the trunk. We settled down onto the blanket side by side, barely touching arms.
"So, what are we watching?"
"Nope. Still part of the surprise." I stuck my tongue out at him as he pointed to the screen that was coming to life. A few advertisements for local businesses rolled across the screen seeking new clientele. A few minutes later the movie started and I squealed as low as I could without interrupting the other moviegoers when I realized what movie was playing.
"Pretty Woman? I love this movie! How did you-" I stopped when I remembered exactly how he knew that was one of my favorite movies. I blushed remembering the kitchen show incident. He reached for my hand and took it in his own. Between that action and realizing he picked this movie for a reason, my heart soared and I started letting my defenses and walls down. He looked behind us and slowly scooted back to lean against the tree. He tugged my arm and parted his legs, inviting me to sit between them. I shyly scooted back into him and rested against his chest.
"Is this ok," his deep voice asked in my ear. I felt his hot breath and shivered involuntarily. I nodded in acknowledgment. We both grew quiet and watched the movie.
After Edward, the Richard Gere one, "rescued" Vivian and she "rescued" him right back, the screen went black and we got up and stretched. I helped him fold the quilt and we started our walk back to the car.
"Thank you for this Edward. I haven't been to an outdoor movie in forever."
"You're welcome. It seemed….like fate, I guess."
We reached the car and loaded the blanket. He helped me in and we set out on our way back to my apartment. When we reached our destination, he pulled to the curb and turned the car off.
"Edward, I-," pausing, I tried to gather my wits. I didn't really want to "invite him up" and give him the wrong impression.
"Would you like to get some ice cream? There's a creamery down on the corner." That sounded safe.
"Ooooohhh, ice cream!" There was the child again.
"Yeah, let's go." He hopped out and so did I before he could make it to my door. He looked at me, crestfallen, but I walked up to him and grabbed his hand, leading the way.
We got to the creamery and ordered. I settled on a plain vanilla cone and he had a chocolate one. We walked back outside and strolled down the street. He stopped suddenly, looking around.
"Bella, can I show you something?" I nodded and we turned and headed in the opposite direction from my apartment.
All of a sudden, it started to sprinkle. The sprinkle quickly turned into rain and he grabbed my hand as we ran down the sidewalk. I let out a little shriek as he laughed. I tried to concentrate on not falling down.
Another block down, we turned and headed into a gray apartment building on the corner. It dawned on me where we were going.
"Edward, is this your new apartment?" He nodded as we walked through the lobby to the elevator, both dripping a little. We entered through the stainless steel doors and he hit the "9" button. We started to climb. The ride was silent while we finished off the rest of our ice cream that was pretty melted from the rain. I was having a hard time preventing the dripping. The doors opened and we stepped out into the hall. I followed him to the door at the end of the hall while he dug out a key from his pocket. He inserted it and turned the knob. He held the door open and ushered me through. I stepped in what was soon to be his living room and looked around. The kitchen looked newly renovated and had nice appliances. It wasn't very large, but the layout was perfect for cooking. We wandered through, not speaking. Just walking. I felt kind of like I was intruding, but he never said anything, so I let my curiosity lead me. I passed a small bedroom, just big enough to hold the necessary furniture. I roamed a little further and ended up in the master bedroom. It was a beautiful mocha color. The bathroom was off to the side. I peeked in and saw a huge bathtub. There could be some fun times in that.
I drifted back out into the living area where Edward was waiting, watching me.
"It's wonderful, Edward. Seems like a perfect place for you." I glanced around before the wall of glass caught my eye. Curious to see the view, I walked over and looked out before I gasped. The lights of Seattle twinkled in the night against the wet buildings. It was a breathtaking view.
"Wow, It's beautiful," I breathed.
"What was that," I heard him ask from behind me. I turned to repeat myself only to find Edward face to face with me, inches away. So close that I could feel his breath on my face.
"It's beautiful," I whispered, originally meaning the skyline, but changing my mind when I looked into those beautiful green eyes.
"Sure is," he responded before closing the gap between us and connecting his lips with mine. I snaked my arms up and around the back of his neck. My palms found a resting place and my fingers weaved their way into his hair. I felt his arms close around my waist and his hands glide up my back to tangle in my mane of brown locks. His lips moved slowly with mine and impulsively I opened my mouth and darted my tongue out. By God, if we were going to kiss, then we were going to kiss. His mouth opened and his tongue shot out and danced with my own. He tasted like chocolate ice cream. Delicious. I gave a low moan at the feeling of satisfaction that was burning in me. In response, he gave a small growl and backed me up against the glass. The kiss intensified and his body pressed into mine. I could feel his erection pressing into my stomach. His hands left my hair and slowly wandered up and down my sides, slightly brushing the side of my breasts each time. Instinctively, I arched me chest into him. He pushed back into me and pinned me to the window. My need for him was almost frantic and I needed to gain control of this situation before it got too out of hand. I broke away from his lips and placed my hands on his chest.
"Edward, we need to stop." His hands immediately stilled and rested on my hips. He laid his forehead against mine and blew out a deep breath.
"I'm so sorry, Bella. I didn't mean to lose control. I just don't know what it is about you." He sounded defeated.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, how do I put it without sounding like a stalker? It's just that you consume my every thought. I think about you all the time and have waited for as long as I could to do that. I just needed to kiss you. I didn't mean for it to go any further." He lifted his head and looked away, apologetic and embarrassed.
"Edward, trust me. It's ok. I was a willing participant and thoroughly enjoyed it." I chuckled quietly. He didn't look at me so I lifted my hand and grabbed his chin to turn his face to me.
"It's really fine, Edward. I just didn't want you to get the wrong impression of me. This is, after all, only our first date." He still didn't look convinced.
"If it makes you feel any better, I think about you all the time, too. I do need to say this-I don't want to rush right into anything. I just got out of a pretty long relationship that ended badly. So let's take it slow, ok?" He blew out another breath that he must have been holding for a while.
"Same here, Bella. As in, I just got out of a relationship, also. And it ended badly, too. So we'll just go with the flow, ok?" I smiled sweetly at him and nodded my head. He stood back and took my hand in his.
"You ready to go?" I nodded and we headed out after he locked up. We strolled out into the street hand in hand. The asphalt was glistening from the remaining puddles as the moonlight beamed down. I looked up to see if we had more rain in store for us tonight. Not a cloud in the sky. Figures.
We neared my building when Edward spoke again.
"I don't know how much time I'll be able to see you in the next few weeks. Being new, I'll be on a rotating shift and will be spending a lot of time at the hospital. But can I call you on my breaks? Maybe text you?" He was back in shy mode.
"Of course you can. I would love that. I've been getting bored lately sitting at home. There's only so much Lifetime one girl can watch," I laughed as we entered the elevator in my building. We rode up in quietly and stepped off to walk the few feet to my door.
"So, maybe we can get together again soon," he asked with a hopeful grin.
"Absolutely. With Alice's meddling, I'm sure it will probably be before we even know it." He nodded his head and chuckled. He looked at me and his eyes darted to my lips. I stood still, silently hoping for one more kiss. It was as though he could read my mind. He ducked his head as I simultaneously tilted mine and laid a sweet, lingering kiss on my lips. When he pulled away, I opened my eyes to see him still centimeters from my face.
"Goodnight Bella." He placed one more quick peck on my lips and turned down the hall toward the elevator. I watched him go and gave him a quick wave as he stepped onto the elevator. I let myself in my apartment and plopped down on the couch with a school grin and a sigh. When I couldn't contain it anymore, I threw my hands in the air and let out a squeal.
I was still in daydream land when I heard my phone go off about 45 minutes later.
Thank you for a wonderful evening-Edward
My heart started pounding and that smile that was permanently plastered on my face spread even wider. I quickly typed back.
Thank YOU for the evening. It was perfect. See you soon?-Bella
I had every intention on asking him to stop by for dinner one night after work.
Absolutely. Goodnight, Bella. Sweet dreams.-Edward
I gave a very unladylike snort. After that kiss, I am sure the dreams will be wonderful.
Goodnight, Edward. I have no doubt my dreams will be sweet. –Bella
I signed dreamily while clutching my phone. If I wasn't careful, I was going to fall for him very quickly.
EPOV
"Dude. Sit down. You are making me nervous and it's not even my date." Jasper watched me as I paced around the living room. He and Alice had just emerged since disappearing into his bedroom for hours doing God knows what. I didn't want to think about that. But I needed to think about anything else right now. My nerves were shot and I was getting worse as the clock ticked the seconds by. Alice giggled from beside Jasper where she was snuggled into him. They were the picture of perfection. I envied them. I strode over to the armchair and sat down, but as soon as I did, my knee started bouncing up and down. I checked my watch for the hundredth time. 6:15. I figured I would leave here at 6:30 to make sure I had enough time in case of a traffic jam.
"Edward, calm down. Jeez. I haven't seen you this nervous since your senior piano recital." Alice had to bring that up. I had been so stressed out about performing a very complicated piece that I had thrown up beforehand and took the stage weak and pale. Needless to say, I did well and got a standing ovation. But I was still sick. It was a bittersweet memory.
"I'm sorry, guys. I don't know why I'm so nervous. I think I've scared myself by jumping into this too quickly. I mean the whole thing with Victoria happened not too long ago." Alice's body stiffened.
"Edward, Bella is not Victoria. And you would be surprised at how much you guys have in common when it comes to relationships. Just give her a chance and take it slow. I think you guys will be good for each other." I smiled genuinely at her.
"Thanks, sis." She returned my smile before exclaiming, "Oh," and hopping up off the couch and running to the linen closet. She returned with a quilt and handed it to me.
"What's this for?"
"Edward, were you going to make her sit on the ground without anything under you guys?" Crap. I hadn't even thought of that. I pulled Alice into a hug.
"Thank you," I said simply.
"Yeah, yeah. You can thank me at your wedding. Now, go. I know how anxious you are to see her." I squeezed her one last time and gave a wave to Jasper before heading out the door.
"Don't wait up," I yelled before I closed the door. I heard Jasper laugh.
I made my way down to my car and threw the quilt in the trunk. I got in and drove to Bella's apartment. When I parked in front of her building, I jumped out and almost skipped to the lobby. Had there not been so many people on the streets, I might have done it. I rode the elevator up and arrived at her door at 6:45. I knocked swiftly and the door flung open. There she is. My heart momentarily stilled and I instantly had a feeling of content wash over me. She looked incredible in her fitted jeans and black top. Her hair was still in the ponytail from earlier showing off her graceful neck and collarbone.
"Hi," I said, breathless from her beauty.
"Hi," she responded shyly while ducking her head. That would not do. I reached over and lifted her chin so I could see her beautiful face.
"There. I need to see that beautiful blush. You look lovely tonight, Bella." The red on her cheeks deepened. She gave me a small, "Thank you."
I asked if she was ready to go and she disappeared to grab her things. As she walked back toward me, I unconsciously reached out my hand to her. I have no idea what made me do it. Instinct maybe? I saw her hesitation and smiled at her. Although I hadn't planned on holding hands with her, the idea now seemed rather appealing. When she finally took my hand, it felt as though she belonged there at my side. Like it was meant to be.
She tried to get me to tell her where we were going on the elevator. I refused to give it up. We climbed into the car and made our way to the restaurant. I asked what her dad did for a living and found out that he was the Police Chief of Forks. That was a piece of information I was going to have to tuck away for later. Never piss off a police chief.
The whole time at the restaurant, I was hit on by the wait staff. It was humiliating. Not only had the waitress and hostess hitting on me, they were completely ignoring Bella. While she found it amusing, it pissed me off. On the better side of things, we did get to talk some more after there was a momentary pause in flirting from the waitress. The flirting between Bella and me, however, picked up. She teased me and I teased right back. I loved it when she let her guard down and the little vixen in her come barreling out.
She asked me if I had been hit on a lot. I beat around the bush a little with her, but the truth was that I had. Women tried to pick me up every day. Several times a day. It got to be ridiculous and tiring.
Then she asked me about the ER. That was something I just couldn't go into tonight. So I briefly explained why I didn't really like the ER, but would work there until I found a position in pediatrics. I was so grateful that she didn't push the issue.
I asked about her job and she talked animatedly. I loved watching her eyes as they lit up while she discussed her job. None of my teachers looked like her. Maybe I should go back to high school.
I saw her staring at someone behind and turned to look. Liz, the waitress, was on her way to our table with a vicious smile on her lips. She was probably planning on pressing her boobs into me or something. So I acted quick and grabbed Bella's hand and started kissing it. I noticed briefly how shocked she looked, but I couldn't really pay attention to anything but the fact that I was kissing the smoothest, silkiest skin I had ever felt. Her hands were soft and delicate. Very feminine. I loved the fact that she was smart, witty and strong, yet still so feminine and girly. I was oblivious to everything else happening at the table until I heard Liz huff and stomp off. I looked up to see Bella with a shocked look on her face. I was pretty much molesting her hand, so I dropped it quickly and concentrated on dinner. We talked about various things in our lives and childhoods. I told her some of the most memorable antics Emmett and I pulled. She would laugh and it was the most angelic sound in the world. The check came and I quickly threw my credit card in the folder and sent the waitress on her way with it. I glanced at my watch and noticed we were running late. When she came back with the receipt, I quickly signed my name ignoring the two phone numbers scribbled on a piece of paper prominently displayed on the other side of the folder. I jumped up and pulled Bella with me and raced out to the valet. I glared at him, still upset with the fact that he was openly gawking at Bella earlier.
We hopped in my car and I raced across town to the park where they were holding the movie night. I glanced over a one time to see Bella holding on to the door for dear life. I apologized and slowed down a bit. I bet she had no idea exactly what that little car of hers would do.
I pulled into a spot in the parking lot of the park. I climbed out and opened the door for her before grabbing the quilt. She looked at me quizzically. I grinned and grabbed her hand.
"Come on." As we walked, I looked up at the sky and saw the dark clouds rolling in, hiding the stars from view.
"It had better not rain. I checked before we left and it's not supposed to rain," I muttered, more to myself than Bella. I probably sounded like a child.
"I bet it holds out. It doesn't look too bad yet," she said reassuringly.
We reached the top of a hill and I could see other couples seated on quilts and blankets on the lawn in front of the huge screen.
"You brought me to an outdoor movie?" She clapped her hands and jumped up and down a little. She looked so much like a little girl that I had to laugh a little. She scanned the area for a place for us to spread out and pointed to a spot beneath a tree. I walked over and spread the quilt out and dropped to the ground. She sat close beside me.
"So, what are we watching?"
"Nope. Still part of the surprise," I teased. She stuck her tongue out and it was everything I could do not to launch myself on her and capture that little pink tongue in my mouth. So, I just pointed to the screen.
"Pretty Woman? I love this movie! How did you-"she paused, realization spreading across her face as she remembered me catching her dancing in the kitchen and the exchange of movie lines afterwards. I reached for her hand and held it as she had a thoughtful look cross her face. I turned around to see the tree trunk not far behind us. Taking a chance, I scooted back to lean against the tree trunk and invited her to use me as a prop. A selfish little move, but she embraced the opportunity. When her tiny body rested against me, I ducked my head to her ear.
"Is this ok," I asked. She shivered and nodded. I shifted slightly so I could watch the movie and her face.
It was endearing watching the different emotions cross her face during the movie. She would smile beautifully at certain parts, scowl at the parts she didn't approve of and even teared up a little toward the end. After it was over, we rose and stretched. My back was killing me from sitting against that tree, but it was so worth it. She helped me fold the quilt and we started our hike back to the car.
"Thank you for this Edward. I haven't been to an outdoor movie in forever."
"You're welcome. It seemed….like fate, I guess."
When we reached the Volvo, I threw the quilt back into the trunk and got in. We drove in silence back to her apartment. I didn't want the night to end. She surprised me when I pulled up in front of her building by asking for ice cream to which I whole heartedly agreed to. We ordered our cones from the creamery and strolled out in to the street when I had a thought.
"Bella, can I show you something?" She nodded and we turned and I led the way to my building. We were a block away when the rain started and we had to run to get in the lobby. While we were walking through the lobby she looked at me.
"Edward, is this your new apartment?" I nodded and we entered the elevator. We tried to salvage what was left of our ice cream cones. I could see her out of the corner of my eye, licking the cone and swirling her tongue around the creamy goodness. It would dart out trying to catch the melted drippings and my groin would tighten. Luckily we arrived on the ninth floor before Little Eddie could see too much.
I dug out my key and opened the door to usher her through. She walked in and started wandering around. I didn't stop her. I didn't care. I was too caught up in my thoughts. It was like she belonged there. With me. I could see us cuddled on the couch watching a movie while the rain splattered against the glass wall. She moved around the kitchen, past the guest bedroom and into the master suite. Then my thoughts turned a little dirtier and involved me making love to her all night long until the sun rose the next morning. She came back through the door and stopped in front of me.
"It's wonderful, Edward. Seems like a perfect place for you." She looked around once more and seemed to just notice the glass wall. She walked over and looked out. As the magnetic pull I constantly felt drifted me to her, I heard her let out a small gasp.
"Wow, It's beautiful," she said breathlessly.
"What was that," I asked before I ducked my head to her level. She spun and looked shocked when she realized how close I was.
"It's beautiful," she repeated, whispering. My eyes were trained on hers, lost in the brown pools I was quickly discovering felt like home.
"Sure is," I blurted before pressing my lips to hers. She slowly raised her arms and rested her hands on my neck while gently scratching my scalp. It felt so damn good. I slid my arms around her waist and up her back until I had my fingers tangled in her silky locks. To my shock, she deepened the kiss first by opening her mouth, so I responded quickly by meeting her tongue with mine. As our lips danced to a delicate rhythm, she groaned. I lost my bearings and snapped. I think I might have growled. What I do know is I pushed her back into the glass wall. My need for her was quickly overwhelming my logical thought process. I pressed into her, fully aware of the fact that Little Eddie was begging to come out and play. When my hands starting roaming, I recall slightly brushing the sides of her breasts and the small breath she would suck in each time I did it. The last pass made her arch into me and I reacted by pinning her against the window. I was two seconds from ripping her clothes off before she broke the kiss and pushed a little on my chest.
"Edward, we need to stop." Shit. Way to go, Cullen. I propped my forehead against hers and let out a deep breath.
"I'm so sorry, Bella. I didn't mean to lose control. I just don't know what it is about you." I was terrified that I had blown my chances with her.
"What do you mean," she inquired. I wasn't really one to put my heart on the line on a first date, but I possibly already blew it, so what the hell, right?
"Well, how do I put it without sounding like a stalker? It's just that you consume my every thought. I think about you all the time and have waited for as long as I could to do that. I just needed to kiss you. I didn't mean for it to go any further." Well, that if that wasn't the most embarrassing confession I had ever made.
"Edward, trust me. It's ok. I was a willing participant and thoroughly enjoyed it." I still couldn't face her, but she placed her tiny fingers on my chin and turned my head.
"It's really fine, Edward. I just didn't want you to get the wrong impression of me. This is, after all, only our first date." God, that made me feel like shit. I was trying to get in her pants on the first date. You did that with Victoria. Yeah, and look how that turned out.
"If it makes you feel any better, I think about you all the time, too. I do need to say this-I don't want to rush right into anything. I just got out of a pretty long relationship that ended badly. So let's take it slow, ok?" Well, that made me feel a little better. A passing thought made me wonder if that person was that Mike character.
"Same here, Bella. As in, I just got out of a relationship, also. And it ended badly, too. So we'll just go with the flow, ok?" She gave me a beautiful smile and my heart soared. I think it skipped a beat.
With all that out of the way, we walked hand in hand back to her apartment. As we neared her building, I felt the need to let her know about my crazy schedules over the next few months.
"I don't know how much time I'll be able to see you in the next few weeks. Being new, I'll be on a rotating shift and will be spending a lot of time at the hospital. But can I call you on my breaks? Maybe text you?" She had no idea how many texts she would probably be getting from me.
"Of course you can. I would love that. I've been getting bored lately sitting at home. There's only so much Lifetime one girl can watch."
At her door, I kissed her again, innocently this time. I bid her a goodnight and gave her another quick peck before heading to the elevator before we had a recap of the window scene earlier. I looked back down the hall to see her give me a quick wave before slipping in her apartment. I headed down to my car with a Cheshire cat grin on my face and headed back to Jasper's apartment. He and Alice were still up when I walked in. I tried to sneak past them, but no such luck.
"Don't even think you are slipping by before I get full details," I heard my sister say. I ducked my head and reluctantly plopped in the armchair I constantly occupied, unable to hide the stupid smile on my face. Alice took one look at me and squealed while clapping her hands.
"So I take it the date went well? Are you two going to start dating? Did you kiss her? You didn't push yourself on her, did you? Was she excited about the restaurant? How did the movie go?" I don't think she even took a breath during all of those questions.
"Alice, honey, calm down and let him speak." Jasper laid a hand on her shoulder and eased her back into him.
"Ok, I don't remember what all you asked me, but the date went well. It went very well. She loved the restaurant and movie. Thanks for the suggestions." She smiled smugly.
"Did you kiss her? You only kissed her, right? You two didn't…."
"No, Alice. We didn't have sex. Yes, I kissed her. Now that is all you are getting from me. I am going to bed." I jumped up and headed to my room. I was halfway down the hall when I heard her call out, "I told you so!" I laughed and nodded my head to myself. I lay across my bed with my hands propped behind my head. When an idea crossed my mind, I dug out my cell phone and opened a new text message.
Thank you for a wonderful evening-Edward
I scrolled through and attached Bella's number to the message and sent it on its way. A few minutes later, my phone chimed alerting me of a new text.
Thank YOU for the evening. It was perfect. See you soon?-Bella
I smiled to myself and quickly responded.
Absolutely. Goodnight, Bella. Sweet dreams.-Edward
I anxiously awaited a reply until it came a minute later.
Goodnight, Edward. I have no doubt my dreams will be sweet. –Bella
I shut my phone and laid it on the bedside table. It had been a good night. One of the best I'd had in a while. Life was looking up.
A/N: So what did you think? Click that little review button and let me know. Have you ever been to an outdoor movie? How about you come join us in the forums to discuss your most fun date! We need to liven up the WISYS thread! Link is on my profile. Thanks!