Into The Spotlight Chapter 10

AN: Sorry guys, but I didn't plan so well. Therefore, I am changing Bella's age to 23, so she would have gotten Napoleon when she was 13. Sorry again! Just otherwise the timeline of the plot wouldn't exactly add up! I will change the first chapter soon as possible.

WARNING: does get a little verging on the T-rating toward the end, so I apologise if you don't like it. I'm hoping it should be fine - It's very low key in comparison to most authors, but if you think it's too much PLEASE tell me to change the rating, even if just to be safe…

Enjoy!

"Edward?"

Without even thinking, I jumped at him and wrapped my arms around his neck, just so happy to see him again. He hesitated for a moment, before I felt him engulf me in his strong arms, burying his face in my hair. We stood there for a few moments, before I broke away, clearing my throat at the embarrassing display of affection.

"What are you doing here?" I asked quietly, my eyes fixated on his gorgeous emeralds.

He stretched his arm out to lean casually on the tree, something reminiscent of a model from a high fashion magazine showing how best to wear his casual jeans and white shirt combo.

"I came to ask why you haven't been answering my calls." I knew that was going to come sooner or later, but I still flinched at the harshness of his voice.

"I'm not really good at, err, phone calls," I said lamely, the situation becoming awkward.

"So Rosalie tells me."

Damn that Rosalie Hale.

"That was meant to be a private conversation," I argued, my eyes drifting away to Napoleon, who had suddenly become interested in what was going on.

"She's a good friend to me – she told me what I needed to do to fix this," he put it so simply, and I knew I had lost my argument.

"Oh," was all I could say. Napoleon came up to my side then, nudging my ribs until I put my arm around him. It was a welcome distraction.

"So I knew I had to come here face to face," he began, and I waited to see what he would say next. He took a deep breath. "Okay, so I'm sorry things happened the way they did I really am, and how you found out about it and everything and that-"

I put my hands up, stopping him mid-sentence. "If anyone needs to apologize it's me. I was just a jealous, sore loser. Sure I would've been nicer to find out when I wasn't hospitalised, feeling weak and vulnerable, not to mention humiliated by what happened on the course, but I overreacted big time. So I'm sorry."

He let out a breath I didn't even realise he was holding, and all seemed okay again. "And as for not answering your calls - that was pretty childish of me. So sorry for that too," I mumbled, my eyes focused on Napoleon, a blush spreading across my cheeks.

"Well I probably should've just come to meet you face to face in the first place," he added. "So, we're okay?"

I looked up at him and smiled.

"Yeah, we are."

He looked at his Rolex then, and I felt a sadness shake through my heart.

"Can you stay, for a little bit?" I asked shyly, praying to any Gods out there he'd say yes.

"Well, I guess a couple hours wouldn't hurt," he said, and I wanted to jump for joy. He bent down to pick up my forgotten book, and I blushed as he read the title.

"Someone's a romantic, I see," he teased and I blushed harder, not able to think of a decent comeback. I grabbed the book out of his hand, clutching it to my chest.

"Anyway," I said, trying to change the subject. "How about a tour?"

The sun was dropping low in the sky now, and a cool breeze swept across the fields. We were back where we started originally, sitting under the old oak.

"It's such a beautiful place here. I thought my yard was nice, but you can see out for miles here, not a single skyscraper in sight," he told me honestly.

"Thank you. I inherited this all from my grandfather – well I had to work a little to get it to where it was today. The barn was rotted and on the verge of collapsing, the arena was simply a fenced off grass pen, and don't even get me started on the state of the cottage," I said with a laugh, and he joined me. I was proud of what I'd done here over the years. Sure it took a lot of work, and a lot of money, but it was worth everything. I thought I should probably just leave my story there – it's what I told the media – but there was just something about Edward that made me feel so comfortable around him, like he wouldn't judge or care how I came into this property.

"I used to come down here every weekend – my granddad bought me a little Shetland pony for my fifth birthday. Shorty was a little bugger – the naughtiest pony ever, I'm pretty sure I spent more time on the ground than off. But that's probably where I got my infamous grip," I said, laughing as I thought of my silly little grey Shetland. "I have so many happy memories here. My dad used to work horrible hours when I was younger, so I was often carted off here. But I always had so much fun, I didn't mind being away."

He reached up to touch my face; I was surprised to see his fingers were damp with my tears. I hadn't even realised I was crying. I quickly wiped away at my eyes, catching the loose tears.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, embarrassed at my body's reactions to old memories.

"Don't be. Tell me more – I love hearing about your childhood," he replied, sounding totally honest. I decided I may as well tell him the entire story.

"My dad had a fight with my grandfather when I was eight or so, and he banned me from seeing him anymore. He was an alcoholic you see, though I had no idea till a lot later. He did always have a bottle of Jack Daniels next to the orange juice…" I explained, and Edward nodded in understanding, his eyes bulging a little at the mention of my exposure to alcohol at such a young age.

"And so Shorty was sold – I was never even allowed to say goodbye to him, nor did I ever speak to my grandfather again. I was so sad… I cried for weeks and weeks."

His hand wrapped around mine giving it a gentle squeeze. It may have been nearly fifteen years ago, but the horrible experience still affected me, especially as it happened when I so young and had little understanding of anything. I shook my head at the memory. "Anyway, so my grandfather died three years later - ironically, it was from liver failure after years of alcohol abuse, so my dad had been right all along. And in his will, as his only relative who was alive that he actually liked, I was left the sole owner of this land at the age of eleven."

"There wasn't much here though – there hadn't been a horse there since Shorty, and the grass was overgrown and barely unrecognisable. And as I said we couldn't exactly live here. So my father tried to convince me to sell – it's a lot of land in a great area, I could have been set for College, pursued a career as a journalist in Seattle, maybe even New York. But I knew horses were my only future – it's just something about them, their beauty and grace and complete willingness to trust enough to let someone sit on their backs and take them wherever they wanted without question."

"Our views are very similar," Edward told me softly. "I may have been exposed to horses all my life, but my father said I could do whatever I wanted, with or without horses. They just fascinate me, in body and mind. So what happened with your dad?"

I smiled at him. "Well we made a compromise that this place would remain until I was eighteen, and then in the meanwhile we'd continue living in our house as normal. Little did he know, I was determined I would fix this place up. I originally just wanted to own a livery yard or something, maybe focus on breeding. I had no idea how I would start it up; I knew practically nothing about the business. When I was twelve I worked at the stables down the road, and Mrs. Newton gave me free riding lessons in return for me working there all weekend, and then I worked at the super market near my house three nights a week to earn the cash to set up a fund for here from age 15. And then the rest of the time when I wasn't studying I would be in the library reading the horse books there."

"After I got Napoleon, I fixed up a small area of the land just for him, and then worked on it from there on out. Alice found out in her sophomore year about all this – and begged to help me. Turned out she had a talent with horses she had no idea about. Her family kindly donated a couple grand –anonymously of course –to help with the refurbishment, and eventually some of my friends found out too and offered to help. I hired Emmett in the summer of my junior year to work on the house so I could move in there soon as I finished High School, and I did. I hired him back two years as a permanent employee."

"Wow, you weren't half dedicated,. That's quite a remarkable tale," he commented, furrowing his brow and looking down at his lap, before looking up to me with a chuckle. "What about Napoleon? I read that you'd had him since birth, so you must've been… thirteen?"

I smiled and looked toward my gorgeous horse. The sun was dropping lower in the sky, and a chill rippled my skin with obvious goose bumps. "That's a story for another time; I need to get him in before the temperature drops," I explained hastily, relieved at the break in what seemed like my constant story telling.

"Oh, sure," he murmured, helping me gently up. I called Napoleon over to the gate and clipped the rope on his head collar as he patiently waited to come in, eagerly awaiting the dinner that would be ready in his stall for his arrival. Edward held the gate open for me in the most gentlemanly way possible as a blush spread across my cheeks.

We walked side by side as we chatted easily about Black Jack's training, Napoleon plodding alongside me, when I suddenly felt soft warm skin brush my hand, slipping in to match mine perfectly.

I paused mid sentence and took a breath at the sensation. He stiffened immediately. "Is this too much?" he asked cautiously, and I could feel his grip slipping from mine.

"No," I gushed quickly, my hand tightening around his. I composed myself before adding, "It's perfect."

He returning smile was gorgeous, and I leaned closer toward him as I savoured the moment as the conversation flowed easily once more.

We reached the barn and parted our hands as we both put Napoleon away, slipping his blue fleece over his back and helping the other to do the straps up. I hung the head collar on the hook and briefly checked the other stalls to make sure that everyone was in who was meant, and satisfied, I made my way back toward Edward. I found him sitting atop a hay bale, smiling at me in all his sexiness.

"Thank you," I mumbled as I came closer, and he grasped my hands with his.

"For what?" he questioned, playing delicately with my fingers.

"For being here," I murmured as I wrapped my arms around his neck, feeling his arms snake my waist.

We embraced for a few sweet moments, before I drew back, staring deeply into his green emeralds. I could feel what was coming next. I knew what I wanted, and I knew he was asking for permission to do it.

I nodded my head just the slightest, my fingers gripping his shirt with anticipation.

And then his lips touched mine.

It was unlike any kiss I had ever experienced before. There was just the perfect amount of pressure and moisture, our rhythms were in sync and there was none of that awkwardness of the first kiss I was afraid of.

How was I this lucky?

His hands locked in hair, only intensifying the passion. I could feel his tongue tracing my lips, begging to enter, and I opened my mouth immediately, allowing our tongues to dance together. I gripped him tighter toward me and ran my right hand into his luscious bronze locks. I could feel his hand travel down my back, slowly but confidently, and I shivered as he brushed the bare skin of my back.

I couldn't help it anymore – I pushed myself toward him more to the point where he was bearing my weight and he lay back onto the hay bale. I could feel my back protest, but I didn't care, I was too caught up in this wondrous moment. I smiled smugly to myself when I could feel his obvious enjoyment to the situation, and I had to admit I could feel my own need rising in response to his.

I felt like a teenager with raging hormones, getting dirty behind the bleachers with the captain of the football team. But this was different, it actually meant something to me, and the guy who I was with was the most insanely perfect-

He tore himself away from me then, and I couldn't help the surge of disappointment flowing through my body. I got the hint from his body language and rolled off him, so were we laying side by side, our chests heaving.

"I'm sorry," I began as he looked at me. "I think I got a little carried away."

I sat up and shook my hair, attempting to get rid of the hay caught in there.

"If anyone should apologize for getting carried away, it's me," he said with an awkward chuckle as he sat up beside me, and I couldn't help but take a sneaky glance at his crotch. I joined him in laughter.

"Well, who knew Edward Cullen was such a stud," I teased as he reached up to pull strands of yellow from my hair. We giggled as we got up from the hay bale, desperately trying to make it look like we hadn't been rolling around in hay in the hottest make out session in history. Okay so maybe we had, but I'd rather leave Alice's enquiries for a more private time!

"Perhaps you'll find out how much of a stud I really am some day," he retorted playfully, adding a wink. This earned him a whack on the chest.

We were making our way back through the barn to the house when Edward's shrill ringtone scared the life out of us, as well as some of the youngsters who were just settling down for the night.

He threw me an apologetic look as he answered his phone while I shushed the spooked youngsters. I waited patiently for Edward to finish his phone call, not wanting to eavesdrop but it was over in like twenty seconds.

His face told me immediately that he had to leave, and I sighed sadly. Well, it had to end sometime or another. "I'm sorry," he said as he hastily put his phone back in his pocket. "That was my dad. There's some guy from the Olympic committee who just showed up at my yard. Apparently there's some kind of emergency."

"Oh," was all I could say. "I completely forgot about the Olympics," I told him honestly – today had been a good distraction from it all.

"Yeah, same here," he said with a short laugh.

We walked outside then, and we were greeted by pitch black night. We hadn't been in there that long, surely? Our hands intertwined as we walked slowly to the drive outside my little cottage. Emmett had gone home in the late afternoon, and Alice was inside the house presumably making dinner, but there blinds were drawn shut so I couldn't see in, granting us a private goodbye.

"Listen Bella, before I go, I've been thinking," he began nervously, and I raised an eyebrow at him – not that he could've seen it.

"Spit it out," I told him playfully.

"You should have my spot on the Olympic Team. You want it far more than I do – I mean look at this place you built up by yourself! – and you've worked so much harder and it was probably my fault that you injured yourself anyway and… why are you laughing?"

I couldn't stop the giggles. Maybe it was just because I didn't want to cry at the meaning of the words, but it was uncontrollable. "I'm sorry Edward, but you're being ridiculous."

"How?"

"Okay first, I don't think it works like that. You can't just give your spot to whoever you feel like! I'm injured, so I'm not in any state to compete anyway – which most definitely wasn't your fault Mister! They chose the better rider, honestly, so even if I wasn't injured you probably would've been picked regardless. I'm proud of accomplishments competing nationally, and I still will compete internationally eventually. I was planning next year…"

"And anyway, just 'cause I'm not going to London doesn't mean I won't go the Olympics. I'm going to Brazil 2016, baby," I told him confidently. "And we'll both be on that team, no doubt about it."

Now it was his to laugh. I feigned offence. "You're seriously wounding my ego here."

"Sorry, I just can't believe how sure of yourself you are. And I know you – we – will both be in Brazil when 2016 comes around. It's a great thing really… do you know how attracted to you I am right now?" he asked huskily, and I felt chills ripple through my body. I took a deep breath to calm myself.

We continued moving forward toward his Range Rover, and the lights flashed as he whipped his keys out. He opened the door, and turned to face me.

"Come see me next week?" he asked, the light from inside his car allowing me to see his gorgeous features.

"Of course."

"I could still do with that dressage lesson, you know," he said, half joking, half serious as he pulled himself into his vehicle.

"I'll be there. And be prepared… I'm a strict teacher," I said innocently enough, but I couldn't help the underlying flirtatious tone.

"You're going to drive me crazy, Bella," he told me with a sigh. "I really don't want to leave you."

"Go," I told him, even though I felt the same. He leaned over to kiss my lips for just a fraction of a second and then he started the engine. I shut his door and stood out the way, waving as he left the lot.

Great, now I feel like a damn love-struck teenager. I let out a massive sigh as I opened the front door, the delicious smell of food wafting from the kitchen helping my mood only slightly. I plumped onto the sofa as I pulled off my shoes, stretching my back out. I sighed again as I leaned back.

"Man Bella, you've got it bad. That was pretty intense out there," teased a voice from the direction of the mouth-watering aroma.

I sat up to glare at Alice, who stood in the hallway with a smug look on her face.

"How would you know?" I questioned, remembering the curtains were drawn shut so no one could see us.

"Your bedroom window," she said simply, laughing at my expression, dancing away from me before I could reach her.

I rolled my eyes at her childish antics before chasing after her; finally feeling like everything was going to be alright after all.

There you go! The second half of the last chapter! Bet you're glad I split it now, otherwise it would have been unbearably long!

So, how'd you like it? I personally only liked half of it – I found the bit about her past extremely difficult to write, as I kept finding myself in an impossible loop hole of more and more gaps in the plot. I'm hoping it makes sense but I'm warning you now there's a very good chance it might have to be changed again! Thank you for being patient!

Remember this is my first proper story so I'm not very good at this yet, I promise if I write another story it will be planned in advance! If there's anything major please don't be afraid to tell me, it'd be better to know sooner rather than later :L

Thanks for reading :D

HannahLouiise