A/N: Wow, long time, huh? It was never my intention to take three months between updates on this story...but I swear it won't happen again. In fact, most of the next few chapters are written, so with a little clean up, they'll be ready to go!
This chapter is looooong, so settle in. :) It's a turning point of sorts...there is some fluff in this chap, but we're also getting closer and closer to the meat of the story.
If you're still reading, please review and let me know what you think!
Chapter title: Weirdos and bitches and virgins, oh my!
Monday morning comes way too soon. I groan when I hear the alarm start beeping and blindly reach for the nightstand to bang it into submission. I gasp quietly when Ned reaches for me from behind, pulling me backward toward him as soon as I hit the alarm. Maybe he's going to bang me into submission, too.
"Good morning," he whispers in my ear, chuckling lightly when I shiver involuntarily and break out in goosebumps. He trails his lips down my neck then presses his face into the crook of my neck.
"Morning, Ned," I sigh, reaching an arm back to hook around his neck and then ruffling my hand through his hair.
"Jesus, I wish I didn't have an early meeting this morning," he murmurs against my skin.
"Hmm, me, too," I reply, reaching for his hand under the covers as it veers into dangerous erogenous territory. I tangle my fingers with his and lift both our hands to the outside of the comforter. I feel his lips curl into a smile against my skin. "Stay in the safe zone, Ned. We can't finish this right now if you have to leave."
"Okay, okay," he grumbles. He presses one last kiss to my shoulder and then releases me. I turn over to watch him as he gets out of bed, astounded at how comfortable he is walking around naked. We're probably lucky he had pants on yesterday when Alice and Riley walked in his kitchen because the man is completely at ease au naturel. I smirk as I think to myself that he is mine…for now.
I put my robe on to walk him to the door.
"Thanks for coming over last night," I say, smiling up at him.
"Thanks for letting me in," he answers.
"Hey – we found something you're good at in the kitchen," I say, hugging him around the waist. "You can't cook, but you can screw me on the countertop anytime."
"I'll keep that in mind," he murmurs, pressing his lips against the top of my head. He pulls away from me slightly until I look up at him. "I'll call you about dinner – tomorrow or Wednesday still good?"
"Sure, Ned," I answer, kissing him as he bends down. He turns and opens the door then steps out into the hall. I've barely shut the door behind him when he knocks softly again. "Yes?" I ask, smiling up at him when I've opened the door enough for him to stick his face through.
"Don't forget to lock the door behind me. Bye," he says, kissing me quickly one more time. I smile as I shut the door and lock it, resting my forehead against it for a moment.
"Bye, Edward," I whisper.
Later Monday, Edward calls to say that he has to fly back to Dallas unexpectedly and thinks he'll be there all week.
"Wow, Ned. Find yourself a Texas filly last week or something?" I ask teasingly …mostly. I don't like the quick spike of disappointment that rolls through me at the thought of not seeing him all week. "You suddenly get a hankering for big hair and hot pink lipstick?"
He chuckles lightly, but doesn't really sound amused. "Stereotyping the good people of Texas, are you?"
"Only the women," I argue. And even that isn't true. I'm really only stereotyping the tarts and, in my experience, they look pretty much the same in every state. Plus, I love Texas because that's where Jas is from.
"No, Stella. I told you that you didn't have to worry about me having something on the side as long as we have this arrangement. I thought you trusted me," he says. Shit. Now he sounds wounded, like I hurt his feelings.
"I'm just screwing around, Ned. I trust you," I say contritely. He's right. I demanded the same from him last weekend.
"Well, anyway, I'm sorry to cut out on our dinner this week, but what I thought was a small personnel issue in Dallas last week is quickly turning into a huge mess. Since Jack's already out of the country, I have to go down there and get it under control," he says.
We talk a little longer then hang up, but not before Ned tells me I can call him this week if I want to. We agree that if we don't speak before, we'll meet at his house Friday night at seven.
Once I think about it, I decide I'm relieved that Ned is going out of town. We spent a lot of time together during the last three days, and even though I enjoyed myself – repeatedly – I should want a little space. I'm used to having time on my own. I'm also a little concerned about my inability to stay away from him; this week is a good opportunity for me to get my head back on straight….before I go spend the entire fricking weekend with him. Crap. Why did I agree to that? The advantage of having this agreement was supposed to be that I wouldn't be so attached to someone that he would consume my thoughts, my free time…I definitely need to regroup. Me time for Bella coming right up.
Monday night, I happily settle down on the couch with a book I've wanted to read for six months. Tuesday night, I finish it, disappointed that it wasn't very good. Wednesday night, I go for a run with Angela, then wander aimlessly around the apartment for the rest of the night, thoughts of Ned continuously flooding my brain. So much for that space I was going to take for myself.
I want to call him. Or text him. No, call him – I want to hear his voice. I pick up my phone and scroll through my contacts until I see his name, looking at it for a long moment before setting the phone back down with a sigh. I can't let myself call him – it feels too needy, too dependent... but I really want to talk to him. After wishy-washing about it for twenty minutes, I finally turn my phone off and head for the bedroom, hoping sleep will come easily and allow me to escape from the mess in my head.
But it doesn't. After I lie in bed for almost an hour, I get up and search my nightstand for the Hale Software magazine – where I first saw Edward. I don't have any pictures of him except the glossy GQ shot accompanying the article about him. When I find it, I quickly flip to the full-page shot of Ned. I smile to myself as I look at the face I've come to know pretty well. I haven't looked at the picture since the day after we met and I'm a little surprised that I see it – see him – so much differently than before.
Now I recognize that his smile in the picture is canned – not the smile I've seen when he's really amused by something. His eyes, while still beautiful, don't shine with humor or enjoyment like they do in real life. The crazy hair is the same, though it's longer now. It's also hotter in real life when I can get my hands in it.
Sighing, I put the picture away and finally fall into a restless sleep, wishing I had called him after all.
Late Thursday afternoon Emmett comes into my office and drops into the chair across from my desk. He sighs loudly – twice – and drums his fingers on the arm of the chair until I look up at him, smiling.
"Swan, let's go to dinner and go over all this shit for New York, huh?" he says.
"Okay. What's wrong with you, Em? You're leaving for Hawaii in two days, but you look like hell," I observe, losing the smile and replacing it with a concerned frown. I don't remember the last time I saw Emmett looking this depressed.
"Thanks," he says sarcastically, then rubs a hand across his face as he exhales loudly. "I don't know. I wish you weren't busy next week so you could come with. I know you used to go with Jas to stuff like this. I'm not looking forward to hearing from my family all week about how it's time for me to settle down, be responsible."
"Oh, Em. I'm sorry. Try not to be so morose, though, mister. Get over to Hawaii and find yourself a beautiful native wahine. Surf, sun, snorkel – think of how lucky you are to be there instead of at the Hale Software board meeting," I say, shuddering at the end. This all sounded so much better last week.
"Yeah, I'm sure you'll have a terrible time sightseeing in NYC with your random sex guy," he says. "Did you and Jasper ever make up?"
I nod. "Mostly. I think everything will be fine by the time he finally gets back from the ranch," I say, while I shut down my computer and grab my bag. "Let's go."
We go over the presentation I'll give for the Hale board while we eat at his favorite steakhouse. He approves of the minor changes I've made since we presented for Jack and pronounces me ready to go.
A few minutes later, he leans across the table to whisper to me. "Bell, when the waitress comes back, can you let it slip that we're not together? She's hot and she's been checking me out, but I think we look too much like a couple," he says. His eyes are alive with mischief again and I'm so happy to see my regular Emmett that I almost get up and kiss him. Instead, I roll my eyes at him, but agree to his little plan. He's so obvious when she comes back though, that I can't help fucking with him a little bit.
"Bella, I think your presentation will go fine," he announces loudly as I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing out loud. "I hope Edward isn't upset that we're squeezing in a business dinner tonight. You two didn't have plans, did you?"
I murmur a thank you to our waitress, Maggie, as she sets my salmon salad in front of me, then look up at Emmett to answer him. "No. Edward's out of town. In fact, I'm not busy at all tonight ...you know, if you want to get together later," I say, lowering my voice an octave to try and sound sultry.
When his face begins to turn red and he kicks me – hard – under the table, I burst out laughing, then reach down to rub my shin. Poor Maggie looks confused as she stands with the pepper mill waiting to see if I want fresh ground pepper on my salad.
"Sorry, sorry," I apologize, getting myself back under control. "Maggie, I would like some fresh ground pepper. My friend, Emmett, would like your phone number. Are either or both of those things possible?"
When I've finished talking, Maggie looks over at Emmett and I can see immediately that she doesn't stand a chance against him. He has a cute, though somewhat goofy, look on his face and he's smiling widely, making his deep dimples impossibly deeper. Maggie over-peppers my salad while she's rattling off her phone number to him. I shake my head in wonder at how easy it is for him to get girls. I think it's at least partially because of the dimples.
Maggie checks on us often after that and when I'm ready to leave an hour later, Emmett walks me to my car. I hug him goodbye since he's taking tomorrow off and I won't see him until after my New York trip. We promise to email and text, then I watch as he walks back inside the restaurant to wait at the bar for Maggie's shift to end.
After I get home, I contemplate calling Edward. I sit on my bed and wrestle with my feelings – my desire to talk to him is strong, but I still feel like it's a violation of what was intended when we started this arrangement – the glorified booty call. Aggravated with myself, I roll onto my stomach and yell frustratedly into my pillow. This is stupid. We're friends. There's no reason I can't call a friend. I call Jasper all the time and that doesn't faze me. But I still don't do it. I go to bed early and lie awake in the dark ... looking up at the ceiling ... thinking of Ned and wondering if he's thinking of me.
Finally, it's Friday afternoon. I go home from work a little early so I can shower and pack. Then I make dinner for us and pack it up in disposable containers. I pull up in front of Edward's house about five minutes early, smiling when I see him sitting on the front porch steps waiting for me. As soon as I park, he stands and walks down the sidewalk toward me. By the time he reaches me, I've made my way around to the passenger side and am starting to pile things in my arms to carry inside.
"Stella," he says roughly from behind me. I turn to face him, hearing the smile, the relief, in his voice.
"Hi, Ned," I say, returning the smile, not trying to disguise my obvious pleasure at seeing him. Damn, he looks really good, dressed in a plain white t-shirt and jeans that are old and faded. I gaze up at him, my heart skipping a beat when he reaches for my sunglasses and pushes them up onto the top of my head.
"I want to see you," he mumbles, leaning in to kiss my lips gently, reaching one hand up to smooth down my hair and resting the other hand lightly at the side of my waist. He kisses me several times, using the hand on the back of my head to hold me to him, then pulls away to smile down at me again.
"I thought you'd never get here," he whines, leaning in again to bump the tip of his nose against the tip of mine.
"I'm early," I argue, chuckling. I can't help teasing him a little. "Are you starving or something? Couldn't wait for your dinner?"
"I could eat," he quips with a shrug, his eyes shining with laughter. "Come on, let's go in." I hand him the bags with our dinner and then lean back in to get my weekend bag. He waits for me to step away from the car and then shuts the door behind me and follows me up the sidewalk.
When we get inside, I start unpacking the food while he sets the table. He holds a bottle of wine out toward me wanting my approval and opens it after I nod at him. As we eat, he tells me about his trip this week. When he asks what I did all week, I try to make it sound exciting, but I don't think I'm very successful. It's hard to sound excited about it when I didn't enjoy it for the most part.
"You didn't call," he remarks quietly, looking down, using his fork to push around the food that's left on his plate.
"I figured you were busy. I didn't want to bother you," I say, putting my bent elbow on the table and resting my chin in my hand.
"You never bother me, Bella," he insists, tracing my arm with his index finger, his eyes now downcast.
"Well, I did want to call," I say softly, reaching for his hand. "I just wasn't sure if I really should. I'll call you next time, okay?" I intertwine our fingers for a minute on top of the table and squeeze gently.
He squeezes back, then looks up and smiles crookedly, seeming to snap out of the melancholy funk he was in a moment ago. "Okay. Since you cooked, I'll clean up. You go relax."
Raising my eyebrows at him in surprise, I nod slowly then pick up my wine and head for the front porch, wanting to sit and enjoy the sounds of the neighborhood for awhile. I sit down on the step where he was sitting earlier and wave at the people walking up and down the sidewalk. I listen to unseen kids' laughter as they play somewhere down the street. I watch Ned's neighbor across the street as he plants flowers in the window box with a little girl. Fifteen minutes later, Ned joins me, bringing the bottle of wine with him to top off my glass.
"Thanks," I say as I smile up at him then scoot over a bit on the step to make room for him. "It's nice out here. I like your neighborhood, Edward."
"Thanks. I do, too. When I bought the house, it was for Alice and Riley's benefit, but I've really come to think of it as home. I can't imagine going back to the high-rise apartment I used to live in now, even though I always thought I would."
"It reminds me of where I grew up…kind of like a small town," I remark, looking over at him.
"Yeah, I've thought that before. I grew up in the city, but my grandparents lived in a small town and we spent lots of time there when I was young. My dad still owns the cabin… or I assume he does. It was where my mom grew up," he says softly, then sighs. I wait to see if he's going to continue, wondering if he'll ever talk more about his family. When he remains silent, when I feel the air get heavier around us, I try to lighten it up.
"Know what you need? You need a porch swing. A porch swing would be perfect on a night like tonight and it would fit perfectly with the style of your house," I say, looking over at him. He turns around and surveys the porch behind us, nodding.
"I think you're right, Stella. It would be perfect. Maybe you can help me pick one out, huh?" he says, running his hand up my spine as he turns back around. He leaves his hand resting casually on the back of my neck.
"Sure," I remark, smiling at him as I take a sip of my wine. He doesn't talk any more about his family. I never talk about my family either though, so it doesn't bother me… too much. We stay outside until it's dark, until we hear parents calling their kids in for bedtime.
Once the neighborhood is quiet and dark, he stands and offers a hand to help me up. Suddenly, I feel so nervous that I think I might throw up. This is uncharted territory for us. Up to now, Ned and I have had a pattern. We have the hots for each other, kiss passionately, make each other's clothes disappear and screw. We've not done this; a domestic-feeling evening where we go in and head up to bed together without sex first. I let him pull me to my unsteady feet and we walk inside together, pausing briefly in the kitchen to set our wineglasses in the sink.
He seems to sense my nervousness – or maybe he's nervous, too. "You want to take a bath?" he asks as we enter his bedroom a few minutes later. I told him last weekend that I wanted to get in his tub and never get out. It's big and deep and whirpooly. It will definitely help me relax.
"Absolutely," I say grinning up at him.
He smiles down at me and kisses my forehead. "Go ahead, then."
"You're not…I mean…you don't want to…," I stammer.
"Bella, do you want me to take a bath with you?" he asks, smirking at me now. I nod. "I'll start running the water."
By the time I manage to quash my nerves to a reasonable level and walk into the bathroom, the tub is almost full and Ned's already in it, bubbles bubbling around him. He didn't turn on the lights over the double sinks so the only illumination in the room is from the chandelier that hangs over the bathtub. The light is soft and dim and I begin to relax a little.
"Close your eyes until I get in," I tell him as I pull my hair up on top of my head and secure it with a ponytail holder.
"Stell-a," he whines.
"I mean it. I feel weird. Please," I plead. He closes his eyes and puts his hand out across the side of the tub for me to steady myself when I climb in. I take my clothes off quickly and take his hand as I step in and start to sink down into the water. It's deliciously hot. "Keep 'em closed," I remind him as I start to sit, afraid he will open them and see my ass coming right at him as I sit between his outstretched legs.
"Fine. But I'm getting a look at that spectacular ass later," he says, amused.
I settle back against his chest, sighing contentedly as he wraps his arms around me and kisses the side of my head. As we soak, he asks about Jasper and Emmett. I tell him things with Jas are improving, then I raise my right leg out of the water and show him the bruise I got at dinner last night from Emmett.
"He what?" Edward asks when I tell him Emmett kicked me. Uh oh, he sounds pissed.
"He kicked me, but I deserved it. He liked the waitress and I totally made it sound like Emmett and I were having an illicit affair when she came by the table. I even mentioned that you were out of town," I chuckle. Behind me, Edward's not chuckling. I crane my head around to look up at him, but can't see him very well from this angle. "It was a joke, Edward. I fixed it and he ended up waiting at the bar for her shift to end. It turned out okay."
"Except for the part where he hurt you. And the part where you pretended to want to cheat on me," he says gruffly.
Smiling, I sit up and twist around to look at him. Uh oh, he looks as pissed as he sounded. "Edward, it was just for fun. You know you can trust me... Jesus, I hadn't been with anyone for almost a year and a half before you. I'm not hopping in bed with anyone else," I say firmly, turning all the way around and rising up to my knees. I reach both hands out to cup his face and lean forward to kiss him.
He puts his hands on my shoulders and holds me slightly away from himself, not letting me get close enough to press my lips to his. "Bella, I can't stand the idea of you fucking anyone else," he says, his eyes fiery. I start to pull back from him, but he holds me where I am.
Frowning slightly, I insist, "I'm not, Edward. I wouldn't. We have an agreement."
"I just... I can't... fuck, Bella. I need to be with you," he says, sliding his hands up to cup my face and pulling me forward to kiss him. He holds my face to his as he kisses me roughly, tangling his lips and tongue with mine. My heart and breathing rate speed up immediately, desire coursing through me like wildfire as he continues kissing me. I reach forward and place my palms against his chest to brace myself, delighting when I feel his heart racing just like mine. I kiss him more aggressively, reaching my right hand up to his jaw, gently digging my fingers into his cheek.
I moan into his mouth as he slides his hands down my neck to my chest and cups my breasts in his hands. He hums back into mine as he squeezes gently and uses his thumbs to circle my nipples. He pulls his mouth away from mine, opening his eyes to meet mine, looking at me with his bright green eyes. I recognize the desire I see there, but there's something else, too – something I can't identify.
Abruptly, he sits up, dislodging my hands from him and forcing me to straighten up on my knees. He slides one arm tightly around my waist and keeps the other on one breast while closing his mouth around the other. He latches on immediately, pulling strongly on me.
"Ahhh, Edward," I moan, letting my head fall backwards and shoving both hands into his hair, gripping tightly. After a moment, he moves his mouth to the other side. He slides both of his hands to my ass, then slowly glides them up my back, scraping lightly with his fingernails. He wraps his arms around me tightly as he continues to torture my breasts with his mouth. "Oh, God, Edward….please."
"Stella, Jesus," he murmurs against my skin. "I want you." He pulls my nipple back into his mouth – I feel his tongue moving across it before he sucks again.
When I whimper quietly, he pulls back and looks up at me. I smile slightly at him and swallow audibly.
"Straddle me," he says, putting his hands on each side of my waist to steady me as we switch leg positions, mine now on the outside of his. "Fuck, you're beautiful, Stella. So beautiful," he says, lifting one hand to my neck to pull my mouth to his. He moves his other hand down between my legs, skimming over my clit and thrusting two fingers inside me. I pull my mouth away from his as I gasp, but it doesn't faze Edward – he moves his mouth to my neck as he pumps his fingers in and out of me a few times.
"Please, Edward. I need you," I beg. He looks at me again, then tugs me gently until I start to lower myself onto him. We keep our eyes locked together as our bodies meet. When we're completely joined, I wrap my arms tightly around his shoulders, pressing our chests together. He scoots forward in the tub and helps me move my legs to wrap around him, pushing him even more deeply inside me. I whimper again and bury my head in his neck.
"Jesus, I missed – missed this," he murmurs into my shoulder.
"Me, too," I whisper, then rock my hips gently against his.
"Stella….you feel so good," he groans. I raise my head up to kiss him, brushing my tongue against his until he pushes his hips up against me.
I can't figure out how this will work – with my legs wrapped around him, I have no leverage to move myself. As if he knows my thoughts, he murmurs into my mouth. "Just rock against me, baby."
My body responds to his words immediately … innately. We push slowly against each other, our heavy breathing and the splashing, bubbling water the only sounds in the room for a couple of minutes. He's so deep this way and since I have no way to move off him, he's continuously rubbing my g-spot.
"Edward…," I pant as I feel the tension, the pleasure, starting to build. I move my hips faster against him.
"I know, Bella. I'm not gonna last either," he responds, sliding his hands to my hips to help control my movements. Finally, he lifts and lowers me several times.
"Edward... oh my God," I moan as pleasure overtakes me, radiating in waves through my body. I clutch his shoulders more tightly and lower my mouth to his shoulder, sucking gently.
He lifts me once more, then groans as I feel him release inside me. "Baby ... God ... fuck," he groans, wrapping his arms around my back and squeezing as he buries his face in my neck.
We stay there, our bodies still connected, for several minutes, our arms still tight around each other, our mouths pressing kisses against each other's skin. I raise my head slightly and see that I left a hickey on the top of his shoulder. I smile as I lean down to kiss it, then turn my face toward his neck and rest it there, sighing contentedly.
"Are you getting cold?" he asks in a few more minutes, stroking my back gently.
"A little. What's this?" I ask, grabbing the bright yellow object from the basket on the side of the tub. "You have a rubber duckie?" I sit up to look at him, laughing. I squeeze the duck and laugh louder when it squeaks back at me.
"It's Riley's," he says, joining in the laughter. At last, his eyes are shining again.
"Yeah, sure," I tease, then squeal when he tickles me. I thrash around, splashing even more water onto the floor. When we both stop laughing, I stand to get out of the tub.
"What the plan for tomorrow, Ned?" I ask as I wrap a towel around myself, then grab another to start mopping up the floor.
"I'll do that," he says, taking the towel from me and bending down to clean up the floor. "I was thinking we could make a deal since I'm an early riser and you're ...not."
"What kind of deal?" I ask suspiciously.
"Tomorrow we get up early and go for a run. Sunday we sleep in as late as you want. Monday we get up by nine," he offers, smiling up at me.
"Ned, you are amazingly easy to negotiate with. I guess I should try to make some changes, so you don't think I'm easy, too," I say, then giggle as he waggles his eyebrows at me. "I'll agree to Saturday and Sunday... make it ten on Monday and we have a deal."
"Deal," he says, holding his hand out for me to shake on it.
"Deal," I reply, shaking and then leaning down to kiss him.
We get into bed a few minutes later and lie on our sides facing each other, talking. Just when I think I'm finally victorious because I'm wearing pajamas tonight and Ned hasn't said anything, he pulls me toward him.
"Your pajamas are cute, but they're in the way," he says.
"In the way of what?" I tease, glad that his earlier buoyant mood has returned after the bathtub incident.
"My hands," he laughs. "I need tactile freedom. Your pajamas are infringing on my right to touch your body freely."
"Touching my body is a privilege, not a right," I say, quirking one eyebrow at him.
He laughs and leans in to kiss me. "True, Stella. It's a privilege I don't take lightly, either. Now, will you please take them off?" he asks, his eyes glinting with humor in the darkness.
"I don't know, Ned. Are you going to make it worth my while?" I ask.
"Definitely," he answers, rolling slightly and pushing me onto my back. He hovers over me, kissing down my neck and across my upper chest as he skims one hand up my side – now that he knows exactly where I'm most ticklish. When I squirm and giggle underneath him, he raises up and pulls the tank top off of me. By the time he gets my pants off a few minutes later, I've decided that wearing pajamas to bed with Ned – knowing he'll pull them off me later – is the way to go.
Saturday morning, he wakes me up before eight. I do not complain. I also do not hop right out of bed.
"Bella," he says warningly as I'm still trying to wake up, "you said you'd get up."
"I'm going to, Ned," I reply testily. "Give me a freaking minute here." I stretch, arching my back and reaching over my head, smirking when I hear his low groan. He hates it when I stretch like this. Well, he likes it if he's still in bed with me, but this morning he's already dressed.
As soon as my eyes are open, they search for his. He's looking back at me from where he's sitting on the edge of the bed – on his side. Out of my reach. Probably smart on his part or I'd be trying to lure him back in here where it's warm and comfortable. "It's going to be nice today. Want to do something outside this afternoon?" he asks.
"Sure….what did you have in mind?"
"We could hang by the lake," he suggests.
"Okay. Why am I up so early again?"
"We're going to go for a run and then get breakfast, Stella. Up and at 'em, remember?"
I climb out of bed grumbling about early risers just to amuse him. He laughs as he tosses me a t-shirt; I pull it on before heading to the bathroom to get dressed for our run.
After about fifteen minutes of running, I'm completely annoyed by Ned. He wants to race every few minutes and he taunts me like a seven-year-old when he wins each time.
"I'm never running with you again," I announce, slowing down to a walk after our last sprint.
"Why?" he asks, surprise evident on his face. Jesus, he doesn't even see this side of himself.
"Because you're acting like a child. Not everything is a flipping race," I complain. "Plus, you're like seven inches taller than me. It would be a miracle of science for me to beat you stride for stride."
"Oooooh, someone's grouchy," he laughs. I flip him off and take off at a full run, flipping him off again when he passes me in twelve steps – and lightly smacks my ass as he does it. I try really hard not to laugh, but I can't help it.
When he stops few feet up the sidewalk and offers to carry me piggy back, I let him. He carries me all the way to the bakery where he orders us breakfast sandwiches, coffee and water. As we eat outdoors at a little table outside the bakery, I know I should be uneasy about the way we are acting like a couple, talking quietly and trading pieces of the newspaper that was lying here. But I can't bring myself to care.
Once we get back to his house and we've each showered, he insists on going to pick out a porch swing. We go to a couple of different stores before we find one that he likes. He keeps asking if I like it, too. He smiles widely when I tell him yes and offer to choose some outdoor pillows for it. As moody and intense as he was last night, I wasn't expecting to see this more carefree side of him today. It seems as though nothing could upset him today.
Back at his house, I help him hang it up and then we gingerly sit in it together, hoping it holds our combined weight. He's smug as a bug in a rug when it does. Damn thing doesn't even squeak as he pushes us back and forth.
In the mid-afternoon, we wander toward the lake slowly, enjoying the sunny, warm day. I brighten when we get closer to the lake and I see the different rental boats drifting around.
"Can we rent a canoe?" I ask, looking up at him excitedly.
"Sure…have you ever paddled before?" he asks.
"No. Why? Do I have to take a class? As much as you like telling people what to do, I just assumed you'd be able to school me," I snark, smiling up at him when he smirks under his sunglasses.
Edward pays for the canoe and we walk out onto the small dock where the attendant hands us each a paddle and holds the canoe steady for us to get in. I'm unsure if I'm supposed to get in the front or the back and look uncertainly from the dock attendant to Edward, hoping for guidance. When no one says anything, I decide to sit in the back.
"Get in the front, Stella," Ned bosses. I turn to fully look at him, one eyebrow raised. He should recognize my facial expression from that first day in his office...when he told me to sit. He sighs and tilts his head slightly to the side in concession before he speaks again. "Please get in the front, Stella." Okay, much nicer tone.
"But I want to sit in back," I say quietly.
"Next time. You said you've never been in a canoe," he replies.
"But I want to steer," I insist.
"You can actually steer from the front or back. But, you're not steering the first time," he says sternly. "Please get in the front."
"Fine," I huff, climbing onto the front seat.
"Fine," he retorts snottily, sitting down on the back seat leaving the middle seat empty between us. We push away from the dock and he starts instructing me about how to paddle.
"Freaking bossy semi-asshole," I mutter.
"You know the sound of your voice carries quite well over the water, Bella. I heard all of that," he says testily.
"You were supposed to," I say, turning around and sticking my tongue out at him. He laughs then and motions for me to turn back around.
We paddle along in silence for a few minutes.
"You're doing great, Bella. You sure you've never done this before?" he asks teasingly.
"Nope, Ned. Some of us are just naturally good at things," I say. I'm talking about him, not me, but he doesn't know that. He chuckles lightly and nudges me in the back softly with the handle of his paddle.
"Talk to me," he prods.
"Hmmm, what do you want to talk about?" I ask.
"Anything," he says. Jesus, he should know by now not to leave things that open with me.
"Okay….words that gross you out. I'll go first. Pustule."
"Sick! I don't want to talk about gross stuff," he says, but I hear the amusement in his voice.
"You said I could talk about anything. Crusty."
He's laughing as he tosses his own word in. "Congeal."
"Good one, Ned. See? It's fun. Squishy."
"Curdle."
"Mucus."
"Fester."
"Seepage."
"Oh, that's gross, Stella. Um….squat."
I laugh out loud now. I can't paddle anymore. I pull my paddle in and lie back on the seat separating us to look up at him. He's smiling down at me, wearing his stupid, freaking hot Ray Bans, with his stupid freaking hot jaw scruff. Kiss him or continue grossing him out? Hmmm, I'll keep up the wordplay for now. I smile sweetly up at him.
"Flaccid."
He laughs and leans forward to look into my eyes. "Getting a little personal there, Stella, aren't you? Moist."
"Squirt." I can barely get the word out because I'm laughing so hard now.
"Crevice."
"Oh my god, these words are gross and you're totally turning me on by saying them," I announce, reaching up to grab his hair and pull him to me. I've never kissed anyone upside-down before – it's both weird and sexy. He reaches a hand into my hair and then slides it down my neck, over my shoulder and down to my breast. After one full-frontal fondle, he moves his hand to the side where it's a little less conspicuous. He moves his fingers slowly back and forth against the side of my breast, teasing me. Groaning into his mouth, I grip his hair harder, smiling when he groans back at me. He moves his tongue against mine and I squirm around a bit as my desire increases. Panting, I pull my mouth away, turning my head slightly to the side.
"I really want to make you come," he whispers against my ear.
"I really want to have sex in a canoe," I whisper back. But the canoe we are in is not conducive to sex because the molded plastic seats are set in place and can't be moved. It's not an option anyway, considering it's a sunny Saturday afternoon in Seattle on a holiday weekend. There are a bajillion people around.
"Do you say things like that just to torment me?" he asks, running his tongue along the shell of my ear. I move around a bit more, unable to lie still with his tongue and hand doing what they're doing.
"Jesus, let me up, Ned. We can't do this here and if I don't stop you now, I will end up letting this lake full of people watch while I get felt up," I say, turning my head to look back up at him. He smiles and kisses me once more, then leans back and puts an arm under my back as I start to sit up, helping push me back upright.
We paddle around the lake a little longer, then take the canoe back to the dock. We spend the rest of the afternoon by the lake, alternately sitting in the sun and the shade. We both behave ourselves until finally, at dinner time, Ned suggests we grab food to go from one of the nearby restaurants before we walk back to his place. On the walk back to his house, he starts with me again, palming my ass as we walk, then slinging his arm across my shoulders and resting his hand on the swell of my breast.
"Ned, I hope you're not very hungry," I say lowly, looking up at him.
"Why? Stella, we've got a ton of food in this bag," he says, holding his other hand up like he's reminding me that he's carrying our dinner in the brown paper bag.
"Ned, are you being dense on purpose? I'm trying to tell you that I'm ripping your clothes off as soon as the front damn door is locked," I say as I stand next to him while he unlocks the front door.
"Well, in that case, fuck the food," he says, tossing the bag inside the now-open doorway. He turns to grab me then picks me up and walks into the house. He kicks the door closed behind us and I hear the deadbolt slide into place as he kisses me quickly before he sets me down.
Once I'm on my feet, he kicks his shoes off and turns to me with a grin, arms open wide at his side. "Rip away, baby."
The rest of the weekend passes quickly. We laugh a lot, we read, we enjoy sleeping in during the rain on Sunday morning and then staying in bed for awhile after we're done sleeping. Sunday night, we cook dinner together – rather, I cook dinner while Edward sits at the counter drinking wine. We eat in front of the tv that night watching movies until it's pretty late. Once again, we walk upstairs to bed like a couple and once again I'm nervous, but not as nervous as Friday. I put my pajamas on and get into bed. We talk for awhile, but don't have sex...and Ned lets me leave the pajamas on...until the middle of the night.
I wake up to roving hands and in short order, I'm pulling at his t-shirt and boxers and he's pulling at my shorts and tank top. Neither of us says anything this time, but as my eyes adjust to the darkness, I study him, study his face. He pushes into me slowly and I let my eyes slide shut, enjoying the feeling of pleasure that his body always brings. When he stops moving and touches my face, I open my eyes, reaching up to cover his hand with mine. He turns his hand and intertwines our fingers, then lowers them to the mattress beside my head. We both leave our eyes open, our gazes locked together as we start moving again. With my free hand, I caress his chest, the arm I can reach, his face … never letting my eyes leave his. When he finally climaxes, grunting out his pleasure, I try to memorize the look on his face. Then I reach up and pull his face down to mine, kissing him gently. After a moment, he rolls to his back, taking me with him. I let him arrange me across him the way he wants and fall back asleep covering him, my head resting near his heart.
XXXX
Alice and Riley come by on Monday morning for a while. Amazingly, Alice called first this time. Riley is still intent on being my friend, sitting on my lap again and insisting that I help her with the tea party she gives for all of us in her playhouse. I'm still uneasy around her, but she's impossible not to like. She asks me again to come to her birthday party. Once again, I tell her I'll try.
Early Monday afternoon, I tell Ned that I have to go home. He tries to talk me into staying, but I've got to get some work done before we leave for New York on Thursday. As I leave his house, I insist that I can't see him until we leave; I absolutely have to have my shit together for this trip. We negotiate texting and one phone call on Wednesday to touch base about any last minute issues. Then we stand on his front porch saying goodbye and kissing for ten minutes, until I know if I don't leave, I'll end up spending another night – because I really don't want to go.
"Okay, Ned," I murmur against his lips. "On the count of three, we let go, got it?"
"Mmhmm," he replies against my lips before moving his mouth to my neck.
I give him one last squeeze before I count quickly. On three we both let go and take a step back, then we both laugh. I bend down to pick up my bag and go down the steps to put a little more distance between us.
"I'll call you Wednesday," he says, stuffing his hands in his back jean pockets and smiling crookedly at me. He looks so cute that I almost run back up the steps. But I force myself to nod and smile, then turn to walk to my car where it's parked on the street. He stays on the porch, watching me, until we wave goodbye as I pull away.
Thursday's flight to New York is uneventful. We sit next to each other on the plane, but keep everything professional, as I requested. We talk normally, but don't touch each other at all. By the time we get to the hotel in New York, it's almost eight o'clock and I really just want to go over my presentation one last time and relax.
Edward talks me into letting him order room service for us. I agree to eat in his room, but tell him I am going right back to my room afterward. He calls when the food arrives and I take the elevator up to the floor he's on. He lets me into his suite and leads me to the dining table where the food is already set out waiting for us.
"Wow, Ned. Nice digs. I had no idea your middle name was Fancypants," I tease as I check out his opulent suite. He laughs but doesn't otherwise respond.
"Wine?" he asks, holding up a bottle of white that's already open. I see that he's already poured a glass for himself.
"No, thanks. I still feel dehydrated from the flight. I'll stick with water," I say.
"Are you okay? You're not nervous about tomorrow, are you?" he asks, looking concerned.
"I wasn't until you just brought it up," I answer, panic beginning to course through my veins. I drop into the chair he pulled out for me and cover my face with my hands.
"Sorry. I shouldn't have said that," he says with a light chuckle. He comes to stand behind me, resting his hands on my shoulders and kneading them gently. It feels heavenly and I immediately feel the tension I've been holding there start to dissipate. "You have nothing to be nervous about, Bella. You'll do a fantastic job and you know you've already won over Jack. This is only for appearances. And I'll be there, baby. I got your back."
I frown, trying to take in everything he just said. One thing sticks out at me: He called me baby. I don't think he's ever called me baby when we weren't engaged in some sort of sexual position before. That makes me nervous all over again even though I'm pretty sure he just said it to comfort me.
"On second thought, I'll take a half glass of wine. Maybe it'll help me sleep," I say. He steps away from me to pour it, then sits down beside me so we can eat. While we eat, he talks about our schedule for tomorrow morning, letting me know how long he thinks the meeting will run and a basic rundown of what will happen. By the time we're done, I do feel better, but that could be a result of the glass of wine which definitely left me feeling relaxed and warm. When I'm ready to go, he walks me back to my room and kisses me goodnight at the door.
"So, you'll move upstairs with me tomorrow?" he asks, making sure the plan we agreed on last weekend is still in place.
"Yes, Edward. After the business part of this trip is done, I'll be comfortable staying with you," I say, smiling up at him as I lean against the door to my room.
"Okay. I'll meet you in the lobby in the morning," he says quietly, leaning in to kiss me one more time.
I go in and shut the door, smiling again as I look out the peephole and see him still standing in the hall.
"Go back to your room, Ned," I say through the crack.
He laughs and puts his eye up to the peephole. "Goodnight, Stella," he says before turning and walking away.
In the Hale conference room the next morning, I set up everything I need for the presentation and fight the urge to pace when I'm done. I'm nervous, especially when I notice that the lone woman seated at the long conference table is looking at me with pure, unmasked contempt. She's breathtakingly beautiful with long, blonde hair and vivid blue eyes. I would guess she's near my age, maybe a year or two older. I can't imagine what I've done to provoke her already since I haven't begun speaking, but it's clear she will not be receptive to what I have to say.
In short order, the meeting begins with Jack presiding via satellite. As he's addressing the board, I sneak a look at Edward where he's sitting at the opposite end of the table. He smiles slightly at me and as I smile back, I feel myself calming. It is the complete opposite of what I expected. I assumed his presence would make me more anxious, not less. I don't have time to dwell on it though; I know I'm presenting first thing.
Jack speaks to me, then, giving me the floor and I begin my presentation. It goes fairly well – I don't fall down, lose my voice, or forget any major points. Besides the seated board members, there is one secretary seated to the side taking notes. Right after I begin speaking, a blond man in a suit quietly lets himself in, remaining standing beside the door. After a few minutes, Edward notices him and, scowling, begins to get up. The man sneers Edward's way before going back out the door before Edward can reach him. I continue the presentation without interruption even though I'm curious as to who the man was and what that was all about.
Once I'm finished, I answer the questions the board members ask, wait quietly during the vote – which is unanimous since no one goes against Jack just like he said – and smile at Edward when it's over. Jack speaks to me again from the plasma tv on the wall. "Congratulations, Bella. I'd like to speak to you after the board meeting. You'll have to step out into the hallway for a bit now, but Edward will call you back in when I'm ready," he says with a smile.
I grab my bag and step out into the hallway, hurriedly texting Jas and Emmett, letting them know that we landed the account. Jasper calls me immediately – it's the middle of the night for Emmett in Hawaii, but I know he'll call when he gets up.
"Congrats, Baby Swan," Jasper says. "I knew you could do it."
"Thanks, Jas," I reply, letting the relief settle over me at last. I've been working on this account for months and the knowledge that I landed it for the firm largely on my own pleases me immensely. It's my first really big account and I smile as I stand at the windows looking at the city bustling down below. I can't wait to get out and see some of it with Edward. Jasper and I talk for a few more minutes about the Hale account. He's already down in Texas as his parents' ranch, so we talk about his family a bit, too. Hearing about everything going on in his life makes me miss him like crazy.
"When am I going to see you? I don't think we've ever been apart this long," I say, trying unsuccessfully to keep the whine out of my voice.
"I know, Baby Swan. I miss you, too. I'll be back in rainy Seattle before you know it and we'll do something then, all right? Just you and me," he says, trying to soothe me.
I feel a sudden chill run up my spine and settle at the back of my neck. I turn my head around slowly and see the blond man from the conference room standing in the hallway behind me. His eyes jerk up to meet mine, but had been aimed lower. Before I turned to face him, he had clearly been ogling my ass.
I turn back toward the window and tell Jas that I need to go, promising to text him pictures later of whatever Edward and I go see. When I turn around again after disconnecting, the man is still standing there, still staring at me. If he wasn't acting so creepy, he would be nice-looking. His blond hair is cropped short and he has very pretty, bright blue eyes.
He steps toward me now that I'm off the phone. "Ms. Swan, that was a great presentation – well, what I saw of it," he says, smiling at me as he reaches out and grasps my upper arm. Ever heard of a handshake, weirdo?
"Thank you, Mr...," I say, waiting for him to tell me his name.
"Jamie. You can call me Jamie," he answers, sliding his hand down toward mine. I pull my arm away gently before he reaches my hand and take a step backward, putting some distance between us. He's still smiling at me in what I'm sure is supposed to be a charming way. It's not charming, though. It's eerie - there's something off about him, something I can't put my finger on – something besides the blatant leering at my body he was doing earlier...and still. Now he's moved to my chest.
"You're based in Seattle, correct?" he asks my boobs.
"Yes," I answer uncomfortably, unsure what information he's trying to gather from me and not wanting to disclose anything I shouldn't.
"Flew out here with Cullen, then, did you?" he asks as his eyes finally move back up to settle on my face.
"We were on the same flight, yes," I answer.
"Well, that's….interesting," he says. "Would you like me to give you a tour of our New York offices?"
"I'd like to," I lie. "But I'm afraid I'll have to take a rain check. Mr. Hale asked to speak with me after the meeting concludes." Thank goodness Jack wanted a word with me.
Just as I'm done speaking, the doorknob of the conference room turns and the door opens a crack...then shuts again. Jamie begins backing away from me.
"That's too bad. I would have enjoyed...spending time with you," he says, winking at me before he turns away and walks briskly up the hall.
The conference room door opens again and Edward peeks around the doorway. "Ready, Bella? Jack is waiting," he says, smiling widely at me. I nod and pick up my messenger briefcase then walk back into the room.
Jack has me pick up the phone extension so we can speak privately. He praises my preparedness and tells me I did a great job before teasingly offering to lure me away from McCarty and Whitlock to work directly for him. By the time we hang up, I'm grinning from ear to ear. I turn to see that several board members are still in the room talking, including the bitchy woman who doesn't like me. I swallow nervously as she approaches me.
"Nice presentation," she says as she nears me. Her tone is polite, but I hear something decidedly unfriendly underneath.
"Thank you," I answer tentatively. I relax internally as I see Edward approaching.
"Rosalie, it's nice to see you as always. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to speak to you before the meeting began," he says, coming to stand on my other side. "Bella, this is Rosalie Hale, Jack's daughter and a board member."
"Oh! It's very nice to meet you, Ms. Hale," I say respectfully, smiling genuinely at her even though she's still looking at me icily.
"Likewise," she says, inclining her head slightly toward me before turning her full attention to Edward. "You're looking well, Edward. In town for long?"
"At your father's request, I'm staying for the weekend and showing Bella the sights," Edward says flatly. My stomach clenches slightly at his tone – making it sound like it's only Jack's request that is making us stay...forcing us to endure each other's company for the weekend. I know he didn't mean it the way it sounded, but it still stings.
"Will you see Victoria while you're here?" she asks, looking up at him with a megawatt smile.
And just like that, I'm an outsider in this conversation. I turn away from them and busy myself by picking up the copies of my proposal that some of the board members left on the conference table. They should be shredded, not left lying around. I walk all the way around the table, taking my time and tuning out everything else in the room.
What if he does want to see her? He said he was in love with her – and he also said that when he saw her last year, she had changed. But... what if he does want to see her, try again and I'm holding him back? That's not fair to him. I should tell him... tell him that it's okay if he wants to bail and spend time with her.
Suddenly, I hear my name being called. "Bella? Bella?" he says.
"What?" I say, turning around to face Edward.
"I said, are you ready?" he asks.
"Mmhmm," I answer, grabbing my bag and trying to get my gaze up to meet his...but it doesn't quite make it.
It's not until we're in the car heading back to the hotel that he turns to look at me. I'm staring at my hands which are clasped firmly in my lap.
"Bella, don't let Rosalie upset you. She was trying to intimidate you," he says, putting his index finger under my chin and forcing my face up.
"It worked," I respond flatly. "Yay for Rosalie."
"Bella, she's exceedingly jealous of other women, especially other women involved with Hale Software or for whom her father shows affection. You are both of those things. I'm not sure if she thinks you and I involved or if she was just trying to make you uncomfortable by bringing up Victoria," he says. He has succeeded in tilting my chin up toward him, but my eyes are, and will remain, firmly downcast.
"It's okay, you know. If you want to see Victoria, I mean," I say quietly, hesitantly.
"Bella, I told you before that I saw her last year. I don't have any desire to see her again. The girl she was ...the feelings we shared ...they're gone. I don't care about anything this weekend except spending it with you – however you want to," he says. He sounds so sincere that my eyes lift to his of their own accord, unable to stop themselves.
"There she is," he says softly, leaning in to kiss me.
"There who is?" I ask, pulling away before our lips meet.
"My NYC virgin," he says chuckling lightly and trying again to kiss me. This time I let him. "Let's do something about that, yeah?"
"Okay."
"Where to first?" he asks.
As we fly home to Seattle Sunday evening, I sigh and lean over against Edward's shoulder, thinking back on the whirlwind weekend we had in New York.
"Tired?" he asks quietly, leaning his head down near mine.
"Exhausted …in a good way," I reply, smiling up at him.
"What was your favorite thing?" he inquires.
I'm not sure I can choose a favorite. We spent time in Central Park, took a cruise around the harbor to see the skyline and the Statue of Liberty, saw Times Square at night, paid our respects at the World Trade Center. We looked at the city from the observation deck of the Empire State Building and walked inside St. Patrick's Cathedral. I think we hit most of the top tourist destinations. But we also ate dinner in the coolest little Italian restaurant, ate lunch in Chinatown, and went to the biggest toy store I've ever seen to buy Riley's birthday presents.
In the evenings, Ned and I got back to the hotel room worn out. Well, not that worn out. My face heats at the memory of the quick, passionate shower sex on Friday night and the slower, gentle sex on Saturday night. He let me sleep in this morning so late, that there wasn't time for even a quickie, but he didn't seem to mind.
In fact, he was affectionate today in ways he hadn't been before. There's a level of physical comfort between us that I've only ever experienced before with Jas. Em and I are affectionate, too, but it's not like this. With Edward, it's like we don't have to think about it. Our hands just seek each other, our bodies just gravitate until they're close together. I slip my arm through his and squeeze gently.
"Everything, Edward. Everything was my favorite," I reply softly, smiling when I hear him laugh in response and kiss the top of my head.
I sleep for most of the flight and smile sleepily at Edward when he wakes me as we begin descending into Seattle.
"Come home with me," he says, his green eyes daring me to say no… pleading with me to say yes.
"Can't, Ned. I have to go to work in the morning," I respond, looking away, tilting my neck back and forth trying to get the crick out of it...the crick I got from spending three hours leaning over against his shoulder to sleep.
"I'll take you home early in the morning," he says. "As early as you want."
"Ned," I say, turning back to him and reaching up to touch his cheek.
"Please, Stella. Please come home with me tonight," he murmurs, leaning down to kiss my lips and then my forehead softly. I feel my will crumbling.
"I'm really tired. I just want to go to sleep," I argue, hoping that squashing any thought of sex tonight will cause him to reconsider.
"I don't care if we have sex, Stella. I'm just not ready to be away from you, not yet," he says.
And there's the problem. I'm not ready to be away from him either. But this is not what we're supposed to be doing. All right, I will give myself one more night… and then I really am going to get my head back on straight where Ned's concerned.
My face relaxes into a smile as I nod up at him. When he smiles back, I feel my heart skip a beat and know that righting this ship will be more difficult than I thought… but I guess I'll worry about that tomorrow.
A/N again: So...Rosalie makes her first appearance. You already know she'll be back. Thoughts? Theories on how the hell she ends up engaged to Edward? Let me know what you think!