Twilight characters are and remain the sole property of Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement intended. Original characters, story, and plotlines belong to FoolForEdward.
Unplugged – Chapter Eight
Bella woke slowly, her mouth curved into a smile when recognizing the hand on her breast. Her smile broadened when she tried stretching her legs and found herself trapped by Edward's long legs tangled with hers. 'Like an octopus,' she thought because he had, as always, managed to wrap his body almost entirely around hers
She felt his soft, even breath on her shoulder, the scratch of his stubble on her skin. Bella turned her head, wanting to see Edward's face, but all she saw was a mass of unruly hair. She inhaled his comforting scent instead, and then, with a contented sigh, snuggled against him. He stirred at the movement, tightened his hold on her breast, his calloused, guitarist fingertips grazed her sensitive flesh. Bella squirmed as the delicious sensation moved south, brushing against his morning arousal. Edward's arm, the one that had pillowed her neck, snaked downward and then, cupping her sex, he teased and stroked while pinching and elongating her nipple. Bella's breathing grew more and more erratic. Edward kissed her shoulder before he lifted her leg and, guiding it over his hip, entered her. He made love to Bella, his thrusts unhurried and deep, stoking their building orgasm until first, she and then he fell over the edge.
"'Morning, Baby," Edward finally spoke, his voice raspy as he kissed the sensitive spot behind her ear. He turned Bella onto her back and kissed her deeply before, pulling back, he looked at her face. He smiled appreciatively at the sight of her—skin flushed from their lovemaking, full, pouty mouth slightly parted, and her long hair, tousled and cascading over his pillow. "Sleep okay?" he asked and then, remembering the number of times and how vigorously he'd taken her the night before, apologized. "Sorry; I should've checked how you were feeling before doing that."
"I'm fine, fantastic. I like sleepy morning sex," Bella assured him.
"Yeah? What about energetic, sometimes rough sex?" Edward graced her with one of his thigh clenching, toe-curling smiles. Remembering their reunion the day before, she blushed.
When he'd met Bella at the airport late on Friday afternoon, Edward had kissed her long and hard. The touch of his hands, lips, and tongue communicated his need and echoed hers. "You're here—finally," he said and then, learning that she'd checked a suitcase, held her hand and led her to the carousel. Edward let go only to lift the case off and, once outside, helped her into a cab. During the drive to West Hollywood, which should have taken fifty minutes but, thanks to traffic, lasted an hour and twenty minutes, Edward became more and more impatient. Bella placed a hand on his thigh to stop his leg bouncing. "Not helping," he groaned. Despite her own desperate need, she giggled. "For that, I'm going to make you beg," Edward threatened. Bella smiled but didn't respond because she knew that, at some point over the next five days, he would.
Finally, inside his apartment, Edward kicked the door shut, dropped Bella's luggage and carried her into the bedroom. There, he deposited her on the bed. "Do you need to freshen up?" he asked. "I'll only be a few minutes," Bella answered and disappeared into the adjoining bathroom. As soon as she reappeared, Edward practically pounced.
"I'll show you around later. Right now, I need you," he said, hurriedly undressing her. "I want you too," Bella replied as she'd eagerly tugged at his jeans.
Hours later—nine o'clock, to be exact—they resurfaced. If they hadn't been hungry, who knows if and when they would have left their bed. "We could go out. What do you feel like—Mexican, Italian? There's a great Japanese place nearby?" Edward suggested.
"Let's stay in," Bella said, and they did. They showered and then, barely dressed, sat on the sofa, legs entwined, as they ate and planned the rest of Bella's stay.
On Saturday, they slept in and then brunched at a local café. Later, they wandered down The Hollywood Walk of Fame where they entertained themselves by finding their favorite actors' and musicians' stars. That night, they met Chez and Daphne for dinner. Bella liked them almost instantly and felt pleased and grateful that Edward had made such good friends. On Sunday, Edward, having accepted the use of Chez' car, drove Bella to Venice Beach where they enjoyed a late lunch and then returned to Edward's apartment, where they made love and talked.
"Do you want to live here permanently?" Bella asked about Los Angeles.
"No," Edward responded unhesitatingly. "I have to spend time here, but Philly's still home—at least 'til you've finished college."
"Is that possible…you know, with recording and all the other stuff you have to do?"
"I don't see why not. We'll do the videos and photography for the album here, and Victoria and the marketing guys are arranging radio and TV interviews. A lot of that will also happen here, but there'll probably be some traveling. I don't see why I can't do that from Philly."
"What about touring?"
"Mitch wants to see how the singles and then the album performs before deciding. If we go ahead, you may be on Spring break. You could join me for one, maybe two legs?"
Bella smiled. "Maybe. I'm glad you want to come home, though."
"Bella, it's where you are—and Alice and Esme." Bella noted the exclusion of Carlisle's name but, knowing how deeply Edward's hurt went, didn't mention him either.
"Well, I'm still glad," she said, her mouth closing around another spoonful of ice cream. Edward watched lustfully as she deliberately licked the spoon. "Want some?" Bella offered seductively.
"Not ice cream," he said, removing the tub and spoon from her hand. "I think it's time I made you beg."
. . . . .
Over the weekend, closeted in Edward's apartment, sightseeing, even spending time with Chez and Daphne, Bella had found it easy to believe that Edward's life would remain relatively unchanged. He was still her childhood friend, now boyfriend, just transplanted to another city to follow his dream. On Monday morning, however, having accompanied him to Arrius, she got her first real taste of his new reality.
The receptionist greeted Edward with a gleam in her eye. That hadn't bothered Bella particularly, nor had seeing the same, covetous expression on the faces of the half dozen other women who'd materialized out of nowhere at Edward's appearance. What shocked her was the fact that they'd all called him Masen. Bella had known about his professional name change, naturally. She'd imagined it on CD covers, on posters, and on billboards. What she hadn't imagined was the ease and speed with which Masen would supplant Edward Cullen.
She'd felt comforted that Edward hadn't reacted any differently to his name or the attention. He'd introduced Bella as his girlfriend and eagerly led her toward the recording studios. She'd stopped in the doorway, uncertainty clouding her face. The excitement she'd felt when leaving Edward's apartment was still there, thrumming beneath her skin but, suddenly, she felt unsure.
"I don't want to get in the way," she murmured to Edward when seeing Jason and his imposing console.
"You won't," Edward assured her and pulled her forward. Jason, who'd been engrossed, headphones on while listening to music, looked up.
"Jason, this is Bella," Edward announced proudly.
"It's nice to meet you," Bella greeted him. Jason smiled and removed his headphones. "You too. I'd shake hands, but Masen doesn't seem keen to let go," he said, amused. Bella blushed and freed her hand from Edward's to take Jason's.
"Damn right," Edward returned. "Do you blame me?"
"Can't say I do." Jason observed Bella carefully. Her cheeks warmed, but she held his gaze. Inwardly, Jason smiled. Edward's girl was lovely—hardly surprising given Edward's good looks, he thought. Dark haired, with warm, topaz-brown eyes, Bella had a 'girl next door' beauty. She seemed sweet—innocent even, compared to what he'd grown used to in the industry—and entirely unexpected because Jason had imagined Masen's girlfriend as a cool, statuesque blonde.
Over the next hour, while Jason and Edward talked, using unfamiliar terms such as 'reverb' and 'panning', Bella listened and tried to learn about Edward's new life. Jason, meanwhile, watched as Masen frequently asked her opinion, how genuinely interested he seemed in her views, and how deeply Bella thought before she answered. 'She's intelligent and centers him,' Jason decided. He'd experienced Masen's passion for his music, his dedication, but he'd never, before, seen him this contented. Jason finally understood the depth of emotion that inspired Beautiful Home. 'Hope he doesn't fuck it up' he thought because he'd witnessed too many musicians trample and then destroy the good in their lives. He also recognized that behind Bella's quiet personality was a woman with a steel core. She, unlike numerous long-suffering wives and girlfriends, wouldn't tolerate shit.
Victoria, who'd arrived unnoticed, watched, her lips pursed when Edward placed a set of headphones over Bella's ears and then kissed her. "You're late for our meeting," she announced her presence.
"Victoria, this is Bella," Edward answered, not concerned at all.
"Hi," Victoria greeted Bella cursorily before turning to Edward. "Everyone's waiting."
"Give me five—the usual room?" he asked before speaking to Bella. "You wanna come, Baby?"
"Masen—" Victoria interrupted, her tone disapproving.
"You go. I'll get a cab and see you at home later," Bella told Edward. "Go; I'll be fine," she urged before he could protest.
"Bella can stay with me," Jason offered. "She hasn't heard the whole the album."
"Is that what you want? You can come with me," Edward said, ignoring Victoria's irritated huff.
"I want to hear the rest of the songs," Bella said.
"Okay," Edward conceded and then, despite their audience, kissed her lingeringly, thanked Jason and left. Victoria hurried after him.
"Don't mind Vic. She's always territorial about her domain," Jason apologized.
"Doesn't bother me," Bella said, her nonchalance hid her discomfort because she felt Victoria was being territorial about more than her domain.
Two and a half hours later, Edward found Bella and Jason in the canteen. "Sorry, I didn't think it would take that long," he said. Bella smiled, dismissing his apology. "How did it go?"
"Well, everyone had an opinion, but, in the end, we agreed on the storyboards. Casting's tomorrow and shooting on Wednesday and Thursday."
"Will you still be here, Bella?" Jason asked.
"I leave Wednesday night," Bella replied. Just then, Victoria joined them with, apparently, an entirely changed attitude.
"So soon? What a pity," she smiled at Bella. "We should do something before you leave. Masen? What about meeting up with Eclipse tonight?"
"Bella and I have plans."
"Oh, come on. She can't leave without meeting them. Bella, don't you want to meet the people Masen will be spending nearly all his time with?"
"Of course, but I'm here to be with Edward, so it's up to him."
Edward took Bella's hand. "Do you want to go? We could do dinner tomorrow?"
"Sure; why not?" Bella answered.
"Good!" Victoria said, extremely satisfied. "Lure at nine. I'll call James."
Edward and Bella arrived forty minutes late because Edward had insisted on taking her to a restaurant first and hadn't seemed concerned about time. He wanted his girlfriend to himself. "You look smoking hot', he'd told her when she'd emerged from his bedroom earlier that night.
To Edward, Bella was always beautiful, but, that night, wearing skin-tight black leather pants and high heels that made her legs appear a mile long, he'd thought she looked like every man's wet dream. She'd teamed the pants with an emerald green silk top, and her hair, silky and smooth, hanging halfway down her back had seemed extra full and bouncy. She'd done something to her eyes to make them look smoky and sultry, and her lips—'those lips will be the fucking death of me', he'd quietly groaned—looked extra soft, pouty, and shiny.
Bella, thrilled by his reaction, had mentally thanked Erin for talking her into shopping. 'You're going to Hollywood where everyone's obsessed with fashion and looking good,' she'd argued when Bella had pointed out that she already had a closet full of clothes. Bella, who favors a more natural look, had also been grateful for Erin's makeup demonstration and tips on blow-drying her hair. "Bend over like this…see," Erin had said bending forward at the waist, her head hung low. "Then you flip it back like this. See how full and sexy it is?"
Her appearance boosted Bella's confidence when entering the nightclub, which, she'd learned, celebrities often frequented. She also felt better about spending a night in Victoria's presence because, despite her bitchiness, the woman was beautiful, and Bella suspected that her interest in Edward was more than professional. She hadn't mentioned Victoria's attitude to Edward. Bella didn't want to look petty or jealous—not when Edward had so much to deal with already. Also, she didn't know how Victoria related to her other artists, so she couldn't be sure about her suspicions. She'd resolved to wait and see.
Because of her age, Bella had worried about being refused entry, but Edward had assured her that they wouldn't have trouble. "Victoria would have handled it," he'd said, and he'd been right because, after checking his list, the bouncer had let them in. They found Victoria at a table with three men and three women. Edward introduced James, Alec, and Liam. "This is Jess, Tracy, and Cindy," Liam reciprocated after greeting Bella. Bella could feel James' eyes on her. He'd watched her and Edward approach; his eyes focused on her. She'd felt uneasy and also annoyed, especially when remembering his comment about sharing, but she'd pushed her feelings aside. James was, after all, part of Edward's backing band, and Bella didn't want to cause friction. She'd tried to ignore him, be polite when forced to interact with him, and she'd succeeded, mostly. Bella's tolerance had slipped only once when Edward ordered a non-alcoholic cocktail for her. "It's fucked up, don't you think, that eighteen-year-olds are considered old enough to fuck but not drink?" he'd asked Bella.
Bella stopped Edward, who'd looked like he wanted to punch James, with a hand on his bicep. "I'm nineteen, not eighteen, and no; I don't necessarily think it's wrong to have an older restriction on alcohol. What would be wrong is if someone was drunk out of their mind and had indiscriminate sex," she'd replied.
"Really?" James scoffed. "Then you'll never fit into this life. He turned to Cindy before Bella could respond. "Drink up, baby; I like my women drunk and desperate," he said.
"Not everyone's an asshole like you," Edward said, his voice threatening, but Liam intervened.
"Ignore him. I told you he's an ass," he said, looking pointedly at James and then changed the subject by asking about Bella's studies. Victoria, surprisingly quiet, listened with an enigmatic smile until, finally, she asked Bella, "how did you and Masen meet?"
Edward chose to respond and told how he and Bella had met in the garden. "How cute," Victoria said, her voice treacle-sweet, her eyes cold.
Later, when Liam and Alec and their partners had joined James and Cindy on the dance floor, and Edward had excused himself to visit the restroom, Victoria turned to Bella. "James is right, you know."
"About what?" Bella asked.
"You're not cut out to be a musician's girlfriend."
"Well, that's your opinion, and you don't know anything about me or Edward's and my relationship."
"I know enough," Victoria answered cryptically. "And why do you insist on calling him Edward? He's Masen now."
"He's Edward. He'll always be Edward to me, his family, and to those who truly know him."
"Maybe; but he's becoming Masen. In the end, he'll be Masen. How many people still call Sting Gordon, or Elton Reg? How many even know Bruno Mars is really Peter Hernandez? And how many rock stars are still with their childhood sweethearts? How many are still with their first wives?"
Bella, despite the kick in the gut she felt, answered confidently. "Enough," she said. Edward's return stopped further discussion on the matter. "Okay?" he asked Bella, sensing her discomfort. "Sure," she assured him. "Victoria was just telling me about the music business; weren't you?" she smiled at Victoria.
Later still, when visiting the ladies' rooms, Bella met Cindy leaving one of the stalls. She was pretty drunk, but worse, Bella saw the residue of white powder on her nostrils. Cindy sniffed and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. "Good shit," she said, unashamed at being caught. "James can fix you up if you wanna get high."
"Umm, no thanks," Bella managed to reply. She used the facilities and returned to the table. "Do you think we could leave now?" she whispered to Edward.
"Sure, Baby," he said and, taking her hand, wished everyone goodbye. Victoria watched them go, wondering whether she'd done enough damage. Bella, she decided, was tougher than she looked. She left soon after.
Bella, meanwhile, decided she'd talk to Edward about what she'd witnessed. Edward's exposure to drugs worried her more than Victoria's bitchiness. 'She's like those damned Cullen Alley Cats,' she thought. 'I'll ignore her like I did them; she'll get the message eventually.' Bella, though, had miscalculated. Victoria was nothing like those teenage high schoolers. She was older, smarter, more experienced, more determined, and much, much more cunning.
Bella had to wait to raise the drug issue because Edward, having accused her of 'driving me insane all night,' had stripped her almost as soon as they'd entered the apartment. "Oh, fucking hell," he'd groaned when he'd removed her shoes, top, and leather pants and saw the scrap of emerald and black lace she called panties. "Turn around; let me look at you. Put your shoes back on," he instructed. Blushing but highly aroused, Bella obliged. "Fuck!" Edward swore again when confronted by her pert cheeks.
"Bella, this isn't going to be gentle. I'll make it up to you, but right now, I want to take you hard," he'd said, his voice a rasp.
"I love you, Edward, and I love every way you love me." The last of her words were muffled as he captured her mouth in a passionate kiss.
They woke late the next morning, too late for the drug conversation because Edward had to attend a casting session for the Beautiful Home video. "Go on your own; it will be quicker," Bella said.
"No," Edward argued. "Bella, you were the first person I told about wanting to make records. You've always supported me; you inspired one of my best songs. I want to share as much with you as I can."
Bella relented. "Shower while I make the bed. No, Edward, it will make us late," she laughed, refusing his suggestion that they shower together.
The casting session hadn't gone well. The director, Rod, complained about the choice of models. How, given the dozen stunning women who'd paraded before them, Bella couldn't understand. She also couldn't believe the way they'd criticized them. "Eyes too small, nose too big; she won't look good in profile. Too tall, too short, she's too fat—the woman was not fat. Bella had to really bite her tongue that time to stop herself from challenging Mitch, who'd made the comment. 'I mean, the man has a potbelly, for God's sake,' she'd thought. Victoria, who'd looked less than pleased when Bella turned up with Edward, tried to convince them that one girl, a statuesque redhead, was perfect. 'Much like her,' Bella had noted with a mental eye roll.
"No," Edward, who hadn't commented before, said.
"What's wrong with her?" Victoria asked irritably.
"Nothing—she's just wrong for that song," he answered.
"Masen—" she argued, but Rod intervened.
"Masen, what or who you were thinking about when writing the lyrics?"
"Bella," Edward said, smiling at her.
For the first time since entering the room, Rod really looked at Bella. "This is the girl the song's about?"
"Yes," Edward replied.
"Well, why don't we use her? She's perfect."
"She's not a professional," Victoria immediately objected.
"Who the fuck cares? I don't. I'll direct her; that's my job, not yours," Rod told her.
"Cost is my concern. It will take longer to work with an amateur," she persisted.
"Actually, Victoria, it's marketing's concern, and Rod's responsible for delivering the video on budget," Mitch pointed out. Victoria huffed but didn't respond.
"Baby, what do you think?" Edward asked Bella. "What?" he gently pressed when she hesitated.
Bella glanced around nervously before speaking. "I don't know… I don't want to spoil things for you. Victoria's right—"
Rod interrupted before Edward could. "Masen, why don't we give you and Bella a few minutes? If she decides to do it, I'll take her through the storyboard."
"Yeah; that sounds good," Edward said and waited until the room emptied before speaking again. "Bella, you could never disappoint me. And I don't want you to do anything you don't want to, but, honestly, I'd rather do the video with you than anyone else. The song's about you—about us."
"Edward, I'm not a model or actresss…those girls today; they were beautiful—"
"Baby, you're beautiful; the most beautiful to me," he told her, his eyes beseeching. "We don't have to act; we just have to be us."
"Will it make you happy?"
"Ecstatic."
"Okay then."
"You'll do it?"
"Yes," Bella said, and Edward pulled her onto his lap and kissed her deeply. That's how Rod found them when he returned. He showed Bella the storyboard, detailing each drawing. "Edward, alone in a room playing his guitar, wandering through deserted city streets late at night, and always, a woman, indistinguishable, in the background and unseen by him. Next, he finds a place, a tree-filled garden with a tree house," he said.
Edward squeezed Bella's hand when Rod got to that part, and she smiled in return. The next sequence he described was so evocative of the many times Edward had entered their special place and slipped into bed with her, that Bella had wanted to cry. The entire video, Rod said, would be backlit and filmed in black and white. "The first segment is Edward alone and lost, and the second, sensually romantic, sees him finding the love he'd been searching for."
When Rod had finished, although not entirely comfortable, Bella felt better because the video, she'd realized, focused on Edward. The shots of her, except for a couple at the end, revealing her face in profile, wouldn't be highly recognizable. The rest of the day became a blur for Bella. First, she posed for photos that Rod took with his digital camera. Next Bella had to tell her parents she'd be staying an extra day. Renee, excited about Bella appearing in Edward's video, wanted to chat, but Bella stopped her. "Mom, I have to go; I need to call Erin to arrange for someone to take notes for tomorrow's classes."
Then, separated from Edward, who'd had other things to do, she spent hours in a wardrobe session with a hyper and verbose stylist called Emmy. The tiny woman, wearing black, fashionably ripped jeans, t-shirt, and red combat boots fussed around Bella. She uttered phrases like, "Good, you've waxed; that saves time," and "you're a dream to dress, nothing like the self-absorbed bitches I usually have to deal with," as she'd produced outfit after outfit for her to try on.
Mentally exhausted from the day's emotional roller coaster, Bella left Arrius late that afternoon with Edward. Finally, over an early dinner, she raised the drug incident. "Bella, I hate that you saw that, but that shit happens all over, not just here," Edward told her.
"But—if James does drugs," she said, but Edward, knowing what was worrying Bella, cut her off. "Baby, what do you think happened in Philly? I've been offered drugs before, many times. It doesn't mean I have to accept. The most I've ever done is get drunk and smoke pot; you know that."
"Edward, I don't mind you drinking and smoking occasionally, but drugs..."
"Bella, it's not an issue. I can't control James, and as long as the music doesn't suffer, it's not my business."
Satisfied that she'd voiced her feelings, Bella dropped the subject. The next morning, at three-thirty, they tumbled into a limo because Rod wanted to film the first scenes before sunrise. Bella, not needed until later, had sacrificed sleep to accompany Edward. At the location, a wooded estate with a tiny guest cottage reminiscent of their tree house, Edward, after a short conversation with Rod and Sam, the DOP—director of photography, cameraman, Bella learned—had been whisked away to the hair and make-up van. Bella gratefully accepted the coffee and a breakfast burrito offered by one of the catering crew. Edward emerged, dressed in black jeans, a white t-shirt, and a worn leather jacket. Sam checked light readings, and then he, Rod, and Edward spoke again before filming started. Bella watched, absorbed, by the smallest detail. Edward, she felt, was a natural in front of the camera.
Things were going well, a crew member informed her, and when Sam stopped for a lighting change, and Rod invited her to look through the lens, Bella had been awestruck. Edward is undeniably handsome—she's reminded of that each time she sets eyes on him—but seeing him through the camera lens, Bella thought him devastatingly so. The camera concentrated not only his looks but also the potent mixture of mystery and broodiness that Edward possessed. Bella could have watched him all day, but Rod was anxious to get back to work. She thanked him and returned to her former spot.
"I hear you're his girlfriend?" a woman, another crew member, who stood close asked.
"I am," Bella confirmed.
"You're one lucky bitch," the woman said, her statement completely non-malicious. Bella smiled without answering and returned to watching Edward.
"That's a wrap here," Rod announced after he was satisfied with the film of Edward ascending the steps of the tree house and opening the door. "Everyone needed at the next location, move now. The rest will pack up here." Production staff, many who'd been waiting around during filming, jumped into action.
Edward joined Bella and kissed her lightly. "What do you think?"
"You were great; it looked great." She wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I'll be even better when I'm touching you," he whispered seductively in her ear.
"You're insatiable," she said.
"Only for you, and you deprived me last night."
"We had to get up at three!" Bella pinched his waist playfully.
"You still owe me, and now you're going to pay for that too," he threatened and lightly bit her earlobe before stepping back. "I'd better change. Emmy will have my balls if I mess these clothes."
"She'd better not," Bella laughed.
"I'll be sure to tell her," Edward smiled cheekily. "By the way, we're traveling with Rod," he said before racing away.
At the second location, back in West Hollywood in a vast, warehouse-like space, another production crew waited. One corner looked like the inside of a tree house or cabin with creamy white walls, and an enormous black iron daybed dressed in pristine white with billowing, sheer fabric covering a half-canopy, also white, hanging above. The producer, rushed Bella and Edward into hair and make-up, a screened area across from the set, where Ashley, the makeup artist, Sarah, the hairstylist, and Emmy were waiting.
"Why didn't we just use the Topanga tree house?" Bella asked Emmy, who seemed to know everything that happened on set.
"Rod wanted white; the other place had natural timber walls. Also, it's easier to control the lighting in here," Emmy explained.
"Why white?"
"Great contrast against your hair, even Masen's, for a black and white shoot."
"And the muslin?"
"Rod and Sam want to amp up the sexy mood by shooting some of the scenes through the cloth," Emmy explained.
"That makes sense," Bella nodded as Sarah curled her hair around gigantic rollers. With her makeup complete, her hair styled and tumbling down her back, and wearing only a skin-toned thong and a toweling dressing gown, she waited. Her nerves, calm earlier, returned in full force. Edward, when he arrived to escort her onto the set, found Bella twisting her fingers nervously.
"Remember what we talked about?" he reminded her. "It's just us, Bella."
"But all those people out there…" she murmured.
"Forget about them. Just concentrate on me and what Rod tells us to do. Okay, Baby?"
"Okay," she agreed, hoping she'd be able to do as he'd asked.
On set, Rod explained that they'd start with Bella asleep on the daybed and explained what he wanted from her. Bella looked around nervously when Emmy loosened her dressing gown. She breathed a sigh of relief to see that only Edward appeared to be watching. While the stylist fussed with draping sheets to reveal just enough of her naked back, Bella prayed for her nerves to settle. 'It's just us,' she repeated over and over until, finally, she heard someone call out 'quiet' and Rod's voice telling her they were 'rolling'.
By the time Edward, also half-undressed joined Bella beneath the sheets, his arm around her waist pulling her close, Bella's nervousness had disappeared. When Rod directed them to kiss, self-consciousness returned, but Edward's lips, as always, robbed her of thought. All her mind registered was how much she loved him and how damned good he made her feel. So good, she missed Rod's announcement of, "that's a wrap everyone." Edward's throaty chuckle and his whispered, "you still owe me," brought her to her senses.
Dressed and not bothering to remove her makeup, Bella returned to the set where she found Edward with Rod, Sam, and Victoria. 'When did she get here?' Bella wondered but, then, receiving Victoria's sour-faced greeting, guessed she'd been there long enough to see some of the shooting. Rod's praise only increased Victoria's irritation. No one, other than Bella, it seemed, noticed her animosity. Bella dismissed it. 'Maybe she's always like this," she rationalized.
She and Edward returned to his apartment, where Bella paid her debt—with interest. "Paid in full?" she asked as Edward lazily caressed her back. "You wore me out," he joked. "Good; you owe me now," she playfully threatened. They fell asleep and woke late in the afternoon, ordered in food, and then returned to bed. At ten-thirty that night, a driver arrived to take them to Arrius where they met the hair, makeup, and wardrobe team. At twelve-thirty, everyone left to shoot the street scenes. First, they filmed and photographed Bella and then Edward. The footage, Rod explained, would be superimposed to create the final video scenes. They shot in two more locations before, just after six a.m., a driver dropped Edward and Bella at his apartment.
Bella left LA at ten that night. A week later, during one of their regular phone conversations, Edward told her to check her email. There, she found a video link he'd sent. Bella cried when first seeing it; it was so, so beautiful and romantic. "That's us, Baby," Edward, also emotional, said. Over the next years, the video for Beautiful World, a reminder of their love, drove both Bella and Edward to the heights of happiness and the depths of sorrow.
As always, thank you for reading.
I have some special thank you's this week. First, to the lovely ladies at TLS for including Unplugged in last week's recs. I'm grateful and thrilled.
Second, a very special thank you to those readers who, having seen the rec, chose to follow and/or favorite this story. Welcome aboard the Unplugged train.
And finally, last but certainly not least, my heartfelt thanks to all my loyal readers, especially those who've been with me from the start of my Fanfiction journey. You know who you are :) Your support inspires me to continue even when I'm feeling jaded and down.
This is has been long chapter; there was a lot of ground to cover. Again, I've posted at an ungodly hour—it's 4.18 a.m, and I hope I haven't missed any glaring errors. If I have, my apologies, but I wanted to get this chapter out before the start of another hectic week.
The next chapter will see a bit of a time jump. It's the one I think everyone's been waiting for.
Until next time. Take care everyone.
Shenda x