A/N Sorry for the long wait, ladies!

Thank you, Midnight Cougar (D JS White) for being as wonderful as ever. xx

Chapter 10

Man who waits for roast duck to fly into his mouth must wait a very, very long time – Chinese Proverb

"Just kissing?" Alice gave me a disappointed look. Clearly, my date with Edward hadn't met her expectations.

I rolled my eyes at her. "Yes, Al, just kissing. Am I too old fashioned for your taste?"

"Well, Boss, I was thinking a little bit of fondling couldn't have hurt."

I stroked my freshly ironed hair, feeling its softness and pulling it over my shoulder to inspect the ends for any sign of dryness. "Edward is not like that."

"Oh?" She feigned sounding surprised. "How is Edward then?"

I sighed, starting to get slightly irritated. "Look, Al—"

I was interrupted by Marcus's brusque arrival.

"Sorry for the wait, ladies." He stormed into the office—coffee and briefcase in hand—rounding his desk to plop down in his black leather chair.

I stole a glance at my wristwatch. "You're only five minutes late."

He gave me a sly grin. "Yes, but it's not very gentlemanly to have two beautiful ladies wait on you."

I chuckled, leaning over and pretending to whisper to Alice. "The flirt game is strong with this one."

Marcus shrugged, unapologetic. "I've been accused of worse."

"Does your wife know what you're up to?" I joked.

"Speaking of, she's invited you both for dinner this evening."

"That's nice," Alice said with a smile.

"Actually," I spoke, giving Marcus a bashful look, "I can't this evening. I have plans."

"Plans, you say." He looked intrigued. "Did you make new friends in London?"

I smiled. "You could say that."

"Well, in that case, shall I tell Dydime to expect you the evening after?"

"Of course. Alice and I are more than happy to come. I can't wait to see Dydime again."

~RS~

By the time we made it back to our hotel suite, it was just after six in the evening. Alice dove straight for the couch, kicking off her heels as she jumped on, grabbing a decorative pillow and hugging it to her chest.

"So, what are you wearing?" she wanted to know.

"I don't know. What should I wear?"

"Hmmm." She pondered for a little while. "I think I spotted that blue dress with the square-like neckline in your luggage when you were unpacking. Why don't you wear that?"

"Wouldn't I look as though I've put in too much effort?"

"It's a date, Bella." She gave me a pointed look. "It's supposed to look that way."

"I guess you're right," I conceded. "I'm going to take a shower first."

Heading into the bathroom, I took my time washing my hair and shaving everything smoother. I didn't expect anything to happen with Edward, but I did like to feel prepared just in case things progressed further than the outcome I anticipated. We did seem to be getting along well, and there was a definite connection there.

#

The previous evening, I had arrived back at the hotel just before midnight. Pink-cheeked from our walk and Edward's passionate kisses, I entered the suite with light steps, not wanting to disturb Alice.

The moment I closed the bedroom door, my phone rang. Digging into my clutch, I pulled it out quickly to see Edward's name.

"Yes?" I answered, confused with the reason for his call. We'd just parted in the main lobby a few minutes earlier.

"I wanted to make sure you made it to your room safely."

His sweet reply filled me with a warmth and happiness that took me by surprise.

I smiled into the darkness, leaning back against the door. "I'm here and I'm safe. Thank you for calling."

"So, uh..." He trailed off, trying to phrase his thoughts. "I had a great time this evening, Isabella. I hope you did, too."

"I did," I was quick to confirm. "The food was delicious and my date was quite nice company."

"Nice? I was expecting at least spectacular," he joked.

I chuckled. "You were okay."

He sighed exaggeratedly. "Fine. I'll have to try harder tomorrow."

I smiled, letting the following silence stretch out between us.

"Tomorrow then," I said softly.

"Tomorrow," he echoed.

Hanging up, I let my head loll back and closed my eyes, unable to wipe the stupid grin off my face.

#

I was brought back to the present by Alice's insistent knock on the door.

"Have you drowned?" she called from the other side of the door. "It's nearly seven. And I need to use the bathroom."

"I'll be out in a minute," I replied, turning off the water and grabbing a towel.

By the time seven-thirty rolled around, I was dressed, had make-up on, and my hair let loose in soft, natural curls.

"Where is he taking you?" Alice eyed me with interest.

"I didn't ask," I said, pulling a light blazer over my dress. "It could be the same restaurant as yesterday."

"Well, have fun and maybe don't come back tonight?" She grinned suggestively.

"Yeah, right, Al." I dismissed her not-so-subtle hint, although the prospect of something happening wasn't entirely unwelcome. Edward was not only good-looking, but he was also a gentleman, and he made me feel things I hadn't felt in a long time. Spending the night with him had the potential of turning a successful date into a spectacular one – sadly, an almost foreign concept in my adult life.

However, that wasn't what I was after. Getting to know him better and having a pleasant evening in his presence would suffice.

Ten minutes later, I was in the main lobby, searching for Edward. I spotted him just as he entered the revolving doors, looking dashing in a pair of black slacks and a white button down with the top two buttons undone.

"You look great as always." He greeted me with a smile and a kiss to my cheek.

I reveled in the feel of his soft lips on my skin, and thought about wanting to feel them on my mouth instead. "I could say the same." Pulling back a little, I gazed into his green eyes. "Where to?"

"There's a good restaurant a couple blocks from here. I thought we could walk there, if that's okay with you."

"Sure. That sounds great."

As we exited the hotel, I wrapped my arm around his left one, letting him guide me through the unfamiliar streets as we made small talk.

The restaurant he'd picked for our second date looked a bit more high-end than the first one. He held out my chair for me as we sat down at the table he'd booked for us, and I thanked him, loving how he seemed to do every single thing just right.

Later, as our food arrived, we were already in deep conversation. My attention was completely absorbed by the subject at hand, which happened to be Edward's family.

"That's how he's always been," he said, referring to his father. "Neither my sister nor I had it easy growing up with him. He was very strict and traditional, but he was also incredibly devoted to us. He made sure we never had to want for anything."

"How about your mother? Was he the same with her?"

"Actually, no. He was incredibly in love with my mom, and I believe he still is. He's never, not a single time in over thirty years of marriage, even raised his voice to her. That's got to mean something, right?"

"Indeed," I agreed with him. "My parents used to bicker a lot when I was younger. Now they seem to have moved past that phase. I don't know, I don't think they were really in love when they married. I mean, sure, they love each other, but they never gave me the impression there was a lot of passion between them."

"Marriage is hard," Edward mused. "I can only hope to be as happy as my parents are."

I smiled. "That's a nice thing to say."

He shrugged, reaching for his wine. "It's the truth, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I aspire to what they have. Although, between you and me," he leaned over conspiratorially, "I do believe I'm going to be a more easy-going parent than my father. But don't ever tell him that. He might kick my ass for being too much of a softie. "

I chuckled, dabbing at the corner of my mouth with my napkin. "My lips are sealed."

"Do you like kids?"

I stared at him, taken aback by the sudden turn of our conversation. "I do. Although, to be completely honest, I'm not convinced I'll make the best mother."

Across the table, Edward frowned. "Why do you say that?"

I hesitated; unsure I should go there with him. "The career I've chosen is keeping me so busy, I don't know how much time I'd be able to dedicate to a prospective child without sacrificing my job and everything I've accomplished."

"Does that mean you don't want any children?" he asked, his voice soft.

I shook my head. "Of course I do. I just haven't figured out yet how I'm going to be able to juggle both a baby and the career I've worked so hard to achieve. It could be a precarious balance. I want to be a good, hands-on mother, not one who barely sees her children at the end of her workday and a few hours on the weekend. And right now, with my current work schedule, there are evenings when I get home past nine. It wouldn't be right to bring a baby into this world when I cannot give him or her one hundred percent of me."

Edward looked down at his food, suddenly pensive.

"What are you thinking about?"

"I was thinking you're wrong."

I was intrigued. "How so?"

"You don't need to give a child one hundred percent. There has to be a small part you keep for yourself, to do the things that make you happy. Otherwise, you'd only be living for your children. Having a child doesn't mean losing yourself. At least not in my vision."

"I have to agree with that."

"But, yes, realistically, it is difficult to balance parenthood and a successful career, though not impossible if you want it bad enough. With a bit of support and understanding from your partner, it could work out quite well."

I sighed, pushing my food around distractedly. "You speak such sweets words."

"Oh, come on. I'm sure you'll accomplish anything you put your mind to. Even this." After a moment of silence, he added, "You only need the right man beside you."

I gazed at him, not sure what to make of his comment. "That mythological creature everyone is talking about?"

Edward chuckled, amused. "I heard he's real. Few have seen him, but it appears he exists."

"Well, I haven't found him yet. I didn't even come close."

"Your past relationships couldn't have been that bad." He sounded more serious now. "You're an amazing woman. Any man would be lucky to have you."

"My ex-boyfriends didn't seem to think like you, but thank you for the compliment. I appreciate it."

"I mean it."

I smiled, deciding to end the subject of long-gone relationships there. "Your stuffed beef looks mouthwatering."

"Oh, sorry." He looked down at his food as if he was noticing it for the first time. "Do you want some? I didn't think to offer you any."

"Just a taste," I said. "It looks incredible."

Cutting a piece, he raised his fork, bringing it to me. Leaning over, I accepted his offering, keeping my eyes on his as I wrapped my lips around his fork.

"Mmm, wow," I moaned appreciatively. "It melts in your mouth."

Edward watched me intently, his lips slightly parted. "You want more?" His voice was suddenly low and husky.

I nodded, wordlessly, watching as he picked up the knife and cut out a second piece. He fed it to me, his burning gaze never leaving my face, as if it was the most interesting thing he'd ever seen.

The temperature in the restaurant escalated to scorching heights before dropping fast with the arrival of our waiter. The man, wearing a crisp black and white uniform, smiled at us as he started to refill our wine glasses.

I pulled back, somewhat embarrassed, going back to my baked salmon.

~RS~

Heading back to the hotel, with my hand nestled into Edward's, I thought about what Alice had said before leaving our suite.

"...maybe don't come back tonight."

I stole a glance at Edward, and saw he was staring forward, his quietness making a striking contrast with the verbal flow he'd had during dinner. His handsome profile was lit by the ornamented lampposts adorning London's streets, giving him an almost dream-like appearance.

Along with Alice's advice, resonated one question: Was it right for me to push things further with Edward knowing I was due to return to the States in a few days?

While my brain had the correct answer, my body was telling me something else entirely.

"What are you doing tomorrow?"

Edward's sudden question snapped me out of my reverie.

I stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, halting him with me.

"Edward, listen—"

He shushed me with a brief kiss to my lips. "I know," he whispered, pulling back slightly. "I realize you're leaving in three days. Trust me, I do."

"Then you also realize that this," I motioned with my hand back and forth between us, "isn't likely to work out very well."

"Is it too much to hope that we'll keep in touch?"

"No, of course it's not. I just..." I looked down, staring at my feet. "I'm trying to be realistic, Edward."

He puffed out a long breath, placing his hands on my upper arms and rubbing there gently. "Does this mean you're not even going to give us a chance?"

I raised my eyes to his. "I want to, but would it be wise to do so? You have a great job here; you're building yourself a life in this city, which is great, it really is. But my entire life is in Chicago. How on earth would we make this work?"

He glanced away, his disappointment showing all over his face, and he dropped his hands. "I thought we could at least try. But it's fine if you don't want to. I can respect that."

His words cut through my heart like a hot dagger. Placing my hand on his cheek, I brought his beautiful green eyes in line with my own. "I want to," I whispered, trying to keep my emotions in check. "I'm just so afraid we're both going to get out of this thing in really bad shape."

He stared at me with the most intense gaze I had yet seen on him. "Who said anything about getting out? Please, don't push me away. I know you have to feel this, too."

My knees buckled with the implications of what he was saying, my brain suddenly turning to mush.

He was asking so sweetly, and I wanted to give in so badly.

"Okay," I said, the lone word leaving my mouth before I could think through what I was agreeing to.

~RS~

In front of the hotel, Edward leaned down to kiss me goodbye. The kiss was gentle and brief, but there was something primal in his eyes that told me he wanted it to be anything but.

"Tomorrow evening?" he asked, toying with a curly strand of hair hanging off my shoulder.

"I can't tomorrow. There's somewhere I have to be."

He nodded in understanding, although he didn't look too happy with my refusal. "Saturday, then."

"Saturday," I confirmed.

He made a move to leave, then hesitated. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Is your guy friend going to be a problem for us?"

It didn't escape my notice that he'd referred to us, and not himself.

"No. Of course not," I assured him. "Jacob is nothing more than a good friend. You don't need to worry about him."

The corners of his lips lifted, sketching a cocky smile. "I don't worry about him per se, but I do worry for him. I'm not very good with sharing."

Edward's message was loud and clear. Jacob had better stay away.

"How about we talk more about it when the time comes?" I offered, not wanting to end the night on a bad note.

"You're right. Now is not the time," he concurred, lifting my chin with his index finger to give me another kiss. "I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Good night, Edward." I smiled, squeezing his hand lightly and taking a step back.

His expression mirrored mine. "Sleep tight, Isabella."

A/N Let me know what you think!