The Twilight Twenty-Five

Prompt: #16 – Italian Restaurant
Pen Name: beegurl13
Pairing/Main Character(s): Bella & Edward
Rating: M

Photo prompts can be viewed here:
thetwilight25 dot com backslash round-six backslash prompts

A/N: I don't own this, we all know who does. What I do own are 2 and a half more Symphony chocolate bars that I got for Mother's Day. They're yummy, and each of my kids gave me one. Yeah, I've already eaten one and a half of them. But they were gifts from my children, so that mean's they're fat free, right? 'Cause love doesn't hurt and has no calories, right? I hope so, anyway. :D

Thanks to my girlies – EdwardsBloodType, Unchanged Affections, Twilight44, MaggieMay14, Luxure, and my fan fic wifey Mrs. Robward. I love them more than I can possibly say. I'm a lucky girl… :)

I love this chapter. I think it's my favorite so far. It's the half way point in our little story. The angst in this story is not over. Not by a long shot. This chapter's got some, and I cried. You've been warned. :)

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Chapter 13

~*0*~ Italian Restaurant ~*0*~

All morning I keep myself away from my window, knowing that if I walk by it, I'll look out toward the harbor, and I'll find Edward's boat. I don't want to see him getting ready to leave for his fishing trip. I just plain don't want to see him, not yet. I've got about a week to get my thoughts in order so that when we go out, we can talk and I can get some answers. First, I need to figure out everything I want an answer for, then decide what's most important. Judging by the past season and the time we spent together, I know my level head doesn't usually last long in Edward's presence. Whatever it is about him that gets me so worked up just takes over, and I can't help myself. I give in.

I try several times during the week to talk to Leah, to find out what the deal is between her and Edward. Each time I try, we end up getting sidetracked, and she doesn't offer up anything. I'm curious, but there's not much I can do about it. But I still replay their little conversation over and over in my head. I can't help it, I need to know who they were talking about.

I spend a day with my dad, taking him to his radiation appointment, then getting him some groceries and cleaning up his house. Sometimes I wish he'd found someone new after my mother left. He's always been alone, and I wonder how he's managed all these years. I know he does a lot for my Aunt Lillian and Rose, plus he's always helping his friends, but maybe if he had someone special, his life would be a little bit easier.

Before I know it, it's Tuesday and Edward should be back either today or tomorrow. If he really did hurry, then it should be today. I work all day, watching the door and waiting for him to walk in. Finally, at about six o'clock, he comes into the bar. He looks exhausted, and I don't think he's changed his clothes. The duffel bag on his shoulder tells me he most likely came straight from the boat, which he confirms when I ask. I offer my shower if he wants to use it, and he hurries upstairs to get cleaned up a bit so that we can go. I finish the things I need to take care of, hoping that I'm giving him enough time to do what he needs to do. I don't want to walk in on a wet and naked Edward. Well, part of me does, but I know it wouldn't be productive. Though it would be fun.

He's dressed and sitting on the sofa when I walk in. His shoes are on, and he's leaning over to tie them, but he looks up at me and smiles this beautiful smile that I've missed for so long. My heart beats a little faster, before I quickly rush into my room and close the door. I need to change my clothes, and even though Edward has seen every square inch of my body, I'm not comfortable with him watching me. The level of intimacy we once had has vanished, but I'm hopeful that one day we'll have it back.

We leave Clallam Bay, headed for Beaver and the little Italian Restaurant that Alice took me to last year. I've been there several times now, and I've loved everything I've tried. Edward seems to know the place when I mention it, and there's no hint of worry in his face. Since the only women I've ever seen working there are older or married, I hope I'm safe as far as Edward's ex's go.

The drive through the forest is quiet. Neither of us say a lot, though Edward does hold my hand the whole way. It's sweet, and in comparison to all the things we've done together, it almost seems like a huge step back. The more I think about it, the more I realize it's a step we need to take. If we're genuinely going to work things out, we need to go slow and do it right this time. I lace my fingers with his and hold on tight. I'm not willing to let go just yet.

The restaurant is nice, as always. We make small talk, during which he mentions Argentina and talks a little about the country and what the fishing is like there. He's pretty guarded about it, which makes me nervous. Then he talks about Maine and how different it is from Argentina. He tells me a little about how he ended up with the fishing contracts he has, and how it's not typical for fisherman to work all over the world. He smiles, saying how much he enjoys it and how he can't see himself doing anything else with his life. The man is nothing if not straight forward about his intentions with me. That's something that he's always been, from day one. It's one of the only good things he's got going for him right now. I need answers, but I don't feel like he's ready to give them to me.

I tell him about Rose and Emmett's wedding, how crazy things were before it happened, and how relieved I was to send them off on their honeymoon. Until Rose called the next day and said she'd forgotten her birth control pills, and that I needed to bring them to her. That day.

Edward laughs when I complain about the long drive to Sidney, British Columbia. Rose and Emmett were staying on San Juan Island, and took a ferry to meet me, but that meant I still had a three and a half hour drive and ferry ride each way to get there. It gave me a lot of time to think, as well as sing along badly to the playlist of love songs, as well as lost love songs, that I'd compiled. Although, I leave that detail out of our conversation.

It's kind of incredible. When Edward and I are together, just being ourselves, it's as if there is nothing wrong between us. We seem to just instinctively know what the other will say or do, or how they will move or shift. It's intense, and I've never experienced that with anyone else before. Even though I'm still angry and upset with him, I feel so at ease, and happy that he is across from me. I have a list a mile long of things I need to know, but as I sit watching him eat his dinner, drink his beer, and talk about his crew, all of those things seem unimportant. I just want one more night with him. One more time to hold him, to kiss him, to touch him. And I want to feel him doing all of those things to me. I have a feeling that if I ask everything I need to, he will bail, and I will never get anything more from him. That thought haunts me, and I decide to wait until tomorrow to seek out the answers I'm craving.

We drive back, commenting on the stars and the moon, and how bright they are. I don't want to take him home, nor am I completely comfortable with going back to my place, so I park along the side of the road near the harbor. There is a beachy area there, and we make the short walk in the moonlight. Sitting next to him, listening to the waves softly lap at the shore, I let out a breath that I feel like I've been holding since the day he left. He's really here—with me—and I want to keep him always. I know I can't, but just for tonight, I want to believe it's possible.

"Did you miss me at all? Honestly?" I ask, my eyes glued to the water in front of us.

"Bella, I told you I did."

"I just want to hear it again."

He slides his arm around my waist, pulling my body tight against his. "I missed you so fucking much, Bella. It hurt to breathe sometimes." His words and breath in my ear make me shiver, and I lean my head against his shoulder. "Did you miss me?"

I don't trust my voice, so I simply nod and murmur an "Uh huh" to him.

I feel his lips on my temple as he kisses me softly, then leans his head against mine. The moment is so perfect, anyone walking up on us would just think we're a normal couple enjoying a quiet moment together.

"Stay with me tonight, Bella. We don't even have to do anything, if you don't want to. I just want to be near you, to have you in my arms. Please, let me take care of you again."

A sigh escapes me as I think about what he's asking. I want it, too, and I turn to look up at him. "Take me home, Edward."

~*0*~

His apartment looks the same as it did the previous year, with the exception of his still unpacked bags on the living room floor.

"I haven't had time to put anything away yet. Sorry for the mess."

I smile and shake my head. "No biggie, I don't care." It's true, I don't care. The only thing I care about in that apartment is him, and I grow nervous as he tugs me toward his bedroom.

"You wanna watch TV or something, or do you just want to sleep? I vote for sleeping, 'cause I'm exhausted, but I'll do whatever you want."

His honesty still makes my knees weak, and I hope when I start asking questions, he'll still be this honest with me.

"Sleeping is fine," I say, then watch as he goes to pull an undershirt out of his suitcase. He hands it to me and I make my way to his bathroom, changing my clothes and washing off the little bit of makeup I've been wearing. When I walk back into his room, he's already in bed, his chest bare and with the sheet lying over his hips. I can tell he has his boxers on, but the sight of him sitting there, waiting for me, has my stomach fluttering. I want him.

He smiles as I climb into the bed, scooting up against him. I lie down on my back and he turns to hover over me.

"I missed this," he says, his eyes bright with emotion. I don't say anything, just wait for him to make a move. If he wants to sleep, I'll sleep. If he wants to fuck, I'll fuck. I don't care, as long as I'm next to him one more time, I'll do whatever he wants me to. "Can I kiss you, baby?"

Hearing him call me baby again makes my stomach clench, and I reach up and place my hand on his cheek, pushing it back so that my fingers tuck into his hair. It's a little longer than it was the last time I saw him, and the memory of seeing it curl out from under his baseball cap last week already has me wet. "Yes, please," I whisper as I pull him down on top of me.

He feels so good, his weight pinning me down to the bed. He tries to shift to the side, but I pull him back. I know he thinks he'll crush me, but he won't. We've been over this before, and finally he gives in and relaxes. We kiss and kiss and kiss, and then his lips begin to move down to my neck, leaving sweet kisses along my cheek and jaw. The air in his apartment is warm, almost stagnant, and after several minutes of our lustful moans and heated breaths, I'm starting to sweat.

"A window, open a window," I whisper as he begins to press his hard cock against me.

I watch as he gets up, hunger clear in his eyes, and reaches above the bed to slide the window open. I'm not always a fan of having people hear us while we're having sex, but at the moment, I don't care. I want people to know he's back. I want people to hear him with someone. I want people to see me leaving his apartment tomorrow morning. I want to stake my claim on him, just like he did to me last year. I don't worry too much about Rose finding out, since she's so caught up lately in being the perfect wife, and trying to get pregnant. She hardly ever comes to Clallam Bay anymore, and when she does, it's just a quick trip—she never hangs around long enough to hear the local gossip.

Edward pulls the sheet back and climbs on top of me, leaning back on his knees as he pulls me up to sit. "I love you in my clothes, but this damn thing needs to come off," he says, as he grabs the hem of his shirt that I'm wearing and pulls it over my head, throwing it to the floor.

His hands instantly go to my breasts and he begins to squeeze them, letting his thumbs rub over my hardened nipples. His lips return to my neck, and he pushes me back down onto my back. I let my hands rake up and down his body, feeling his muscles as he moves and bends over me. The sounds he makes turn me on and make me want him so much, that I start to press my thighs together, hoping to alleviate the want that's building there.

"What's the matter, baby? What do you need?"

"You," I say. "I need you."

He lifts off of me and looks into my eyes. "You got me, I'm all yours."

I kiss him, skimming my hands down his sides until I reach the waistband of his boxers. I push them down, clearing his cock and then sliding them over his ass before I grab them with my feet and pull them the rest of the way down. He kicks them free, then reaches for mine to return the favor.

There's something I like about being with Edward when he's naked and I'm not. I like it the other way around too, when I'm naked and he's not, but this way, I feel almost like even though he's leading things, I'm in control. Like he's bared himself for me, and he's mine for the taking. I squirm a bit when he starts to pull my panties off, and he laughs under his breath.

"I missed this, baby," he says, before lifting the waistband back to my hips, and reaching down between my legs so that his fingers can slip under the fabric there. He knows what I like. I feel him against my folds, and I can hear his hand sliding through the wetness there. The room is so quiet, except for the sounds of sex, that his fingers pushing into me floats through the air like a scream in the night. I love it and I arch into his touch, holding his head over my chest, where his mouth is currently doing unthinkable things to my tits.

"Edward, you feel so good, baby. Don't stop," I mumble, my eyelidss sliding closed as I get more and more lost in this man.

After several minutes, I feel his fingers pull out of me and he grabs my thighs, pulling them around his hips. His dick is hard and throbbing and right there, and I see stars when he pushes into me. It's amazing how perfect that moment is, and we both still for a few seconds, each of us shaking just a bit and pausing to revel in the closeness we're feeling. I don't know for sure what's going on in his head, but the way he looks at me is clear. He really did miss me.

His mouth meets mine again, and he begins to move, thrusting deep and slow into me. He twists his pelvis just a bit and I can feel him hit something deep within me, and it makes my back lift off the bed, it's so good and so needed. As we kiss and move together, his lips trail back to my neck, and I feel him sucking and biting and licking me there. The sensations coursing through my body are so intense that I almost don't hear him speak. And I almost don't register his words. But I do.

"I can't believe I've lasted three months without sex."

Everything screeches to a halt in me, and I stop completely. "What?" I whisper.

Edward raises his head from my neck and looks at me, as he continues to pump into me. "What?" he asks in a breathless voice.

"What did you say?"

He slows down and stares at me, like he's trying to recall the words that just broke my heart.

"I don't know, what did you hear?"

I swallow, and let my hands fall away from him, landing on the bed beside me. "You said you can't believe you lasted three months without sex. Is that what you said?"

I don't need to hear another word. His eyes tell me everything I need to know.

I feel like I'm about to vomit, and I push him off of me. I jump up from the bed and grab desperately on the floor for my clothes, pulling them on as I move about the room.

"Three months? Who the fuck did you sleep with three months ago, Edward?" I scream, tears beginning to fall from my eyes as I feel my body start to shake. He was with someone else? Yet he says he missed me? How could he even consider being with someone else if he missed me? That thought never even crossed my mind while he was away, and my heart is literally hurting at the idea of him pounding his cock into some other woman while I sat home pining for him

"Is that why you told me not to wait? Is that why you told me to date, to find someone? Because you knew you'd be fucking other women? Is that it? I can't believe this—you totally played me, Edward! What was I thinking, waiting around for you?"

I grab my shoes and slide them on, running into the living room to grab my purse that's lying on the kitchen counter top.

"Bella, wait, let me explain!" I hear him calling from the bedroom, and I can see movement, so I know I don't have much time. As I turn to run for the door, I see it. There, on the counter...the Yellow Bell plant I gave him. Dead, and exactly where I put it eight months ago.

I'm frozen and staring at it when he rushes into the room, wearing nothing but jeans. He thinks I'm waiting for him, because he asked me to. But I'm not.

"Bella, if you would just let me-"

"You didn't take it with you, did you?" I say in an eerily quiet voice.

"What?" he asks.

"The plant. You left it here to die, didn't you?"

"Bella, what are you..." I can see him look over to where I'm looking, and he sees it.

"I guess you didn't have time to get rid of it, huh? You must not have wanted any reminders of me around while you were away. Made it easier to go off with other women if you didn't have to think about me."

"No, Bella, I forgot it. You were with me that morning, you know how rushed we were to get out of here."

"We weren't rushed, Edward. You just didn't want it, and you were too chicken to tell me." I turn and look at him, sniffling as I continue to cry over what I've finally realized. "You left it to die here without you, just you like you did to me."

His face falls even more than it already has. "No, Bella, that's not true. It was an accident, I swear, Bella. I didn't mean to-"

"You didn't mean to do a lot of things, Edward. And right now I have a pretty good idea the biggest thing you didn't mean to do was me. I'm just sorry I was stupid enough to fall for it, and fall for you. I guess it would have been better if I'd really died, like my plant, huh? So you could just throw me out in the trash like you to planned to do with that."

His mouth hangs open, like he can't speak, and he can't believe what I've just said. Either I hit the nail on the head, or I've crushed him. Either way, I feel as dead inside as that plant does. And I have to get out of here.

I turn toward the door and pull it open pausing just long enough to glance back at him.

"You wanna know how stupid I am, Edward? I actually thought I loved you."

He lets out an anguished cry as a "No" falls from him lips, and I walk away.

~*0*~

A/N: Well...that just sucks. Man, my mind is filled with horrible things, isn't it? Sorry. But like I said, the story's not over yet. :)

I really, really cried when writing next chapter. I'm a baby, I can't help it. :D But it's FULL of answers, so yes...they're on their way. :)

Now breathe deep and repeat after me: "I will not judge Edward until I know the whole story. I will not judge Edward until I know the whole story. I will have sex with Edward without knowing anything at all, but I will not judge Edward without knowing the whole story." :) Don't you feel better now? :D