So, not so new story ... I'm reposting this. This story was pulled years ago by FFn. That decision (without any sort of warning, really) forced me to move from just posting on FFn to Stars (then The Writer's Coffee Shop), AO3, and FictionPad. After doing some thinking, and FicPad turning into a for-profit platform, I've decided to repost this here.
This is ALREADY COMPLETE! PREWRITTEN
I will be doing some editing for content, but this is written in its entirety on Stars, AO3, Wattpad and FicPad (when it's not being a pain in the butt).
Carrots? Has anyone seen any carrots? The plot bunny attacked and well, you all are going to reap the benefits. NEW STORY! I've been writing some pretty heavy stuff lately and well, I'm going to lighten it up a bit. It's not going to be a humorous story (though there will be some funny bits) but it will be romantic. Some drama…some light angst (there needs to be some sort of conflict or it wouldn't be worth reading, kids).
Yeah, that isn't mine.
Up next will be the continuation of the lemon from this chapter, concert public sex, meeting the parents and leading up to Bella's birthday.
Chapter Eighteen: Confrontations
EPOV
I desperately needed to get my girl home. After hanging out with her friends, I had to have her. It was nice to be social, but seeing Bella all covered up and not being able to take her when I wanted was not fun. I wanted to make love to her all of the time. Don't get me wrong, her friends were great. Ben was a kindred spirit. We bonded over our shared love of Tolkien, D&D and computers. Mike was a bit of a goofball. He tried to chime in with commentary about what Ben and I were talking about but he had no clue. Paul was awesome. He reminded me of Alice but taller and with a penis. The girls were all very nice but I was worried about her friend Becca. Jimmy seemed shady. Very shady and controlling and I didn't like him. At. All.
"Edward, you're scowling, baby," Bella said as she ran her fingers through my hair. "Why are you scowling?"
"Jimmy," I answered, shooting her a wary glance.
"Ah, yes," Bella said, frowning deeply. "I'm with you, Edward, but right now I want to go home and…" She leaned over, sliding her hand down my thigh before palming my cock. I let out a strangled groan. "We can talk about Jimmy later." She sat back and smirked. "The light's green, baby."
"Hmmm," I said as I pressed the gas pedal, driving toward Bella's apartment. In no time, we arrived at her complex. I parked the shiny blue Volvo and gallantly helped Bella out of the car. Once inside of the elevator, I caged her with my body. I leaned down, nuzzling her soft neck with my nose. "So beautiful," I murmured.
"So are you," she whispered, threading her hands into my hair.
At the lobby, the elevator doors opened and Omar slipped inside again. Cockblocker. "Good evening, Omar," Bella said as she stood in front of me, wrapping my arms around her waist. Omar grunted, barely giving us a glance. I heard him mumble under his breath about Bella, calling her a whore in Spanish.
"What did you say?" I asked, my anger growing.
"Nothing, Mr. Cullen," Omar said snidely.
"I beg to differ, Omar. I distinctly heard you call my girlfriend a whore in Spanish," I snapped, stalking over to the security guard. Omar glared at me.
"Is what she is," he spat. Bella gasped, covering her face with her hands. "She fucks you and then goes out with that blonde man. Probably has another man on the side. She's a whore. Spreading her legs for the biggest cock."
"You just signed your release papers, buddy," I growled. The door opened and I pushed him out. "By tomorrow, you'll be fired." His eyes widened. The door began closing and I flipped him the bird. Bella's quiet sniffles filled the elevator. "Gorgeous girl," I cooed.
She turned and fell into my arms. Her tears soaked my shirt. I wanted to kill that ass for hurting Bella's feelings. She was not a whore. She was everything to me. Bending down, I swept her in my arms and carried my sobbing girl to her apartment. Clumsily, I opened the door, carrying her to the bedroom and laid her on the bed. I slipped off her shoes and did the same for me before gathering her in my arms. "You're so amazing, Bella," I whispered against her hair. "You're good and smart and beautiful and you took a broken man, made him whole. I love you, gorgeous girl. That will never change." She sobbed harder, gripping my shirt. "Omar will pay for what he said to you."
"Don't hurt him, Edward," she choked out.
"I won't, but he will be out of a job," I said flatly. "His actions have consequences. Now, let me take care of you."
"Edward, I don't…" she pouted.
"As much as I want to make love to you, I am certain that you don't want that. I want to take a bath with you. Wash those words from your body, from your mind. You've got a pretty big tub that can fit both of us," I smirked. "Let me do this?"
"Okay," she said, a few tears falling down her cheeks. I kissed her lips softly before getting out of bed and going into the bathroom. I lit a few scattered candles before turning on the water. I added bath salts and bubble bath to the water before going back into the bedroom. Bella was curled up in a ball, still crying. I tenderly picked her up, kissing her neck. She buried her face against my chest as I easily carried her to the bathroom, depositing her onto the counter.
Reverently, I removed Bella's clothes. Seeing her pale skin glow under the candlelight made my cock swell, but it wasn't about sex or making love. It was about healing the wounds that Omar opened with his words. "You know that you're not what he called you, right?" I asked, brushing her hair over her shoulders.
"I know, but it still hurts," she said, a lone tear falling down her cheek.
I wiped it away. Gently, I guided her chin to look at me, "You're not a whore. You're the love of my life who is the most beautiful, caring, loving and perfect woman I'd ever known."
"I'm hardly perfect," she snorted. She glowered at her body.
"No one's perfect, Bella. But you're perfect for me," I said softly, dropping to my knees to look into her eyes, which had stayed firmly on her body. "We all have flaws, gorgeous girl. Some of them are outward, while others are firmly inside. All I know and all I care about is that I love you and you love me, despite my flaws. That, in and of itself, makes you perfect." I moved her closer to me. "Arms around my neck, Bella."
She glowered at me but begrudgingly put her arms around my neck. I cupped her ass, lifting her off the counter and carried her the short distance the bathtub. She slid into the fragrant water and twisted her hair up into some intricate twist. "Are you joining me?"
"If that's what you would like," I smiled. She bit her lip and nodded. I removed my clothes, slipping in behind Bella. She was still quiet and down. I pulled her to my chest, massaging her shoulders. She turned and curled up, putting her head on my shoulder. What started off as being romantic banter and sexual teasing all night turned into something completely different. Omar, the asshat, made my girl feel inferior. That shit doesn't fly. "Bella, I love you," I whispered against her hair. "Don't let one man's wrong opinion of you get you down."
"I know," she said.
"If anyone is a whore, it's me," I chuckled humorlessly. That earned me a hard smack to the chest. "Ow."
"You're not a whore, Edward," she admonished. "You're a good man who got lost. Omar is a dickhead and I'm taking it too seriously."
"Well, I seriously meant it that he signed his walking papers. Once we're done with the bath, you need to type up a complaint. I'll do the same and deliver it to the property manager," I said, kissing her forehead.
"I want to go with you. I'll call Paul and go in later. I can start working on my assignments from home," she sighed. She turned and looked at me. Her brown eyes were glimmering in the flickering lights of the candles. "Thank you for protecting me, Edward." Her legs straddled mine. Her hands twined into my hair, tugging on the strands painfully. "And if you call yourself a whore again, I will kick your ass. Got it?"
"I got it, love," I said, kissing her lips softly. She smacked my head before curling back up in my arms. We stayed in the tub until the bubbles melted away and water cooled. I took care of my girl, drying her lithe body with a fluffy towel. Afterward, I slipped on a pair of boxer briefs and went to get some pajamas for Bella. However, she swiped my dress shirt from earlier and put it on her body. With nothing underneath.
Dear God, she's going to kill me.
We crawled into bed after typing up our accounts of Omar's verbal sparring. Bella was still pretty quiet and obviously upset. I just held her as she processed what happened. I was thinking of how many ways I could torture Omar, the douchebag security guard. By the time my eyes closed, I had come up with nearly three hundred eighty-six.
The next morning, Bella and I went down to the property manager's office with our typed out accounts of Omar's verbal attack. The manager was shocked and called Omar in immediately. It was apparent that Omar was sleeping or very close to it. His greasy black hair was disheveled and his clothes were mismatched. When Omar saw us, he blanched and Bella gave him an evil sneer.
The property manager gave him fifteen minutes to clear out his locker. Omar stumbled out of the office and toward the employee lounge. In addition to Omar's termination, the property manager also waived Bella's rent for two months. With a smile, she strode out of the office. We ate an early lunch before she drove in to the newspaper. She said that she was going to be a little late due to our meeting with the property manager. I told her to not worry about it. With a kiss, she darted to her car and I went back upstairs to her apartment.
I dialed my sister and eagerly waited for her to pick up. "Isle Esme, this is Alice Cullen," she said professionally.
"Hey, Alice," I said.
"You're ALIVE!" she quipped.
"Wench," I snorted. "Of course I'm alive."
"Could have fooled me. A phone call would have been nice. Mom's been going crazy not hearing from you, Edward," she giggled. I frowned, feeling guilty for not contacting sooner. "How's Bella?"
"Amazing," I breathed, laying back on Bella's bright red couch. "Alice, I can't leave her."
"I knew that, Edward," she said quietly. "So did Mom and Dad. I've already canceled your return flight."
"I don't know what to do, Alice. I mean…I'll go batshit crazy if I don't have some sort of purpose up here," I grumbled.
"I know you've been working on that song for Bella," Alice said quietly. "Get back into your music. Or dabble with your computer stuff."
"That's all well and good for relaxation. I'm talking about a job," I snickered.
"So am I," she chided. "Do you remember that one gaming group that was sniffing around you a couple of years back? New Moon Gaming? They were interested in that elven game you developed."
"I don't have the right laptop, Alice. I just brought my MacBook," I grumbled.
"I'll send you the heavy duty one," Alice shrugged. "Or you could buy a new one."
"All of the work is saved to that laptop," I said, my cogs turning.
"It'll be out with the next mail run, Edward. Anything else you want me to send?" she asked.
"I'll make a list, Sprite," I replied, writing down everything I'd possibly need for the next year. Whatever Alice couldn't send, I'd buy up in Seattle.
"Just make sure that you come down for Christmas. You know mom would have your head if you don't come for the holidays," she chided. "Bring Bella, too."
"I'll see what I can do, Alice," I said absentmindedly.
"I'll let you go, Edward. I can tell that you're geeking out," she laughed. "Love you, brother mine."
"Love you, too, Alice," I said as I hung up the phone, scribbling down my list. Once I finished, I sent my list down to my sister. Her response was immediate. She would send my laptop, midi keyboard and recording equipment. The rest she'd bring up when she and Jasper came to visit for Halloween. Before I could fully geek out, I accessed my trust fund, withdrawing a fair amount and depositing it into my checking account. My parents were still 'paying' me for working at the resort since I was on vacation, but I didn't want to be a complete freeloader. If I was going to stay with Bella, I wanted to contribute to the household. Split the bills, take care of her. In order to do that, I needed money.
I didn't want to jump the gun about anything. I mean, if Bella didn't want me to stay the entire time, I'd leave. Nervously, I bit my lip about how she'd react about me inviting myself to stay permanently. Crap. What if she says no? Alice must have realized my trepidation and she sent me a text.
Bella wants a roomie. Stop stressing, Edward! Make her some dinner and surprise her! *Hugs!* - Alice
Thanks, Ali – Edward
I checked her fridge and found it fully stocked. I rummaged through her food and found the makings of Chicken Milanese. It was time consuming but absolutely delicious. I hoped Bella enjoyed it. The meal took me a majority of the day to make. With the frying of the chicken, baking it with peppers, mushrooms and marsala wine, and preparing the perfect side dish of pasta. Around seven, Bella called me and told me that she was on her way back home. I assembled the salad and set the table in her dining room. I scowled when I realized that I didn't have flowers or anything for my girl. This was a big deal; flowers should be involved.
I texted Bella, asked if she was close to being home. She said that she got stopped by Marcus and had to get gas. She'd be home in a half hour. I had enough time to run across the street to a small florist shop. I grabbed my keys and darted out of the apartment. In the florist's shop, I found a bouquet of pink and purple flowers in a silver vase. I paid for the flowers, running back across the street. In the apartment, I put the flowers in the center of Bella's dining room table. I checked the time and saw that I had a half hour before Bella got home. I showered and put on a pair of dress slacks and a long-sleeved dress shirt, rolling the cuffs to the elbows. I heard the door open and Bella's heels on the hardwood floor. I slipped into the dining room, swiping a pink rose from the floral arrangement. With a grin, I found her in the foyer, taking off her shoes.
"For you, my love," I said handing her the flower.
"Oh, it's beautiful," she sighed, taking it from my hand. She inhaled deeply. "I love the color."
"I figured you would. I remembered your love of the color pink," I said as I dropped down to kiss her. "Hi. I missed you."
"I missed you too," she replied, wrapping her arms around my neck. "It smells good in here. Did you make dinner?"
"I did," I smirked, guiding her to the elegantly set dining room table. I helped her into a chair before I went into the kitchen to get our meal. I balanced the platter of chicken and the bowl of pasta. Without dropping anything, I put it in front of Bella. Kissing her nose, I went back into the kitchen to get the salad and a bottle of wine.
"This looks delicious, Edward. You make such a wonderful house husband," she quipped.
"Ha ha," I deadpanned as I poured her a glass of wine. "I wanted to do something special for my girl. Can't I do that?"
"Of course you can," she blushed. "Thank you, baby."
"You're welcome."
"Is there a reason behind this scrumptious looking feast?" Bella asked as she began serving herself some pasta. I forked a few pieces of chicken before we traded bowls. I blushed. "There is. Are you playing out your dessert fantasy?"
"No, Bella," I snorted. "Though that would have been sweet if I had the forethought to do that. I wanted to cook dinner for you because I wanted to tell you something."
"Are you breaking up with me?" she asked, her eyes glistening with tears.
"What? Fuck no!" I said as I took her hand in mine. "Bella, I came to the realization today that I can't leave you. Being separated for a little under two months was hell for me. Yes, I was focused on work and got a lot of shit done for the resort, but that's no longer my sole purpose in life anymore. You are."
"You're staying?" she blubbered.
"I'm staying," I whispered, brushing an errant curl from her face. "I had a few logistic things I needed to work out and Alice is helping with that, but as far as I'm concerned, Seattle is now my home."
Bella let out an Alice-like squeal before throwing herself into my arms. The power of her enthusiastic hug caused me to topple backwards with her giving me kisses all along my face before devouring my lips with hers. "You're staying! Oh, Edward! I'm so happy!" she said, her face beaming radiantly at me. Then she frowned. "Why are we on the floor?"
"I fell," I chuckled. "Your happiness was quite robust, baby."
"Shit! Are you okay?" she asked, inspecting my head, shoulders and body.
"I'm fine," I laughed, getting up and righting the chair. I helped Bella up and she blushed furiously. "I take it you like my surprise?"
"You're staying. No more separations. Of course I like it," she said, wrapping her arms around my neck. This time it was more seductive and her eyes were darkened with desire. "Can I show you how much?"
"But dinner," I argued lamely.
"Looks delicious but I want you more. I need you," she purred, pushing me toward her bedroom.
Suffice it to say, we ate dinner, naked at midnight in Bella's bedroom. After we made love, celebrating my decision to stay indefinitely.
xx AIDA xx
The next morning, Bella had to go into the office early. She had to do some research on Mumford and Sons. We were going to their concert at the Triple Door. It was a smaller venue than they usually played but this was for a benefit concert series being held at the Triple Door over the next week. Bella had to look up information about the benefit that Mumford and Sons was supporting.
While she was at the office, I called my parents and informed them of my leave of absence. Mom knew and she was thrilled. Dad was less than enthused, but understanding. As Alice predicted, Mom asked if I was coming home for Christmas. I told her I'd look into it.
Around three, Bella came home and said that she needed to get ready for the concert. She's a flurry of nerves, excitement and anal retentiveness. I'd never seen Bella like this before. Apparently this concert and her covering it was a big deal.
"Edward, can you make sure that my camera has enough juice?"
"Edward, can you check my bag to see if I have at least ten mechanical pencils?"
"Edward, where are my boots?! I have to look professional but sexy to meet with Mumford and Sons. Paul's words. Not mine."
"Edward, have you seen my press pass?"
"Edward, can…"
I stopped her with a kiss. "Breathe, baby," I said, cupping her face in my hands. "You'll do awesome."
"Sorry, I'm in melt-down mode," she quipped, biting her lip. "I want to make sure that this article is good. It's one of my last big assignments in the Arts and Entertainment section."
"You don't start your new job until October," I said, arching a brow.
"No, but Patricia is thinking she may go early. Her doctors are concerned about her blood pressure. I'm pretty much on standby until she's pulled out due to whatever medical reason," Bella said. "On Monday, I submit my copy of the Mumford concert and then I move up to the news floor to work on my transition."
"Congratulations, gorgeous girl," I said, beaming widely.
"So, I have to make sure that everything is perfect tonight," she said, her brown eyes widening. "How are you with a camera?"
"Okay, I guess," I said, arching a brow. She darted from my arms and handed me a large bag. "Bella, what is this?"
"My beast," she said as she pulled out a hefty Nikon DSLR. She flipped it on and looked through the view finder. "Okay, I want you take my picture. No flash." I arched a brow as she walked toward the couch. The lighting was dim but with the monster in my hand, that shouldn't be a problem. I switched the ISO and held up the camera. A few clicks later, I had a handful pictures of Bella. She danced to me, appraising my work. "Hmmm, not bad, Edward. For the concert, use sports mode. The lights from the stage will make it easy to shoot."
"Am I your photographer tonight?" I quipped.
"Yep."
"Are we going to enjoy the concert as well?" I teased, wrapping my arms around her waist.
"Once I've gotten the information I need," she said, putting her arms on my biceps. "We've got to go. My interview with the band is prior to the concert. Oh, and here's your backstage pass." She slipped a lanyard over my head. "All access, Mr. Cullen."
"Nice," I smirked, holding the badge to inspect it. Bella kissed my cheek and went back to her imitation of the Tasmanian devil. Ten minutes later, we're in the car along with her messenger bag, her camera bag and our tickets. At the venue, we valet park and go inside, ushered into a tiny room with the band. I was having a fanboy moment as I was sitting down. Across from MUMFORD AND SONS. Bella elbowed me and I went about putting together the camera. As Bella asked amazing questions, I began snapping pictures, after I got permission, of course. The guys are down to earth and obviously taken with my girlfriend.
After about twenty minutes, Bella wraps up the interview and shook hands with each of the band members. I did the same before we went into the venue. We were ushered to the balcony. The lights dimmed and the opening act came out. I took some pictures as Bella wrote down some information on her pad of paper. Based on her wrinkled nose, she didn't care for the opening band.
"Everything okay, gorgeous?" I asked, slinging the camera over my shoulder.
"I did a write up on these guys a couple of weeks ago. Sadly, they haven't improved," she groaned.
"They are pretty atrocious," I snickered, wrapping my arm around her waist.
"I need to get enough information for about four songs for Mumford, then we can enjoy the concert," she said, looking up at me. "I'm sorry about this being a work thing."
"Bella, it's okay. I met Mumford and Sons. I'm here with my girl. Life can't get much better than this," I said, kissing her lips softly.
"Well, it could get better," she purred against my mouth. Slowly, she kissed to my ear, nipping at my lobe. "I'm not wearing any panties. Just saying." She turned around and positioned herself in front of me, wiggling her skirt covered ass against my now burgeoning erection.
No panties.
She's not wearing panties.
Fuck me…
Forty-five minutes later, the stage was set for the main act, Mumford and Sons. When they came out, the crowd went wild. So did Bella's pencil. I snapped photos of them on stage along with the crowd. I even managed to get a few of Bella as she was concentrating.
As promised, Bella put her pad of paper into her messenger bag and took the camera from me, stowing it in the camera bag. "What do you think of the concert?" Bella asked, yelling over the din of the band.
"Amazing," I said, cupping her face. She smiled at me, kissing me softly before moving her body in front of mine. We swayed to the music. It was sensual to be with my girl like this. The sounds of the guitar, mandolin and drums below us. The rough voice Marcus Mumford filling the large room. I leaned down and pressed my lips to Bella's neck. She moaned, swiveling her hips against me. Gently I moved her hands to the metal bar in front of us. "Keep these here, Bella."
"What are you doing?" she breathed.
"I'm going to make you come with my fingers and then I'm going to fuck you," I growled against her ear. I reached down and traced my hand up her leg. "Spread, baby."
"Shit," she spat as she moved her legs. I reached the apex of her thighs, feeling her obvious arousal on her skin. I chuckled darkly against her neck, sucking lightly on her fragrant flesh. My middle finger came in contact with her clit, which was aroused and ready for me to play with. I circled it with my fingers, spreading her wetness all along her outer lips of her pussy. "Fuck, Edward….so good."
"I can feel how wet you are, Isabella," I crooned in her ear. "The fact that you're being finger fucked in public, is that a turn on?"
"Yes," she breathed. "More, Edward. Please…"
'Broken Crown' began on the stage below us. The beat and the gritty vocals were perfect for what we were doing: public fucking. I deftly unbuckled my belt and released my now rock hard cock. Bella has already come undone around my fingers, being hyper sensitive to our vulnerable position. "You ready, gorgeous girl?" I asked as I lifted her skirt.
"Take me, Edward. Fuck me," she commanded, glaring at me. I smirked before sliding into her warmth and covering the evidence with her skirt. My movements are slow. So are Bella's. Her lower lips are clasped around my cock as she wriggled with the music. I wanted to see her body slid over me but I didn't want us to get arrested.
"So tight, Bella," I grunted as I minutely moved my hips. "God, I wish I could see you." She turned and looked at me, her lip hidden between her teeth. I leaned forward and kissed her neck before covering her lips with mine. As the music built, so did my orgasm. I wasn't moving much but the illicit nature of our coupling made it that much more erotic.
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" she chanted as her hips moved with abandon. Her body clenched around me and it caused my own orgasm to release inside of her. My arms banded around her so I wouldn't let out the guttural scream I normally would if we were alone. I slipped out from her and tucked myself back into my jeans. I reached into my jacket pocket and surreptitiously wiped between Bella's legs, capturing our combined releases. She turned around, wrapping her arms around me and buried her head against my neck. "That was hot, Edward."
"It was," I chuckled but I felt strangely guilty. What we just did was something that the old Edward would have done. I would have objectified women and fuck them wherever I chose, the consequences be damned.
"Edward?" she asked, looking at me. "Are you okay?"
I dropped my gaze to her pendant. I shook my head no. "I shouldn't have done that, Bella. I'm so sorry," I whispered.
"What?" Bella asked as she guided my face to hers.
"I shouldn't have done that, Bella. It was very reminiscent of Slutward," I scowled. I gathered her in my arms and buried my nose into her soft, fragrant hair.
"Hey, hey," she chided, putting her hands on either side of my face. "I wanted it, Edward. Why else would I have not worn panties?"
"You deserve to be cherished, gorgeous girl," I pouted. "That was not…"
"It was hot and I wanted you take me here," she said, giving me a warm smile. "Now, I'm going to go to the bathroom and address the aftermath. Don't pout. I. Wanted. It." I nodded and watched Bella saunter past other reporters. While her words were meant to soothe me, I felt anything but. From now on, Slutward would stay completely under wraps. I wanted to be a better man. My Bella deserved flowers, jewels and happiness, not fucking in public or being objectified. I didn't want to fall back into the Slutward rut. Kink and fun in the bedroom was okay, but what we did…no more. Bella came back and she saw my face. "You're still stressing over what we just did?"
I nodded. Kissing her softly, "We'll talk about it in the car, okay? Let's enjoy the rest of the concert." Her eyes deadened slightly and she turned away from me. Before, she was pressed against me. Now, she was a few feet away, scribbling again in her notebook. To stop my mind from perseverating over what happened, I picked up the camera and took pictures of the remainder of the show. Afterward, the band thanked Seattle before leaving the stage. Bella began packing up her belongings and we walked in a strained silence to her Volvo.
She put her stuff into the trunk and got into the car. I slunk into the passenger seat. "Bella, please don't be mad," I said. "You have to understand that…that…that I don't want to be him. The old Edward would just take and not worry about anybody else. What I did up in the balcony of the concert was Slutward at his finest."
"Edward, what part of 'I wanted it' do you not get?" she spat.
"The part that I don't. It was a mistake!" I growled in return. I pinched my nose and took a breath. I didn't want to yell.
Bella gasped and she turned over the car. With a little more gusto than anticipated, she sped out of the parking lot. I was slammed against the leather seat of the car. She drove through the streets of Seattle too quickly and her face was covered with tears. I did that and I hated it. Before I knew it, we arrived at her apartment. She swiped her keys and ran out of the car. Her sobs tore at my heart. I thrust my hands into my hair and sat in her car. I didn't know what to do. I had hurt her.
Feeling lost and hopeless, I called Alice. It went to voicemail. Then, I tried Emmett. He picked up, thankfully. "Yo, bro! Why in the hell are you calling me at o'dark thirty?"
"I need your help, Em," I said miserably. "I fucked up."
"Okay, start from the beginning," he said quietly. I told him about the concert and Bella's admission about her panty situation. I explained our nefarious tryst and how I regretted it immediately. Once I was done, Emmett sighed. "Edward, you didn't fuck up. Okay, you did a little, but in reality, Bella is kind of at fault, too. She may have wanted the public sex and instigated it with her admission of her lack of underwear. However, the fact of the matter is that you did do it and you came to the realization that it's not you, right?"
"No. It's too close to what I was," I muttered. "I don't want that anymore."
"So you want puppy dogs and sunshine all of the time? Vanilla, lame-o sex?" Emmett chuckled.
"Lame-o sex ain't all that bad, Emmett," I said flatly.
"I know, I know. I'm kidding. Edward, what you need to do is find a balance between the old you and the new you. You also need to talk to Bella about you feel and address how she feels. Right now, my guess is that she feels rejected by you since you did say it was a 'mistake,'" Emmett chuckled.
"Not her, just what we did," I said frantically.
"She's an emotional mess. She probably thinks that your relationship is a mistake," Emmett said. "You know what you said, I understand it but Bella in her emotional, hormonal-induced haze is not rational."
"I'm screwed," I groaned.
"Where are you?"
"In the car. She's up in the apartment," I explained.
"Okay, go upstairs and give her space. Tomorrow morning, after she's cooled down, talk to her and explain your feelings, Edward," Emmett said. "I get it, little bro. I really do. Get her to understand. If she can't, then she isn't worth your time." My heart shattered and I couldn't breathe. "Whoa, Edward, relax. You need to breathe."
"I can't not be with her, Emmett. I love her," I panted out.
"I know, bro. I also know that she'll understand your reasons why you didn't like what happened tonight. Now, head upstairs and let her be. You're on the couch tonight, buddy-boy," Emmett snickered.
"I kind of gathered that," I said as I got out of the car, popping the trunk and getting her bags. "Thanks, Emmett."
"No problem, Edward. Love you, man. Let me know what happens," he said.
"Will do," I said as I got on the elevator and went up to Bella's apartment. I saw that the door to her bedroom was closed and quiet sobs filled the space. I wanted to go in there and make it better, but I was the unfortunate cause. I pressed my hand to the door before going into the guest bathroom to wash my face and strip out of my clothes. I went out onto the couch and made myself as comfortable as I could, curling up on the tiny sofa.
Sleep didn't come, though. I tossed and turned, unable to get comfortable. I missed Bella's tiny body tucked up against me. I felt guilty for yelling. I felt guilty for everything that happened. I fucked up. I'm fucked up.
Shortly after the sun came up, Bella padded out of her bedroom, looking very bereft and sullen. Her cheeks were pale and her eyes were very puffy from crying. Around her slender frame was one of my dress shirts. "Hi," I said quietly.
"You're still here?" she asked, her brown eyes boring into me.
"I can leave if you want but all of my stuff was in your room," I said quietly. "I can get a hotel room and head back…"
"No!" she said, holding her hand out. "I wasn't sure if you came back home. I know that I left in a huff. I was just so upset at you, Edward. I thought you said that we were a mistake."
"We're not, Bella. What we did at the club was a mistake," I said quietly.
"That's what Alice said," she muttered, sitting down on the chair across from me. "I called her when I came upstairs and told her what happened. She wanted to slap you."
"I wanted to slap me," I chuckled humorlessly.
"Honestly, right now, I want to slap myself," Bella said as she curled up on the chair. "I was wrong, Edward. I was so fixated on how I was feeling that I didn't take into account how you were feeling. I'm sorry."
"We both made mistakes last night," I said, pouting slightly.
"No. I was the asshole. It was all me," she said, giving me a hard stare. "It was illicit and wanton, but you didn't want to do it. I mean, you did it but afterward you felt guilty. I thought that you felt badly about doing it to me but then it took Alice to explain it to me that what you did was what you did before. I know you said it but it took Alice to really pound it home." She got up and sat next to me. "I'm so sorry, Edward. You're trying to change and here I am, waving a red flag in front of a bull…"
"Bella, you have to understand that I'm trying very, very hard to treat you right. I want to give you the best things. I want to spoil you and make you feel like a princess. Last night, while we were fucking in that club, I saw what I was and I hated myself because of it. I never, ever wanted to treat you like that. I still don't. However, my brilliant brother said that I need to find a balance between the old me and new me. There are things that old me would love to do, like fuck in a club, the real hard-core kinky shit, in cars and stuff. The new me is more traditional…flowers, beds, and making love. I'm not saying we can't do the kinky stuff but until I feel more comfortable in my skin, let's hold off on doing that and slowly add it into our lovemaking. Make sense?"
"It does. I am truly sorry for what I did at the club and for how I behaved afterward. I thought you were rejecting me," she sniffled.
"I could never do that, Bella. I love you with my whole heart," I said as I tentatively picked up her hand. She threw herself onto my lap and wrapped her arms around my neck. She sobbed against my shoulder, repeating that she was sorry. I held her tightly as she cried on me. I also said I was sorry for yelling. She pulled back and looked at me. Her eyes were filled with tears. "Please don't cry, Bella. I'm sorry I hurt your feelings. I never…"
"This was all me. I'm sorry for hurting you," she said as she put her tiny hand on my scruffy cheek. "Now, I don't know about you but I slept for shit."
"You slept?" I asked incredulously.
"Okay, I didn't sleep," she deadpanned. "I cried. You're meeting my parents later today and you've got to be on your best behavior. Come back to bed with me, Edward."
"On one condition," I said as I kissed her palm.
"What's that?"
"Next time something like this happens, a disagreement, we talk about it first? I don't like sleeping without you and my mom said it's important to never go to sleep mad," I said.
"Technically, we never went to sleep and we're not mad anymore," she laughed, a few more tears spilling out of her cheeks. I arched a brow. "You're right. You're totally right. I agree to your condition."
"Good," I said as I kissed her lips chastely. "Legs, Swan." She giggled and wrapped her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist. I cupped her ass and surprise, surprise, discovered she wasn't wearing panties. "Don't you ever learn?" She just grinned at me before kissing me. I carried her to the bedroom and after a romp of makeup sex, we finally fell asleep at nearly seven in the morning, setting the alarm for two in the afternoon to get up for dinner with Bella's parents.
When we woke up, we had another round of makeup sex and then I had a makeup blowjob in the shower. While Bella was getting ready, I made us a snack of crackers and cheese. Bella's mom had called to confirm our dinner and informed us that we were going to Pink Door. I noticed that Bella was wearing a dress and some heels. I decided to dress it up a bit and put on a pair of black slacks, a white dress shirt and a gray and purple tie. As I was tying my tie, I was getting nervous. I'd only ever done the parent thing once before.
With Lauren.
Even now, her parents freaked me out. Mrs. Mallory was cold and cruel while Dr. Mallory was never home, presumably with his mistress. Like father, like daughter. Now, Bella's parents, especially her father terrified me. Detective Swan can legally carry a gun. I could be fish bait if he didn't like me. What if he found out what we did at the club last night? I'd be a eunuch faster than a blink of an eye.
"Edward, are you okay?" Bella asked, putting her hand on my arm. "You look a little green."
"I'm fine," I squeaked out. "I think I tied my tie too tight." I pulled it away from my neck, but the feeling of being strangled was still there.
"Baby, my parents will love you," Bella soothed, running her hands through my hair. "My mom thinks you're hot and will give her gorgeous grandbabies. Charlie will be gruff but will warm up to you, I'm certain. You're straight. Definitely a step up in his eyes."
"Right. That's a sure-fire way to get your dad to like me," I deadpanned.
"When you put it that way," she giggled, kissing my chin. "Come on, we need to get going. Mom wants us to drive together so we need to meet up at my parents' home."
Gulp.
"Edward, we just survived our first real fight. Meeting my parents should be a cakewalk," Bella said airily. That didn't really assuage my fears. "Breathe, Edward."
"He's going to hate me," I choked out, looking at her. "Your dad is going to shoot off my nads."
"Not if my mother has any say in it. She desperately wants grandchildren. She can't get grandchildren if you're minus your twig and berries." Bella grabbed my hand and led me toward the door.
"We need to stop for something. I'd like to get your mom some flowers and perhaps a Kevlar vest for me," I quipped, trying to keep the waver out of my voice.
"Stop it, Edward," Bella chided.
"Seriously, I would like to pick up some flowers for your mom. It would be nice to get in her good graces," I said, still tugging at my tie. Together, we walked to the florist across the street. Bella pointed out a bouquet that would match in her parents' kitchen. I picked up, paid for it and we went into the car to drive to her childhood home. Thankfully, Bella had me drive. I would have been a bundle of nervous energy sitting in the passenger seat. Focusing on the car helped with my anxiety, though I wanted nothing more than to find a filthy house and clean it.
We arrived at a decent sized home. I parked on the street and helped Bella out of the car. Threading my fingers with hers, we walked up the steps to Bella's parents' house. She used her key and we went inside. "Hello?" Bella called.
"In the kitchen, Bells," came a gruff voice. "Your mom's still putting on her face."
Bella dragged me into the kitchen and walked up to the tall, dark-haired man who was reading the newspaper. I could tell that Bella got her eyes and coloring from him. "Daddy," she smiled, walking into his arms. "Nice of you to wear the monkey suit."
"Your mother made me," he chuckled, kissing her forehead.
"Dad, this is Edward Cullen," Bella said, walking over to my side. I put down the flowers and held out my hand. "Edward, this is my father, Charlie Swan."
"Nice to meet you, sir," I said, sounding like a boy going through puberty.
"You, too, Edward," Charlie replied, gripping my hand tightly. Holy crap, I can feel the bones rubbing against each other.
"Dad, stop it," Bella admonished, smacking her father's arm.
"What?" he asked innocently, releasing my hand.
"I heard the bones cracking," she said, picking up my hand and inspecting it. "Be nice."
"Fine, fine," he grumbled. "You want a beer, Edward?"
Bella nodded minutely. "Yes, sir. That would be great," I smiled. Charlie got two cans of beer and tossed me one. I opened it up and took a nice healthy swig. Ugh, I hate beer.
"You like it, Edward?"
"Delicious," I said.
"Bella?! Edward?" called a high female voice.
"Kitchen, Mom. Dad's trying to out-macho my boyfriend," Bella giggled.
"Charles Swan, you promised to behave," said Bella's mom as she strode into the kitchen. "No beer! We're leaving in five minutes." She grabbed Charlie's can and mine, thankfully, and poured it down the kitchen drain.
"Renee, come on. One can wouldn't have killed us," Charlie grumbled.
Renee glowered at her husband before turning to Bella and me. "Ooooh! What a picture perfect couple?" she squealed. She pinched my cheek before hugging me tightly. "I'm Renee and you're adorable."
"Thank you, Mrs. Swan," I said politely. I picked up the flowers, handing them to her. "For you."
"So polite," she grinned. "And generous. Thank you, Edward. I love them."
"Nothing for me, Edward?" Charlie snickered.
"Dad!"
"Charles Eugene Swan!" Renee yelled at the same time. Charlie shrugged and picked up his car keys, grumbling about warming the car up. It was seventy degrees out… "I'm sorry about him. He's pulling this machismo bullshit for no apparent reason. He didn't do it with Tyler."
"That's because Tyler wasn't manly," Bella deadpanned. "He was prettier than me."
"Doubtful," I said as I kissed Bella's cheek. "You're the most beautiful woman in the world."
"Of course she is," Renee said as she looped her arm with mine. "But, Tyler was very pretty. His skin was like butter, I tell you."
"Mom, let's go. Dad probably wants to gnaw off his own arm because he's missing some sporting event tonight," Bella said, nudging me slightly.
"The Mariners and there's a Seahawks preseason game," Renee snorted.
"Did you confiscate Daddy's phone?" Bella asked. "If you haven't, he's going to be looking at it all night long."
"Already locked in the safe, Bella. I've got his work phone but his new iPhone is upstairs," Renee said sagely, dragging me and Bella out into the garage. Charlie was sitting in an idling red Nissan Altima. "You sit in front with Charlie. You've got long legs."
"Thanks, Mrs. Swan," I said.
"Please, call me Renee," she giggled, pinching my cheek. God, my cheeks are going to be bruised with all of the pinching. I got into the car. Charlie narrowed his eyes at me. Once Renee and Bella were in the backseat, he easily backed the car out and drove to the Pink Door.
We were seated immediately and our orders were taken. Renee chattered happily about her students. Charlie was pretty much silent throughout the meal, save for a few grunts of agreement or discontent. Bella glowered at him for not being social. Over dessert, Charlie decided to join the conversation. "So, Edward, what do you do?"
"Well, I'm taking a leave of absence from job as a manager of a luxury resort down off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. My family owns Isle Esme and I usually run the business end of it," I explained.
"What did you major in? Hotel management?" he asked.
"No. My major was business and finance. I went to Harvard for undergrad and received my MBA from Dartmouth," I said.
"Daddy, he's not one of your goons in your interrogation room. Lay off," Bella hissed.
"I want to make sure that Edward can provide for you. I should have done this with…Tyler," Charlie grumbled. He looked back at me. "Now, you're taking a leave of absence. What are you doing now? How are you making money?"
"Well, sir, I've never taken a vacation, so I have a lot of time saved up," I said. "Additionally, I have a fair amount of money saved up. I know I'm staying with Bella and I intend to chip in my fair share. Finally, I've spoken with my sister and well, she reminded me of a few things that I long since put to the side. I am a classically trained musician and a bit of a computer nerd. I started working on a game a long time ago and well, a local company sniffed around for it and I went to get back into it."
"Are you done, Daddy?" Bella asked flatly.
"Not quite," Charlie said. "Do you love my daughter?"
"Sir, I love Bella with every bone in my body. When we met, I was in a dark place and she honestly was the shining light that brought me home. She's smart, beautiful, witty, sarcastic, and perfect…for me. Is our relationship unconventional? Yes, but it's us and nothing and I mean nothing will ever take her away from me. The only way that I leave or we break up is if she tells me she doesn't want me anymore."
"Which will be never," she chimed in, kissing my cheek.
"To put it bluntly, sir, Bella's it for me," I said, looking her father in the eye.
"One final question," Charlie said, tenting his hands. "You straight?"
"Unequivocally."
"Good, because I don't want a repeat of the last wedding."
A/N: There you have it…I hoped you like it. Some drama, but nothing that these two can't handle. There are some picture teasers which are found on my blog. The link is on my profile. You can also find me on Facebook: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation or on Twitter: tufano79. I also created some outfits for these guys on my polyvore: tufano79, there too.
Up next will be the discussions of Edward's extension of his stay, concerns about Becca and Alice's visit to Seattle. Leave me some lovin!