"So, it seems we aren't the only people who are taking refuge here for the night," Bella explained as she got back into the passenger seat of the car and dangled the lone room key from her finger. "We got the last room and it's only got one bed."
"Oh," Edward replied anxiously, having been caught completely off guard. When they had pulled into the parking lot they agreed to two bedrooms, preferably beside each other, but they had both thought the privacy was the best thing for them. Things just didn't work out that way.
Bella shook off the initial concerns and decided to make the best of it. After all, Edward had left the comfort of his home fortress to help her, the least she could do was be an adult about the entire sleeping situation. Getting back on the road in the worsening weather was not an option. "That's no problem, we can make this work."
Edward moved the Volvo and parked in front of their small motel room door and Bella grabbed her bag from the backseat. She had brought some clothes and personal items to her dad's place the night before, but Edward had nothing. He didn't think he would be spending the night anywhere, so of course he didn't pack a bag. It was going to be weird, but they were going to have a good time, he hoped.
When they got out of the car, Edward anxiously looked around the snowy dark night, looking for something, but nothing at the same time. Bella watched him and urged him into the bedroom reminding him how cold and late it was. Without a second thought, he shut the car door and immediately went into the room, eager to be inside.
While Edward stayed holed up in their hotel room, Bella crossed the street to the small gas station to get them a few rations for the evening. With Edward's credit card in hand, Bella stocked up on bottles of wine and water, as well as some snacks. Anything she thought they would enjoy to pass the time and make the evening go quicker. If Bella was being honest with herself, she would admit that there was no way she would sleep at all that night.
She had a quick glance at the room before leaving to get their food and it was cozy, to put it nicely. There was literally a long dresser with an old flat screen TV on it and a king sized bed, that was it. The wallpaper was peeling from the dingy walls and it was clear that the room was in desperate need of a remodel. Bella tried to put a positive spin on everything though. It wasn't like she was moving in, the room was clean and warm. She and Edward would hole up for about 12 hours then head back home. She'd touch base with a local mechanic to try and fix her truck and they'd figure out what was wrong. It was easy peasy.
When Bella got back into the hotel room and found Edward stepping out of the bathroom looking like he'd just stepped out of the pages of GQ magazine, she knew she was in trouble.
"They had wine," Bella said excitedly, as she lifted up the non-descript brown paper bag from the store.
"Well, we could watch a Peanuts Thanksgiving and get drunk," Edward offered with a laugh, and Bella found herself smiling broadly at the sound. She hadn't heard Edward laugh in over a week, and she was relieved that they seemed to be moving past the awkwardness that had lingered over them as of late.
"Sounds like my childhood," Bella answered as she laid out the goodies on the dresser and Edward looked at her curiously. "Oh, no… I didn't get drunk. Other family members would drink a bit too much and I watched the Peanuts. No childhood alcoholic here. I waited until adulthood."
Edward laughed easily and also found himself pleased with their renewed conversation. In fact, for the next hour they sat side by side on the bed, keeping a respectful distance, enjoying alternating swigs of wine from the bottle she bought as they made fun of the shows on TV. It was as though the few weeks had never happened and things were just normal between them again. Until Bella decided she had enough liquid courage in her to bite the bullet and discuss their problems.
"Did I do something wrong last week?" she questioned as she took another long sip of the wine before handing it back to Edward. He took a gulp and let out a long breath. "It's okay if I did or if you want to fire me, just be gentle."
"Bella, I have no plans to fire you," Edward began as he saw Bella's anxiety ease immediately. He decided it was the best time to broach the subject with her. After all, she wanted the truth about why things had gotten so odd between them as of late. "You kissed me on Halloween."
"I did what?" Bella screeched in utter shock. "I did not."
"Yeah, you did. You were drunk and fell asleep on the couch. I helped you into the bedroom and then you kissed me. It was nothing."
"Oh, I'm sure kissing you would be more than nothing," Bella blurted out, as she shoved her hand in front of her mouth to stop herself from saying something else she would regret. Unfortunately for her, because of the amount of wine she'd had, she no longer had the ability to censor herself.
"I also thought kissing me would be more memorable, but I get it," Edward said easily, attempting to make Bella feel less anxious about the situation. "I didn't want you to feel embarrassed about it, but also after talking to Alice about everything, I figured we should find a better balance in our work relationship."
"Lines were being blurred."
"Yes," Edward said in agreement as he took another drink of wine. They were nearing the bottom of their second bottle and it was getting later and later. Edward got up from the bed and peeked out the curtains at the snow. It was falling a little less than earlier, but it was clear it was thick and heavy. They might be there longer than expected thanks to the sheer amount of work it would take to clear the roads and their car.
"Did Alice offer a solution?"
"Not really," Edward laughed, as he recalled their conversation. "She told me to focus on finishing my book." Edward truncated what Alice had really told him to do, but Bella didn't need to know that.
"Well, she's 100% right, you do need to finish the book. You are so close and your editor must be on your ass about it," Bella replied, somewhat placated by what Edward was telling her. She knew something else was going on, but she was more at ease than she had been in days, even if they were stuck together in a snowstorm in rural Washington.
Edward reassured Bella that his editor was fine with where he was in his novel, and that everything was moving along as expected. He watched her with baited breath as she took a final drink from their bottle of wine, his eyes focused only on her lips. He excused himself, stating he wanted a shower before they settled in for bed, and stepped into the bathroom, releasing a huge sigh.
He was frustrated with himself for not sharing everything with Bella, even though she had done the same. She had taken it upon herself to broach the tricky topic with Edward, but he hadn't given her the courtesy and been 100% honest with her. As he turned on the hot water and stepped into the stream of water, he regretted that he hadn't told her how he truly felt about her. How her smile made his breath catch and how every moment they spent together made him fall for her just a little bit more.
Edward thought about the kiss, and how seeing her in her halloween costume basically filled his daydreams since the night of the 31st. Without a second thought, he took his cock in his hands and worked out his frustrations as quickly as he could. With visions of vampire Bella at the forefront of his mind, it didn't take him long to finish and he washed his hair and body quickly with the supplies left in the shower by the hotel.
When he walked out of the bathroom, dressed in his same clothes, he felt a little bit better.
"Ready for bed?" Bella asked sweetly, as Edward offered her a small smile and nodded his head. "I put on Die Hard, the quintessential Christmas movie."
While he had been in the shower, Bella had changed into the flannel pajamas she had packed for her night at Charlie's house, and found out unexpectedly that the walls in the hotel room were surprisingly thin. She could hear the room to their left watching CNN and the room to their right was watching the end of the NFL game. Though she would never tell him, Bella could hear almost everything happening in the shower and she spent most of the time blushing profusely. Edward wasn't nearly as quiet as he probably thought he was.
"Thanks Bella," Edward said gently as he slipped in between the scratchy covers of the bed and positioned the pillows for full comfort. Bella went in and brushed her teeth and when she came back, she confirmed the door was locked, and then set the timer on the TV. It was going to be a long night for both of them.
Three hours later, Bella found herself unexpectedly warm. She tried to roll over in bed and Edward was pressed right behind her, his excitement clear as day against her ass. His arms were wrapped tightly around her, keeping her as his captive and as Bella moved slightly, Edward released a moan that caused Bella's own arousal to spike. This was not good.
"Edward," Bella said lightly as she tried to move, only to find him tightening his grip on her. "Edward, you've got me…" Bella was cut short.
"Where I've always wanted you," Edward sighed as his arms grew slack and Bella could see that he was awake as well. She rolled over until they were face to face. "I'm sorry. I should just be honest with you."
Bella paused, expecting him to say something else, but there were no words. Edward pulled her against him and kissed her like his life depended on it. His lips were gentle and full of passion, as he slipped his hand up to the nap of her neck, urging her closer and Bella found herself melting into him without a care in the world.
Hands were everywhere, clothes were gone and before either of them knew it, they were bound together in pure ecstasy. He kissed every inch of her skin reverently and she reveled in his attention, feeling unlike she had ever felt before. She had had sex before, but there was a lot more emotion in what she was sharing with Edward. They were making love, losing themselves in each touch and moment they shared.
As her mind got the better of her, Bella found herself unable to regret the choice she had made in spending the night with Edward. Everything had led her to this night and it was worth it, if only for the few hours they had together. Tomorrow was a new day.
Happy Playoff Sunday Sweet Friends. Thank you all for the kind words for the last chapter. I hope this one pleases you just as much LOL. And thanks as well for all the toothbrush recommendations from Pre-Christmas. I bought the Sonicare for my husband and he loved it so much I got one for myself. It feels like I went to the denitst every time I brush my teeth. So, new question. Do any of you lovely folks have one of those Ovens that is also an Air-Fryer? I'm in the market for a new stove and I saw this is now a feature in them, so I thought I would pick your brains. Have a great Sunday! Go Bills!