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(w)riteofpassion

Chapter 30

Being back in New York left me conflicted. For one, I was enjoying work. It was exciting. I got rewarded for staying endlessly long hours and got credit for my improving skills. As much as I loved my job right now as an apprenticing editor, the city was wearing me down. Los Angeles was busy, but there was always the beach and the sun to get away from it all, and the summer didn't make you scorch and your hair explode from the humidity. New York was too much for me. It seemed like the city was all business, especially since I didn't have my friends here or Edward and this studio apartment made me feel trapped in a concrete box. The windows were small, and the studio didn't have a balcony, and the view outside was as grey and depressing as the inside.

Edward and I Facetimed, called and texted all day long. So much that my phone basically became a landline again, always charging, ever plugged into the wall. In between editing and meetings with Jane, I barely had any free time. Her deadline was coming up shortly and I kept myself busy with packing up the stuff I brought here, until I sat on the mattress that came with the furnished studio, wrapped in a sheet in my underwear, with only two sets of clothes left to wear. One for work the next day and one for on the plane home. All I had had been my mornings before I left and the nights before I went to sleep. My bed had become my best friend. I had barely even sat my ass down on this ridiculous bright yellow couch the studio came with.

I was so excited to go home I woke up at five that morning. I went for a walk, my hair whipping around my face in the cool morning breeze. I had my last severely overpriced New York City coffee and indulged in a cream cheese bagel I ate on a bench in Central Park. Runners passed me, and I petted a few dogs. The poor dog walker was clearly overestimating his abilities by walking seven dogs at once. I pulled out my iPad and went over the last few notes I made in Jane's manuscript. Today was her deadline, and she had until midnight to check the notes and hand it in. She was thoroughly jumping with excitement, texting me at six in the morning.

My phone rang as I took my last bite of the bagel, I rolled my eyes. It was probably Jane again, but when I retrieved my phone out of my pocket, a smile rose to my face.

"What the hell are you doing up?" It was three hours earlier in L.A., so the fact that Edward called me in the middle of the night surprised me.

"I got up to fetch a glass of water and missed you." His voice was rough, sleepy, utterly sexy. I could only imagine him in his dark kitchen, naked with his hair all messed up. It had been almost two weeks since I'd seen Edward and every fiber in my being wanted to be with him, see him, hug him.

"I miss you, too. I just had breakfast at the park." I smiled into the phone.

"What are you wearing?" He asked, sultry. I couldn't hold back a laugh.

"Cream dress-pants and a grey blouse ," I said.

"Hmm, hot."

"You horndog, there's nothing hot about this outfit, trust me." I bit my lip.

"Are you kidding me? Those pants are probably tight on your luscious ass, and I bet you're wearing heels that make your legs look even longer." It still awed me how often Edward told me how much he loved my body. I wasn't used to that, not in this way, anyway.

"Go back to bed, Edward." I giggled.

"I am in bed, Enchantress."

"Don't start anything you can't finish, Warrior." I warned him.

"Oh, I plan on finishing, all right. If only you were here to help me with that." I groaned at the miles and hours separating us.

"Don't tease me like this. I have to go to work soon." I pouted. I could hear Edward's throaty laughter through the phone.

"Okay, okay. I'll spare you the details. But I do have something to ask you," he began. "Can I pick you up at LAX?"

"Please do." I smiled. "I should arrive around five pm." I informed him, wishing it was tomorrow already. Edward sighed.

"I'll take half the day off, so I can get ready." He was so enthusiastic it was cute. "I'm taking you out, okay?"

"Yeah, I'd love that."

"I love you, Enchantress."

"I love you, handsome."

Edward's phone call was the one thing that got me through the day stuffed with meetings and stuffy paperwork. I couldn't wait for tomorrow to come.