As always, thank you to my pre-reader purpleC305 and to Ninkita, my beta extraordinaire.

Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable characters herein. No copyright infringement is intended.

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IPOV

"Ugh, I'm full," Alice groans and pats her stomach.

"Me too. It was good but I don't think I can eat anymore. Your pasta salad is one of the best I've ever eaten, Alice." I lean back in my chair and if I had pants on I'm sure I'd open a button or two.

"Thanks, Izi. I'll give you the recipe if you want."

"Definitely. Thank you."

I've switched to ice water after the beer I had earlier. I don't want to give a repeat performance from last night. I know I was pretty wasted, Edward and Roza confirmed it and above that, I am sure that I said something stupid or embarrassing even though Edward assured me that it was not the case.

While Alice and Roza were experimenting with cocktails earlier, I was watching the guys. In the beginning they just had a normal conversation. Until they started to speak in whispers and, judging by their ever changing facial expressions and occasional glances our way, I couldn't shake off the feeling that it was in some way about me. Alice and Roza were oblivious to it but I paid close attention to everything.

My suspicions were confirmed when Alice asked me if I wanted to bring Edward a beer. I made my way over there as stealthily as possible and caught the tail end of their conversation.

There were words like "she", "truth" and "not remember" involved and I asked myself if it was possible they were talking about me. Especially after Emmett's obviously bad acting skills I was almost convinced it was about me.

Then Edward said it was about something back in the States. For a second I was elated, thinking that I had made it all up in my mind but then it occurred to me that there was a possibility Edward was talking about a girl back home and he didn't want me to hear it.

Even though Alice hinted that he was single didn't mean there wasn't someone still. Someone he liked, maybe. In that moment jealousy took over. I chided myself immediately because I really had no right to feel that way. He wasn't mine.

Edward caught up on my mood and assured me that it really was nothing important.

It wouldn't be that bad if I hadn't already developed feelings for him. I have never felt so strongly about someone so soon, as I feel about him. Ever. It would kill me if there was someone he liked, even though he had no qualms coming on to me. Or rather it was me who threw herself at him. Either way, it would hurt.

"I know that Emmett owns a gym but what is it you and Jasper do?" Roza asks Alice and leans into Emmett who has his arm around her. He kisses her temple which puts a smile on my friend's face.

I long for something like what they have; the intimacy, this closeness with someone. As if he's heard my thoughts - again - Edward who's sitting next to me, puts his arm on the back of my chair. I turn my head, thinking he's listening to the conversation but I'm surprised to see that his eyes are on me. Our eyes lock and Edward swirls a strand of my hair around his finger. He's quiet and his gaze becomes so intense, I have to look away and back to the others or I'll explode here and now from all the tension he's creating with how he's looking at me.

"Jasper and I are photographers. We have a studio in downtown Seattle. We're hired mostly for weddings with some festivals or concerts thrown in here and there," Alice explains. "And now that we're here, we will definitely drive around a bit and shoot some pics. There is a lot of beauty to capture. Maybe you guys know of a few places?"

"We'd love to show you guys," I say, already having a few locations in mind.

"Absolutely," Roza agrees.

"And what is it you guys do for a living?" Alice asks.

"I'm a nurse in the pediatrics' ward and Bella is a frizerka... a hairdresser," Roza explains. "But it's not what she really wants to do, right?" She turns to me with a smile. "Oh, and that also reminds me what I wanted to tell you. You know that house you always gush about? I found out that…" Roza starts telling me excitedly.

Suddenly, Edward stops playing with my hair and sits up straighter. He looks at Emmett and Jasper, his eyes widen in panic and I wonder what's wrong with him.

"Alice, baby, didn't you say there was ice cream?" Jasper urges a confused Alice to get up. "Come on I'll help you."

"But what…" Alice looks at her fiancé confused.

"Rosie, sweetheart, can you help me with something?" Emmett asks next.

I'm befuddled and wonder what the fuck is going on? I turn to Edward, thinking he may know why everyone's acting so weird when I see him pinching the bridge of his nose and shaking his head.

"I will soon, Emmett. I just have to tell Izi something first," Roza tells him. "Anyway, you won't believe whose house it is."

"Rosie, come on." Emmett pulls at her arm but my friend shakes him off. "I said I'll be right with you." Her tone is impatient and harsh so Emmett instantly lets go of her.

"Ok, ok," Emmett surrenders and mouths "I tried" to Edward. Everyone's been behaving strangely the last couple of minutes but I shrug it off. I'm sure there's a good explanation for that.

"Ok, Roza, you got me curious now. Do I know this person?"

"Not directly but you know her children." Roza grins and looks at Emmett, Alice and lastly at Edward.

I look sharply to my right and meet apologetic green eyes. I turn in my seat and cross my arms. "Hm, is that so?"

Edward looks nervous and I immediately feel bad for him. I drop my arms, and my attitude, and reach for his hand. "Why didn't you tell me?"

He laces our fingers together and I feel him loosen up a bit. "I wanted to tell you this afternoon when my sister made the dinner announcement, remember?" I nod and look in Alice's direction but she's no longer at the table. No one actually is.

"I remember," I tell him. "I did wonder what it was you wanted to tell me. I just don't understand why this is such a big deal? I mean, you, Emmett and Jasper have been behaving so strangely. Wait, has this something to do with the conversation the three of you had earlier?"

Edward's eyes go wide and I'm immediately alarmed. I fear that maybe my first assumption wasn't really just an assumption after all, and that there was someone else.

"Edward?" He looks at me and grimaces. So, he knows what I'm about to ask.

"Bella, I swear I was going to tell you about that too."

He's not serious, is he? "When? When were you going to tell me? Before or after you had me in your bed? And you didn't think to maybe keep it a secret so I would be none the wiser? Unbelievable!"

I get up and pace up and down the yard.

"Wait! What?" He looks confused but I will not fall for it. "Can you please explain to me what speaking Croatian has to do with getting you into my bed? And why would I keep it a secret? I would've told you that too!"

I stop pacing, thinking I haven't heard him right. "What are you talking about?"

"What are you talking about?" He gets up and stands in front of me. I avert my eyes, too embarrassed to look into his. "Izi?"

"I thought we were talking about a girl… you have… back home." The words are only a whisper but I wish I hadn't voiced them at all.

Edward puts his hands on my arms. "Where does this idea come from, Izi?" I shrug. Embarrassingly, I have to admit that I have no real reason to think that. "You think I would do that to you?" He sounds so hurt, I don't have a choice but to look up. He's smiling sadly at me and then sighs. "I'm sorry." He lets go of me and steps back. I feel the loss of his touch immediately and I don't like it.

"What are you sorry for, Edward? It's not your fault I made up things that weren't even true. I'm the one who should be sorry."

"I'm sorry because I didn't tell you all of this earlier."

"It's not a big deal, really. I do feel a bit bad though, to be honest." He looks at me curiously, waiting for me to explain. "All the things I said to you yesterday afternoon at the beach."

"Oh, that!" he chuckles.

"Yeah, that. Had I known you understood me then…"

He doesn't let me finish the sentence. "I don't really care about that. It doesn't bother me." He comes closer again and takes my hands in his. "But Izi, how could you think I would do that to you. Having a girl back home and pursuing you at the same time? I'm not that kind of guy. Especially after I told you I don't have a girlfriend."

"Yes, I know that now, but… Wait! That's not quite right because you never told me that." I'm sure only his sister did.

"I'm pretty sure I did," he claims grinning. "Last night when you were, you know?" he says, making a drinking gesture.

"Ugh!" I cover my face in embarrassment. "Don't remind me, please. I'm trying to forget that night ever happened. What did I say anyway?"

"In short, you asked me where Alice, my girlfriend, was and I told you that she wasn't my girlfriend but my sister."

"Oh, ok. I'm sorry I don't remember anything. Worse things could have been said, I guess. Right?" Edward's face contorts and he diverts his gaze elsewhere. "Jesus Christ, Edward, that was a rhetorical question. Looking at you, I'm afraid to ask but I'm going to do it anyway. What else did I say to you?"

"Nothing bad, I swear. Look, we don't have to do that. Let's just forget about it, ok?"

"That bad?"

"I wouldn't say that describing me as beautiful and telling me that you want to kiss me is a bad thing." He shrugs it off as if this is something he hears everyday. Maybe it is. Still, I'm beyond mortified.

"I did what?" I screech. "Tell me that isn't true!"

"I can't, sorry," he says apologetically.

"O Bože dragi." (Dear God) I start pacing again but Edward stops me.

"Izi, please. It's really no big deal."

"No big deal? Are you kidding me? I can't even imagine what you must have been thinking of me. I don't even know what to think of myself right now."

Edward takes my face in his hands and makes me look at him. "Do you want to know what I was thinking? What I am thinking?" I shake my head and close my eyes, not ready for rejection. "I was thinking how there's nothing I want more than to take you up on your offer but when I finally kissed you I'd want you to remember. Would you believe me if I told you that you are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen? That you've gotten under my skin faster than I thought possible? Would you believe me, Izi? Because that's exactly what happened."

I open my eyes and look at him in disbelief. "Edward, don't do that, please. Don't say it if you don't mean it." I don't dare to hope that he feels that way.

"I do mean it, Izi. God knows I do. And don't think it's easy for me to say these things when I'm not even sure how you feel. Or if you feel anything at all for me? If you don't, tell me now. I promise I won't get mad or change my mind about you, because every word I just said is true."

My heart is ready to free it's way out of my chest. He feels it too - the pull. It's obviously taking me too long to say something because I sense Edward retreating emotionally. The hope that was shining in his eyes just seconds ago has disappeared and defeat and loss have taken its place.

I have to tell him that he isn't the only one feeling that way. I don't want to lose him before I even really had him. I don't think, I just grab his shirt and pull him to me until my lips touch his.

At first he's startled by my move until he registers that I'm actually kissing him. Suddenly I'm in his arms and his mouth is devouring mine like a man that has been starving for his long lost love for centuries. I answer his enthusiasm with equal vigor, elated that it's finally out in the open.

He starts to slow the kiss gradually before his eyes lock on mine. His are beaming with joy and I bet that mine mirror the same sentiment.

"Hi," he says, smiling and tracing my lips with his finger.

"Hi," I whisper, still in a haze from his knee weakening kiss.

"I'm sorry I attacked you like that," he apologizes.

"You can attack me anytime you want. I don't mind," I assure him, which earns me an understanding smile from Edward. "And talking about attacking, I want you to know that the way I behaved upstairs earlier, in your room, it's not something I usually do."

"I don't recall me complaining about it," he says and winks.

"I didn't think you would," I counter with a smirk but resume in a serious tone. "I just don't want you to think I do that on a regular basis because I don't. I just can't help myself around you, Edward. That's what you do to me." To show him what I mean, I weave my fingers through his hair and play with it. "Yeah, I just wanted to clear that up, you know."

"I know that, love, because it's the same for me," he assures me and there's that nickname again that makes me want to pull him down anew and… I realize that I had zoned out while looking into his mesmerizing eyes and that I should probably listen to what he's saying. "Please don't think I could see you as anything but a nice, caring and loving girl. Ok?"

"Ok." I agree quickly (because we don't want to waste time now, do we?) and I finally and eagerly pull him down for another, much softer but no less exciting kiss, which Edward reciprocates equally greedily.

"Is it safe to come out now?" This time we both laugh out loud at Emmett's question and timing.

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And they lived happily ever after… j/k ;)

So, Izi found out about Edward's connection to the house and his ability to speak and understand Croatian and she was actually pretty cool about it. At least nothing exploded… yet. There's still time for a little bit of drama ;)

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for reading.

Voli vas,

LunaBev