Chapter 07
EPOV
I glance over at Bella when we stop at a light to see her staring out the window of my Volvo. She looks so relaxed with her jean clad legs pulled up onto the seat with her, her sock covered feet underneath her crisscrossed legs. The black tee she's wearing is slightly baggy but not to the point where she's swimming in it. The outfit makes her look younger than she actually is, not that she looks her age anyways. Her brown hair flows down past her shoulders, a few soft curls mixed in with the waves. She's kept her face bare and I'm stunned by her natural beauty. Her long lashes brush against her cheek with every blink; her lips full and pouty enough to make me toy with the idea of leaning over to kiss her. Taking my opportunity, I reach up and gently turn her face, leaning across the center console to kiss her. She smiles against my lips before kissing me back for a soft, chaste kiss. When I pull away, she glances out the windshield and grins.
"The light's green," she teases. I chuckle and start driving again, taking her hand in mine. She holds it in both of her hands, resting them in her lap. My thumb strokes against hers lazily as I navigate the roads of Port Angeles.
I'm not stupid—I mean, I am, but I'm not. I know this is the worst idea I've ever had and that it's inevitably going to blow up in my face, but I can't stop myself and I can't stop from thinking of ways to diffuse the situation when it arises. Bella and I spent all of last weekend together and every evening after I "got off work" this past week. I can't even begin to try to stop myself from falling for her because I'm already too far gone. She fills my every thought and when I'm not with her, I'm texting her or talking to her on the phone. This woman is so goddamn intoxicating and I don't want to sober up yet.
I merge onto the highway, heading back towards Forks. We found the toddler motorcycle I was eyeing for Riley and it's perfect. This motorcycle solidifies that I am going to need to get my hands on a BMW one day. There's no doubt Riley is going to love this thing.
Bella removes one of her hands from mine to reach out and weave her fingers through the hair at the back of my neck. I breathe deep, tilting my head back a bit into her hand.
"Do you want to come to Riley's birthday party next weekend?" I ask, glancing over at her briefly.
"I'd love to," she smiles back at me. "I'll have to pick him up a gift. What does he like?"
"You don't have to get him anything," I chuckle. He pretty much has everything he could ever need or want. Not only do I buy him a bunch of stuff, but my parents go wild with buying gifts for him for birthdays and Christmas. This kid practically lives in a toy room with a bed.
"Of course I have to get him something, it's a birthday party," she argues lightly, giving me what I've dubbed her teacher look. She kind of cocks her head to the side and pulls her eyebrows together as she narrows her eyes. It's a look that seems to be a mixture of disapproval and disbelief. Either way, it's adorable on her and I may try to make her give me that look. Not turning to look at her, I grin, already having that look memorized.
"He loves Avengers and Transformers. But he's also into Paw Patrol, which is more Alice-approved that the first two. He likes to color, especially with those scented markers you can buy. Anything outdoor related is a good choice, too," I ramble on. "Anything you get him, he'll love. And don't worry about buying something he already has because he loves having doubles of things. And Alice loves it too. That way if he takes something to school and forgets it, he still has one at home."
"I feel like I should be taking notes," she jokes, giggling.
"You would," I tease, rolling my eyes. "No wonder you went into teaching." She grips a chunk of my hair and lightly pulls. "Ow!" I laugh, even though it didn't really hurt.
"You're being an ass," she laughs. I shoot her a grin before turning my attention back to the road. She moves her hand back to mine, rubbing her thumb along my palm.
One thing I've learned about Bella since last weekend is just how hands-on she is. I'm not complaining; I actually love it. It's like one of us has to be touching each other in some way. Either she's in my lap, we're holding hands, or even our legs have to be touching. If I thought being in Bella's presence was intoxicating, it's nothing compared to actually touching her. It's sort of electric, in a way, like a current is running straight from her body into mine, connecting us.
I've been careful when I'm with her, though, to leave before my shift ends, only staying past once or twice, so the guy on the night shift doesn't get suspicious about anything going on. I realize this can't stay out of Chief's awareness forever, but I've been enjoying this while I can. I glance over at Bella once more as she looks out the window, watching the trees go by. I'm one lucky bastard to be able to have her in this way but I can't shake the feeling that I'm going to be seen as the complete asshole once she finds out about my job. Swallowing thickly, I look back at the seemingly endless highway.
BPOV
I've spent this past week trying to wrap my head around just what is happening. I mean, I'm fully aware of what's happening, I just can't believe that it actually is happening. What did I do to deserve this? If I had thought Edward was kind and caring before, this is a whole new level I never could have prepared myself for. It's like a breath of fresh air after being stuck inside a room for ages. Now that I've experienced it, I never want to be shut in that metaphorical room again.
I was never super hands on with James. Yes, we were completely head over heels for each other, but it was never like this. It's like we can't keep our hands off each other. And that's not even meant in a sexual way, as in we haven't jumped into bed yet, which is completely okay. I'm not quite sure I'm ready for that step anyways. Instead, it's been just small touches, like our legs pressed together or ankles linked under the table, or holding hands or his hand on the small of my back while we're walking.
Jasper knows about our budding relationship, which was unavoidable, not that I wanted to avoid it. He actually found out when he walked into the house to find us in the living room making out. It's not really how I wanted him to find out, but I can't change that now and he seems supportive for the most part. I can tell there's some worry behind his support but I actually kind of expected that.
Rose and Emmett, on the other hand, don't know about our relationship, yet. They're still out of town until tomorrow so I haven't bothered them with the news. I'm sure Rose will be a little perturbed that I didn't tell her right when our relationship started, but I don't want to disrupt her vacation with it.
Today's been no exception to this seemingly perfect week, either. I've never been one for traveling to Port Angeles for shopping. If I can't get it in Forks, I resort to ordering whatever it is online. The trip to the city normally feels daunting and I find any excuse not to make it but today has truly been fun. Now that we're headed back to Forks, Edward's offered to bring me back to his place for some lunch. It didn't take long to consider before accepting his offer, kind of excited to know we're actually going to be alone. I don't mind sharing Edward's attention with Jasper but I'm allowed to be selfish every once in a while, right?
Edward brings me back to the present with a squeeze of my hand. It's then that I notice the car is parked outside of his house. Turning my attention away from the window, I look over at him.
"You alright?" he asks, his eyes already searching my face for the answer.
"Yeah, I just got lost in thought," I smile, leaning over to kiss him briefly before unbuckling and getting out of the car.
"Oh no, that's not going to work," Edward chuckles as he gets out of the car. I grin, teasingly, over the top of the car at him.
"What's the matter Dr. Cullen?" I giggle. Something flashes in his eyes but it's gone too quickly for me to even try to figure out what it means.
"I need an actual kiss," he demands lightly, making his way around the car to me.
"What do you mean? A kiss, by definition, is lips touching," I defend jokingly as I walk backwards, not letting him close the gap between us. "So that was an actual kiss," I laugh. He groans, still making his way towards me. Turning, I start to hurry away from him.
"Is that how this is?" he barks out a laugh as he picks up his pace. Before I have time to adjust mine to keep away from him, he closes the gap between us, wrapping his arms around me, trapping my back against his front. I shriek and laugh as his lips make contact with my neck, his unshaven face tickling my skin. His playful assault continues up my jaw to my ear and back down again. I tilt my head to give him better access, giggling as he continues.
"I don't see how this is an 'actual kiss'," I tease him. He pulls away from me, shooting me a playful glare over my shoulder. Turning me around, his expression changes. His eyes darken and he leans down slowly, his lips stopping barely an inch from mine. My breathing picks up from the anticipation, my lips parting slightly. I press my body closer to his, hoping he'll close the distance between us. He knows exactly what he's doing to me and he's eating it up. A cocky smirk forms on his lips from my reaction before he dips his head to close the distance between us. His hands find purchase on my hips, pulling me as close as I can get while mine make their way to his head, one stopping at his jaw and the other weaving its fingers through his hair. He groans against my lips, loving when my fingers are in his hair.
His tongue presses against my lips briefly and I open my mouth, my tongue greeting his before he takes my lower lip between his. I moan into his mouth as his lips release mine. He pulls back, resting his forehead against mine.
"Was that actual enough for you?" he chuckles. I open my eyes, a little dazed.
"You're the one that wanted an actual kiss," I point out in a breathy voice, earning another a cocky smirk from Edward. My hands trail down from his face and back of his neck to his chest, smoothing down his grey t-shirt. I glance over Edward's shoulder to the house. It's around the same size as Jasper's with a wraparound porch. The panel siding is a bluish grey, contrasting beautifully with the faded wood of the porch. The appearance is simple and seems to fit Edward perfectly.
"So, this is casa de Edward," I muse, taking in the view.
"Says the woman who claims she doesn't speak Spanish," he teases and turns to face his home. "This is it," he nods. "Come on, I'll give you the tour." With that, he takes my hand and leads me inside. The inside of his home is breathtaking. It's simple but yet has so many little details that it simultaneously feels homey while still having the feeling of a professional's touch. He leads me through the grey walled hallway, our feet making the wooden flooring creak slightly under our weight.
He leads me around his home, guiding me down the hallways and stopping in the doorways to display the rooms. His home has three bedrooms, two of them complete with a full bathroom. The room without the bathroom is filled with children's items.
"Riley has to stay here sometimes," Edward explains when we stop at the children's room. "Alice has some clients in Seattle and when she needs to go there for events, he comes to my place."
"I bet he loves that," I smile at Edward.
"He does. My parents, not so much," he chuckles. "Before I moved back here, they would take Riley. But Riley grew attached to me when I lived with Alice for a few months. Coming over here is like a vacation to him," he laughs.
"That's adorable," I laugh with him. He finishes off the tour with the living room, dropping himself down onto his black sectional sofa. I sit next to him and am shocked at how comfortable the sofa is. Without giving it a thought, I lay down on it, stretching out to enjoy the comfiness.
"This couch is amazing," I mumble.
"Yeah, it's pretty great," he chuckles, rubbing my lower leg. "Are you hungry?" he asks after a moment. I shift to prop myself up on my elbows so I can look at him.
"Starved," I admit, realizing I haven't eaten yet today. He grins at me, leaning over me to give me a chaste kiss.
"I'll get us some food," he murmurs as he pulls away. "Sandwiches alright with you?"
"That sounds great," I agree. Giving me one more kiss, he gets up and heads to the kitchen. I get up to follow him but he calls back to me to stop.
"You stay there," he chuckles. "You seem comfortable anyways."
"I can help you, ya know," I laugh.
"I seem to remember the last time we were in the kitchen together, you yelled at me a few times," he quips back with a chuckle.
"You were the one eating all of my apples," I retort jokingly.
"A single apple slice!" he corrects. I get off the couch and make my way into the kitchen despite Edward's protests.
"I'm not going to interfere," I laugh as I jump up onto the counter. I watch as Edward assembles our sandwiches. He layers on the ham, turkey, and salami before adding cheese, a tomato slice and lettuce. When he reaches for the mayonnaise and mustard, I interrupt.
"I don't like mustard," I point out with an innocent smile.
"What kind of distaste is that?" he scoffs jokingly. "Who doesn't like mustard?"
"The same people who don't like ketchup," I shrug my shoulders. Giving an exaggerated sigh of exasperation, he stops what he's doing and looks at me.
"Who even are you?" he asks. "Don't tell me you eat your hot dogs plain," he adds on, widening his eyes in fake concern.
"What kind of self-respecting adult eats hot dogs?" I laugh and I think I just about give him heart palpitations. "I'm kidding," I laugh at the incredulous look on his face. "I eat hot dogs but only with relish."
"You are a strange one, Miss Swan," he muses, shaking his head as he continues his work on our sandwiches, adding both condiments to his and omitting the mustard from mine. "What do you dip your fries into?" he asks.
"Most of the time nothing," I say, watching Edward as he grabs down two plates. I hop off the counter and open his fridge.
"Okay, no more making fun of me," I say as I pull out a can of craft beer. "When were you going to tell me you're a beer snob?"
"I'm not a beer snob," he defends, rolling his eyes. "I just happen to like craft beer." He takes the beer from my hand and pops it open, taking a swig. "I do have Bud in there, you know. Coors too."
"Oh no, I'm more intrigued by the Belching Beaver beer," I tease as I pull out the yellow can with a golden beaver on the front. "What the hell is a Me So Honey ale?" I ask, not missing the innuendo.
"It's what you just called it. An ale," he quips, taking a sip of his beer.
"What kind did you just take from me?" I ask as I try to get a better look at the black can.
"It's Sublime Mexican Lager," he says as he spins the can in his hand so I can see Sublime's sun logo.
"Sublime makes beer?" I ask as I take the beer from his hand, taking a swig. It's not my favorite and definitely not one I would buy for myself, but it's not awful.
"Hey, that's mine!" Edward chuckles, taking his beer back from me. "And no, they did a collaboration with the brewing company," he explains. Nodding, I turn my attention back to my can.
"Do you mind if I drink this? I can get a Bud if you'd prefer."
"You can drink whatever you want," he offers. "I think you'll like that one better than mine." I smile and pop the can open, taking a sip. It's definitely a lot easier to stomach than Edward's Sublime beer. It's lighter with more of a crispness to it and an underlying sweetness that I'm assuming is the reasoning behind the beer's name. Letting out a moan of approval, I take a larger drink, puffing out my cheeks a bit as the frothy beverage fills my mouth.
"You are so weird," Edward chuckles as he picks up our plates, walking over to the dining room table with them. "Who taught you how to drink?"
"There's nothing wrong with how I drink," I argue, following him. I sit, crisscrossing my legs on the chair. He hands me my plate before sitting across from me. I look over at him, expecting a remark back and he doesn't disappoint. Instead of saying anything, he takes a swig of his beer and puffs his cheeks out as far as he can before swallowing the beer.
"I don't look like that," I laugh hysterically.
"Oh, but you do," he laughs with me. I uncross my legs and gently but forcefully nudge his leg with my toes in response. His legs wrap around mine, his laughter dying down into a smile before he bites into his sandwich. I follow suit, taking a bite of my sandwich, too.
"So, you never really answered me about what you dip your fries in," he says after swallowing his bite of sandwich.
"Why is it so important?" I giggle, taking another bite of my own sandwich. I know it's just some cold cuts with lettuce and tomato, but damn, Edward knows how to make a mean sandwich.
"I just want to know more about you," he smirks. I take a swig of my beer, rolling my eyes, before I answer.
"Ranch." Edward's nose scrunches almost immediately after I answer, both confused and mildly grossed out by it.
"Ranch?" he asks as if he's hoping he heard me wrong.
"Yes, ranch," I laugh. "It's actually delicious."
"I stand by my statement that you're weird," he shakes his head, chuckling a bit.
"You're weird too, then," I huff.
"How do you figure?" he asks, quirking an eyebrow as he takes a bite of his sandwich.
"Because you're choosing to date me," I say then quickly stumble out, "or whatever this is." My cheeks are no doubt as bright as the tomato in our lunch and I curse myself for putting a label on this when we haven't even discussed it.
"Wait, so my dating you makes me weird?" he laughs, putting my worries at ease when he also says we're dating.
"Well, if you think I'm weird, that makes you weird for wanting to date me," I reason.
"So, we're just two weirdos then, aren't we?" he chuckles.
"That works for me," I grin at him before stuffing the last bit of sandwich into my mouth.
"You're definitely the weirdest out of the two of us though," he throws out as he grabs our plates, taking them to the sink.
"You're being awfully rude to me," I laugh before taking a swig of beer. I stand up and walk over to him. He turns, leaning against the counter. When I get close enough, he pulls me into his body, his hands holding my hips.
"How can I make it up to you?" he smirks at me, his face closing in on mine. He's in for a rude awakening if he thinks I'm going to give in this easily. Turning my cheek, his lips make contact with my skin and he groans.
"Not so fast, Cullen," I laugh. "I don't think I want to kiss someone who's so rude," I joke as I grab his hands, pulling them away from me. He raises and eyebrow at me as I take a step away. As I bite my lip to stop myself from smiling, I take another step away from him.
"This didn't work out for you outside, what makes you think it's going to work in here?" he chuckles as he straightens up.
"I'm not sure what you're talking about," I giggle as I continue to back away from him. He starts towards me and I turn and run with him quickly coming after me. I make my way up the stairs as fast as my legs will take me. Edward's legs are much longer than mine and he scales the stairs at a quicker rate, closing in on me as we get to the top. I make my way down the hallway and almost get to Riley's room before Edward's arms wrap around me, lifting me off the ground. I let out a squeal of excitement, laughing as he turns us around, setting me back on the ground. In one swift movement, he turns me to face him, backing me up to the wall. The pure excitement and lust on his face makes my already quickened breath hitch and become even shallower.
Edward pins me to the wall with his hips, his hands cupping either side of my jaw. My fingers claw at his back, finding purchase in the material of his shirt. Edward dips his head, his lips capturing mine forcefully. Moaning into his mouth, my hands make their way under his shirt, running up his bare back. He groans, pushing his tongue into my mouth.
Most of our make out sessions are slower and on the sweeter side but this is pure, raw lust making its way out of us. It's rough and heated and everything I've been craving from him. Don't get me wrong, all of the other times we've made out have been spectacular but this is the hottest thing I've ever done and I've had my fair share of steamy escapades.
Edward's hands make their way down my body, his fingers skimming against my sides down to my thighs. They make their way around to my ass, gripping and lifting me. As I wrap my legs around his waist, he pins me even tighter against the wall and I can feel all of his excitement pressed against me. I groan, pulling my mouth from his to catch my breath but his lips never leave my skin. He nips and kisses his way down my jaw to my neck. I tilt my head to the side to give him better access as my hands pull at his shirt. He pulls away, helping me get his shirt off him and I can't help but stare at his chest. Either Emmett works miracles or there's no way he needs a personal trainer. His chest is sculpted perfectly, his abs tight but not obnoxiously chiseled.
"See something you like?" he chuckles and my eyes shoot up to his, heat filling my cheeks. He grins before kissing me again. "You're so fucking beautiful when you blush," he mumbles between kisses. I moan in response, pulling at his bottom lip, earning a groan from him. He pulls me away from the wall, walking through the hallway to his bedroom. My heartbeat picks up even more, anxiety flowing through my veins. Swallowing thickly, I push the anxiety down the best I can, losing myself in Edward's touch and kisses. He reaches down and pulls my shirt over my head, tossing it aside and pulling back to look at me. His eyes make their way from my chest to my eyes again before gently laying me on the bed, pressing his waist into mine.
I sit up, pressing my chest against his and kiss him, wrapping my arms around his neck. He sighs into my mouth, pressing me back down into the bed, his weight the best kind of heavy against me. I wrap my legs around his waist as my hands start to explore his naked chest. He whispers my name against my lips and I moan in response. He pulls away from my mouth to make his way back down to my neck, continuing down this time to my chest. My back arches up toward his mouth as he licks and nips his way to the valley between my breasts, placing open mouth kisses on the sides of my breasts. His hands make their way to the clasp of my bra and I stiffen. Noticing, Edward pulls away, looking down at me.
"Bella?" he questions, concern thick in his voice. His hand moves some hair out of my face. "Sweetheart, are you okay?" I nod, swallowing thickly and sitting up. He sits on his knees in front of me, waiting for me to answer.
"I-I," I sputter. "Sorry," I finish nervously, biting my lip and hiding my face in my hands. Edward's hands gently pull at my wrists to lower my hands before his fingers pull my lip from between my teeth.
"Don't apologize," he whispers, kissing my forehead. "I just want to make sure you're okay." His hands cup my face, angling my head so I'm looking at him.
"I'm just," I start, shaking my head before saying, "I'm not ready." I blush at how silly I sound. I'm a twenty-seven-year-old woman and I'm acting like a teenager nervous for her first time.
"That's okay," he says before shifting to lay down next to me. He gently pulls me down with him, my head resting on his chest. "We're going at your pace."
"Thank you," I mumble, kissing his chest before resting my chin on it to look up at him. God, even from this angle he's attractive. If he looked at me from this angle, I can't even imagine the double chin action he would see. Edward rubs his hand up and down my back, the sensation giving me goosebumps on my arms and legs. Resisting the urge to groan, I realize that my legs probably aren't perfectly smooth anymore. I move to lay next to him, my head level with his. He turns his head to face me, giving me a soft smile. I lean over and kiss him softly. Before we're able to deepen the kiss, though, my phone rings.
Groaning as I pull away, I reach into my back pocket and pull out the phone. It's a FaceTime call from Rose. A large grin spreads across my face because I haven't talked to her much since she and Emmett left. I lay on my stomach and answer the call.
"Rose!" I squeal as I answer the phone. Through my peripheral I see Edward shake his head, smiling.
"Bella, look!" she squeals back as she holds up her hand. On her third finger is the most beautiful marquise cut diamond with a halo of smaller diamonds around it.
"No, he didn't!" I shriek as I sit up. "Oh my god, Rose! It's beautiful!"
"He didn't tell you he was proposing?" she asks in disbelief, still grinning from ear to ear.
"No! I mean, he knows I can't keep a secret from you," I laugh.
"Speaking of secrets," she laughs back at me. "Whose room are you in?" Edward snickers next to me and I shoot him a glare before looking back at Rose.
"Uhm," I mumble, trying to come up with a smooth excuse but knowing anything I say that isn't the truth won't be smooth at this point. Edward sits up, shifting next to me, and pulls the phone from me, turning it sideways so we're both in the camera. Redness fills my cheeks and chest once again.
"Hello, Edward," Rose says suggestively. "When did this happen?" she asks, looking at me.
"Last Friday?" I say, grinning nervously.
"And I'm just now hearing about it?" she shrieks. "Bella, I got engaged an hour ago and had to call you! You've been sleeping with him for over a week and you haven't told me?"
"No! No, we haven't slept together," I rush out.
"Oh my god, did I interrupt? Why did you answer if I was interrupting?" she asks.
"You didn't interrupt anything," I shake my head.
"What did you interrupt, Rosie?" Emmett asks, coming into view of the camera. I groan as he takes in what he's seeing on Rose's screen.
"The hell is going on?" he demands, frowning.
"Surprise?" I say, giving the same nervous grin that I gave Rose.
"I swear to god, Bella," he starts.
"Emmett, you stole Rose," I point out.
"Don't forget what I said," he grumbles and I roll my eyes.
"I won't forget," I say, humoring him. "Now, congratulations, you two, but this has been actually humiliating. I'll see you tomorrow when you get home."
"Bye, Bella! Bye, Edward!" Rose says before I hang up. I drop back down on the bed and glare at Edward.
"What doesn't Emmett want you to forget?" he chuckles, laying so he's half on top of me, ignoring the look I'm giving him.
"If you fire him, I have to pay him for your sessions for two years." Edward barks out a laugh, rolling onto his back on the bed. Sitting up, I shoot him another glare.
"Hey, don't be mad at me," he chuckles. "You're the one that answered the call shirtless in my bedroom." Dammit, he has me there. Groaning, I put my phone on the bedside table and roll onto my stomach, facing Edward.
"I hope you're prepared for a hell of a workout at your training session this week," I smirk at Edward. The cocky smile on his face drops quickly, the color slightly draining from it as he groans.
"I didn't even think about my training with Emmett," he grumbles. "Alright, sorry, Bella, my body literally cannot take any more intensity in my workout, I'm going to have to ask you to leave," he says as she starts to push my body to the edge of the bed. I let out a quick squeal before pushing myself up on my hands and knees to get away from him pushing hand.
"Edward!" I cry out as he continues his assault.
"I'm so sorry, so very sorry," he chuckles as his hands continues to gently push me. I grab his hands and move to straddle his stomach, pinning his hands to the bed.
"Don't be an ass," I laugh. "Besides, the damage has already been done. Even if I leave, you're still getting your ass kicked at training on Friday." Edward grins at me, his fingers interlocking with mine.
"It'll be worth it," he says, his voice taking on a huskier tone. I lean in, kissing his jaw up, trailing from his chin to his ear.
"I can take care of you after your session Friday, too," I whisper in his ear before nipping at the lobe. In one fluid movement, his hands are at my waist and he's flipping us over, eliciting a squeal from me.
"You really are trying to kill me, aren't you?" he chuckles, pressing his weight onto me.
"Why would I kill you? That would be no fun," I tease, grinning at him. He chuckles before closing the gap between us, pressing his mouth firmly onto mine.
XOXO
"Absolutely not!" I protest. "You're delusional." I shove my chopsticks into my carryout container, pulling out a dumpling. Edward laughs in response to me calling him delusional and I shove the dumpling into my mouth huffily. I stare at him as he leans against his headboard, a pillow shoved between the headboard and his lower back. I crisscross my legs in front of me, resting the carryout container in the opening between my legs and crotch.
"There is no fucking way you can argue your point," he laughs, twirling his lo mein noodles around his chopsticks.
"I so fucking can," I insist, my hand hovering over my food-filled mouth. After swallowing the large amount of food, I grab my beer, taking a few gulps before setting it back. "There is no way that Freddie Mercury can outdress Elton John. It's just not possible."
"Freddie had style," Edward argues. "Elton just wore anything that would make him stand out and be the topic of conversation."
"Oh, come on, you have to at least acknowledge that there was style behind Elton's costumes. They all had a point to them!"
"Really?" he challenges. "Explain to me the rainbow chicken costume." He gives me an impatient look, waiting for me to come up with an answer.
"It's not my place to explain what his intentions were," I grumble, stealing a bit of Edward's lo mein.
"What is with you and taking my food and drinks?" he chuckles as I shove the noodles in my mouth, no doubt leaving a bit of sauce behind on my chin. I smirk at him as I chew, knowing full well I don't look very lady like or attractive like this but I can't seem to find it in me to care. For the first time in I can't even remember how long, I actually feel comfortable being myself around someone outside of my family. I'm not worried about being called disgusting or childish or a pig.
I barely have time to swallow my food before Edward pushes himself up and leans over, planting an open-mouthed kiss on my lips. I kiss him back eagerly, my tongue clashing with his. Without moving his lips from mine, he moves the takeout containers to the bedside table, pulling me towards him when he finishes. Grinning against his lips, I straddle his lap, pressing my waist against his stomach and wrapping my arms around his neck.
"Edward," I mumble against his lips before he pulls away to kiss his way down my jaw. "You're not winning this argument," I moan, dropping my head back. "Elton definitely, mmm, has more style." He laughs loudly before pulling away.
"I have never had a woman talk about a gay man while I'm kissing her before," he chuckles. "Are you really thinking about Elton instead of me?" I giggle, my eyes staring into his. I can tell he's not upset by my bringing up Elton John. His eyes are alight with humor.
"How can I not think about him when he has that sexy accent?" I giggle. Edward groans, rolling his eyes.
"I hate to break it to you, but that sexy accent comes with a man that is going to be more attracted to me than he is to you."
"He'll have to fight me for you," I giggle, leaning forward and pulling Edward's lower lip between my teeth. He lets out a satisfied sigh, pulling me closer to him before laughing again, pulling away.
"Sorry," he chuckles, unable to control his laughter. "I'm just picturing you fighting Elton John," he explains, his laughter becoming louder as he does. I can't help but laugh along with him, resting my forehead on his shoulder.
"Leave it to Elton John to ruin a moment," I snicker into his shoulder. A vibration against the bed makes my laughter die down and Edward groan. He shifts us so he can grab his phone from his pocket, checking the screen to see who's calling.
"Shit, it's work. I have to take this. I'll be back in a few, okay?" he asks, pressing a chaste kiss against my lips. I smile and nod, getting off his lap and grabbing my carryout container from the bedside table. He gets off the bed, swiping the screen to answer the phone. "And leave my lo mein alone," he says pointedly, actually pointing a finger at me before he leaves the room, his phone pressed to his ear.
EPOV
"Cullen," I answer as I leave the room. I make my way downstairs as Chief barks back his response.
"Where the hell is my daughter?" he asks, accusingly. "Crowley said her truck is at the house but it doesn't seem she's there." I glance over at the stairs, knowing that Bella can't hear the chief through the phone, but still feeling paranoid. I make my way out through the sliding glass door in my living room onto the porch in my backyard.
"She's with me," I admit, frowning. I feel like a child that just got caught with their hand in the cookie jar.
"And where are you?" he questions.
"My house."
"What the hell is she doing at your house?" he barks. I swallow thickly, not sure how to proceed with my explanation. Chief makes a noise of impatience, letting me know I'm taking too long to answer.
"We're hanging out," I say lamely.
"That better be all you're doing. I've heard some things from Crowley that I'm not sure I like."
"And what has Crowley told you?" I ask, rolling my eyes like an angry teenager. I can't believe that Crowley is resorting to gossiping about me to the chief. I mean, I guess I can, with this being a gossipy small town and all, but still.
"You've been leaving my daughter's house pretty late at night."
"I'm also friends with Jasper," I sigh.
"Don't bullshit me, Cullen. What the hell is going on?" He's asking but it sounds like he knows exactly what is going on. I curse myself for making this tryst so transparent. It's not even an actual tryst yet and I've already been caught red handed.
"What do you mean?" I ask, trying to delay the inevitable.
"Are you seeing my daughter or not, Cullen," he practically growls out. Closing my eyes, I lean against the railing of the wraparound porch. This was actually the selling point of the house, according to Riley. Alice and I would take him with us as we looked at houses and this was the one we all decided on but Riley was the most enthusiastic because he could run all the way around the house without leaving the porch.
"Cullen," Chief barks, pulling me out of my memory.
"Yes, I'm seeing Bella," I finally spit out, hating how the news is coming out. I wait with baited breath for the shit storm that I'm about to endure and Chief doesn't let me down.
"Do you understand how badly you've fucked up, Cullen? Firing you is incredibly tempting right now!" he spews. "I asked you to become friends with her and when you said that was too much, I told you to back off, not get closer! I knew the risks of this assignment when I came up with it. I knew Bella was going to come out of this being slightly hurt but now you've completely fucked this up. Instead of being put off and slightly hurt by it, you better damn well believe she's going to be crushed when she finds out what your job really is. And you're going to be the one to blame for that. I was willing to take the fall for this when you were just her friend but you better damn well be really to own up to your part in this now."
"If you would have let me off this assignment when I asked the last several times, we wouldn't be in this position. I don't take my job lightly, Chief, so when I ask to be taken off an assignment, I have a damn good reason for it."
"Dating my daughter is not a good reason, Cullen," he spits. "You weren't supposed to start dating her!" I shake my head, knowing that if I say anything in response it's going to be snarky.
"My advice is to break this off before you both get too attached," he says, his voice calmer, more fatherly now. I shake my head, knowing that it's already too late for that. At least, it's too late for me to not get too attached. I'm not completely sure where Bella stands on the attachment but it seems like she's just as deep into this as I am.
"I don't think that's possible," I sigh out and I hear Chief curse under his breath.
"You've really fucked it up, Cullen," he says, sounding defeated. I nod even though he can't see me, knowing very well how fucked I've truly made things.
BPOV
Edward comes back into the room and his whole demeanor is changed. There's no sign of the fun, joking Edward that I've been messing around with this afternoon and evening. I can't find the lustful Edward either. In fact, I can't make out what he is right now, but it isn't a side of him I've seen before and it gives me an anxious knot in the pit of my stomach.
"Hey," I say as I set the carryout container aside. I push myself up onto my knees and make my way to the edge of the bed. He stops in front of me and I reach up to hold his face in my hands, rubbing my thumbs along the apples of his cheeks. His eyes close and he breathes in deep, looking older than he actually is.
"What's wrong? What happened?" I ask quietly, not sure if he's able to answer that question or not. He shakes his head, pulling me close to him.
"I should probably take you home," he mumbles into my hair and I stiffen, knowing he feels it. Did I overstep the boundaries? Was he really bothered that I ate some of his lo mein? Have I been bothering him this whole afternoon? No, I can't have been, can I? He didn't seem bothered before. The demeanor change came after his phone call so it can't be anything I did, right?
I pull away from him and get off the bed, avoiding his eyes as I search for my shirt. I find it on the floor by his door and slip it on, trying to smooth out the wrinkles in the cotton fabric. Edward pulls his shirt on and heads out the door ahead of me. The anxiety bubbling inside my stomach makes its way to my throat and I have to struggle to fight off the tears that fill my eyes. I feel rejected and confused, not knowing what's changed or if this change is permanent. Was this afternoon really too good to be true?
I follow Edward as we make our way downstairs. I slip my feet into my shoes and pick up my purse, chancing a glance his way. He looks over at me and I notice a pained expression in his eyes before he quickly masks it. He opens the front door, holding it open for me as I walk past. The silence between us is deafening and doesn't do anything to ease the anxiety I'm feeling. I walk over to his car and get in without waiting for him to get the door for me like he's made a point to throughout the day. He gets into the driver's side and starts the car. He backs the car out of his driveway and makes the short trek to my house. When he parks the car, I unbuckle my seatbelt and open the door.
"Bella," he sighs, his voice sounding worn but I don't give him the chance to say anything further. I'm out of the car and closing the door before he can finish telling me how much of a mistake this has been and how we should just stay friends. Fuck that. He can't lead me on like he has and expect me to want to just go back to being friends. The thought of it hurts about as much as losing him. It scares me how attached I've grown to him in such a short amount of time but I thought he felt the same way.
I hear Edward's car door open and close as I try to find my keys, my hand shaking. The sound of his shoes crunching against the gravel grows louder but I'm not ready to face him. I finally find the key and jam it into the deadbolt, twisting it and yanking the key out before opening the door as he calls my name again. I barely have the door opened before I squeeze inside and slam it, locking it behind me.
I rush up to my room, ignoring Rufus as he bounces around me and close the door behind me, sinking to the floor as my anxiety attack breaks through to the surface.
How could I have been so stupid? There's no way he could have felt even half as much as I do. The realization is suffocating and I hate myself for thinking that moving on so quickly was a good idea. I should have listened to myself when I questioned the quickness of it. But all I could think about was him and how comfortable I was with him. Did I scare him off when I told him I wasn't ready for sex? Is that the kind of person he is? He never seemed like it before but honestly how well do I actually know him?
My door opens and I feel arms wrap around me and a familiar scent fill my nose. Jasper is holding me tight against him as he breathes in an exaggerated breath. I try to fight against him but I can barely move, my whole body being crushed by the world's weight. I struggle to match his breathing, a strangled cry coming from my throat.
"Find five things you can see, Bella," Jasper instructs. I squeeze my eyes shut for a moment before looking around my room.
"D-d-desk," I sputter. "B-bed…w-window," I continue, my voice wavering as I do. "Ch-ch-chair…d-door," I finish, sniffling through my hyperventilation.
"Four things you can touch," he instructs, his voice level and calm. My fingers tingle as I move them, searching for something to touch.
"F-floor," I say, swallowing as my fingers graze the floor. "J-jeans…b-bed," I continue, my hands touching everything I find. "Y-you," I add, touching his arm that's around me. "Sh-shoe," I finish, touching a shoe that's under my bed.
"Three things you can hear," he continues.
"You," I start, my hyperventilation almost gone. "Me…the TV," I finish, hearing the buzzing sound that plays when a basketball player scores.
"Two things you can smell."
"Cologne and my perfume," I whisper.
"One thing you can taste." I look around my room, trying to find something edible. I shake my head, not finding anything. I gently pull away from Jasper and he unwraps his arms from my body.
"There's nothing in here for me to taste," I mutter, feeling the exhaustion creep over me.
"Can I get you anything?" he asks and I shake my head.
"I'm alright," I assure him as I slowly make my way to stand. He quickly gets up and takes my arm, helping me off the floor.
"You want to talk about it?" he asks and I shake my head quickly, not sure I'm able to talk about it quite yet.
"I just want to go to bed," I whisper. Jasper nods and pulls me to him, hugging his arms around me. I wrap my arms around his back, squeezing his body to mine, as if I'm trying to transfer some of my pain to him. He kisses the top of my head before pulling away.
"I'll be down the hall if you need me, okay?" he asks and I nod. With that, he leaves my room, shutting the door behind him.
Stripping out of my clothes, I don't bother putting pajamas on before crawling into bed, wrapping the blankets tightly around me. The anxiety attack is done and over with, but that doesn't stop the tears from falling.
Hey everyone!
Sorry this chapter is a bit short but this felt like a good spot to end it! This was also somewhat of a fluffy chapter if I do say so myself!
What did you guys think of the Edward and Bella fluff? And what about the end?
As someone with anxiety, I tried to give you guys a glimpse of what I feel going through an attack by putting it into Bella's attacks. I know not everyone's attacks are the same but I hope I portrayed it in an authentic way!
Let me know what you all think of the chapter! And, as always, if you see any typos in there, let me know and I'll fix it ASAP!
Twilight What?