First of all, a big shout out to my team of pre-readers and beta: NimNimBonjangles, bevey99, and Fran. Thank you so much for all the help with this story.
Also, a huge thank you to all of you who've read, fav'ed, followed, and reviewed this. It means a lot to me.
We're going to learn quite a lot about both Bella and Edward during this chapter.
[Bella]
I didn't realize the power Edward Cullen had over me until he started dating Vera Starling, a fellow senior. I had her in my second period, and that gave me enough time to study her. She didn't strike me as the kind of girl he'd go for. She was too bland. I imagined him dating someone exciting, who would be able to hold intelligent conversations with him, someone who wouldn't judge him for playing a role in school.
Jasper asked me to teach my students Sex Ed. I had to remind myself this was a small-town school, and they couldn't afford too many teachers and subjects.
I chose the clinical approach when I talked to my classes about this subject, so I wouldn't become a mass of nerves in front of them. Becoming more confident helped during those two difficult weeks.
Especially in my AP Biology class. Edward didn't say much, but when he did, he chose his words carefully. They usually had double meanings, or they were full of sexual innuendos.
Aside from trying not to cave to my deepest and darkest desires, I focused on my blooming friendships with my colleagues. With Jacob, it seemed like the twenty years of absence from each other's lives had never happened. It was crazy how well we got along.
I'd befriended Alice and Jasper, which upset some of the staff, but it wasn't my problem. Tanya was so self-absorbed she couldn't understand my friendship with the principal and his future wife wasn't influencing my job. It wasn't like I had a job where I could climb higher. I might get a raise in a couple of years if the school thrived.
Alice took me shopping in Port Angeles, the nearest town, to help me select the perfect dress for the Spring Dance. I tried explaining I didn't dance, but she insisted the teachers had to show up. We had to chaperone the misbehaving teenagers.
The highlight of the dance was Edward breaking up with his girlfriend. I even felt bad for the poor girl being dumped during the event in front of the whole school.
To keep myself grounded and to not go after him, had me accepting the cocktail Jake had offered me. I wasn't sure how much I wanted to confront Edward for treating that girl so poorly and how much I wanted to replace her.
My thoughts regarding Edward had taken a turn for the worst.
There was no moment during the day or night when I didn't fantasize about him. I clung to the brief moments we'd touched, trying to envision how his hands would feel on different parts of my body, how soft his lips were, or what shade of green his eyes turned when he was aroused.
I drank several spiked cocktails, thanks to Jake's hidden bottle of liquor. I was pleasantly buzzed when I got behind the wheel.
I could still remember my dad's voice warning me about drinking and driving, but it was late at night, and I didn't plan to go over twenty.
Jacob kept pleading with me to let him drive me, but I insisted that I was capable of operating my car.
When I got home, I was ready to pour myself some wine and enjoy my buzzed state.
Then the doorbell rang, and I was ready to strangle Jake if he'd followed me.
To my shock, Edward was standing on my threshold, swaying slightly. His cheeks were pink, and his pupils looked dilated.
Was he drunk?
It wouldn't surprise me after the show he'd created in the gym.
Against my better judgment, I allowed him inside my apartment.
His statement, "For as long as you want me," had me reeling.
I leaned against the closed door. He turned to face me, covering the steps separating us. I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling my heart beating wildly inside my chest. I couldn't locate my lungs to breathe.
His warmth let me know he was within touch. His palms came in contact with the door above my shoulders. I could feel his hot breath above me, and it smelled of alcohol.
"Stop." I ducked under his arm, breathing easier now that I was several steps away from him.
"You know this is going to happen any way you look at it," he said slowly, folding his arms across his chest as he spun around to face me.
"You're drunk. I'm…not really, but I'm not sober either."
He smirked, wetting his lips. "So, you want to wait until we're both sober?"
"Edward, do you even realize what you're asking?" I groaned, heading into my kitchen. I grabbed two glasses and filled them with water, placing them on the counter. "Drink."
"Trying to sober me up so we could fuck?" he joked.
I sipped from my glass, watching as he picked up his glass, looking around.
"Nice place you got here." His heated gaze froze me before I could thank him. "Where's the bedroom?"
He had a one-track mind. I couldn't say I blamed him, but I chose to be the rational one between the two of us.
"There's no bedroom," I said as seriously as possible.
"No bedroom?" His eyebrows shot up, looking adorably confused.
"Please, take the couch. I don't want you driving in this state." I passed him on my way to the closet to bring him a blanket. His hand shot out, catching my elbow.
"Esme thinks I'm at Emmett's."
"We can talk about this in the morning. For now, you need to sleep." I pulled my arm free, hurrying to bring him a blanket. The sooner he was asleep, the better. Less temptation for me because even drunk, Edward had a wicked power over my body.
"Do I intimidate you, Ms. Swan?" he asked quietly as I prepared the couch for his sleepover.
"Please, drink that water and get some sleep."
"Where's the bathroom?"
"Down the hall, last door on the right."
He nodded, sitting on the couch with the glass in his hand. He looked so young and woundedat that moment. I refused to cave, in case it was just an act.
I locked myself in my bedroom, taking a few deep breaths.
Tomorrow was going to be the point of no return.
If I could stand up and tell him no, he was likely to give up and turn into a huge asshole during classes. I'd heard all about his lovely attitude from the other teachers.
If I caved and allowed us to explore this undeniable attraction between us…I shuddered to think someone catching wind of this. Even his presence here in my apartment was a terrible idea.
.
.
.
In the morning, nothing could have prepared me for the adorable picture of Edward sprawled on my sectional. The blue blanket was bundled up at his feet, half falling on the floor, as if he'd kicked it during the night. His clothes were in a heap on the floor.
I tiptoed to the kitchen, preparing my coffee as quietly as possible. I must have made too much noise while grabbing my favorite mug because I heard him groaning loudly.
I hoped he didn't have a headache. He might not have drunk a lot, as he said, but his body wasn't used to alcohol.
A minute later, he sat up, looking around confused. His head turned toward the kitchen area, and his green eyes widened comically. His hair was in worse disarray than usual. Clearly, he'd forgotten his brazenness from last night.
"Fuck," he mumbled, falling back on the couch.
"Good morning," I said cheerfully. "Is your head hurting?"
"Let me die," he mumbled again, his voice sounding muffled.
I went to inspect what he was doing and snorted at the sight. He'd flopped over, and now his face was pressed into the sofa's seating area. Since I was going to hell, I decided a peek at his delicious butt wouldn't hurt anyone. It was so small and firm, his white boxer briefs hugging it tightly.
I crouched by his side, aware that anything conventional or ethical had flown out the window when I'd let him in my apartment last night.
Edward turned his head to look at me, cringing. He didn't say anything, just trapped me under his green spell. Like always, I forgot to breathe. I stopped thinking rationally, too, because I shouldn't have reached out to stroke the hair out of his eyes. The corner of his mouth lifted, dragging my attention to his soft lips.
The urge to taste them was overwhelming. I'd never wanted to kiss anyone so much.
Edward sat up again, scratching at his cheek. "I think I'm going to use the bathroom."
I stood, stepping out of the way of his warm, inviting body. I returned to my coffee, berating myself for forgetting my mind in his presence.
"Ms. Swan?" he called from the hallway, looking at me over his shoulder.
"Yes?"
"I'd like a painkiller and some coffee." The crooked smile he threw me made me weak at the knees.
While I was pouring coffee in two mugs, he returned, looking delicious. What I would have done to have his confidence at his age...
He didn't seem fazed about his naked chest in my presence. I had to admit, his abdomen was well-toned from all the hours spent practicing and playing basketball. I could see lean muscles formed on his biceps and forearms, which reminded me of how strong he was.
Edward stopped next to me, accepting the mug I pushed his way.
"There's a Motrin. It's stronger than what you need, but it's all I have," I pointed to the pill sitting on the counter.
"Thanks." He gulped it with a few mouthfuls of coffee before I could offer him some water.
Being much closer to me, half-sitting on one of the stools, I continued my exploration of his body. My eyes stopped at his underwear. I tried to focus on the hair below his navel, but my attention was drawn to the impressive erection in his boxer briefs.
Holy shit.
I looked away as fast as possible, drinking my coffee.
"Look, I'm not going to apologize for last night," he started, leaning his elbows on the island counter. "That vodka gave me all the courage I needed to come here, and I'm not going to regret it."
"Edward…" I played with my ponytail, proving how nervous he made me. "You know this is not legal."
"I read the law," he said seriously, his voice dropping. "If you don't say anything, I definitely won't."
"Edward, this is absurd! We shouldn't even be having this conversation," I protested. Part of me was so scared that it was turning me paranoid. What if there were listening devices in my own home? Or cameras? I was clearly absurd, but I knew everything I risked if I allowed him to win.
He leaned closer. One of his large, warm hands touched my bare knee, making that patch of skin burst into flames.
"Nothing will change at school. Look, I have another month of this shit." His face was so much closer now. I could feel his breath on my lips, crumbling my resolve. He came closer to me, trapping me between his warm body and the counter, his hands gripping the edge, as he held my eyes, urging me to give in.
I wanted to melt to the floor.
I wanted to push him away and remind him his desire was impossible.
I wanted to tell him to wait until he finished school.
I wanted to grab him and kiss him until I forgot my name.
His posture going rigid, with whatever he saw in my eyes, made him take a few steps back.
"I'm not promising I can wait, but when you're ready, you know where I am," he said.
With that statement, I understood how mature he actually was.
The tense moment dissolved, and we moved to sit on the sofa. I curled at the juncture of the sectional while he sprawled his large frame on the longer part.
"You have a nice view here," he commented, sipping from his coffee.
I turned to look out the window, smiling. "Yeah. Everything is so green in Forks."
"So, your favorite color is green?" He lifted a brow, for once not in challenge but out of curiosity.
"It used to be red, but since moving here…green is so beautiful," I said, meeting his eyes.
A smirk was his answer as if he were on to me. He cleared his throat. "I used to like black, but since you moved here, I realized how beautiful the color brown is."
So he was going to make it difficult for me. It shouldn't have surprised me.
"Of course…" I rolled my eyes. "Me and half the population on this planet share brown eyes and brown hair."
His eyes narrowed. "You don't see yourself very clearly, do you, Ms. Swan?" It didn't escape me how he kept referring to me as 'Ms. Swan'. I expected him to drop the title and call me Bella.
"You're not going to be the one who shows me how beautiful I am," I threatened.
He smiled, sipping from his coffee, yawning loudly. The sound of an incoming text message made him groan and search for his phone in his discarded pants.
I watched as he typed back a reply, frowning, before chucking the phone between us, resuming his reclined position.
"Do you have to go home?" I asked.
"Ready to be rid of me?" he teased.
"I'm just curious…My mom would have sent the FBI to search for the remains of my body by now if I didn't make it home last night."
He snorted, but his jaw clenched. "Esme and Carlisle are not my parents. Everyone calls them that, and it drives me crazy."
"I'm sorry." My eyes widened in horror, understanding that he might be more fragile than he showed others.
Edward pressed his thumb to the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut. "I was in an accident when I was little. Some sick fuck inside a store I was shopping at with my parents opened fire. Clearly, I don't remember much."
I nearly dropped my mug. "The toy store?" I could barely hear my voice.
Edward was eighteen. It had been eleven years since Charlie had lost his life during the most horrific incident in Forks' criminal history.
"Shit." Edward scooted closer. "Chief Swan. Was he…"
"Yes," I whispered, leaning into his open arms. "I didn't know him well."
"Well…shit." He chuckled nervously, peering down at me. "That's fucked-up."
It proved how much younger he was. He was seven years old when I'd been seventeen years old, both of us losing important people.
"The survivors inside the store were rushed to the hospital. The newest resident attended to me. I hadn't been shot because my parents protected me," he said softly, rubbing my arm. "I liked Dr. Carlisle, he was one of the kindest doctors I'd ever met, and I'd met several, considering I was a troublemaker."
I snorted, imagining a rambunctious young Edward. Not much had changed, apparently. "Did he offer to adopt you, just like that?"
Edward pulled away, grabbing his mug. "I stayed several days in the hospital, having nowhere else to go. He was always there, making sure I ate and telling me I was going to be okay. Of course, I didn't understand why my parents weren't there." He ran a hand through his hair. "Then, on the day before Child Protective Services was due to arrive, Dr. Carlisle's fiancée visited him." Edward chuckled, his eyes meeting mine. "Esme loved me from the first moment she saw me. She knew my story from Carlisle…so after the social worker arrived, they started the process of adopting me. Two virtual strangers, in their early twenties, adopting the little orphan – the best sob-story Forks has ever known."
"I think it was very kind of them."
He shrugged. "Sometimes, Esme forgets I've grown up, but I'll be forever grateful for them adopting me and saving me from whatever might have happened if I was placed in foster care."
I nodded, surprised by how much he loved his adoptive parents.
"They've always treated me like their little brother, more than their child. I'm not sure how to explain it, but they never babied me. When I was older, they took me to my parents' graves, telling me the story, so I wouldn't resent them. Like how could I ever hate the people who saved me?" He rolled his eyes. "Carlisle taught me to play ball. Esme showed me how to care for plants, which is her passion."
"Now I understand what you meant when we repotted those plants," I mumbled.
He chuckled. "So…you're from Forks?" His eyes found mine.
"I was born here," I said. "But I grew up in Phoenix; then, in my teen years, we moved to Jacksonville." I curled a strand of hair around my finger. "I could have come here for my high school years, but I wasn't sure I could live with the chief of police as a teenager."
He laughed loudly. "Did you plan on sneaking out a lot?"
I glared, pointing to him. "You're not one to talk about this."
He raised his hands, still laughing. It made me see how easy it was being with him, how the age difference melted away.
"Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I came here like planned. I'd have been much closer to him. That horrible incident would have still happened. It would have scarred me for life."
"Yeah, it was the worst crime Forks has ever had," he admitted. "Good thing, your dad's colleagues put that guy down, but not before he killed so many."
Seven dead, eleven injured had been the official report. Some were children, the shooting taking place in a toy store.
His phone rang, making him sigh loudly and accept the call.
"Hey," he said quietly, shifting further away from me. "Yeah, uh…I'm on my way." He frowned. "What do you need? Okay. No. I won't forget, Esme."
Once he hung up, he gulped loudly, turning to face me. "I have to go."
"See? She's worried."
"No," he groaned. "She's out of gas, and Carlisle is at the hospital. I have to run to the store on my way home."
I laughed, remembering how much I hated running errands for my mom when I was his age.
He got dressed while I washed our coffee cups. He came to my side, cupping my shoulder.
"I'm not giving up, Ms. Swan."
"One more month, Edward," I reminded him.
"Is that a promise? I could live with that."
Even if this were going to be a summer fling, I wouldn't regret it. Realistically, we had no future. He was headed for Cornell, and I was still going to be a teacher in Forks.
I escorted him to the front door when he took my hand, squeezing my fingers.
"Fuck," he spat, pushing me against the door.
I only had time to look up into his hooded eyes before his soft lips crashed onto mine. I couldn't even fight him off. My free hand grabbed his hair at the back of his head. His free hand gripped at my hip.
His lips were as soft as I'd imagined. Then, his hot wet tongue traced my bottom lip, and I gasped, effectively inviting him in.
We kissed until I was dizzy from the lack of oxygen and his dazzling personality. When he finally pulled away, his breathing was ragged, too. He gripped his hair, clenching his jaw.
"I have to go, or I'm going to fuck you right here."
I took a step away, opening the door. He stormed out, his sneakers making loud noises on the stairs.
Holy hell.
I closed the door, leaning against it. My shaking fingers traced my lips.
No one had ever kissed me so softly, yet brutally. It was clear Edward had experience. He was no fumbling teenager. Part of me hated that; irrationally jealous of everyone he'd dated before.
One thing was clear; school on Monday was going to be something else.
Thoughts?
Reviews are love.
This story is fully pre-written and there will be regular Sunday updates until it's completed. I'm currently working on the sequel. =)
Don't forget to check out the facebook groups where I share teasers for my stories
- addict_writer fanfiction (my group) www dot facebook dot com/groups/274198112656668
- It All Started with Twilight (Fran's amazing group) www dot facebook dot com/groups/896806390388220
PS: I wrote a little one-shot of Edward's birthday. It's called To Touch Your Feelings. Please check it out.