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.
Secondly, a big 'THANK YOU' to all of you who're still here, ready for the sequel.
[Bella]
I woke up rested, a feeling I hadn't had in months.
As I became aware of my surroundings, I felt a pair of strong arms holding me tightly.
For a wild moment, I thought I'd brought home someone, but I hadn't been drinking. Then I remembered Edward's surprise visit.
I ran the tips of my fingers over his forearm, enjoying the feeling of the soft hair. He flexed the muscles in his arm, shifting closer, nuzzling my shoulder. I could feel his morning wood digging into my ass, but I kept stroking his arm.
He chuckled throatily. "It's tickling," he mumbled, trapping my hand with his.
Slowly, I turned to face him. My free hand cupped his cheek as I kissed the tip of his nose. It twitched adorably. I pecked his mouth, aware of our morning breath, but I couldn't get enough of him.
"Why are you awake?" he protested weakly, still not opening his eyes.
We'd stayed up late, and judging by the pink color of the sky, it was barely dawn. "I feel so rested."
"I don't," he turned around, pressing his face into the pillow. A snore followed a moment later.
Edward needed his sleep if the way he looked yesterday was any indication. So, I left him in my bed while I went to get breakfast ready.
I tried not to think about Esme and how she would get worried because he hadn't spent the night at home.
While I flipped pancakes in my non-stick pan, I checked my phone. There was a text message from Alice inviting me to Dawn to continue celebrating. I had no plausible reason to decline, and I'd hate to leave Edward alone. He could go home while I was at the bar, but I knew I wouldn't enjoy my time there.
I didn't want to miss any moment I had with him during his visit.
Sorry. Raincheck? I hoped Alice wouldn't make a big deal out of it.
My heart jumped in my throat when there was a knock on the door while I was plating the pancakes.
I gathered our discarded clothes, throwing them in my home office, before rushing to open the door. Too late, I realized I was wearing Edward's old Ramones T-shirt and just a pair of panties.
Jacob and Vanessa were on my doorstep with a gift bag and looking excited.
"Hi," I said lamely, stepping away. I had no excuse to tell them to leave. All I could hope was that Edward would sleep until I managed to get rid of them politely.
"Well, happy birthday!" Vanessa said cheerfully.
"Thank you!" I hugged her, which was becoming difficult these days with her large tummy in between us.
Jacob had put my worries to rest long ago, telling me he had a car, and they used it now that Nessie could barely keep her equilibrium on her two feet, let alone on his motorbike.
"Looks like someone had fun last night," she teased, looking toward the couch.
I noticed my bra hanging on the back of it.
Fuck. My cheeks flushed. "Yeah, right." I rolled my eyes, turning to the counter. They could have a pancake before they left. It would be a crime not to feed the pregnant.
"Yet, there are two cups of coffee," Jacob, the ever-perceptive guy, pointed out.
"One is from yesterday," I lied.
Vanessa came closer, handing me the bag. "Here you go." She winked.
I'd learned my lesson from Alice, so I peeked inside before pulling out the beauty kit. It held all sorts of products from shower gel and salts, to scrubs and body cream, a nice sponge, and even a sleep mask.
"Thank you so much." I hugged her again before moving to hug Jake. "It's really nice of you guys."
In the past several months, I'd come to know Vanessa well, and despite her young age, we'd become good friends. She was an old soul, and nothing about her, except her appearance, could point to how young she was. She had to grow up faster than many others her age.
"Want some pancakes?" I offered, feeling my stomach twisting in nerves. Edward could wake up any moment, but I trusted him to stay put when he heard voices.
"Sure, but for a short while. Someone's supposed to be resting." Jake placed his hands on his girlfriend's shoulder.
She huffed, glancing up at him over her shoulder. He grinned, leaning to kiss her.
I handed them a plate and the Nutella jar. They sat at the counter. I sipped from my coffee while Vanessa complained about having to stay in bed all day. I'd do anything to be in her place – staying in bed was my ultimate goal. But life got in the way, usually.
"Do I smell pancakes, babe?"
I felt all the blood draining from my face. I gripped the edge of the counter as Edward appeared at the mouth of the hallway leading to my bedroom. He was wearing his black boxer briefs, and his hair was sticking in every direction.
Jacob stared at him transfixed, and Vanessa gasped loudly.
It felt like I was going to faint. My ears buzzed, and my legs were ready to give out.
"Fuck." I heard Edward cursing. He ran a hand through his hair, seemingly unfazed. "Coach. Uh, Coach's girl."
I met his eyes, nodding back toward the way he'd come, but he advanced.
It wasn't the time to be brave and start telling people about us. I wasn't ready, but it was obvious what was going on.
Jake turned to look at me, but I wasn't brave enough to meet his eyes. Instead, I averted my gaze, staring into my cup.
Edward stopped behind me, wrapping his arms around me. "What? Say something," he snapped. His snide remark was clearly directed at Jake. "It's okay," he whispered just for me, kissing the top of my head.
I turned into his embrace, pressing my face to his warm, naked chest. Edward rubbed a hand over my back.
"I shouldn't be so shocked after everything you've told me and how you've supported me with my relationship with Vanessa," Jake said slowly, and I tensed up, not daring to look his way.
"We should go, Jakey. This is clearly not how Bella wanted us to find out."
Edward's arms tightened around me; then, he dropped them. I felt the loss of his comforting embrace. He walked my guests to the door with a solemn expression on his face.
He exchanged some hushed words with Jacob, but they were too far away for me to hear. Then the door closed, and Edward spun around to face me.
"Shit," he said softly. "Fucking shit." He rushed back to me, hugging me again.
"What did he say?" I whispered, my mouth feeling as dry as the desert. "Edward?" I glanced up at him when he didn't answer immediately. His jaw was set, and I had the urge to lick that hard line and the fine dust of hair covering it. I restrained myself because we had to talk about what just happened.
"'It's not my place to judge, but if you hurt her, I'll fuck you up, Cullen,' and that's a direct quote."
I winced. Jake was going to give me hell on Monday. "Didn't you hear us talking in here?"
"No," he said honestly. "I just smelled the pancakes," he mumbled into my hair. He took my hand, leading me to the couch, pointing for me to sit, while he brought over the breakfast.
I curled up, hugging my knees to my chest, staring out the window.
"Black won't squeal on us," Edward said seriously, sitting next to me.
"I know." I pressed my forehead to my knees. "But I wasn't ready for him to find out. I'm not ready for anyone to find out."
Edward turned my head to him, searching my eyes. "Do you still want out?"
"No." And I meant it. "I love you."
A big smile stretched on his lips. "I love you." He leaned to kiss me slowly. "We'll make everything work, Bella. I promise you. And if Black dares to say anything…"
"He won't; you're right."
"To you, I meant," he muttered. "Fuck," he spat when his phone's ringtone filled the quiet apartment.
I watched as he got up, looking around.
"Your clothes are in the study," I explained.
He shot me an amused look before rushing into the room.
I chewed on a pancake, sipping my coffee. Edward returned to sit next to me while he was on the phone. It sounded like he was talking to someone from college. He lifted his left arm, and I accepted the silent invitation to snuggle while he spoke to his friend.
"Jesus Christ," he mumbled once he hung up. "Did I tell you about my roommate?"
"Once or twice," I laughed. He'd complained about what a slob Garrett was several times.
"Don't get me wrong, I couldn't have been roomed with a better guy, but he's such an air-head. I fear for his future patients."
"Oh, come on. It can't be that bad."
"You probably had normal roommates in college."
"I didn't," I said, feeling my cheeks heating. "I still lived with my mom and Phil while attending college."
"Oh. Well, like I said, Garrett's not bad…he needs several personal assistants to keep track of his things. I swear, he never finds anything in that mess he calls his room."
I laughed. "That's how boys should be – messy."
Edward shot me a wounded look. "I'd rather keep my things organized and clean, thank you very much. I have no idea how Kate stands him."
"His girlfriend?" I guessed.
"Yeah. She seems to have endless patience with him. Right now, he called to ask me if I'd seen one of his red socks. Like, what the fuck?"
I laughed loudly, finally relaxing after the tense morning we'd had. I sipped my coffee. "You'd have been horrified if you came over last week. I barely had time to breathe with the beginning of school. There was a large pile of clothes on my bathroom floor and a tower of dirty dishes in my sink."
"Bella, it's different. You have a job, which demands a lot of your time. He just has to attend classes."
"I remember college differently. It was the most stressful part of my life," I admitted.
"Yeah, it is," he said in a small voice. "It feels like I'm so out of my league there, but I'm trying to keep up and study hard."
I cupped his cheek, kissing his lips. "I have no doubt you'll succeed and have a diploma to help you pursue your desired career." I curled my fingers around his. "But I'm curious."
"Hmm?" He played with my fingers, placing small kisses down my neck.
"What type of doctor do you have in mind? Sadly, most of them have to deal with blood."
"It's different if I see it in a vial, not on someone's face or clothes." He shrugged. "Besides, my dream job is a virologist."
"Whoa!" I pulled away to stare at him in shock. We hadn't talked about this before. It was unexpected to hear that. "Any specific reason? Other than the fact that you won't deal with ER injuries?"
He chuckled, shrugging. "You'll think it's silly."
"Try me." I squeezed his hand.
"I was always fascinated by how I got the flu and how it affected me and shit. I was about thirteen when I got this terrible flu that was circulating. I had to stay in the hospital for a couple of weeks. While Esme fussed around me, like I was dying, Carlisle talked to me about how the virus affected me." His voice drifted, sounding fascinated. "It was probably back then when I knew deep down what I wanted to become. A few years later, I found one of his medical journals on the coffee table, and needless to say, they were both surprised to see my reading material."
"I still can't believe how mature and smart you are, yet you chose to fall under a terrible stereotype during high school."
Edward shifted, reaching for his coffee. "You've clearly forgotten how high school works. Scott, the guy who used to be on the team but then had to drop out after a bad asthma attack on the court, was a geek. Emmett and I were probably the only ones nice to him." He took several gulps of coffee, catching my eyes. "You can't be both smart and a jock – not in the concept of a high school student. Besides, acting out helped with building my self-confidence, which I used to profoundly lack."
I shook my head, sipping from my cup. He rubbed my arm, sighing loudly.
"What do you want to do today?"
"Not move from here?" I joked. "What about you?"
"Not moving from here sounds like the best idea."
"Won't Esme be wondering where you are?" I asked curiously. I still didn't understand how their relationship worked, but I remembered the suffocating way my mom used to be with me. She still was the same, just miles away.
"She accompanied Carlisle to one of his out-of-town conventions. They're not even home, but I didn't lie to Black when I said I returned to grab something I'd forgotten."
"What is that?" He'd gone over his lists compulsively for days before leaving.
"My trophy panties." He grinned cheekily.
"Oh, God." I hid my face in his shoulder, my cheeks heating.
"What? You seem to love my shirt."
I peered down at what I was wearing, then met his green gaze. "Definitely."
"Did I mention how much I love seeing you in this?" he asked in a husky voice as his free hand came to rest on my ass.
We placed the coffees back on the table before I straddled his lap. Edward groaned into my mouth, his fingers tangling into my hair. I pulled my panties off without breaking the kiss or injuring one of us, which was an accomplishment for me.
"Shit. Condom," he grumbled against my lips.
At that moment, I had the irrational desire to say, 'fuck it,' but I was likely to regret it.
"Stay." I pointed a finger at him as I hurried down the hallway to my bedroom.
When I returned, Edward was naked and stroking himself, his eyes closed and lips parted. My pussy throbbed in need as I straddled his lap again, startling him. His eyes snapped open when I unrolled the condom onto his erection.
"Fuck, Bella." He gripped at the base of his dick. "Christ, give me some warning."
"I need you," I breathed out, lowering onto him.
"When the fuck did I get so lucky?" His hands went under my shirt, grabbing my breasts, squeezing, kneading, as we found a rhythm of our hips.
Eventually, I pulled the shirt over my head, throwing it away, and Edward attacked my breasts with kisses and licks. I kept myself anchored on him – one hand gripping his messy hair and one on his shoulder. His hands were all over my body, driving me crazy.
When we found completion, I slumped onto his sweaty chest, not ready to move just yet.
.
.
.
"You really didn't have to bring me here," Edward said softly.
"You shouldn't waste your money on the Greyhound. You flew back to see me, then took the bus to Forks in order to surprise me. This is the least I can do. Besides, you should save your money for fun."
"Fun…"
"Yes," I said seriously, walking with him into the Seattle Airport. I still couldn't believe he'd taken the bus to Forks late at night on Thursday, hence his bloodshot eyes when I saw him on Friday. "I'm not telling you to go partying and drinking, just…have fun."
"I'll try," he promised, squeezing my hand. "This is worse than the last time."
"Are you coming back for Thanksgiving?"
"Probably, but I'm definitely coming back for Christmas."
I nodded, swallowing through the lump in my throat. I was about to burst into tears.
"I love you, Bella." Edward crushed me into a strong hug, and I heard him sniffing in my hair.
"I love you, too," I choked out, wrapping my arms around his neck. "Go," I urged, knowing it would be even more difficult for both of us if we kept hugging.
"Remind me again why I chose to study in New York."
"Because Cornell is one of the best universities in the country, and you're one of the lucky ones to get admitted. Call me when you land."
He pulled away, smirking. "Yes, mother."
I slapped his arm, amused. Then he was kissing me like he'd never see me again, and it returned the lump in my throat.
"Don't let Black upset you," he murmured against my lips.
"I promise."
With one last heated kiss, he walked backward several feet before turning and getting lost in the crowd.
I returned to my car, brushing at the tears falling on my cheeks. It wasn't like we'd said goodbye forever, but not having him next to me after our beautiful weekend was going to be difficult. We hadn't left my apartment, except for late evening on Saturday when we'd gone to the only fast-food restaurant in town, using the drive-through. We ordered from several menus and ate most of them on the floor in my living room before we'd gone to bed.
This morning, we'd lazed around for a long time, not ready to face the day. After some breakfast, I followed Edward's car to his house. He pulled me inside after him, and by the time we needed to leave, he'd almost forgotten the lame reason behind his visit – my panties.
I hoped his parents wouldn't question his messy bed. They knew he'd been home for at least one day during their absence.
By the time I reached Forks, I'd managed to compose myself. As I let myself into my apartment, my phone rang.
Edward's ringtone.
"So, I landed," he said sleepily.
"I just arrived home," I said, amused.
"Seriously?" He sounded a little more alert.
"It's a five-hour drive, Edward. Your flight took the same amount of time."
"Fuck. Uh, yeah." He cleared his throat loudly. "Are you okay?"
"Yes. Are you?" I toed my sneakers off, padding to the bedroom.
"I will be."
"Edward, please don't do anything stupid; this is your future. I know it feels like we can never catch a break, but we'll have time for us. I promise."
"I'm holding you to that promise."
He then gasped. "Well, this is a surprise."
"What?" I asked, confused.
"Thanks, Kate. You shouldn't have," he said, sounding a lot more awake. "Kate came to get my ass to campus. Garrett remembered I was arriving today and sent her to get me since she has a car."
"That's very nice. Get some rest."
"You too."
I ate some leftovers from yesterday before falling on the bed, exhausted, but thinking about Edward.
Reviews are love. So now Jacob knows for sure. Thoughts?
For anyone interested, I started posting a new story: Undisclosed Desires (When Bella, an experienced Domme, agrees to meet a wounded Sub, she doesn't know how much he'll change her life.)
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- addict_writer fanfiction (my group) www dot facebook dot com/groups/274198112656668
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