Beta- StacyO72 – I've got nothing clever this week. She's awesome.
Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended.
Pretty looking road,
Try to hold the rising floods that fill my skin
Don't ask me why I'll keep my promise,
I'll melt the ice
And you wanted to dance so I asked you to dance
But fear is in your soul
Some people call it a one night stand
But we can call it paradise
Don't say a prayer for me now,
Save it 'til the morning after
No, don't say a prayer for me now,
Save it 'til the morning after
– Save A Prayer, Duran Duran
A/N No one freak over the one night stand line above, Simon Le Bon wrote that, not me. E& B are much more than a one night stand. Save A Prayer just happens to be my favorite song ever, not just Duran song, any song. It's an exotic, erotic masterpiece. The video is what turned me from a casual fan into a Duranie: John Taylor on an elephant. Yeah, he's a bit skinny, but that smile….
Ch. 13 Paradise
"Edward? Who were you talking to?"
I look down the flight of steps to where he is standing on the asphalt path of the Cliff Walk. There is no one else around but I know I heard Edward's voice along with another man's just a moment ago.
Edward turns and looks up at me, a blank expression on his face before he seems to realize something.
"Oh, it was just someone hiking the trail; a guy from Chicago. You know, people from other parts of the country actually like to talk to strangers." He teases, knowing the reputation New Englanders have for being unfriendly.
I roll my eyes. "Whatever"
"Rose said Rhode Island is the 'What the fuck are you looking at?' state." Edward says as he climbs the steps back up to where I am. His arms encircle my waist as he bends his head to place soft kisses on my neck.
I laugh and playfully try to pull away as his lips and surrounding scruff tickle my neck. He holds on tight and I'm more than happy he won't let go.
"That sounds like such a Rose thing to say. We're not all like that." I reply even though I know there is more than a bit of truth to it, even in the tourist areas like the Block and Newport. I decide this is the perfect opportunity to broach the question that has been on my mind for over a month.
"It's not like we give people an alias when we meet them." I look up at him, gauging his reaction to my words.
The bright green of his eyes darkens just a bit. He shakes his head, looks down then looks back up at me, his expression again blank.
"What do you thinks happens to kids named Edward who play the clarinet?"
I furrow my brow, confused by where he is going with this. "I don't understand."
"Squidward. Kids named Edward who play the clarinet get called Squidward, not just through elementary school, but then junior high, and even into high school. Even though I dropped clarinet in sixth grade and started playing saxophone instead, that damn nickname stayed with me. I didn't mean to confuse you. I just don't want Emmett and Jasper calling me Squidward. So, do you mind keeping that fact to yourself?" He brings one his hands forward and takes mine in his. "Please."
I nod. It's not an unreasonable story yet there's something in his eyes that makes me doubt him. I don't have any evidence to suggest he is lying, just a gut feeling, so I let it go.
We hold hands and walk back to the Cottage in companionable silence. I glance over at Edward every once in a while; still not convinced this is all real. I'm in a daze from last night. My stomach is jittery every time I think about what happened, which is pretty much every second since I woke up. I had myself convinced I wasn't going to do more than just fool around with him right up until the cab ride back to the inn. Maybe it was when his fingers brushed against my breast for the first time. Maybe it was when I shocked both of us by straddling his lap, his erection settling in just the right spot between my legs. Maybe it was the look in his eyes, so full of passion and want for me that overwhelmed all common sense. Maybe the third margarita clouded my judgment a bit, although I certainly wasn't drunk. Whatever the reason, by the time he unlocked the door to our suite, I couldn't think about anything except what it would feel like to have him inside me. It wasn't the first time in my adult life I had acted on a sexual impulse but it was the first time I did so with no reservations afterward. Maybe it was sooner than I anticipated, but sex with Edward was an experience I would never regret.
"What are you thinking about?" His question rouses me from my memories. I gaze into his eyes and immediately blush.
He opens the door to our suite, his eyes never leaving mine as I walk through into the bright open living area.
He smirks before I can even finish saying, "Last Night."
"Your blush gives you away."
I sigh as I plop down on the striped sofa. "I know; I'm an open book."
He slides down next to me. I nestle into the crook of his right arm and he rests his head in top of mine. It feels more than comfortable, it feels like we fit, like two pieces of a puzzle.
"Is this good?" He asks. I murmur a yes into his chest.
His hand slides down my back and rests at the base of my spine.
"What about last night, are you o.k. with that?" I raise my head and am surprised to see hesitation in eyes that were so confident just a moment ago. I didn't think he needed confirmation.
I slowly nod. "Couldn't you tell?"
"It's best not to assume. I'd rather hear you say it." His left hand reaches out and gently caresses mine. "You should know that I don't sleep around. If I'm…" he pauses, searching for the right word, "intimate with a girl, then there's no one else." His eyes bore into mine and I quickly digest the meaning of his words.
"So we're exclusive." I confirm.
He nods and gives me a half grin that is sexy and sweet at the same time.
"I'm not good at sharing. It must be an only child thing."
"Me either." I chew on my lip for just a moment before I give into the overpowering urge to kiss him.
We spend some time languidly exchanging soft closed-mouth kisses as our hands caress each other's bodies. I'm barely aware of my body moving closer to his until I am once again positioning myself over his lap. His hands slip under the waistband of my shorts and I can't stop the moan that escapes from me when he cups my ass. His long fingers work their way down to the place where my bottom meets the top my thighs. He follows the crease there, rubbing in long soft strokes that make me insane with desire as he each time he stops just before the spot where I want him most.
"You're driving me crazy." I pant between kisses.
"This from the girl who's not wearing any underwear. Good. I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels that way."
He replies before he opens his mouth wider and our tongues circle each other.
I break free for just a moment, grab my tank top and hold it out. "This IS underwear. I'm not just wearing any clothes over it."
He chuckles and gently squeezes my ass. "And down here? Where are your panties? I don't think shorts qualify, ever if they are sexy little short-shorts."
I shrug. He's right. "Oops."
We begin kissing again, faster this time. I can't get enough of him. I hold his face between both my hands, my fingers splayed, as I kiss him as deeply as I can. He removes a hand from my ass and I feel it a moment later under my tank top. He gently traces my nipple with his thumb in a slow circular motion. I moan loudly but I don't care. I've never felt this wanton, this desirous for someone else. Edward stops his slow fingering and grasps my whole breast, palming my aching nipple back and forth. At the same time, the hand still on my ass grabs me more firmly. I can't help but arch my back towards him while my hips begin rocking against his. I'm wet and throbbing between my legs. His hard-on feels so good as I rub myself over it again and again. Our bodies synchronize our movements and each pass is a little faster, a little firmer until I am dry humping him with urgency. Edward's lips travel from my mouth, down my neck to my other breast. I can feel his tongue lick my nipple through the fabric but I want more. I grab the bottom of my tank and pull it over my head so that I'm naked and exposed from the waist up.
"Baby, you've got the most beautiful tits." He says, breathlessly before his mouth closes over a nipple. He sucks hard and I'm gasping and moaning. Every sensation magnifies. His other hands continue to grasp and rub while I shamelessly grind on top of him. In the back of my mind, I want to tell him to go get a condom so I can feel him inside me again but that would mean stopping what we're doing and I'm too far gone to stop. The ache to have him fill me is overwhelmed as all my nerves and synapses collide. I'm suddenly falling over the edge as the sensations rush through my body. I succumb to wave after wave of pleasure, crying out with abandon.
When I finally come back to Earth, I open my eyes as I lean my forehead against his. The look on Edward's face is a mixture of awe and lust.
"That was amazing. I love watching you come." He whispers before capturing my bottom lip between his for a gentle kiss.
I glance down between us. There is a damp spot on his khakis from where my shorts have soaked through. I can see the outline of his erection poking against his pants. I palm it, stroking him up and down over the cloth. He leans his head against the back of the sofa and emits a low growl.
"You didn't get off. It's my turn. Now I want to watch you come." I surprise myself with my brazenness.
His head snaps up. The look in his eyes sends shivers down my spine. His hands wrap around my waist. In one motion he stands and lifts me up. My arms and legs automatically wrap around his torso.
"Bed. Now."
It's not a command or a question, just a statement of fact. We make it into the bedroom, stripping clothes along the way until we're both naked. He lies back and I straddle him. His hands caress my hips as mine work their way down his hard planed chest, past his navel to the treasure trail. Somehow the phrase the drapes match the carpet enters my mind and I giggle just as my hand reaches for his cock.
"Baby, you really shouldn't laugh when you're touching my dick."
He looks at me with one eyebrow raised, trying to ascertain what I find funny. That just makes me laugh harder. I explain between giggles and he rolls his eyes.
"I could say the same for you." Edward sits up and his hand brushes over the small triangle of hair above my sex before cupping me. His long perfect fingers circle my entrance. It feels so good but I want right now to be about him, not me. I tighten my grasp around his cock and begin firmly stroking him from base to tip and back. He falls back, relinquishing his hold on me while I repeatedly move my hand up and down his hard length. This time, I'm the one watching in fascination as his beautiful face radiates with pleasure. His eyes close and his lips part as he encourages me to continue. I want to see him come completely undone so I lean forward and my mouth replaces my hand.
"Fuck!"
Edward's eyes open wide and I can't help but get turned on as I watch him watch me. I know he's trying not to buck into me but I want him to lose control. I relax my jaw and take as much of him as I can in my mouth. He isn't just long, but thick as well. I close my eyes as I alternate between swirling my tongue around him and sucking hard while I massage his balls with my hand. I flick my tongue over the head and taste the drops of salty wetness there before I lick his shaft from the bottom back up to the top. I know he's getting close by the sexy sounds he's making and the way he's gripping the sheets like his life depends on it. He is without a doubt the sexiest, most beautiful man I have even known. I return to my pattern of licking and sucking when I'm surprised to feel his hand on my head. He gently pulls back from me.
"Bella" He pants. "Is it o.k. if I come in you again? As fucking fantastic as this is, I really want to be inside you."
"Of course." I agree as I sit up. Even after my orgasm, I was still aching to have him fill me.
"You're not too sore?" Edward's eyes narrow in concern as I slide forward. His hands trace lines from my waist, past my hips to my thighs and back up while I cup his cheek with my hand.
I shake my head. "I'm fine."
He doesn't need any further convincing. He reaches out and grabs a condom from where he dumped the box on the nightstand last night. He wastes no time rolling it onto himself. I begin to move off him when he grabs my hips and holds me in place.
"I want to watch you ride me." He rumbles in a low, sexy voice.
I shift back over so that we are aligned before I slowly lower myself on to him. I gasp at the sensation of having him fully inside me.
"Yes" Edward hisses in relief as his eyes focus on the spot where we are joined. "You feel so fucking good Bella." His hands are splayed around my hips and together we begin to move. His hands control me as I raise and lower myself onto him, my pace building faster and faster. I'm surprised to find that the fact that he is in control while I'm riding him actually turns me on even more. I lean forward and kiss him. He responds by plunging his tongue deeply into mine and I know he doesn't care that my mouth was just on his shaft. The angle hits my clit in just the right way and even though I didn't think I'd come again, I find myself getting close. I break the kiss to raise myself up and push harder against him.
"Edward , I think I'm going to come."
My breasts are right in front of his faced. He captures one with his mouth and sucks hard. Every muscle in my body contracts as I explode around him. I've never been very verbal during sex but I'm lost in the intensity of the moment as I cry epithets and curse words mixed in together. Edward comes a moment behind me, his body pulsing into mine as he shouts out my name. I collapse on top of his chest, my whole body quivering from the force of my orgasm. I listen to his heart as it slows from its frantic pace. I can feel mine also returning to normal at the same time. I smile; happy that our bodies are already so attuned to one another. Edward strokes my hair, occasionally brushing his lips against me.
"Wow."
Edward exhales into my hair. I laugh in agreement. I know exactly how he feels and I tell him as much. I'm completely sated and drowsy. I'm just about to drift off again when he shuffled out from under me and out of the bed. I protest but he just chuckles and kisses my head.
"I'm just going outside for a cigarette. I'll be right on the other side of that door." He indicates the French glass doors that lead to the stone patio behind our suite.
I sigh and roll onto my stomach as I admire his incredible body. Edward throws the condom in the trash and slips on a clean pair of jeans and tee-shirt.
"Commando?" I ask, noticing he doesn't bother with underwear.
"I don't plan on needing any once I get back." He teases and my heart melts. God, I love his smirk.
"Good. I like watching your cute naked ass." I tease back but I'm sure I ruin it by blushing. I wish I could be as confident as Rose and Alice.
Edward's smile widens. "Well thanks but I'm pretty sure if there was a cute naked ass contest in this room, you'd win." He walks back to the bed and gives me a light slap on my backside followed by a squeeze. "Yep, you win."
He saunters over to the French doors, throws them open, and lights up on the far side of the patio. He's close enough so that we can still talk to each other if we raise our voices a bit. We've just begun discussing our plans for the rest of the morning when Rose's voice rings out sharp and loud from the somewhere outside.
"Are you trying to fucking kill me?"
There's a loud clatter of metal hitting stone. Edward's eyes meet mine as I get out of bed and scramble around for a pair of dry shorts and a top. Rose is screeching about Emmett being an ass. I reach Edward just as Emmett protests.
"Of course not! This was a romantic gesture. How could you think otherwise? It's in pretty much every goddamn chick flick you girls seem to like so much!"
"Don't presume to tell me what I like and don't like! I'm not some idiot girly-girl who can be manipulated by a trite cliché and didn't it ever occur to you that some people have food allergies?!"
Edward and I round the privacy wall that separates our patio from the suite next to ours and there are Emmett and Rose with a tray of chocolate covered strawberries scattered across the stones of the patio. They're both wearing those plush white robes that the inn provides to its patrons. Another tray containing two champagne glasses filled with what I assume to be mimosas sits on a white linen covered table.
"Oh!" I exclaim, realizing quickly exactly what has happened.
"Rose, I'm sure Emmett had no idea strawberries give you hives."
Emmett nods his head vigorously in agreement as Alice and Jasper round the corner from the opposite side of the house.
"See! C'mon Rosie. Why would I ever want to do anything to hurt you? I was just trying to do something prove I'm not like that other guy. And the hotel did such a good job- there's all different kinds and look that one even looks like it's wearing a tuxedo." Emmett points to a strawberry on the ground and damn if it isn't exactly as he said, with the white and dark chocolate decorated to look like formalwear.
"Can you please forgive my ignorance about your food allergy?" He lays on the charm, taking a hesitant step towards her and gently puts a hand on her arm.
Alice and I both cringe, ready for Rose to fling it off. Instead, she shocks us both by placing her own hand over his for just a moment. Even though her gesture is brief, its significance is not lost on any of us. I have to swallow back a gasp.
Rose never takes her eyes from Emmett. "I'm the one who should apologize. I acted irrationally. Do you forgive me?"
"How about we forget it ever happened and start over?" Emmett asks. Rose nods and gives him a peck on the cheek.
I glance over at Alice who mouths a silent "HOLY SHIT!" I nod in acknowledgement. We're both floored by what we're witnessing. Jasper and Edward appear equally stunned.
Rose turns so that she can see all of us at once. "No, we're not having sex. No, we're not fooling around. We're getting to know each other, that's all for now. Emmett knows I have a hard time trusting so we are taking this one step at a time. O.k.?"
We all murmur in agreement. Jasper suggests we get to the breakfast portion of our bed and breakfast stay. We all agree to meet at the main house in thirty minutes.
Edward and I walk back over to our suite. Now that the excitement is over, I realize I'm a little tender in certain places and slow down our pace.
"You o.k.?" He puts his arm around me and looks down with concern.
"Fine."
"You're walking funny."
"I'm just a little sore."
He looks confused until he has the lightbulb moment and realizes why I'm sore.
"Oh. Was I … I mean, I wasn't too, I mean I didn't think about …" He's flustered and adorable.
I give him a peck on the lips as we walk back into the bedroom. "You were perfect. It's just been a while."
"Is there anything I can do? Do you need anything?"
I reassure him I'm fine but then my eyes settle on the Jacuzzi in the bathroom. I tilt my head towards it "Will you join me?"
Twenty minutes later, I'm lying in his arms as we lean back and languidly watch the clouds through the enormous skylight just above the Jacuzzi. We've spent the time talking mostly about music, kissing, and just enjoying being close to one another.
"I never want to move." I sigh.
Edward kisses my shoulder. "Me either." His hand is making lazy circles around my nipple but it's somehow less sexual and more intimate, as though he's trying to memorize me.
"Did you still want to get breakfast?" I ask, as I bring my arm up behind me to play with the hair at the back of his neck.
He hums into my hair. "You're making it really difficult but I suppose we have to. I doubt the others will leave us alone if we don't make it up there."
"True." I sigh.
We procrastinate for a few minutes more before finally extracting ourselves from our warm water cocoon. We make our way up to the old Victorian mansion that serves as the main building for the inn. The smells and sounds of breakfast greet us as soon as we open the door and I suddenly realize I am famished. As we make our way towards the dining room, I notice Edward hesitate out of the corner of my eye. I turn to see him looking at an antique upright piano in the corner of the old fashioned parlor. He catches my eye and smiles but that sad look is back in his eyes. I don't get the chance to ask him about it because Alice is by my side leading us both to a long table where the others are waiting. Edward and I grab our plates and make our way through a full breakfast buffet. As soon as I am seated Alice plunks a glass of ruby colored liquid in front of me.
"I got this for you Bella. It's one hundred percent juice with no added sugar or corn syrup."
"Cranberry juice, my favorite." I try not to roll my eyes. I've been through this routine with Alice and her mom Miranda before.
"You're welcome!" Alice smiles and winks before leaning in and whispering "You should drink at least two glasses."
I sigh but don't argue. The last thing I want is for Alice to mention urinary tract infections in front of everyone. I look over to where Rose is slapping Emmett's hand as he steals bacon from her plate.
"Rosalie, what are you going to do now that you finished your assignment on the Vampress?" I ask, knowing everyone will focus on her answer.
Rose looks over at me, allowing Emmett to finish the rest of her bacon. "I haven't received the final confirmation yet but it looks like I'll be on the Predator next."
"Captain Chaos?!" Emmett and Jasper both laugh.
Rose looks confused. "What are you laughing at?"
Jasper shakes his head. "The idea of you and Chaos butting heads for the next month."
Emmett cuts in "Yeah, he is a world-class prick. Y'all ever seen the anti-Chaos t-shirts? It says Chaos with a red circle with a line through it. I got one. I guess I'll need to dig it out."
Rose turns to me. "Have you ever met him?"
I nod. "Once last summer. Don't call him Chaos to his face. He hates that. His name is Caius. He's one of the Volterra brothers." I pause before adding "And he is a real prick."
Rose sighs while glancing sideways at Emmett. "Great. I just finish one assignment with a jackass on board and I'm going straight to another."
Emmett doesn't miss a beat as he finishes shoveling his breakfast down. "C'mon Rose, don't talk about Doc like that. He's not even here to defend himself."
Rose throws her napkin at him but she returns his dimpled smile with one of her own. We joke and tease for a bit before making plans to check out and get to the ferry dock so that we'll be back on the Block by the time the Vampress offload is set to begin. The six of us are the last people in the dining room. I see Edward glance across to the piano again.
"Will you play something?" I ask him. He looks startled for a moment, an array of emotions passing over his face before he agrees.
"If it's in tune I will."
The two of us walk over to the old upright. Although I know nothing about pianos, I admire its beautiful carved legs and dark finish. We sit down next to each other on the bench. Edward tests it out, playing a few scales and it sounds rich, filling the room with the notes. The others walk over and it strikes me that they have no idea that Ted is a musician. He launches into a pretty classical piece that sounds vaguely familiar but I don't know much about that style of music. Edward's fingers move effortlessly over the keys. The song ends, the last notes lingering in the air. The silence that follows is interrupted by Emmett clapping and shouting out "Freebird!"
The laughter that follows subsides.
"What else can you play, Ted? Anything we'd know?" Jasper asks.
Edward scrunches his face, as he thinks. "How about this?"
He launches into Coldplay's Clocks and then morphs into Speed of Sound followed by a few more pop songs I recognize.
"No country?" Jasper jokes as he leans against the old upright.
Edward grins and launches into Sweet Home Alabama. "Better?"
"Well, technically that's Southern Rock but I'll take it." Jasper grins.
Edward thinks for a minute. "How about this one."
I don't know much about country but Jasper nods. "Clint Black, Like the Rain, good choice."
"No Dixie Chicks?" Emmett pouts a little.
Edward pauses, his fingers above the keys before he starts playing Landslide. Emmett wags a figure.
"Nope. That's a remake, doesn't count."
Edward stops mid note, readjusts his fingers then starts playing something else. Emmett starts singing "Cowboy Take Me Away." As he grabs Rose by the waist and spins her around.
"Let me go, you big oaf." She's laughing though so I know she doesn't mind.
After that Alice requests Love Song by Sara Bareilles which he again plays effortlessly. I'm floored by not only how well he plays but the breadth and scope of what he knows.
"How do you know so many songs?" I finally blurt out when he again switches to Blur's Song 2.
He grins. "I worked in a piano bar last summer, you know dueling pianos, lots of Billy Joel and Elton John and of course this…"
He launches into Brown-eyed Girl. I roll my eyes and he laughs.
"I can pretty much play by ear but you're required to know certain songs. There are tricks to it too, you don't have to know as many songs as you think, a lot have similar chord structures. You're basically playing the same twenty songs night after night too. Everyone wants to hear Piano Man when they're at a piano bar."
We listen to him play a few more songs and I find myself falling even harder. He looks so irresistible, his head bent over the keys for as he focuses on plays chords, the harmonies and melodies flowing from his fingers. I want to lean over and feel the muscles of his back as they flex and loosen according to his movement over the keys. I'm not sure if that will disturb his playing though, so I refrain from touching him.
"Crap! We only have an hour before we have to be at the ferry!" Alice looks up from her cell phone and grabs Jasper's hand. They are followed by Emmett and Rose but Edward and I stay at the piano.
"So what would you play if you had your choice?" I ask, curious about his own tastes.
"Hmmm, something like this." Edward begins playing a soft melody. I think maybe I've heard it before but I'm not positive. He surprises me by singing, his voice low and raspy yet sweet.
"I plant the kind of kiss
That wouldn't wake a baby
On the self-same face
The wouldn't let me sleep
And the street is singing with my feet
And dawn gives me a shadow
I know to be taller
All down to you dear
Everything has changed"
Our eyes meet and I know I'm drowning in him but I don't care. I don't care that I know almost nothing about Edward, that there are questions I haven't asked that I should. All the warnings about getting involved with transient guys like him are now meaningless because he is the only other person in my universe. Edward sings on but I can barely hear him over my heart's pounding. He repeats the chorus and this song is my new favorite. He segues into another verse and the words reach my heart.
And we took the town to town last night
We kissed like we invented it
And now I know what every step is for
To lead me to your door
Know that while you sleep
Everything has changed
You make the moon our mirrorball
The street's an empty stage
The city's sirens, violins
Everything has changed
Everything has changed
Everything has changed
So lift off love
Lift off love (All down to you dear)
Lift off love (All down to you dear)
He repeats the ending, each time the words and music becoming softer until it finally fades into silence. The air feels heavy. I am weighed down. I can't stay upright so I collapse into his arms. "That was beautiful. Did you write it?" I murmur into his shoulder.
He chuckles. "I wish. It's called Mirrorball by the British band Elbow. Have you heard of them?"
I tilt my head, unsure. "The name sounds sort of familiar."
"They are much bigger in the U.K. than they are here." He answers. "They're less mainstream than Coldplay, their songs are more complex and intricate."
"Which is why you like it?" I ask. Edward nods.
I pull back from him. "Will you play me something you wrote?"
He hesitates and that same sadness overtakes him.
"You don't have to …" I backtrack.
He shakes his head. "No, it's fine.
He begins playing with an intensity I've yet to see. The notes of the song are sweet and light yet somehow combined together, there is a deep sadness in the melody. The notes finish and I'm left with an ache, as though I've lost something. Edward's face is set in a tight line. He clenches his jaw as if by doing so he could hold all his emotions inside. This time, I don't hesitate to wrap my arms around him.
"Will you tell me about it?"
He doesn't say anything for the space of a minute. Finally, he raises his eyes and I can see they are moist. "I wrote that for my mother. The last time I played it was at her funeral. She was killed three months ago."
A/N So, a lot going on this chapter. Next chapter will also be BPOV and there should be a teaser ready for Monday for Fictionators and A Different Forest but probably not today for Fic Central. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, even if it's just to tell me you're reading. Reviews make me happy. By the way, the inspiration for the inn is The Cliffside Inn in Newport, RI. I haven't stayed there but I've heard great things. The inspiration for Rose's strawberry allergy is yours truly. Every time I read or watch a scene involving strawberries dipped in chocolate, I just want to gag. For those in the U.S. who haven't heard of Elbow, check them out. I first found them when I mentioned that I liked Coldplay to a friend in the U.K. and she proceeded to tell me exactly what she thought of Coldplay, and recommended Elbow instead.
On the house front- well, the first deal fell through but we just signed another agreement yesterday! Now we have 30 days to find a house; so fingers crossed, everything will work out.