Loving your thoughts on these two! Or, these four, I guess? ;) Thanks for reading.

4

Jared: Gonna try to leave here by five.

He sent that text four hours ago.

It's now eight p.m.

Bella: ETA?

I turn my attention back to Edward's manuscript. I'm halfway through a chapter when my phone chimes with a text.

But it's not who I'm expecting.

Edward: Come over.

Bella: You're assuming dinner got canceled?

Edward: Yes. His car isn't in the driveway yet.

Bella: Nosy neighbor, lol. I'm too busy to come over.

I send him a picture of his manuscript in my hand.

Edward: Did you make dinner yet?

I send him another picture of the box of Wheat Thins I've been munching on.

He replies with a photo of the pasta he made.

Bella: I'll be there in five.

My hair is still slightly damp from my shower, and I don't have any makeup on. I think about quickly putting some on then decide against it. Edward has seen me looking worse, I'm sure. I throw on my hoodie and slip into sneakers before calling my mom to tell Mikey goodnight.

She lets him answer the phone.

"Hi, baby, Have you been good for Nana?" I ask.

"Yes, Momma."

"Did you have a fun day at the zoo?"

"Mmhmm. I sawed a bear."

"You saw a bear?" I ask, repeating and correcting him. "That's so cool."

"He say roooaaaaaar!" He growls and giggles.

I laugh. "Wow, that was a good growl." He does it again, and I can hear my mom laughing in the background. "I'll pick you up around lunch tomorrow, okay?"

"'Kay."

"I love you. Sleep tight."

"Guunight, Momma."

I make a kissing sound, and he does too, and my heart melts.

"Can you give the phone to Nana?" I ask, and he does.

"Hey," she says. "He had a good day."

"I'm glad. Thanks for taking him. It would've been too much for him to tag along to my showings."

"Yep, not a problem. How was dinner?"

"Jared's still working, so no dinner," I tell her. "I'm heading next door, though. Edward made food."

"Oh! Tell them I said hi."

"I will," I reply, leaving out the fact that Gianna won't be there.

We plan for me to pick Mikey up tomorrow before ending the call. I grab a bottle of wine and text Jared that I'll be next door and to come find me when he gets home.

Locking up, I walk across the yard and over to Edward's house, only to find his front door is already ajar for me. I push it all the way open and step inside, announcing my arrival.

"It's me!" I call out, toeing off my sneakers and setting them on the shoe rack.

"In the kitchen," he hollers back.

He's in the middle of making two plates of food when I walk in.

"I brought wine if you want," I say, smiling.

"Oh, I definitely want," he replies, glancing over at me, doing a double-take.

"What?" I ask, looking down at my leggings and hoodie. "Sorry, am I too underdressed? I'd already showered and didn't really feel like getting ready again."

"No, you're fine," he says neutrally, then he turns his focus back to the food and adds some salad to both plates.

I grab two wine glasses. "Seth in bed?"

"Yeah, I just put him down a few minutes ago. We'll see how many times he tries to break out though," Edward says with a soft laugh.

"They're tricksters like that, yeah?"

"Yep. You wanna eat in here or the dining room?"

"Well, considering you did a double-take regarding my scrub ass, I don't think I'm allowed to eat in your formal dining room," I joke.

He laughs. "That's not why I did a double-take."

"Suuuuure," I draw out.

"Really."

I grin, not buying it. "Uh-huh."

"I just thought you looked pretty, is all."

My heart thumps. "What?"

"Or like… comfortable or whatever. That's what I meant. You look comfy." He grabs both plates and walks past like he can't get away from me fast enough. "Let's eat outside."

I'm stunned for a second, then I grab our glasses and the wine, trying to ignore the sudden spark that ignited in my stomach.

We sit next to each other under his covered patio, and he fills our glasses.

The sun set half an hour ago, and there's a slight chill in the air, but my hoodie is warm.

It's warm and comfortable and Edward thinks I'm pretty.

We're quiet.

It feels weird now. Not bad or awkward, just… I'm flattered. I am. Part of me hates that I loved to hear it. Part of me knows I'll keep that moment tucked away in my mind for a very long time.

"Sorry, I wasn't trying to make things weird," he says, trying to smooth things over.

"It's fine. You didn't."

He takes a long sip of wine. "I mean, it's not like you don't know you're attractive. So, did I really tell you anything new?"

I laugh a little, unsure if I should even reply to that.

Fuck it.

"Well, sure. I know I'm not hard on the eyes, but I guess I didn't know you thought so too," I say.

His throat bobs with a swallow.

I sip my wine for something to do.

"Although, I'm a little offended," I add, possibly making things worse but not even caring. "You said the mom at the park yesterday was hot. All I get is pretty?"

His face stays serious. "Did that bother you? Me saying she was hot?"

"No," I lie. "I'm just joking."

I nervously fork some pasta into my mouth.

"Kind of seemed like it bothered you last night," he murmurs.

"It didn't," I insist, brushing it off.

I wash away my jealousy with more wine, as one does.

He still hasn't touched his food. Still hasn't looked away from me.

"Yeah, she was hot," he admits again, and another spike of possessiveness appears for a man who isn't mine. "But only in the way that she has to work for it. You don't," he explains, and I can't look at him.

I can't. I can't. I can't.

I refuse to.

"You don't have to say that." I'm trying so hard to sound light and breezy, but my body is buzzing with nerves.

It's subtle, but I swear I can hear him shift, so he's closer.

"What if I want to?" he whispers.

I find his eyes. "Please, don't."

"Why not?"

"Because—"

"Hey," Jared says, and I nearly jump out of my seat on hearing his voice. He appears from around the corner, likely having let himself in through the side gate.

"Hey!" I say a little too enthusiastically, but I can feel my cheeks burning.

Edward shifts back, tossing out a casual, "Hey."

Jared tugs his tie loose, leaning over to kiss me when he's close enough. I keep my eyes open, and I can see Edward watching us out of the corner of my eye.

"Sorry. Fucking crazy day," he tells me, taking off his suit jacket before sitting down on the other side of me.

"It's okay. Are you hungry?" I push my plate his way. "You can have this."

He happily accepts it, grabbing a fork and taking a bite.

"You barely ate," Edward says, looking at me strangely.

"I'm not that hungry," I reply because suddenly I've lost my appetite. My stomach is twisting with how intimate the conversation was between Edward and me just seconds ago. Now my husband is here. Although I feel guilty, I loved everything Edward was saying to me. Loved hearing that he's attracted to me.

It's wrong.

I know it is.

But I've always wondered, mostly because I'm definitely attracted to him. I doubt there is a woman alive who isn't.

Now that I know the feeling is mutual, I don't know what to do with that knowledge. I don't know how that won't be the only thing I think about when I'm around him.

"I'll get you a wine glass," I tell Jared, but Edward stands before I can.

"I got it," he tells me, disappearing inside.

When we're alone, Jared talks about his day and about the incompetent people he works with. He mutters that all of his hard work better not be for nothing, that he better fucking make partner. I nod and agree when I'm supposed to, but my mind is completely elsewhere. It veers back to just minutes ago. Because what was I going to say to Edward? If Jared hadn't interrupted us, what was going to come out of my mouth?

Because if you tell me that you're attracted to me, I might not be able to stop myself?

Stop myself from what?

Would I have actually said that?

And how would Edward have responded?

It's going to kill me not knowing.

Maybe I wouldn't have been so bold. Maybe I was going to shut it down completely. Maybe I was going to discourage him from telling me about his attraction because we're both married. But does being married mean you can't be attracted to other people? Surely Jared has noticed when he's in the presence of an attractive woman.

We're human.

It's natural.

Even if there's an air of truth to what I'm telling myself, I know there's a difference. You can recognize attraction, but you don't name it. You definitely don't tell the other person how you're feeling.

And that's the line Edward and I just overstepped.

Jared's still talking, but I'm zoned out until Edward returns with an empty wine glass and a new plate of food for me.

"Thanks," Jared and I say at the same time. My husband looks around and then asks, "Where's Gianna?"

"She's having dinner with some friends," Edward tells him, and Jared's brows pull together like he's just now realizing that Edward and I were alone.

Jared's eyes shift to me. "Oh."

"Yeah, Edward saved me from eating only Wheat Thins for dinner," I add, trying to make it sound friendly and not as intimate as it really was.

Jared focuses on Edward. "Thanks for looking out for my wife."

For a split second, it feels tense between the two of them.

My heart races, and I try to think of something to say. Something to smooth things over.

It's not what you think lingers on the tip of my tongue.

But I stay silent because I feel like trying to justify Edward and me being alone would only make things worse. And maybe Jared doesn't think anything. Maybe this was nothing.

After a beat, Edward offers a polite smile. "It's my pleasure."