The Time It Was Valentine's Day
It's been about a week since that weekend with Edward. That completely dreamy, perfect weekend. Even thinking about it now makes a smile break out over my face.
On Saturday night, when he told me that he really liked me, I thought my heart was going to take off on the butterflies in my chest. I've never smiled so wide. Of course, I knew he had some feelings for me, but hearing him actually say those words out loud meant more to me than anything. Especially as it's Edward.
When we woke up on Sunday, we'd laid in bed for hours, just talking. Eventually, I'd told Edward that I needed a coffee and he'd got up to make some, insisting that we drank them in bed before we got up and dressed. He made us both brunch before cuddling up on the couch, watching something on Netflix about cowboys. When Alice and Jasper returned that afternoon, that's where they found us, laughing about Edward's cowboy hat.
Before Alice and I headed back to our apartment, she'd taken me to one side in the kitchen and asked if we'd "done the deed". I informed her that we had, multiple times and if Edward ever wondered what our whispered conversation had been about, her ear-piercing squeal would have told him everything he needed to know.
The next few days pass in a blur. Edward and I see each other a couple of times during the week, staying overnight at each other's apartments when we can. It seems that Edward and Jasper have come to some kind of arrangement between themselves, ensuring that if Edward is staying at my apartment, Alice is staying at Jasper's. It works for us all and it gives us all some much-needed privacy.
On Friday night, I'm sitting on my bed when my phone rings. It's Edward. I smile as I answer the phone.
"Hey" I say quietly, not wanting to disturb Alice through the wall.
"Hey baby" He breathes through the phone, his voice a deep rumble. "What you doing?" He asks.
"Nothing. Just in my room. You?" I ask.
"Just lying in bed." He tells me. I'm immediately assaulted by images of Edward in my bed and feel the heat rise in my cheeks.
"Did you have a good day?" I ask him, trying to distract myself from my dirty mind.
"Yeah not too bad. That's actually why I'm calling. I was told today that I'm going to be sent to a conference in Salt Lake City next weekend." He tells me. "It's from Friday night until Monday morning."
"Oh" I say, surprised.
Is he asking me to go with him?
"I would ask you to come with me but it's going to be pretty full on so I wouldn't get to spend much time with you." He says, his voice a little sad.
"Oh" I say again, feeling the disappointment settle in my stomach. "Next weekend?" I ask after a moment.
"Yeah, why?" He replies.
That's Valentine's Day. He obviously has no idea.
"No reason. Just...wondered" I tell him.
"I'm sorry baby, I wish you could come" He says gently.
"It's fine" I say brightly. "It's only the weekend right? We can call and stuff anyway..." I tell him, trying to convince myself it will be fine. I know it's only a couple of days but I'll miss him.
"Yeah, course. Every night" He tells me, the smile evident in his voice. I smile too. "Maybe I could come over on Thursday to see you before I go? I could spend the night?" He asks.
"Yeah, that would be nice" I tell him, smiling a little.
We continue to talk for another twenty minutes or so before I yawn and Edward tells me I should get some sleep. I agree, wishing him goodnight.
As I lie in bed, I try to ignore the disappointment I feel in my stomach. It's not that I expected him to take me with him, and I totally get why he wouldn't, especially if he's going to be busy the whole time but, I wish it wasn't Valentine's day weekend. I know the others will all be out doing things and I'll feel left out. I won't tell him though. He obviously doesn't realise and there's nothing he can do about it anyway. It will just make him feel bad, which is pointless.
Anyway...it's only a day.
The beginning of the week passes quickly and before I know it, it's Thursday night. Alice left for Jasper's about twenty minutes ago and I'm just throwing a sweater over my head when there's a knock on the door. I run to open it, seeing Edward standing in the hallway with a bag of groceries.
"Hey baby" he says, giving me a soft kiss as he walks into the apartment.
"Hey" I smile before he moves past me and places the bag on the kitchen table. "What did you bring?" I ask, peaking over his shoulder into the bag as he empties it.
"I brought the ingredients to make…mushroom risotto." He says with a flourish.
"Ooo one of my favourites" I say with a grin.
"I know. I thought it might make up for me being away this weekend." He says with a small smile. I smile back, slightly. He looks at me for a moment before moving towards me, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into his chest.
"I wish I didn't have to go" he says quietly into my hair. "I know it's only three nights but it will be weird being away from you."
"Yeah, for me too" I tell him. He pulls back looking into my eyes before he leans down and gives me a soft kiss. A moment later, I pull away. "You better not meet some gorgeous Salt Lake girl with blonde hair and bronzed skin" I tell him seriously. He throws his head back and laughs.
"Staggeringly, I highly doubt I'll meet a babe at the "New Technologies and Medical Imaging" conference." He tells me. "Unless you count Dr. Wanda Martinez." He says.
"Is she supposed to be beautiful?" I ask, pretty sure he's teasing but feeling a little insecure nonetheless.
"Oh yeah. Brown eyes, olive skin...wow" he says, raising his eyebrows a little. "Oh...and sixty-five." He says.
I scoff at him, smacking his arm while he laughs at me. He pulls me back into his body as he chuckles.
"You have absolutely nothing to worry about baby. And even if there was a blonde, bronzed super babe present, I would still come back to you." He says with a small smile. I smile back before kissing him again. He goes to deepen the kiss but I pull away before he can.
"Baby, I'm hungry" I tell him, making him chuckle.
"Say no more" he says, turning back to the ingredients on the table and grabbing an onion. For the next thirty minutes, he cooks away happily while I chat to him, sitting at the table. It's nice and easy. Once dinner is almost ready, I lay the table and grab us both a beer before Edward dishes up and places a steaming bowl in front of me. It smells divine and I tuck in happily.
"This is so good" I say around a mouthful.
"Yeah?" He says, grinning. As we eat, Edward tells me about the conference he will be attending and the hotel he's being put up in. It sounds like it would be interesting if you understood what it meant. Once we're finished we clear up before heading into the living room.
"Wanna watch a movie?" He asks, taking a seat on the couch.
"Sure" I say, turning on the TV and handing him the remote. "You choose" I tell him. He hits Netflix before scrolling through the currently popular section.
"Wow, rom-coms are trending" he says with a chuckle when he sees all the movies suggested.
"Yeah, it's that time of year I guess" I reply. I know he doesn't know it's Valentine's on Sunday and it's really not a big deal. It's just a day.
"What do you mean?" He asks, frowning at me.
"Valentine's Day" I say quietly. After a moment, I see the realization dawn on his face.
"Fuck!" He cries. "Fuck...I totally forgot! Why didn't you tell me?!" He says, chucking the remote down on the coffee table.
"Because it's just a day Edward, it's not a big deal." I tell him.
"Yes it is!" He cries. "Fuck!" He says again, cradling his head in his hands. "Baby, I'm so sorry".
"Baby, it's really not a big deal, it's only a day and we can do something nice when you're back." I tell him, taking his hands away from his face. His sad eyes meet mine. "Oh don't look so sad." I say with a chuckle.
"I am sad. I'm a terrible boyfriend." He says morosely.
"No you're not." I chuckle. "Anyway, even if you'd remembered, you would still have to go to this conference and you wouldn't be here." I reason with him. He nods a little. "Come on, pick a movie, otherwise I'm gonna choose one and it's going to be properly sappy." I tell him, making him chuckle a little.
He turns back to the TV, scrolling through the movies on offer before we both agree on a romantic comedy. Edward hits play before pulling me back against his chest, wrapping his arms around my middle. I turn my head and smile at him before focusing my attention on the movie. We watch the film for about thirty minutes before he whispers in my ear.
"What if we video called at dinner on Sunday?" He says. I look over my shoulder at him.
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"Well, we could both have dinner on a video call to each other on Valentine's...then it would be like we're together even though we're not." He says, looking at me. I smile a little.
That's so fucking cute.
"Will you be able to do that?" I ask, "With the conference and everything?"
"I don't see why not. I should be done by early evening on Sunday as I'm flying back on Monday morning so...yeah" He says with a shrug and a grin. I grin back, leaning up to kiss him.
It's a soft kiss at first, just a "thank you for being so wonderful" but then his tongue swipes along my bottom lip and he deepens the kiss and suddenly my head is spinning and my breathing turns hard. I turn my body so that I can kiss Edward more easily, moving my hands to his hair as his own go to my waist, lifting me until I'm facing him, straddling his lap. I break the kiss, needing air, before he moves his mouth to my neck.
"Mm" I moan quietly, as I feel him move his lips along the sensitive skin, his hands moving up my back, holding me firmly against his body. Suddenly he pulls his head back, his dark eyes meeting mine.
"Wanna go to your bedroom?" He asks, his voice rough. I grin and nod at him before his hands slip under my ass and lift me into the air. I wrap my arms and legs around him, holding on for dear life as he walks us to my room, his mouth once again latched onto mine.
Once we're in my bedroom, he kicks the door closed behind us before lowering me to the bed, breaking the kiss. His hands go to the hem of my sweater, pulling it up and over my head before his mouth descends, kissing along the top of my breasts. I moan, holding the back of his head against me as he slides one hand under my back, undoing the clasp of my bra. He pulls back, taking the garment with him before leaning up on his knees, undoing the button of my jeans.
"You're so fucking beautiful," He says breathlessly as he stands from the bed, pulling my jeans down, followed by my panties, leaving me completely naked before him. He stares at me, his eyes raking down my body. Normally, I would feel self-conscious being completely naked while he remained fully dressed, but I'm not when he looks at me like that.
"Edward, I want you" I moan quietly as he continues to stare at me. That seems to break the spell because suddenly he reaches back, yanking his tshirt over his head before reaching down and unbuttoning his pants. He shoves them down his legs, followed by his boxers before he crawls back up the mattress towards me. His mouth captures mine in a searing kiss and I can feel him reaching over to the nightstand, blindly finding a condom. When he does, he pulls back, tearing the packet open and fixing it to himself.
He pushes into me slowly, his eyes fixed on mine. I let out a breathy moan at the same time he groans quietly, not stopping until his hips are flush with my own.
"Fuck, I can never get over how tight you are" He says breathlessly as he begins to thrust his hips. He keeps a steady pace, making me pant into the air and cling to his shoulders and back. It's like heaven and hell combined, fast enough to build pressure but too slow to push me over the edge.
"Edward...please" I moan desperately. I can feel my skin has turned sticky and my body feels like it's on fire from his touch.
"What baby? What do you want?" He asks me, his eyes searching mine as he takes great lungfuls of air.
"Harder. Please" I beg, my fingers digging into his shoulders so hard he will probably have bruises tomorrow. He groans a little before increasing the pace, thrusting into me harder. I moan loudly at the feeling before Edward slams his mouth to mine. We're all tongues and sweat and panting breaths until I pull away, needing to breathe.
"Oh fuck" I cry as he hits that magic spot inside of me.
"Urgh, you gonna cum baby?" He asks, his head nestled in the crook of my neck. I moan in response, unable to form words at this point. He focuses his efforts on that spot, thrusting harder until I feel my legs begin to shake and then I'm flying over the edge. My back arches and my eyes screw shut. I groan before I feel his hips lose rhythm and hear his own loud groan as he follows behind me. When we're both spent, he lays on top of me, catching his breath before he leans up giving me a kiss and rolling off of me. He disposes of the condom before tucking me into his side.
"Fuck" He pants into the air making me giggle. He chuckles in return. We lie there for a while, just listening to each other breathing. Edward runs his hands up and down my back in a soothing motion and before long I feel my eyes start to droop.
"Bella?" He whispers, "You awake?"
"Mm" I hum back, my eyes shut. I hear him chuckle a little before moving me off of him. I grumble but he just leans down, kissing my forehead.
"I'm just going to lock up and turn the TV off." He tells me. I hum in response, already drifting off to sleep.
A while later I'm awoken by kisses on my shoulders and strong fingers rubbing between my legs. My eyes pop open in the dark and I moan quietly at the feeling.
"You awake?" Edward's husky voice whispers in the dark.
"I am now." I tell him, my voice rough from sleep. I roll onto my back and look up at him, bleary-eyed as he continues to rub the small bundle of nerves between my legs, making me moan in pleasure. He dips his head, giving me a heated kiss before pulling back.
"I want you again" He whispers to me. "Can I?" He asks, his eyes blazing into mine. I nod, spreading my legs as an invitation before he settles between them, his fingers leaving me and grabbing a condom. He fixes it to himself before pushing into me once more. I moan quietly as he starts a slow, leisurely pace.
"Urgh" I moan, wrapping my legs around his hips, feeling his ass flex under my heels with each thrust.
"Fuck. I'm never gonna get enough of you." He whispers, kissing me hard before deepening it. I moan into the kiss as I feel his hips pick up the pace. We pull apart, panting hard, his eyes staring into mine.
"Oh...there" I moan, my eyes fluttering closed in pleasure.
"Urgh, fuck. I can feel you" He moans, tucking his head into my neck. I can feel his hard pants against my skin as he thrusts into me, pushing me closer to the edge. "I'm not gonna last" He groans. "Touch yourself."
I squeeze one hand between our bodies, circling my clit once, twice, three times before I throw my head back and moan. I hear Edward groan into my neck before he too finds release, his hips moving sporadically against my own. We lie there for a moment before he pulls back, looking at me.
"What was all that about?" I say, my breathing elevated as I give him a goofy grin.
"I just needed you again." He says, giving me a soft kiss before pulling away and disposing of the condom. He lies down on his side, facing me, his eyes searching mine.
"What you thinking?" I whisper into the dark.
"That I'm going to miss you like fuck." He says. I giggle slightly and he chuckles in return.
"It's only three nights Edward." I tell him. He nods, his eyes a little sad. "I'm going to miss you too" I say quietly. His eyes meet mine before he grins.
"Yeah?" He asks, like he's surprised.
"Yeah" I say with a giggle. "Did you honestly think I wouldn't?" I ask him.
"I dunno." He says with a shrug. I scoot closer to him and wrap my arms around his neck before giving him a soft kiss.
"I'm gonna miss you like fuck Edward Cullen" I tell him. He laughs in the dark before kissing me again, harder. "But, you can text me whenever you want and we can video call on Sunday night." I say, breaking the kiss. He nods before tucking me into his chest. I listen to his even breathing and inhale his warm scent before eventually my eyes fall shut again.
In the morning, we both wake early as I need to head to work. Edward throws on some clothes before heading into the kitchen to make us some coffee, while I get ready. When I walk out of the bedroom about ten minutes later Edward is placing two slices of toast and a coffee on the table.
"Wow" he says when his eyes meet mine. "You look fucking hot" He says with a grin, his eyes raking down my body.
"No I don't" I say laughing a little as I sip my coffee and bite into the toast.
"Yeah...you do." He says, his eyes still lingering on me. "Maybe I should write a fucking book." He adds. I laugh loudly, surprised at his words. He chuckles with me before eating his own breakfast. Soon, it's time for me to go and Edward to head back to his apartment to pack for his flight this afternoon. I clear our plates and mugs away before turning to face him.
"Shall we go?" I ask him, grabbing my bag from the counter. He nods before grabbing his own stuff and heading out the door. I lock up before we take the lift down to the lobby and walk out onto the street. Now that he's leaving I'm not sure what to say.
"Text me when you get there." I tell him as he looks at me. He nods and gives me a small smile. Suddenly, he wraps one arm around me, pulling me into his body and kissing me hard. He deepens the kiss, his tongue sliding across my bottom lip before he pulls back a moment later.
"I'm gonna miss you" He says simply.
"Me too." I tell him. He grins before hailing me a cab and holding the door open for me.
"Text you when I land." He says through the window. I nod and smile at him.
"Stay away from the bronzed women" I tease, trying to lighten the mood.
Why is this so fucking hard?
"Scouts honour" He replies, before leaning through the window and giving me a quick kiss. "Bye baby" He says.
"Bye" I whisper before he leans back and the car pulls away. I look back at him until we drive out of view. As we head into the city all I can think are five words I never thought I'd say.
I wish it was Monday.
When I get home on Friday night, Alice is waiting for me with a bottle of wine and a chick flick. I smile at her before she gives me a tight hug. We're halfway through the movie when Edward texts me as he promised.
Just landed. Miss you already - E
I text him back telling him I'm missing him too.
"Did he get there okay?" Alice asks, sipping her wine as she lies on the couch.
"Yeah. Just landed." I tell her. She nods and gives me a soft smile.
"It sucks he can't be here for Valentine's Day" She says kindly. I shrug, ignoring the ache in my chest.
"It's just a day. We can do something when he's back. Anyway, he suggested we had dinner together on video call Sunday night." I tell her.
"Aww, that's so cute" She coos. "Who'd have thought it? Edward Cullen video calling a girl for dinner on V-day" She giggles. I giggle with her.
We spend the rest of the night watching the movie before Alice says she's heading to bed, giving me a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek. I head to my own room clambering into bed and switching off the light. I feel like a kid in the lead-up to Christmas, hoping that if I go to sleep sooner, Monday will get here quicker. I force my eyes shut until I fall into a restless sleep.
For most of Saturday, I try to keep myself busy. When I wake up in the morning, there are two texts from Edward. The first includes three photos of his room and the view from the hotel. It looks quite nice and it makes me smile that he bothered to send them to me. The second says that he's heading into the first seminar but will text when he gets out around lunchtime.
I spend the morning tidying the apartment a little and trying to decide what to cook myself for my lonesome Valentine's dinner. In the end, I settle on one of my favourites, stroganoff. I write a quick list of the ingredients I need before heading out to the supermarket. I browse the aisles, picking up the items I need as well as a chocolate dessert and bottle of wine.
May as well make the most of it.
I head to the checkout where the cashier rings up my items and packs them for me. I pay before heading back out onto the street, feeling my phone buzz. I grab it and see a message from Edward.
Hey. I'm out. Freedom at last! - E
I grin before texting him back.
Was it that bad? - B
I walk to the curb, hailing a cab before sliding into the backseat.
The technology was quite interesting, but the guy's voice was designed to make you fall asleep - E
I giggle a little before replying.
Oh dear. Fill up on coffee for the next one - B
Yeah, that's the plan. Just heading to lunch now. What you doing? - E
Just went to the supermarket to grab some ingredients for our video dinner tomorrow night - B
Oh yeah? What you making? - E
Stroganoff - B
Very fancy. Shall I wear a tie? - E
Shut up - B
;) - E
We text back and forth for another twenty minutes or so before Edward says he has to go again, promising to call this evening.
By the time Edward calls I've officially done everything I can think of to keep myself busy. I've tidied the apartment, been grocery shopping, hung out with Alice, watched TV, read some of the manuscripts I need to read for work, done laundry, changed my bedsheets, made dinner, and eaten it.
What did I do before I hung out with Edward all the time?
I can't even remember.
I'm sitting in my room when the phone rings. I answer it immediately, grateful to just hear his voice.
"Hey" I say after I answer the call.
"Hey" He replies, "That was quick!" He says with a chuckle. "Were you waiting for me?"
"Not exactly" I answer, feeling my cheeks warm a little at being caught. He chuckles darkly before speaking again.
"So how was your day?" He asks.
"Boring." I reply. "I spent most of it cleaning and tidying," I tell him.
"Aw, you missing me?" He asks. I can almost hear the grin in his voice.
"Yeah, I am," I tell him honestly.
"I miss you too baby." He says sincerely.
"Anyway, how was your day?" I ask, leaning back against the pillows. For the next twenty minutes, I listen to him tell me about the seminars he attended and the technology they were explaining. He sounds excited. He tells me he met a few other doctors from different hospitals around the country and the couple he mentions sound nice. "So, you excited for your video dinner tomorrow night?" He asks.
"Yeah, I am actually. I've never had a video date with someone before." I say with a giggle. He chuckles into the phone.
"Me neither." He tells me. "I wonder if my date will flash me via webcam," He says.
"Edward!" I say, laughing loudly.
"What?!" He says with a laugh. "No harm in hoping right?" He says, making me laugh harder.
"I am not flashing you on webcam," I tell him. I hear him sigh.
"Urgh, fine." He says, making me giggle again. We continue talking until I hear Edward stifle a yawn.
"You should get some sleep baby," I tell him. He agrees before saying goodnight and that he's looking forward to tomorrow night. I tell him I am too. Once he's hung up I climb under the covers, turning out the light. I lie in the dark for a long time, watching the shadows dance on my bedroom ceiling. I try to think about what I'm going to do tomorrow to pass the time.
What did I do before Edward? I can't even remember life before him now.
What does that mean? Is this what...love...feels like?
Do I love Edward?
That's the question that circles around in my head until I eventually fall asleep.
Finally, Sunday morning comes. I spend most of the morning lounging in bed until Alice pops her head around the door, bouncing onto my bed when she realises I'm awake.
"Morning B" She says, climbing under the bed covers with me.
"Morning Allie" I say back. "You got plans for Valentine's today?" I ask her.
"Not sure." She says, "Jasper says he has a couple of ideas" She tells me. "You still on for your date with Edward via video call?" She asks.
I nod, grinning at her.
"Yeah, I'm going to cook and he's going to call me as soon as he's back at his room." I tell her.
"Aww that's so cute." She coos. Suddenly, we're both disturbed by our buzzer going off. We exchange a glance before Alice gets out of the bed and runs to answer it. A few minutes later she returns, a huge smile on her face. "I believe these are for you." She says, producing an enormous bunch of pink roses in a vase.
"What?" I say, kneeling up on the bed and taking the vase from her. Within the blooms is a small envelope which I pluck out and open. Inside is a note from Edward.
To Bella,
Happy Valentine's Day! See you later.
Edward x
"Awww!" Alice cries as she reads the note over my shoulder, "He's such a cutie!" She says.
"Yeah, he is." I tell her with a huge smile. I'm so surprised I can't even fully comprehend that these are from Edward.
"Let me take a photo of you with them" Alice says, grabbing my phone from the nightstand. I try to argue but she insists so eventually I hold the vase of flowers and give her a big smile while she snaps away. "You should send it to him." She says, handing me my phone. I nod and give her a smile before she announces she's going for a shower and dances out of the room.
I quickly open a chat with Edward and type out a message.
Hey, thank you for the beautiful flowers. I wasn't expecting them at all! See you later - B
I then send the photo of me with the vase before standing and putting the flowers on my dresser, leaning down to smell their delicate scent. A moment later my phone buzzes.
Hey. I'm glad you like them. A rose for a rose. - E
I grin at his corniness before hearing the water in the bathroom turn off and a few minutes later the door opens as Alice goes back to her room. I head into the bathroom before taking care of business and stepping under the hot spray, washing my hair and body before stepping out and toweling off. I head back to my room and quickly dress in some jeans and a sweater.
Alice and I spend the morning chilling out at home, Alice's own bunch of flowers arriving from Jasper a couple of hours later. As we're eating lunch my phone buzzes again.
Hey baby. I'm really sorry but I won't be able to call you tonight. Something's come up and it means I won't be able to ring. I'm really sorry baby - E
My stomach drops at the message.
What? Something's come up?
"You okay?" Alice asks, seeing my face fall.
"Um...Edward can't do the video call tonight." I tell her.
"What?" She says, "Why?"
"Apparently, something's come up." I tell her. I quickly type back a reply.
Okay. I understand. - B
It's not his fault. I'm sure he'd be there if he could be.
I look up at Alice and she gives me a sad smile, reaching out and holding my hand.
"Wanna watch some TV?" She asks. I nod before heading into the living room. A few minutes later, Alice's phone buzzes. She reads the message before typing back and forth.
It's probably Jasper. Probably organising their evening together.
I sigh and lean back against the couch trying to focus on the movie. I half-listen to Alice tapping away on her phone before eventually looking back over at her.
"Jesus Al, what you talking about to Jazz?" I ask with a small chuckle. "You better not be sexting." I tell her, trying to lighten the mood.
"No!" She scoffs, "Jasper and I were actually just saying that we might head to a club tonight...to go dancing" She tells me.
"That sounds nice." I say, giving her a small smile.
"Yeah, wanna come?" She asks. I look over at her surprised.
"What?" I ask her, confused. Why would she want me to come dancing with her and Jasper?
"Yeah, you're now free for the evening so why not?" She says, shrugging like it's no big deal.
"I'm not crashing your evening Allie" I tell her.
"You wouldn't be. We could ask Rose and Emmett too." She says.
"They're probably doing something special" I tell her.
"No harm in asking." She says, shrugging before tapping away on her phone again. I look at her for a moment but decide to leave it.
Let her ask if that's what she wants.
About ten minutes later she looks over at me again.
"Rose and Em are in, turns out their dinner reservations fell through." She says, "So come on B, it will be fun!" She says with a small smile.
"Are you serious? All of us spend Valentine's Day together?" I ask. This feels like the Twilight Zone.
"Yeah!" She squeaks. "It will be like Valentine's and Galentine's combined." She says. I hesitate for a moment.
"You're not just doing this because I haven't got plans tonight right? Because I'll be fine, totally fine." I tell her, searching her eyes.
"No!" She says, looking a little offended. "Jasper and I were going anyway, Rose and Em now have nothing special on and rather than you sit here on your lonesome feeling sorry for yourself, I thought you might want to come too." She says, pouting a little and looking like I hurt her feelings.
Shit.
"I'd love to Allie" I tell her. "It sounds great."
"YAY!" She squeals. We spend the rest of the afternoon deciding where to go dancing and organising for the others to meet us at our apartment for pizza before we go. I'm still surprised this is what Alice wants to do but she seems really excited so I go with it. Once we've decided to head to a club called Vipers, Alice and I spend the rest of the day choosing our outfits for later.
Edward and I text a couple more times before he says he has to go, telling me to have a good time with the others and he'll see me soon. I smile at the message but my heart still aches without him.
By early evening, there's a knock on the door. Alice runs over to answer it, revealing Jasper standing in the hallway in jeans and a shirt. He smiles wide at her before giving her a kiss. I look away, wanting to give them some privacy. Rose and Emmett arrive shortly after with a couple of pizzas and a six-pack of beer. We all head into the living room, grabbing a slice each.
Now that we're all together, I'm glad I agreed to go out tonight. It's not that I don't miss Edward, but this is actually pretty fun and way better than sitting home alone feeling sorry for myself. Once we've all eaten, Alice, Rose and I head into my room to get changed. We quickly slip into our dresses before Alice does our makeup and curls my hair. I look in the mirror once she's finished and give a smile.
Not bad. Too bad I have no one to impress.
Alice insisted that we all wear red or pink as it's Valentine's Day. Rose and I both rolled our eyes but in the end, it was easier to just give in. Eventually, I decide to wear the dress from Rose's charity benefit, paired with a leather jacket and some old converse to make it a little more casual.
We exit the bedroom and head into the living room, finding Jasper and Emmett finishing their beers. They both wolf whistle when they see us before standing so we can leave. We all grab our phones before heading out into the hallway, me locking up before we pile into the lift and head down to the lobby. Jasper hails a cab before we all crowd into the back, giggling a little at the ridiculous situation. Once we're all finally in the car, we speed off towards Vipers.
We arrive a few minutes later and there's already a fairly large queue. We join the back, talking and laughing as we slowly make our way towards the door. I check my phone to see if Edward messaged me but there's nothing. Eventually, we get to the front of the queue and pay our entry before walking into the club. We decide to check our coats at the door before heading into the main area.
As we walk in the bass hits me in the chest and the music blocks out all other noise. Alice points towards the bar and we all nod before following her small frame through the crowd. We reach the bar and once getting the bartender's attention, order a round of drinks. We girls order fruity cocktails while the boys order beers.
We hang around the bar for an hour or so, having a couple more drinks, laughing and talking. As I listen to Rose talk about a new colleague of hers and some hilarious escapade with the office copier, I think about how glad I am that I came out with them all. I catch Allie's eye and she smiles at me softly. I smile back before turning back to Rose, laughing so hard at her storytelling that I snort, which makes us all laugh harder.
Eventually, Alice says she wants to dance. Rose groans, Emmett cheers and Jasper looks like he's willing to do anything to make Alice smile at him. I've had two cocktails and am feeling pretty mellow so I agree too. We all head down to the main dance floor, moving in time with the beat. As we dance, I realise with a little relief that no one seems to be dancing with anyone in particular, but instead as a group. It's nice as it means I'm not the only one dancing alone.
We all continue to dance, the music generally upbeat rather than sultry and romantic which makes it easier. At one point Alice, who is holding Jazz's hands takes one of mine, dancing around with me. I laugh loudly at her as she jumps up and down, reminding me a little of Tigger from Winnie The Pooh. A moment later, Jazz takes my other hand and starts twirling us both in time with the music. It's really fun.
We've been dancing for a couple of hours when suddenly the music changes a little and goes a bit more sultry. I stand for a moment, catching my breath, watching the others start to dance with each other. Suddenly, I hear a voice by my ear.
"May I have this dance?" I turn around, my eyes wide with surprise. Before me, standing under the neon lights of the club is Edward fucking Cullen.
"Oh my god! What the fuck?!" I cry before throwing myself into his arms. He laughs hard as he catches my body, spinning me around slightly before placing me back down on the floor. "What are you doing here?!" I ask him, still unable to process that he's actually here in front of me.
"I caught a flight this afternoon." He says with a grin, "Surprise! Happy Valentine's!" He says as I continue to stare open-mouthed. I turn to look at the others and see them all grinning and laughing at me.
"Did you guys know?" I ask them all. They all nod.
"I texted Alice and told her. It was her idea to bring you here though" He tells me. I can't stop smiling and before I know what I'm doing, I'm kissing him hard. He stumbles a little under my weight but immediately returns the kiss with more passion, grabbing my head to hold me against him. I pull back, grinning at him.
"I can't believe you're here." I tell him. He shrugs before kissing me again. We're pulled out of our bubble by the crowd suddenly cheering and the music turning more upbeat. I realise that the song Shut Up and Dance by Walk The Moon has come on and everyone starts jumping in time with the beat. I laugh a little as the others all jump around us, singing the song lyrics before Edward and I start joining in.
Edward starts dancing with me, twirling me around before pulling me into his chest. I can't take my eyes off of him as he dances around in front of me, grinning from ear to ear. I feel like I'm in a movie, like in a moment the smoke will clear and the lights will come on and I'll just be on stage in front of an audience, acting out a perfect night.
A backless dress and some beat-up sneaks, my discotheque Juliet, teenage dream...
Edward sings at me, twirling me around in front of him, making me laugh
I felt it in my chest as she looked at me, I knew we were bound to get together, bound to be together...
We bounce up and down, Edward taking my hands and moving them from side to side as we dance. I'm sure we look stupid but at this point, I can't bring myself to care. I'm having the time of my life right now. Suddenly, the music slows down and he pulls me into his chest, his eyes burning into mine, quietly singing the words to me.
Oh don't you dare look back, just keep your eyes on me, I said you're holding back, she said-
"Shut up and dance with me" I sing back, making him smile a little.
This woman is my destiny...
He sings, a strange expression on his face before the song picks up once more and he slams his mouth to mine. I'm vaguely aware of the music around us and the jumping crowd but the entire room fades to nothing as his mouth meets mine, kissing me breathless. I wind my fingers into his hair, holding his head to mine, and moan quietly into the kiss. He must feel the moan rather than hear it because suddenly he pulls back, looking at me.
"Wanna go?" He asks me.
"Yeah" I say with a grin.
"We're going" He shouts to the others. They all nod before saying they're going to head out too. We all head to the exit, grabbing our coats and walking out on the street. As we stand there Edward seems unable to keep his hands off of me. His hands move from my back to my hips and he keeps dipping his head to give me quick kisses against my neck or shoulder. We say goodbye to Rose and Emmett, me thanking them for the most amazing night before Edward turns to Alice.
"Allie, go with Jasper to our apartment tonight, yeah?" He says, looking at her.
"Edward!" I say, "She doesn't have to go anywhere," I say chuckling.
"No, she doesn't, but I doubt she wants to hear me fuck my girlfriend on the other side of the wall." He says quietly in my ear. I glance over at Alice but she just smirks before giving me a tight hug.
"Thank you" I whisper. She squeezes me before waving her goodbyes and sliding into a cab with Jasper. As soon as they're gone Edward sticks his arm out, hailing another car. As soon as one pulls up he opens the door and ushers me in before sliding in behind me. He gives the driver my address before pulling me into his side. He runs his fingers up and down my leg, leaving a trail of fire in his wake. By the time we arrive at my apartment, I'm desperate and it seems so is Edward.
As soon as the car comes to a stop, he's throwing open the door and yanking me out behind him. He pays the driver before almost running into the building and pressing the lift button. Before the lift has a chance to arrive he's pushing me into the wall, fusing his mouth to mine. I moan quietly into the kiss, hearing the lift ding its arrival. He pulls away with dark eyes before dragging me in and pressing the button for my floor, slamming me against the mirrored finish and capturing my lips again. He kisses me like he's going to die and when the lift doors open once more, he just walks me backward into the hallway, blindly feeling his way down the corridor until he reaches my door. My back hits the hard surface before he pulls away.
"Where are your keys?" He asks breathlessly, his eyes like sin.
"Left pocket" I say before capturing his mouth again. He groans into the kiss as his hands snakes into my jacket pocket, finding my keys. He tries to get them in the keyhole but fails miserably.
"Piece of shit" He mutters, pulling away from me and forcing the key into the lock as I giggle. He turns the key, the door swinging open and allowing us to stumble into the apartment. He kicks the door closed behind us before grabbing my face and forcing my mouth back to his. I moan into his mouth as he walks us backward into my bedroom, kicking that door closed too. Once we're in my room, he moves his hands to my shoulders, pushing my jacket off and letting it drop to the floor. He then pushes me to lie on the bed before falling down with me, catching his weight on his arms.
"Fuck, I missed you" He groans, running his nose down my neck before sucking lightly on the skin. I moan at the sensation.
"I missed you too" I moan into the air.
"And this fucking dress...god, it should be illegal to look this good." He groans, kissing along the tops of my breasts and running one hand down my thigh, hitching it up to his hip. "How'd I get you out of this?" He asks breathlessly, pulling back to look into my eyes.
"There's a zip here" I say breathlessly, gesturing to the side of the dress. Edward feels down the side of my dress finding the zip and sliding it down. The fabric loosens around my hips and he carefully takes the straps in his fingers, pulling them down my arms.
"Lift up" He whispers, pulling the dress over my ass and down my legs. He stands from the bed, placing the dress carefully to one side before returning and pulling off my shoes, leaving me in just my underwear. He stares down at me before groaning quietly.
"You're so fucking sexy." He groans, falling back onto me, capturing my mouth in his. His hands move to my waist before sliding down to my thigh, pulling my legs around his hips. I moan at the feel of his rough denim against my center before he pulls back to look at me with dark eyes.
"Wanna try something different?" He asks, his voice deep and rough. My eyes flick between his before I answer.
"Like what?" I ask breathlessly.
"Well...you said you'd never tried it from behind." He says with a dark chuckle, his eyes blazing. I giggle before nodding at him. "Yeah?" He asks with excited eyes.
"Yeah" I breathe before he captures my mouth in one more searing kiss before moving off me and standing from the bed again. He reaches behind his head, yanking his shirt off before his hands fly to the button of his jeans, pushing them down, his breathing becoming hard. He crawls back up the bed before kissing me softly and nudging me to roll over. I do as he wants before lifting up to my knees and palms, kneeling on all fours.
"Fuck, you look so hot like this." He groans before undoing the clasp of my bra, kissing down my back as the garment falls from my chest. I moan, feeling his large hands palm each of my breasts before he moves to the sides of my panties. He slides the fabric over my ass and down my thighs, waiting for me to raise each knee before pulling them completely off.
"Holy shit..you look like fucking sin" He groans as I look over my shoulder at him. I feel a bit exposed in this position but when I see the look in Edward's eye and the way he practically tears his own boxers off, I quickly forget about my insecurities. He moves behind me, leaning to one side and grabbing a condom from the nightstand before fixing it to himself. I feel him position himself at my entrance before slowly pushing into me. I gasp at the sensation while Edward groans.
"Fuck" He pants when his hips are flush with my ass. "Are you ok?" He whispers, his body arched over my back. I nod, unable to speak.
He's so deep.
He starts a steady rhythm, moving his hands up and down my back in a soothing motion. He builds us up slowly until we're both panting for air and I feel like I'm going mad with need. I can tell he's holding back, his thrusts measured and steady, but I want more of him, all of him.
"Urgh...baby...please" I groan, arching my back in desperation.
"What? What do you want?" He pants.
"More" I moan.
"You want it harder baby?" He groans, pressing on my back, encouraging me to drop my torso onto the bed.
"Yeah" I moan, dropping down to my forearms and sticking my ass in the air. The change of angle is sublime but then Edward begins to move...really move. "Holy fuck" I gasp as his hips snap forward faster and harder than before. My mind goes completely blank with the pleasure. The only sound in the room my moans and groans, the slap of our skin and Edward's heavy panting.
"Fuck...look at you..." He groans, his fingers digging into the soft skin of my hips as he pulls me back into him and thrusts forward.
"Oh fuck!" I cry, my eyes popping open at the feeling. "Urgh!" I moan.
"You like that?" He pants. All I can do is groan in response as he tilts his hips, putting pressure on that magic spot inside of me.
"Oh shit...I'm gonna cum" I whimper, feeling the pressure in my abdomen build at each thrust of his hips.
"Yeah...fucking cum" He groans, pushing harder into me, his forehead resting on my back as he pants for air. I slip one hand down below me until I can rub the small bundle of nerves between my legs, needing something to push me over the edge. I moan loudly when I touch myself and Edward must realise what I'm doing.
"Holy shit...are you touching yourself? That's so fucking hot baby...gonna make me cum" He groans, his breathing turning even harder as he continues to pound into me at an almost brutal pace.
I'm going to cum...hard.
All it takes is three more thrusts and I'm being thrown over the edge. I moan incoherently, cumming harder than I have for months, the pleasure almost seizing my body. Edward lets out a startled grunt as I tighten around me before groaning loudly and falling over that blissful edge with me, his entire body arching over my own until his weight pushes me down onto the bed. When we eventually come back down from our highs, we're both panting hard, our bodies covered in sweat.
"Holy fuck" He pants into my neck, "That was fucking incredible" He says, making me chuckle.
"I know right" I reply breathlessly as he pulls out, rolling onto his back next to me and disposing of the condom. He looks over me and grins. At that moment, he's more drop-dead gorgeous than ever. His hair is sticking to his forehead, his eyes are shining and his face is pure joy.
"I can't believe you're here." I tell him honestly. He chuckles, shaking his head as he closes his eyes.
"I know. I wasn't sure I would make it. I only changed my flight this morning." He tells me.
"So that was the something else "come up"?" I ask him.
"Yeah, I would have told you but I wanted it to be a surprise." He says.
"It certainly was." I tell him.
"And I didn't want to miss our first Valentine's Day" He says quietly.
"Our first?" I ask, before realising what I just said.
"I hope so." He says with a grin. We stare at each other for a moment before he speaks again. "Speaking of Valentine's Day..."
He sits up and swings his legs out of the bed, walking stark naked across the room to where his jeans lay on the floor. He picks them up, digging around in his back pocket before producing an envelope. He walks back to the bed, before handing it to me.
"What's this?" I ask him, taking the envelope.
"Open it" He says, rolling his eyes. I tear open the envelope and pull out a card. On the front reads, "Whatever life throws at you, at least you don't have an ugly boyfriend, Happy Valentine's Day." I laugh loudly when I read it before opening it and reading the message inside.
To Bella, my favourite
Happy first Valentine's Day! I hope you were surprised. I can't wait to celebrate many more with you.
Yours,
Edward xxx
"Thank you" I whisper, leaning over and giving him a soft kiss. He pulls back, grinning at me before I roll over and place the card on my nightstand. He pulls me into his side, wrapping an arm around me and giving me a soft kiss on the forehead, before pulling up the covers around us. We lie like that for a long time before he speaks again.
"What are you thinking about?" He whispers.
"I was thinking that I can't remember what I used to do with myself before you." I tell him honestly. He chuckles a little.
"Neither can I." He says. "I didn't realise how hard it was going to be...being away from you. I felt like my right arm was missing" He tells me. I tilt my head back and look up at him.
"Yeah?" I ask him quietly.
"Yeah." He says. "I told you...you're my favourite." He says with a small smile before leaning down and giving me a soft kiss. I lie back down on his chest, his heartbeat thumping under my ear and close my eyes. I try to sleep, listening to Edward's steady breathing even out as sleep claims him, but it doesn't matter. I'm still wide awake.
As I lie there, I can't help thinking about the day and everything that Edward did to be here with me. He organised flowers, moved his flight, travelled all the way across the city to surprise me at the nightclub, wrote me a card...he really is amazing. But one thing he did really stands out for me.
He called me his favourite.
I know he's said the words before but this seemed different somehow as if he meant it differently.
As I continue to mull over his words and actions I realise that the term "favourite" is really the simplest way to describe what Edward is to me too. He's my favourite person, my favourite thing, my favourite part of every day. He's just my favourite...everything.
Is that what love it?
I think so.
So what does that mean?
I'm in love with Edward Cullen.