I'm so sorry for the delay.
BIG thanks to Fran, Mr G and Me, and Monica03 for all of their help. Seriously. They're amazing.
And huge thanks to everyone who reads, reviews, and follows this story. You're amazing too!
Now ... here's the awkward "my parents caught my boyfriend in my room" chapter. Oh, boy. LOL
SM owns everything Twilight.
Seconds after he leaves, Edward is back. He zips into the room; the papers tacked to my corkboard ruffling noisily in the breeze, and the ends of my hair tickling my jaw.
I raise a questioning eyebrow at his fidgeting hands, never having seen him so nervous.
"What's up?"
"Your mother is requesting we go downstairs."
My own eyes widen at his words, my throat tightening. I expected Mom to come up here and speak to us one on one, no doubt laying out ground rules for visitors in the future.
I never expected the both of us to go downstairs.
And if we're going downstairs, that can mean only one thing.
My father knows.
Suddenly, I'm extremely worried, not just for me, but for Edward.
I don't think my parents will actually hurt him, but things have been extremely messed up lately, so there's no telling what the hell is going to happen.
"Well, I guess this is one experience you've never had."
He glares at me, clearly unamused at my joke, but his expression, coupled with this situation, just makes me laugh. After all, it is kind of hilarious that my vampire boyfriend is scared to face my parents after he snuck into my room, and we both dry humped each other.
"Come on; you have to admit it's kind of funny."
"No, it's not," he hisses. "And no, I've never been in this situation before." Heavily, he sighs, raking a hand through his hair and tugging aggressively at the roots. "I guess we better get this over with."
Placing a hand on my lower back, he escorts me to the door, waving forward when I pause in the doorway.
"You're making me go first? What kind of gentleman are you?!"
He leans toward me, his eyes darting to the stairs before coming back to me. "You're their daughter, Bella. They won't go through you to get to me."
"So I'm a literal human shield against my vampire mother and human father?"
Rapidly, he blinks as he ponders over my words. After a moment, he rolls his eyes, and the corners of his lips quirk upward as he fights a smile.
"So to speak. You don't understand, Bella. Your mother can go ape-shit on me if she wants … and your father … well, he's being very resourceful right now in terms of a makeshift flamethrower."
I'm surprised at this, and I can understand his apprehension. Still, it's a little silly and a lot humorous to be so afraid of my parents. They'd never harm a fly, let alone another person.
"Fine," I tell him, pointing a finger in his face. "But you owe me; on top of what you already owe me."
Quickly, he kisses me once, pulling back just as fast. If my lips weren't tingling from the kiss, I'd swear he didn't do anything at all.
"All right. Let's go."
I snort a laugh at his apprehensive tone, stepping in front of him and heading downstairs. My own fear starts to spike as I spot my parents at the kitchen table. My mother looks too amused by the situation, while my father looks as if he wishes he could spit fire.
Remembering Edward's words about my father's idea for a makeshift flamethrower, I take a quick sweep around, making sure there's nothing nearby he can use to set my boyfriend on fire.
Thankfully, I don't see anything, except for the major glare he's sporting.
"Sit. Down," Dad grinds out, a vein in his forehead bulging.
Pulling out a chair next to my father, I leave the one next to my mother open, along with the one Rose usually sits at when we eat. It leaves Edward enough room between my parents and himself, though I wonder if it's really enough.
Edward can, for sure, outrun my father if he decided to go after him, but can he outrun my mother? It's a question I desperately want to ask but now isn't the time.
"What in the hell do you think—" Dad begins, his voice loud and booming in the small kitchen.
Edward and I wince, shrinking into our chairs and into one another's sides.
Mom quiets Dad with a single touch on his upper arm, gently sweeping her hand down to his forearm.
Blowing out a breath, Dad scrubs a hand down his red face, looking at the both of us through narrowed eyes.
"I don't know what happened here, and honestly, I don't want to know."
"Sir, nothing—"
"Nothing happened—"
Edward and I say at the same time, both of our voices dying when we realize the other is going to take on that particular statement.
Dad's eyes narrow further, looking between us, while my mother simply looks gleeful. Internally, I roll my eyes, already guessing the path she's going down, and unfortunately for me, she's right.
"I'm not stupid, you two. I was young once; I know what sneaking into a girl's room means."
He shoots Mom a wink, which makes her duck her head and hide her face in his arm while she giggles. I scrunch my face in disgust at the thought, willing my mind to stay away from images of my parents making out like the teenagers they once were.
"Probably how I was conceived," I grumble.
Edward grimaces, but nods once, making my stomach churn.
"Are you serious?" I mumble.
Again, he nods, still looking disgusted.
Ugh. Another thing I didn't need to know about my parent's personal lives.
I honestly feel bad for Edward. He's probably seeing that shit—poor guy.
Squeezing his hand once in solidarity, I make a face, hoping it'll erase the images he's witnessed … otherwise, he'll be scarred for life.
He grins, but it quickly falls as Dad speaks.
"But what I don't understand is this," Dad says, pointing a finger, gesturing between both of us. "What's going on here? Are you using my daughter? Because the last time I checked in with her, you two hated one another."
"On the contrary," I rush out when I see Edward about to reply. "I'm using him. We have that friends with benefits thing going on."
Dad pales and sinks into his chair, covering his face with his hands while Edward's head whips toward me, shocked astonishment clear on his face. Quickly, it transforms into a glare as he looks at my father, then back to me.
"Bella, what are you thinking?" he hisses.
Mom sits back, her lips twitching in a smile while she shakes her head with a sigh.
"Charlie—" she starts, but I reach toward her, silently pleading for her to let me handle this. She raises a single eyebrow before relenting with another sigh. "Don't give him a heart attack," she mouths.
Rolling my eyes, I nudge my dad, but he merely grunts in acknowledgment, not removing his hands from his face.
"Dad, come on. This is payback for all the times you and Mom have overshared or showed too much PDA in front of us, effectively scarring me for life. Expect the first of many therapy bills very soon."
Underneath his hands, I see his smile, but he still doesn't move.
"Hey," I say, nudging him once more. "All joking aside, now."
Slowly, he slides his hands down, shooting Edward a vicious glare. Audibly, he swallows and shrinks down into his chair, blindly reaching for my hand underneath the table. I allow him to take it, entwining our fingers together as tightly as I can handle, but I hope he knows he's so getting shit for this later.
"What?" Dad asks, his tone slightly petulant.
"Nothing happened," I lie, keeping my tone and face neutral. From living my life with him and catching the hints he gives while watching cop dramas, I hope all of those years of taking mental notes will pay off.
Otherwise, Edward will be most likely be literal toast, and I'll be shipped away to a deserted island for the rest of my years.
"We were talking; we had some … things to discuss," I say, honestly giving my Mom a meaningful look, so she knows just what he had to talk about. She nods once, her face expressionless. "We had an argument about things we've done to one another in the past, and things were said that needed to be cleared up. That's all."
Silence reigns heavily upon the room as Dad stares at me unblinkingly. If it weren't for the warmth emanating from him and the redness in his face earlier, I'd swear he was a vampire too.
"Really?" he finally asks, skepticism heavily dripping from the single word.
"Really. We were hanging out earlier today, and I shot my mouth off, which shouldn't be too much of a surprise, and he got pissed and walked away."
Dad smirks at this, shaking his head once before looking to Edward, who freezes and quickly masks the lingering panic and awe-struck expression at how well I seem to be doing at lying to my father.
Huffing, Dad turns back to me, waving for me to continue.
"He wanted to continue our conversation in a place I was most comfortable—"
"And least likely for you to blow up at me," Edward interrupts.
I shoot him a glare, but he smiles, shrugging a shoulder.
Sneering, I turn back to my father and continue. "Anyway, we were just talking, and it was going well until Mom saw him through the window."
Slowly, Dad nods, running a finger over his mustache. His eyes dart between Edward and me, and he says nothing, his face impassive.
Jerking on Edward's hand, I nod in my father's direction, wondering if he's picking up on what he's thinking. But with the way Edward's eyebrows come together in concentrated confusion, I can tell he's no wiser than I am.
"You still haven't told me what's going on between you two," Dad finally says, crossing his arms over his chest. "Are you dating? Friends? What is it? Because honestly, I'm confused."
To be honest, I'm still confused as to what our relationship status is myself, but in a weird, twisted way, Alice's theory makes sense.
At least for us.
I mean, we've gone on 'dates' and made out plenty of times, plus I enjoy his company most of the time. No matter what, we seem to find our way toward one another, whether we like it or not, and to be honest, I find myself drawn to him.
Looking back on it, I think I've always been drawn to him. I feel like he understands me, and even when he pisses me off, and I want to get as far away from him as I can, he's still in my thoughts.
I'm sure he's worked his voodoo on me somehow, but I like it.
"We're friends—"
"We're dating—"
Edward and I speak simultaneously, and at my declaration, his mouth falls open, and his eyes bulge in shock as his eyebrows raise high on his forehead.
Dad looks equally surprised, but there's also a spark of something in his eyes, and I doubt it has anything to do with Mom's excited fist-pumping.
"Ho—what? How did you come to that conclusion?" Edward asks, leaning away from me.
I fully expect him to pull his hand away and jump up, preparing himself to run from the room at vampire speed—or faster—but he remains seated, curiosity plastered on his face.
Repeating Alice's words from earlier, I give him a quick rundown—minus the making out details—and watch as comprehension slowly dawns on his face.
Heavily he sits back, running a hand through his hair and looking away as he digests what I had laid out. That same hand falls back onto his lap as if he has no energy to keep it raised, and he returns his gaze to me, questions still lingering in his eyes.
"Wha—really?"
"Apparently. It makes sense—kind of. Especially after everything we've done, it makes sense," I pointedly say, referring to our most recent activities. It's certainly not something regular friends do, and I wish I could point that out, but I just got us out of that fire; I'm not about to throw us back in. "It's not the normal way of doing things, but we're not normal."
Edward squeezes my hand, one corner of his lips lifting in a crooked smile. "No, we're certainly not that." He lapses into silence for another handful of seconds before exhaling a "huh." I can see he's still thinking about everything I've laid on the table, but with a shrug of his shoulder, acceptance finally reigns over his features.
"Well," he says, looking to my father. "I guess we're dating."
Dad's face is an unhealthy shade of puce, and before I can utter my concern, a bark of laughter erupts from him. He slaps his hand down on the table and guffaws so hard he loses his breath, and Mom has to pat him on the back.
"Charlie, breathe! Calm down and breathe!" In between her pleas for him to calm down, she, too, is laughing.
Edward and I exchange unamused glances, sitting back and waiting it out.
"Ooh," he says after a minute, wiping at his eyes. As he looks at us, he chuckles once more, shaking his head. "Oh, man. That made my year."
"We're thrilled we could be such epic entertainment for you," I quip. "Make sure to tip your waitress."
"Sorry," he says, sounding anything but apologetic. "It's just … you two fought like an old married couple. I mean, I was convinced you hated each other, but there is a fine line between lo-like and hate, you know."
I have a feeling that's not what he was going to say, but I don't press the issue. I know what he was going to say, but there's no way Edward and I are in the 'love' stages of our relationship … are we? I suppose it wouldn't be surprising if we were, considering neither one of us knew we were dating, but love?
That's an entirely different ballpark. Right?
Glancing over, I think about the word while I stare at Edward, wondering if I love him. I don't know whether I do or not, and it's just another thing that's frustrating and annoying.
Why don't I know what's going on in my own life and emotions? Am I going to have to rely on other people to tell me how I feel and what's going on for the rest of my life?
"What?" Edward whispers, leaning toward me. "What's wrong? If you want to leave, just say the word, and I'll race out of here. Your mother's a bit faster than me at the moment," he says, looking especially displeased with this. "But I'm sure we can lose her."
"Don't you even think about it, Edward Cullen," Mom warns, using her seldom-used stern voice.
He sighs but inclines his head, silently telling me he's serious. I smile in response, putting aside all thoughts of love for the moment. I'll do that later, when I'm alone and free to freak the hell out without witnesses to calm me down.
"Now, since we've established your title," Dad starts, seriousness replacing the humor. "Let's set some ground rules."
"Let's hold off on that for the moment," Mom says, her smile radiant as she beams, looking between Edward and me.
Lightly, I groan under my breath and sink further into the chair, hoping that a hole will suddenly appear underneath and swallow me whole.
"I'm so happy!" Mom squeals, appearing at my side in the blink of an eye. Dad clears his throat, shooting a pointed look, but she ignores him.
She hugs the both of us, making sure to take extra care with me. But with Edward, she doesn't hold back.
He grunts in pain but lets her hug him, looking anything but pleased.
"I told you, Bella," she tells me, shaking a finger in my direction. "I told you the two of you are perfect for one another, and I told you it would all work out."
Edward raises an eyebrow, fighting a smile. I roll my eyes and extract myself from Mom's hold.
"Yeah, okay, you told me. But this is only the beginning stages. We could fizzle out once our hormones get under control."
Dad groans into his hands, mumbling under his breath. Mom looks unbothered as she takes her seat, sighing with a dreamy smile.
"Your story is so wonderful; like something from a book!"
"Which is appropriate—" I cut myself off, catching my Mom's sharp look.
I had almost forgotten that she wants to break the news of my knowledge of the supernatural to Dad gently, though why I don't know.
I'm tired of keeping secrets.
It'll be a shock to him, I know, but I'd rather lay everything out and in the open rather than maintaining a façade.
But whatever; she doesn't want me to tell him, so I'll respect her wishes. I just hope she does it soon.
"Is that a remark for my love of romance novels?"
I shrug, not saying a word. From my periphery, I see Edward watching us closely, tapping his fingers in an irregular rhythm while he ponders the situation he's witnessing. I hope he gives me some insight into Mom's wonky ways because I'm lost.
"Let's get back on track," Dad says, his stare boring into my face. I meet his gaze unblinkingly, waiting for him to continue. After several seconds, he does. "There will be rules," he starts firmly, casting his serious look between the both of us. "Now that your … relationship title has changed, there will be serious rules that will have consequences if you don't follow them. Understand?"
If it's possible, Edward seems to get paler, shifting in his seat and casting a longing look toward the door. I expect him to make a run for it, but he remains seated, his hand underneath mine.
I merely nod, not really scared, but knowing that being grounded isn't quite the punishment Dad thinks it is. I mean, I don't even leave the house voluntarily; being confined to my room where all my stuff is isn't a punishment.
It's a vacation.
"No … passionate touching in my presence," Dad begins, choking out the words.
"You mean I can't make out with him in front of you? Aw, man."
Dad shakes his head once. "Bella now isn't the time."
Sensing the seriousness in his tone, I nod and shut my mouth, waiting for the rest.
"I don't want to see you two making out or … anything else, okay?" Edward and I nod at once, not planning on giving anyone a free show anyway. "No being alone behind closed doors. Or any doors, for that matter. I've been given that rule when I was your age, and well … let's just say your mother and I found a way around it."
My nose scrunches in disgust, and I fight the shiver threatening to encompass me. "Don't worry. That image will kill any moods we may have."
Dad smirks in triumph. "Good. Second, no sneaking in. Period. You want to see the other? You ask us, or Carlisle and Esme, got it?"
Once more, we nod but failed to notice the front door opening.
"Who snuck in? What happened?" Jasper asks, looking at us with confusion and worry. Rose catches on quickly, spotting Edward and I holding hands and smirks, shaking her head.
"Don't worry about it," she tells him, pushing him toward the stairs. "Let's give them their privacy."
"What happened, though?" Jaspers stresses, fighting against her pushing hands. "Is everything okay?"
"Just get upstairs, and I'll explain it, you imbecile," she hisses, giving him one last shove.
He scowls, pushing her back lightly. "Don't call me that, you witch, and don't push me."
"Knock it off and watch your tone, the both of you!" Dad calls to them. "Don't make me get the holy water!"
Jasper's bark of laughter is cut off as he and Rose disappear into her room, leaving the four of us in silence once more.
"Do I need to repeat my last rule?" Dad asks us.
"Don't sneak into each other's houses," I repeat dutifully. "Got it."
He nods in approval, amusement slowly coming back to his face. "Good. That's about it, I think …"
Clapping my hands, Edward and I jump up at the same time, clearly ready for this awkward conversation to be over and done with.
"Great. Awesome. Thanks, and I'll see you later," I rush out, heading for the door with Edward hot on my heels.
"Hold it. Edward, a word out on the porch, please?" Dad says though it's clear he's not requesting. He sidesteps us both, opening the front door and looking at me over his shoulder. "You stay in here … and no listening, Bella. Renee?"
Mom nods, wrapping an arm around my shoulders as she pulls me back.
Edward's head falls forward momentarily before he looks back up, squaring his shoulders and giving me a pleading look. I snicker at the helpless look he has, finding it hilarious he's afraid of my father.
"You're a strong vampire," I mouth, trying to keep my laughter at bay.
The responding look I get is full of disbelief, and he shakes his head with a roll of his eyes.
Dad closes the door with a resounding click, and I wrangle myself out of Mom's hold and race toward the front door. Mom giggles and joins me, pressing her ear uselessly against the wood, mimicking my position.
"I thought we talked about this, son," Dad says, his tone serious. "Renee and I both told you, you're not allowed to sneak into this house again."
Intrigued, I look to Mom with a raised eyebrow, and she nods, her lips pressed tightly together. I blink twice, astonished that it was my parents that had caught him.
Although, it was probably more my Mom than anything, but still. That has to suck.
"I know, sir," Edward responds fluidly, apology coating every word. "I'm sorry; I … there were things that Bella and I needed to talk about."
Dad's hearty chuckle can be heard. "So, you've said. Was it you that ran off? Or her?"
There's a long pause, and the only thing that can be heard is the creaking of floorboards. I imagine Edward is shifting on his feet, clearly well-practiced at human mannerisms.
"Me. But in my defense—"
"Say no more. I know my daughter, and all I have to say is … good luck," Dad tells him with a chuckle, followed by the sound of flesh smacking a solid surface.
Edward's shoulder, no doubt.
"I'll need it. She's a handful."
I sneer at the door, flipping it off. Mom collapses in a fit of giggles, too tickled by the situation to scold me for such an action.
Pulling me away from the door, she wipes at her dry eyes. "You have to admit it's true, honey."
I sniff, folding my arms over my chest. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Mom laughs once more. "Of course not." She pauses as Dad comes back in, leaving the door open. "Go say goodbye … but keep it decent."
"Of course," I reply smoothly. "I'm not like some people … getting caught making out in a fogged-up vehicle at the grocery store while I'm half undressed."
Dad pales before his face turns beet red as he sputters. "I never—who—where? Oh, I'm gonna kill your Gran," he fumes.
I cackle as I head outside, hearing Mom howl with her own laughter.
"It's not funny, Renee!" It's the last thing I hear from Dad before I close the door, meeting Edward on the porch.
"Well," I start, rocking back on my heels. "That was interesting."
He rolls his eyes. "Oh yeah. So interesting." Edward nods toward the back of the house. "I didn't come here by car."
Catching his meaning, I follow him around back, slowly meandering through the yard.
"Speak for yourself," I reply. "It's not every day you see a vampire scared of a human."
"On the contrary. I've been terrified of you since you ran into me. You're batshit scary."
Sneering, I flip him off, fighting against his arms as they come around me. "I wish I could junk punch you."
"But you can't."
"Just wait," I threaten, narrowing my eyes.
He blinks and pulls back slightly, startled by confession. "Is … is that something you'd be interested in?"
I do a combination of a shrug and a nod because honestly, I'm not too sure.
One part of me says no. There's still so much in life to experience and do. While I can do practically anything as a vampire, it severely limits human reactions.
I'd like to grow a little older.
Experience an adrenaline rush … but the good kind, like you get from roller coasters and shit. I've enough of the bad adrenaline rushes to last a lifetime.
I'd also like to get drunk.
It's all things that are limiting when you're a vampire.
Unless you can liquor up a cougar…
Idly, I wonder if you'd feel the same effects.
I think about asking Edward about this but change my mind.
For now…
On the other hand, I don't really see myself getting married and having kids. I simply can't picture myself with anything other than cats and dogs.
And honestly, the thought of growing older than my parents, of leaving them behind, doesn't sit well with me. I'd rather be by their side, bugging the crap out of them for all eternity.
Plus, I'm sure Edward will be there for a while, too, so that's an added bonus.
The thought of Edward going off separate from me causes my heart to race and my mouth to become dry. I don't like the idea and hate the thought of him finding someone else.
Deciding to push all thoughts on that subject away, for now, I focus on the present.
"I don't know," I reply truthfully. "There are still some things I want to do … and I have time."
He nods, rubbing a hand up and down my arm as we come to a stop near the edge of the backyard. "You do."
Playfully, I gaze from his hand to his face. "You've been awfully touchy-feely lately."
Much like I did moments ago, he shrugs. "Yeah, well … now that we've admitted our feelings for one another and we found out we're dating."
I snort at this, shaking my head. "I still can't believe we didn't know."
"Yeah … I don't know whether we're obtuse or we're just that comfortable with one another."
We stare at each other for a long before answering at the same time.
"Comfortable."
He snickers and heaves a sigh, seemingly reluctant. "I better go. Your family is pretty anxious to have you back."
Looking toward the house, I roll my eyes at the sight of Rose and Jasper in the upstairs window, and my mother by the backdoor, beaming. My father walks by periodically, but he's not fooling me.
I know he's watching too.
Waving a hand, I tell them to go away, but they remain where they are, nearly plastered against the glass.
Muttering a curse, I turn back to Edward, noting he's frowning heavily.
"What is this about?" I question, gesturing toward his face.
"How do we do this?"
I'm confused by his question, wondering what he means exactly.
Does he mean us talking? Him leaving to go back home?
The possibilities are endless and mysterious as ever with him.
"Have you forgotten how to speak? You say something, or I say something, and then we kind of go from there. Or do you not know how to leave? You just go … get out of here. I can have my mother chase you out. Or my father would be better, actually. I'm totally filming it and putting it on vampire YouTube."
"Vampire YouTube?" he asks, raising an eyebrow, fighting a smile.
"Yeah. I figure there has to be secret Internet for the vamps, right? I mean, you were people too. Everyone needs entertainment."
Lightly, he snorts, the sound momentarily taking me off guard. I never expected him to make such a sound.
"Actually, vampires do own a vast majority of the Internet."
I gape, wondering if he's fooling with me. "You messing with me, right?"
Edward shakes his head, completely serious. "No. It's the perfect way to make sure we stay undetected. The progression of man has only led to major problems for us … what?" He inquires, stopping when he sees my narrowed eyes.
"Women are a part of that too, you jackass."
He rolls his eyes, but there's no anger behind it. "Forgive me. Anyway, with technology improving day by day, it only makes sense to have one of us on the inside, monitoring everything. We're perfect for it, we know what to look for … and because we never sleep, we can monitor it twenty-four-seven."
"You don't sleep? Ever?"
"No."
I balk at the thought of never getting to sleep. I mean, I figured vampires were mostly nocturnal, and most of the myths were bullshit, but not sleeping? Ever? Is it simply a never-ending stream of conscious thought?
Man, that sucks.
"That's a shitty side effect," I mumble.
Edward snickers, nodding once. "Indeed. But there are ways around it."
"How?"
"Meditation."
I snort, picturing Edward sitting in a Lotus Position with his eyes closed, and hands on his knees. "Really?"
"Really," he tells me, his tone completely serious. "It takes practice, especially with my gift, but it's beneficial."
I hum, remembering Mom's preaching about the benefits of yoga and meditation. The few times I gave in and tried it just to see what it's about, I'll admit, I did notice something.
Too bad I stopped it before I could figure out what it was.
"Okay, I'll give you that. So, vampires are controlling the Internet, huh?"
He shakes his head, lightly laughing. "Yeah. Why are you surprised?"
"I don't know. I guess I should expect them everywhere, huh? Palaces and the government included."
His face is impassive, but there's a flash of something in his eyes that tells me I'm not far off the mark.
"No fucking way!" I exclaim, my voice carrying off into the trees. Some feet out, the sound of disgruntled birds squawk in protest at the loud sound, their wings flapping in the wind.
I gaze in that direction and sneer, flipping them off.
"You try learning vampires are everywhere in the world," I grumble.
Edward laughs, folding his hand over mine and bringing it down. "What did you expect? We have to keep the secret … and for the record, there aren't vampires everywhere. Sometimes, we have spies keeping an eye on things for us."
"Human spies?"
"Yes. For their service, they're promised money or immortality. Mostly, it's money."
"Huh." I shake my head, still coming to grips with the fact that vampires are all around us. It's a slightly thrilling and terrifying thought all rolled into one.
"Are you okay?"
Edward's hand comes up to the juncture of my neck and shoulder, his fingers gently sweeping against the back of my neck. Lightly, I hum but stop myself when I see his gleeful grin.
"Don't be flattered. I would make that sound for anyone."
Ever so slightly, his eyes narrow, but there's a spark of playfulness there too. "So would I. Until we get tired of each other, I say we keep making each other make those sounds." He leans toward me, his nose brushing mine. "Repeatedly."
The urge to cross my eyes at his proximity is strong, but I fight it off, instead of focusing on the thickness in my throat.
My heart thumps wildly in my chest, and my palms become slick with sweat. For some reason, I feel anxious and jittery, but why?
The only thing I can think of is that it's that damn jealousy rearing its ugly head.
Just the idea of both of us finding someone else, of moving on, hurts.
I know it's natural for some people, but for us, 'natural' is the farthest word I'd use to describe us.
One side of me wants to ask him if he thinks we'll last past this year; the other side of me wants to beat the shit out of that side for being so emotional over this.
Internally, I roll my eyes and brace myself to ask, but Edward places his lips against mine, applying a gentle but firm pressure against me.
Grasping onto his shoulders, I return his kiss and pull back only when my burning lungs require me to.
Edward remains close, his ochre eyes burning into mine.
"For the record, there will be no other people."
My responding laugh is husky and deep, a sound I never expected to come from me. "Really?" I inquire, feeling that anxiety ebb just as quickly as it came. "That sounds awfully stalker-ish to me. After all, we only started putting labels on each other today, boyfriend."
His smile at the term 'boyfriend' is bright and pleased, but I'm not going to tease him for it.
At this moment…
I'm going to hold on to it for a rainy day when he'll need to be taken down a peg or two.
He raises a single eyebrow. "Would you have me any other way, girlfriend?"
My lips quirk in a grin, and I feel as if my smile was just as goofy as his. Immediately, I wipe it from my face, but his smirk tells me he saw it all.
Damn it.
"No," I tell him, letting honesty saturate every word I speak. "If you cheat on me or dump me, I will stalk you."
He snorts a laugh, kissing me once more. "That's not any different from what you've done in the past or do to me every day."
Snapping my head back, I gaze at him incredulously. "Excuse me? You were the one who followed me. I knew immediately who—and what—you were when I ran into you and tried to keep my distance. You just couldn't stay away from me."
"I remember that differently."
I roll my eyes, shoving at his immovable shoulder. Luckily, he plays along, saving my ego from a crushing blow.
"Of course you do, jerk. And for the record, I still give you space; it bothers you, doesn't it? That I don't follow you around like a lovesick puppy?"
"What I meant is that you're always in my thoughts."
I'm momentarily frozen by his statement. While it's nice and sweet, it's not like him. I don't really doubt the sincerity in his words, but for him to say something so … cheesy is definitely uncharacteristic of him.
Seconds after I think this, he bursts out in laughter, throwing his head back in amusement. "Sorry. I tried to keep a straight face. I couldn't do it." When he stops laughing, he looks me in the eye; this time, all humor is gone and replaced with a heavy seriousness. "I mean it, though … corniness aside."
I smile, reaching up to bring his face down to mine. He complies, a low humming escaping his throat.
"I may or may not think about you from time to time, as well."
His eyes soften, and he kisses me gently. "Glad to hear it."
"Mmhmm." I eye him warily, wondering if he's going to tease me, but he says nothing.
He's so going to use that against me later.
Damn it.
Oh well. At least I have an arsenal to use against him. He better watch out.
"I really should get going," he says with a sigh after a moment. "Renee has called Esme, and well," he trails off, running a hand through his hair and blowing out a long breath.
"Ecstatic cheering?"
He nods once. "I'm pretty sure they can hear her in Europe."
I snicker, glad I'm not the only one with a mother like that.
"And of course, she told her about me sneaking in, which I'll get another lecture for."
"Another?"
Guiltily, he nods once, not meeting my eyes. "Yeah. It's bad enough getting it from your parents, but add mine into the mix? Plus, they get an extra kick out of it because it makes them feel like they're not missing out on anything, you know?"
A pang of sympathy goes to Carlisle and Esme. I didn't even think about how they must feel; I'm sure on some level, they feel robbed since they didn't get to raise any of their kids from birth. But still, at least they're getting 'normal' parental experiences now that we troublesome humans entered the picture.
"Well, all we need is for Rose or me to end up pregnant, and they'll have a wonderful parental experience."
Edward chokes—on what, I don't know—and his eyes open so wide they're practically bulging from their sockets. It's not really a good look, and I tell him so.
"Be-Bella, um …"
"Relax," I interrupt, patting his chest. "I doubt it's a possibility. I mean, how can it be? You're technically dead. Speaking of, do you have a death certificate?"
He shakes his head, his eyes still wide. "What? Uh, yeah. I do. Bella—" he stops, running a hand through his hair. His face pinches, and he swallows audibly, looking toward the trees for a moment before returning his eyes briefly to mine. "Uh, it might be possible."
I stare at him for a long moment, wondering if he's screwing with me. After several seconds, it's evident he's not.
"You gotta be shitting me. Really?"
"We don't know for sure … there are whispers about such a thing happening, but it's never been proven."
I raise an eyebrow at this, wondering how there are whispers about such an event within a supernatural world.
"Seriously? You all don't talk to one another."
"We do," he argues, though there's no force behind it. "When we want to. Honestly, though, if it is true, then others are keeping it closely under wraps."
"Well," I begin, poking him in the chest with each word that passes from my lips. "When we do have sex, you better triple wrap that," I say, pointing at his pelvis. "Because I am not birthing some human-vampire hybrid, got it? If I find out that I'm pregnant, I will find a way to kick you in the balls. Understand?"
"When?" he questions, his lips quirking in a smirk.
"You'll be lucky there's even a when."
He snorts a laugh. "Sure. You know you want me."
"And strangely enough, that want goes down every time you open your mouth." He starts to say something, but I slap my hand over his lips, already having a feeling I know what he's going to say. "Be smart and really think about that. Do you still want to say it?"
After a short moment of deliberation, he shakes his head, and I remove my hand.
"You know, you could equally say something stupid … and be cut off from me."
I shrug. "That's very true on both accounts. The only difference is, I won't whine about it."
"I don't whine."
"But you do sulk."
"Whatever," he grumbles with a scowl.
"See! There it is."
He tries to remain pissed off, but his smile wins out. "Jesus, you're a pain."
"Thank you."
He huffs a laugh, swooping to kiss me once. "I'm going now."
"Finally. Don't run into any trees," I tease.
"I haven't done that since—" he stops abruptly, pressing his lips tightly together as his eyes close in a wince.
"You … you've run into a tree?" I try to keep my giggles at bay, but a few little chuckles escape.
When his eyes snap open, I immediately quiet, hoping to keep my face as neutral as possible. The scowl on his tells me he heard me, but I knew I couldn't get away with fooling a vampire.
Still, I can make him make think I didn't laugh at him.
"You try being a newborn vampire with enhanced senses and telepathy. Then we'll see how well you do keeping on track."
"I'm sure the tree had it coming."
He rolls his eyes, but a smile tugs at the corners of his lips.
"I'll see you later," he says softly, caressing my cheek with the back of his fingers.
"Of course. I'm irresistible."
A burst of laughter escapes him. "Now, who's cocky?"
"Well, I've always known I'm amazing. But I guess some of your ego had to rub off on me. Don't say it," I warn when I see he's about to say something.
"Fine." With a parting kiss, he vanishes; a swirl of leaves fluttering to the ground in his wake.
Turning back toward the house, I immediately spot Rose downstairs on the porch, tapping her foot while Jasper remains inside, peering through the window over her shoulder.
Heaving I sigh, as I drag my feet through the leaves. They crunch and rustle deliciously under my feet, and I bite the corner of my lip at the giddiness spreading throughout me.
"You don't have to look like you're heading to an execution," Rose remarks, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow at me.
Her face is impassive, not giving me any clues as to what she's thinking about the newest developments in my relationship status.
"Aren't I? You're standing here like you're waiting to pounce."
"I'll save that for your new boyfriend," she remarks dryly, her eyebrow getting higher on her forehead. "Something that I didn't know about until very recently."
"Join the club," I respond with a shrug.
The superior expression fades into one of confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"Edward and I have been … hanging out recently. Quite a bit," I start before waving Jasper outside. "You'll hurt yourself trying to eavesdrop. Just come out here!"
He scowls as he steps out, crossing his arms against the chill in the air. "I wasn't eavesdropping."
"Your facial smudge on the glass says differently."
Rose chuckles while Jasper sneers. "You're such a pain."
"So I've been told."
"Okay, okay," Rose interrupts, waving her hands between the two of us. "What was that? You didn't realize you and Edward were dating?"
Even Jasper looks confused and wants answers, so I start over.
"Yes," I reply with a sigh. "We were hanging out a lot. Making out occasionally," I ignore Jasper's gag of revulsion, and continue. "I thought we were just … you know … messing around. Teasing and pissing each other off, you know? Like friends."
"Friends don't—" Rose starts but interrupts.
"Yes, I know. Alice informed me. So, we're dating, I guess."
"Have you been out on a date? Has he taken you out to eat? To the movies or something?"
"Yeah. Both of those."
Rose slowly nods, eying me warily. "And how do you feel about this? Because before, you were pretty adamant you didn't like him."
"I know," I start slowly. "But you know something weird? I don't hate the idea. I like it, actually. He just … I don't know. He gets me."
A slow grin pulls at the corners of her lips, and soon, it's bright and beaming. "Good. I'm glad. He seems perfect for you."
I shrug, looking away, uncomfortable at the attention.
"And apparently he's been sneaking in?" She continues, a knowing smirk on her face.
Holding up a finger, I vehemently shake my head. "No. I didn't know about that one … until today."
She rolls her eyes, muttering something under her breath. It's times like this that I wish I had vampire hearing. Jasper obviously can hear her and nudges her, shooting her a look.
Immediately, she sobers, her face going neutral.
"I know," I reply, already having an inkling of what they're trying to keep under wraps. "Stupid vampires, am I right?"
They gape at me, their eyes open wide and mouths agape.
Unable to help myself, I laugh loudly, shaking my head at their shock.
"Did you really think I didn't know?" I ask, still fighting off chuckles. "Oh, man. I'm not stupid. Now, come on. Let's go see what the plan is for that delicious Thanksgiving food. I've already eaten some, but you're supposed to stuff yourself."
I flash them a cheeky smile as I pass, chuckling at their dumbfounded expressions.
So far, this is the best holiday, ever.
And I promise, there will not be a vamp-baby in this story. ;)
I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
See you soon!