previously...
Ismirked. "Oh, please. I'm starting to think you never even had any edge, law school."
A mischievous grin spread across his face, but he kept looking at the road. "Remind me to prove you wrong later."
Rule number four – keep your legs crossed and your hands to yourself. Be a fucking lady, Swan.
CHAPTER 12
When we got to Shreveport, we met Edward's friend in the parking lot of a casino hotel. Edward introduced us, and we talked very briefly before his friend went back upstairs to his room. He seemed nice, and the short conversation they had was spent mostly laughing and joking with each other. Edward's accent did make a slight appearance, and I tried my best not to give away how much I liked hearing it. It turns out that the thing Edward had forgotten back home was his golf clubs, and he needed them back before a meeting with one of his bosses the upcoming week. I tried not to laugh out how cliché that sounded.
After we left the hotel, we got brunch in Shreveport and got back on the road and made it back to Fort Worth at around three. We spent the ride back talking and asking each other questions, trying to get to know each other better. There was hardly a quiet moment, and it made the drive go by faster.
Edward parked his truck back in the spot next to his car and came around to open my door. He stood between me and the open door. "Thank you for coming with me today." He said, resting his hands on either side of me on the seat, trapping me in my place.
"You're welcome. I had fun." I replied and loosely wrapped my arms around his neck.
He smiled crookedly and slowly leaned in to kiss my lips.
Finally.
I tightened my arms around his neck, and my hands tangled in his hair. His tongue slipped into my mouth and quickly found mine. I tried to pull him closer and wrapped one of my legs loosely around the back of his. Edward pulled away laughing softly.
I fought the urge to whine dramatically. He was a tease.
"We should go upstairs. I'll make some supper." He said.
"It's three in the afternoon."
He thought for a minute. "Lupper?"
I giggled. "Sounds great."
He held my hand as I hopped down from the truck and then got his golf clubs from the back seat before leading me upstairs to his apartment. When we got inside, Edward took Winnie outside, and I got comfy on the couch.
Edward came back in and walked over to his fridge. He looked in it for a minute and then looked at me sheepishly. "What about takeout?"
"That's fine." I laughed.
He walked over and sat next to me on the couch. I cuddled up into his side as he took out his phone and started looking through the restaurants that we could get delivery from. We ended up deciding on Chinese food, and Edward placed the order. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me closer into his side, and I buried my head in his chest. I looked up at him, and he looked back down at me.
"What are you doing this time next week?" He whispered.
I knew what he was asking. The month would be over.
"I don't know." I replied softly. "I doubt I'd be lucky enough to get two Saturdays in a row off, but if I am, maybe you could take me to the zoo." I suggested.
He laughed loudly. "Could I now?"
I nodded. "Those little baby elephants are really fucking cute."
His eyes were bright. "Well, let me know when you find out your schedule, and I'll see what I can do." He chuckled and kissed me softly.
I smiled sweetly. "Okay."
The food arrived not long after, and we ate and watched a movie. After the movie finished, I got up and stretched.
"I should get going. I have a few errands to run before I go back to my apartment."
Edward looked at me with an amused expression on his face. "We were driving all day. Why didn't you tell me? I could've stopped when we made it back to town."
I shrugged. "I just didn't think about it."
He shook his head at me with a smile as he stood up and got Winnie's leash. "I need to let her out anyway. I'll walk down with you."
We made it down to my car, and Edward pulled me close for a kiss. "Those errands can't wait until tomorrow?" He murmured against my lips.
I giggled and pulled away. "No, I work all day."
"Well, alright. What time do you get off?"
"Six."
"Come over for dinner. I'll cook again."
"You said you'd cook today." I teased.
He rolled his eyes. "I'll have plenty of time to go grocery shopping before dinner tomorrow."
"I'll be here." I promised.
He kissed my lips again. "Good. I'll see you tomorrow, beautiful."
I slid into my car and waved to him one last time as he walked away with Winnie. I pulled out of the parking area and turned in the direction of the nearest Target. I needed a jewelry box, a dresser, and some hangers… and maybe a couple new shirts, too.
~ Coffee & Bourbon ~
Sunday morning, I woke up early to unpack my bags from the store and to set up the dresser I bought before work. It was simple, faux wood, and the cheapest one they had with only two drawers, but it was enough. I shoved it into the closet and started going through my clothes. I folded and hung whatever was in my duffel bag and then pulled out the two new shirts and pair of joggers I had bought when I went shopping. I put everything away and then started on organizing my jewelry in the jewelry box. When that was done, I put it on top of my dresser and closed the closet door, smiling and feeling accomplished.
There was one bag left. In it was a rock salt lamp that I didn't plan on buying, but I had always wanted one and couldn't leave it when I saw it on the shelf. I plugged it in on the kitchen counter and then looked around. The room was still bare, but just the one light made it feel a little warmer.
When it was time for me to start getting ready for work, I slipped on my dark jeans, white bralette, and one of the new shirts I had bought, a loose denim button down. Denim on denim was new for me, but I liked it. I braided my hair in a long, messy fishtail, did my makeup, threw on some shoes, and was out the door.
After I clocked in, I grabbed the white envelope in my purse and slowly walked down the hall to Jasper's office. I knocked on the open door and peaked my head in, but the room was empty.
Shrugging, I turned around to go back to the bar. I was going to have to catch him later. As I was passing the supply room, I remembered that I'd noticed the bar was nearly out of straws, so I decided to go ahead and grab them while I was in the back.
As soon as I walked in, I heard a gasp and a giggle that sounded like…
Fuck. No. Don't turn.
I turned. There was Jasper with Alice pinned against one of the shelves. Thankfully, their clothes were still on, but if I had been two minutes later, I don't think I would've gotten that lucky.
Alice and Jasper both breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that it was me.
"Oh, thank God, it's only you." Alice said, pushing Jasper away and fixing her clothes.
My jaw dropped. "We might be friends, but I'm still your employee…" I turned to look at the supply room doorknob. "Dude, y'all know this locks…and you have an entire office right down the hall. What the hell, man?"
"The bar needed straws. I really had no intention of coming in here and getting jumped by my husband."
I fought the urge to gag. "Well, did you get the straws at least?"
She shook her head with a mischievous smile.
I shook my head. "Well, that's what I'm here for. So don't forget them on your way out." I said and started to turn on my heel to leave.
"Wait, wait. How did yesterday go?" She asked excitedly.
"Alice." Jasper scolded lowly.
I looked over her shoulder and narrowed my eyes at Jasper. "The bromance you have with Edward is incredibly concerning. I mean is there anything that you don't tell each other?"
Jasper smirked. "Oh, no, I know everything."
I huffed and pulled the envelope from my back pocket, stretching out my arm and holding it out to him. "This is next month's rent. Let me know if I need to sign a lease or anything." I muttered.
His eyes widened, but he walked over and took the envelope from me.
I turned to Alice. "And don't forget the fucking straws." I said, as I backed out of the room and shut the door behind me.
When I got back to the bar, I started the opening procedures before the Sunday mimosa crowd. As much as the two of them drove me crazy, I had to give credit to Alice and Jasper for how they had poured everything into this business and made it as successful as it was. It was easy to keep a crowd on a Friday or Saturday night, but they had managed to keep restaurant hours all through the week without serving anything other than basic bar food and alcohol. Sunday was two for one Mimosas and boozy coffee specials, and that carried over until the sports crowd started making their way in. They usually ran some type of special on Mondays and Tuesdays to keep a steady flow of people coming in and out. Wednesdays and Fridays they had a DJ and happy hour, Thursdays were karaoke, and Saturdays were live music.
I was pouring myself a cup of coffee when Alice bounded up to the bar, straws in hand. "You never answered my question." She accused. "How was yesterday?"
"It was good." I replied and took a sip from my mug.
"Ugh, you and that word. You're not allowed to use 'good' anymore."
"Alright… it was fine."
She groaned. "Bella, come on."
I tried to fight a laugh. "It was fun."
"Thank the Lord, we're getting somewhere."
I rolled my eyes.
"So y'all worked it out?" She asked.
I nodded. "Enough for now. I still have some shit to think about, but the two of us are go—" I stopped when I saw her glare at me. "We're worked out?" I tried.
"I'll take it." She smiled brightly. "I'm happy for you. Both of you."
"Me too." I murmured into my coffee cup.
"And I know I said I wouldn't get involved," she began as I raised an eyebrow, "and I'm still not. However, I do want to put on your radar what's coming up in fourteen very short days."
I tilted my head at her with furrowed brows.
"Valentine's day." She sang.
"Yikes." I deadpanned. "I'll work that night."
"I'm not putting you on the schedule for your first Valentine's day with my brother. I'm sure he'll have something nice planned."
I sighed. "Well, if it's out of my hands anyway, could you get your husband to mention to Edward that I don't like the cheesy candles and rose petals and sharing cheesecake and tuxedo waiters?"
"Noted, and I will have it covered. You want your own cheesecake." She giggled.
"Damn straight."
She laughed at me again before walking over to the front doors to unlock them.
The day passed by a little slowly. The crowd was steady, but it didn't stay busy. There were a few lulls every half hour or so, and I'd watch the clock until the next group of customers came through and helped me kill the next few minutes. At six, I gleefully left the bar and made a beeline for my car, anxious to get to Edward's for dinner. I probably should have gone upstairs to my apartment to clean up and change, but I was too impatient.
Edward opened the door as soon as I knocked and blocked the doorway to keep me from walking in. "You wouldn't share a piece of cheesecake with me?"
I giggled and ducked under his arm. "I had a great day, honey. How was yours?"
"Eye-opening." He replied and trapped me between his body and the kitchen island.
"Aw, don't take it personally." I said, reaching up and twisting the chain he was wearing around my finger.
"It was a very personal attack, Bella."
I pressed my lips in a tight line, trying not to laugh. "Well, is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"
He smirked evilly. "I can think of a few things, actually." He said as he pressed his lips down onto mine.
I laughed against him, and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue in my mouth to meet mine. I hummed at the feeling, and he slipped an arm under me to lift me up and set me on the counter. My hands slid from his chest and knotted in his hair.
Rule number four. I reminded myself.
His fingers hooked through my belt loops and pulled so that I easily slid against the granite closer to him. I trapped him to me with my legs.
Rule number fourrrrrr.
But it's been so long. I argued with myself.
His lips moved from mine and softly trailed down my jaw to my neck. I had to keep my eyes from rolling to the back of my head.
RULE NUMBER FOUR, ISABELLA!
The oven timer went off.
Oh, thank God.
"Shit." Edward muttered against my skin before straightening back up and chastely kissing my forehead, as if the past five minutes hadn't even happened. As if he hadn't attacked me as soon as I walked through the door. As if he hadn't driven me utterly and completely insane. "I have to check that." He said as he untangled himself from my grasp and walked over to the oven. I noticed then that he was wearing gym clothes again, black joggers that fit his backside gloriously and another long sleeve shirt that fit tight on his arms and shoulders.
I need alcohol.
I took a moment to steady my breathing before hopping off of the counter, landing on shaky legs. "Do you have anything to drink?"
"Yeah, in the fridge, baby." He answered, nonchalant as he pulled out a cutting board and started sharpening a knife.
I shook my head to clear it and opened the fridge to find two cases of beer on the bottom shelf. "I thought you always drank Miller Lite." I observed as I pulled out a bottle of Coors Banquet.
"I do. But you don't like it."
I looked over at him as he was mincing some garlic. "Well, that was sweet of you." I said with a smile and leaned against the fridge.
He looked over at me and smirked. "Yeah, well, it was before I found out about the cheesecake thing, so you got lucky."
I rolled my eyes dramatically and pushed myself off of the fridge. "You'll get over it, law school." I heard him chuckle as I walked over to Winnie on the armchair. She was playing with a stuffed toy that looked like a coffee cup. "She fetches, right?"
"She's a duck dog, Bella." Edward laughed.
"I was just checking." I said and gently took her toy from her mouth. I held it up in front of her and she quickly hopped off the armchair and sat on my right side. I tossed it across the room, and she followed it with her eyes before looking up at me expectantly. "I already threw it." I told her.
I heard Edward chuckle. "You need to release her." He called, his back turned as he stirred something on the stove.
"What?"
"Say her name."
"Winnie." I said, and she took off after the toy. She brought it back to me, tail wagging excitedly. "Good girl." I cooed and rubbed her head. "Why does she have to wait?" I asked and scratched up and down her sides.
Edward left the kitchen and fell back onto the sofa. "If a dog breaks from the stand as soon as a bird is down, people could still be shooting, and they could get hurt. So, they're trained to wait to retrieve until everyone is done firing."
I looked at Winnie and she licked my face. "Such a smart girl, Winnie Mae." I complimented and tapped her nose.
"Did you give my dog a middle name?" Edward laughed.
"I did." I walked over to the couch and sat down next to him. "It fits her, don't you think?" I asked as I got comfortable close to his side and held his left hand in both of mine.
"If you think so, I think so." He smirked and took a sip of his beer. "Sometimes when she's bad, I call her Winnifred." He admitted.
I laughed and looked over at the dog, back in her normal spot on the chair. "Winnifred Mae." I giggled.
Her ears perked up and her eyes traveled to us, but she kept absent mindedly chewing her toy.
"Did you ever have any pets growing up?" Edward asked me.
I shook my head. "No, but I always wanted one. Our neighbors had an old bloodhound that I loved, and I always said I'd get one someday."
"With the howling?" He made a face. "We had a beagle we'd use for tracking deer, and that damn thing… I think my dad even 'accidentally' lost in the woods once. It was at the back door by feeding time, louder than ever."
"That was definitely karma." I laughed.
"Yeah, I guess so. It just died two years ago. Lived dang near forever."
"You're horrible." I teased.
He shrugged and looked at the time on his phone. "Dinner should be ready in about ten minutes."
I nodded and rested my head against his shoulder. His sleeves were pushed up, so I traced the lines on his arms again like I had the other night. His tattoo was a swamp scene with dark water starting at his wrist and mossy cypress trees disappearing under his sleeve. I wondered how many sessions and hours it took him to get it and if the sleeve was the only place he had any tattoos.
Take off his shirt and find out.
I blushed at the thought and started to watch the television, needing a distraction.
When dinner was finished, we sat down at the counter and ate as we talked and laughed quietly. It was the same comfort and normalcy I felt the last time he had cooked for me, but this time, I ignored the thoughts and nerves that crept up and called me an imposter. I let myself be content in the moment and took the time to notice all of Edward's little mannerisms as he spoke and laughed. His eyes crinkled when he laughed, and he had a slight dimple on his left cheek that shown when had a full smile. He ran his hand through his hair a lot, and his feelings always showed through exactly in his eyes. And Alice was right; he was cocky, but it wasn't an outright arrogance. It was more an air of confidence and a swagger, like an old western outlaw. He just commanded a room.
Once we had eaten, I thought about leaving right away, but Edward grabbed my hand and pulled me to the couch with him. I knew it was a bad idea, but I had never had the best willpower. It's why I drank like a fish. And smoked like a train. And everything else Hank Jr. sang about.
And it's why I wasn't at all shocked to find myself twenty five minutes later, lying beneath Edward on the sofa, arms around his neck and one of my legs thrown over his hips as his mouth and tongue moved in sync with mine.
"E?" I whispered against his lips.
"Mmhmm." He moved his lips down to my sternum, just above the first fastened button on my shirt.
"I should go." I breathed out.
He stopped kissing me, and I sighed, thankful that I was finally able to think straight. He looked down at me, his head level with mine again, and smirked. "Ya sure?" He teased.
I let out a weak giggle and nodded.
He leaned in to kiss me again, and I laughed, pushing him away with my hands on his chest. "Alright, I was just double checking." He laughed and stood up, holding out a hand for me to take. "The pup and I will walk you down. Just let me get some shoes." He pulled me up from the sofa and then walked to his bedroom.
I looked over at Winnie, who seemed to be extremely judgmental at the moment. "Don't look at me like that. I stopped, didn't I?" I muttered and went over to the front door to get my shoes that I had kicked off earlier.
Edward came back out a few moments later, and we made our way to my car with the dog. After a very chaste kiss goodbye, much to Edward's dismay, I slid into my car and headed back to my apartment.
I needed a lot more practice with rule number four.
A/N Hope it was worth the wait. Let me know what you think, bebs. Until the next one.
