BPOV
"I've always wanted to live in a tiny house," I say to Edward but I keep my eyes on the television.
"Really?" he asks amused.
I glance over to him at the other end of the couch. He's on his laptop making arrangements for his grandfather and mom's visit for Thanksgiving.
"Yep," I tell him.
"What is the appeal of a tiny house?"
"It's tiny— minimal. You have everything you need within reach. I like the practicality of it," I explain.
He laughs and I dig my big toe into his jean-clad thigh, he grabs my foot giving it a squeeze.
"What about you?" I ask curiously.
"I can't say I'm a tiny house enthusiast," he says with a smile. "I lived in a converted brownstone back in Chicago."
"Did you like living in the city?" I ask.
"I did but I'm finding I also like the quiet of the suburbs," he responds, moving his laptop off to the side table.
"So you're adaptable to moving to Seattle next year?"
"Carlisle has a condo that he sublets. He lived there when he went to UDub, it's nice— spacious," he explains.
"So you like spacious?"
"I like to be able to move around," he laughs, gesturing his hand to his tall frame.
"How long did you live in your brownstone?"
"Two years," he answered easily.
"Alone?"
He shakes his head.
"Kate moved in with me, it was our place."
I nod.
"Did you have a date picked out?"
"We did," he says while carefully eyeing me.
"When?"
"We were supposed to get married in October."
"Like before you moved here?"
"Yes, she wanted to get married the fall we started law school," he explains.
If he wouldn't have caught Kate screwing around on him, he would have been married.
"Does it drive you crazy?"
"What?"
"Knowing that you could have been married right now."
"I don't think I would have been married, there was a shift between us early in the summer. As soon as I started voicing my interest in environmental law, the lack of support caused me to question where we were going," he says, giving my foot another squeeze.
"You're set on environmental law?"
"I can't say I won't change my mind," he responds honestly.
"You were really impressive when we all gave our statements a few weeks ago, the compassion you showed us was really honorable or something," I say quietly.
I could see his cheeks redden, I couldn't tell if he didn't like compliments but what I said is true. Edward is like the definition of honor and morals. He just screams good guy with his actions and intentions.
"If I were to change my mind, I don't know if I could handle hearing stories like yours every day. To know that there are people out there waving their entitlement and power around to ruin lives is not something I think I can stomach," he says, moving his hand up to squeeze my calf.
I move my legs off his lap putting them under me, I shimmy my way on my knees until I'm straddling his lap. Edward's head drops back against the back of his couch as he looks up at me.
"Does it bother you to know what you know about me?" I ask him hoping he doesn't think I'm damaged goods.
His hands hold onto my sides while he looks up at me.
"I think King is a monster, but you— you're strong, beautiful, and incredibly funny. That quick wit of yours gets me every time," he says, giving me a lazy grin. "It doesn't bother me knowing but I wish I could have protected you from that."
I hover a minute before I capture his lips with mine, his hand finds the back of my neck. I pull back to catch my breath while his fingers play at the base of my neck.
"Do you have condoms?" I ask.
He nods.
"Can you get one?"
He gently moves me off him so he can stand, once his arms wrap around my waist, my arms wrap around his neck, my legs follow around his waist.
We kiss while he carries me to his bed, he leans down to playfully drop me. I pull my shirt over my head and Edward follows suit, I reach behind unhooking my bra and throwing it past him.
So far so good.
I lie back as he hovers over me, we tease with our kisses, laughs, and giggles erupting from us. We're quick to lose our sweatpants and underwear. We're handsy and light which makes me want more.
I could do this with him.
I push his shoulder until he's on his back and I'm on top straddling him. "Is this okay?"
He nods, reaching to pull a condom out of his nightstand drawer.
I take it from his hands, opening the foil wrapper. "Can I?"
His hands are running along my sides, causing goosebumps to erupt. "Be my guest," he answers with a smile.
I move from sitting on his stomach to his thighs, I angle back taking him into my hand to roll the condom down.
I line up with him so I can sink down, once he's filling me I close my eyes.
This feels right.
His hands stop at my ribs right under my breasts. "If this is too much we can stop," he says, giving my ribs a light squeeze.
I open my eyes, placing my hands on his chest, I push forward. "I was taking a minute, I'm good now," I told him.
It doesn't take long for him to palm my boobs while his mouth latches on to a nipple. I arch back when his teeth begin to nip and tug.
With all these sensations hitting at once, I start to feel overwhelmed by the build-up he is working me into.
I'm bouncing up and down until he pulls me further down on him, when he looks like he's close he surprises me when his fingers are between us and he's stroking my clit.
The moan that slips out of my lips is almost embarrassing.
I clench around him and feel him pulsing in me as I come down.
I slump on him resting my face against his neck, he lifts me off him, removing the condom and throwing it in the trash can beside his bed.
He attentively pulls his comforter over us, kisses following.
I hadn't tensed once, we were just us at the moment.
"What are you thinking?" he murmurs in my ear.
I mull over his question, I felt normal for once. He let me take the reins and lead, maybe that was the difference, I called the shots this time. He knew what I needed.
"Are you a boob guy?" I ask, trying for levity.
"Not usually, why?" he asks with a laugh.
"You seemed to enjoy mine," I say with a smile.
His hands give my boobs a good squeeze, before everything that happened most of the guys I've been with would go on and on about them. I had a small frame and they were my largest asset, I thought that maybe they were nice for high school guys.
"I'm rather fond of yours," he confesses shyly. "How was it for you?"
"Great, and thanks for the— help," I tell him playfully, biting his shoulder.
"I wasn't going to leave you hanging," he says brushing my hair out of my face.
"Is it lame to thank you?" I ask, linking our fingers together.
"No, because I feel like I should thank you too," he murmurs, kissing our joined hands.
I glanced at the clock seeing it's after eleven, I was supposed to be staying in a guest room in the house but I didn't want to move.
I place a kiss on his chest.
"I hope you know I'm crazy about you," he says, eyes never leaving mine.
"Yeah?" I ask with a grin.
He lets out a breath, nodding.
"I feel the same about you," I tell him.
We lay tangled up in one another, I do get up to use the bathroom but when I come back to bed he pulls me back into him.
I don't know why my thoughts drift to him and Kate but they do. He lived with someone for two years, they shared a bed, well they shared everything.
What were they like as a couple? What did she look like? Did we look the same or nothing alike?
As I lay in his hold I start to spiral, becoming restless. When I try to turn out of his hold, he's pulling me closer. "What's wrong?" he asks sleepily in my ear.
I shake my head.
"No, you keep flopping around, what's up?" he asks sitting up. I watch him rub his eyes before I sit up pulling the blanket up to cover me.
"I don't know what's wrong with me," I groan, hoping the pillows will hide me the further I sink into them.
"Is this about earlier? Are you regretting it? Do you want to get dressed?" he asks, not sure what is wrong with me.
I bring my fingers up to cover his lips. "This isn't about sex or regret. I'm good sleeping like this," I tell him honestly. "I'm just in my head."
"About what?"
"Kate," I say, letting her name hang in the air between us.
"What can I do to help?" he asks, clearly not sure what I need.
"Not to be a psycho but what does she look like?"
He sighs but grabs his phone on the nightstand next to him. I watch him fiddle around with it, noticing that he's not going into his photos but his IG app.
He finds Kate's profile and hands it over to me. I instantly see that he doesn't follow her but she follows him, the button says "Follow Back".
I lean into him as I creep through her public account. She's tall. Lithe. Her blonde hair is pin straight in most of her photos. I see she still has photos with Edward in them, those photos are taken at black-tie events.
We look nothing alike, she matches Edward in height and is almost rail thin. I glance at him and he's watching me.
"Find what you were looking for?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.
She's classic style and elegance.
I think of Jane knowing she was blonde, same with Heidi. They were mostly petite in frame but otherwise built like Kate.
"Is this your type?" I ask carefully.
"I wouldn't say I have a type, I'm attracted to who I'm with," he says.
I chew the inside of my cheek.
"I'm attracted to you, Bella," he tells me with a kiss.
My hand cups his jaw while his tongue strokes mine, the kiss is heated and I'm on my back. "I've been drawn to you since that first day at the diner," he says as he now hovers over me.
"That long?"
He nods.
"Please don't doubt what I feel for you, because I hope that we can build something great together," he says earnestly.
"Okay but—"
"What's your but?"
"If you ever start to feel differently about me, can you let me know?" I ask hoping that will never happen.
He eyes me but says, "I promise to keep you in the loop."
He rolls off me but pulls me into his side, our legs tangled once more. My thoughts slow and I drift, feeling slightly better about my relationship with him. I only hope I can keep my Kate insecurities at bay.
AN: I want to thank all of you who sent kind words and well wishes. I'm still healing but trying to get back to normal. The next few chapters might be a little bumpy.