A/N: A bit of a time jump this chapter. It takes place about four months after Edward jumped on a plane to go comfort Bella.

Chapter 20

BPOV

I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth, my eyes roaming his body as rivulets of water ran down the hard plains of his chest, down to his navel, and… lower.

Suddenly, the shower door opened, and she—Siobhan Kelly—stepped behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

Sitting back in my chair, all the air in my lungs came out in a silent breath, and I closed my eyes tightly. I was the author of the book they based this movie on. I'd written the words he'd spoken as Robert to Kristen as they stood in the mirror, him telling her every little thing he loved about her. He'd listed all the flaws she saw as all the things that attracted him to her.

He'd cupped her round, heavy breasts in his palms, ran his hands along her waist and down her thighs as she'd leaned against him, tears falling from her eyes.

Edward was a brilliant actor. From every look on his face to every word that left his lips, he was more than believable. It's why it was difficult to watch them. They looked good, like they belonged together.

—DC—

It'd been four months since Edward had flown across the country to comfort me. Nothing had happened between us that night, aside from him holding me on the couch while we'd spoken. And when I could barely keep my eyes open any longer, he walked me to my bedroom, pulled my covers down, and tucked me into bed with a kiss to my forehead. He'd grabbed himself a spare blanket and pillow and made his bed on the couch.

He had little time to spare, he still had scenes to work on for Criminal Minds, but he'd made sure that I came first. So, he'd convinced me the morning after to pack a bag and fly back to California with him.

"I don't feel right leaving you here by yourself, Bella. Do you have anything pressing that's keeping you in the city right now?"

My brow furrowed as I stared at him. "Um, not really. Nothing that can't be handled with a phone call."

"Then you'll come with me to LA?"

"I, uh—"

"Let me make this easier. I'm not leaving you here by yourself. Just go pack your bag, and I'll handle the flight arrangements."

I nodded, jumping up and hurrying into my room to throw a bag together.

He had given little room to argue, which I was thankful for. I'm sure if he had, I would have somehow talked myself out of going with him.

Guilt had ripped through me as we made our way through JFK. He clasped my hand in his as we made our way to the terminal while the paparazzi shouted and their cameras clicked wildly. My stomach turned as I thought about the pictures being printed in gossip rags. It was as if I was flaunting whatever we were beginning in Seth's face, and I hated that. I couldn't be in a relationship with him any longer, but that didn't mean I wanted to cause him pain.

Once we found a spot to relax in the first class waiting area, he'd lean in every so often to brush my hair out of my eyes, or to press a kiss to my cheek. It was obvious that he was trying to convince me he had no qualms about being seen with me.

Most of the people surrounding us paid us no mind, but there were a few teenagers traveling with their families. They kept glancing over at us—well, at Edward, really—and whispering to each other, snapping a picture or two.

I hadn't planned to stay in LA. I figured that I'd fly out with him, be there for a few days, and then head home. Never could I have foreseen that I'd be there for months. Or that I would find and fall in love with the cutest little apartment—a fact that Edward wasn't thrilled with. He would have preferred I move in with him, but I was worried it was too fast.

It had been a whirlwind of a time, but it was so worth it.

—DC—

"We're done for the day, baby." Edward's voice pulled me from my thoughts.

I glanced up at him from my chair, taking in his wet, slicked back hair. Chest hair peaked out from the opening of his dark gray robe, and I had to stop myself from reaching to touch it.

"Really? Sorry, I kind of zoned out for a while, I guess."

His eyes searched mine for a while, a small frown suddenly marring his beautiful face. He reached out, clasping our hands together. "Come and sit with me while I get dried off and changed?"

I nodded, jumping to my feet and following him to his dressing room. Once the door clicked shut behind us, he turned the lock before pressing me up against it.

"Fuck, Bella," he moaned as he pressed kisses to my neck.

I gasped loudly. "Edward, what are you—"

"All I could think about was you, the whole damn time. How you'd feel under me, what your skin would feel like beneath my fingers."

Swallowing thickly, I stared up at him, my eyes wide. We'd shared plenty of nights together, sharing deep kisses and exploring each other over and occasionally under our clothes. I felt like a teenager—or what I assumed a teenager felt like doing these things. But he had yet to push us further.

But now he seemed hungry, fueled by lust, and I felt my stomach drop. The realization that all of this was happening after those steamy scenes that he'd filmed with Siobhan…I could feel the hot tears spilling onto my cheeks.

Edward cupped my cheeks between his palms, searching my eyes. "Whoa, Bella, sweetheart, what's wrong?"

I stared at the floor. I couldn't meet his eyes and get the words out at the same time. "It's just…after you were with Siobhan…it feels like you only want me now that she sufficiently turned you on. You haven't pushed us to go any further—"

He tilted my head so I was looking directly at him again. "Hey, I wasn't with Siobhan. I was acting. I was reciting lines and performing actions with my body to make it look good on film. But my mind was with you the whole time. All I could think about in that damn shower is what you'd look like on your knees in front of me. Or how you'd look pressed up against the wall, spread out for me. I don't want anyone else but you, but I haven't wanted to push you for more than you're ready for." He pressed his lips softly to mine, but when he spoke again, he sounded dejected. "I wish I could get you to see how beautiful you are to me, how beautiful you've always been."

"Why did you say it like that?"

He pulled away from me, walking behind the privacy screen that was provided for him to change behind. "Don't worry about it."

"Edward."

He popped back out from behind the screen, in jeans and a t-shirt. "I don't want to start this here, Bella."

"Start what, exactly?"

"Maybe the fact that you seemed to believe Seth when he'd tell you that you were gorgeous. That you looked so confident when we first met, and that I don't know what I'm doing wrong."

"I was comfortable with Seth." As soon as the words left my mouth, I wished I could take them back. They'd come out all wrong.

"You're not…you're not comfortable with me?"

"God, I'm sorry, Edward. That's not what I meant. I meant…I hadn't realized how much of a rut Seth and I were in. We had a routine, a schedule. He told me I was beautiful, and I guess I believed him, but I also didn't feel the need to impress him anymore, or that I had to compete for him. Now, I'm with you. You're gorgeous, we're surrounded by beautiful people, and I want to measure up, but—"

He beckoned me over to him before turning me to face the full-length mirror that was in the room. "What you wrote in Someone Else, was beautiful. Do you know how many women you've already affected, and now with this movie, how many more will see themselves in a new light?" He pulled my hair back from my shoulders before running his hands down my arms. "If we were somewhere more private, I'd ask you to take your clothes off, but we're not, so we'll have to make do. When I look at you, I see the most beautiful, deep, dark eyes. And the cutest damn nose I've ever seen." He chuckled, causing me to smile.

He ran his thumb across my bottom lip. "Beautiful, full lips, and high cheekbones. I want to kiss every single freckle on your skin. I want to feel every dip and curve, I want to devour you constantly. But that's just your outside. I love your personality, I love all of your silly little quirks, like how you get excited over your favorite songs, or how your eyes light up when you tell me about a new nail polish you found. I love your corny jokes and how you can hardly talk through the punch lines. Bella, I love you. So fucking much."

I didn't know if I wanted to laugh or cry. The tears were flowing freely regardless, he made me so fucking happy. "I love you, too, Edward."

His eyes widened as he sucked in a sharp breath, hearing me say the words back to him finally. "Then marry me."