A/N: Wow, I've picked up so many new followers. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this little tale. I'm beyond flattered.
A few people have mentioned being concerned about Bella's relationship with her parents, that she might seem a little ungrateful. She has been provided for materially, but has received very little affection since her real father died. She was tightly controlled, and maybe even a little bit brainwashed in going into medicine at all. There are little tidbits here and there of this in the coming chapters, but I thought I'd give a little clarification.
Chapter 5
December 27, 2007
I really didn't sleep. I obsessed over how much I wanted Edward in my bed again. If this was his plan to make me want him, it was working. Around 2 am, I got up and sat in front of my desktop. I googled "female sexual peak" and found that I would need to be a few years older than I was now to be Edward's sexual match.
Then, I was exasperated with myself for doing something so idiotic and got back in bed. Sleep remained elusive but I finally settled into it around sunrise, as all insomniacs know will happen. Edward woke me with his call at 9 am. He greeted me cheerfully, but I grumbled back at him.
"Did I wake you up?" he asked sounding horrified.
"I thought you were a college student. Don't you sleep 'til noon on vacations?" I asked crossly. He laughed nervously.
"No, I'm a college athlete, and I get up early to run or practice piano," he answered defensively. I was pleased with his answer but didn't let him know it.
"Sorry, I just didn't sleep well last night," I replied.
"Missed me?" he asked, sounding smug. I made a noncommittal humming sound so as not to inflate his ego. "Anyway," he went on, " I thought you might want to go for a walk with me this morning. My parents have roped me into a dinner party, so I'll have to spend time with them later." He paused, sounding apologetic about that. "I know how much you enjoy walking." He was referring, of course, to our walk the night we met, but I couldn't help but think of Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy when he phrased it that way.
"You are correct," I answered. "I am a great walker, and I'd love to go for a walk with you. Where?" I ignored the bit about the dinner party. I wanted to ask for details, but I wasn't his girlfriend and didn't aspire to that role. I had no right to ask.
"We could do the path around Rice, and then grab some lunch in The Village," he suggested.
"Wow, always with a plan, Masen," I chuckled. "You're going to ruin it for all the other college guys," I teased.
"Well, as far as you're concerned, I hope that's true," was his only reply, and it shut me up. I agreed to be ready in half an hour. There was a 5K manicured, dirt path that ran the perimeter of Rice's campus. It was mostly sandwiched between a low brick wall and the street. The big bonus was that it was shaded entirely, no matter the time of day, by the giant live oaks that grew prolifically around the University.
I wore track pants and a fitted Astros t-shirt with my running shoes. It was a little cooler that morning, but Edward still turned up in black mesh shorts, and a Bellaire High School t-shirt. I jogged on occasion but not regularly, so his appearance made me nervous.
"Did you want to run?" I asked after I greeted him, and he kissed my cheek like he'd done the day before. "I can try, but I doubt I'll keep up with you." He shrugged.
"I wanted to spend the time talking anyway, and I think running would interfere," he smiled sweetly, and my heart clenched, knowing he'd be jaded by the time he was my age. I just acquiesced, and we left. He parked in the lot just east of the stadium and led the way to the gate next to the Campus Police Station on University Boulevard. We started walking east toward the Medical Center and Reckling Park, the baseball stadium, of course. It was a little chilly, and I walked fast to warm myself up, but he kept up easily with his long legs. I glanced at the outfield barrier, which blocked our view into the state-of-the-art baseball stadium as we passed.
"Your home away from home," I said nodding in the direction. He smiled and agreed readily with me.
"We start big time practice on January 7. The first game of the season is February 15," he told me. This was what I had expected, and it was good news. It meant he'd be too busy to worry about me soon. That news didn't reassure me the way I wanted it to do.
"You like it," I observed. "It makes you happy." He agreed wholeheartedly.
"I like music, that makes me happy. But pitching is something different. It's mental, and I have the smarts and the power to overcome the batter. I can't believe they might pay me to do this everyday. I can't believe I get a free Rice education for doing what I love," he explained impassionedly. I didn't know what to say. He shook his head, seemingly unaware that I was next to him, wrapped up in his little world.
"I need to work on batting," he declared. His statement confused me.
"Why? Don't you have the designated hitter?" I asked. He rolled his eyes at me with the least amount of tolerance I'd seen from him.
"Yes, in college," he said huffily as if I were missing a major point. And I guess I was. "But, I want to play for the Astros, and the National League doesn't have the designated hitter. I thought you were a student of the game," he accused. I bowed my head in acknowledgement.
"You're right, I wasn't thinking of the future. I am a student of the game, and I don't approve of the designated hitter for what it's worth. Like I said the other night," I told him.
"Oh yeah?" he asked with interest. We'd made it pretty far, long past Reckling Park and the track stadium. We turned onto Main Street. I fixed my eyes on the ground because I knew this story would be hard to tell.
"Yeah," I agreed. "My dad used to bring me up for Astros games at least once a year. We'd drive all the way up from Brownsville and stay in a hotel. It was actually a crappy, rundown motor lodge near the Astrodome, but it was big stuff to me back then, all we could afford," I tried to sound cheerful. Edward was silent, which I appreciated. I continued on.
"When, I was eleven, my dad's supervisor's son was finally old enough to go to a game, so he offered to fly the four of us up to watch one all together. Only he was a Rangers fan," I paused to look at Edward guiltily. "No offense to Nolan Ryan, or anything," I said reverently. This caused him to laugh heartily, just like I'd hoped it would. I didn't want things to stay awkward.
"So, the four of us flew up to Dallas. My dad's boss's son was only six, so I kind of ended up looking after him, but I didn't mind. We were in the middle of the game, when I turned to my dad and asked why the teams were cheating. He and his boss were confused, they didn't know what I meant, so I tried to explain." Edward was watching me raptly, waiting for the punch line.
"Finally, I blurted it out. Why didn't the pitcher have to bat?" I exclaimed. Edward's chuckling turned into an all out guffaw. "My dad was hysterically laughing, but his boss was less than impressed. So, in case you're wondering, I have a pretty established opinion on the designated hitter," I finished the tale. I frowned and had to add, "My dad was killed that winter, and that was the last Major League game I've attended." The silence stretched out as we continued to walk side by side not looking at each other.
"That's great, Bella," he finally said. "I'm glad you have that memory." His sincerity and understanding made my eyes tear up. I blinked them rapidly away and tried to think of a way to change the subject. We had just passed Sid Richardson and Lovett Colleges, so I grasped at straws.
"Which is your college?" I blurted out. He looked surprised but seemed to understand I was trying to distract myself.
"Martel," he answered. I let my mouth hang open in surprise.
"That's not a real college!" I exclaimed. He tilted his head and opened his mouth indignantly.
"I beg to differ. It most certainly is a real college and has been since 2003, before you graduated, I might add," he threw at me. Rice followed the residential college system like many Ivy League schools and had been fixed at eight colleges for more than 30 years before they added Martel College in 2003. The colleges had various rivalries, and the argument against Martel, once it was established, had been that it "wasn't a real college" since it was so new. Of course, Edward wouldn't see it that way since it was there before he even showed up, which was after I graduated, as I was painfully aware.
"Whatever," I capitulated and waved my hand in front of me to show it was a silly subject. But Edward wasn't ready to let that subject die.
"What about you? Which college did you call home?" he asked. We were walking along Main, and many of the Medical Center buildings were off to our right. I felt a deep longing for my time at Rice and answered him honestly.
"Brown, shit we're bad," I stated lowly. He let out a disbelieving laugh.
"Did you just say, 'Brown, shit we're bad?'" he cackled. I let out a belly laugh, too, and just nodded.
"Oh my God, that was priceless!" he declared. "So, Brown College is your alma mater, and you still know the cheer," he shook his head in delight. Every college at Rice had a special cheer, established for all the inter-college events that went on throughout the year. I was still laughing, out loud, more than I had in months, maybe years. We passed said college just then, turning onto Sunset Avenue.
"Do you want to go in and look around?" he asked, tilting his head toward the building. I shook my head vehemently.
"No reason for that. Let's just keep walking," I insisted, feeling uncomfortable. He persisted.
"But, the seniors there were freshmen when you graduated. You might see someone you know. I bet they'd love that. You're probably a celebrity now that you're in med school," he suggested. I snapped back in reply, wanting to avoid just that.
"No, Edward. I'm hungry so let's just go." He nodded and stayed silent, obliging my request but gazing at me appraisingly. We continued past Brown College onto Sunset, turned onto Rice Boulevard, and finally reached the intersection of Rice Boulevard and Greenbriar Avenue.
"You're the hungry one, so why don't you pick where we go?" he asked as we crossed the street away from the manicured path toward Rice Village, a collection of shops and restaurants that spanned several blocks just west of Rice Stadium and the campus.
"Mission Burrito?" I suggested hopefully. "I'd like to pay for both of us." He looked at me sideways, and I could see his eyes crinkle with his grin, despite shade from his cap.
"All right, fair enough." He agreed. We entered the storefront on Morningside Drive and chose an outdoor table once we'd received our custom-made burritos, roasted vegetables for me, and carnitas for him. We sat in the sun since it was still a little cool, despite the warming that had occurred during our walk. We chatted superficially, and I was having a great time. My mood took a dip on the walk back toward the car in the stadium lot.
"So, I don't have to be at the dinner party until later. We could hang out at my house for awhile before I take you home," he suggested. I froze but forced myself to resume walking and act casual. I didn't look at him when I answered.
"Are any of your roommates back from break? I'd hate to intrude," I said vaguely. Edward kept walking but turned his face toward me.
"Yeah, two of them might be around, but they're cool. They won't bother us. We can watch TV or sit in the backyard," he persisted. I thought about Cindy and her friends and the adjoining backyard. I really felt uneasy about hanging out with a bunch of college kids. Some of them could be underage, and I was sure there would be beer in the house. I tried to put him off gently.
"I don't think that's a great idea. Why don't we just go back to my apartment? I can get some studying done, and you can have some free time before you have to get ready for your party later," I declined. Edward shrugged, but I could see his eyes were narrowed, and he was studying me appraisingly.
"Okay, but you can't avoid meeting my roommates, forever," he said it lightly, but I could see that I might have hurt his feelings. But I wanted the subject dropped so I didn't try to apologize or say anything else about it.
"Sorry, I can't invite you to the dinner party," Edward said when we were back in the car. He was looking straight ahead at the road.
"Oh, that's okay," I responded with a little surprise. "I didn't expect you to do that. I don't have a leash on you." He grinned mischievously.
"I wouldn't mind if you put a leash on me," he said with heavy innuendo, and I groaned and rolled my eyes.
"No, seriously," he went on, "it's a group of my parent's friends and some of their kids. I've known them almost my entire life but hardly see them anymore. We're all busy, so the holiday break seemed like a good time to get together. I'd probably have more fun if you were there, but my parents aren't the hosts." He looked away from the road to gauge my reaction.
"I think I'll survive without you for one evening," I teased. He put his right hand over his heart to show me that I'd wounded him. He followed me up to the apartment once we'd parked. I waved him in before me, when I'd unlocked and opened the door. I turned back toward him after twisting the deadbolt and was surprised at how close to me he was.
Edward leaned in and gently but firmly pushed me back against my front door by the shoulders. He bent slightly at the knees so we were face to face. His eyes burned into me, and he pressed his lips insistently to mine and quickly used his tongue to force open my mouth. He devoured me hungrily and ferociously, and I let out a moan at his unexpected attack.
Just as sudden as the kiss began, he pulled back. I was left breathless and panting, staring at him with wide eyes unsure what to say. His hat had tumbled to the floor, and his hair was sticking up everywhere. His face was split in a wide, proud grin.
"Just wanted to remind you what you'd be missing tonight, since you said you were going to survive so easily," he quipped as he retrieved the hat. I rubbed my fingertips over my swollen lips and let out a shaky laugh.
"Wow, you're good, Edward Masen, I'll give you that," I told him. I stepped away from the door to let him out. He pecked my cheek as he passed.
"I'm going to see you every day until the break is over," he declared. "I'm going to make it impossible for you to survive without me." I was beginning to think he was right.
-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
The rest of my day was unremarkable. I'd returned from studying by the pool to heat up a frozen entrée for dinner when my cell phone rang. It was Alice, and I decided I was ready to talk to her.
"Hello," I said, waiting to see what she'd say, gauging her mood.
"Hey, Bella," she said warily. "I hope you had a good Christmas. Did you end up staying by yourself? I tried to get you yesterday when I got back." I ignored the question for now and answered vaguely.
"Hey, Alice. Yeah, it was fine. My mom and Phil both worked, and I haven't received any word of a gift yet from them. I sent them a gift certificate for a couple's massage at The Houstonian. Jerks. I hope yours was better." I complained.
"Oh, that sucks," she sympathized. "Yes, we had a decent time, too much food," she glossed over her holiday details and paused. "Listen, I wanted to apologize for being so bitchy with you on the phone the other day. You know I just worry about you." I was so relieved that she apologized, and I was sorry for doubting her so I decided to spill. She was my best friend after all.
"So, I'm trying to take your advice," I began. She was quiet, waiting for me to go on, but I didn't know what to say.
"What does that mean?" she asked suspiciously.
"Well," I paused again, and I heard her huff a little over the line at my hesitation. "I went out with Edward Masen on Christmas Eve and again last night," I admitted in a rush. I left out the drunken debacle for now. I held the phone away from my ear as she shrieked in triumph on her end.
"Oh, I knew it! He's so hot, Bella. Are you going to see him again? Is he a good kisser?" I laughed at her enthusiasm.
"Yeah, we went for a walk this morning, and I'll probably see him tomorrow. We're taking things slow, Alice. I don't think it will work long term. He's too young for me, and the baseball thing just isn't compatible, you know, with medical school," I cautioned.
"Bella, you can't plan everything. I keep telling you that. Just have fun. And don't think I didn't notice that you deflected on the kissing thing," she scolded. I didn't argue with her. There was no point, so I changed the subject.
"So what about Jasper," I asked her. "Edward knows him through his brother. I guess they went to the same high school. He said Jasper is into you."
"What?!" she shrieked again. "What did he say exactly?" I shook my head at her predictable response.
"That's it, exactly. We weren't gossiping," I said primly. She made a rude sound.
"Fine, be that way," she told me but then got serious. "I think it's the real deal, Bella. I know it's quick but sometimes you just know." Her voice was softer than I'd ever heard it, and it sent a chill through me.
"We'll have to double date!" Her bubbly demeanor was back, and I let her chatter on for a while before disconnecting the call with a promise to get together in the next couple of days. She had to go back to work on the 2nd. I put her off on my New Year's plans. I felt butterflies whenever the subject came up, so I preferred to ignore it.
-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-
I got in bed with my book after dinner and must have fallen asleep because, I startled awake with a pounding on my apartment door. The book had fallen on the floor, and the bedside light was still on. I checked the clock: 10:30 pm. I climbed out of bed and approached the peephole with trepidation.
Edward stood on my doorstep with his head down. I saw the top of his head, first with no hat. His hair was actually tamed and looked liked maybe he'd applied product. He was dressed very nicely in a button down shirt, tucked into khakis, with a tie. Shiny brown dress shoes were on his feet. That's when I knew something was wrong. I'd never seen him in shoes other than athletic ones before. Then, he raised his face to focus on the door and knock again. It was obvious he was upset.
I pulled open the door before he could knock again, and he rushed in without an invitation. He clutched me to his chest and buried his face in my hair before I could even get a word out. I tried to push him back so I could ask what has happening, but he started placing feather light kisses all over my face, on my eyelids, my cheeks, and my forehead. Finally, I wrenched myself free, kind of, since he still had a grip on my upper arms.
"Edward, what in the world?" I demanded. "Are you drunk? Did you drive here drunk?" My voice got high and squeaky. He took a deep breath and ran his hands over his hair. Whatever he'd done to tame it, it was ruined. He stepped back and pivoted to push the door closed behind him and turn the deadbolt before he answered me. He sighed again and looked me in the eye.
"No, of course, I'm not drunk," he replied indignantly. "I'm sorry. I just had to see you. The party didn't…go well," he mumbled the last part.
"What do you mean?" I demanded. He looked lost.
"Can we please sit?" he asked, motioning toward the couch. I acquiesced, and we sat down facing each other slightly. He grabbed my hand and started playing with my fingers, not meeting my eye. "It was a set up," he finally stated. I raised my eyebrows, so he continued.
"My mom is sick of all the girls," he said carefully. His words made my stomach drop. I tried not to get upset. I already knew he'd slept around. "She wants me to be more adult, since I'll probably be a professional athlete by the end of the new year. She's worried I don't take it seriously," he admitted. He looked up at me, and he looked so young and fragile. My warning bells started going off again.
"But you do, right?" I asked shrilly. He shook his head and nodded at the same time, if such a thing is possible.
"Things have changed a lot in the last week, Bella," he told me. It chilled my bones; I was cut out to be no one's savior. I started vigorously shaking my head and pulled my hands back.
"No, Edward, don't put this on me. You're projecting your own need to grow up on me. That's why you picked an older girl. You don't care for me, but the idea of me!" I was getting very upset. He grabbed my hands again and shook them, forcing me to meet his penetrating gaze.
"Bella, you're wrong, but that's beside the point. I have time to convince you. Listen to the rest of the story, please," he requested. "My mom got the hosts to invite a couple to the party, who we haven't seen in over ten years. They moved to Dallas way back then. They have a daughter my age named Kate who is a student at University of St. Thomas, an education major. She orchestrated the entire thing to try and fix me up with Kate." My heart dropped. If he was trying to tell me he wanted to date other people, this was a strange way to go about it.
"So, are you going to go out with her?" I asked. He made a face at me that was decidedly not mature.
"Are you even listening to a word I say?" he berated me. "Of course, I'm not going out with her. I only want you. The whole thing made me need to see you immediately. That's why I'm here." I eyed him skeptically.
"What did your mom say?" I asked. He smiled.
"She was fine. I just told her I was taking care of things myself, that I would be bringing my new girlfriend to the New Year's Eve party. Bella, I was wrong. There's no point in trying to take this slow." He smoldered at me.
"Edward, I'm afraid your feelings for me are unhealthy," I tried to reason with him. He rolled his eyes.
"That's your psychiatry rotation talking," he dismissed. Then, he grinned devilishly. "I'll show you unhealthy." And with that he scooped me onto his lap so I straddled him and kissed me deeply. He tangled his hands in my hair and forced my head back so he had easier access to my mouth. His tongue delved deeply and tangled with my own. It was so hot that it only took me a moment to get caught up in the frenzy.
I let out a moan when he moved his warm lips to my neck and lower to my collarbone. His hands traveled underneath my t-shirt and slid up my rib cage. I hazily registered that I should stop him, since I wasn't wearing a bra, but all thoughts of that went out the window when he grazed my bare nipples with the back of his fingers. It was his turn to groan when he felt them pebble under his touch.
He grabbed the edge of my t-shirt and unceremoniously pulled it over my head so I was sitting on him topless with only the scrub pants I constantly wore clothing me. He lunged toward my breasts and traced the left nipple with his hot tongue. I threw my head back and moaned again, and the sound seemed to rouse him. He pulled back but before I could complain, he lifted me off his lap and carried me into the bedroom.
He tossed me on the bed and ripped the tie from around his neck at the same time, he toed off his dress shoes. My chest was falling and rising rapidly as I watched him from heavily lidded eyes. Somewhere in my brain, reason was screaming at me to stop this before it got out of hand, but I couldn't listen. I scooted back to the top of the bed and leaned back on my elbows. He swung himself over me to hover there and kissed me again deeply. I moved my fingers to the buttons of his shirt and made quick work of it. It was tossed to the floor. I clutched greedily at the material of his undershirt, and he pulled that off too.
Now the bare skin of our chests were touching, rubbing against each other. The friction made me crazy with lust, and our tongues battled frantically. He held me against the bed by my shoulders, pinning me down. I could feel his hardness against my hip through his pants, and I raised my pelvis slightly to rub against it. He let out a hiss and thrust back against me.
The movement gave me access to his belt, so I moved my fingers quickly to the buckle, buttons, and zipper. He thrust against me again, and I was able to get my hand inside his boxer briefs. I gripped his smooth erection in my hand, squeezing lightly, impressed by his size. He moaned into my neck for a moment then pulled back slightly. I whimpered in protest.
"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere, Baby," he whispered, his hand going toward the drawstring tie at my waist. "Just like Christmas all over again," he said as he pulled the bow apart. Then, he grabbed the waistband and pulled the pants and my panties down my legs together until I was lying completely bare underneath him.
"Beautiful," he breathed and then dipped two fingers between my legs. He hummed in appreciation when he made contact with my wetness, proof that he wasn't the only one filled with desire here. I made a small noise of protest.
"What?" he asked, his eyes hooded. "Want more of that?" He added a third finger, and my eyes rolled back in my head.
"No. I…just…want…your…pants… off, too," I managed to pant out. He grinned triumphantly and sat back on enough to shove his khakis and boxer brief over his hips, and those joined the growing pile on the floor. Somehow the socks disappeared, too, but I was too overheated to know exactly how. His straining erection slapped against his eight-pack abs as he knelt over me, and I followed the V between his hips with my eyes hungrily to stare at that thing of beauty. I was dying to run my hands over it, but I couldn't reach him.
He renewed his attentions with deft fingers and soon had me shivering and groaning with my climax. He leaned forward to kiss me as I came down, and I eagerly grabbed his erection and pumped it experimentally. He closed his eyes in pleasure and groaned.
"Edward," I pleaded, the need in my voice plain. He knew what I wanted.
"I've got a condom in my wallet," he panted against my lips. I responded by kissing him again. He finally pulled away and retrieved his pants. I supposed the speed with which he opened the package and sheathed himself spoke volumes about his athletic prowess, but I wasn't thinking of that at the time. He hovered over me, and for a split second, the uncertainty in his eyes returned. I rubbed my fingers over his brow, smoothing the worry lines on his face.
"Please," I said simply and that was enough for him. He thrust his hips forward and filled me in one movement. Pleasure shot through me in a way it hadn't ever before. I made some sort of unintelligible sound, and he established a rhythm, thrusting up and hitting the exact right spot over and over again. It wasn't long until my second orgasm was building. I was shouting his name along with curses and blessings.
He was quiet and determined until I finally felt him go rigid then explode with a loud "Bella" called into my shoulder as he bit down on the flesh there. Then, he collapsed on top of me. We lay tangled together trying to catch our breath. He rolled to his side and tenderly stroked my hair and kissed my cheek.
"Sleep," he whispered as he got up to clean himself. I started to drift off but didn't completely relax until he was back in bed with me, tucked behind me, his soft breath, tickling my neck.
-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-
A/N: Yes, yes, I know that the Astros are now American League, and as such have the designated hitter. But they were firmly National League in 2007-8, the period we're discussing. More on that in later chapters.
And the Mission Burrito in Rice Village is no longer there, but it was in 2007. I highly recommend a trip to any of their other locations.
Really hope you enjoyed my latest installment ! See you next week. Please drop me a review if you see so fit.
EG