Chapter 6

We walked through the entrance of the restaurant where my parents were waiting for us. Only they didn't know that the 'us' they were expecting included Edward.

"Bella, you look beautiful, honey," Mom said as she stood up to greet me.

Dad turned to Edward. "Edward, it's good to see you. Are you meeting someone here, as well?"

"Um, he's with me," I said quietly, my nerves finally kicking in.

"Bella?" Mom looked closely at me. "I thought you said we were meeting your boyfriend tonight. Is Eddie here, too, then?"

I shook my head, reaching out to grasp Edward's hand, causing my mother to gasp and my father's jaw to clench. Thankfully, the hostess interrupted at that moment to seat us.

—GG—

The silence at the table was deafening as both my mother and father stared at us, causing me to squirm in my seat.

After our orders had been taken, my father cleared his throat and turned to Edward. "Would you mind telling me just what the hell is going on here?" he spat.

"Dad—"

He turned to me, his eyes narrowed. "Isabella, I asked Edward a question, not you."

"I love your daughter, Charlie."

"You love my—no. You're forty years old, for Christ's sake, you've known her since she was fourteen. She's your son's best friend! How long has this—"

Edward stopped him in his tracks "The past couple of months. You know me, Charlie. You know I would never have viewed her as anything but a child back then because that was what she was."

"Well, what changed and how the hell am I supposed to believe that?"

"What changed was that I finally saw what a beautiful, intelligent, and kind woman you and Renee raised when my son left for college. I hadn't ever been aware of her until then."

"He didn't pursue me, Dad. That was all me."

My dad sat back in his seat, running his hands over his face. "Well, that's just great. I don't know if I can accept this. It's not right."

"Please, Dad, I—"

My mom placed her hand over mine, quieting me. She shook her head, telling me now wasn't the time.

"I need to use the ladies' room. Come on, Bella." Mom tugged on my hand gently.

—GG—

"You love him?" she asked quietly once we were inside the bathroom.

I felt tears pooling in my eyes. "I really do."

"What about Eddie?" She brushed a strand of hair out of my eyes. "He's in love with you, you know."

"But I don't love him, not like I love Edward. Eddie, he's my best friend, but Edward is my—"

"I get it. I can't say that I agree with the age difference. I'm afraid both of you might lose Eddie over this, but I also can't tell you who to love and who not to love. It doesn't work like that." She gave me a small smile.

"I never meant to fall in love with him, Mom."

"No one ever means to fall in love with whom they do. It just happens. I'll talk to your father. He'll come around, eventually."

"Thanks, Mom," I whispered as she pulled me into a tight hug.

When we arrived back at the table, my father stood up. "I can't sit here and act like I'm okay with this, because I'm not. I'm sorry, Bella. I love you, but... we need to go, Renee."

Mom grabbed my hand, squeezing lightly. "It'll be okay." She kissed me on the cheek before she turned and followed him.

Edward sighed heavily and gave a humorless chuckle. "Well, that went better than I expected."

"I'm sorry," I whispered, my voice thick with unshed tears. "I was really naïve to think this would go well."

"There's nothing to be sorry for, sweetheart. Let me just pay the bill and we can get out of here. I asked the waitress to pack everything up already."

I nodded, having nothing further to say.

—GG—

"I think I'm going to stay at my dorm tonight," I said as we pulled onto Edward's driveway.

"Mind telling me why?" He cut the engine, but made no move to get out of the car.

"I just think it might be better if we put a little distance between us."

"No. Not happening. Before we sat down with your parents, you were sure about us. What's changed in the last couple of hours?"

"I don't want to be the person who ruins all your relationships. You and my parents were friends, and now look at you! Plus, it's going to destroy Eddie. I've been stupid to think he'd just accept that we're in love. He's going to be hurt and angry. He's my friend, but he's also your son."

"You're right, he is going to be hurt, and I would give anything not to do that to him. But at the end of the day, you know me well enough to know that if I thought he'd never get over it, I would walk away from you. I wouldn't have let us get this deep if I thought he'd hate me. And before you ask why I haven't told him about us yet, it's because he's my child. Despite knowing he'll be okay, that he and I will still have a relationship, it kills me to hurt him." I frowned at the pained expression on his face. "Your father and I, though? We might not have the same relationship anymore, but I'm okay with that. I know Charlie Swan, and I know his daughter is everythingto him. As long as you have a relationship with him, that's all I care about."

He climbed out of the car, making his way around the front to open my door for me. He pulled me close to him, kissing the side of my head. "I love you."

I snuggled into his chest. "I love you, too."

—GG—

I knew it was still in the early hours of the morning when I opened my eyes and the sky was still dark. I felt Edward pressing soft kisses against my neck.

"I need you, Bella," he whispered in my ear. "I need to feel you wrapped around me."

I felt him hard against my lower back and moaned softly, pressing back against him. There was nothing between us as he lifted my leg to rest on his hip and slid into me slowly, filling me completely.

"You feel so good, sweetheart," he groaned in my ear. This wasn't our usual lovemaking. We both enjoyed it hard and fast, we enjoyed the rush of adrenaline. But there was a time and place for slow and lazy.

"I love you," he breathed against my neck. He slipped his hand down my body, his fingers circling my clit slowly.

"Oh God," I whimpered. "I love you too, so much."

"Can you come for me?" he whispered. "You're so tight, so good. I'm close, baby. Come for me, please." He added a bit more pressure to my clit. Between that and his words, I fell apart, and he followed shortly after.

It wasn't an earth-shattering orgasm, it didn't make me see stars, but it felt amazing all the same. I felt loved, cherished, even.

"Please, don't ever leave me," he pleaded. "I'd be lost without you."

He always seemed so sure, so confident in himself, but I heard the tremor in his voice. I'd shaken him last night when I was so ready to pull away at the first sight of trouble.

"I'm not going anywhere," I told him, rolling to face him and wrapping my arms tightly around his body. "I promise."