Hi!

I hope everyone's enjoying the story so far. It's about to get interesting, I promise.

I fixed the little slip of Bella referring to Edward as "Mr. Cullen" in the last chapter...his last name is still Masen at this point. I'm writing multiple stories at once and got momentarily confused which version of Edward I was addressing. Why didn't you guys tell me?! Haha!

Anyway, let me know what you think so far and what you think will happen next! Your reviews often inspire new chapters and stories!

———————————————————

———————————————————

Ch. 4

"Right this way, love." We had just arrived at the cinema, and the crowd forming for the feature was unnerving. I ushered my Bella as quickly toward the hall as possible to avoid the growing horde.

"Bella!" We turned together just in time to see one of Bella's close friends, Ruth, waving to her.

"Hi, Ruth! You look lovely. I didn't know you were coming to see the film tonight. Are you with someone?"

"Hello, Edward." She quickly addressed me.

"Good evening, Ruth."

"Yes, Timothy." Ruth continued to answer Bella. Timothy, as in Timothy "Tim" Caldwell...this was no coincidence. I should have suspected that he would overhear our plans and make his own. This may sound as if I had been overtaken by paranoia, but my suspicions were confirmed when he turned away from the ticket office, his face contorted in an arrogant smirk as he met my glare. "He invited me just this afternoon. His father was given free tickets at work and gave them to Tim. He said he could take a date, so here I am." Free tickets...I'm so sure.

"How lovely." Bella was faring better as an actress than I would have thought possible from her as she watched his approach, but even I could hear the slight discontent in her voice. "Hi, Tim."

"Hello, Bella...Masen." I didn't miss the narrowing of his eyes when he briefly glanced my way and churned out my name. "How strange that we would see each other this way after only speaking mere hours ago. Is there a special occasion or are you two just out enjoying the evening?" He knew what we were celebrating, the eavesdropper. This evening was supposed to be about Bella's birthday, and his obsession with my beloved was interfering.

"Well, actually, it's my birthd—" Bella was interrupted when Ruth rudely interjected which wasn't like her.

"Oh Tim! Look! It's Dr. Cullen! Oh my...I would have dressed differently if I'd...ugh what's he going to thi—He's just so—oh my..." Just as Ruth seemed to degenerate into a bumbling glarb of a girl, a blonde gentleman approached.

He was white as paper, the moonlight casting strange glints across the skin of his face. He was dressed elegantly in a dark three piece suit with a matching hat, appropriate for a man of the upper-class, so he was clearly well-bred. As he came closer, I noticed that his eyes were the strangest shade of gold and shrouded by dark circles. He looked as if he could use a good night's rest of I was being frank, but despite his innocuous appearance, a shiver shot straight up my spine.

Tim didn't look too pleased with the man either, but Bella and Ruth were nearly gawking at the man as he came our way.

"Good evening, Ruth and Tim. I'm sorry that I don't know your friends. I'm Dr. Carlisle Cullen." He extended his hand out to me, and I fought not to grimace at the offensive gesture. There was something very unsettling about this man.

"B...Bella Swan." My darling sputtered out after a quick shake of her head and nudged my ribs gently I'm sure in an effort to incite some form of movement on my part. I was behaving rather discourteously, but there was just something about him...

"Excuse me. I'm Edward Masen." I replied belatedly as I met his hand, but I pulled back a little too quickly after the brief handshake because the man's hand was as cold as ice!

"It's so nice to meet you both Bella and Edward." I could only nod dumbly as I tried to decide what was wrong with him.

"It's nice to meet you too, doctor. How do you all know one another?" Bella asked politely, and the old flare of jealousy reared it's ugly head at me.

"Dr. Cullen is my family doctor, and he's on the board with Tim's father. Isn't that right, Dr. Cullen?" Ruth was shamelessly batting her eyelashes as she introduced him, and Tim looked like he wanted to vomit when his name was mentioned. He was ever so slightly moving backward away from the strange doctor. I don't often—as in never—agree with Tim, but this was one time I would admit he was right. However, Ruth was still smiling widely at the man, and I began to realize that she thought he was handsome. I looked over at my Bella, and she also wore an expression of awe.

I just didn't understand what she was seeing. I suppose his features were rather symmetrical, and his teeth were exceptionally white. His eyes would intermittently catch the reflection of the moon in the same way his skin seemed to, and they sparkled when he smiled. Then it hit me. Good God, he WAS handsome, not that I felt any particular attraction to the man—quite the opposite—but his externally immaculate presentation only added to my disconcert around him. He was too perfect. His voice even sounded like he was creating a song when he spoke, like an impeccably tuned instrument.

"Yes, Ruth. Good to see you again, Timothy."

"Yes...you too." Tim looked seriously ill.

"Well, I'm sorry to hold you all up from your show, I was passing by on my way to the hospital, and I thought it rude of me if I didn't at least say hello to you. I'll be on my way now. I hope you all enjoy the rest of your evening. Goodbye." He tipped the brim of his hat, and turned to leave.

I definitely did not mourn his departure, but Ruth sighed, "It's too bad that he had to leave. I was hoping he would join us."

"I'm glad he's gone. There's something off about that fellow, even my father thinks so." Tim's expression of distaste was finally clearing some as he moved back to stand with the group.

"Tim! How could you say such a thing! Dr. Cullen is very respectable. He saved my father's life last year!"

"I'm sorry, Ruth, but you have to admit that he's very secretive...and strange."

"I like to think of it as mysterious and different than the other men around here. Let's go Bella." She huffed out and linked her arm through my love's as she towed her toward the theater doors. I guess this was now a double date...

XOXOXOXO

"Oh that was such a wonderful film! Mary Pickford is so beautiful. And those curls! Ugh to have that hair...I would hate to admit to the things I would do to have that hair!" Ruth laughed. "What do you think Bella?"

"Yes she is quite beautiful in the role of Stella, but did you notice that she also played Unity? The contrast of the two characters shows how diverse her skills as an actress are." I could always count on Bella for an enlightening analysis. She was amazing all around, her physical beauty and delicacy outshone only by her intelligence.

"I was too distracted by her enchantress to notice the story, eh Masen?" Tim somehow believed that because we had sat through a feature film together for an hour and a half, that we could now share in masculine camaraderie with jab at each other's ribs and inside jokes. He was sorely mistaken.

"I agree, my dearest. Miss Pickford certainly has honed her skills." I spoke over him, and he rolled his eyes.

"Tim, is it too forward of me to suggest we walk to the diner for a milkshake?" Ruth seemed blissfully ignorant to the tension between us. She was very friendly, but just not the most astute girl.

"No, not at all. How about you Bella? Would you like to come along too?" Ruth frowned at his obvious flirtation with her friend while supposedly out with her, and Bella blushed. He conveniently ignored the fact that I was clearly Bella's date for the evening once more. I wanted to punch the louse's pretentious jaw, but thankfully Bella answered before I could disgrace my date—or my mother for that matter—with such a despicable action.

"That depends on Edward's plans."

Tim and Ruth walked a few feet ahead before I leaned scandalously close to Bella's ear. When I knew there were no on-lookers I whispered, "Would you like to take a walk on the beach instead?"

She turned to look at me conspiratorially with a sly grin, "But what about Ruth and Tim?"

"I'm sure they'll be alright without us."

Then she called to the duo. "You know what? No, thank you, Tim. You two go ahead. It was nice to see you both." Tim's face fell, and he turned away without answering. What a jerk.

"You too, Bella. Happy early birthday!" Ruth ran back over to hug Bella enthusiastically around her neck, and then smiled at me. "Bye, Edward."

"Thank you, Ruth. Bye."

"Goodbye, Ruth." She really was pleasant. It was too bad that she had such poor judgement of character when it came to welcoming so much time with Tim.

XOXOXOXO

"Mary Pickford pales in comparison to you, my love. She could only wish that she had your full, dark tresses and ruby-kissed lips. Her public appeal which has been fueled by the viewing of carefully crafted frames and make-believe tales of false love, would be easily masked by only a second of your own ethereal artistry if it were to be viewed by the masses. You have the gift of beauty, grace, kindness, and integrity which can be matched by no other. You are a sun in the darkness of night, a bright chartreuse in a sea of gray." I was unabashedly showering my Bella in loving compliments now. In the last few weeks, I figured that if she were uncomfortable with my candidness, she would tell me, but, so far, she only encouraged my misbehavior.

"Is that so, darling? Have you been reading my Austen novels again?" Bella laughed, and it sounded like a symphony to my ears.

"No, love." I narrowed my eyes playfully at her. "I simply feel so inspired and overwhelmed by your presence that I can't help myself. The words flow from me more easily than fish from a babbling brook."

"Well then, thank you. You're rather charming when you're not fuming about Tim." She winked at me, and I had to chuckle.

"You noticed that did you?" She's very perceptive.

"How could I miss it? You nearly broke the arm off of your chair when he offered me some of his candy during the movie."

"He leaned across both Ruth and me to get to you! He behaves so desperately around you. His poor manners suggest that he has never left his house before or had to interact in polite company."

"Not every man can be as well-behaved as you, Edward." She bit her lower lip with a blush, and I knew she was flirting.

I noticed that my voice had unconsciously lowered when I responded, "Would you prefer me to be less well-behaved?"

Her blush deepened to a wondrous shade of crimson, but her voice was filled with confidence. "How would I know which version of behavior I preferred without an example of each? I don't think you could misbehave if you tried. Your mother has raised you to be a gentleman." She answered with an innocent expression.

"My mother isn't here, nor do I care what she perceives as misconduct. I'm seventeen, practically a man." I scoffed, and she giggled.

"Oh? And what do men do that their mothers would scold?" She took a bold step forward, beginning to close the two foot gap between us.

"Do you really want to know?" I mirrored her step, leaving just a foot between us.

"I'm asking aren't I?" Her angelic voice caressed my eardrums, drawing me even closer to her.

I was suddenly nervous. This was no longer playful banter or even wordy proclamations. She was asking for a physical display of my affection for her. Feelings I had been trained to repress since conception were nearing the surface of my mind. "I don't have much experience in the matter, but that could easily change with you around..." There were only inches separating us now.

"So change it." She whispered in a deep, sensual tone, her sweet breath swirling around me and consuming my every bit of concentration. With that, I closed my eyes and crashed into the theoretical walls we had so carefully upheld between us in our relationship.

I meant for my lips to only press lightly, innocently to hers, but something fantastic happened when her soft, eager lips met the readiness of mine. A zing of energy buzzed starting from that point, spreading down into my limbs and out into the rest of my body, and I wrapped my arms around her back, clenching my fists tightly to keep myself from exploring her form anymore than I already had. I wanted to be respectful of Bella, maintain her virtue, so I regrettably pulled back from her, ignoring every bit of my being telling me I was wrong to do so. My body was screaming at me, "Take her! Take her now while she's yours!" even as my mind reasoned, "Not now. Not this way. Be patient." We were already so far passed the accepted lines of courting by just this one act. It was all my fault...

"Bella, I'm so sor—"

"Don't be!" She gasped. Bella wasn't as concerned about her virtue it would seem. She threw caution to the wind when she yanked me back down to her mouth with such gusto that I was momentarily stunned. She was so desperately passionate that I couldn't help but respond in kind, my male, teenage hormones in full swing.

"Bella..." I moaned against her neck as I trailed kisses up and down the silky skin there. It was perfect, the scent there full and floral like a garden lush with blossoms in late spring. Everything about this girl seemed to be exactly tailored to my desires.

"Edward...don't stop...I...I love you..." she almost whimpered, the sound muffled into my shoulder, and then I fully halted my advances.

"What, my love?" I couldn't have heard her properly. I had to have been swept up in the visions dancing through my mind because that's what those words were, the manifestation of the dreams of a man driven mad with lust.

"I love you, Edward. I've wanted to tell you for so long, but I was afraid of what you might think. Then the timing never seemed right, but now...I..." she laughed lightly, care-free. I had never beheld such a magnificent sight. "I just love you. There's no other way to say it..."

I stood still, like the idiot that I am, and took in the perfect being before me.

"Well, isn't there anything you want to say back to me?" Her smile faltered, and I frowned in confusion. Why was she upset? She released the lapel of my coat, backing away and stuttering out, "I'm such a fool. I'm so sorry. I'm behaving like a harlot. I shouldn't have...oh God. I have to leave...my father—"

I suddenly came back to the present, realizing my mistake. "Bella, my love, Wait! I'm sorry. I was overtaken by so much emotion when you confessed. I never meant for you to feel any sort of rejection." I reached for her, pulling her safely back into my chest, resting my hand on the side of her head as she hesitantly laid her head against my shoulder. I could feel a tear soak through my shirt. "I cherish you more than words can sufficiently convey. I don't know the way to express the amount of adoration I feel for you or the level of esteem to which I hold you every moment. I wish there was a phrase or song or even a lone sound which could show you how much beauty you bring to my life. I love you so completely and absolutely, my Bella."

"For not knowing what to say, you sure do speak a lot." I choked out a laugh at her unexpected reply.

"Excuse me. I love you. Is that better?"

"Much. I love you too." She sighed, and I sighed along with her as I led her in a slow waltz on the shore of Lake Michigan under the moonlight with no music but the beating of my heart.

"Happy birthday, my love."

This Edward is wordy, and I love it! Write some words of your own! Like and Review!