*edited as of 9/2017

Chapter 5

Falling in love is when she falls asleep in your arms and wakes up in your dreams.

-Unknown Author

Edward's POV

Ever woke up on the cold side of the bed?

I know what you're thinking, isn't it the wrong side of the bed?

Nope. I said exactly what I meant, the cold side of the bed.

Why was that side of the bed cold exactly?

I soon found out the answer when I awoke the next morning and realized that the beauty from last night was gone; her scent flagrant on my sheets and pillows.

My head was pounding, I felt like I had been hit over the head with a baseball bat, but I knew it's just the profuse amounts of liquid courage I consumed while I waited for mystery girl to finish her shift at the restaurant.

The bastard in me wanted to be angry because hey, no one leaves Edward Cullen alone and naked in bed without at least a goodbye.

It's usually the other way around.

I would leave first to avoid any kind of awkwardness and damn sure wouldn't bring her back to my apartment.

In normal circumstances, the women I casually slept would always be at their place an not mine. That was too personal. Besides I didn't want them snooping around my stuff.

In the heat of the moment last night I nearly took MG to my place until I realized my mistake and quickly directed the cabbie to a nearby hotel. It was also fortunate that my apartment was being fumigated so if she had asked why we had detoured I wouldn't technically be lying.

My body screams at me as I roll over onto my back, causing my nose to get another waft of that delicious scent that was only her.

Surprisingly despite the amount of alcohol I consumed, last night wasn't as hazy as I thought it would be.

I could remember everything. Eating dinner with Jake and Ness, ignoring and pissing Tanya off and seeing her.

My mystery girl. The beauty who caught my eye nearly a month ago and who I somehow managed to ask to dance without making a complete fool of myself.

Those huge brown eyes of hers that looked like pools of chocolate that sucked me in and those plump pink lips of hers. I could still feel the goose bumps that rose on her skin as we danced; our bodies gravitating in some weird tango.

Let's not forget the sex.

Sex.

Usually I was the one who drove the woman wild while we were fucking, but Mystery Girl (as I amply titled her since I didn't know her name) wore me out. It was honestly the best sex I'd ever had in my thirty-two years of existence.

I thought she was this little snarky kitten but she turned into quite the femme fatale in bed.

The expletives that fell from her mouth in the throws of passion when she rode me were enough to make my cock hard and ready for another round. In fact I did just that as we fucked nearly five times that night.

I'm surprised I still had a dick at this point.

Speaking of which….

Thinking of that gorgeous gal had me rock hard and I wanted nothing more than to bury myself into mystery girl's sweet heat. It was just too bad that I was riding this round solo.

I was seconds away from fixing the problem myself when I hear the hard banging of a fist against my front door.

I wondered who in the fuck would bother me at… oh shit 10:30 in the morning?

Fuck! I had missed my wake up call. I quickly throw on a pair of boxers and stumble over to the door where the banging seems to get louder and louder. I peek through the peephole and groan at the head of long reddish brown hair. I let out a loud groan and open the door.

"Hey baby bro; do you know how to answer a phone? I've been calling for fucking ever!" Jessica's nasally voice breaks through the air as she passes me.

"Ewww…. smells like sex and strawberries? Uh gross, I don't even want to know." She mutters under her breath.

"Well hello to you too and how in the hell did you know I was here?" I ask closing the door behind me. I walk back into the bedroom to grab a shirt from the floor and hazardly throw it on, not caring that I had put it on backwards.

"Edward you really don't think I don't know you bring your little whores here?" Jess eyes my bedroom in disgust.

"They are not whores." I grumble.

"Yeah you keep telling yourself that. Besides, mom traced your card over here." She replies casually.

"Mom traced my card? What the fuck?" I screech.

"Hold the fuck up Edward. Since someone's been avoiding coming home lately, she wanted to check up on you to make sure you were alive and breathing. Maybe if you actually showed your face more often, she wouldn't have to trace your card now would she?" Jess barks.

"Well maybe if you, Benji, Jane, Dad and specially Mom didn't harass me so much, then maybe I would show up more often." I retort.

"Can you blame us Teddy? Look at you! You reek of sex and sweat, not to mention you're late picking up Joham from Ang's…."

"Oh shit, I forgot I have to go get him so that…" Jess cuts me off.

"Angela can help me shop for dresses. You know she would bring him with us if she could but she doesn't want him going in and out of all the stores and getting germs. Besides he needs a nice dose of Uncle Edward since he's been MIA for the past couple of weeks." Jess swats the back of my head.

"Lay it on thick why don't you." I moan feeling like the shittest son, uncle and brother ever.

"I try. So who was the broad of the night?" Jess asks innocently with a gleam in her eye that I knew meant that she wasn't up to any good.

"Broad?"

"Yeah, the dummy who slept with you last night and don't deny it either, I can smell it all over you. Not to mention the nice size hickey on your neck. Damn! It looks like she almost broke the skin!" She observes, brushing her hand alongside my neck where I visibly flinch.

"Ouch, shit don't do that!"

"Exactly my point." Jessica beams. "I'll do you the big favor of checking you out while you go shower and meet Ang at the park. I have a few errands I need to run." She leans in closer and takes a whiff.

"Yep shower; I don't want my nephew touching all of those hussy germs." She cackles.

"Jess…" I warn.

"Love you baby bro! I'll even send Mike your way after she gets off work!" She kisses my cheek and walks out to the door.

I head toward the bathroom for the quickest shower ever when I notice something shiny on the floor under the table. I lean down and gather the small little item into my hand. Upon closer inspection I notice it's a small golden letter B charm in cursive script. It clearly belongs on some bracelet of sort and I wonder if it came from MG last night.

Maybe it was an initial for her name or a loved one, maybe a boyfriend? Or perhaps it was just a random letter since females these days liked to do that kind of thing.

Countless possibilities ran through my mind as I began gathering my things into my suitcase and set out a few items for my shower. Seeing that I was running short on time, I quickly shower and throw the charm in my jean pocket as I dress. I throw on my favorite red beanie to cover up the mess that was my hair and my favorite pair of converse.

Thanks to Jessica checking me out, all I had to do was drop off my key and leave. I make it over to the park in less than twenty minutes, which was ample time for me to drop my bag off at my now bug free apartment.

I had about 15 minutes left until Ang was supposed to arrive with Joham and decided to take a breather on a nearby park bench. I laid back and sighed. It had rained earlier and there was a slight chill in the air but it was otherwise a beautiful day…at least by Seattle standards. The park was pretty busy and there were quite a few families and couples out enjoying the scenery.

I watched as a little dog ran after little feet of a little girl no older than five, her tiny squeals of laughter ringing throughout the air. She ran around for bit until a couple approached her who I figured to be her parents. Her mother was heavily pregnant but that didn't stop the little girl from running towards her with a bright smile as the dad looked on with a smile.

I feel a slight pang in my chest. I wanted that. A family of my own; a mini boy or girl running around screaming my name… hell even a little dog or two to keep me company when they were away.

I yearned for that, but the question was would I ever get it? It all seemed like it was a lot of work. I let out another breath and watched the happy family walk off.

This was what my life had amounted to.

I look out into the distance blindly and thoughts drift to the brown haired beauty from last night. I wondered where she lived, what were her interests, goals….

Why did she leave last night without saying goodbye?

Had I done something?

Shit, I didn't even know why she was on my mind, when she was nothing more than a casual fuck and yet my thoughts somehow kept lingering over to her.

I had to get her out of my mind; she was nothing more than a distraction to me.

A one-night stand woman was not perfect for me and I shouldn't entertain the idea at all. I quickly erase those thoughts from my mind.

Luckily for me, Angela soon made an appearance and so did the little guy in her arms. Angela still looked the same as the day I'd first met her; tall, sun kissed olive toned skin and bright grey eyes. Her dark locks were much shorter; now hanging in a bob, which I guess was convenient since my nephew had little grabby hands.

I kissed her cheek in greeting and a smile broke out on my face as she handled over my nephew. He was wide-awake and his blue hued eyes were slowly beginning to transition into a grey reminiscent of Ang's. He was the spitting image of his mother but that hair of his though was a completely different story.

Benjamin and I had inherited our father's crazy reddish hair. While Ben's was slightly darker, the red in mine was evident and definitely in Joham's hair. If you hadn't known that Angela was happily married to my brother, you would have sworn that he was mine with the way it stuck up in the air.

I sit him down on my lap and gesture for Ang to take a seat. She sits down beside me and gives me a look. She begins fidgeting and her mouth gapes for a second like a fish although no words come out. I can tell she's dying to tell me something. I roll my eyes and motion for to just get it out.

"Say it Ang, I already know you want to."

"Jess says you had another lady over last night." She rushes out. "She also says that you've been purposely avoiding dinners at Mama Liz's. Care to explain why?"

"What do you want me to say Ang? That I hate coming over to my own parent's house so I don't have to deal with all the crap you guys give me. That I go out with women occasionally and sleep with them for one night and then sneak out before they awake. Is that what you want to hear?" I utter out harshly.

"Edward Cullen you know that is not true and you know it. We all just worry about you. Especially Ben, he just hates to admit it. It's been weeks Edward, weeks since you last came over and its taking a toll. You're missing so much. Did you know Jane and Marcus are expecting again?" Angela asks.

"Really?" I gasp. How could I miss out on such important news about my oldest sister?

"Yeah they announced it a little while back. She's about four and a half months along. They didn't want to tell anyone too soon considering the previous complications she had with the twins." Angela admonishes. I move Joham over onto my shoulder as he began chewing on my shirt.

"I can't believe I wasn't there. She could have a least called me." Angela swats my shoulder lightly.

"She did you big dummy, but if you would have answered your phone for once you would have known. She was in tears afterwards."

"Well I'm sorry." I apologize.

"You better be. Marcus, Ben and your father nearly came after you after that. You already know it's a bad idea to anger the Cullen women." Angela looks own at her phone. She let out a soft sigh.

"I have to go meet the girls at the wedding dress boutique, you remember his schedule right?" I nod my head in mock offense.

"I was just checking Edward." She hands over his baby bag and kisses Joham's cheek. It doesn't even faze him considering he was happily making a meal out of my shirt.

I wave goodbye and look down at my nephew who was giving me a bewildered look.

"You don't care about Uncle Edward's life do you?" As if I was expecting an answer, he blinks up at me before continuing to gnaw on my shirt.

"Nah, I didn't think so."

…..

"Here we go again, see this is why I don't come home." I moan in frustration as my mother tries to corner me. It was the following Sunday and I was over at my grandparents place for the weekly Sunday dinner. It was a huge occasion in our family filled with aunts, uncles, and cousins galore.

I'd decided to make an appearance considering the agony I was apparently putting my family through not to mention I hadn't seen most of my family in over a month.

I had barely made it into the house before I was cornered by my sisters wondering where the hell I had been. If I thought my sisters were scary before it was nothing compared to when one was pregnant and hormonal while the other was queen Bridezilla herself. Jane and Jessica lecture me for about twenty minutes before I manage to escape their clutches.

I was passed around from family member to family member and all the little ones practically tackled me to the floor. Dinner was the same momentous occasion; laughter and constant chatter between everyone and of course the interrogation of Edward's personal life.

I was seriously on the verge of indigestion halfway through dinner and it was only then when everyone settled in for dessert that I tried to make my escape.

Of course my mother wouldn't let me go that easily. That woman had eyes in the back of her head.

I was attempting to steal a couple of pieces of Grandma Masen's famous cheesecake for the road when I feel her come up behind me.

"Hi mom."

"Well isn't it nice for Edward Cullen to finally make an appearance. I can only imagine what his poor mother was going through." She mutters sarcastically although her green eyes are brimming with tears.

"Mom that's unfair and you know it." I wrap her in my arms and inhale the soft scent of vanilla that reminded me of home. My mother barely reached 5'2 so I had to bend down just to rest my head on top of hers.

"I'm sorry I haven't been around much, but can you blame me?" I ask. Her expression changes into one of apology.

"Is it wrong for a mother to want so much for her child? I mean look at your brother and sisters; they're all happy and off doing things and then there's you." She whispers against my chest.

"What about me?" I ask slightly offended.

"It's nothing bad. You're an intelligent, handsome man who has a lot going on for him. Of course I'm a little biased, but I digress. You have so many wonderful things going on in your life that many others don't, but you're just so much like your father sometimes that I think it's your downfall." She replies.

I think about what she said for a moment.

At first glance, when you first meet my father, you saw a strong intimidating figure.

Six foot five, 220 pounds, pale skin with fiery red hair and piercing baby blue eyes. My father had a presence that demanded attention and authority. Edward "Ted" Sr., is a man of many words that and was rare that he would ever be at a loss for words.

While he was somewhat sociable in the workplace, he isn't really good at expressing his feelings and often kept himself aloof from other people in outside settings.

Of course that changed when he met the little green-eyed brunette who stumbled into his office one morning looking for a job. All it took was a month for my mother to storm into his life and let's just say that the rest is history.

My father worshipped the ground she walked on and that's not to say that she didn't make him work for it, because she did. He just didn't like working for it when he was used to getting anything he wanted.

I may have looked just like my mother sans the hair, but besides that, I was definitely my father's son.

Like him, I didn't express how I felt too often. In the workplace I was Edward Cullen, ad executive who got what he wanted but outside my job, I was somewhat standoffish.

Like my father, I particularly hated when things didn't go my way.

It was often my father's downfall when it came to arguing with my mother, always keeping how he truly felt quiet in order to pacify her. Things would be all fine and dandy until he let it all build up until he eventually exploded.

It was one thing I admired about him growing but even then it had its limits. I mean I am named after him and yet it was I the 2ndborn son and not the 1st to be named after him.

That was where I sort of differed from him. When I did express myself, I could be extremely stubborn and persistent. When I wanted something to go my way, I would do anything humanly possible to make it possible.

No matter what.

And let's just say that I can be very persuasive.

I was broken from those errant thoughts by my mother's voice.

"Back to the land of the living Edward. As I was saying you are just like your father…" she started but was interrupted by my father's intrusion into the kitchen.

"Lizzie? What are you doing love? And what are you doing to our son?" Dad asks from the doorway.

" Monopolizing me as usual. Apparently I'm just like you dad." I let my mother go and watch as she walks over and molds herself to my dad's side. He wraps his arms around her and kisses her forehead where she lets out a small giggle.

"Well you are my son. I mean you do have the hair." I can see the amusement in his eyes.

"Ha ha. Very funny."

"Just stating the facts. By the way, when are you going to settle down and make me a grandfather? I'm not getting any younger over here." I roll my eyes.

The man barely looked 40 yet alone 58.

"Not you too dad. This is why I don't bother coming around. Why are you guys always pressuring me to settle down and have kids? You already have three grandkids and one on the way. I don't see you bothering Jess with all of that." I point out and cross my arms over my chest childishly.

"That baby bro is because I am ENGAGED, the rest is pretty much a given." Jess laughs sticking her head in.

"Ugh go away Jess."

"You're not the boss of me."

"But I'm taller."

"And I'm smarter."

"In whose world?"

"Children!" My mother belts out while my dad just stood there silently laughing to himself. Jessica flips me off and walks back into the living room where I could hear the chatter from the rest of our family. My mother turns back to me as if she wanted to say something.

"Leave it alone Mom. I think I'm going to head out." I push myself away from the counter.

"Do you really?" I could see the disappointment in her eyes and they begin to water once more. I don't answer and shrug my shoulders. Visibly disappointed, she walks over to the refrigerator and begins setting out a few containers and placing them into bags for me to take.

I begin shaking my head vehemently. "Mom you don't have to…" She raises her hand to stop me.

"Nope, no child or family member of mine will leave this house without taking some stuff to go. Besides you look a little skinny to me anyways." She hands me a few large bags and kisses my cheek. I can tell she's hurt at my leaving but I really had to go. I give my dad a hug and head out the back door. I didn't want to risk seeing the disappointed looks on my families' faces by once again leaving

"Tell them I say goodbye alright?" I don't wait for a response and leave, hearing the soft whimpers of my mother in the night.

…..

It was later that week that I found myself on my couch eating some delicious leftovers that I felt a small prick in my thigh. I lean over slightly to see where the pain was coming from when I notice the small charm had fallen out of my pocket. I pick up the small little charm in my hand.

I had been so occupied lately with work and avoiding my family that I hadn't gave it much thought, but that wasn't to say that mystery girl who I now called "B" didn't linger in the traces of my mind.

Unsurprisingly, the first thing that popped up in my mind was the sex, because who wouldn't think about it?

I thought about the way her body twisted and turned underneath mine and how her breasts had fit perfectly in my hands. Mystery Girl's moans were a melody to my ears.

It was those kinds of memories that had me hard in a flash and gave my left hand a workout.

It was usual guy stuff.

It was the other stuff that bothered me.

I thought about her beauty; the way her hair seemed dark brown at first but hidden underneath were various blonde and red hued strands.

And those eyes of hers.

I don't think I could ever forget those eyes.

Dark and alluring with the slightest flecks of green and gold, they showed every trace of emotion on her face, making her an open book.

I shouldn't have noticed those things, let alone remember them and yet here I was doing exactly that.

Cursing at myself, I throw the charm onto the table.

What was I doing?

Why was I letting this one lay get to me?

I'm Edward fucking Cullen and I didn't let people get under my skin.

Even if a part of me wanted them to.

Thoughts? Leave it in a Review!

So Edward's quite the contradiction to himself. He wants the perfect girl and yet doesn't want to go after a potentially good thing by working for it. What will he do? Read the next chapter to find out!

Xoxox Sylvia Cullen