*edited as of 9/2017

Chapter 13

"A kiss is a lovely trick, designed by nature, to stop words when speech becomes superfluous."

-Ingrid Bergmen

Edward's POV

I believe our kiss lasted approximately thirteen seconds before Bella abruptly pulls back and starts smacking me all over my body with the lone shoe in her hand.

I begin covering random body parts all while she screams expletives at me.

"So now you show up after ignoring me all week…" A swing to my left knee.

"You have some nerve….. and then kissing me….. even though I enjoyed it.". Another swing of her shoe. It lands on my elbow.

"Ouch woman, give me a chance to explain and for the love of god can you please stop hitting me? For such a small woman you have some power behind those hands of yours." I grab the shoe out of her hand and throw it behind her. Bella narrows her eyes at me.

"I don't know why I'm doing this, but I guess I'm going to throw caution to the wind and listen to what you have to say. This is the first and last time I'll allow this to happen so be lucky that I'm giving you a chance to explain." Bella starts massaging her temples. I glance around the room cautiously to make sure she didn't have any other offending objects to hit me with and sit down besides her leaving a few inches of distance between us.

I let out a deep breath. "Okay, where should I start?" I speak aloud to myself. Bella let out a small snort and brings her legs up to her chest to face me.

"Hmm, maybe with the truth." Bella answers sarcastically.

I rub my hands roughly against my jeans. "Yes, you do deserve that. First, I just want to say that I am sorry. My brother really did drop off my nephew that night. I had our big date planned and I…" I tried to continue but she cuts me off.

"I get that part, I do. You told me you are a family man, so as much as it bummed me that our date didn't go as planned, I knew you had a reasonable explanation as to why you had to cancel. What I want to know is why didn't you call me or anything? I can understand you being busy but not calling to reassure me that you were okay is something different."

"You want the honest god truth?" I mumble.

"Duh Cullen, I honestly want to know why I'm even wasting my time listening to what you have to say." Bella belts out harshly.

Ouch.

I deserved that.

"I don't know."

"You…don't…know." she broke up the words individually. "You can't expect me to accept that answer." Bella tries to get up and I stop her with my hand.

"I wasn't finished and I'd appreciate if you just let me get this out without interrupting." I start. Bella had a sour expression on her face but nodded for me to continue.

"I know that wasn't the answer you wanted to hear. Hell, I don't think that was the response I wanted to give to you. I could tell you that my nephew flushed my phone down the toilet, which was true but I replaced it right after. I could tell you that I was busy with work and was surrounded by every phone of its kind and yet I couldn't bring myself to call you back. It's stupid of me I know." I answer. I steal a quick glance at Bella and see that she was staring at me with a calm, but guarded expression.

"I'm not used to chasing after things. Clients yes, but relationships no. I'm used to getting things easy, not that I'm calling you easy or anything but that's just how things were for me. The women I've involved myself with in the past have never posed such a challenge as you have, although it was one of the main things that attracted me to you." I let out a small laugh hoping to ease some of the tension. "You've kept me on my toes since the day I first met you."

"Our past two dates were amazing and our conversations even better. I guess since things were going so well that I just expected for the rest of the pieces to fall into place without me doing much. I know this all sounds ridiculous considering I went through so much to get you to talk to me before. I know these are things you don't want to hear and I know there's no excuse but that's what it was. I just wish you will accept my apology for what it is and give me a chance to make it up to you." I beg.

"You really want me to accept that?" Bella questions. I didn't hear any anger in her tone but it still made me feel uneasy.

"Not really, but I'm hoping so.".

"You just ignore me and expect me to just be okay with that? Putting myself out there isn't as easy for me as you think if not even harder. It's supposed to be a two way street" I heard her mumble to herself. I don't think I was supposed to hear that part.

"Not to be mean but don't you think that's a little hypocritical of you? You say it's a two way street, but sometimes I feel like I'm the one trying harder out the two. I know my reasoning wasn't justified but you did ignore me for how many months?" I questioned. She swats my hand.

"That doesn't count and you know it." Bella huffed.

"Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. Sometimes I have my reservations about this whole thing; about why I acted the way I did. I feel like you're holding back when you're with me. You tell me you enjoying yourself when we're together and our lengthy phone calls but I can tell you're hesitant. I see it in your eyes. I know you've been hurt but I get the impression that you're just waiting for the other shoe to drop."

Bella says nothing. She suddenly reaches behind her back and I involuntary flinch as she adjusts the pillow behind her and sets one in front of her. She smirks at me.

"Relax Edward; I'm not going to hit you with a pillow. As much as I want to, there is some truth to your words. Actually… there is a lot of truth in your words. I am hesitant. I have every right to be. When you've been hurt as much as I have, you'd be on guard too." Bella replies.

She mentions being hurt and I immediately think of the worst. If someone hurt her, I was going to hunt them down until nothing was left. Relationship or not, no one deserved to put their hands on a woman in that way.

"Was it physical?" I blurt.

"No, but sometimes it felt that way. Words and actions can have the same effects. Emotions are fragile too." Bella whispers.

"Excuse me for saying this, but do you think you're the only one whose been hurt? I'm going out on a limb here by saying this… but Bella, not every guy is out to get you."

"I know that. I'm not the first and unfortunately not the last. To each their own with the way they cope. Some people put that crap behind them and act like nothing's happened. Then there are others are like me who give people an inch and hope they make a mile out of it." Bella sits up and grabs my hand, intertwining my fingers with hers.

"Look, I get that you were busy but it really did hurt my feelings when you didn't call. I am not the clingy type, far from it actually… but when I put myself out there, it's not as easy for me as you think it is. The fact that I'm even listening to you says a lot about me, considering I'm used to cussing guys out and kicking their asses out before they even managed to say hello. You're lucky that kiss distracted me." She licks her lips and I want nothing more than to say screw this conversation so we could make out like a bunch of teenagers.

"Edward you're different than the guys I've dated in the past. You were sweet and didn't try hard to keep the conversation going. You are genuinely interested in the things I have to say and didn't try to get in my pants…." I let out a hearty chuckle and Bella lets out a small snort.

"Edward….excluding our first encounter…." Bella's expression turns serious.

"You asked if I had been hurt and yes I have… by people I thought I could trust. No, I am not ready to share those aspects of my life yet and maybe one day I'll share it with you, but for now I can't." Bella finishes.

She said one day. Did this mean I was still in her good graces?

The silence hung thick in the air. Taking a deep breath I ask, "Are we okay?"

"Yeah, we're okay." Bella giggles. I'm curious as to why she's laughing when she adds. "You look like you're going to throw up any second, not to mention the vein in your neck is pretty prominent.

I laugh nervously for a moment. If only she knew the effect she had on me. Bella's posture relaxes and I feel myself do the same as she curls her body to my side. I nearly jump out of my skin when I feel something furry scurry by my foot and onto my lap. I open my eyes to see a large cat rub its face against my chest before it curls itself into a ball and closes its eyes. Bella's dog does the same and hops onto the couch; resting his head on my other knee.

Well….at least I knew her pets liked me.

"It was also your friend Bree who made me get my head out of my ass. She said if I didn't get my shit together, she was going to do it for me." I shudder.

"Bree is awesome like that. Wait… how did she get your number?" Bella questions.

"I have no idea, but nevertheless I owe her a big thank you."

"Really why?"

"Her threats worked. I realized how much of a dumbass I was being and came over. It got you to hear me out didn't it?" I smirk.

"I guess so. You're lucky that you're such a good kisser or you'd be out on your ass right now. It also gave you our third date, but don't mess it up. I'm out of my comfort zone here by giving you another chance and I don't want to regret it."

"I plan not to, although I really need to see where my work gets me. I have one of the biggest clients of my career and I don't want to mess it up." I assure. She pats my hand in reassurance. We stare at each other in silence, my green ones getting lost in her brown ones when she suddenly bursts out laughing, startling the pets on my lap who jump and scurry away.

"This is some pretty heavy shit considering we haven't had a third date yet?" Bella interjects. I pull her closer to my side.

"True but it sure make one hell of a story to tell the grandkids."

"Grandkids? I'm not sure if I'll like you at the end of this."

"Well I guess we will just have to wait and see."

…

Our date wouldn't happen for another two weeks; my work nearly bringing me to the brink of insanity. In the end, we had lost our client to another company but at least it was at the extent of knowing that we had tried our best. Hard part of my job was realizing that you win some and lose some. Jessica and Mike had pushed their wedding back a couple of months due to various hick ups and family emergencies on both ends.

Despite the mess, I made sure to keep in constant contact with the brunette beauty that was turning my world upside down… in a good way

After our heavy filled conversation the weeks before, I was trying my hardest not to fuck it up again. I'd come to far just for it to end on a bad note. I was still busy with work but I had to see her. With a little improvising and help from an outside source, I was taking Bella out for our third date tonight.

I was tired as shit; only managing a good three hours of sleep but none of those things could kill the excitement that bubbled within me as I was going to see my girl and hopefully give her a night to remember.

I picked her up at the stroke of seven on a cool Sunday evening and drove us over to the one place I knew she frequented daily.

"You brought me back to Freddie's? " Bella asks incredulously.

"Yes I did." I beam. I get out the car and walk towards her side to let her out. Grasping her hand to help her out, I find myself once again admiring the purple colored dress that seemed to be molded to her body with nude heels that seemed to drive me wild. Bella's hair was in some type of roll at the back of her head with light makeup highlighting those cute little freckles of hers

She was magnificent.

Her hand on my arm interrupts my gawking.

"You do realize I work here right? Five days a week actually and the one time its closed…" I press a finger against her lips to quiet her.

"Do you trust me?"

"I'm trying to." It came out garbled against my fingers.

"That's all I ask." I grab her hand and pull her inside.

I lead Bella towards the ballroom of the restaurant. Since I came up with this date on such short notice, I had to think quick on my feet to get this set up as the placed was normally closed for the occasion. This wasn't as lavish as what I had originally planned and I hoped she appreciated the effort that was here. With that in mind, I lead her over to the lone table situated in the middle of the dance floor.

"What is this?" Bella asks as I help her into her seat. I take the one beside her.

"Our evening alone." With just the overhead light above us, we were secluded in our own little bubble. I gestured to our wine glasses and bottle of wine for Bella to take just as the familiar raven-haired woman enters our little bubble with our food.

We were to enjoy a nice plate of braised rabbit with mushroom risotto and grilled zucchini. Bella gawks at the sight of Bree as she continues to plate our food, along with a hidden platter of dark chocolate cheesecake and raspberries. Bella glances at me quizzically as Bree leaves us alone.

"So I may have had a little help." I pour us both of a glass of white wine.

"A little?"

"Just a little." I laugh motioning for her to dig into her food.

"I'll never guess how the two of you did this." Bella laughs.

The conversation flows easily between us as if we had known each other for years opposed to six months. My eyes couldn't stay off her. All of her mannerisms, the way she twirled the lone strand of hair that kept falling in her eyes with one of her delicate fingers or the way she would wrinkle her nose before she laughed. She smelled like strawberries (even while sweaty) and had a knack for tripping on air but that made her even more enduring.

Isabella Swan was one hell of a enigma when you first met her, but once you got to know her, you saw the woman who viewed the world in a cacophony of colors and I'd be damned if I was going to let her go.

After finishing our dessert, I get up and walk over to the small stereo that Bree had set out for us and turned it on. The ballroom suddenly echoed with the smooth tones of Ella Fitzgerald in a ballad. I reach out my hand for her to take.

"You're really trying to kill me aren't you?" Bella grumbles reluctantly but takes my hand anyway.

"If I were trying to kill you then all this effort would be for nothing." I tease. Bella wraps her arms around my neck; my hands settling on either side of her hips.

"I guess." She squeals as I suddenly dip her.

"So Ms. Swan, as this is our third date. Have your feelings changed about me?" I ask. I was a little worried about what her responses were going to be. Bella lets out a sigh and burrows herself closer to my chest as the music changes from Ella to the rough croon of Louis Armstrong.

"In a way yes and at the same time no." She answers. I freeze for a moment but continue to spin us around the room.

"You're still the same cocky man who sometimes pisses me off with his thoughts and actions, but also a very sweet man who seems to get enjoyment out of making me smile. It still baffles me to think you went through all of that trouble just to get my attention and yet here we are. You Edward Cullen are the first man to get into my heart. Just don't break it." Bella pleads through a whisper.

"I wouldn't dream of it." I whisper back. I hadn't realized that we had stopped dancing and that the cd was once again playing the Ella Fitzgerald song.

"So does that mean we can go study?" I wiggle my eyebrows suggestively. The laugh that comes from Bella's mouth is music to my ears.

"You make it sound so 1950's but yes."

"And you'll be my girl…" I pull her closer until our faces are mere inches from touching.

"And you would be my guy." I could feel the soft heat of her words against my face. I'm at a lost for words; suddenly in awe of the woman in front of me. I grasp her face in my hands, my eyes glancing over her molten brown ones with hints of gold and green in them. Bella trembles a little in my arms and I pull back; wondering I had done something wrong.

"Edward…"Bella breathes.

"Yeah?"

"Kiss me." She licks her lips and without hesitation, I touch my lips to hers. Our kisses seem to light a fuel in one another as we both grasp on to each other; my hand somehow tangling in her hair and releasing it from its hairstyle. We make out in the middle the dance floor for a good ten minutes like a couple of teenagers.

It wasn't until we heard a female clear her throat loudly that we pull apart.

"As much as I'm enjoying the show and I really am. …I really don't feel like cleaning up you two horn balls juices so get out of here." Bree laughs. I feel heat against my cheek and see that Bella's face is flustered; her skin a light hue of red.

I wondered if it was one of embarrassment or arousal.

"Bree, do we need to help you clean up?" I ask, throwing a few bills (courtesy of my brother) onto the table and a nice hefty tip for Bree for helping me out.

"Nah I got it. You two enjoy the rest of your night and Bella don't do anything I wouldn't do." She teases.

"But you'd do anything." Bella mumbles against my chest.

"Exactly. Toodles." Bree waves at us and I grab our things to leave. I asked if Bella would like to join me for a nightcap at my place and she agrees.

I didn't want to be presumptuous into thinking something was going to happen between the two of us and I tell her than to which she kisses me silly for my "sweetness".

In all honesty, all I wanted to enjoy was her company.

And that people….was a first for me.

We make it over to my apartment in no time and head upstairs where Bella immediately kicks off her shoes and settles herself onto my couch. She looked so at home with her legs curled underneath her and hair a messy waterfall of curls down her back.

She looked like an angel.

Geeze, since when did I come such a mushy girl?

I fix her a glass of wine and settle onto the couch where we continue to talk about random things. As the night progresses, like magnets our bodies drift closer and closer until Bella is somehow straddling my lap; her lips inches from mine.

"Maybe we should stop." My words fall silent and I press a soft kiss to her lips.

"No I want this, I want you." Bella gasps and pulls my face back down to hers. She opens her mouth and I quickly take the invitation as our tongues dance through our kisses. Her scent invades my senses leaving me crazed and needy. I swear she was my own personal brand of heroin and I couldn't get enough of her.

Well at least I was going to try.

With my lips firmly planted against hers, I flip our positions until Bella is underneath me. Her breaths come out in labored pants against my skin. Our hands start grabbing at any and everything; random articles of clothing disappearing until nothing was left but the touch of skin upon skin.

Bella claws at my back as I carry her towards my bedroom, her soft lips sucking against the pulse of my neck. I drop her down on the bed, looking at the beautiful woman in front of me. The moonlight illuminated the porcelain luster or her skin and god did she smell sweeter than the last time I'd tasted her.

Bella's body heaves in anticipation as I kiss my way down her neck and towards her chest where I suck on one succulent nipple. She moans loudly without any inhibitions and it's music to my ears. I pray my neighbors are out for the night, because my girl was a screamer. My lips travel over to her other nipple as I massage the other.

Bella rubs her legs together, the friction causing me to moan loudly at the contact of her mound against my cock. I continue my descent, wanting to taste every inch of her skin. My nose brushes against the soft hair there, where I'm met with the most succulent aroma of her wet sex. I spread her legs open and drag my nose along her hips; not touching the one place she wanted but just enough to tease her. Bella lets out a small growl and presses my face against her thigh.

"Stop teasing and touch me!" She screams. With a smirk, I lick up her slit, enjoying her taste as it floods my mouth. I prod her folds with my tongue, enjoying every bit of her reaction as Bella rocks against my face. I suck on the little bundle of nerves; slightly nipping it with my teeth as my tongue teases her opening. I introduce one of my fingers and it isn't long before Bella is writhing; her face contorted in a silent scream. I lick up the remnants of her arousal and press a small kiss to her little nub and lean back on my knees.

Bella gazes at me through hooded eyes, her grin lazy, skin flushed and layered with a thin sheen of sweat. I kiss back up her body and towards her lips where she eagerly assaults mine. The taste of her mouth, mingled with the remnants of her orgasm had my cock aching with need for release.

Our kisses become rougher and before I know it, I'm on my back and Bella is straddling me. Bella smiles at me coyly and grasps me firmly in her hand where she gently begins stroking me.

"You're killing me beautiful." I groan or maybe moan loudly as her hands release me and I'm engulfed in the warmness of her mouth. Licking the precum that covered the swollen head, she sucks me in deep while simultaneously cupping my balls and massaging them.

The feeling is indescribable.

My body is tense; half enjoying the euphoria of Bella having me in her mouth and the other of trying not to come in her mouth. I wanted inside her heat. Just as I'm on the brink of coming, I gently push her head back. Bella looks at me confusedly but I shake my head pointing over to my nightstand where my condoms were. Bella leans over me, her breasts dangling in front of my face where I suck like a starving baby. She squeal and pulls back holding the little foil packet in her hands.

She opens its easily and slides it down my length. I was rock hard at the moment, harder than I'd ever been before and as she slid down on me, I felt like I was in heaven. Bella deliberately teases me; slowly rising up and down as we both enjoy the connection of us becoming one. It was killing me and I knew I had to speed things up or I was going to come like a prepubescent little boy. I flip us over, never breaking our connection and begin to pound into her. Bella's lips latch onto mine; both of us sloppily trying to reach every inch of each other's skin.

"Harder!" Bella moans. I raise one of her legs over my shoulder and increase my pace, my headboard taking the brunt of it as it slams against the wall. I could feel her walls throbbing against me and I can tell she's close. I press the palm of my hand against her clit and begin rubbing it in fast intervals. If I thought Bella was moaning louder earlier, it was nothing to how she was sounding now.

"Yes, Edward! Right there, so good." Bella pants. My ego Is through the roof as I feel her walls clamp down on cock. With one sharp thrust, Bella let out a deep and throaty moan as she comes. I thrust even harder, my orgasm erupting through my body so quickly that I think I black out for a few second. All I can hear is the blood rushing in my ears as I continue to thrust lazily, milking the rest of our orgasms. Feeling thoroughly spent, I collapse down, using my arms to keep most of my weight off Bella's body. I shift slightly to the side, pressing kisses down her neck before resting my head against her chest.

Her heartbeat is pounding erratically in her chest. I'm sure mine was at well.

I'd never felt something so powerful. I didn't want to sound like a girl but that's exactly what it had felt like. The surge of emotions and our bodies dancing in harmony was an experience that I wanted to last forever.

I feel Bella rake one of her hands through my sweat drenched hair. The gesture is so soothing that my eyes close in contentment. She kisses my forehead and its minutes later that her breathing evens, signaling she's asleep. I press a kiss against the pulse in her neck and feel my own eyes become heavy.

As I lay on the brink of slumber, I have one final thought.

Resting in my girl's arms….

I was home.

Thoughts? Leave it in a Review!

xoxo Sylvia Cullen