THE OTHER WOMAN
DISCLAIMER: STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS IT ALL.
September 27, 2015
EDWARD
There is pounding on the door and I open my eyes. They race towards the French doors and I realize it's raining. I turn to the radio alarm and check the time. 5:59. Fuck, really? The alarm beeps and I switch it off. The time is replaced with the words Good morning Edward which dissipates my anger. I smile. God, I love my sister.
Bella sighs softly and snuggles further into my arms. I tightly wrap them around her and lay my head atop hers. I stroke her hair and hear a knock on the door again.
"Edward?" Bella calls my name groggily but keeps her eyes closed. "Should I answer the door?"
"That's okay, angel. Go to sleep." She nods and falls right back to sleep. I sigh with relief. She must be really tired from the events of the past two days.
There is a knock on the door again and I groan.
"Go away." I snap angrily and hear the jiggling of keys.
What? Is that Matt? Only Matt has the spare keys to every room in the house. I'm going to kill him. The door bursts open and a tiny pixie walks in as she struggles to hold two garment bags. I glare at her but she gives me a cute smile. She hurls the bags on the sofa and her eyes fall on our sleeping figures.
I gaze at Bella and notice the slip has ridden up to her inner thighs and the left strap has dropped to her shoulder. I quickly pull the duvet up to cover her just as Matt enters holding a garment bag. I glare at the sight of them and Matt looks guilty. He looks at my seething face and audibly gulps. I could kill them both right now.
"Both of you… Out!" I yell and Alice sighs, not affected by my anger. "Matt, I have given you the keys for emergencies, not to give to my sister when she drops by."
"I'm sorry, Mr. Cullen. Ms. Cullen was very adamant to get them from me and she—"
Alice cuts him off. "Edward, would you stop? It's not that big of a deal," She says coolly and nods at Matt. "Thank you, Matt." He scurries out of the room.
Alice shuts the door and skips over to me.
"Alice, what the fuck are you doing here? Bella is sleeping. Why are you disturbing us?"
"I'm not disturbing you, I'm here to help!" She pouts and stares at my girl's sleeping form.
"Keep your voice down!" I hiss and stroke Bella's hair.
"Wake her up, Edward! I've got dresses for her to try on! Please!" She bounces excitedly and I shake my head.
"No, get out and come back after breakfast. I'll be going to the gym, you may leave now." I say and nuzzle against Bella's hair. She snuggles closer to me and I smile.
"Edward? Edward?" Alice calls out but I don't respond. Damn, I'm going to be late for gym. "EDWARD!" She shouts and I cover Bella's ears, hoping she doesn't wake up. Seriously, Alice has lost it. "Edward, please!" She whines and I open my eyes to look at her.
"What is it, Alice? It's six in the fucking morning! Do you have any idea how irritating this is on Sunday?!"
"You wake up early every day."
"But my girlfriend doesn't. Go wander around the house until breakfast. Please."
"I drove all the way here to help Bella and you are throwing me out?" Her blue eyes sadden and she stares at me with a heartbroken expression. I roll my eyes.
"Cut it out, Alice! It doesn't work on me." She huffs and sits on the edge of the bed.
"You look cute together," She smiles and, I nod and close my eyes. "You looked great together yesterday."
"Where did you see us?"
"On the internet, I loved Bella's dress."
So did I.
"Hmm."
"You looked good too."
"Hmm."
"You should take her to eat Japanese next time."
"Hmm."
"Edward wake up," My eyes snap open and I unwrap my arms from Bella. I sit up and grab the bottle of water from the nightstand. "Please tell me you are wearing something under the sheets."
I nod and drink some water.
"Let's go, Alice. We'll let Bella sleep." I mutter and she shakes her head.
"Nope! I'm waking Bella up!"
I glare at her. "Alice you're doing no such thing!"
"Okay, I won't."
Alice pouts and crosses her arms over her chest. I shake my head and go to the bathroom. I take a leak and quickly brush my teeth. I splash some ice cold water on my face and sigh. It feels good. I dab my face with a towel and put it away.
I step out of the bathroom and find Bella sitting up in the bed, rubbing her eyes. Alice tries to contain her excitement and I march over to my nightstand.
"Alice, get the fuck out of my house right now." Bella looks up at me and covers her yawn with the back of her hand.
"Edward! Bella isn't even mad at me!" I sigh and pick up the home intercom. "What are you doing?" She asks suspiciously.
"I'm calling the security to throw you out." I snap with irritation and she sighs.
"Edward, it's okay. Come here." Bella says softly and I turn to see her offering me a beautiful smile.
My eyes soften and I immediately go over to sit next to her. She wraps her arms around me and puts her head on my chest. I smile and fold her in my arms and kiss her forehead.
"Good morning, beautiful."
"Morning, handsome."
"I'm sorry your morning had to start so early." I murmur and she giggles.
"It's okay."
"Alright! Alright! Bella, come on! You have gowns to try on! This is going to be so much fun!" Alice squeals and jumps on the bed. I groan and Bella snuggles closer to me and shifts halfway onto my lap.
"Alice, please stop jumping." I plead and she pokes her tongue out but thankfully stops.
"Do I have to try them on right now?" Bella asks, trying to get out of it.
It's six in the morning; of course she wants to sleep. Plus, she didn't sleep well on Thursday and Friday, thanks to Tanya and Riley. She could've rested today but my sister is here to ruin it.
"No, you don't." I murmur and she stares at me. I smile and peck her lips softly.
"Bella, please?!" Alice whines and pouts, giving Bella her best pleading look. Bella sighs and grabs her robe from the nightstand.
"You Cullens always know how to pout." She mutters and leaves for the bathroom.
I look at Alice who is speaking on the phone.
"… um, not that. I need to take that one home. Get the other five dresses too, thanks!"
Just as Bella steps out of the bathroom, Alice's driver walks in holding five garments bags and she recovers her shocked expression and crawls back on the bed by my side. I wrap the duvet around our bodies and snuggle against her.
We watch Alice skip over to the couch and check up on her bags.
"Did you ask her to do this?" I ask Bella and she shrugs.
"Yes, yesterday. We spoke on the phone and I told her that I have no idea what to wear for the wedding I will be attending. I didn't know she would drop by with so many gowns." I chuckle and kiss her cheek.
"She is annoying, isn't she?"
"But so are you," Bella smiles staring at me. I arch an eyebrow and a blush flames her cheeks. "Maybe a little less than her."
"That's right."
"I like this." She murmurs softly and sits on my lap. She rests her head against my neck and I smile, kissing her hair.
"What part? Cuddling under the blanket or trying on gowns for my sister?"
Bella giggles and brushes her lips against mine. "The first one."
"Good," I whisper and she closes her eyes. "You still seem tired."
"A little."
I remain quiet and tightly hug her.
"Bella! Come on!" Alice skips over to us holding a bag. She sighs staring at us. "You guys! Don't be so cuddly and lazy! It's Sunday!"
"Exactly." I point out flatly. "It's Sunday."
Bella gets out of my arms and takes the bag from Alice.
"Edward, stay here please." She says softly and I nod as she leaves. I sigh and grab the home intercom. I call Mrs. Cope and she answers on the first ring.
"Good morning, Mr. Cullen. Would you like your juice early?"
I sigh. "Yes although I'm not going to the gym today. Alice is here to annoy Bella and me. So, just send the juice to my room and chamomile-lavender tea for Bella."
"With honey?"
"Yes, please."
"And for Alice?"
"Diazepam if you have it." I mutter and hear her laughing on the other line.
"Edward!" Alice shouts, glaring at me. "I'll have latte."
"You heard her, Mrs. Cope." I say and get comfortable on the bed.
"I certainly did. It'll be there in a couple of minutes."
"Thanks." I murmur and slam the phone down.
I pinch the bridge of my nose and close my eyes. I hear the clicking of heels fading and I open my eyes to see Alice walking inside the closet. Five minutes later, there is a knock on the door and I see Mrs. Cope walking in, holding a tray in her hands.
She puts the cups of coffee and tea on the nightstand and hands me a glass of juice.
"Thank you."
"Should I make an early breakfast?"
"No thank you, Mrs. Cope."
She leaves the room. I take a sip of my orange juice and smile when I see a bowl of freshly cut fruit on the nightstand. Excellent. I eat the fruit and wonder what the hell is taking Bella so long.
Alice and Bella finally step out of the room and I take a careful look at my girlfriend. She is wearing a full-length gown that has a scoop neck and half-length sleeves. It has leaves printed on it. Okay, she can do better than that.
Both give me hopeful smiles and I pop a slice of strawberry into my mouth. They continue staring at me and I chew the fruit slowly. Alice huffs and impatiently taps her foot.
"It's nice." I smile and they sigh in unison.
"Just 'nice'?" Alice asks and I nod.
"She'd look much better in a different dress."
"You don't think I look good in this dress?" Bella asks and her face visibly falls. I face palm myself internally and try to recover my blunder.
"It's just a very bright dress, baby. Not too suitable for a wedding." I say honestly and she nods.
"You're right."
"But, she looks so pretty!" Alice argues and I glower at her.
"She is not wearing this one! I don't want my girlfriend going to the wedding ceremony and reception looking like a botanical garden." Bella chuckles. "Have her try on something else."
It's going to be a long morning.
"Too short." I mutter staring at the pink strapless dress that barely reaches her thighs.
"It's not that short!" Alice mutters and I find Bella stifling a yawn.
"It is, and it's a wedding. I don't want people ogling Bella instead of the bride."
"It's white!" I say with exasperation as I check the emails I didn't read last night.
"So what?" Alice pouts and I sigh.
"It's all white, Alice. Bella can't wear white unless it's her own wedding!" I shake my head and take a deep breath. "Aren't you a fashion designer?" I ask with a sarcastic smile and she rolls her eyes.
"I just loved this dress, that's all."
"Well, she still can't wear it."
Bella stares at Alice sadly who leads her back to the closet with another garment bag.
"Nope, not at all." I snap and stare at the lacy- half-torn gown.
"It's not that weird, is it?" Bella asks me and I roll my eyes.
"She isn't going to a dog park to have brunch! I can see her underwear through it. Please finish already, you are making a big deal out of this, Alice."
"Shut up." She mumbles and I go back to eating the fruit.
"Alice, no really. He is going to say no again. I'm really not going to wear this!" I can already hear Bella arguing and she comes into my view, looking sexy as hell.
But, she is right. It's not for a wedding.
"You look smoking hot in this, Bella!" Alice says and Bella blushes furiously.
"Alice, it's not a funeral. This gown is all black," She sighs and shakes her head. "But, you can keep it for later. I like it too." I wink at Bella and she giggles as they walk back inside the closet.
I go back to reading my files on Volturi Construction.
Bella comes out looking more than alluring in a low cut midnight blue dress that falls until her calves. Her face looks so tired and drowsy. I gaze at the tea cup on the nightstand and then at Alice who is drinking her coffee. My Bella has been starving since she woke up. I think that's enough dressing up for one day.
"Isn't this great?" Alice grins at me and I nod, staring at the very visible cleavage. Bella turns red and gives me a shy smile.
"Again, not a gown suitable for a wedding."
"Why not?!" She stomps her foot like a petulant child and I put my file away.
"Alice, please." I murmur and she nods.
"Come on, Bella," Alice mutters and Bella shakes her head. I can see tears of frustration gathering in her eyes.
"I'm done with this, Alice. No more, please." She struts over to me and slams herself into my arms. I sigh and tightly hug her back. I stroke her hair and rock her gently.
"It's okay, baby. Why don't you change and come back? We can stay in bed as long as you want, "she nods and I kiss her hair. "Whatever makes my girl happy."
"Bella, just try on one more gown. If you don't like it, I'll take everything away right now."
Bella shakes her head against my neck and Alice sends me a pleading look. I nod at her.
"It's just one gown, angel. I'll make sure she is out of here if you she tries to force you to do anything else."
"Okay." She mumbles and Alice claps her hands and skips over to the sofa.
Bella and I pull back and stare at each other.
"You don't like this one?" She asks with a pout and I smile.
I stare the deep V-neck and trail my index finger between the valley of her breasts. I gaze at Alice for a fraction of second before my fingers reach inside to brush against her semi-hard nipple. Bella bites her bottom lip and I tug on it. Her nipple hardens under my touch and she smiles and presses her lips against mine for a kiss. She rocks her hips against my mine and I retrieve my hand as my member starts to grow.
"Not now," I say softly and point to the cup of tea. "I asked Mrs. Cope to make tea for you. You need to drink it before it gets cold."
She nods and crawls all the way to the other end of the king sized bed to get her cup. "Why tea, honey?"
"You're tired." I shrug and she grins and takes a sip. She hums appreciatively and I chuckle.
"It's good," Bella stares at the tea cup and then back at me. "The cup is so unusual." She scoots over to me and I peck her lips.
"It's called Yunomi; it's a traditional Japanese teacup. They are handmade. I thought they looked cool."
"They are beautiful but we have tea cups in America as well."
I laugh and fold an arm around her shoulder. "They absorb the color of the tea to give it a richer flavor. They don't have handles so you can hold them in your hands and the thick glaze ensures they are less hot to touch."
"Very smart, Mr. Cullen."
"Impressed?"
"Maybe."
I look over at Alice and find her with a look of terror on her face as she contemplates which gown Bella should try on. Jesus, she always makes a big deal about everything.
"God, Alice has lost it. I bet even the bride hasn't fussed so much about her wedding dress." I murmur and Bella laughs as she drinks her tea.
"I think things are much worse for a wedding dress, sweetheart. You need opinions. Plus, the style of dress you want, neckline, the length and many other things."
"I wouldn't know," I shrug and she nods at me. "But remember, if it comes to you, Alice is going to go crazy. And I will never ever sit to watch and give my opinion again."
"You won't have to; the groom can't see the bride in her wedding dress before the wedding."
I scoff. "That's a silly superstition."
She strokes my cheek. "I know but, it'll give a nice element of surprise to you when I walk down…" She trails off and her wide eyes meet mine.
"Walk down the aisle." I complete her sentence and her cheeks flush with an alluring blush.
"Yeah."
I nuzzle against her hair and find her still blushing as she stares at her hands. I wonder what she is thinking. If only I was a mind-reader. She has a beaming smile on her face as she silently sips her tea but her thoughts seem miles away. She puts the empty cup on the nightstand and I pull her onto my lap.
Bella laughs and sits astride my lap. She holds my face in her hands and gives me a chaste kiss. I stare at her and she sighs.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" She asks with a grin on her face.
"Like what?"
"I don't know," She mumbles and traces my face with her gentle hands. "You look happy and curious."
"I was just wondering why you are blushing so much." She looks away and blushes more if that's possible.
"It's nothing," She pecks my lips and leans her forehead against mine. "I love you, Edward."
"I love you too, Bella. So much." I whisper and my lips move along hers in perfect sync.
I open my mouth and her tongue slides and tangles with mine. I tug on her bottom lip and she moans softly. I put my hand on her hips and pull her closer.
"Bella, come on! I found the perfect gown!" Alice squeals but we ignore her.
Our kiss is slow and building and Bella whimpers when I gently suck her lips. I love how great she makes me feel with just a kiss. I forget about work and other stresses that surround us all the time. I'm going to miss her next weekend.
"Edward, Bella!" Alice shouts and Bella's lips curl into a smile as we continue kissing.
"Get lost, Alice." I mumble and draw my girlfriend closer to me.
"Alright, I'll just go to the garage with Matt and take your One-77 out for a spin. And hopefully, I won't crash it somewhere." Her words make my heart stop beating. I snap open my eyes and break the kiss. I set Bella off my lap and she breathlessly frowns at me.
"Go, please. Put on that damn dress." I plead and she pouts but leaves.
Alice gives me a smug smile and goes to the walk-in closet. I close my eyes and rest my back against the headboard. I can hear them talking through the thick doors and Alice seems to be very excited about something.
I hear clicking of heels approaching the bedroom and I frown. I hope they are done with this now. There is a throat clear and I open my eyes. My breathing hitches in my throat looking at Bella. She looks gorgeous.
Her hair is flowing down her back, her brown eyes are glowing, and a smile is curved on her lips. She is wearing a red flared cocktail dress in gauze, fitted at the waist. The long skirt is light and airy. The bodice has two gemstones and a halter neckline.
She has matched the dress with a pair of red suede sandals having a tasseled ankle tie. She looks so sexy and I'm sure she will look much better when she has her hair done and make-up on, on the day of the wedding. It's a shame I won't be there with her.
Bella offers me a hopeful smile and I get out of the bed. I pull her in my arms and passionately crash my lips against hers. My hands wrap around her back and I feel nothing but her soft skin beneath my fingers. Fuck, it's got a plunging back too. My tongue enters her sweet mouth and I draw her flush against me.
Her hands roam over my chest and knot in my hair. It feels good. I bite hard on her bottom lip and earn a loud moan from her.
"No! Break it up, you two!" Alice shouts, pushing us apart. I frown and glare at her.
"What's your problem now? The gown is perfect and everything is done."
"You'll get wrinkles in it. Let her get changed before you maul her."
Bella stifles a yawn and hugs me. I wrap her in my arms and stroke her hair. She's dead on her feet.
"Baby, get changed and come back to bed." I suggest softly and she nods.
"Okay." She pecks my lips and heads to the walk-in closet. I sit on the bed and Alice follows suit.
"What happened to her? Why is she so tired?" Alice asks with a frown.
"Bella and I got into a stupid fight the night I came back home from Chicago so she slept in the guest room because she was angry with me. Bella is scared of thunderstorms and I was awake knowing she was sleeping all alone while the weather was bad. I heard the sound of a glass breaking and I saw Tanya standing in the doorway of the guest room with a gun in her hand."
Alice gasps and I continue. "She was drunk and drugged out on cocaine. She was whisked away to the hospital and her parents will take care of her."
"Oh my god! Why didn't you tell this to anybody?! Are you crazy?!" She screeches at me and I sigh.
"Bella and I wanted to forget about it so I didn't mention the incident to anybody. Please don't make a big deal about this in front of Bella. She is already shaken up about it."
"Okay, I won't. And what about that Riley guy?"
A daunting anxiety grips me when I think about him. He is out in the open. He is in Seattle. He tried to meet my Bella.
"I don't want to talk about it right now; it's getting me worked up. I want to spend today with Bella and forget about all the shit that is happening. We have an event to attend tonight; it'll probably keep our minds off everything. I just need Bella safe all the time."
"Is that why there is a huge guy in the living room?"
"Demetri? Yes." I nod.
"Oh."
I look towards the closet. "What's taking her so long?" I murmur and get out of the bed. I go to her side of the closet and sigh with relief when I find her fast asleep on the tub chair. She has changed back into her blue slip and the robe is loosely clasped in her hand.
My poor tired baby. I walk over to Bella and stroke her cheek making her sigh. I pick her up in my arms and she sleepily opens her eyes.
"Edward? Can I sleep for five minutes?"
"You can sleep for as long as you want, baby."
Alice stands up as I carry Bella to the bed. I tuck her under the covers and kiss her cheek. She sighs and snuggles against the pillow.
"I love you." I whisper with a smile and stroke her hair.
"Love you." She mumbles and I chuckle.
"Come on, we'll let her rest." I say to Alice and we walk out of the room.
Bella and I stop mid-bite and gaze at each other when we hear hurried footsteps approaching the dining area. I get up and walk over to the balcony and glance at the entry way but find nobody there. I stand against the kitchen doorway but find nobody around. Bella stands next to me and I keep my hand on the small of her back.
"Edward!"
I snap my head towards the back door and find my parents walking in our direction. They came from the living room balcony. I roll my eyes and mom walks over to give me a tight hug. I frown and hug her back but she doesn't linger much. Instead, she fiercely hugs Bella and my girl gazes at me with a shocked expression. I chuckle.
"Alice came over to—" Dad starts off and I groan.
"Ugh! I knew it!" I sit back on my chair and turn to see dad giving Bella a quick hug. "And the dining area has an actual entrance from the kitchen. You didn't have to come from the living room." I mutter and dad snorts.
"We've only been here four times. What do you expect from us?" He shrugs and I roll my eyes.
"Edward, why did you not feel that you had the need to call and tell us what happened here?" Mom admonishes and takes a seat across from Bella to my right. Dad sits next to mom and gives me a pointed look.
"Did you have lunch yet?" I ask instead, knowing they have an early lunch on Sunday.
"No."
"Good," I mutter and find Mrs. Cope standing at the doorway of the kitchen.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Cullen, Mrs. Cullen."
"Afternoon, Gail." Mom and dad both offer her kind smiles.
"I think mom and dad would like to stay for lunch, Mrs. Cope," I say and she nods hastily and goes to the kitchen. "She made beef wellington. It's delicious."
My parents stare at me with an unreadable expression and Bella gives my hand a soft squeeze. I sigh softly.
Bella clears her throat and speaks up. "I'm sorry that we didn't call to let you know what happened on Friday. Edward had guests over yesterday morning and we went out last night to distract ourselves. It completely slipped out of our minds to give you a call. We're sorry." She gazes at them apologetically and mom pats her hand.
"It's okay, dear. We were just worried about you two. When Alice told me Tanya had a gun, it scared us to death. I had to check on you two."
"We're fine. She was taken to the hospital. Carmen and Eleazar will take her home later. Matt is going to fetch her medical reports."
"Are you going to add this episode as another breach to the lawsuit?"
"Of course. I had threatened her that if she ever went near Bella again, I'd kill her," I mutter and drink my wine. Three pairs of eyes stare at me with shock and I shrug. "What? She made my life miserable."
"Um okay," Mom says and shakes her head. "So, tell us everything."
Mrs. Cope serves lunch for my parents and gives them a glass of water and red wine, each.
I resume my lunch and dictate to them the entire incident that happened when Tanya was here. I tell them about the rehab she's been shifted to and the length of time she'll be kept. I hesitate to talk about Riley because I'm not sure whether Bella would be comfortable if I talk about him to my parents.
"There were pictures of Bella leaving her apartment yesterday. Is that why you had a fight?" Dad asks and I frown.
"I didn't know about that," I gaze at Bella who is staring at her hands. "Bella, Demetri was with you, right?"
"Yes," She clears her throat. "But I've never had so many people taking pictures of me. It was kind of scary."
I take her hand in mine. "I'm sorry I wasn't there with you, love."
"It's okay."
"Clearly, that wasn't why you had a fight." Mom mutters and I sigh.
"You can tell them." Bella whispers and nods.
I nod back and tell my parents about the lunatic who wants my girlfriend. Bella takes my hand in both of hers and blinks back her tears. I resist the urge to take her in my arms and instead inform mom and dad about his mental illness and his escape from the rehab facility.
There is silence in the room for a couple of minutes and Bella sniffles softly. I wipe away her tears and plant a soft kiss on her lips. She pulls back quickly and steals a shy glance at my parents who are subtly avoiding us. She blushes and kisses my cheek.
"So Bella," Mom stares at Bella with a smile on her face. "Are you excited about the store getting remodeled?"
Thank god, she shifted the topic to better things.
"Very much," Bella beams at her. "Edward and I met with the architect last night to make a few changes to the plan."
"Actually Bella has plans to do something else while her store gets reconstructed." I speak up and avoid Bella's glare.
"What is that?" Dad asks curiously.
"Well, Bella loves to cook. And she's always wanted to write a cookbook. Now that she has time, she is going to pursue that."
Mom nods with a big smile on her face. "That's great! Edward can never finish a conversation before telling how delicious your food is."
Bella blushes and gives a shy smile. "Thank you."
"Have you planned any recipes?"
"Um, not really. I want to focus more on desserts than the other themes of the book. I've always loved making desserts and had fun inventing new recipes. I don't want to simply give the recipes; I would like to add stories behind the dishes. And pictures too. I have written down a rough outline and I will start listing the recipes I want to share. I'll probably get help from my friend, Angela to take pictures and I have childhood photographs that I would like to incorporate also." Bella takes a deep breath and I chuckle staring at my surprised mom.
"And you say that you haven't planned much." She says making me laugh.
I had no idea Bella was passionate about this. She should've published a cookbook a long time ago. But, it's never too late. And I'm so excited to help her. And Alex will be more than ready to help with the photography if Angela is unavailable. I'm glad Bella is finally able to be creative with what she wants to do.
"I just had a couple of ideas running in my head." Bella mumbles and offers mom a smile.
"It's a good thing. And one of my friends is an editor for a publishing house. I'll get you in contact with her once your draft is ready. And you'll probably need an agent too."
"Agent? Why is that?"
"Having an agent can increase your chances of the cookbook proposal getting approved."
"Oh."
"I'll look into it when the time comes." I volunteer and she rewards me with a lovely smile.
"Thank you."
Dad gazes at Bella. "Bella, you're going to need someone to taste the dishes. Remember to call me; especially for the desserts. I'm just a call away."
She giggles and mom scowls at him. "Yeah, right. Like I am going to let you eat anything that isn't on your diet. Bella, you better let me know when you do that. I'll make sure he's at work."
"Okay."
"Don't worry, Bella. We'll work out a system." Dad smiles conspiratorially and Bella looks at me with a soft smile. My heart melts staring at her happy eyes and I give her hand a soft squeeze.
I hope things get better than they are now.
I run a hand through my hair and check my watch again. It's 6:50 pm! If we leave right now, we'll reach by 07:15 and it will be difficult to come back home by eleven because we'll have to mingle with a lot of people tonight. I hear footsteps approaching the great room and I know it's Matt and Demetri. I turn and find Matt holding a rectangular box in his hands.
I put my phone in my pocket and finish my champagne. I stand up and Mrs. Cope whisks the glass away. I tell Matt to put the box in my bedroom after Bella has left. Demetri gives me a copy of Tanya's discharge papers and I flip open the cover to skim through the details.
If Tanya is smart, she will never cross paths with us again.
My eyes widen when I see the amount of cocaine found in her system. I frown when I see the reason for discharge is not mentioned. I look at Matt.
"Who gave this to you?"
"The receptionist."
"Tell Dr. Lee to give me a call tomorrow morning." I say firmly and he nods.
My phone buzzes with a text and I sigh. I check the text on the screen and roll my eyes. Aunt Jane wants to talk to me tomorrow. She only has one topic to discuss. Her son. Alex is going to call me tonight. He sounds better on the phone these days. Maybe it's because he is talking to Bella and she helps him more than I do. God, I love her.
But, I'm annoyed with her right now. She is taking too long to get dressed. Maybe she is nervous about going tonight. It's an extravagant event and many celebrities are scheduled to appear. But Bella can look sexy wearing anything.
My ears perk up when I hear Matt and Demetri greeting Bella politely and the clicking of heels approaching me. A smile forms on my lips when I look up and my breathing stops. She looks like a sexy vixen. Matt leaves for my bedroom and Demetri steps back as she walks towards me.
A shy smile twists on her mouth and her cheeks flush with an alluring blush. She holds her dress and carefully walks over to me in her sky high black stilettos. Her brown eyes meet mine and I sigh. Her eyes are glowing and framed with thick eyelashes. Her lips are glossed with a ruby red shade and I want to bite the lower one, hard.
That dress though… god, it should be illegal to look so tempting. It's an emerald silk and velvet gown with asymmetrical pleating. It has a deep V-neckline, full sleeves and a high side slit on her left leg. Her hair flows down her back in gentle waves and she is wearing nothing but a simple diamond necklace. Perfect.
"We can't leave now, Bella," I murmur with a straight face and her expression turns anxious. She walks closer and stares at her gown and back at me.
"Why not?" Her voice is so soft and musical.
"Because of your gown."
Her eyes widen. "Oh dear god, I'm so sorry, honey. I had no idea this wouldn't work. I can wear something simpler. You told me it's going to be a star-studded event and to dress up like one of those skinny models. But, do you want me to change? I'll be back in fifteen minutes. Will that be okay?"
Bella turns to leave and I snake an arm around her waist and pull her flush against me. I can hear her turbulent heart beat which makes me smile. I move my hand an inch upwards and come in contact with nothing but her smooth, naked back. The gown is backless!
"You look so fucking gorgeous, baby." I caress her back and feel goosebumps rising on her skin. I smile gazing at her and she stares at me from under her eyelashes.
"Sexy enough, Mr. Cullen?" She asks with a blushing face.
"Yes, my love."
She gives me a small smile and fiddles with the black jacket and clutch in her hand. I tip her chin up to look at me and she bites her bottom lip.
"Should we get going?" Bella asks and looks away.
"What's wrong, baby?" I ask and stroke her cheek.
"I'm a little scared to go."
I wrap her in my arms and hug her. She sighs soundly and relaxes in my arms. I rub her back and kiss her hair.
"Don't be scared. I won't leave your side. You'll be fine. You look very beautiful tonight. I have no words," I pull back and stare at her earnestly. "Absolutely breathtaking."
Bella beams at me and presses her lips against mine for a kiss. I smile and kiss her back as I pull her closer to me. Her hands grab the lapels of my tux and she whimpers as I tug on her bottom lip.
We break apart when we hear footsteps and I look over her shoulder to see Matt. I plant a kiss on top of her head and take the cropped jacket from her hands. I hold it open and help her don it.
"I love you." She murmurs, looking into my eyes.
"And I you."
I stroke her cheek and gaze into her gorgeous orbs with a serious expression. "If any guy even remotely tries to touch you tonight, I'm going to kill him." I tell her honestly and she laughs and presses her lips against mine for a sweet kiss.
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that."
I nod. "It's going to be cold. This little jacket isn't going to be warm enough."
"Should I get something else?"
"That's okay. I'll keep you warm."
She smiles and kisses my cheek as we make our way to the waiting car.
I already have a feeling that Bella is going to garner a lot of attention.
"I did not punch that guy!" I shout as we make our way to the bedroom. It's almost midnight and Bella seems tired. I have to go back to work tomorrow but I don't want to, knowing Bella will be at home.
I untie my bowtie and let it hang around my neck and undo the first two buttons of my shirt. Bella struts inside the bedroom and I lock the door behind me. She turns in my direction with her hands on her hips and groans staring at me. I frown and watch her march inside the walk in closet.
I frown. What happened now?
I sit on the sofa and patiently wait for Bella to come out. I won't go after her because I know she is mad at me. Plus, I know she is wearing a sexy black thong inside the closet so it would be best if I stayed on this side.
I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose as exhaustion dawns over me. Wow, having sex in the ladies' powder room really takes it out of you. It wasn't my fault that it happened. Bella forgot to carry her purse, and I went to the powder room to give it to her, on top of which she looked so fucking gorgeous. Plus, nobody caught us.
But, she isn't mad because of that.
It's because I almost punched some Hollywood celebrity who tried to flirt with her and almost kissed her. She is mine, how dare he? He kissed the corner of her mouth. That was too much. I was being very tolerant when he hugged her and touched her arm but I couldn't stand it when he crossed the limit.
At least other men tried to keep their distance because Demetri and I were around. Bella has no fucking idea how beautiful she is. But, it felt amazing to have her by my side tonight. I would proudly introduce her as the woman I love.
I run a hand through my hair again and hear her footsteps padding along the closet. I open my eyes and look at Bella. There is a light hint of make-up on her face, her lips look sultry and seductive and her hair is its natural self. She is wearing a white silk pajama shirt and matching shorts.
I stand up and shake my head firmly. This is too much.
"There is no way in seven hells that I'm sleeping in the same bed with you and going right to sleep if you are wearing that." I say with a serious expression on my face.
"No sex for you anymore. Jeez, aren't you tired? How insatiable are you?" She mutters with an irritated expression and idly undoes the top two buttons of her shirt.
"Bella!" I whine and pout at her. She closes her eyes.
"Go change, Edward. I don't want to fight right now. You look very hot. Go now." Bella says with a snap and I sigh but walk past her towards the walk-in closet.
I return to the bedroom changed into a pair of sleep pants and find my girlfriend staring at the gift wrapped box on the bed. She looks up at me and her face is now make-up free. Maybe she washed her face in the bathroom. She looks even more perfect than she did before.
"What is this?"
"It's a gift from me. Open it." I smile at her.
Bella smiles shyly and slowly unwraps the box. She gazes at the top of the white box and sighs. She takes the top off and glances at me.
"It's reckless spending, honey." She whispers and stares at the MacBook in front of her.
"You like it?" I ask softly and she nods. "It's for you to make notes for the book you want to write. It'll be helpful and save you a lot of time. I want you to have it."
"It's expensive."
I stroke her hair. "Please, baby? Keep it. It might come in handy later."
"But—" I tip her chin to look up at me.
"I love you, please?" I pout, offering my most pleading look and she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.
"You can't use that look for another week, Edward," She opens her eyes and nods at me. "I'll take it. Thank you," I grin and lean forward to kiss her but she pushes me away. "I'm still mad about what happened at the gala."
I groan softly. "Why aren't you letting it go?"
"What if the press had been there? Don't you think we are in the enough these days?"
"But the press wasn't there!" I emphasize and she ignores me. She carries the laptop to the sofa and bends over to put it on the side table. I see her shapely ass from the bottom of her shorts and see that she isn't wearing anything underneath.
I can feel myself getting hard as she walks over to the bed and gets under the covers. She turns off the lights and pulls the duvet over her body. She rolls away from me and her shirt rides up several inches, showing off her glorious back. I begrudgingly get under the covers and keep a safe distance from her.
Bella restlessly twists and turns on the bed for the next twenty minutes and I try to hide my smile. She finally closes the gap between us and tightly hugs me. She rests her head on my chest and takes my hand in hers.
"Oh my," She gasps as she feels my erection pressing against her stomach. "I'm tired, baby. I wish we could. I'm sorry."
"You're putting me to sleep with a very large hard-on. You had better wake me up in a better way tomorrow."
"I promise."
She offers me a warm smile and kisses my chest. I wrap my arms around her and rhythmically stroke her hair. I hum her lullaby under my breath and her lips curl into a smile against my chest. I smile and we gradually fall asleep in each other's arms.
October 01, 2015
I smile when I step inside my bedroom and find my beautiful girl standing on the balcony, facing away from me. She is speaking on the phone to someone. But it's so fucking cold out there, especially after the plants have been irrigated. Her little clothes will not protect her from cold.
I approach her and hear her soft voice talking. "… no, I'll think of something. We'll figure it out, don't panic. I'll talk later, bye." She ends the call and I wrap my arms around her.
Bella instantly relaxes in my arms and turns to look at me. I lean forward and press my lips against hers for a quick kiss but she deepens it and folds her hands behind my neck. Her hands knot in my hair and I tightly grab her hips. We breathlessly pull back and she offers me a gorgeous smile.
"Welcome home."
"Thanks," I mumble and peck her lips. "I want to take you somewhere."
"Right now?"
"Yes, right now. But tell me, what was that troubled phone call was about?"
She lets out a gust of breath and tightly hugs me. I tighten my arms around her and stroke her hair.
"Angela was panicking."
"About what?"
"We are supposed to leave tomorrow evening for Forks," I press my face against her hair and close my eyes. I miss her already. "But, Emily had to leave early because there was crisis with the guest list. Ben and Sam are driving together on Sunday; and Angela's car broke down. So we are trying to figure out how the hell we can get to Forks."
I suppress a smile. Perfect timing.
"You can go cycling." I suggest and she sighs, making me chuckle.
"Edward, I'm serious."
"So am I. You can rent bicycles and travel the Olympic Discovery Trail. You will reach Forks in more or less than fifteen hours."
"Edward, I'm really worried here."
"Take one of my cars, baby. Don't overthink it." I say softly and she buries her face further against my chest.
"I don't want to take one of your cars."
"But—" She cuts me off.
"Where do you want to take me?" She asks instead and I grin at her.
"Where dreams come alive." I quote poetically and she laughs.
"Where are we going?" Bella asks for the hundredth time.
"Out."
"I'm not wearing appropriate clothes to go out!" She snaps.
"I think you look hot," I whisper against her ear and she blushes despite her annoyance. She is dressed in my light blue dress shirt and a pair of shorts. "Especially when you wear my clothes."
Bella grows silent and plays with my fingers. I kiss her forehead and her brown eyes meet mine. She gives me a chaste kiss and rests her head on my chest. I stroke her soft hair and look out of the window to find us reaching the warehouse.
"Are we there yet?" Bella asks and I chuckle.
"Almost. By the way, I cancelled the Porsche I ordered for you." I lie and she gasps with a smile on her face.
"Really?" I nod. "Oh, thank you so much! I love you!"
"You're weird, baby."
"Shut up, you still love me."
I smile. "Sadly, yes I do."
Bella wraps her arms around my neck and crashes her lips against mine. Her warm tongue tangles with mine and she sighs against my mouth. She is going to kill me if she goes into the garage and sees the car.
The car is a beauty; I didn't have the heart to give it away. Good thing Bella never enters the garage. She'll call me a pompous ass again.
"That made you happy." I murmur and lean my forehead against hers.
"What made you cancel it?"
"Because you didn't get a chance to choose it for yourself."
"Hmm."
The car halts outside the warehouse and I help Bella step out of the car. Matt opens the doors to the closed space and Bella clutches my arm in the dark. I guide her further inside and the warehouse comes to life.
Bella gasps taking a careful look everywhere and I smile. Her eyes meet mine and they are filled with disbelief. She shakes her head and her face heats up when she finds five pairs of eyes staring at us. I tuck her under my arm and take her to the center of the room.
"I'm never going to share my silly dreams with you. Ever again." She mutters and I laugh.
Matt rented the warehouse for a couple of hours and I contacted car companies and pulled some strings to have five cars of my choice delivered. Bella made the mistake of sharing her dream with me that was something just like this. But, it's a neat idea so that she can choose the car she loves.
"Are you going to force me to buy all the cars?" Bella asks in a small voice and I smile looking at the rattled innocence on her face.
"No, baby. You can buy whichever car you want."
"What if I don't want to buy any of them?"
"Then you'll have to rent bicycles to go to Forks."
She giggles. "Okay."
Before Bella can start arguing with me, I take her to the first car. She bites her bottom lip and runs her hand over the hood. The representative of the car politely greets her and explains to her the features of the vehicle. I'm sure Bella is not the least bothered about it.
I clasp her hand with mine and she stares at the car with an unreadable expression on her face. I don't think she likes it very much.
"What car is this again?" She murmurs and I chuckle. I knew she wasn't listening to the man speak.
"It's a Mercedes Maybach S 560."
"It's alright."
"Next one?"
"That's just like your car!" She gleefully points to the Jaguar.
"Really? I had no idea." I say dryly and she slaps my arm. "Ow, that hurt."
She rolls her eyes. "Yeah, right."
"You've always liked this car."
"It's gorgeous."
"Do you want it?"
"Uh…" Her eyes trail towards the red car in the far end. I knew she would love that car. She tugs on my hand and I nod at her. We make our way to the car and she nods at me.
"It's a Porsche." I murmur and she frowns.
"Is this the same car you wanted to buy for me before?"
"No, it was different."
"This car is beautiful!" She says and I can see excitement in her eyes for the first time since we got here.
"You love it?"
"I love it!" Bella whoops but then her expression suddenly falls.
"What happened, baby?"
"How many days until I can get the car?"
"It's yours." I say and look into her beautiful brown eyes.
"What?"
"I already bought this one for you," I say and turn to Matt—who hands me the keys to the Porsche. "But, I wasn't sure it would be your final choice."
"You have more money than sense, do you know that?" She tries to sound angry but fails to keep the happiness from her voice.
"Here you go, Ms. Swan. You own a Porsche Macan."
I give her the keys and she squeals and jumps into my arms making me laugh. I swing her around and she giggles.
"I love you, Edward. You went completely over the top. But, I love this car. Thank you."
"I love you more, Bella."
She pulls back and crashes her lips against mine. I smile and kiss her back as I carefully hold her in my arms. She is never the one to make-out in front of public but I guess she is really surprised and happy.
"Can we take it for a drive?" She whispers against my lips.
"Of course, baby. Whatever you want." I say softly and stroke her cheek.
"Can I drive?"
I chuckle. "It's your car."
October 02, 2015
"He can stand five steps away from you."
She pecks my lips. "No, honey."
"Ten steps away." I say softly and bite her bottom lip causing her to moan. She shakes her head again and brushes her lips against mine. She moves backwards and I follow her. I wrap my arms around her and she smiles.
"Nope."
"Fifteen?" I ask and she hums against my lips. "Is that a yes?"
"No."
"Bella." I whisper softly and give her a chaste kiss. Her brown eyes curiously stare at me and she smiles. I connect our lips for another kiss and she gasps when her back hits the rear passenger door of her car. She has nowhere to go now.
"Demetri should stand at least half a mile away from me." Her tongue tangles with mine and I gently suck on her lips.
"Fifteen steps away."
"No." She gives me a tiny glare and kisses me.
My hands travel to her hips and her breathing hitches as I pull her flush against me. "Twenty?"
Bella remains silent and folds her hands behind my neck. I push my hips against hers and she whimpers against my mouth. I rub her back and she pecks my lips. I lean my forehead against hers and look into her eyes.
"You look beautiful, angel."
A blush flames her cheeks and she kisses my cheek. "Thank you."
"Twenty steps?" I ask again and keep my lips inches away from hers. I try to smolder her with my eyes and watch her become dazed from staring at me. I stroke her cheek and offer her my best well-rounded pleading look.
"Okay." She breathes out and I smile.
"And sold." I announce softly and she snaps out of her reverie, blinking up at me.
"What?"
"Demetri will be within a twenty step radius."
"Okay, that works."
Bella presses her face against my neck and tightly hugs me. I kiss her hair and close my eyes as we stay peaceful in our embrace. I won't see her for four days. I breathe in against her hair and the scent of strawberries wafts around me.
"I'll miss you, baby."
She sighs softly and hugs me tighter. "I'll miss you too, so much."
"Call me when you get to Forks."
"I will. And please relax for the next two days. Keep your mind off everything."
"I can't," I shrug. "I am working this weekend with my team to prepare for the meeting on Monday."
She sighs and strokes my hair. "Oh baby, please get some quality sleep. Eat and sleep on time."
"Okay."
"I'm really nervous about going to Forks. I don't have a lot have a lot of good memories there." She admits and I kiss her forehead.
"Call me if you have any trouble. I'm always here for you."
"Thank you."
I crash my lips against hers and we moan as our tongues tangle with each other's.
"Are you guys done?" I hear Angela ask and I break our kiss.
Bella blushes and I nod at her friend. Demetri takes Angela's the bags from her—who has a shocked look on her face as she stares at him. I offer her a smile and nod at her.
I casually lean against the car and Bella hugs me. Angela beams at me and I put my arms around Bella.
"Good evening, Angela."
"Good evening, Edward. It was a pleasant surprise to find you outside my office," I chuckle and her cheeks turn pink. "Will you be joining us?"
"I wish," I kiss Bella's hair. "But, no. I have important work to do over the weekend. I won't be able to give Bella all my time plus, she deserves some time away with her best friends."
"Don't worry; I'll bring her back in one piece."
"You better. Just don't let her walk on any uneven surfaces, she'll break her neck."
Angela laughs and nods at me. Bella pulls back and glowers at me. I kiss her forehead and she sighs softly.
"Ready, Bells? It's six already. We'll have to reach Forks by ten-thirty!"
"Yeah, okay." Bella murmurs and my heart feels heavy even though I know she isn't going away for long or very far away..
"Bye, baby. Stay safe and have a great time. I love you."
"I love you too." She gives me a quick kiss and pulls back.
I stroke her cheek and she shivers when a cold breeze passes around us. I grab her jacket that I had placed on the top of the car and help her put it on. I zip it up and she anxiously gazes at me.
"You'll be fine, my love."
"Okay."
Bella hugs me again before walking over to open the driver's side of the car. I clear my throat and she turns to me. I open the rear passenger door and she pouts at me.
"Not tonight. It's going to be raining. Let Demetri drive. Get in." I kiss her lips soundly and she finally gets inside the car. Angela follows her and I gently close the door.
"Demetri, call me if anything comes up." I say and he nods.
"Yes, Mr. Cullen."
"Stay close to Bella. If you feel like Riley is around, let me know. She might be stubborn about going alone somewhere but don't listen to her if there is any danger. I need her safe. Plus, don't listen to her if she asks you to stay twenty steps away from her."
He hides his smile. "Sir."
"Text me the location when you reach Forks."
He gets in the driver's seat and the rear window rolls down. Bella gazes at me and offers a smile.
"Bye, guys. Angela, take care." I say kindly and she shyly smiles at me.
"You too. And I love the car."
I chuckle. "It was Bella's choice."
"Edward, why can't I drive? It's my car, isn't it?" Bella says tiredly and I caress her face with my hand.
"Because you are way too precious to me and it's getting dark and cold." She frowns adorably and crosses her arms over her chest.
"I'm driving on our way back." I laugh.
"Okay, now smile for me." She smiles and blows me a kiss just as the window rolls up. I stand up straight and watch the car disappear down the street.
I sigh and button up my jacket as I sit inside my car. My hands grab hold of my laptop and I run a hand through my hair. My phone buzzes with Jasper's name and I am pretty sure he wants to discuss the budget details for our meeting.
I answer the call.
It's a lovely start to the weekend without Bella.
SPECIAL THANKS TO EdwardsFirstKiss FOR EDITING THIS CHAPTER!
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