THE OTHER WOMAN

DISCLAIMER: STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS IT ALL.

October 10, 2015

BELLA

My flight landed fifteen minutes ago and I'm missing you already, Ms. Swan. —E xx

I smile when I read Edward's message and relief washes over me that he has safely landed in Chicago. I hope he has fun at the wedding.

I stare out of the window at the trees running by as Demetri speeds down the highway to Forks. Part of me expects Riley to appear in front of the car out of nowhere. That thought makes me cringe. I try to distract myself and reply to the recent message.

I miss you too! My car ride is lonely without you. —B xox

He replies almost instantly.

What do you mean? What were you planning to do if I were there? —E xx

I chuckle and my face turns red.

Make out? —B xox

With Demetri in the front? I'm appalled to hear that! But, I would've made you very comfortable in the backseat if he weren't there. —E xx

I squirm a little and play with a strand of my hair. Even his text message is leaving me hot and bothered. He has such an effect of me.

I can imagine, Mr. Cullen. How was your flight? —B xx

Boring and long. Kate can't stop talking about her new boyfriend. It's so annoying. —E xx

She has a boyfriend? —B

Yes, Garrett something. —E

I'm glad she is happy. She is a great friend, be supportive. Stop being a grumpy baby. —B xxx

Okay, I will. And I'm not a grumpy baby. —E xx

I roll my eyes at that. My phone buzzes again.

I know you're rolling your eyes. —E xx

I chuckle.

You know me so well, Edward —B xx

That I do. Now, I need to be at a meeting. I'll call you after lunch. Bye, baby. —E xx

Bye, honey. Missing you! —B xx

I put my phone in my purse, not expecting a reply for him. I bet he is going to be busy today. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I stare at my laptop next to me and a new idea strikes me for my book.

Thank god for this laptop.

I sit cross-legged on the bed and tiredly stare at Angela who has been checking her reflection in the mirror for the past fifteen minutes. She looks pretty in her red dress. I wonder why she is being so judgmental of herself.

"Angela, you look fine." I say for the hundredth time.

Angela sighs, but doesn't take her eyes off her reflection.

"I don't know, maybe it looks a little too simple. But, Alice said it looks good."

I roll my eyes. "Because my opinions don't matter anymore."

"Of course they do," She turns to me and I smile. "God, you look so great, Bells. Men are going to drool after you." I blush lightly and shrug. I miss my boyfriend right now. I wish he were here with me.

"Sure, sure." I mumble and sigh softly.

"Aw, look at you. Are you missing Edward?"

"Yes." I say softly and play with a strand of my hair.

"Get up, we'll send him amazing photos of you. He'll see what he is missing."

"Ang, he is at a rehearsal dinner. Let's not disturb him."

Angela huffs and rolls her eyes. "Give me your phone," I pass it to her. "Stand up."

I rise to my feet and straighten the wrinkles out of my dress. I'm wearing a black long-sleeved corded lace and beaded tulle mini dress. It looks sensual yet chic. I have paired it with a pair of black almond-toe suede pumps.

My friend asks me to pose for a couple of pictures and then she furiously types something on my phone.

"Angela, I think I can sen—"

"Would you like to me write a little message for him?"

My eyes widen. "No!"

I snatch the phone from her hands and realize she has already sent the pictures to my boyfriend. My phone buzzes and Edward's name flashes on the screen. Angela smirks at me and I blush.

"Told you." She grabs her purse and walks out of the room.

I take a deep breath and answer the phone.

"Hey." I say softly and he chuckles.

"Oh baby, you look so fucking sexy."

I play with the hem of my dress. "Thank you."

"Do you really have to go to your reunion dressed like that?"

I giggle. "Yes, you forced me to come here. Do you want me to hop on a plane to Chicago instead?"

"I would love that," He murmurs and sighs. "My friends were looking forward to meeting you tonight. Everyone is here."

"I'll meet them all some other time, honey."

"Hmm. Tell Angela, I said thanks for the photos."

My eyes widen with surprise. "How did you know that Angela sent them?"

"Well she obviously took the pictures and I'm sure you were less than enthusiastic to send them to me."

"Yeah."

Edward laughs on the other line. "Are you leaving now?"

"Yes."

"Wear a coat, it's cold."

"I will."

"And make sure nobody tries to make a move on you. And let Mike know that you have a boyfriend."

I giggle. "Okay, Edward. I'll do that."

"I'll give you a call later."

"Okay, bye."

"Bye, love."

I take a final look at myself in the mirror and leave the room. I find Demetri standing by the end of the stairway and smile at him. I wonder if he will attract attention. Who has a bodyguard for a high school reunion? But, Edward won't like it if I don't take Demetri along with me.

"Demetri, you look nice." I give him a kind smile and his cheeks turn pink.

"Ms. Swan." He says gruffly and I sigh. I put on my black cashmere coat and turn to see Angela walking in my direction. She gives me a confident nod and I frown.

"Where is Ben?"

"I'm pretty sure he left after getting ready," She says, sounding a little unsure.

"If you hadn't been panicking about your dress, you would know where your husband is."

"Shut up," She mumbles and gives me a shy smile. "What did Edward say? Is he coming tomorrow?"

"No, he's not. I told you he is attending his best friend's wedding in Chicago."

"Damn, I was hoping to see him tomorrow," I roll my eyes, and she smiles sheepishly. "I mean, you know he's so hot and everything."

I groan. "Yes, I do. It's so embarrassing that you fawn over him like a teenager."

"Hey! I'm not that bad."

"Angela, don't get me started. Please."

"Fine, whatever."

I shake my head as we get into the car.

It's going to be a hell of a night.

"But her dress is so classy!" A nasally voice says behind me as I try to ignore it.

"Would you stop with that?!" Another voice hisses.

"God, Mr. Cullen and I had hit it off so well before she got in between us." I think that's Gianna.

"I-I think that's a Valentino."

Angela and I share a look.

"Do they know we can hear them?" Angela whispers and I hold in my laughter.

"I don't think so. They sound ridiculous."

"You should be glad Edward is not here."

"That's true," I murmur and shake my head. "I can only recognize Gianna's voice. Who are the other two?"

"Jessica and Lauren."

"Ah, of course."

Angela and I resume staring at the slideshow projected on the screen with everyone's high school photos. Why am I here? I take a deep breath and plaster a small smile on my face. About twenty minutes later, Mike goes on the stage and welcomes the stand-up comedian to our reunion. Everyone has a good laugh for the next hour and half during his performance and I relax a little.

"I'm hungry." Angela mutters and I chuckle.

"Me too."

When Mike announces that dinner is ready down the hall, I almost jump out of my chair. I offer polite smile to people who look at me and stay close to Angela.

"They have done a good job with the decorations, haven't they?" Angela asks and I nod, taking a look around the room.

The reunion is at our high school gym because that is the only place big enough to fit more than fifty people in Forks. The management has made a great use of string lights, candles and standing lamps to create a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

"Ang, they have karaoke after dinner."

She squeals and claps her hand. "Oh, yay!"

"You can go put your name on the list." I point her to the guy standing next to Mike.

"Do you think I should sing Purple Rain or Rehab?"

I chuckle and my mind drifts off to the day when Edward came back from Dubai. I had forced him to take a nap in the afternoon and then made dinner. I was singing Rehab when out of nowhere I saw him standing by the doorway. He made me dance following that. I blush at the memory. We had fun that night.

"Hello? Bells?! You there?"

I snap out of my reverie and smile at her. "I think you should sing Rehab."

"Okay, great," She turns to walk away and snorts. "And Mike is coming your way. Bye."

My eyes fall on Mike and I see him buttoning his suit as he walks in my direction. His mouth twists in a warm smile and he immediately hugs me. I smile and hug him back. There is a certain familiarity when it comes to Mike. We dated for two years, after all.

"My god Bella, you look stunning!"

I blush and release him. "You look great too, Mike."

He really does look great. His baby blue eyes and blond hair make him look very handsome. Nothing compared to my Edward, but he is not bad to look at that.

"Did you see anybody yet?"

I shrug. "A couple of them."

He laughs softly. "It's really weird to see everyone a decade later, isn't it?"

"Tell me about it."

Angels skips over to me and smiles at us. "I'm done. Shall we have dinner? Ben is waiting."

"Mike, excuse us."

"Uh, do you guys mind if I join you?"

I plaster a smile on my face.

"Be my guest." I mumble and stay huddled up to Angela as we walk towards the end of the room where dinner is served buffet-style.

"He looks good now, doesn't he?" Angela whispers in my ear and I nod.

"Nothing compared to Edward." I mutter with a hint of pride.

Angela rolls her eyes. "Even Mike probably knows that."

We laugh and Mike tags along with us, making idle conversation about our whereabouts.

"… it'll hopefully open by January."

"Oh, that's lovely. So, what are you planning to do in the coming months?" John, an old friend asks and I shrug.

"Well, I want to write a cookbook," He grins at me. "I'm really psyched about it."

"You should be, you have always preferred cooking over anything else. Maybe my wife and I will be inspired to make a recipe from your book. We hate cooking."

I laugh. "I hope it will help then. Is she into advertising as well?"

"No, she writes a column in the News and Observer."

"She must be a busy person." I comment and he snorts.

"Tell me about it. But, I convinced her to come to the reunion."

"That's nice."

"Is Edward Cullen going to be here tomorrow?"

My eyes widen and he snorts, taking in my expression. He knows too?

"Come on, do you think I live under a rock?"

I blush and fiddle with the pendant hanging around my neck. "Apparently not."

"So, is he?"

"No," I sigh softly. "Edward is attending his best friends' wedding tomorrow and he also has work in Chicago. I don't think he can make it."

"That sucks. I bet he could've saved you from awkward conversations with Mike Newton."

I giggle. "That's true. I have been trying to dodge him since dinner."

"He used to follow you around like a puppy in high school until you gave in and went out with him."

"I think we dated for around two years. Wow, that sounds like a long time." I mutter under my breath.

John looks over my shoulder and back at me. "Well, he is coming over."

"Great." My good mood immediately sinks.

"Hey, what are you guys talking about?" Mike asks and puts his hand on the small of my back. I shift uncomfortably and move a little away. John shares an exasperated look with me.

"We're talking about Bella's boyfriend, Edward Cullen. Have you heard of him, Mike?" John asks curiously.

Mike's smile falters but he shrugs. "Are you really dating him, Bella? I thought that was just a rumor."

I resist the urge to roll my eyes. "He is my boyfriend."

"But how much longer can it last? I know their kind. They jump from one pretty woman to another."

I try not to punch him. "My boyfriend is nothing like that. He is loving, considerate and committed to me. It's hard to find a guy like him."

"Yeah, I've heard great things about him." John says and I send him a grateful look.

Mike opens his mouth a couple of times but no words escape his lips. I smile to myself and he finally speaks up. "That's nice." He mumbles half-heartedly.

"Didn't you find someone yet?" I ask Mike a little too sweetly and he shakes his head.

"The girl I want is already taken," His blue eyes bore into mine and I look away. "The girl I don't want is following me around."

I frown at him and he mouths 'Jessica'. I laugh and nod my head.

"She has always been crazy about you. She used to steal your letterman jacket from the locker, remember?"

"I still don't understand how she found the locker code every time."

"Yeah. What does she do now?"

"I have no idea."

"And how is your store doing?"

"Great," He beams at me. "I am thinking of opening one in Seattle too."

"Good for you."

"Mike! Mike?"

We turn around and find Jessica Stanley walking in our direction and she scowls looking at me. She plasters a wide smile on her face when she gazes at Mike.

"Oh there you are! I've been looking all over the place for you."

Jessica has changed. Her lips look different and she puts a lot more make-up than she did before. I wonder what she does for a living.

"Hi! Bella, is it?"

I frown and nod at her. "Yeah. I'm sorry; I'm having a hard time placing you. Is it Jennifer?"

Mike coughs and tries to hide his smile. Jessica makes a face at me.

"It's Jessica Stanley. I've heard you are making quite the news these days."

"That's always nice to hear." I say dryly and she looks at me from head to toe.

"You seem to be doing pretty good for yourself. Gianna tells me that somebody shut down your bookstore because you didn't have enough money."

I smile at her. "Did Gianna also tell you that my boyfriend fired her as his assistant because she was being a stuck-up bitch towards me?"

She rolls her eyes and turns to Mike. John winks at me and I sigh with a smile.

"Ms. Swan?" Demetri says behind me and I turn to him. He passes me my phone. "It's Mr. Cullen."

I grin and press the phone against my ear.

"Hi, honey."

"Hey baby, how are having a good time?" Edward asks curiously.

"Yeah but I'd rather spend time with you."

"Oh come, have fun over there." He chuckles and I sigh, hearing his musical chuckle.

"I will."

"Demetri says there are more than fifty of you."

"Hmm, and everyone seems to be interested in finding out about us."

He laughs. "I guess, you should've mentally prepared yourself for that."

"Did you have dinner?"

"I did, my love. I'm going back home around eleven. I have some work early in the morning and then I need to be at the wedding."

"Please get enough rest, baby."

"I will and Benji and Karen just told me that I have to give a speech tomorrow at the reception." I can almost hear him pouting.

"That's lovely! And you will give a wonderful speech, honey."

"They should've told me sooner."

"Yes, but I'm sure you'll do well. And don't forget to take the gift with you."

"Yes, ma'am."

"I miss you."

"I miss you too, Bella. I don't how I am going to sleep without you tonight."

"You'll manage just fine."

"I guess I'll have to."

"I wish you were coming here tomorrow."

"I'm sorry I can't be there. I wish I could. I don't want somebody hitting on you."

I giggle. "Too late for that, Cullen."

He growls softly. "What? Do you want me to come over and kick his ass? Who was it? It was Mike, wasn't it?"

"Calm down, Edward. I can take care of myself and Demetri is here. Plus, everyone knows I have a wonderful boyfriend."

"Still." He sounds bemused and I sigh.

"I love you, honey."

"I love you too."

I find Angela waving me over to my left and I nod at her.

"Alright Mr. Cullen, I have to go now. Angela wants to introduce me to someone."

"I hope it's not a single man."

"From the looks of it, it's a woman."

He lets out a sigh of relief. "Thank god. Alright, I'll text you before I go to bed."

"I'll wait for it, Cullen."

"I know you will," I can hear the smile in his voice. "Bye, Bella."

"Bye, Edward."

I end the call and stride in my friend's direction. I notice two women standing next to her with eager smiles on their faces. I don't remember them. I smile back at them and hope they don't try to ask me personal questions unlike others.

October 11, 2015

"… Valentino's signature black dress. Despite Edward Cullen not being present at the event, Isabella couldn't keep the focus off herself as photos of her have appeared on the internet since last night. We wonder why Edward is back in Chicago. Is there another fight waiting to happen? A source told Ok!, "Edward has not been able to give enough attention to Bella lately, and he wants to focus on work more than anything else. He needs his space—" I cut Angela off and throw a pillow in her direction.

Angela laughs and walks over to sit next to me.

"People are so stupid. You need to laugh it off sometimes. You don't see Edward getting angry when magazines print crap about him."

"He has years of practice, I don't."

"It's not going to be easy but you have to try, Bells."

"I just wanted to spend my weekend where people wouldn't make a big deal about Edward and me. Why can't I get that? We are just like any other normal couple. Why can't we have privacy?"

"I'm sorry, Bells," She rubs my back and gives me a kind smile. "Get changed now. We need to go."

"I don't want to go tonight, I don't feel like it. I'm sorry."

"Don't get upset because of this."

"How can I not? People took pictures of me and sold them online for money!"

"Ignore everything and have a good time tonight. What are you possibly going to do sitting here? We'll go tonight, have fun and be back by midnight. Look at the positive side; you get to go home tomorrow."

I sigh and take a deep breath. "Okay, give me fifteen minutes."

"That's my girl!" She gives me a tight hug and I smile, hugging her back.

Seventeen minutes later, I smile as I stare at my reflection in the mirror. I look good. I'm dressed in a fuchsia pink orchid floral Guipure lace sheath dress with a jewel neckline and cap sleeves. I sit on the edge of the bed and put on my black pearl embellished pumps. I grab my black box clutch and stand up.

Angela skips inside the room and gasps looking at me. She gives me an appreciative nod and I blush.

"Bells, you look fantastic."

I grin. "Thanks. You look great too. And I have a surprise for you."

She stares at me suspiciously. "What is it?"

I walk over to my suitcase and pull out the small black and white handbag for Angela. She turns pale as she looks at bag in my hands and clutches the edge of the bed. She shakily touches the bag and I laugh.

"Angela, it's real."

"How did you get this?"

"I wrote an email to Ursula to send the purse over to Edward's place."

"Oh my god," She murmurs and shakes her head. "How the hell did you know that I wanted this?"

I blush and bite my bottom lip. "Well, you had dog-eared the page in that god awful magazine you read all the time. I figured you really liked it."

"Holy hell! I love you, Bella!" She squeals and pulls me in for a bone-crushing hug. I snort and pat her back.

"I'm glad you liked it."

"I can pay you back—"

"No!" I frown and release her. "It's a gift, Ang. You don't have to pay me back. Edward and I had ordered this for you two weeks ago. Consider it an early birthday present."

She rolls her eyes. "My birthday isn't for another week."

"I know," I sigh. "But, I wanted to give this to you! I knew you would love it. I bet Edward won't be happy that I gave it to you early. I forgot to gift wrap it."

"It's perfect, Bells. You guys are so great!"

I smile and kiss her cheek. I grab my black cady coat and don it. Angela quickly transfers her contents from her old purse to the new one. She looks giddy.

"Let's go!" She whoops and I roll my eyes.

"My boyfriend isn't going to be there. And everybody else is going to show up with somebody."

"Hush, it's going to be fine."

Let the fun begin.

I miss you. —B xox

"Bella, hey!"

I look up startled from my phone and see Mike walking in my direction. I make a half-ass attempt to smile at him and his blue eyes rake over my body. It gives me the chills, and not in a good way. He hugs me and I pull back way too quickly. He beams at me and gives my hand a soft squeeze.

"You look wonderful, Bella. Prettier than you did last night."

I blush and tuck an errant piece of hair behind my ear. "Thank you," I mumble and sigh. "No girlfriend of yours that I can meet?"

He laughs and shakes his head. "Nope. I'm single tonight, just like you are."

"I'm not sing—"

"I know, I know you have a fancy boyfriend but he isn't here tonight," My lips press into a thin line. He wanted to be here but he had a wedding to attend. But, I'm not going to waste my time giving Mike an explanation. "Come on, we'll stick with each other for the rest of the night."

He wraps an arm around my shoulder and I try to maintain as much space as possible between us. We speak to a couple of old friends from high school and my mind drift off with thoughts of my boyfriend. I haven't heard from him for the last twenty-four hours!

Oh dear god. He didn't get drunk again, did he? Maybe not. He sounded happy on the phone last night. He must have had a wonderful time with his friends tonight. The wedding reception was supposed to wrap up by five in the evening. Maybe he went out for drinks with his friends.

What if he drinks too much? Panic sets into me. I call his phone but it's switched off. Jesus, this is giving me a feeling of déjà vu. My heart stops when a chilling thought enters my head. What if Riley got to him?

Wait a second! I can call Matt!

I dial Matt's number, and he answers on the third ring.

"Ms. Swan." He greets formally.

"Just Bella, Matt. Where is Edward?"

"Mr. Cullen is in his study."

I let out a huge sigh of relief. Thank god. "Why is his phone switched off?"

"Um, he doesn't want to be disturbed right now."

"Well, please tell him that I haven't spoken to him since last night so give me a call."

"Yes, Ms… er, Bella."

I smile. "Did he have dinner?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Please tell him to call me."

"Sure."

"Okay, thanks. Bye, Matt!" I hang up and smile.

Mike hovers over me again but Angela rescues me to sit with Ben and her for dinner. I eat as quickly as possible so that I can escape the dining hall. I see couples everywhere and feel like a third wheel with Ben and Angela. I don't eat a lot but enough to kill my hunger.

When I return to the gym, the place has transformed into a dance floor. There are couples whirling on the floor along the upbeat music on the speakers. Even though I hate dancing, I suddenly miss Edward a lot. He makes me dance everywhere we go; sometimes at home too.

Ben and Angela walk over to me and she drags him towards the dance floor. Ben tiredly shakes his head and wraps his arms around Angela. I smile watching them. They look so great together. I notice John and his wife, Emma dancing too. Lauren is awkwardly dancing with Tyler, who looks like he wants to be anywhere but with her.

I pull my phone out of my purse and call Edward. It goes straight to voicemail. I start talking after the beep.

"Edward please give me a call. I won't take a lot of your time. I just need to hear your voice. I love you." I murmur and end the voicemail.

I bite my bottom lip and sit on the nearest chair I can find. I play with a lock of my hair and idly gaze everywhere. I need a walk. I rise to my feet and my eyes race towards the main doors. I stride in that direction and resist the urge to turn and tell Demetri to stay inside. He won't do that.

"Ms. Swan, I really don't think you should go out right now." Demetri says behind me and I stop at the exit.

I turn to face him and frown. "Why not? I'm right here. I just need some fresh air."

"Bella, Mr. Cullen won't like that." He says in a much softer tone.

"Well he isn't here, is he?" I quip and he sighs.

"Please, Ms. Swan."

"Demetri, I think I'll be safe with you around."

He doesn't argue and I smile as I step outside into the chilly night. I wrap my arms around myself and take a look at the picnic tables on the lawn. Nothing has changed in the last ten years. I was hoping for some kind of upgrade but who was I kidding? This is Forks High School.

I hear some movement to my left and see the trees dancing with the wind. I smile at the sight and frown when something shuffles behind the bushes. I wait for a couple of minutes and it happens again. I step closer and hear an audible clicking sound.

Before I know it, Demetri spins me around and hides me behind his back. My heart hammers in my chest and I peek over his shoulder but see nothing. Demetri pulls out his phone and dials a number.

"Behind the gym. Take Ms. Swan inside, I'll look into this myself." He mutters in a clipped tone and ends the call.

"Demetri, what's the matter?" I ask urgently and he tenses a little.

"It's just a precautionary step, Ms. Swan."

"Whom did you call?"

"Somebody from security. He will stay with you."

"S-Security?"

"Yes, the security team is right around the corner."

I gulp and run a shaky hand through my hair. "Is it Riley?"

"No—No. It's… somebody else." Demetri turns to me.

"Ms. Swan, please go back inside. It's not safe for you out here. Chuck," He nods and I turn to find a man dressed up in a gray suit standing behind me with a hard look on his face.

He nods at me. "Ms. Swan, I'm Chuck."

"Hello." I croak out and clear my throat.

"Let's get you inside."

Chuck stays close to me as we make our way to the entrance and I stop him at the doors. He frowns and I cross my arms over my chest.

"Chuck, I would appreciate if you stay out here. I don't want to cause a scene."

"Ms. Swan, it is impor—"

"I don't want to hear it!" I yell, my patience getting the best of me. "Nobody is telling me what is going on and there is a security team following me that I didn't know about!"

"Mr. Cullen—"

"Don't," I say sharply, cutting him off. "Stay out here. I'll be fine inside with my friends."

Tears prick my eyes and I suck in a deep breath. I look past Chuck and gasp when I see Demetri dragging someone by his collar towards the black cars lined up outside. The man has rope and masking tape in his hands.

"Who is that?" I whisper and my voice breaks on the last word.

"We are going to interrogate him." Chuck says softly, trying to sound comforting.

A shiver runs down my spine from the chilling thought that the man was here for me. I need Edward. But he is miles away from me. I wipe away my tears and clutch my purse tightly in my hands.

"Chuck please, stay out here. I don't want any more attention on me than I already have." I plead and he stares at me for a second before nodding his head.

"As you say, Ms. Swan."

I hear footsteps stomping my way behind me so I compose myself. I turn and Mike gives me a bright smile but his smile turns to a frown.

"Bella, are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine." I manage a smile on my face.

"It's cold out here. Come in."

He ignores Chuck standing behind me and grabs my hand in his. He leads me inside and gives me a glass of red wine. I gulp down the alcohol and put the glass down.

"Hey, what's the matter? Did you have a fight with your boyfriend?"

I internally roll my eyes. "No, it's something else."

"Who is that tall guy outside looking our way?"

I flush and shake my head. "Nobody that should concern you, Mike."

"Alright. Aren't you dancing?"

I blush redder and shake my head. "You know I can't dance!"

He laughs and I smile. "But, I used to drag you with me every time."

"That only happened twice."

"I still won the bet against Ben." He gloats and I chuckle.

"You did."

Mike distracts me a great deal as we talk about our high school days and I try to steer him away from the memories of us going out. When I look at the dance floor, I find almost everyone on the dance floor, shaking a leg.

"Come on, Bella. Let's dance."

"No, Mike. I don't want to. Please, I just don't feel like it." I protest weakly and he huffs.

"You are a great dancer, we need to dance. For the sake of old times!"

"Please try to understand…" I trail off and gaze towards Chuck—who is speaking on his phone with an anxious face.

What happened now? Who was that man Demetri caught with a rope and masking tape? Does Edward know about this? I need to speak to him. I miss him so much. I need to wait until tomorrow to see him. But, after what happened I really need to speak to him. I'm so, so mad at him for not answering my calls… I'm not going to speak to him when I get home.

"Bella? Bella!" Mike's voice snaps me out of my reverie.

"Yes?"

"Dance?"

Oh, what the hell? Plus, I really need to distract myself.

"Sure." I smile and he beams at me.

Dear god, what have I gotten myself into?

"How can you not remember that?" Mike asks and I can see surprise written all over his face.

"Because it never happened!" I laugh and he rolls his eyes in exasperation.

"Have you met Tyler yet?"

"Yeah, we spoke last night when he was trying to hide from Lauren."

"Ah, okay," He nods as we whirl on the dance floor among others. "Well, the freckle on his cheek is actually a mark from when you slammed the badminton racket on his face."

I blush and purse my lips. "Really?"

"Yeah, but he didn't mind. He had a major crush on you back then."

"He has asked me to Winter Formal in Junior Year but I turned him down."

He smirks and wraps his arms around my waist. I shift uneasily and he loosens his tight grip on me. "I knew you had because we went out that day."

It suddenly dawns on me that Mike is right. We went away that night for the first time. Jake was not happy about it but he was fourteen and sulky so I had shrugged off his stupid warnings. Mike and I had sex for the first time that night. It feels uncomfortable to even think about it now.

"Yeah, it was a long time ago." I dismiss the topic and he nods.

"Things have changed. A lot. You look lovelier than you did all those years ago." He whispers and I try to focus on the song which is coming to an end. Thirty seconds more before I can politely push him off me.

"Thanks," I mumble and hold my breath when he shifts closer to me.

"I was looking forward to seeing you."

It's time to mention my boyfriend.

"I was not planning on coming," I admit and he frowns. "Edward forced me to come, so that I could see my old friends."

He looks away and I smile to myself.

I look over his shoulder and frown when I don't see Chuck standing by the entrance. Mike suddenly spins us around and my eyes widen in shock. What is he doing? Angela meets my gaze and gives me a teasing smile. I send her a pleading look and she mouths me 'One minute'. I wonder what she has up her sleeve.

"Bella?" Mike says softly and I look at him.

"Yes?"

"Are you sure you are happy with your boyfriend?"

I smile at him. "Yes, blissfully so."

"It's good to see you again, Bella." He tries to sound husky, but it doesn't work. He reaches over and tucks an errant piece of hair behind my ear. I freeze and try to remind myself that it's Mike and not Riley. But, only Edward's touch makes me feel comfortable.

"Mike, if I haven't made it clear before… we can only be friends." I say pointedly and he nods, leaning forward.

"I know, but it's different because it's you. It's different because it's us."

"It's not. I love my boyfriend." I say defensively and hear the song coming to an end.

"Thank you for the dance." I whisper and drop my arms from around him. He sighs and has the nerve to touch my arm.

"One more song?" Mike asks sweetly and I shake his hand off my arm.

"May I cut in?" A velvety voice asks behind me and my heart skips a beat.

It's impossible.

I turn and my eyes are filled with tears as I gaze at my personal angel. His green eyes look murderous as he stares at Mike and his sexy copper hair is flopping on his forehead. His mouth is pressed into a grim line and his hands are clenched into fists.

"Edward." I whisper softly and his gaze shifts to me.

His eyes soften and his lips curve into a heart-stopping smile. I smile through my tears and slam myself into his welcoming arms. His strong arms lift me off the floor and he crushes me to his chest. I snuggle against him and close my eyes.

"You have no idea how much I missed you, baby." Edward whispers gently and I sniffle.

"I missed you too," He releases me and sets my feet on the ground. I stroke his cheek and he leans against my hand. "You are really here. I can't believe you're here."

I hug him again and he chuckles, kissing my hair. He rubs my back and rocks me a little. We pull back a couple of minutes later and he leans his forehead against mine. His eyes trail from head to toe and my face turns deep red with his scorching look.

"You look like an angel, Bella," Edward says with adoration in his voice. "You take my breath away, every time."

"You look quite handsome yourself."

He is dressed in a navy blue suit, crisp white shirt and grey striped tie. He looks so hot. And he is all mine. I smile at that thought.

"Why thank you, Ms. Swan."

"How did you get here?"

"Well," He plays with a strand of my hair and smiles. "I rushed out of Chicago as soon as I could."

"Why?"

"There was nobody to keep me warm at night."

"Really? Are you here so that somebody will keep you warm at night?"

"Yeah, why? Did you think there was another reason?"

I glare at him. "In that case, you should've stayed back at your place in Seattle."

Edward laughs and cradles my face in his hands. "Oh baby, I love you so much."

His lips descend on mine and I smile against his lips. I wrap my arms around his neck and he pulls me flush against him. It suddenly dawns on me that we are on the dance floor and there are a lot of people around us. I peck his lips and pull back quickly. He pouts adorably and I kiss his cheek.

"Look where we are." I whisper and he rolls his eyes.

"Sure, now it's inappropriate."

I smile and gently stroke his jacket. "Did you come straight here from the wedding?"

"Yeah, I didn't change," He mutters and suddenly looks over my shoulder. "Damn, where the fuck did he go?"

"Who?"

"Mike Newton."

Ah, right. I completely forgot about him.

I turn and find him nowhere around. I can feel almost everyone staring at us. I blush and nestle closer to my boyfriend. Edward sighs and tightens his arms around me.

"Why did you distract me, Bella? I wanted to have a word with that fucker. He had the nerve to touch you!"

"Hey, calm down," I touch my forehead to his. "I'm sure he will hide from you the whole time now."

"He better."

"Why are you so paranoid?"

Edward just smiles and looks over at the entrance before staring at me. I frown and turn to peek behind but he tips my chin to look at him. I bite my bottom lip and he kisses the top of my head. His green eyes look tense and I wonder what is going on.

"What's wrong, honey?"

"Everything is fine, my love. I think it's rude that we aren't dancing."

I giggle. "Maybe."

And then we whirl on the dance floor just like other couples. Maybe we look more graceful than others because Edward is an amazing dancer. A slow song comes over the speakers and Edward sways me to the music. I wrap my arms around him and bury my face against the crook of his neck.

"How was the wedding?"

"It was splendid. I'm glad I could go."

"Did you take any pictures?"

"Tons."

I chuckle. "You need to show them to me."

"I wish you had been there with me."

"Me too," I gaze at him. "It sucks being here."

"I'm sorry I told you to come."

"It's okay, I still love you."

Edward laughs. "Thank you, love. That's kind of you."

"Where is Matt?"

"He is here with me."

"But, he said that you were in your s—"

"I told him to lie. I thought it'd be a nice surprise for you when I showed up."

I sigh and kiss the side of his neck. "I was getting worried."

He kisses my hair and pulls me closer to him. I close my eyes and breathe in his intoxicating scent. We stay in our little bubble for a couple of songs and he occasionally leans down to kiss me. I can feel his posture stiffening with every passing minute and I wonder what happened to him.

"Edward?"

"Hmm?" He mumbles against my hair.

"I know you are not telling me a couple of things so you had better start talking."

"What?"

I look up at him. "There was a man out there in the bushes," I point to the entrance. "I went out to get some fresh air and I heard something. Demetri checked and that man had a rope and masking tape with him. I-I got so scared," I whisper and tears brim my eyes. "And you weren't here."

"Hey," He says gently and gives me a loving smile. "I'm here now. Don't cry, love."

I sniffle and nod at him. "Who was he?"

"You are not going to give up on this, are you?" I shake my head. "We think uh, Riley sent him."

My heart stops. "What? Why?" I say a little too loudly and a couple of heads turn in our direction. I flush. "Sorry."

Edward shakes his head. "It's okay, baby. We'll continue talking back at the hotel."

"Hotel?" I frown and he shrugs.

"Matt booked a suite at the Olympic Lodge. And you are staying with me tonight." It's not a question and his expression tells me he is not to be argued with.

"Okay." I appease him with my simple answer.

Edward crushes me to his chest and buries his face against my hair. "It's taking everything in me to not leave you, hunt down Riley and kill him myself."

"Hush, calm down." I stroke his hair and he sighs.

"The only reason why I am in here with you and not out with security is because you keep me sane. I really, really need you."

"You still have to tell me everything."

"I will, love," He promises and I nod. "God, I am so tired."

"Your body seems tense." I kiss his chest.

"I haven't had time to myself since six this morning."

"Baby, you should've rested at home."

"I wanted to see you," He mumbles and kisses my hair. "And hold you and kiss you."

I smile and pull back to stare at him from under my lashes. He strokes my cheek and leans down to plant a tender kiss on my lips. I sigh against his lips and kiss him back. I knot my hands in his soft copper hair and draw his face closer to mine. His tongue dances with mine and I whimper against him. His mouth twists into a smile and he breaks our kiss. I pout.

"Look where we are." Edward says my words back at me.

I blush and glare at him. He kisses the side of my head and I sigh.

"I don't want to dance anymore."

"Alright, let's go sit down."

Edward clasps his hand with mine and leads me towards the empty chairs. He makes me sit on one of the chairs and strokes my hair. I close my eyes and frown when I hear a scruffy voice whispering. It sounds like Demetri.

"Not now, Demetri!" Edward snaps and then sighs impatiently. "I don't want to hear it. We'll talk about this back home."

I open my eyes and stare at Demetri's retreated form. I frown at my boyfriend and he sits beside me. He plays with my fingers and we stay quiet for a long time.

"Bella!" I hear a nasally voice shout and Edward frowns at me. I groan and hide my face in his chest.

"Should I be scared?" He whispers against my ear and his cool breath tickles. I giggle and nod at him.

We sigh and rise to our feet. Edward wraps an arm around my waist and his hand rhythmically grazes my hip. I blush and he chuckles. I notice Lauren, Jessica and Gianna strutting in our direction. God, did they redo their make-up for my boyfriend? I should get used to women fawning over him all the damn time.

"Bella, my gosh! We haven't seen you all day!" Lauren squeals and pulls me in for a hug. Edward immediately draws me back into his arms and stares at the slutty-trio with a blank expression on his face.

"I think we ought to be introduced." Jessica purrs, giving my boyfriend a dreamy smile.

"Of course," I say with a grin. "Ladies, this is my boyfriend Edward Cullen. Edward, this is Jessica, Lauren and you know Gianna."

"Yes, it's nice to meet you all." He says politely but doesn't shake hands with them.

"We've heard great things about you from Gianna." Lauren says and flips her hair over her shoulder.

Gianna shyly peeks from behind Jessica. "Good evening, Mr. Cullen."

"Evening, Gina. Where did Mr. Wallis send you?" He asks straight away, and she shuffles her feet.

"Um, I—I work on the sixth floor now."

"Ah, Alex's team handles that floor, don't they?"

"Yes, sir."

"Hmm." He kisses my hair.

"You guys look so great together." Jessica gushes with a fake smile and I try not to scoff.

"Are you staying in Forks?" Lauren asks and gawks at him. "We should totally hang-out!"

"No, we're busy." I snap and Edward smiles by my side.

He clears his throat. "I heard you made quite some cash last night."

"What?" They stare at him in confusion.

"You know, after you sold my Bella's pictures online."

Oh my god. They did it?! They made my high school days a living nightmare and now they want to ruin my privacy too? They shouldn't have done that. How dare they? I can't believe this.

"Edward, can your lawyers help me with that?" I ask flatly and watch the trio staring at each other in shock.

"Of course, baby. Whatever you want."

"We—We didn't sell the pictures." Jessica stammers and sends a pleading look in my direction.

"I'm an ordinary citizen and you have broken several laws."

"The photos were newsworthy." Lauren mutters and I chuckle.

"I don't think national gossip is important news."

My eyes trail over to John and his wife speaking to Angela and Ben; and they wave me over. I smile and tug on Edward's hand. His green eyes stare at me and I sigh.

"Let's go, honey. I want you to meet some of my friends." He grins and kisses the top of my head.

"Okay," He turns to the shell-shocked ladies. "Excuse us."

I stare at Edward as he passionately talks about advertising with John. I'm glad that they are getting along well and his wife seems like a lovely person too. They have been married for two years. We've been talking to a lot of people since Edward came because everyone wants to speak to him.

It's not surprising anymore that everyone in the room knows who Edward Cullen is. I guess, no one expected him to be so humble and down to earth but, that's just how he is. On top of which he is handsome and charming as hell. No one can resist him.

I feel sparks shooting down my arm when a warm hand interlaces with mine. I look up and find a pair of gorgeous green eyes staring at me. His eyes pin me with their intensity and my breathing falters. I suck in a deep breath and he chuckles. I stare ahead and realize John and his wife aren't standing in front of us anymore.

"Where did they go?"

"They had to meet someone. You didn't notice them leave?"

"I was busy ogling you."

"Were you?" His lips curl into a smile. "I feel violated."

I roll my eyes. "Don't be such a hypocrite."

"Maybe I want to be."

"Bite me." I mumble and his lips suddenly brush against my ear.

"Oh, I will."

I blush deeply and nestle against him. He strokes my hair and I take a hearty look around the room. I spot Mike walking in other direction, hiding behind a tall guy and making himself scarce.

"Mike?" I call out his name and he freezes. He slowly turns in our direction and nervously gulps before making his way over to us. "Please be nice, sweetheart."

"Have I ever been rude to anybody who tries to make you uncomfortable?" I roll my eyes.

Edward straightens himself and slips his arm around my waist. He snugly pulls me to his side and kisses my hair. I smile at Mike and he smiles back, but it looks like a grimace.

"Hey, Bella."

"Mike, please let me introduce you to someone special. This is my boyfriend, Edward. Honey, this is Mike. He is a friend of mine."

"It's nice to meet you, Mike." Edward says in his smooth, velvety voice. He firmly shakes his hand with Mike.

"You too." Mike mumbles and stares at the two of us with an unhappy expression.

"Bella once mentioned that you have a family business in town." Edward says kindly and Mike nods.

I watch them edgily interact and Edward keeps his anger at bay for my sake. With every word he speaks, there is some kind of dangerous warning to it. His words are so calculated and precise.

A few minutes later, Edward looks at his watch and then at me.

"Baby, we need to go now. It's getting late." He says softly and I nod.

"It was great to meet you, Mike. I guess, I'll see you around." I smile and Mike nods.

"I hope so too, Bella. Take care."

He hesitantly reaches out and gives me a light hug. I pat his back and look over at my boyfriend—who is staring at him with a hard expression on his face. I blush and quickly pull back. I take Edward's hand in mine and bid Mike goodbye.

I text Angela that I'm staying with Edward tonight as we make our way outside. Matt nods at me and I grin. He holds the door open and I slide in. He shuts the door and I frown when I see Edward angrily barking orders at Matt, Demetri and rest of the security.

His words from two hours ago come back to me.

"The only reason why I am here with you and not out with security is because you keep me sane. I really, really need you."

I lean against the window and close my eyes. Who was that man? I need answers from Edward. I know he won't keep things from me this time. The last time that happened, we had a big fight and a certain blonde held me at gunpoint. I shudder from that memory.

I hear a door lightly shut somewhere, and the car starts as I am consumed by my thoughts. My mind runs wild as I think about all the times that Riley has tried to inflict harm on me.

He once came to my store drunk and tried to attack me, he came drunk twice to my apartment, he broke into Edward's office and stole his visiting card and sent it to me on my birthday, he had my apartment filled with violets and later tried to meet me again; all because he wants me.

And now, someone Riley knew tried to kidnap me. That man was definitely here to kidnap me. A tear drops from my eye and lands on my hand. I wipe it away and look out of the window. This is overwhelming and scary.

I don't how long I remain quiet but at some point, Edward gets impatient and cups my face in his hands and turns me to him. His green eyes look lost and anxious. He wipes away the tears from my cheeks and brings my face closer to his.

"Say something, baby. I can't watch you like this." His cool breath fans my face and I sniffle.

"I'm scared," I weep softly. "I'm scared that one of these times, he is really going to take me away from you."

"Oh Bella," He rasps out and pulls me onto his lap. I curl up and sob in his chest. "Shh, it's going to be fine, angel. Don't cry."

"It's not going to be fine!"

"Hush, don't say that. Calm down."

"You don't understand, Edward."

Edward remains quiet and gently rocks me in his arms. I clutch the lapel of his jacket in my hand and hide my face against his neck. He strokes my hair and occasionally leans down to kiss the top of my head. When my tears subside, I pull back and look at him.

He leans forward and plants a soft kiss on my lips. He kisses away my tears and I take a deep breath. His green eyes bore into mine and I bite my bottom lip as I wonder what is going on in his head.

"Edward, who was that man? Tell me, please."

"His name is Lee. He is Riley's younger brother."

My heart hammers in my chest. "His—His brother?"

"Yes, my love. He kept an eye on you at the wedding. He overheard about the reunion and I guess, he must have also heard that I wasn't going to be here."

"Why would he send his brother?"

"Because he knows if he comes near you, he won't live to see another day."

I stare at him for a moment. "Why did you really come to Forks?"

He sighs and tightens his arms around me. "Because Matt told me that your photos were sold to online websites."

"I knew it. I knew you wouldn't just come because you missed me." I snap angrily and scoot away from him and sit at the opposite end.

"Baby, it's not like that. I was planning to come, and I had a good reason to convince my friends why I had to leave early."

I roll my eyes and stare out of the window. Matt pulls over the car and I frown. Why have we stopped? Edward steps out of the car and I cross my arms over my chest. I have no idea what he is doing at this hour! It's almost midnight.

My eyes comically widen when he returns with a tub of ice-cream. It's Chocolate Therapy, I love that! How did buy a tub of ice-cream in the middle of nowhere? I shake off that thought and my mouth waters looking at my favorite dessert. I am still mad at Edward but I also want to eat that ice-cream. Ugh, this is hard!

"Bella?" Edward offers me the ice-cream with an apologetic smile on his face. He is so adorable. I huff and look away. Did he know that I would get mad at him? God, he knows me better than I know myself.

"Matt, start the car. I am tired." I say with a snap and Matt revs the car to life.

We speed down US-101 N and out of my periphery, I can see Edward eating the ice-cream. I want to eat it too!

"Bella, how long are you going to stay mad at me?" He asks and I turn to him. My eyes fall on the tub of my ice-cream and I find him trying to hide his smile.

"I ordered this ice-cream for you. Angela told me that you didn't have much dinner, so I got your favorite. I love you, please?" He pouts and my will crumbles. He knows I can't say refuse him when he pouts like that.

I scoot over to him and he gives me the tub of cold ice-cream. He makes me sit sideways on his lap and takes the tub in his hands again. He holds a spoonful of ice-cream in front of my lips and I eat it. I moan softly and he kisses my forehead.

"It's so good."

"It is." He chuckles and nods. I get lost staring into his gorgeous green orbs and trace his perfect features with my hands. His eyes flutter shut, and he sighs softly. He is so handsome, and frustrating.

"Were you worried that I might be upset about the photos?"

"Mm, yes," He opens his eyes and feeds me more ice-cream. "I took care of it today. I told Karen and Benji that you must be disturbed about what happened and I needed to leave thirty minutes before the reception ended. They were understanding about it."

"You shouldn't have done that."

"Bella, I made you come to Forks for this event because I wanted you to feel… normal, I guess. Somewhere you can be around people you know and they won't make a big deal about your private life. But, we both can agree that it went downhill."

I chuckle sadly. "It did."

"On top of which, you wanted me to be with you tonight and I figured you must be sad because I wasn't. So I got here as soon as I could."

"That's sweet of you, Edward. But, I never want to intrude on your time with friends. You hadn't seen them in a long time."

He caresses my cheek with his hand. "That's true, love. But, Karen made me promise that next time we are in Chicago, we have to spend a couple of days with them."

I giggle. "I guess we can do that."

"We will," He gives me a chaste kiss. "Mm, chocolate." He pecks my lips again.

I take the spoon in my hand to feed him and he shakes his head. I pout. "Please?"

"I'm not hungry, Bella."

"For me?" He sighs and gives in.

I offer him a beaming smile and feed him a spoonful of ice-cream. I start eating and rest my head on his shoulder.

"Don't stain the seat." He warns and I glare at him.

"No, I'll make sure to keep your precious car spotless." I say and he chuckles.

He kisses my forehead and gently strokes my hair. "I love you so much, Bella."

"I love you too."

His phone buzzes inside his jacket and he groans. He pulls it out, and a smile graces his face. He answers the call and clears his throat.

"Hey… Yes, I did… Everything is fine… Why the fuck did you call?" Edward snaps and his eyes suddenly widen. "He what? Tell him to clean that corridor himself!" He pauses for a second before he throws his head back and laughs. "Good god, alright… Yes, I'll let Pat know… Really, who?... Ah, Yasmin. I remember her. The blonde with brown eyes… Sure, sure… Yeah, I'll call you… Bye, Kaling."

"Who was that?" I ask and he puts his phone away.

"That was my friend from college, Jim Kaling."

"Oh."

"Benji and Karen's rehearsal dinner was on a yacht last night."

"Wow, that sounds great. It must have cost them a fortune."

He snorts. "No, it was free."

"Do they own it?"

"No, I do."

My eyes widen and I recall him talking about owning a yacht at the fundraiser. "Right. You do own one."

"So, my friends and I hung out after dinner last night and two of them got very drunk and passed out. I told my friends to use it tonight as compensation for leaving early. Louis got drunk and threw up in the corridor," He grimaces. "But, never mind."

"That sounds like fun."

Edward laughs. "I'm sure it does."

I smile as I stare at his striking face. He is so kind and loving. He cares for people in his life and never takes anybody for granted. He loves his family, friends and would do anything for them. I am so lucky to have him in my life. I don't think he realizes what a wonderful human being he is.

"Penny for your thoughts?" He brings me out of my reverie.

"It's nothing." I peck his lips and gobble up the ice-cream.

"Mr. Cullen?" Demetri asks from the front passenger seat.

"Yes?"

"Detective Renner found out that Lee has a criminal record."

My good mood vanishes. Edward stiffens a little and tightens his arms around me. He clasps our hands together and kisses my knuckles.

"Anything else?" Edward asks in a feather soft voice.

"He was the one who discharged Riley from the Rehab facility back in September."

I let that information sink in.

"We'll discuss this later." Edward says in a hard voice.

I frown. "You can talk about this—" He cuts me off.

"Not now." He mutters firmly and I purse my lips. I gaze at the half-melted ice-cream, and it doesn't look appealing anymore. I put it away and snuggle against my boyfriend. I close my eyes and suck in a lungful of breath.

"Are you full?"

"I've had enough." I mumble and he kisses my nose.

"We will discuss Riley when we get back home."

I tilt my head and look at him. "When are we going to Seattle?"

"Whenever you want."

"I want to show you someplace before we go. We can leave for Seattle tomorrow around eleven in the morning."

"Sure, angel. I'm fine with that."

"Good. Now tell me, who the hell is Yasmin?"

He laughs and the tension in his eyes melts away.

I open my eyes and see the words THE OLYMPIC SUITE staring back at me. I realize I'm in Edward's arms, and he is cradling me close to him. I wrap my arms around him and he kisses my forehead. I gasp softly when thunder crackles outside and he tightens his arms around me. We step inside and the room comes to life. The living room has French windows, a sleeper sofa and a lot of overstuffed chairs.

Edward carries me down the hall towards the bedroom. I squirm in his arms and he sets me down on my feet. I take my purse and pumps from his hands and put them on the nightstand. Demetri walks in and puts my bag on the dressing table and rapidly leaves the room.

Edward locks the door and lies on top of the duvet. He groans when he sinks into the plush mattress and closes his eyes. He looks so tired.

"I'm going to go change."

He acknowledges my comment with a nod and I smile. I grab my nightclothes and step into the gorgeous bathroom. It has a glass encased shower, Jacuzzi bathtub and a vanity. I take off my dress, bra and panties and put on my black silk camisole and matching shorts.

When I walk back into the bedroom, I find Edward still lying on the bed but he has changed into a pair of blue PJs. How did he change so quickly? I take a good look at my handsome man and bite my bottom lip. He is so sexy. I can't help but stare at his toned abs and muscular chest.

Edward gazes at me and his eyes darken as he drinks in the sight of me. He sits on the bed and runs a hand through his messy copper hair. He sighs softly and gives me a smile. He tiredly sprawls on the bed again and I shake my head.

Okay, that's it.

"Edward, get up!" I say urgently and he frowns at me.

"What?"

"Get up! Get me a spare bedsheet."

"What?"

"There must be a spare bedsheet in the linen closet. Get it."

"Why?"

"Don't ask me questions, just do it."

"Okay."

I walk over to my bag and rummage through the side pockets to retrieve the bottle of unscented massage oil. Angela and I each bought a bottle at the spa we went last week. It's supposed to be good.

"Should I spread it over the duvet?" He asks, motioning to the bed and I nod.

Edward quickly lays out the sheet and sits on the edge of the bed. I walk over to him and sit astride his lap. He wraps his arms around my waist and snuggles against my neck. I wrap my arms around him and kiss his hair. I rub his back and he sighs soundly.

"Your body seems rigid."

"Hmm."

"How about a massage, baby?"

He pulls back and gazes at me with surprise on his features. "Really?"

"I can give it a shot. I'm pretty good at giving massages."

Edward frowns. "Do you have past experience?"

"Kind of. I massaged Mike onc—" I laugh when he rolls me onto my back and hovers over me. His eyes look sensual yet threatening. "I'm kidding! God, he really sets you off."

"You are mine," He murmurs seductively and drags his lips across my collarbone. My breathing comes out in short pants and I moan when he nibbles on my skin. "Don't try to make me jealous."

"I promise, I won't."

"Good," He pulls back and strokes my cheek. "Now where are we on that massage?"

I smile and he helps me stand up. I ask him to lie on his stomach and he does. I crawl over and place my legs on either side of his hips. I apply oil to my hands and keep a light, even pressure as I massage his shoulders. He sighs soundly and I can feel his muscles relaxing against my fingers. I take my time as I knead his shoulders and slowly increase the pressure.

"How is the pressure?" I ask softly and he nods.

"It's perfect, baby." He mumbles into the pillow.

A couple of minutes later, I move to his lower back and knead my palms at the base of his spine. That earns me a couple of moans. I trace my fingertips from the base of his spine upwards with firm pressure. I rub the back of his neck and gently scratch his scalp.

"Sweetie, can you flip over?" I ask and he nods slowly. I get off him and he flips over onto his back. I smirk when I notice the tent in his pants and he shrugs. I straddle his stomach and he smiles at me. I blush and cradle his neck to get a better position to tenderly move my hands up and down his neck. I massage his scalp and he groans softly.

"You're amazing, Bella."

"I know that." I murmur and his hands slowly travel inside my camisole.

My body trembles as he traces circles on my stomach. I close my eyes and arch against his touch. I let out a contented sigh and feel his hands moving upwards. He brushes his hands against my breasts and I squirm a little. I suddenly realize that I am supposed to give him a massage and not get distracted.

I open my eyes and remove his hands from inside my camisole. I weave our fingers together and use my thumb to knead the back of his palm and stroke each finger with enough pressure to relax him. He sighs softly and I let go of his hand.

I push my hips backward and tap two fingers from the navel to the base of his cock. I circle his belly button with my fingertips and increase the pressure as he moans softly. I part his legs and sit on the bedsheet as I reach for his legs.

I graze my knuckles from his heel to the pad of his foot, behind the toes. I rub the pad in circular motions using my thumb and keep a firm pressure. I continue massaging his feet for a couple of minutes and then pull the big toe towards me. I plant a gentle kiss on his toe and he groans.

"God Bella, you are killing me!"

I crawl back towards him and sit on his stomach. "How do you feel, Mr. Cullen?"

"This is most relaxed I've felt in the last couple of days. Thank you, baby."

"No problem." I lean down and give him a chaste kiss.

Edward surprises me and quickly deepens our kiss. His hands tug on my camisole and he rips the material in his hands. I gasp and break our kiss. He throws away the tattered camisole and trails hot kisses down my neck.

"You have to stop tearing my clothes." I pant breathlessly and he chuckles against my skin.

"Mm, I'll think about it."

He rolls me onto my back and his hands skim against my breasts, my belly and stroke the waistband of my shorts. I instinctively wrap my legs around his waist and feel the oil on his skin seeping into mine.

"I wasn't done yet." I mutter and close my eyes when he grazes his teeth against my neck.

"Believe me Bella, you've done enough."

Edward takes my shorts off and spreads my legs, and soon after, I forget all about the massage I promised to give him.

October 12, 2015

I look away from my copy of Wuthering Heights when Edward shifts a little. I stare at his handsome face propped on my lap as he is fast asleep. He is so perfect. I put the book down and gently stroke his hair. He stirs and his green eyes snap open. He curiously stares at the blue sky and grabs his hand in mine.

"Hey." I murmur and bend my head to kiss his forehead.

"Hmm."

"How was your nap?"

He gives me a soft smile. "Great. I love this place."

I beam at him. "I can see that."

Edward and I came to this meadow so that I could show him the place I often visited when I lived here. I discovered the meadow when I sulkily stomped off from my grandmother's place and aimlessly drove around. I earned a couple of bruises on my way here the first time, but it was worth it.

The colorful wildflowers, tall trees and chirping of birds light up the ambiance of this place. I know Edward loves nature, and he fell in love with the meadow as soon as he saw it. There is a patch of grass in the middle where Edward and I are sitting. I feel complete coming here this time. And it feels personal to finally show this place to him.

"I'm glad you brought me here." Edward says and sits up.

"Me too."

He smiles and strokes my cheek. I blush and bite my bottom lip. I crawl over to sit on his lap. He chuckles and embraces me. He nuzzles against my hair, and lets out a contented sigh. I fold my hands behind his neck and curl into him.

"I love you, Bella."

I smile and peck his lips. "I love you too, Edward."

"When do you want to leave for home?" I give him an amused smile and shake my head. "Is there something wrong, love?"

"Well," I sigh and sit astride his lap. "You've been calling your place home, and it sounds different."

He frowns. "I never realized that."

"It's okay, I like how it sounds."

"It can be our home if you don't act so stubborn all the time." He whispers against my cheek.

I giggle and kiss his lips soundly. "Let it go, honey."

"Whatever."

We remain quiet for some time and enjoy the silence surrounding us. Edward leans his forehead against the side of my head and closes his eyes. I stroke his hair and take a deep breath as I brace myself for the question I'm going to ask.

"Edward?"

"Yes?" He keeps his eyes closed.

"Baby, is it okay if I go back to my apartment after we return to Seattle?"

"No." He answers quickly and I sigh.

"Edward, Demetri will be there."

"No."

"Honey, I've been staying at your place for almost a month now. I need to return to my apartment."

"No."

"Stop saying no."

He idly plays with a strand of my hair and tightens his arms around me. His lips brush against my cheek and he drags his lips towards neck. I stifle a moan when he nibbles on my skin and his hand grazes against the waistband of my shorts. He strokes my bare legs and I sigh softly.

"Edward, don't." I murmur as he undoes the first two buttons of my white blouse.

"Why not?"

"I know what you're doing."

"I want to make love to my girlfriend, is that so terrible?"

"Yes it is when you abruptly stop talking about my issue."

"Let's not argue." He unbuttons my blouse further and I feel the warm air hitting my bra clad chest.

"We were not arguing, we were talking."

I reluctantly push his hands off and crawl away. I sit cross-legged in front of him and he sighs, running a hand through his sexy, copper hair.

"Edward, I want to go—" His sharp voice cuts me off.

"No, Bella! You are not going back to your apartment!" He shouts angrily and I glare back at him.

"I have to go! I am not going to stay at your place all the time! I have a life too!"

"Even after all that is happening, you want to go to your apartment?"

"Yes! If you have security team around me all the damn time, you might as well let me go!"

"No!"

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't go!"

His green eyes give me a hard stare and he looks away from me. I wait for him to say something but he doesn't. I play with the hem of my blouse and a small smile escapes my lips when I realize I can finally go back to my apartment. I've missed my place. I've missed being alone without having domestic help for every little thing I want to do. The only terrible thing about this is that I won't be with Edward.

"I'll tell Mrs. Cope to pack your essentials." Edward's voice snaps me out of my reverie.

"Thank you but I think I can do that on my own."

"Fine, whatever."

"Are you going to brood about this now?" I ask and he nods petulantly.

Ugh, how can he be cute and frustrating at the same time?!

When I get impatient staring at his mopey face, I close the distance between us. I tightly hug him and press my face against his neck. I feel his hands clenched into fists at his sides but he takes a deep breath against me. I gently stroke his hair and play with the buttons of his shirt.

"Are you angry with me?" I ask in a feather soft voice.

Edward sighs and finally embraces me. "Of course not, baby."

"Then what happened?" I pull back and gaze at his handsome face.

"I love waking up next to you," He touches his forehead to mine and strokes my cheek. "I love listening to you talk in your sleep," He chuckles softly and I blush. "Why can't you just move in with me?"

I laugh and kiss his cheek. "Oh honey, you are so adorable. I want to live with you too. I truly do. But, let's take baby steps."

"Baby steps," He mutters under his breath and shakes his head. "Okay, but you will only have yourself to blame if I barge into your apartment at four in the morning when I can't sleep."

I giggle. "I won't have a problem with that I promise."

"Good."

Edward stares at my clothes for a fraction of second and looks around the meadow. I wonder what he is thinking. He frowns softly and pulls me to his chest. I caress his cheek with my hand and his green eyes meet mine but they look anxious. What suddenly happened?

"Honey, what happened?"

"I—I think I've dreamt about this place before." Edward mutters and I beam at him.

"Really? Are you sure?" He nods. "Wow."

"Yeah."

"You don't look surprised." I point out and he hides his face against my shoulder.

"It was a terrible nightmare I had about three months ago. It was the first time I had dreamed in years," He pulls back and glances at my clothes again. "You were wearing these exact clothes in that dream. How is that possible?"

"It happens sometimes, Edward," I say softly and play with his hair. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I don't remember a lot but… you left me," He frowns again. "You chose Riley over me. And I wanted to chase you but I couldn't."

"Choosing Riley over you is borderline nightmarish. Not going to happen," I say with a smile but he doesn't react. I hold his face in my hands and gaze into his eyes. "What can I do to get that frown off your face?"

He finally smiles and shakes his head. "Nothing. Just spend some time with me."

"I think I can do that." I nod and he smiles, pressing his lips against mine.

"We can have sex here." He whispers against my lips and I blush.

"I knew you were going to say that," I laugh and he unbuttons the rest of my blouse. "You'll be late for work."

"Don't talk about work now."

I gasp when he unexpectedly presses me into the soft grass. The sun flits from between the canopy of trees and his face looks angelic in the sun. His vibrant green eyes shine with love and his dazzling smile makes me feel warm. I run my hand through his soft hair and realize that the blonde texture in his hair is more pronounced in sunlight.

"You are so perfect, Edward. How did I get so lucky?" I ask quietly and he leans down to connect our lips for a soft kiss.

"Believe me, I'm the lucky one. I love you, Bella. More than you can imagine."

I blush and peer into his gorgeous eyes. "I love you more than that."

He chuckles and I stifle a moan when he grazes his index finger between my breasts, down to my navel. I tremble a little and an impish grin twists on his lips.

"You compare one page to an entire book."

I roll my eyes. "Impossible."

I love how untroubled he looks right now. He seems so content and peaceful here. But, once we go back to Seattle, he will probably rush to work at his office and later remain cooped up in his study. I hope he knows how grateful I am for everything he is doing for me. All we need is to get a few problems off our backs.

I am taken by surprise when his lips crash against mine for an urgent kiss. I laugh but kiss him back. I fold my arms behind his neck and deepen our kiss. He expertly maneuvers me out of my blouse and shorts and his eyes drink in the sight of me. His eyes bore into mine and I try to breathe looking at his sensual gaze.

"And you call me perfect." He whispers with a chuckle.

How can he turn me into mush?

SPECIAL THANKS TO EdwardsFirstKiss FOR EDITING THIS CHAPTER!

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