oOo
Bella's heart felt heavy when Edward became silent.
It was obvious how much he was still suffering after his wife's death, and she felt terribly sorry for him. It seemed that she had been the great love of his life.
What did she have to offer?
And why was she even asking those questions?
He had never shown her more than friendliness and common courtesy. To even dream about any sort of relationship, any romantic attachment to him, was ludicrous, megalomaniac.
She looked at him. He seemed lost in thought, one finger circling the rim of his wineglass.
Maybe Jasper was right after all. Edward was bound to make her unhappy if she kept up her friendship with him, because it was clear that friendship was all he was ready to give. And apparently, it was not enough for her.
She glanced at the clock above the kitchen door.
"Gosh," she said, feigning surprise. "It's after ten! I guess I need to get going. My day starts at half past five…"
Edward looked up, his eyes unfocussed for a second, as if he was emerging from another world, deep inside himself.
"Oh. Oh, yes, sure. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have kept you up so late." He raked a hand through his hair. "I… I'll call you a cab."
"I'll take the tube to Warwick Avenue, and the bus from there," she said.
"And be trolling the streets for what? An hour?" His tone had changed, and for the fraction of a second, he reminded her of her mum. There was a line between his eyebrows.
"I'll be okay," she said. "I do this every day, Edward."
"I'm calling a cab."
"I can't afford a cab."
"I wouldn't let you pay, anyway. You came out here to help me. It's the least I can do."
She got out of her chair.
"No."
He stood up and took a step toward her. This close, she noticed how much taller and broader he was.
"Yes."
"No. I'm a grown woman. I can manage to go home by myself."
She could feel the heat rise in her cheeks.
"Please, Bella?" His tone had become softer. "Please, let me?"
"Let you what?" she spat.
"Let me help you," he shrugged.
"I don't need your help, Edward."
"I know that. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way." He squeezed his eyes together before he faced her again. "Look, I would drive you myself, but I had a few glasses of wine."
Bella rolled her eyes, as if to say, tell me something new.
"I'm not going to let you leave here on your own," he stated.
Bella's eyebrows shot up.
"So you're going to keep me here against my will, or what?"
She didn't even know why she was so mad at him. He was only well-meaning and chivalrous.
He just shook his head, looking sad.
"Of course that's not what I meant." He placed his hands on her shoulders, but they didn't feel like a weight. They felt warm, and protective.
"Bella…" His voice was low and gentle, and with one finger, he lifted her chin so she would look at him. "I care about you, Bella, don't you see?"
"We're friends," she shrugged.
Edward's other hand moved from her shoulder to her waist, and he pulled her closer.
"I think we're becoming more than that," he whispered.
And then he bent down and kissed her.
oOo
Dun dun dun…