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"Yeah, um, it's a bit messy…"
Edward scratched his forehead as he opened the door to his inner sanctum, his studio. Bella couldn't help but smile; it was ridiculously cute to see him so nervous. In some way, though, she understood him. From what he'd told her, he hardly let anyone inside.
"You needn't show me," she repeated for the third or fourth time. "Really, I understand completely if you want to keep this for yourself…"
"No, no." He wrapped his arms around her from behind. "I want you to know it. To know me." He placed a tender kiss at the back of her neck. "But, as I said, as you can see, it's… messy."
"It's not really," she said as Edward walked her into the middle of his rather large workspace.
The pale December sun was painting the room white. There were easels and canvases, and a table with equipment and a shelf filled with colours and paintbrushes.
The picture Edward was currently working on was on an easel next to the floor-to-ceiling window. It showed a park in autumn, with the silhouette of a girl, or a young woman, who seemed to be dancing, along with her kite. It conveyed great lightness and freedom.
"That's beautiful." Bella squeezed Edward's hands that were entwined with hers under her breasts.
"I had a beautiful model," he murmured, and she wasn't sure whether there was a note of shyness in his tone.
"You mean…" She had to swallow. "You mean, that's me?"
"Mmm-hmm." She felt him take a breath. "Is that okay with you?"
"Um, yes, of course," she said, feeling slightly overwhelmed. "I'm honoured."
"Actually, I painted you even before that one." His voice was slightly husky now, and Bella turned around to look at him.
"You did?"
He nodded.
"Show me."
Edward sighed deeply, but she could see the slight, lopsided smile at the corner of his mouth.
"Show me," she repeated, slipping her hand into his shirt and tickling his side.
"Bellaaa…"
"Show me," she demanded, gently biting his neck.
He groaned lightly, but it was a response to her actions, not her request.
"Please?" she whispered against his lips.
Edward pulled her lower lip between his and laughed softly.
"Don't be mad at me," he murmured.
"Why would I be mad at you?"
Edward let go of her and walked to the wall on the left of the windows. He grabbed one large picture and put it aside, taking the canvas that had been hiding behind it. Bella could only see the back of it. He returned to her, but left a foot between them.
He licked his lips.
"You're scaring me," she smiled.
Silently, he turned the canvas around, holding it up for her to see.
Bella gasped.
It was a portrait of her, that much she had expected. The thing she couldn't have expected was how otherworldly he had depicted her. She was wearing some sort of blue chiffon stole, blowing lightly in the breeze. Her shoulders were bare, and the picture ended just where her breasts would begin. She was bathed in light, which was coming directly from above, where the sun was breaking through the clouds.
It could have been kitschy, but as with all of Edward's paintings, it wasn't. He had managed to create something realistic yet sweet, truthful and utterly magical.
Bella felt her eyes fill with tears.
The idea that this was how he saw her made her heart brim over.
"Is it…" he stammered. "I'm sorry, baby. I'll… I'll destroy it…"
"Nonsense," she cried happily, closing the distance between them and throwing her arms around his neck. He hardly had a chance to place the painting against one of the walls before she assaulted him with kisses.
"You like it?" he mumbled against her lips.
"It's exquisite, magnificent."
Tears of emotion ran down her cheeks as she kissed his face, finishing with his warm, soft lips.
"Thank you, my darling," she whispered. "No one has ever seen me like this."
"Then no one has seen you for what you are."
His kisses were hasty and passionate, and Bella's heart was open so wide that she could, for once, believe that she was exceptional.
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