oOo
"Do you have your keys, love?"
"Yes, yes." Bella nodded fiercely.
Edward had never seen her so excited, which made him fall in love all over again. She had been checking and re-checking her luggage last night and this morning, even consulting a list she had made. Edward had reminded her that they'd only be gone for three-and-a-half days, but she had insisted that she needed to do it her way.
"I'm sorry," she said, kissing him before she finally got in the car. "I told you I'm a nervous traveller."
"It's okay," he smiled. He shut her door and joined her in the car. "Are you sure you have your toothbrush?"
"Oh dear." Bella frowned. "Maybe I should –"
"Bella." He grinned. "Relax. If you forgot your toothbrush, we'll buy you a new one. I'm sure they have toothbrushes in Wales."
"Don't make fun of me!" But she smiled.
Edward kissed her nose and started the car to get on the road to Penarth.
.
"Oh my God, this is incredible!"
They had reached the sea. It was just after noon, and Edward was using the route that Aunt Mary had described for him. She had told him that the view was spectacular, which it was. To their right, miles of deliciously untouched countryside with the odd lighthouse or barn. The fields were grey and barren, holding their winter's sleep.
To their left, the sea stretched into the horizon, grey and dark blue, spitting white flakes of foam. Edward could imagine how lovely it would be in summer, but this bleakness, he almost found more interesting. It was raw and uncompromising. He itched to draw it.
"You're itching to draw it, aren't you?" Bella's sweet voice pulled him out of his musings.
She could read him so well it was sometimes uncanny.
He swiftly ran his hand down her leg.
"Busted," he smiled.
"Well, you'll have enough time to draw," she said. "Once you're finished making love to me, I just might let you outside."
"Oh," he chuckled. "So that's how it's going to be?"
"Yep."
This time, her fingers ran up his thigh.
"What if I want to draw something more fascinating?"
"More fascinating than this?" She pointed at the rolling waves and shook her head.
"Uh-huh." Edward grinned. He had been thinking of it, of course, but he hadn't had the guts to ask her yet.
"Seriously," she said. "What would be more fascinating than this?"
"You," he replied simply.
"You want to paint me?"
"There are few things in life I want to do more," he replied seriously.
He took a turn to the right, driving down a narrow avenue that was framed by leafless oaks, and then another to the left.
"We should be able to see it in a moment, I think," he muttered.
They were driving toward the sea again, which had to be right, because Mary's cottage was close to it.
"Huh." Edward was getting a little frustrated. He was the first one to admit that his sense of direction wasn't the greatest, but it couldn't be that difficult. There was literally nothing here.
"Could that be it, do you think?"
Bella pointed out her window. He looked.
There, on a small hill leading to the sea, was the cottage he had seen on the pictures Mary had mailed him. As they came closer, he saw the white picket fence and the little shed, which, Mary had told him, held wood for the fireplace.
"Yes," Edward said. "This should be it. Let's see if the keys fit, shall we?"
oOo