Chapter 4
Charlie wouldn't be home for at least another hour, and I decided to warm up the spaghetti I made yesterday so I could spend some alone time with Edward. After I finished preparing Charlie's plate I went by to check the messages from the phone. One was from Angela asking about wedding details that pertained to her, and she just generally wanted to know what I was up to. Jess also called but left a message that quickly beeped off while she was in mid sentence. Then there was a message from my mom: "Charlie you have me worrying now. What's going on? Is there something wrong with Bella, why are you being so secretive? And why haven't I talked to Bella?" Edward was by my side as my mom ranted on to Charlie about how childish his behavior was. He placed a sturdy hand on my shoulder. My hand reflexively reached for it, my heart was beating triple time.
"Bella," he whispered in my ear, "You promised."
I took deep relaxing breaths, "Your part of the blame. You know how my body reacts when you touch me." He let his hand fall; just as soon as it did I took it back in my hand and placed it on my shoulder. " I didn't ask you to stop!"
"I don't want you having a heart attack." He placed his hand on my heart as my moms voicemail finished. "Goodness Bella! Calm down!"
I took more deep breaths. "It doesn't help…with you…yelling at me." I said trying to sound cold but failing because of the breathiness of my voice.
He smiled crookedly at me. "You were scaring me. I was simply trying to get my point across."
I glared at him.
"You didn't have to yell." I added.
"Would it help if I apologized?"
"No."
"I'm sorry anyway." His voice was thick with sincerity but I still heard the humor in his voice. I hated that he could persuade me so easily.
"Whatever." I huffed and listened to the last message it was from Billy. He was inviting Charlie over to spend the day at his house, and nonchalantly invited me. I sighed.
"It's ok if you go you know." Edward eyes were intent on reading mine, but I didn't let any of my emotion leak through them this time.
"No I'm good…I don't need to torture the poor guy, it really is better if I stay here." Besides I told him everything was happening rather soon so he would probably take me coming over there as a sign of hope which it wasn't.
"You don't have to stay for my sake."
"I'm not!" I snapped playfully at him. He smiled and kissed my forehead.
"How about that vacation?"
"Hmm, tempting but we have to much stuff to do. Wedding stuff, my mom stuff, and plus I want to have a lot of personal time while all this stuff is going on." I got on my tiptoes and placed my lips to his. I lingered there a while waiting for him to either give in or push me back. While I waited I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled his body closer to mine. And then he finally reacted, he ran his fingers through my hair, and lifted me up off my tiptoes till my feet were inches off the floor. My body reacted immediately; lately he wouldn't take anything this far trying to keep me from thinking he was going back on our compromise, my heart started racing uncontrollably. I needed to gasp for air but I didn't want to break the contact we had. I waited for any change in his behavior, I realized he was taking in shorter breaths as well, but they wouldn't affect him the way they would me. The room started spinning, but I still didn't want to let go, he didn't realize my lightheadedness because he was holding me up. But when I'd fainted, just for the slightest second, he was instantly aware.
"Bella!" I smiled lightly at the sound of his voice. "Are you ok?" There was definite panic in his voice.
"Yeah I just didn't want to let go." I smiled at him but he looked slightly upset.
"Bella, you're going to kill yourself! God, isn't it bad enough you have bad luck we don't need you trying to kill yourself too!" I smiled again. Edward sighed, "You are hopeless." Edward placed me back on the floor holding me steady.
"I'm sorry I don't mean to worry you." I said still dizzy from the faint.
"Yeah that's the most important thing to worry about, upsetting me." He rolled his eyes at me. I still had butterflies in my stomach, and wasn't really listening to his rant. I leaned up to kiss him again. He kissed me quickly then quickly pulled back. "Who knows what will happen next time I kiss you like that."
"You're right…we should find out." He smiled at me.
"Maybe later." He emphasized maybe. I let out a huff of defeat I knew there was no point in trying to argue him while I was looking into his topaz eyes. He chuckled under his breath. "Charlie's home." He said a few minutes later. I grabbed his hand, pulled him to the couch and turned on the TV. Charlie walked in a few minutes later.
"Bella? Edward?" Charlie called as he walked through the door.
"We're in the living room." He popped his head around the door.
"Hey kids, what'cha doing?"
"Nothing just watching TV…" this is as good a time as any to bring up the mom situation. "Mom called for you today."
"Really?" his eye's lit up, then were filled with realization, Edward was shaking a little trying to stifle some giggles I supposed.
"Uh huh, yea she left a message too. It was kind of rambled together she sounded kind of worried. She was freaking out you could say…" I paused for dramatic effect he was going to crack and tell me everything soon anyway I might as well have fun. "Did you say something to her by any chance?"
He was breaking a cold sweat and I knew I had him.
"Well no not anything in particular…um you see I just thought…well maybe she wanted." He gulped, "Well she just needs to know Bells! Ok?" I sighed.
"You didn't even tell me dad. Who's life is it again?" I waited for an answer but knew he wasn't giving me one. "Dad didn't you think there was a reason I waited to tell my own mother I was getting married? I just needed time; this is a touchy subject for her. Geez give me a little credit!"
He sighed. "Sorry Bells I don't know what I was thinking."
"It's ok…I guess." I got my confession I wasn't really angry with him anyway. "Oh yea Billy called, inviting you over."
"Really that's nice." There was clearly relief in his voice he figured he was off the hook and I figured I'd let him off. What's done is done. Now all I can do is wait.