Rose POV
When Emmett told me about his conversation with Bella, I knew I had to ask Bella about the details surrounding Mike and to see if she needed to vent. I know I would if an asshole had ever done anything like that to me, especially in my own home.
Of course, she didn't really want to discuss it anymore when I asked. Maybe talking to Emmett was all she needed or all she could handle; I don't know which, but I was grateful that my monkey man came equipped with a kind heart and a beautiful soul as well as his monster cock.
Bella is the same way. Beautiful inside and out but she just won't believe anyone that tells her so. I really hope she figures it out for herself or she might risk losing something great.
EPOV
Do guys get butterflies? Or do we get something more manly sounding like...dragonflies? Yeah, that sounds better. Watching Bella in her car with her eyes closed and her head back gave me dragonflies. She'd looked just like that when I had kissed her in her apartment that first night I met her in person.
When I got out of my car and started towards hers, she opened her eyes and I saw them widen as she watched me walk across the lot. She looked like a mountain lion eyeing its prey. It was hot.
I felt naked under her gaze and I couldn't help but to smirk from this interesting turn of events. I know I've made her nervous at least once or twice and now it seemed like she was giving me a dose of my own medicine.
The lunch was pretty amazing. I watched as the staff of Forks and Spoons fell all over themselves to make sure Bella had everything she needed. She seemed really in her element. I was almost jealous of the amount of confidence she had in her work. This girl continued to surprise me at every turn.
When lunch was over and I walked her to her car, I couldn't help but to touch her. I had to hold her, if only for a second.
I was in so much trouble.
After lunch…
BPOV
I opened the email from Edward and was immediately excited when I read his words. He was inviting me to dinner tomorrow night to repay me for the "free meal" today.
Dinner. At his house. Which he was cooking.
Swoon.
Of course, I had to say no though.
EPOV
My computer pinged as I saw a gChat message from Bella.
Isabella Swan says...
Hey, I had a great time at lunch today but we can't have dinner tomorrow night. Sorry.
I felt my stomach sink all the way down to my knees. No wonder she turned from me at the car. She didn't want this. Us. Or whatever form of us we were on right now.
Edward Cullen says...
Oh, ok. Well thanks again.
Isabella Swan says...
Yeah, I already promised Emmett that I'd have a game night here at the house tomorrow night (which you are definitely invited to). Can we do dinner Saturday instead?
Dragonflies. Lots and lots of dragonflies.
Several weeks later...
BPOV
"So what the fuck is going on with you and Edward?"
I snarfed my drink. "What do you mean?"
She gave me the side-eye as only Rosalie can and I immediately shrunk down like a dog being reprimanded for sneaking a pizza crust out of the trash.
She pondered my face for what felt like forever and finally she softened. "Bella, I thought I was your best friend. You can talk to me about anything, you know."
I stared at my hands in my lap for a minute and then finally glanced up at her. Her face was anxious, yet comforting. I could tell she was hoping that she hadn't crossed a line which was just crazy because with Rosalie, there generally were no lines.
"Ok. So it's nothing serious or anything, but we've just been hanging around a lot for the past few weeks. Ever since he came to a review sitting with me at that new restaurant, Forks and Spoons."
Game night had gone over really well. We didn't get too drunk (except for Emmett) and, while I didn't get a kiss that night, the tension was palpable.
Edward and I weren't on each other's team for the games but we still wound up sitting near each other and it was surreal. Occasionally his jean-clad knee would rub against my sock-encased foot and I would get a quiver of nerves running through my body. He felt it too; I know he did. He'd stop what he was doing and turn to look at me with a shy smirk on his lips.
God how I missed his lips.
"So you've been seeing him outside of our little group meetups?"
"Well, yeah once or twice, but mostly we just email or gChat while we're working or whenever."
"And why haven't you tapped that yet?"
I think I was snorting more latte than I was actually drinking.
"Rosalie! Jeez, woman. I don't know, okay? He always seems to hold back...like he's waiting for something or just not ready to take it further than it is. I don't know."
"Well you're a strong, independent woman," Rosalie said like this was the most obvious thing in the world.
"I am?" I stared at her wondering if she ever really knew me at all.
"Yes, you are. You should ask him if you want to spend time with him. Don't wait for him to make a move. Show him that you are confident and that any man in his right mind should want to spend time with you."
Nope. She definitely doesn't know me at all. I rolled my eyes and took another sip of my latte.
"At the very least, you can get pounded into the headboard a few times."
My nose burned as the rest of my latte came flying out of my face.
I wound up taking Rosalie's advice and decided to take life by the balls. After a particularly awesome gChat session one day with Edward, I told him that I had the house free for the evening as Rose and Emmett were doing dinner and a movie and then they were staying over at Emmett's.
Isabella Swan says...
Yeah so I was thinking we could hang if you want. I was going to cook and maybe rent a movie or two on my way back from the grocery store later. What do you think?
Edward Cullen is typing...
Edward Cullen is typing...
Edward Cullen is typing...
Three fricking times he's started to type and then stopped. I could feel the bile rising in my throat as I waited for him to answer me.
Edward Cullen says...
Ok. Can I bring anything?
Seriously? It took him three tries for that?
Isabella Swan is typing...
You can be dessert...
I deleted my word vomit and started over.
Isabella Swan says...
You can bring dessert if you'd like. Otherwise, I'll take care of the rest. What kind of alcohol would you like?
Edward Cullen says...
I actually have a Riesling I've been meaning to try. Can I bring that too?
Isabella Swan says...
Edward, do you know me at all? I'm not going to turn down free wine. Bring it. :oD
So the pseudo-date was set. I shut down my computer early, right after I finished printing off one of my go-to recipes for risotto and got my purse to head out to the store.
There was a major sale on cantaloupe so I thought that prosciutto wrapped melon would be a flavorful appetizer to go with the chicken and spinach risotto. I picked up another bottle of wine (or three) and was back home within the hour.
I wanted the food to be as fresh as possible when he arrived so I held off on starting to cook and instead hopped in the shower as soon as Jessie had a walk.
I even shaved my hoohah.
He better appreciate that shit. I don't do it often.
My legs were smooth, my eyebrows plucked. I slipped into a pair of jeans that balanced out my hips with some flaring at the bottom of the pant leg. I put a dark purple tank-top on and then put a white linen button-down t-shirt over top of it to conceal the pudge. I only buttoned the bottom three buttons so the girls were front and center.
Hey, big girls need love too and I was gonna shove those puppies right in his face if I had to.
I towel-dried my hair and it was just wavy enough to have some bounce. It was still technically summer and August in North Carolina means minimal make-up, if any, would even make it through the night, so I went with some tinted lip gloss, mascara, and a touch of powder to keep away the shinies.
About forty-five minutes later, our meal was almost done and Edward was due to arrive any minute. I heard the bell and my heart seemed to stop. Jessie went running to the door and I followed right behind her.
I opened the door and there he was, beautiful, dressed in dark jeans and a royal blue button-down shirt. He looked good enough to eat and all I could think was, "I hope he didn't bring dessert so I can just nom nom nom all over that man." His hair was messy and glossy and gorgeous and I seriously wanted to run my hands through it while he buried his face into my neck and carried me to the...but I digress.
Ok so he dressed up. So he obviously knows this is a pseudo-date or...something. We did this awkward hello where he put his free arm around me for this weird half-hug thing and I patted him on the fucking back. Who does that? Ugh.
There were two bags in his hands and the bottle of wine under his arm so I took the bags from him and he grabbed the bottle and stepped into my little world.
I had a little classical music playing in the background and he smiled in approval. I immediately got my corkscrew out, poured us each a glass of wine, and offered him some melon with prosciutto.
Edward was sitting at my breakfast bar while I was in the actual kitchen area so I reached the tray over the bar for him to take what he wanted. He popped the hors d'oeuvre in his mouth and his eyes bugged out of his head.
"Wow, Bella. This is so good. How did you make this?"
I giggled and put my wine glass down, walking to the fridge. I got out the remaining melon, with the baller still in the bowl, and the package of prosciutto.
"Well you see, you ball the melon, and then you wrap it in prosciutto." I stared at him and waited for a reaction.
"That's it? I thought it took actual skill, Swan, seeing how you're a big, bad food critic and all."
He chased his melon ball with a sip of wine and smiled at me with a nice chunk of prosciutto in his teeth.
Laughing out loud, I put the stuff back in the fridge and leaned in over the bar, my face within breathing distance of his. His eyes darkened and he glanced down at my lips before meeting my eyes again.
"You've got a little something...in your teeth. Might want to take care of that," I said, pulling away and resuming my station stirring the risotto.
I heard him grumble behind me and couldn't help the laughter. I glanced over my shoulder and he was smiling again, meat free.
We ate. We talked. We laughed. We stared.
He told me he was going out of town in two days for a week and he apologized for not telling me sooner but it was a last minute decision at work.
That simple gesture, apologizing for having to leave, hit me with force. He does like me. He wants to spend time with me. He doesn't want to go away.
I rose from the table unable to stop myself. His eyes widened minutely and he froze. I walked to him and leaned down capturing his lips with mine. My arms went around his neck and his immediately went to rest on my hips. He stood up while keeping his lips locked to mine. I felt his hands snake up my sides and then they went around my back into a bone-crunching hug as we kissed.
I don't know that I'd ever been hugged while being kissed before. I've been touched and felt up, but never really hugged this way.
He broke the kiss and stared into my eyes, panting heavily.
"Bella..." he looked torn and sounded pained.
Oh god. I practically attacked him all because he seemed sad at the thought of going out of town for a week.
"Edward, I...I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."
"Don't you dare..." he trailed off and kissed me again, hard.
I groaned into his mouth and he tightened his hold on me. I didn't even realize we were moving until the back of my knees hit the bed and we fell down on top of it.