Chapter 8
"We make and store the wine down here" Edward is giving Bella a tour of the winery.
It is cool and dark but clean, a rustic look to it the wine cellar. Bella looks around. "I want to know about Nonna"
"Didn't you speak to her?"
"Yes, and she looks like someone with so much history behind her eyes, was she married?"
"Yes" Edward answers. "Here come see this" He smiles. He doesn't do relationships. He meets women and has sex with them. He doesn't do all of this, making sure they are okay and saying sorry. It is just dinner and sex, that's just the way it is. So what he is doing with Bella is new, the touring of his place and the Nonna, and the talking like a real person. He knows he is not in a relationship with Bella but as far as a real relationship goes, this is what he would think it would be like.
"Is he alive?"
"No, same year as my mother, I think we connected so well because of the commonality"
Bella stands with him and looks at him her head always has to tip back because of his size. "When did this happen?"
"See this, this wine has been sitting for 10 years, it was the 1st one I made"
"Oh" She notices but ignores the subject change. "How is it?"
"Let's find out, or can you not drink?"
"I can drink, I am not working" She watches him smile and get two wine glasses putting them on a wooden barrel and opening the wine bottle with ease.
Pouring carefully he rests it down only to pick up the two glasses.
"Cheers" Bella mutters before taking a sip.
Edward watches her eyes shut lightly and her lips come off of the clear glass.
Sighing softly she swallows slowly. "Oh that is good"
Edward takes a sip himself. "Glad you like it"
"It's wonderful" She mutters letting the second sip go down her throat smoothly.
"My mother died, suddenly I was alone in the world. At 15, I had no one" He leaves out the horrible details of his foster life and foster families. The trials he had during his schooling. "At 20 I came to Italy, here. I was lucky enough to meet Nonna" Edward pauses and looks down at her, her eyes are full and kind, interested in a genuine way. "When I made money I bought this place for her"
Bella listens to him.
"She wouldn't live there, she didn't want to leave a home that she had all her life with her husband whom also died the same year as my mother, so she comes to tend the gardens that is what she loved about the house"
Bella says nothing. "She has done an amazing job, the gardens are lovely"
"Yes they are"
"So you have known her about 15 years?"
"Yes" Edward answers.
"You are very lucky to have her, she thinks the world of you" Bella tells him. She is shocked it has been 15 years since his mother and he finds it hard to speak about. She knows people deal with things differently and at different rates but. Yeah she was wrong about him, about his tenderness, she thought he had none. Or tact…well he still doesn't have that.
Edward smiles. "She likes everyone"
"Well she loves you"
"I love her"
Bella can't help but smile. "So" She turns around half way still holding the glass. "How was your night?"
"It was good"
"Who was that woman?"
"A friend"
"Nuff said"
"Hmm" Edward makes a sound.
Crossing her legs she leans forward, she spoke to her mom yesterday. Renee is still worried and on edge about her being so far from home with a strange man. Bella assured her that she was utterly safe from the clutches of the loathsome Edward Cullen.
She tips her head to the side not at what Aro is saying in his very raspy old voice, or what Edward is looking at while Aro is speaking. She tips her head to the side thinking that Edward is not really all that loathsome. He is almost misunderstood…namely by her. Turing her head she catches his eyes on her.
He frowns deep in his forehead as he looks at her stare back at him. Her lips are not pink but nor are they red with colour.
Lowering her head she picks up her pen and her hair falls into her view of the paper on the table they are all sitting around. It is only a coffee table, very intimate and personal, she is a personable person. A people person when it comes to how she does her job. It will always start on an intimate level because trust is a huge thing for her. She feels that having trust in life is important and that also follows through with work. She wants people she works with and for to trust her. Sometimes she forgets that she needs to learn to trust other people.
Edward watches her speak softly to this old man and point out offering up different things. He sits back taking his forearms from his elbows and he watches her with care. The bend in her back is very smooth as she leans speaking. He smiles moving his eyes to the two of them, their faces and looks with a small smile as she laughs at something. He isn't sure what was funny as he was not fully in the moment just now.
"You were amazing in there by the way" Edward compliments her as they walk to the car.
"Really?"
"Yeah" He glances at her and nods.
When the door is pulled open from her by their driver she stops and turns around to look up at him. "Thank you"
He stares at her for a long time, not just her brown eyes but her whole face, she is actually really extraordinary. One of those extraordinarily smart, clever, witty, women, who don't know how smart they are, or how beautiful they are.
"What is it?" She questions him because he said nothing and is still just looking at her.
"Nothing" Edward shakes his head a bit trying to clear his mind. "Shall we?"
"Yes" Turning Bella slides into the backseat of the car.
"I had a great time" Bella tells him as she stands outside of her small apartment open door. Emmett put her bags inside of the apartment for her.
"Good, you did great with the deal"
"And I will type up an official documents and fax it over to Italy and" She continues.
"Don't rush, you did great I can get someone to take care of it, if you want to give me your notes"
"No, I want to do it" She tells him with force.
"Okay, sure, don't rush it"
"I can handle my work" She smiles a bit at him.
"Are we on for yoga tomorrow?"
"Do I have a choice?"
"You always have a choice, I told you that"
"Yes, we are on…I need the rest of the day free, so" She lifts her eyes with a small smile.
Edward grins at her. "Okay, I will see you tomorrow"
"Okay"
"Night"
"Good night" She bid him farewell until tomorrow morning.
Emmett opens the door for Edward who climbs in.
Stopping before fully in the car he looks up at Emmett. "Make sure you pick her up tomorrow morning, bring her a bagel"
"Mr. Cullen?" Emmett is confused, Edward goes to lengths for women, women he has had sex with or will be having sex with. He doesn't see that with Bella. But Mr. Cullen is stilling going to some lengths…small but lengths.
"She likes bagels and cream cheese"
"Very well"
"Thank you" Edward responds getting fully into the car. As hard as it has been for her to warm up to him, she has done a great job thus far.
Jessica sits with her legs crossed in the waiting room.
"Is Edward in?" Bella walks through and questions Jenna.
"Good afternoon Ms. Swan, yes he is"
"May I?" Bella points to the shut double doors of his office. She was up and ready and greeted by Emmett with a warm bagel and cream cheese. It was a very nice surprise.
"Yes, of course"
"I have been waiting here for 15 minutes" Jessica jumps from her seat and glares.
"Ms. Stanley, Mr. Cullen is a very busy man" Jenna says, she remembers Jessica from a few weeks ago when she and Mr. Cullen 'went out'.
"Well clearly he makes time for his other woman"
Bella frowns. She is far from Edward's other anything. "I think you may be"
Jessica shoots the woman a glare. "How long have you been screwing him?"
"What?"
Jenna widens her eyes. She is not sure if she should call security up or not. A lady friend of Mr. Cullen's being escorted out of his building is not really what Mr. Cullen would want…she is certain of that.
"You heard me" Jessica glares at Bella.
"I work for him, and I think you need to lower your voice"
Edward opens his office door and looks out.
"Oh now you decide to show your face" Jessica sneers.
Bella whips her head and looks at him in the doorway.
Edward looks at Jenna who just looks confused; he then turns his attention on Jessica. "Jessica if you want to talk come in, Bella join us"
'Oh god' Bella thinks.
Edward looks at Jessica. "What do you want?"
"You are pathetic"
"Thank you, is there anything else, because if there isn't I need to get some work done with my advisor" He glances at Bella sitting with her head slightly bowed.
"Screw you"
"You already did that, it was amazing" He winks at her.
Jessica stands and storms out.
Bella crosses her legs and licks her lips quickly. "Well I just came to say thank you for the breakfast"
"You're welcome"
There is silence; both just stare at each other.
"Can I just say?" She can't even help herself that was utterly painful and highly embarrassing for all involved. She feels like she could be the most embarrassed and she has nothing to do with anything between the two of them.
"When do you not have anything to say?" He responds sarcastically.
"You brought me in here"
"To get rid of her"
"Well do you really expect anything different…you what used her for a night?"
"A full weekend" Edward corrects her.
"You are such a pig" Bella scoffs. Just when she thinks he is a bit above what she originally thought, he does something or she sees something that knocks her expectations of him right back down to the bare minimum.
"Look Bella we need to have an understanding"
"We do, I am just saying, to save yourself from these" She can't even find the words. "Just maybe a little more respect"
"They know what they are getting into before I get into them"
Bella cringes. "Okay enjoy, anyway you want to slice it, you are in the wrong"
"Why?"
"Do I really need to explain this to you?"
"We have yoga, explain on the way"
Edward looks at her standing in front of him in her yoga pants and a tank top. He stares at her as she puts her short brown hair up. The few pieces that don't go back fully she tucks behind her ears.
Alice looks at the pair of them. "How was Italy?"
"Eventful" Edward looks at her and smiles.
"So today" Alice claps her hands together. "Edward lift your hands clasp them together and stretch them out.
Bella watches him do it.
"Explain" He looks at Bella.
"Now place them over Bella's head and settle behind the back of her neck"
Bella steps closer to him so, that he can hook his clasps hands around her neck. "You are wrong because you know what you are doing"
"So do they" Those women know, and they all come in thinking they can change him, and that is not what he wants, so they are fully aware before the first course is over.
"Bella, wrap your arms around Edward's middle" She instructs.
Bella just places her hands on his hips. "They don't reach" She glances at Alice.
"Just hold his sides, both of you need to lean back, but Bella now place your feet on top of his"
Edward looks at her, removing his hands from her neck he holds her waists and lifts her, a fraction of an inch up to place her feet on top of his.
Bella shifts a little and holds his sides leaning back only when his hands are clasps safely around the back of her neck supporting her leaning.
"Edward you now lean back also" She tells him, placing a hand on his stomach and back guiding him a bit. "Good"
"But you know how women are" Bella tells him.
"How are women?"
"They will fall in love fast" They will think they are the one, even if they have seen or heard about in this case, Edward before.
"They are not in love with me, they are in love with…part of me, and"
Bella scoffs. "What part is that?"
"Do I need to explain?" He jokes only getting a roll of the eyes from her.
"I don't feel like you both are relaxed" Alice informs them looking back and forward between the two.
"You are lucky you are getting this much" Bella mutters.
"We spoke about her being uncomfortable with intimacy"
Bella glares at him. "I am done" She moves to get from his bare feet.
"Oh no no" Edward doesn't let her go; he in turn glares at her before cocking an eyebrow up. "Do I need to get physical?"
"What, are you on drugs?"
Edward laughs. "You are so easy"
"HA!"
"Well not easy like that" He smiles at her.
She says nothing to him. "I am just saying a little more tenderness, if you can't offer more, don't take the milk"
"So are women cows now?"
"Is something wrong with you?"
Edward smiles. She is so feisty. "I get what you are saying, I am just saying women know the deal before we fuck, and if they can't handle it they need to walk away"
"Maybe you need to walk away sometimes" Bella tells him lightly. "And not just be a taker" She has seen more of him, which is why she doesn't understand why he prefers this life style. He explained it to her, but she has seen the tender side, the well the entire different person than he throws out while in New York City.
"Oh Isabella, if you knew me like Jessica knows me, you will know I am certainly not a taker, I am a giver"
"Why do I bother?" She mutters shaking her head. "What next?" She says looking at Alice's face. This conversation is an utter joke to Edward.
