Dear Everyone who says they are staying up all night to read my story. Please, get some sleep. I promise this fic isn't going anywhere and will be finished. Unless I die. Which isn't in my outline, so we should be good. ;)
Many thanks and welcome to the dozens and dozens of folks who put this story on alert this week. Not sure where the rec came from, but thanks to whoever rec'ed me!
Chapter 34 – Moving Day
Six o'clock dawned bright and early. I had the unusual urge to throw my Blackberry against the wall to silence the alarm. Yesterday had been busy, and the night before had been one of short sleep. I'd give just about anything for the chance to sleep in today.
Instead, I dragged myself out of bed; washed my face; brushed my teeth and hair; and prepared for the move. Jacob said he and his friends would be by around seven to get loaded up. I hadn't talked to him since buying the bedroom set, and hoped that moving the furniture as well as the boxes and clothes, wasn't too much.
So I wasn't surprised at all when there was a knock on my door around 7:15. What did surprise me, however, was who was at the door.
"Riley?" I stared stupidly at the grinning man before me.
Riley flashed me his megawatt smile and thrust a piping hot cup of tea into my hands.
"Good morning, beautiful," he sang, "we're here to save you from a fashion disaster."
"We?" I asked, looking down the hallway behind him. I didn't see anyone else.
"Of course. Alice and I spend every Black Friday together, it's our annual tradition. So, even though we're not shopping this year, we still have to be together."
I went to the window and tried to find Alice's yellow Porsche. It was nowhere to be found.
"Did you drive?" I asked Riley, who had disappeared into my closet and was humming loudly to himself.
"No," a gravelly voice answered me, "I did."
I spun in surprise at the unexpected sound. "Jasper?" I turned to the window again, and sure enough, there was the car that Edward had driven home from the club the night that Jasper had too much to drink. Jasper stood in my open doorway. He looked like hell, having obviously not showered or shaved today.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"I'm tired, Bella. Alice was supposed to spend the day with Riley. I planned on sleeping in today, but Alice woke me at five and insisted I come along to help. 'You can't think that Riley, Bella, or me can lift all those clothes'." He mimicked her voice perfectly, and I grinned.
"Well, you can't," Alice said as she stepped around from behind him.
Jasper's eyes went wide as soon as he realized he'd been caught being less than reverent while talking about her. He opened his mouth to say something, but Alice cut him off.
"We'll talk later," she said with a raise of what could only be called a bitch brow.
Riley stepped out of the closet and "tsk-tsked" Jasper before gathering Alice under his arm and escorting her into the closet. Jasper took a few hesitant steps into my apartment.
"Where's that boyfriend of yours?" Jasper asked me in a low, menacing voice. "I'm going to kick his ass. Couldn't he have hired movers or something for you?
"Edward?"
"Do you have another boyfriend?" he asked sarcastically.
"Don't get snippy with me," I told him.
"Don't get snippy with Bella," Alice called from the other side of the room, simultaneously. Riley snorted, a surprisingly indelicate sound.
"Morning, Bella!" a loud voice boomed from the doorway. Both Jasper and I turned to see Jacob standing just inside the now crowded apartment, a couple of guys I thought I recognized milled about in the hallway behind him.
"I was only kidding about having another boyfriend, Bella," Jasper said to me quietly, eyeing Jacob with concern.
"Jake's a friend. He has a truck and offered to help me move my stuff." I turned to Jacob. "Good morning, Jake."
"Here," Jacob thrust a white bakery box into my hands, "thought you might be hungry."
"Thanks!"
"Jasper," Alice called from the closet, "would you go to the car and start bringing up those garment bags?"
Jasper turned and made his way out of the room, grumbling. His departure made enough space for one of Jake's friends to join us. The friend popped open the lid of the bakery box and stuck his hand in, coming out with a raspberry Danish. Jake smacked him in the back of the head.
"Cool it, Quil. Ladies first."
"Ooh!" Riley squealed, making his way over to where we were standing. "Thank you!" He stuck his hand in the box and removed the pastry Quil had just put down. Quil stared at Riley with wide eyes. Riley winked back at him. Alice was next, pulling an apple turnover from the box.
"Oh, Riley…Alice, this is Jacob Black and his friend Quil. I'm afraid I don't remember the names of your other friends."
"'Sfine. That's Embry and Brady," Jake said with a casual thumb over his shoulder. Both men waved cautiously. Jacob waved them in and indicated the box.
"What looks good, Bella?" he asked me before they could make their selections.
"This is fine," I said, pulling out a cheese Danish. Jacob took the other cheese Danish and then thrust the box into Quil's hands. The seven of us were standing in the middle of the mess enjoying our impromptu breakfast when Jasper arrived with the garment bags hung over his shoulder. He looked us over.
"Hey, man," Jacob greeted him. He pointed to the bakery box. "Help yourself."
"Thanks." Jasper found a pain au chocolat and bit into the flakey pastry with obvious appreciation.
"So, Bella," Jacob started, "this is a lot more stuff then you said you had. We're going to have to make a few trips."
"I'm sorry," I said. "I got a good deal on the bedroom set, but had to take delivery last week. I hope that's okay."
"Sure, sure," Jake responded.
"Uh…hi?" A voice sounded from the hallway and the eight of us turned.
"Ben?"
"Hey, Bella," Ben answered. He looked sheepish. Standing with him were Mike and Austin, who had both accompanied us that night everyone went out to the Cock and Bull.
"Uh, Angela asked if I could give you hand moving. I…uh, I guess you have enough help."
"Never enough help when it comes to moving heavy stuff," Jake assured him with a jovial smile.
"Thanks, Ben, Mike, Austin, it's really nice of you guys to give up a day off to help me move."
"Not that nice," Mike grumbled. Austin was looking everywhere but at us.
"Hey Marks," Jasper said, holding out a hand to shake with Austin.
"Uh, hello, Mr. Whitlock." Austin looked extremely uncomfortable, but shook Jasper's hand.
"Relax, Austin. Call me Jasper. Looks like we both got drafted today."
Austin laughed nervously.
Jasper turned back to Alice. "There are a few more bags in the car; do you want me to get them?"
"Yeah, that'd be great," Alice responded, seeming to forgive Jasper his earlier slight in the face of all the newcomers.
Jasper popped the last of his pastry in his mouth before squeezing out of the crowded room and heading downstairs.
"Okay, people," Alice announced, "breakfast is over, finish up and start getting these boxes out of here so that we have room to work."
Ben, Austin, and Mike each grabbed a box and headed for the door. "Where are these going, Bella?" Ben asked.
"Uh, Jake's truck. Hold on, I'll show you." I walked out with the guys leading them to the elevator and then out to the street. Jasper was standing by his car with his phone to his ear. He disconnected the call as soon as we appeared. I frowned, but just waved to him as he pulled the rest of the garment bags out of his car.
Jake's truck was parked about a half block away. I led the guys over to it, and they slid the boxes into the cab.
"Um, would one of you mind staying with the truck? I'm afraid someone will steal all my stuff if it is left alone."
"I'll stay," Austin volunteered quickly.
"Thank you." Ben, Mike, and I headed back to the apartment to get more stuff.
The truck got filled surprisingly quickly. Instead of heading out, though, Alice conscripted all the volunteers into sorting and packing my clothes. Going through everything made me wonder if all the garment bags Jasper brought upstairs earlier had actually been empty. There's no way I had this much stuff in my closet.
A growing pile was dedicated to things that were being removed from my wardrobe. Things Alice deemed out-of-fashion, even though they'd been in my closet less than a month. I'm pretty sure I saw Riley snag a belt from the pile being donated to charity.
Looking at all the people in the room running up and down the stairs and packing my clothes, an unexpected warm feeling bubbled up in me, marred by one noticeable exception.
JPOV
It was 10 o'clock before I could escape the madness upstairs for a few minutes to make my last-ditch effort to call the one person who should be here, but wasn't.
"Where the hell are you?" I growled into the phone when he finally answered.
"Home. Why, where are you?"
"Me? I'm at Bella's."
"What? Why? Is everything okay?"
"Everything's fine. I'm helping her move."
"Bella asked you to help her move?" Edward sounded confused.
"No, but that doesn't matter. You know who else she didn't ask to help? Mike Newton, but he's here."
"Newton's there?"
"Yeah, he came with Cheney and Austin Marks from my office. Seems your assistant asked her boyfriend to help her new roommate move in and he brought friends."
"Fuck."
"Yeah, well that's not the worst of it. While Bella didn't ask me for help, it seems she did ask someone; Jacob Black is here."
"What?" Edward's voice was loud and startled.
"What were you thinking, man?" I asked him. "How did you think she was going to move halfway across town? Let me tell you something. For someone who has nothing, she has a lot of shit: a lot of heavy shit. My back is already hurting."
"Where's Bella now?"
"She just left with Black, a few of his friends, and the guys from the office to unpack the first truckload."
"Why didn't you call me earlier?"
"I did call you earlier, asshole. Twice. I've been here since seven."
Edward groaned. "I'm on my way."
"Well you better hurry up. Use the time to come up with a good excuse for not being here at the buttcrack of dawn like the rest of us."
"She never asked me for help…" he trailed off. Was he whining?
"Are you whining? Jesus fuck, Edward, pull it together and get over here." I disconnected the phone and returned to the trenches that were Bella's apartment.
EPOV
I rushed to get ready, and while I did I thought about what Jasper had said.
Mike Newton and Jacob Black. Jacob Black and Mike Newton.
I'd talked to Mike that day in the cafeteria. He held his own in the conversation, but it was obvious he was intimidated by me. Not just in a "you're my boss" kind of way but in an "I may have touched your girlfriend inappropriately kind of way," too. After that conversation I decided not to worry about him. The fact that he showed up to help Bella was more a product of his relationship with Ben Cheney than any plan he had to woo her away from me.
Jacob Black, on the other hand, was a problem.
I thought back to the two times Jacob had seen us together. The first time was at the charity gala for my father's hospital. Jacob danced with her while I'd played fast and loose with Kathleen Snow. I apologized that night, and Bella and I had shared our first kiss.
The second time, Jacob bought her a drink at my own club, while I danced with a dozen different women. A few minutes later, I pulled her from his side and almost molested her on the couch in a conference room.
I froze momentarily, looking at myself in the mirror. Both times Jacob had seen Bella and me together, I'd been coming on to other women. Was I sending him the message that Bella wasn't important to me or that she was a temporary thing?
Fuck! I needed to get over there now.
Forty-five minutes and a quick stop later, I was at Bella's place. A large pickup was double parked right outside the door. I saw Jasper's car about a half block away. A guy I didn't recognize was sitting in the cab of the truck guarding a bedroom set that was carefully packed into the available space. The guy's eyes followed me as I made my way to the building. He nodded at me when I passed by. I nodded back, realizing he was one of the guys from Jacob's "pack."
I was about to enter the lobby of the building when the door swung open and a parade of people I recognized shuffled out, loaded down with boxes and what appeared to be garment bags. I stepped back to give them room. It was like watching that circus act where a dozen clowns come pouring out of an old VW Bug.
The first three guys each greeted me as they stepped onto the sidewalk, "Mr. Cullen." "Mr. Cullen." "Mr. Cullen." I nodded to the three men who worked for me.
Next out was Black. "Cullen," he said, a disparaging look on his face. I nodded and scowled in response to his unspoken rebuke. The next two guys I definitely recognized as friends of Black's. They both nodded in silent acknowledgment.
Following the last of Jacob's friends was Jasper. "Asshole," was all he said as he marched past me, loaded down with garment bags. Alice was next, "Idiot." I sighed and seriously considered firing her for a nanosecond.
Last out was Riley. He simply sniffed as he walked past me, nose in the air, refusing to acknowledge my presence. I waited a moment, expecting Bella to be bringing up the rear, but she didn't appear. I grabbed the door before it slammed shut and took the stairs two at a time to reach her apartment. The door was open, so I stepped inside and glanced around the empty space.
Without Bella's meager possessions, the room seemed gloomier than ever. Her closet door was open as was the small, grimy window. Only the bathroom door was shut, and the sound of running water told me that was where I'd find Bella. I settled down on the windowsill to wait for her.
She stepped out of the bathroom, and I was immediately struck by her unassuming good looks. A woman like Tanya wouldn't be caught dead dressed as Bella was now, in stretchy black pants that only came down to midcalf, a pink tank top, and her hair in two long braids down her back, covered in a stained bandanna. She wore no makeup, was visibly sweating, and had a clean streak swiped across her cheek where she must have wiped away the sweat and dirt from the move.
She was lovely.
"Bella," I said quietly.
She startled and looked up at me in surprise. "Edward?"
"Hi."
"Hi. What are you doing here?" That she would even have to ask the question cut pretty deep.
"I came to help. I see I'm a little late."
"Oh, umm, yeah. I wasn't expecting…I mean, I didn't ask..."
"Why didn't you ask, Bella? If you needed help, why didn't you just say so?"
She sighed. She opened her mouth to speak, but at that moment Jacob Black came bounding back into the room. "Hey, Bells, all packed up. Ready to leave paradise behind?"
Bells?
She cracked a wide smile at him before answer with a resounding, "Yes!" Laughing, Jacob turned for the door, but not before looking over at me.
"Nice of you to show up, man."
He said it with a completely straight face.
"Jake," Bella admonished. Jake looked like he was going to say something before just shrugging and heading out the door.
"I guess we'll see you over there," he said before disappearing down the hall.
"C'mon, Bella, I'll give you a ride." She pulled on a warm jacket and followed me out.
The street was deserted of all Bella's friends and admirers when we made our way down. I held the door of my Volvo for her.
"Where to?" I asked when I settled down beside her.
"Two blocks up, make a left," she said.
We rode the two blocks in silence before I stopped to make the turn.
"Bella?"
"Mmm?" She was looking out the window at the dreary streets.
"Bella, if you needed help moving, why didn't you just ask?"
She faced me resolutely.
"This is one of those situations," she stated, as if we'd talked about this before.
"What do you mean 'one of those situations'?"
"Helping me move is something my boyfriend would do. But you're not my boyfriend, you're my boss. I'm not really your girlfriend. I don't hang out at your place on weekends, or cook for you during the week. You don't buy me gifts, or call me in the middle of the night to tell me you're thinking about me. Our dates are for public consumption. Asking you for help would be overstepping the boundaries of our contract. So I didn't ask. I didn't ask anyone. All these people," Bella pointed vaguely in front of us, indicating the army of movers she gained, "I didn't ask them. They just showed up."
"Jacob Black 'just showed up' with friends and a pickup truck to help you move."
She didn't answer right away and when I looked over at her she was biting her lip while looking out the windshield.
"No, Jacob didn't just show up. We talked, he and I, at the costume party at the club. I was just making small talk, really, shortly after Alice and I got there."
I knew what she was saying; they talked while I danced with all those women.
"I mentioned I was moving soon, just to make some small talk and he offered to help out. He said he had a truck and that since I was just moving across town there was no reason why we couldn't get it all done without professional movers. I hadn't even thought about movers. My plan was to make a few trips on the bus and maybe a cab ride, if necessary. Then I bought the bedroom furniture and it was good that I had a friend with a truck…"
She trailed off. A friend with a truck: so, Jacob Black was a friend.
"Jacob's your friend?"
"Well, yeah." She shrugged.
"And what am I?"
"You're my boss."
Ouch.
"Really, Bella? That's all I am to you? Your boss?"
"Well, of course, I have friendly feelings for you, Edward. You're a great boss, but I was raised to respect the chain of command. 'Your superiors are not your friends,' my father always warned me. 'Don't fraternize with the people who work for you,' was another rule. Personal involvement makes professional decisions hard."
She was right, of course. I did not make it habit to socialize with the people from CE. Hell, I didn't even let them call me by my first name; even those closest to me, like Angela Weber and Shelly Cope.
But Bella was different.
"Those are good rules," I agreed, not wanting to disparage her father, "but our working relationship is rather unique, wouldn't you agree?"
"It's certainly not something I've seen before," she allowed.
"So, perhaps we need to have a special set of rules for our unique relationship."
"What kind of rules?"
"Well, for one, we should help each other move," I grinned at her as she rolled her eyes.
"Fine," she agreed. "But, I should warn you, if you decide to move, I'm not helping to carry out the piano."
"Fair enough. Two, we should spend time together outside our professional activities."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that since our professional activities involve us dating, we should spend time together as friends, outside of work. You could hang out at my place on weekends, or cook me dinner some random weekday."
She snorted. "Are you going to buy me presents and call me in the middle of the night?"
"Maybe," I said with a grin. We pulled up in front of the building Bella indicated. I stopped the car and turned off the ignition before turning to face Bella in her seat.
"But, right now," I said looking over Bella's shoulder at Jacob and his friends emerging from the building, "I think you should get to work and kiss me so that Jacob Black understands that he's just your friend."
"You're being sil…" She started to speak, but I leaned forward and silenced her with my lips. She recovered quickly and kissed me back. I raised my hand to her face and ran my thumb along her jaw. She sighed, and I took the opportunity to run my tongue just along her upper lip. It must have tickled because she smiled and giggled. I pulled back and jumped out of the car, jogging around to let her out. I offered her my hand, which she clasped tightly. Hand in hand, we made our way into the building and up to her apartment.
Chaos reigned inside. Alice was standing in the middle of the room like a little dictator directing traffic. Riley was actually holding a clip board, a silk scarf tied around his hips like a washer woman. He was taking furious notes. Noises could be heard from the bedroom closest to the front door which is where I assumed Bella would be living.
"I should offer everyone something to drink," Bella fretted. She dropped my hand and walked off, leaving me to survey the insanity.
A moment later she was back.
"There's nothing here. I should get something." She turned to me. "Would you drive me to the store? I'll pick up a case of beer…" she trailed off, a fretful look on her face.
"What?"
"I should feed them. They're really doing so much. Alice and Jake, they won't even let me help."
"See what everyone wants and we'll go pick it up."
An hour late,r Alice called a general break allowing everyone to settle down and enjoy the pizza and beer Bella and I had picked up. Alice and Jasper had their heads together away from the rest of the group. It was a testament to the size of this apartment that there even was a spot away from the rest of the group. I knew, from talking with Bella, that Jasper had made a sarcastic comment about Alice earlier in the day. It looked like he was paying for it now.
"Thanks for lunch, Cullen," Jacob said, stuffing a piece of pizza laden with sausage and mushrooms into his big mouth.
"You're welcome."
"It was nice of you to take care of us, while we took care of your girl, here." The innuendo was clear and I rose to my feet to say something that would shut him up.
"Of course we're taking care of our Beautiful!" Riley interjected, bending over to squeeze Bella tightly while looking at me calmly straight in the face. I made a mental note to ask Bella exactly what Riley knew about us. "She brings sunshine into all our lives," Riley continued, "it's the least we can do."
"The very least," Jake chimed in, shooting me another loaded look.
"Jake!" Bella warned, more sharply than she had when she admonished him earlier.
I sat back down after shooting a glance over at Jasper and Alice. They were sitting together silently, watching the drama unfold. Neither spoke or acknowledged my gaze, but I knew they had my back.
"Thank you all for your help. I could never have done this without you." Bella smiled at each person in the room, acknowledging their contributions. She turned to me last.
"And thank you," she said quietly. I smiled at her sincere expression and leaned forward to kiss her cheek, my eyes darting to Jake. He turned away with a scowl. I gave an amused huff against Bella's ear and watched in delight as gooseflesh traveled down her neck and shoulder.
It only took another two hours, with Alice's direction, to get Bella completely settled in. Despite Jacob's snide comments, I did do my part, helping Bella arrange her new furniture in her bedroom and hanging the mirror over her dresser. The guys marched a dozen or so boxes and an untold number of garment bags up from the street. When everything was scattered around the living area, Ben and his friends said goodbye. Bella hugged each of them while thanking them profusely. Ben hesitated.
"Bella, um…Ang asked me to give you something."
"What's that?"
Ben pulled a small box, wrapped in brown Kraft paper and tied with a raffia ribbon from his pocket. Bella took the box curiously.
"What is it?" she asked curiously.
Ben shrugged. "Open it."
"Maybe I should wait until Angela gets home."
"She said you should open it today."
With a curious grin, Bella removed the bow and paper without ripping either. Jake and his cronies entered the apartment from the hallway and stood nearby watching. Bella opened the lid of the small box and pulled out a shiny pink house key.
"She wanted me to tell you, 'Welcome home.' She'll call you tomorrow."
"Oh Ben, thank you." Bella's voice was full of emotion, and she threw her arms around Ben again, hugging him fiercely.
Ben patted her back awkwardly, but she didn't let go. He shot me a panicked look and I put my hands on her shoulders and gently pulled her away from him. She laughed nervously and quickly wiped her eyes of happy tears.
"If it's time for presents, here's mine," Jake boomed.
"Jake, you shouldn't have," Bella protested as Jake stepped out into the hallway and returned almost immediately with a miniature ficus in a tiny blue ceramic pot.
"It's a bonsai. My grandfather grows them as a hobby. If you need any help with it, just let me know. They can be tricky."
"Oh, Jake, thank you." Bella voice had taken on a soft, high-pitched quality that oozed sincerity. She stood on tiptoe to hug him. Unlike Ben, Jake wrapped his arms firmly around her and rocked her back and forth.
They eventually parted, just in time for Bella to be accosted by Riley once more.
"This one is from us, Pretty," he said, handing Bella a medium-sized, gaily wrapped box, while gesturing between himself and Alice.
Bella opened the gift with as much care as she had Angela's. Inside were dozens of candles, all different sizes and scents, as well as a box of kitchen matches and a candle snuffer. Bella inhaled deeply.
"This is wonderful," she said, "thank you so much!" Riley and Alice each hugged her in turn. The people in the room turned to me, and I was relieved I made that quick stop this morning. I grabbed the shopping bag that I had brought upstairs earlier and handed it to Bella.
"Sorry it's not wrapped," I muttered.
"Oh, Edward, you didn't have to get me anything." She reached into the bag and pulled out the box inside. She turned it quickly to see the photo on the front.
"This is perfect," she breathed. She opened the lid to the tea-for-one set I purchased for her on the way over this morning. The little pot, cup and saucer were practical for a tea drinker, and had a floral motif that was pretty. Practical and pretty, just like Bella.
"There's more," I said, indicating the bag. She looked into the bag and pulled out a box of English Breakfast Tea, a box of sugar cubes and tiny silver sugar cube tongs. I grinned at her as she 'oohed' at each new discovery.
"I love it," she said, finally. She put all the boxes on the coffee table and walked over to me. She rose on her toes, but instead of hugging me, she kissed me lightly on the lips. I could feel the goofy grin spread across my face as my arms slid around her slender waist.
"Thank you," she continued. Alice caught my eye with a small nod and even Riley, who had ignored me all day, looked mollified.
"Well, Bells," Jacob boomed, destroying the tender moment, "hate to help and run, but the guys and I have plans this evening."
"We're going to get going, too," Ben said.
Bella broke away from me to say farewell to her friends. I stood back and watched as Jake hugged her one more time-inappropriately, if you asked me. She walked everyone out, continuing to offer profuse thanks, until everyone left and she closed the door. Turning, she leaned heavily against the door and sighed a loud sigh.
Riley was there immediately, guiding her to the couch. Alice fluttered nearby and Jasper joined us as well, sitting in the upholstered arm chair. Alice settled in his lap. I walked through the living room to the tiny dining room and grabbed a chair to bring back with me.
I set the chair near the coffee table, and Riley immediately popped off the couch and sat down in it as if I were holding it for him.
"Thank you so much, Edward," he twittered. "You don't mind if I call you Edward, do you?"
"Uh, that's fine." He graced me with a beatific smile. I walked to the only spot left to sit, on the couch, next to Bella. She was leaning back with her eyes closed, but I thought I could see the hint of a smile.
We sat in silence for a few minutes, recharging our batteries, before Bella sat up with a groan.
"What's wrong?" I asked her.
"I really need to get the rest of this stuff put away," she said, indicating the boxes scattered around the room.
Alice hopped off Jasper's lap. "Riley and I will get your clothes unpacked and your closet set up. You can tell the guys where the rest of the stuff should go."
It was just after six when we finished, and even Alice was starting to drag a little. We had gathered in the living room again.
"Guys, I just can't thank you enough," Bella was saying. "This would have taken me forever, alone."
"Don't mention it, darlin'," Jasper drawled at her.
"No, no!" Riley disagreed, "Mention it. This was hard." We laughed at his assertion.
"Can I buy you dinner?" she asked.
"Some other time," Jasper said. Alice was looking at me expectantly.
"What?"
"You told Bella you'd take her to the club this weekend."
That wasn't exactly the way I remembered it.
"Do you want to go to the club this weekend?" I asked her. Alice was bobbing her head so fast she was going to sprain her neck.
Bella laughed lightly. "Yeah, tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow's fine," I assured her. "Will you join us?" I asked Alice.
"Yes!" she burst out, drawing a louder laugh from Bella and a chuckle from Jasper.
"How about you?" I asked Riley. He made a moue.
"Not this weekend, honey, but thanks for asking. I've had my fill of heteros. Some other time. Speaking of time, it's time for us to leave," he said with no subtlety. "Alice and I made your bed for you. You need new pillows," he continued.
"Thank you."
"Anytime."
Hugs and handshakes were shared all around as Bella and I walked the last of her friends to the door.
"I'll call you tomorrow," Bella assured Alice.
"Not too early!" Jasper insisted.
With that parting shot, Bella closed the door leaving the two of us alone in the apartment. We walked back towards the living room and sat down together on the couch.
"So, I bought you a gift." I said teasingly.
Bella nodded and smiled. "Yes, you did."
"I'd invite you to hang out at my place tomorrow, but I'm assuming you'd rather stay here at your new place."
"You assume right." She grinned.
"You want to make me dinner one random night next week?"
"Maybe. Are you going to call me in the middle of the night tonight?"
"Maybe."
We smiled at each other, and then we were no longer smiling. I leaned in slowly and kissed her gently. Her hand rested lightly on the side of my neck. It was a chaste kiss, but felt heavy with meaning. I broke it off, but didn't move away.
"Is kissing me one of the 'special rules' of our 'unique relationship'?" Bella asked, her eyes still closed. Her hand was still on my neck so I knew she could feel my nod. She nodded, too.
"I'm going to go," I told her. I needed to get out of here before things really got out of hand. She opened her eyes.
"Goodnight, Edward."
"Goodnight."
I stood swiftly and pulled on my coat before walking to the door and letting myself out. I stood in the hallway until I heard Bella lock the door behind me.
EBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBE
Sorry, folks. This is where it has to end. Bella has a ridiculously full week next week.
It had been my intention to get my new blog completely updated before posting this chapter this week. And then my motherboard died. I did post this chapter's teaser, but will remove it when my computer is running again and I finish posting all the teasers and pictures for the previous chapters.
If you have a chance, though, stop by and scroll through what I have posted. I think I'm up to chapter 19. "Follow" the blog while you're there!
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