Chapter 2: Coming Clean

To hear him say those words, "These hands were meant to hold your hands. These lips were meant to kiss your lips. These arms were meant to wrap around your body. This heart beats for only you." That was all Bella needed to hear. To hear how much she meant to him. To hear that she was the only one he wanted for the rest of his life. She wrapped her arms around his neck as her lips came in contact with his. Edward's heart skipped a beat. He knew that it was going to take some time to get back to where they used to be, but this was a start. He wrapped his arms around her waist as their lips moved in synchronization. He knew things were going to be different, but in a good way. He was finally going to give "all" of himself to her.

"Bella," Edward said reluctantly parting his lips from hers. He needed to tell her the reason why he did what he did. Why he felt like he couldn't marry her that day. "We need to talk." He grabbed her hand as he sat down on the couch. She gave him a worried look. He smiled up at her as he pulled her down to sit next to him. He situated himself so that he was facing her. He leaned forward to place a kiss on her forehead before spilling his heart out to her.

"One second," Bella said getting up and running down the hall. Edward watched in confusion as she came back with a box of Kleenex in one hand and a trashcan in the other.

"You're too adorable," Edward smiled as Bella joined him back on the couch putting her hands back in his. Edward took a deep breath closing his eyes before he began. He wasn't sure if he would be able to do this, but knew that having Bella holding his hands was all the motivation he needed. "Please let me say everything I need to say before you say anything."

"I promise," Bella answered as she leaned in to give Edward an encouraging kiss on his lips.

"OK," Edward smiled. He had never been more nervous than he was at that very moment. He was about to reveal to Bella how vulnerable he could be and that scared the shit out of him. "Eight years ago I met this girl named Jessica. It was our senior year of college and we met through mutual friends. She was different than all the other girls I knew. She was smart, funny, athletic, pretty. I fell hard and fast for her. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. She was my best friend, my first love. Then one day, she left without saying goodbye. There was only a note saying that she was sorry, but to never contact her again." Edward paused taking a deep breath. Bella stroked the back of his hand to comfort him. He took her hand turning her hand over and placed a kiss on her palm before placing them back in his lap.

"I didn't obey her wishes. I went looking for her only to find her in the arms of another man. The day she left was the day I was planning to propose to her. But, I never got the chance. She broke me like I thought no one could ever. I spent two years wallowing in self-pity. I shut out my friends, family, the whole world. I lost twenty pounds and about a year in contemplated suicide." Bella gasped at the word 'suicide'. She had no idea he had been through any of this and it broke her heart that someone so cold could do such a thing to an amazing man like Edward. She wanted to hunt this Jessica person down and rip her a new one! Bella cupped Edward's cheek with her right hand. He closed his eyes trying to control his emotions. A single tear rolled down his cheeks. Bella leaned in and kissed it away. He didn't know if Bella knew how a simple touch from her sent a wave of pleasure through him.

Bella had never seen him shed a tear. She felt sad that someone did something so bad that would make him cry, but happy that he felt comfortable enough to do it in front of her.

"It took two words to snap me out of my walking coma," Edward said remembering the first day he was able to breath again.

"What two words?" Bella asked not knowing what he meant.

"Excuse you," Edward smiled remembering what she was wearing, where they were, what they had talked about. Bella blushed remembering the first day they met. It had been one of the worst days she's ever had. She was late to her first day of work, she was wearing a black pencil skirt, a bright blue blouse, and black heels that were lopsided from a broken left heel, and she had just been run over by a man who was oblivious to the world around him. He had walked right into her making her drop her bag spilling all it's contents out onto the sidewalk.

"I did that? Snap you out of a walking coma?" Bella asked. She had no idea. She thought he looked a little ragged and extremely tired, but nothing that serious.

"You sure did. After I ran you over, I kinda followed you to your office to see where you were headed," Edward confessed.

"You were stalking me?" Bella joked looking violated.

"I was just curious," Edward laughed. "You were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen and I couldn't let you get away that easily."

"Small world," Bella heard a melodic voice next to her. She turned and was mesmerized by two green eyes. They looked different from the first time she saw them, but she knew exactly who the belonged to. There seemed to be more life in them than before.

"Sure is," Bella smiled. She wasn't sure what his story was, but she felt his sadness and all she wanted to do was make it go away.

"I hope your day has gotten better," Edward smiled. When he had run into her he noticed that she looked exhausted and very stressed.

"It has actually," Bella smiled. "All thanks to you." As soon as he had ran into her, her day started to get better and better.

"Oh, well I'm glad I could be of service," Edward beamed straightening his imaginary tie. Bella giggled. "I would be honored if you would join me for dinner."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Bella said. She didn't know this guy, what if he was a serial killer?

"Just to say I'm sorry for running into you this morning and to celebrate your much improved day," Edward explained. He usually didn't ask out random women, but there was just something about this one that caught his interest. "And we'll be in a public place, so people can hear you scream if need be."

Bella couldn't help but laugh. She did like a guy with a sense of humor. "Alright, but I get to pick the place."

"Naturally," Edward smiled. Bella gave Edward directions to her place and told her he would be there at 6:00 P.M. "You be thinking about where you want to go."

"See you at six," Bella said as she took off toward her apartment.

It took Bella a month before she agreed to start a relationship with Edward. She was afraid of getting hurt, but he had assured her that he would never do anything to hurt her. He had broken that promise and now they were back at square one.

"Bella I was in such a bad place before I met you and I promised myself I would never go back. Which is why I never said anything to you before. It just hurt too much to even think about it," Edward explained. "You brought me back to life, Bella. And I will be eternally grateful for that. Before I called Alice the day of the wedding I got a call from…her. She somehow heard that I was getting married and called to tell me that I was making a huge mistake and that she was stupid for leaving me."

Bella was shocked at the nerve of this woman. How dare she try to get Edward back after what she had done to him. "I want you to know I didn't leave because I thought that marrying you was a mistake and that I had thoughts about going back to her. I have no intention of talking to her or seeing her again ever. It just made the past reappear and I was so angry with myself for keeping all of this from you."

Bella caressed his cheek with her hand. Edward closed his eyes loving the feel of her skin next to his. Her touch always had a calming effect on him. "I'll understand if you need time to figure out what to do. I'll wait as long as I have to. I just want you to know that I'll always be there for you, loving you each and every day for the rest of our lives."

"I love you, Edward, with all of my heart. You're the only man I want for the rest of my life. Just please promise me that there are no more secrets," Bella said. Edward placed his hand on top of hers that was still on his cheek. He took her hand and put it over his heart.

"I promise, no more secrets," Edward said as he placed his lips onto hers. It was as if a 300lb. man that had been sitting on Edward's shoulders for five years had been lifted off. Edward deepened the kiss as Bella's hands ran through his hair a moan escaping his mouth. He loved the feel of her fingers on his scalp. It relaxed and excited him. As Edward moaned Bella slipped her tongue into his mouth intertwining with his. Edward ran his hands underneath the shirt Bella was wearing, which happened to be one of his white undershirts. He felt her shudder as he grazed his fingers across her flat abdomen.

"Edward," Bella moaned feeling her self lose control. He had no idea what his lips did to her, even after five years.

"I know, I'm sorry," Edward said prying himself away from his angel. "We will take this as slow as you need." He wrapped his arms around Bella's body, pulling her into him. She leaned back into his chest. "Will you go to dinner with me tonight?"

"Edward Anthony Cullen, are you asking me out on a date?" Bella asked in shock turning around to face him. He smiled at her reaction. Her and Edward hadn't been on a date since five days before their, would have been wedding.

"That's what people do, right? They date?" Edward asked caressing her cheek. He wanted to start fresh with Bella. Now that everything was out in the open, he thought that starting fresh was the best thing.

"I would be honored," Bella giggled as Edward kissed her forehead.

"Praise the Lord, you two made up! I thought I was going to have to lock you two in a room to duke it out," Alice said walking in with a Starbucks cup.

"I'll let you get ready for tonight. I'll be by at 6:00 P.M." Edward said standing up pulling Bella up with him. He wrapped his arms around her as she wrapped her arms around his waist laying her head on his chest. "I'll be missing you." He whispered in her ear.

"I love you," Bella smiled up at him as he kissed her once more before leaving to get ready for the night. Bella stood there in a daze. She was about to go on a date with Edward Cullen. The man of her dreams. She thought she was the luckiest woman in the world.

A/N: To respond to a couple comments from someone about Edward not being able to sleep since he was a Vampire, I fixed that. Stating that this is an ALL-HUMAN story. Sorry, I'm new to this and forgot to state that. Thanks for the reminder!!

I realized that it did remind me of Sex and the City: The Movie. haha I didn't realize it until after I had finished written Last Goodbye. I absolutely love that movie!! I guess it was in the back of my mind as I wrote it.

Please let me know what ya'll think!! I love hearing feedback!!