Chapter Three: It's time to pay up.
Edward smiled crookedly for her and kissed her again. After a long time, he finally pulled away. "I'm sorry love. But it is getting kinda late. If you want to see the family, we really should go now." he said, looking into her eyes like he really meant his apology. Maybe he could control himself? But then again, risks could lead him to hurt her, and that was the last thing he wanted to do. He wrapped his stone arms around her, and waited to see what she would decide.
She sighed when he pulled away. She was torn by the choice, "Right now?" She asked looking at him, "As in right this minute?" Her head tilted to a side slightly as she bit her lower lip lightly, her hand reached up and stroked his cheek before coming to rest on the side of his neck. Some times she hated his sensible side.
Edward sigh and leaned in for a small kiss. "We really should leave soon though. Charlie will probably kill you when you get home." He said, stroking her lap, tilting his head and staring at her with his golden stare. He sighed, realizing that he was such an adult in situation like these. He lifted his hand and began to stroke her cheek.
"I Don't really care about Charlie's reaction right now." She smiled, and it was true, Charlie could say whatever he liked, she didn't really care.
"I suppose we should go see your family." She smiled, her eyes fixed on his. Her hand left his neck and found his hand, hers slipping into it.
"But this means running doesn't it?" She sighed looking at him carefully. Edward grinned at her, grabbing her close to his chest and he jumped to the ground.
"I told you we would be walking back. A promise is a promise." he said walking a few steps ahead of her. He turned around and smiled at her, tilting his head and holding out his hand for hers.
"I promise you, I keep all my promises." Edward grinned at her. The only promises he broke in the last century were to protect Bella. He could of lied when she had figured out he was a vampire, but there was no use hiding the truth on that one. It that were the case, he wouldn't have as nearly as much fun with her as he had since she found out.
She smiled, a thoughtful smile, "You did promise." She mused, walking over to him and taking the hand he held out for her. She looked up at him.
"But how much longer can we stay if you run?" She couldn't quite believe she was saying this but she wasn't quite ready for their time alone to end. She did want to go and see the rest of the Cullen's, but the want to stay in the meadow was slightly stronger in that moment. She watched him, a smile on her lips, waiting for his answer.
Edward look down at her, astonished. "You rather run and wait longer then to walk right now?" he gasped playfully. He relaxed his face and sighed, shaking his head.
She laughed at the astonished look on his face, "Is it really that hard to believe that I'd sacrifice walking to spend more time here with you?" She asked.
"Oh how you torment me Bella Swan." He said, picking her up and walking to the meadow.
"We can stay a lot longer now. I considered all the times you would trip and figured it would take us, oh, around forty-fives minutes to get out of here." He said, grinning putting her back down. He placed his stone arms around her, hugging her into his chest. As he hugged her to his chest, she breathed in deep, enjoying his scent once more before looking up at him.
"Of course, if you want to walk..." She tailed off with a grin.
Edward looked down at her a growled at Bella playfully. "You should know better then to tempt a vampire." he said baring his teeth at her. He made a 'rawr' sounds at her before he fell to his backside and pulled her down next to him.
"We've already established that I don't know better, haven't we? She laughed as she fell to the ground beside him.
He leaned in to kiss her once again, leaving his lips on hers for quiet a while. Her laugh was cut short as his lips met hers, her breath once again unable to escape from her lungs. He decided to let her breathe and moved his lips down to her neck, chuckling to himself as he did. Struggling to catch her breath as his lips moved to her neck she spoke/ "What's funny?" She asked, her hands resting on his shoulders. Edward smiled and leaned back to look at her face. Her chocolate brown eyes shimmer in the fading sun.
"The fact that you know me so well to use everything you know I can't say no to. Running and spending more time with you in my favorite spot." he said, stroking her arm. A thought crossed his mind.
"Where is your favorite spot to be?" he asked, still stroking her pale arm.
"Anywhere you are." She smiled, though spoke quietly, her fingers running through her hair, twisting it slightly around them. "But more specifically, it used to be here..." She shuddered once more at the memory of the red eyes and thirsty words for Laurent,
As she shivered, he took his arm off her. Making her cold, good job Edward, he thought to himself.
"Now I'm not sure." She looked up at him, biting her lower lip slightly.
He looked at her worryingly. "Is it some I have done?" he asked, his eyes widened. If it was something he did, he would have to make up for it big time. He would miss out on the family fun just to make sure she was content with whatever he did wrong and was ready to accept it.
She looked slightly shocked at his assumption, "No." She said looking up at him.
"No, its nothing you've done. It's just...a bad memory, that's all. A memory from when you weren't....here." She bit her lip but moved closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder, her hands twisting in her lap. Edward wrapped his arms around her, closing his eyes and shushing her. He felt terrible enough for leaving her, and now he finds out she had been here while he was gone? That must of killed her. Every time he came here without her he was reminded of her, and it might be just for a small hunting trip. He stilled missed her when he came he by his self. And to see her all crushed about this? He wondered what could of happened?
"Do you want to talk about it?" He said softly to her.
She shook her head, "Not now. Let's just enjoy ourselves." She smiled, looking up at him. Her hands ran up and down his arms, tracing swirls once again as she looked out across the meadow, trying to push away the memories of the last time she'd been here and to focus on the last time they had been here, together. Edward smiled and pulled her into his lap, kissing her forehead gently. He pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arms around her and placing his head on her shoulder, smelling her singer blood. He was quite proud of himself for being able to control himself against his vampire want. He tilted his head and looked into her chocolate brown eyes once again, smiling her favorite crooked smile for her. She deserved this, after what he did to her. It did help that this is what he needed to after his Bella-less months, but he would tell anyone who asked that it was all for her and a little for him. He didn't want to be greedy, of course.
"You spoil me dear." he whispered.
"How so? Spending time with you? I don't call this spoiling, I call it being nice to my boyfriend." She grinned up at him. Though she knew that it was hard for him, that every beat of her heart made him want her blood all the more, but she was so happy that she didn't want to worry about it. Not now, because for once they were almost like a normal couple. Almost but not quite. After all they could never be truly normal.
He bared his teeth at her and laughed. "Hmm, maybe it not spoiling me as much as spoiling you. I mean by the fact that you let me take you to our favorite spot and let me run both ways is quiet generous of you. But its more so you can get a few more kisses from me. And yet, I don't think you've started once today. Its time to pay up." he said grinning. He made his smile more crooked, teasing her a little. She grinned at his crooked smile, it was after all, her smile. She shifted herself so her face was level with his, a few centimeters between them.
"And what if I don't want to?" She whispered, running a hand through his hair and resting on the back of his neck. She didn't move for a moment, then her smile changed to a small teasing grinned at her, not moving an inch.
"Then you will get no more. As much it would kill me, you'll get nothing else until you give up and kiss me. I think you'll cave first." he whispered. He placed both of his hands on her back, both playing with the ends of her hair, twisting them around his fingers.
"And what makes you think I'll give in?" She asked, her eyes fixed on his, her breathing remarkably steady. She moved ever so slightly closer, careful to leave a space between their lips,
"You know I can be just as stubborn as you." She whispered the words against his lips, a smile on her face.
"I'm quiet aware that you are just as stubborn, actually more stubborn. But I have one advantage over you." he grinned, moving his head away from hers crookedly smiling still.
"According to you, I dazzle you.. frequently." Edward moved his head back, looking up at the sky, just enough that the sun hit his face suddenly hitting the sun. His skin turned into diamonds and he looked. He smiled gently at her, believing he had won this round.
"You do indeed dazzle me, more than you think. But dazzling me is not usually followed by actions." She smiled, watching the diamonds on his skin.
"In fact, quite the opposite." She laughed slightly. The tilting her head to one side and biting her lower lip ever so slightly she kept her eyes on his.
"And now you're just being mean." She pouted. "Please, stop being mean." Edward pouted back to her, showing her he wasn't going to fall for it this time.
"I'll stop being 'mean' when you kiss me, you stupid girl." He smiled at her again, his golden eyes gleaming lovingly into hers. He tilted his head slightly like hers, making sure the sun still hit his face, his bronze hair was perfectly messy, just as it always was.
"And I'll kiss you when you stop being mean." She smiled, her eyes shining in the sun as one of her hands left his neck and came to rest on the glittering skin of his cheek. Her breathing still steady, but her heart was hammering wildly in her chest. She smiled once more. Edward groaned a little, but he moved out of the sun, his skin return to a pale gray. This play wasn't working, he would have to try something else.
He tilted his head, his eyebrow cocked. "This any better love? I'm sorry I was so mean." he said, pouting his lip to her. He listened to her heartbeat and smiled, placing his hand on her heart, feeling the strong continuous heart beats.
"A little." She said, moving her face closer to his once more. "But I'm still curious about something." She grinned brushing her fingers up into his hair, running them through it until her hand joined the other on the back of his neck. Their lips almost touching. Her heart calmed slightly and her breath caught only once as his hands rested on her heart. Edward grinned, place his hand on her neck, massaging it with two of his fingers. He tilted his head more.
"Mind telling me what you are curious about? I might be able to help." he said, whispering, moved his head closer to hers. His breath played across her skin, temporarily causing her own breaths to falter.
"I was just curious as to how long you're going to be stubborn for. Because honestly, I could keep this up forever." She smiled, her choice of words appropriate to her mind.
"But can you? Even if I ask very nicely?" She grinned, biting her lower lip ever so lightly. Edward moved away from her, looking down at the forest floor. he played with a little piece of grass and looked up at her, his eyes quivering along with his lip, looking truly sincere.
"Please Bella. Will you kiss me? I mean it, please, kiss me." he asked quietly, looking her right in the chocolate eyes. Her resolution wavered for a moment, but no more.
"Now you're not playing fair Edward." She muttered, looking away from his face, her hands dropping from his neck and taking his hands in hers,
"I'll kiss you, once you've kissed me. That's my condition." She smiled, glancing up at him through her eyelashes, "Please?"
Edward thought for a moment. "Hmmm.... No." He grinned and leaned back.
The sunlight hit his face again and he looked at the sky once again. "You know, we are soon going to have to leave, and you'll have wasted all the time trying to beg me to kiss you for nothing. We'll have to run, something you hate, and there will be no point. All because you won't kiss me." He said a matter of fact like. Edward put one hand through his bronze hair, watching as the sun got closer to setting.
"Ugh! You are so mean!" She sighed dropping his hands and standing up, she could see the sun hitting his face but turned from him.
"I haven't wasted any time though. There has been a point to all this." She paused turning to look at him.
"But do you see this as wasted time?" She asked him, tilting her head to one side as she folded her arms across her stomach.
Edward thought shortly for a moment. "No, of course not. I thought you would." he said simply, standing up next to her. He wrapped his arm around her, giving her a small squeeze and a small smile. She wrapped her arms over his. He pointing in the general direction of the truck.
"I suppose we should go now?" he asked her, tilting his head just as she did.
"We can go in a minute." She smiled, turning in his arms to face him, she looked up into his eyes, her smile was mirrored in her eyes. Edward watched Bella, a questioning eyebrow raised. But he was glad to see that she was smiling at him.
"Oh? Did you want to do something before we left Bella?" he asked her, actually unsure of what she would to next.
"Maybe." She smiled, leaning up onto her tiptoes. She laughed slightly, wrapping her arms round his neck, her fingers playing with the ends of his hair at the base of his skull. Her heartbeat had steadied itself and her breathing was still even.
"So are you going to give in?" She asked looking into his eyes. Edward smiled softly, moving his hands down on her lower back, helping her stay up closer to him. He laughed softly. Give up? Not in this lifetime.
"Nope. You have to." he whispered gently, rocking her slightly side to side. His golden eyes where mirrored in hers, his head nearly touching hers. Oh, how it was hard to resist what he truly wanted.
She sighed slightly, "I didn't think so." Her fingers still twisting his hair around themselves, as she debated her next action. She glanced down for a moment, before looking back up at him through her eyelashes.
"Then I suppose we best be off, even if it would be absolute perfection if you'd kiss me here at sunset." She smiled slightly at him, biting her lower lip a little. Edward rolled his eyes.
"Fine Bella, you win, you stubborn girl." He said, leaning in and kissing her. He moved his hand up her back, rubbing it gently. He had to agree. This was pretty perfect. His stone arms wrapped around her body, pulling her closer to his cold chest. She grinned victoriously as he kissed her, returning it gently, her hands moving slightly up into his hair. He pulled away a minute later and grinned at her.
"You are never going to let me forget this, aren't you?" he asked her.
"Maybe, someday, in the far distant future." She smirked her triumph in her eyes, before she leaned in closer to him again, her lips pressing lightly against his once more, it was only fair to keep to her word.
Edward smiled as she kissed him. He was a bit blown away at first, he didn't think she would keep her promise. He placed his hands on her elbows and kissed her back. He grabbed her legs and pulled them to his hips, letting her sit on them. He moved her legs so they were hugging his body. She smiled as he pulled her closer, lifting her up onto his hips. She adjusted herself slightly so she pressed closer to him, her hands locked together behind his neck.
Edward grinned as he moved his hands to her back and gripped her tightly so she wouldn't fall. He tilted his head and kissed her again, much more passionately this time. Her breathing faltered as he kissed her more passionately, but she matched his passion. She pulled away for a moment to catch her breath, her heart pounding in her chest.
"I just have to say one thing." She smirked, "I win!" She laughed as she caught her breath. Edward roared with laughed and pulled their faces closer and rubbing his nose off hers, like bunnies.
"I thought you would say that. You earned it." he chuckled, lowering his head to her heart.
"You okay? Its likely you'll get a heart attack after today." he smiled widely, listening to her heart for awhile longer. He closed his eyes, waiting for her to calm down again, rest his head on her heart.
"I'm better than okay." She smiled, keeping her breathing steady as her heart rate returned to normal.
Edward grinned. "Glad to hear it." he spoke in a quiet tone, so she could only hear. Not like there was anyone around to bother them any ways.
She lifted his face, her hands resting on each side of his face, she looked into his eyes for a moment before leaning in towards him, kissing his lips passionately. Her hands running from his face and resting on the base of his neck. As she moved her hands and lifted his head, he tilted his head and gave her a questioning look. He was gratefully surprised by another kiss. He kissed her back amorously, entwining his fingers in her beautiful brown hair, smelling her wondrous scent, and getting lost in the moment. Something, he thought, he should do more often. She felt the change in him as he lost himself in their kiss, a smile on her lips. She unknowingly agreed with his thought, he should do it more often.
Author's Notes: Pffft. Edward could totally win that one. He just wanted Bella to feel better is all. R&R!