Chapter 4

Edward tenderly pressed his lips to hers. Bella was a sweet and gentle woman, and she deserved to be treated that way. It was she who deepened the kiss, tugging him closer and opening her mouth a little wider until her tongue brushed against his. They swallowed each other's groans as his hands found her ponytail, and he gently loosened her hair, letting his hands weave through the silky strands.

With a whispered moan, Edward let his lips drift down, and Bella arched her neck, breathing harshly as his tender kisses set her on fire. She pulled his face back to hers and kissed him harder, making him groan. Needing to be closer, he reached for her waist, guiding her into his lap. Bella wrapped her arms around his neck, and with their chests pressed tightly together, they continued kissed deeply, clinging to one another, until a breathless Edward buried his face against her neck.

With a quiet sigh, Bella brushed her lips against his ear.

"Now, aren't you glad we got that out of our system?" she whispered.

Edward raised his head. He was relieved to see her smiling.

"You were right."

"About what?"

He gently kissed the tip of her nose. "You're very addicting."

"So are you. I knew you would be."

Growing somber, he gazed into her brown eyes. "You need to know something."

"Okay."

He took a deep breath. "I've killed every plant I've ever owned."

Bella giggled. She understood what he was trying to say.

"Do you see any flowers in this place? There's a reason for that. I forget that they need special things . . . like sunlight and water. And, I had tropical goldfish. I forgot to clean out the tank."

"I had a dog for one week," Edward said, "but I'm on the road more than I'm home. I came home one day to find dog shit in my favorite pair of shoes. The vet said he was 'expressing his feelings of abandonment.'"

"Wow, you win."

Edward nodded.

"So, I guess our sponsors would say we aren't ready to explore whatever is happening between us," she said softly.

"Probably."

"But they're only suggestions," she reminded him.

Bella threaded her fingers through his, and he desperately tried to ignore how intimately they were still pressed against each other's bodies.

"You know, my dad is really into gardening." she said. "He loves to plant vegetables. Cucumbers. Potatoes. Corn. I never understood it. Tending to a garden always seemed like more work than it was worth, especially since you could buy those things at the store or the farmer's market. I hated working in the garden, and I killed everything I planted. But gardening is important to my dad, and he's good at it. I think if it's important to you, you make it a priority. You work at it, because you care about it."

Edward watched her lips as she talked about gardening and vegetables. He had no idea what she was talking about, and he didn't care. All he wanted to do was kiss her again.

"My point is . . . was having a pet important to you?"

"No, but having sex is, and my sponsor suggested caring for an animal before trying to care for a girlfriend."

Bella laughed. "Well, that's honest."

"It's the truth."

"So it's the sex that's important. Not necessarily the girl."

Edward considered that. Yesterday, he might have said yes. He'd been divorced for a long time, and he'd been without a woman for even longer. To say he was sexually frustrated was an understatement.

But, as he stared into the eyes of the pretty girl in his lap, he could see how this particular girl could be important. He'd finally met someone who really understood him. Someone who was imperfect, just like him.

Edward brushed his fingertips along her chin.

"I don't know, Bella. I think that may depend on the girl."

She blushed.

"That's exactly my point," she said. "I've never cared about plants or pets, so why should that be a stepping stone in my recovery? My priority is the inn. That's what's important to me. Keeping it afloat. Making a profit. Offering a safe and comfortable place for travelers to stay when their GPS fails them."

Edward grinned.

"And you're handsome and sweet and the best kisser ever," she told him. "It would be very easy to kiss you again. We could kiss all night. Maybe do more than kiss . . ."

"That sounds incredible—"

"But then you'll leave," she said gently. "So it's probably best we don't kiss anymore."

Edward sighed deeply. She was right, of course. Until he could make her a priority—until she was more important than anything else—it wouldn't be fair to either of them. It could actually be damaging to both their recoveries, and that was the last thing he wanted.

Bella climbed off his lap and reached for his hand. Silently, they walked up the stairs, and she led him to his room.

"Goodnight, Edward."

"Goodnight, Bella."

He watched as she walked to the door right next to his and twisted the knob.

Her room.

Bella didn't look back, and when she closed the bedroom door, he heard the lock twist into place.