Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to the wonderful Stephenie Meyer and not to me… sigh.I also don't own Sleeping with the Enemy. The book belongs to Nancy Price and the movie belongs to Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation.
Sleeping with a Monster
Previously…
I sighed loudly, positive she could hear it even through the door. I slid to the side away from the front of the door, reached above my head, turned the knob and opened the door to Alice. I didn't look up to meet her eyes. I just wrapped my arm back around my knees while I laid my head back down as well, concealing my face in a curtain of brown waves. Alice closed the door softly behind her, sat down next to me, and put her arm around my shoulders. That simple gesture caused my defenses to falter and I felt fresh tears well up in my eyes as my silent sobs shook my shoulders uncontrollably. As hard as I tried, I just could not hold back the torrent of emotions coursing through my system.
Chapter 25 – Removing The Thorns
"Bella, wake up." Charlie's voice called in my ear.
"Five more minutes, Dad." I mumbled. Why was he waking me up when I'm so tired? I heard a musical laugh and wondered when my dad had ever laughed like that.
Bella – Love. I'm not your Dad." The voice chuckled with a velvety softness that could only belong to one person. Edward. I sighed as a happy little smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. Then I felt the most wonderful thing, Edward's soft lips placing tender little kisses all over my face. Light giggles escaped my lips as the happiness erupted from deep inside my heart. As soon as the kisses ceased my eyelids fluttered open and to see Edward, my Edward, his green eyes full of tenderness gazing into mine.
"Good Morning, Sweetie." I purred as I snuggled into Edward's embrace wrapping my arms around him. Waking up in Edward's arms was the closest thing to heaven I could imagine.
"Mmmm. How are you feeling?" Edward buried his face in my hair and he pulled me closer to him.
"Wonderful." I smiled in contentment, before the memories of the previous evening came back into the forefront of my mind causing my face to fall.
"Edward?" My voice was full of apprehension as I pulled back to look at his face. Edward took one look at me and knew instantly what I was about to say.
"Bella, you don't need –" He started, but I cut him off before he could say it.
"Yes I do. I'm so sorry about last night." I pressed, feeling abashed at my emotional outburst. I really needed to get it under control. It seemed as though every time my world was threatened, I lashed out like a two year old. I felt ill equipped to handle my emotions when the panic started to take over.
"Bella" Edward lightly scolded. "I thought we settled this last night. I'm sorry. I should have never brought up Rose. It was inconsiderate of me. It was clear to everyone how stressed you were after reliving your past for us. I didn't think before I opened my big mouth."
"I feel like I'm constantly apologizing for my behavior, my overreactions." I sighed.
"You've been under a lot of stress, waiting for the axe to fall, not to mention the emotional upheaval. And every time you let someone in on your secret, your security is threatened." Edward kissed my forehead and hugged me to him.
"That's what Alice said. I just wish I could control my reactions a little better." I said feeling contrite.
"What did Alice say?" Edward inquired.
"Basically what you said; that I was under a lot of stress and that reliving my past had churned up my emotions and fears." I replied snuggling closer.
"What did she say about Rose?" Edward added.
"Didn't Alice tell you?" I asked.
"Yes. But she didn't elaborate." He admitted.
"Alice told me Rose had been in an abusive relationship before she met Emmett. She thought maybe Rose could help me deal with what I had been through." I replied, still curious about this unforeseen revelation into Rose's past.
"Did you have any questions?" His offer was sincere and I smiled at him.
"Well… maybe a few." I laughed softly. "What happened? How did she get out? How long ago has it been? How did she meet Emmett?" I started to shoot questions at Edward about Rose, my curiosity getting the better of me.
"I met Rose four years ago while I was working as an intern. She was the obvious victim of domestic violence when she came to the ER. I patched her up and told her I had to report the incident to the authorities. She begged me not to, but I would not budge. She was not happy with me, to say the least. But I think she forgave me when I introduced her to Emmett." Edward chortled, but I didn't join in. I was still mulling over the idea of Rose helping me. Everyone seemed to think that Rose would suddenly want to be around me if she knew how my own story paralleled hers, but it still did not explain why she disliked me so. If this truly were about Tanya, our shared pasts would not make any difference. For some reason, I felt there was another reason for her hostility towards me and I found myself less than eager to initiate a friendship with her.
"I still don't see why Rose would want to help me. She's been so openly hostile towards me." I said quietly.
"Bella, I think Rose was using Tanya as a smoke screen to hide the real reason for her hostility and it has nothing to do with you." Edward started to explain, but I shook my head vehemently.
"Then explain it to me, because I don't see it." I shot back thoroughly convinced Rose hated me.
"I… I think it might be best if she does that. Rose owes you that, besides, I don't think I could explain it in a way you would understand. However, I'm sure she could." Edward said cryptically.
"But Edward" I protested.
"It's not my story or feelings to explain. It's hers." Edward countered. However, before I could get any further in my argument, my cell phone rang. Edward groaned and kissed my lips chastely as he caressed my shoulders exposed from my tank top.
"Sorry, Love. You are not going to get anymore out of me right now. Why don't you answer your phone; I've got to get ready for work." He said with a little frown. I mimicked his expression as I flipped open my phone.
"Hello?" I said as I watched Edward get out of bed, admiring his body.
"Bella! Get ready, I'll be there in thirty minutes." Alice chirped happily and I smiled.
"And what, pray tell, are we doing on this Saturday?" I said with fake sternness before I mouthed 'Alice' to Edward when he glanced my way with an inquisitive look. He grinned and shook his head before he gave me a quick kiss.
"We're going to the spa, lunch, maybe a little shopping – just the girls!" Alice said. She sounded extremely excited and I could not help but grin at her enthusiasm.
"Okay. Can you hold on a second, Alice?" I said. Not waiting for her to answer I cupped my hand over the receiver so I could talk to Edward before he disappeared into the bathroom to take a shower.
"What time are you off work?" I said to Edward in a low voice as I got out of bed.
"Not until six." He answered and put his arm around my waist.
"Okay. I'll see you later tonight then." I said, standing on my tiptoes to give him a quick kiss before I left. Apparently, Edward had other ideas and he pulled me up against his chest and kissed me deeply. I completely forgot about Alice on the phone as I lost myself to Edward, as our kiss quickly grew more passionate. I sighed internally when I tilted my head to the side to give better access to my mouth as I met Edward's tongue with my own. Edward had one hand firmly in the small of my back while his other hand wound into the hair at the back of my head. He tugged my head back, breaking out of our kiss to attack my neck and I gasp in pleasure. I burrowed my free hand in his hair and tugged roughly, as I strained to get closer to him.
I was so lost in Edward that I completely forgot about Alice, until I heard her yelling through the phone in my other hand. I closed the phone and tossed it on the bed. Edward's breath wavered on my neck from his silent laughter.
"Alice. Is. Not. Going. To. Like. That." Edward said in between lavishing kisses on my neck and bare shoulders.
"Alice who?" I barely managed to pant out, not caring at all about my friend I just hung up with so I could make-out with my boyfriend. I felt like a hormonal teenager, and I liked it. I turned my head, caught Edward's earlobe between my teeth, and gently nipped it.
"Bella" Hearing Edward moan my name brought a rush of heady excitement. Once again, much to my dismay, Edward slowed his kisses and relaxed his hold on me, but only slightly. I growled in frustration and he laughed. He was always the one to pull back, never pushing the boundaries of our physical relationship. I was starting to get a complex.
"You call in sick and I'll tell Alice something came up." I whispered in his ear seductively – hopeful, but knowing Edward would not go for it.
"Sorry, Love. Not today." He chuckled.
"Always the responsible one." I sighed. "You do realize all you've done is left me all hot and bothered. Time for a cold shower." I teased lightly with a smirk.
"You're not the only one needing a cold shower, Love." Edward smirked back.
"Hmmm." I pursed my lips. "See you tonight." My lips twisted into a smile as I pulled away form him.
"Love you." Edward said as I grabbed my phone off his bed.
"Love you." I returned as he disappeared into the bathroom.
I called Alice and begged her forgiveness while I quickly made my way over to my place. She laughed and said I had 20 minutes as she was on her way. I jumped into the shower, scrubbing myself clean. As soon as I was out, I dried off, put on my robe, and stepped out into my room to get an outfit. Of course, Alice was quicker than I thought, having let herself in and selected my clothing. She sat, pretty as a fairy, perched on my bed, filing her nails.
"Hurry up and get dressed." Alice said, not even looking up from her nails.
"Nice to see you too, Alice." I glared at her warily as I picked up the light pink French cuff shirt from Victoria Secret and black skinny jeans before I retreated into the bathroom. Just before I closed the door, I heard her laugh. As soon as I finished getting dressed, I brushed teeth and towel dried my wet hair. I could her Alice on the phone, but could not make out what she was saying, so I continued with my primping.
"Don't worry about your hair and make-up. We will be going to the spa first, so anything you do will be wasted." Alice called through the door. I pulled my damp hair into a ponytail, opened the door and slipped on a pair of bronze, reptile, sling back pumps.
Alice and I made our way to her yellow Porsche and I shuddered a little at the memory of my last ride in this car and its crazy driver. I slipped into the passenger side and we were off to Alice's favorite spa. Twenty minutes later, we were standing in the front reception area of the New Moon Day Spa. Alice turned to me with a smile, but something caught her eye behind me. Her smile fell and she glanced past me back towards the front entrance. Alice gave me a nervous smile as I heard someone behind me clear their throat.
"Um… Hi Alice, hi Bella." I did not have to turn around to know it was Rose. I returned Alice's nervous smile before I turned around to greet Rose.
"Hi Rose." My voice was calm, but my pulse was agitated. Surprisingly, Rose gave me a smile completely devoid of the hostility that normally greeted me. As I looked at her, I could see her eyes were friendly – hesitant, but friendly and a hint of something else. Rose fidgeted a little and started to wring her hands. The realization that Rose was nervous surprised me.
"Hey! What are you doing here?" Alice sounded just as surprised to see Rose here as I was.
"I a… I was wondering…" It was the first time I had ever seen Rose struggle for words. "Can I join you two today?" She said, her voice quiet, eyes pleading. I blinked a few times in surprise, grateful I didn't let my jaw go slack as well.
"Fine by me. Bella?" Alice said as she turned to me.
"S…sure." I stuttered, mentally kicking myself for my not so smooth response. I excused myself when my cell phone rang. Even with Rose there, I could not hide my smile when I saw it was Edward.
"Hi Sweetie" I said answering my phone.
"Hi there beautiful" Edward replied.
"Miss me already?" I teased lightly
"Every minute I'm not with you. But I do have another reason for this call." His voice sounded reticent.
"Okay, shoot." I said lightly.
"Rose is planning on asking if she can join you and Alice on your "girl's day out" today." Edward said quietly, waiting for my reaction.
"Yeah, I know. She's already here." I said, still keeping voice light to hide my wariness.
I'm sorry, I didn't find out until a few minutes ago when Emmett mentioned it to me on the phone." He apologized.
"It's okay, but what's with Rose? She's being friendly to me and she seems nervous." I replied quietly while glancing over at Alice and Rose, hoping I was out of earshot. I wondered if Edward could give me a reason for the change in Rose's demeanor.
"Well, um… Apparently Emmett told her about you last week." I tried to control my reaction, but still managed to inhale loudly enough for Edward to hear it over the phone.
"I'm sorry. He told her what he knew – the basics." Edward's voice was full of remorse. I felt my cheeks flush as a sense of dread seeped into my bones, but I was determined to act rationally. I took a deep breath before I responded.
"Thanks for the warning." I whispered, not wanting to tip off Alice and Rose to my distress.
"Are you going to be okay?" Edward asked probably concerned he had ruined my day.
"I'll be fine and don't worry. If I have a problem, I will have Alice take me home. Fair enough?" I said, trying to sound more confident that I felt.
"You're sure?" He pressed.
"Yes. Don't worry." I reassured him.
"I wish I could be there with you." Edward still sounded worried.
"Well you can't. You weren't invited – girls day out." I laughed a little louder causing Rose and Alice to look over at me.
"Alright then. I love you and I'll see you tonight." Edward said sounding as if he was trying to accept my assurances.
"I love you too. Bye." I said before I closed the phone. I turned back to Rose and Alice who were making their way over to me.
Apparently, Alice checked us in while I was on the phone, so we were ushered right in for our appointment. I'm not sure what Alice did to get Rose in without an appointment, but determined it was a secret I wanted that pixie to teach me. We changed out of our clothes and wrapped a towel around ourselves before we made our way to the steam room, having a few minutes before first treatment. I followed Rose inside and sat down, only then becoming aware that Alice had not followed suit. Before I could react, Rose turned to me. I could barely make out her shape in the thick steam.
"Bella, Emmett told me about your past." She blurted out. I was shocked she was so straightforward about it – no warning, no lead in, no build up. It was hard to gauge her expressions through the steam.
"I know. Edward called to warn me." I chuckled a little sheepishly. I figured since she was being blunt, I might as well be too. She laughed softly but then it grew quiet, but it wasn't uncomfortable.
"How long did you stay?" Rose asked, her voice almost a whisper.
"Just under a year and a half." I said, quietly. Strangely enough, knowing that she had a similar past to mine, I did not feel as nervous admitting that.
"Has Edward said anything about my experiences?" She asked, her voice sounding timid.
"Just the basics. You know, abusive boyfriend landed you in the hospital. Edward introduced you to Emmett." I offered the abbreviated version of what little I knew.
"Is that all he said?" She said incredulously. I could see the movement of her head as I shook it.
"Yes. Edward said it wasn't his story to tell." I explained
"Would you like to hear it?" She asked hesitantly.
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." I offered, still unsure why she was suddenly being nice to me.
"No, I want you to know. Maybe it will help you understand better." She muttered to herself.
"Okay" I said.
"I met a man named Royce King. We hit it off really well and soon we were in the midst of a passionate relationship. After a few months, we moved in together. We seemed to get along so well, everything was perfect. After a few weeks, I started to see a side of Royce I didn't usually see. When we went out, I hardly ever saw him drink anything to hard – he usually kept to beer or wine. However, once I moved in with him, I realized he drank a lot more that he let on and what he really like to drink was hard liquor. The first time he hit me, we had been fighting over something trivial. I don't even remember what it was, but Royce was immediately sorry – pleading for my forgiveness right away. I accepted his apologies thinking he did not mean it and it was an accident. We had both been drinking and our argument got a little heated. Over the next two months, it happened several times again. Each time, he would beg my forgiveness and promise to change." She said.
"I decided to make sure I didn't get into arguments with Royce when he was drinking. It worked for a while, but eventually he started to hit me without the excuse of an argument. By then I was embarrassed I had a boyfriend who hit me. Royce had also started with the put downs and snide comments. My self-esteem took a major hit and I started to believe him." Rose sounded sad.
"Didn't you ask Jasper for help?" I blurted out before I could stop myself. As soon as I asked the question, I felt like such a hypocrite. Who was I to judge when my father was a cop. But I didn't take the question back. I was curious about her reasons for not involving Jasper, wondering if they were similar to mine.
"I've asked myself that countless times. I guess I was ashamed and more than a little prideful. I thought I could make it work between Royce and me I didn't want to admit defeat or that I had made a big mistake." I shivered in spite of the steam, realizing how similar our experiences were.
"Well, one night I came home to Royce and a couple of friends; they were all drunk. I immediately recognized Royce's ill mood and knew he we be hitting me after his friends left. I decided to get out of the way and spend the night at a girlfriend's place, but Royce stopped me before I could go. He hit me in front of his friends and soon they all joined in knocking me around. By the time they were done with me, I was a mess. I stumbled next door and asked a neighbor to take me to the ER." I stifled my gasp at Rose's admission, grateful the steam was thick enough to mask my face.
"That's when I met Edward. He was working as an intern. He patched me up and gave me the speech about being lucky this time. He then told me he was reporting it to the police. I was terrified. I knew it would make Royce angry, but I was more worried about what Jasper would think. I knew he would be disappointed with me. You know, if Edward hadn't forced my hand and called to the police, I would have gone back to Royce. But once Jasper realized what was going on, he got me the help and support I needed." Rose paused for a moment.
"Edward said he introduced you to Emmett." I said.
"Yes he did. I came back to get a few stitches removed and Edward was there. Emmett stopped by to see where his brother was working and he introduced us." Rose paused as if she was lost in her thoughts. "Emmett was really great. He didn't get scared off, and stood by me, even through the trial and everything." Rose was about to continue when I interrupted her.
"Trial?" I said in astonishment.
"I brought Royce and his friends up on charges of assault and battery. He's currently serving the maximum sentence." Rose said triumphantly. I was floored. Rose broke free and put Royce in jail. I envied that fact that she was rid of Royce's hold on her. We sat there in the room listening to the hiss of the steam as it pushed into the small space.
"Rose? Why did you share this with me? I mean, it's not like we're… close." I needed to understand her sudden change in behavior before I trusted her. Rose let out a humorless laugh.
"I suppose I owe you an explanation for my past behavior towards you." She said. She took my lack of response as agreement and continued.
"When Edward brought you to be the barbeque, I was surprised. He never brought girls around, always too busy to date. No one ever seemed to catch his eye. On the surface I was a little worried about him, but deep down I was grateful he hadn't found anyone special." Rose said. What was she saying? Does she have feeling for Edward? Her brother-in-law?
"Rose? Do you have a thing for Edward?" I blurted out, confused and a little frightened of her answer.
"Oh! No. Nothing like that." Rose laughed out loud.
"I don't understand then." I muttered, but felt immensely relieved she was not crushing on Edward behind Emmett's back.
"I have always worried about the day Edward would find someone special. Not because of jealously, it was because I didn't want anyone new to know about my past, my secrets. I was ashamed and worried what you would think of me. So I acted childishly and tried to push you away and make you feel unwelcome." She clarified.
"But what about Tanya?" I asked the obvious question. Rose chuckled.
"Tanya was safe. I knew Edward did not like her and nothing would come of it, so it was easy to encourage. Besides, she already knew about my history with Royce." Rose sounded rueful and I let out a sigh of relief.
"I am sorry Bella. Sorry for the way I have treated you. I don't expect you to trust me or even want to be friends with me right now. I have been nothing short of a bitch towards you, and my behavior to you has been awful. All you did was capture Edward's heart and return his affections and I treated you horribly for it." Rose said sadly. I heard Rose move and looked up to see she had moved closer so I could see her face through the steam.
"Bella, I don't expect your forgiveness, but I do hope that one day we can be friends." Rose said with a look of sincerity on her face. It was the first time I had ever see Rose so unguarded, so open. It took me a moment to recover from my shock. I sucked the heavy moist air into my lungs while I contemplated what to say.
"I would like that very much Rose." I said giving her a shy smile hoping she was being genuine, but still a little reticent to completely believe she had done a complete turn-around towards me.
"Haven't you two had enough steam?" Alice's voice cut sharply in the nervous air thick with expectation and steam.
"Yeah, yeah. We're coming." Rose shot back as she returned my smile.
Alice had the rest of the day planned. Our morning was filled with spa treatments and a visit to the spa salon. We followed that with lunch at a little café that served an assortment of pasta, sandwiches and pastries. Of course, a girl's day out with Alice would not be complete without shopping. I had a better time than I expected, especially with the addition of Rose.
"Thanks Alice!" I called from my driveway as she drove away waving.
"Hey beautiful" Edward said from behind me as he walked over to me from my front porch.
"Edward!" I laughed as I spun around to look at him. He pulled me into a hug and sighed.
"I missed you." He said. He sounded tired and I pulled back to look at his face.
"I missed you too. Rough day?" I said gazing into his exhausted face. The grey t-shirt he was wearing set his green eyes off making them look like the sea after a storm.
"A day in the ER usually is." His shoulders slumped and I realized how stressful it must be to have to deal in life-and-death situations all the time. I pulled his head down to my shoulder and hugged him tight.
"Come with me. I'll fix us some comfort food and we can relax." I said pulling out of his embrace.
"Sounds perfect." He said as he picked up my purchases and headed for the door.
*************
"Hey Bella!" I cringed as soon as I heard Mike's voice say my name. It never sounded as good as when it rolled off Edward's tongue. I reluctantly turned to face Mike as he caught up with me in the hallway outside the teachers' lounge.
"What can I do for you, Mr. Newton?" I said formally, knowing it would annoy him. Over the past week, Mike had stepped up his game – asking me out more, being more forward in his attempts to advance a relationship with me outside of work. It was getting tiresome and I was tempted to invite Edward back to the school to remind Mike that I was already in a relationship. Mike steered me into the teachers' lounge.
"I wanted to know if we could go out for drinks sometime." He said in a low voice.
"I don't think that's a good idea, besides, I have a boyfriend." I said hoping that would put an end to it, but it only seemed to egg him on.
"And I'm dating Jessica. I don't think that should stop us if we wanted to get to know each other better." He countered with a leer before he continued. "Look, school is out early today. Why don't we skip out and go somewhere private and get to know each other better." He reached out and trailed his hand down my upper arm, causing a sick knot form in the bottom of my stomach.
"No thank you Mike." I reprimanded and stepped back, out of his reach. He had never been this forward before. I quickly brushed past him and out of the lounge, hurrying back to my classroom.
As soon as the final bell rang, I took Mike's advice and cut out early in the hopes of avoiding another of his unwanted advances. I sighed in relief as I drove out of the parking lot of the school. I wanted to get home. Edward had worked all night and did not get home until six this morning. He stopped by, but I sent him home to get some sleep. I forgot to mention to him that I would be off early today, so a surprise was in order.
I parked my car in my garage and hurried inside, dropping my schoolwork in my office. I brushed my teeth, fluffed my hair and grabbed my key before I made my over to Edward's place. I knew he would be asleep and I did not want to wake him, so I used the key he gave last week. I smiled as I recalled teasing him while we were at dinner at Ben and Angela's home. He had a key to my place – being my landlord and all, and I did not have one to his place. After we got home, he gave me a key.
I quietly let myself in and tiptoed down to his room. He was on his stomach with his hands under his pillow, shirtless, wearing only boxers with his legs tangled in the sheets. His hair had fallen across his forehead and into his eyes. I loved to watch him sleep. I gently brushed the hair out of his eyes as he snored lightly. He was really out, so I decided to make myself at home and give him a little more time to rest.
I busied myself cleaning up his neglected place. The hospital had really kept him busy lately and I didn't quite understand why, but I went with it, knowing he was almost done with his residency. I helped myself to a soft drink, which I managed to spill on myself. If Edward were a fly on the wall watching me pathetically hang out in his house waiting for him to wake up, he would probably be rolling on the floor laughing. Feeling the stickiness of the soft drink against my skin, I quietly made my way back into Edward's room and into his closet to get something to wear. I grabbed a shirt and a pair to shorts, not even looking at them, before I disappeared into his bathroom to clean up and change.
As soon as I changed out of my sticky clothes, I realized I had grabbed a dress shirt. I put it on, figuring I could go back out and grab a t-shirt. I came out to see the bed empty. I furrowed my brow as I looked around the room and saw he was not here. I heard the front door open and Edward's greeting to a visitor. I decided to sneak a peak at who it was.
"Tanya." I heard Edward say and my heart sank to the floor.
"Edward, you look yummy." She purred.
"What are you do–" Edward started but then his voice was muffled and cut off. I spied a quick look around the corner to see Tanya wrapped around Edward in a fierce lip lock. Edward was still shirtless, but had donned a pair of sleep pants. I started to feel my anger rise at the sight, but then Edward pushed her off him.
"Get off me. Emmett was right." Edward said in a frustrated voice and my heart fluttered knowing he did not enjoy Tanya's advances.
"Come on Eddie." She cooed and I felt the corners of my mouth lift in a smile knowing the use of that nickname would only make him mad.
"How many times do I have to say it? I am not interested. Besides, I have a girlfriend." Edward grumbled, shaking his head.
"So. I am not looking for a relationship. I just want to have a good time. I could be your dirty little secret." Tanya said, stepping towards him, and running her hands up his chest, but before she could get too far, Edward grabbed her wrists and pushed her away from him.
"No Tanya." He said a little louder, getting angrier.
"Your girlfriend won't be home for another hour or two. She'll never know." Tanya said as she kept trying to get closer to Edward, who kept maneuvering out of her reach.
I had heard enough. I slipped off the shorts I was wearing and messed up my hair. Then I undid a button or two on the shirt - more that I normally would. I bit my lips to make them redder and stepped out from behind the wall.
"Go home, Tanya and don't come back." Edward said, rejecting her again. Neither of them saw my approach at first. Tanya was standing in front of Edward who had his back to me, but my movement must have caught her eye because she glanced over Edward's shoulder and spied me. Edward followed her eyes just as I reached out and wrapped my arms around his waist and looked up at him with hooded eyes. I gave him a sly wink as he smiled crookedly at me.
"There you are." I purred at Edward, pouring it on thick.
"Miss me?" He smiled back as he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close.
"You left me all alone in the big soft bed of yours." I said with a little pout.
"Sorry, love. How can I make it up to you?" Edward said, licking his lips as he ran his thumb across my bottom lip still pushed out in a pout.
"I'm sure I can think of something." I countered back, running my hand up his chest to the back of his neck.
"I love you." Edward said with a look of amazement on his face as he moved his hand from my lips to the side of my neck.
"I love you." I said back, completely lost in his gaze. There was a long pause as Edward and I looked into each other's eyes. Edward did not seem to be aware of Tanya's presence anymore as he lowered his head and kissed me deeply.
"I'm still here." Tanya shrieked in annoyance at our display of affection.
"Why?" I said blatantly bored, as I looked her squarely in the face. Tanya inhaled sharply and narrowed her eyes at me.
"Bye, Tanya." Edward said, gently pushing her out the door before slamming it in her face. I could not hold back my giggles at the sound of Tanya shrieking and stomping away to her car.
"Can I just say - Wow? You look so sexy in my shirt." Edward said in a husky voice as he pulled me into his arms and attacked my neck. My heart delighted at his words. He pulled back and looked at me.
"Don't get me wrong. I'm ecstatic you're here, but where did you come from?" Edward smirked.
"I've been here for a while now, but you looked so peaceful sleeping, I didn't have the heart to wake you. I got off work early and decided to surprise you." Edward looked at my outfit and gave me my favorite sexy grin, effectively turning my legs to a quivering mass.
"Surprise doesn't begin to cover how I feel seeing you dressed like that. What exactly did you have in mind?" His comments caused me to blush profusely and I suddenly felt shy. I ducked my head.
"I spilled a pop on my shirt and needed a change of clothes. When I came out of your bathroom, you had left to answer the door. When I heard what Tanya was suggesting, I decided to do something about it." I laughed at the end.
"Thank-you." He said, kissing me gently as he pulled me into the family room.
"Anytime." I mumbled against his lips.
"Are you excited for your birthday? Only two more days." Edward teased as he pulled me down on the couch with him. I tucked my legs under me and cuddled into his side as I groaned.
"Are you sure I can't convince you to just forget it?" My voice sounded hopeful.
"Not a chance." Edward laughed at my reluctance to celebrate my birthday.
A/N: In honor of my birthday, I'm giving you Chapter 25! (Don't ask me how old I am – cuz I'm not telling! ;-) LOL
I need to answer a few questions that have come up in my reviews…
I've had a few comments about whether or not Bella and Edward are out of character. Let me clarify my reasons for OOC in my summary. First off – there are no vampires, so Edward is obviously going to be out of character. Second, they are not in high school. Edward is 28 years old and Bella is about to turn 25. They have graduated college, working in their respective careers and both been in previous relationships. I have tried to portray Bella as someone who has grown into her own by now, gained some confidence, but still has those basic qualities we all know and love. She's an adult now. Edward doesn't have to deal with being a monster so I'm hoping he is the kind of man he would have been if he had remained human and was living in the current century. LOL Anyway, I decided to answer this question here because some of these questions came from anonymous reviewers. ;) Hope this explains it!
And now… I didn't get a chance to reply to my reviews – Sorry my chickies – a combination of life and a change in my job. So here's a shout out to everyone who reviewed!
OfficialWhaleSaver, orlibluver, Angels And Airwaves, ThisIsMyDesguise, Transfiguration, ilovemclife, Bunnybabi, tigermoonlight67, ny88, Bennyjo4, GoldenPhoenix 12, twilightobession, blackgem88, amrawo, laceyndom, skhdance11 (twice!), sirenastarot, FRK921, iloveedwardanthonymasencullen, loie, jvanshuff, junebuge84, goldeneyedfanpire, Sarah B., Alice Cullen 24.4, and 2 anonymous reviewers.
Okay – that was a really long authors note – sorry. :} Thanks for reading and reviewing! - SavageWoman