A/N:
Bels, not gonna lie it's definitely a toss up between this and mylife for the best fic ever.
Tots. I'm not sure which I like better, but at least they're both with you! :)
I think the reason they're so awesome is cuz we're writing them together. GO TEAM! :P
Def better than anything that SMeyer could come up with, even though she owns these guys.
Yeah, but I think it's cuz we use real lemons, not fake fade-to-blacks.
Duh. Fade to black isn't known in these parts.
Well maybe... hah. There was thatonetime. But I digress, shall we let the peeps read on?
Yep, yep!
BPOV
Monday was the longest day of my life. After I had fallen asleep in my bed and alone for the first time in days, James thought it would be perfectly appropriate to ring my doorbell at 3am. He claimed he was trying to be "sweet" and stop by on his break. I appreciated the effort, however much I wanted to just be unconscious and wallow at losing the man I never really had. By 3:15 he was getting grabby so I made some offhand remark about being exhausted and needing to wake up in a few hours so he stomped out of my apartment like a 2 year old throwing a temper tantrum. I fell asleep and didn't wake up 'til an hour after I was supposed to be at work.
I finally made it in at nearly 11, with all eyes on me. That was when it dawned on me that I had scheduled a 10am meeting to go over the market research data I'd pulled for our latest client who was a big name, based out of New York City. They were a high end retailer that had just created a new line of more affordable clothing and wanted to flood the market with campaigns without damaging their coutoure reputation. I went to my office and closed my door, banging my head on my desk.
Fanfuckingtastic. This was marvelous, first I let Edward go and now I was about to let the biggest campaign I'd ever been in charge of managing, slip through my fingers. I took a deep breath as I heard a knock on the door. "Come in," I responded, hearing the door click open.
"Morning Bella." My manager, Michael Newton's voice rang out. I pinned on the biggest fake smile I could. "Good morning Mike, how can I help you?" He moved to take a seat across from me and clasped his hands in his lap. "Bella, you had a meeting this morning." He said, trying to sound calm.
I nodded. "I know, I'm really sorry. I was just about to call and reschedule."
"No need, you don't need to call back. I spoke with the team in New York this morning and got an earful." Ugh, my stomach rose into my throat as I prepared to be cut from this project. "Oh?"
He nodded. "Yes, it seems as though they love you and, well," he scoffed, "frankly, they hate me."I stared at him in disbelief. "What?" He nodded again, "yes, apparently they love your dedication and attention to them, but they feel I'm spreading you too thin. They want you there to see this project through completion of the next phase." My jaw dropped. "What?" He laughed a little. "Bella, you're supposed to be a slogan guru, a marketing maven... I'd like to think I hired you to get more of a response than 'what?'" I let out a puff of laughter and shook my head. "I-- I'm sorry. They want me in New York?"
"Yes ma'am. They've already purchased your ticket. You leave on a red-eye tomorrow night and you'll be there through the weekend. They didn't book your return, because they wanted to leave it open ended, in case you wanted to completely wrap up the project working out of their office in Manhattan, rather than flying back with the possibility of having to return. I said that would be your call. They didn't seem to like my idea of sharing you with anyone else." Just like I didn't like the idea of sharing Edward, right? I took a deep breath, letting it soak in. I was going to New York, for work.. to launch the biggest campaign of my career. I smiled, looking at Mike. "Thanks Mike, really." He nodded smacking my desk and standing up. "You do great work Swan, it's why we keep you on board... even when you miss your own meetings." He replied with a chuckle, walking out of my office. He stopped in the doorway, not turning around as he spoke. "Since, you'll probably be working nonstop through this weekend, why don't you take the rest of the day off, as well as tomorrow. Work from home if you need to, to prepare for the trip but otherwise just pack and enjoy your early weekend." He tapped the doorfame with an open hand and turned walking back towards his own office.
I spent the rest of the day preparing for my trip, so that I could do nothing but relax on Tuesday. I wound up staying at the office until nearly 10 that night, gathering all the data, files and charts I would need to present to the team first thing Wednesday morning. My phone buzzed in my purse just as I was walking to my car. I flipped it open not looking to see who it was.
"Hello?"
"Bellazoni!"
I laughed into the receiver. "Hey Emmett, what's going on?"
"Nothin, just checkin up on my baby sis. I hadn't heard from you in awhile and I wanted to make sure you were alriiiiiiights."
"Em, are you drunk?" I asked, rolling my eyes even though he couldn't see me.
"Maybe but I'm not drinkin alone. I'm here at the bar with Jake and Paul. Say hi guys!" He yelled into the phone. I heard a roar errupt on the other end and I shook my head. "Em, do you have someone to pick you up?"
"Bells! I live in PORTLAND, not in our assbackward town. We have CABS! They're great.. and YELLOW! Isn't that an awesome color for a cab? YELLOW?!"
I laughed at his absurdity. "Yeah, Em. Yellow's the best."
"Yeah, it is..." he said trailing off thoughtfully. "So how're you and that guy doin? Not the asshole, the one you actually like?"
Fuck. I forgot I had told him about Edward. "Oh... well... he and I stopped seeing each other."
"What?! WHY BELLS?" He scolded. "You really liked him! Don't tell me he cheated on you?!" I laughed coldly. Hardly, I was the one he was cheating on someone with - and Emmett knew this. "No Em, he didn't cheat on me."
"Well... GOOD! Because I would have --" he was interrupted by his own round of hiccups, "would have had to kick his ass like James' that one time in college."
I sighed, remembering that horrible fucking Halloween. "Right, Em. Hey listen I'm going to New York for the next week or so for work. But I'll call you while I'm there ok? I have to go and pack."
"Wooo! Did you hear that guys? My sis is movin up in the world... she's traveling FOR BUSINESS!" I heard another round of hoots and hollers from the other end of the phone and laughed. Right, and he was the older one?
"Okay Em, tell everyone I said bye because I really do have to go."
"Okay Bellerzotti. Call me when you get there. Love you."
"Love you too Em. Get home safe."
"Will do -- in a YELLOW cab!" And with that he broke out into another fit of laughter and I shut my phone, shaking my head. By the time I had grabbed dinner and gotten home it was almost midnight. I pulled out my cell after I had finished dinner and had settled into my pjs, and called James.
"Hey babe, you're up late." He answered on the second ring.
"Yeah, I'm packing."
"Oh? I didn't realize you were going somewhere."
"Yeah.. I kinda got told today at work that I have to go to New York to finish up that Chanel line I was telling you I landed."
"Channel? Like Channel 4 news?"
Yeah, I knew he wasn't paying attention when we went to celebrate me landing the account. "No James, Chanel... like Coco Chanel, the famous designer?"
"Yeah, whatever. So you're going to New York? For how long?"
"At least a week. They might want me to stay and wrap up the entire campagin, so I won't know til probably next Monday."
"And when do you leave?" He asked, sounding distracted.
"James are you busy? We can talk about this later..."
"No, no me and Laurent are just playing cards while we wait for our next call in."
I took a deep breath. he could multitask playing cards and talking on the phone but, thrusting into me and playing with my clit? Like asking him to do a jig and juggle hot coal at the same time. "I leave tomorrow night."
His breath cut off and there was dead air. "Hello? James?"
"So you're going away just when I start my 3 days off?"
I... guess I was? I hadn't really thought about it. "Yeah, I guess? It just got thrown at me this morning. I didn't really have an option to say no. Plus this is a huge deal for me James; if I do this right, this'll mean building up my career in the direction I want it to go."
"You alwayshave a choice Bella. You're just not choosing me."
Oh. my. god. Stop being such a fucking baby. "James, I'm sorry you see it that way, but I have to go. There's no way around it."
"There's alwaysa way." He repeated in the same tone. What the fuck ever.
"James, again I'm sorry if you think that's the case, but it's not. And I'm going."
"What about Dr. Carlisle Thursday?" He asked curtly. Shit. "I'll call him to cancel."
"Good, because you're the reason we're not going. Hey I'm gonna go finish up this game. Call me when you land okay?"
"Okay." I replied totally confused by his 180 mood.
"Love you." He said, not waiting for me to respond before hanging up. Well that was weird.
EPOV
"Edward? Baby?" Tanya asked, running her hands over my face and waking me up. "Would you mind terribly if I met you at Dr. Carlisle's tonight?"
I groaned and rubbed my eyes. How the fuck had I made it to thursday? The whole first half of the week, I couldn't bring myself to go to the studio because there was to much Bella all over the place. I missed her terribly, especially when I was home alone. Now that I knew Tanya was seeing someone else, it all felt so obvious. She wouldn't come home until 2 or 3 in the morning, if she came home at all and she never took my calls during that time. I think I wanted to believe that James and Tanya were only a one night thing; but the more time I spent here, the more I realized it wasn't.
"Yeah, baby, that's fine. I'll see you there." I rolled over in bed and she started going through her routine and pressed a small kiss to my forehead before she left. I stayed in bed until noon, then decided to shower and change before heading into the studio. I still had film to develop and the pictures were due by friday. Seemed like I should get a move on. I held my breath as I went into my studio, trying not to think about all of the ways I'd been happy with Bella in this space. I just couldn't stop thinking about her, no matter how hard I tried. I went into the dark room as quickly as I could, trying not to look at the discarded clothes, or think about the breakfast dishes that were still in the sink. All I could see was Bella. I attempted to push her out of my mind as I started going through the photos. The first twently or so were of Natalie, posing against the window, beside the fireplace and across the sofa. But then I came to my undoing: Bella. I had completely forgotten about the pictures I had taken of her that afternoon.
As I began to develop them, I realized just how much she had come to mean to me in just a week. She had become almost... a part of me; a part I wasn't sure I was ready to leave behind. I watched as she appeared on the paper, still completely in awe of how beautiful she was. I had had her; she had been mine, for how ever brief a period. It was in that moment I realized I needed her back in any capacity. I could control myself (or at least attempt to), and if she couldn't see me, then I'd have to talk to her-- the phone, online, whatever. I just needed her.
By five I was being ushered into Dr. Carlisle's office with Tanya's hand in mine as we took our seats on the couch.
"So, you two. Last week got a little heated, but lets try and move forward from here. Edward, how has the last week been for you?"
Miserable. Dysfunctional. Stupid. "Fine. I... I got some work done." I heard Tanya sigh, and I caught her rolling her eyes. "What was that for?"
"Edward, Tanya, I'm going to stop you here so we don't have a repeat of last week." He looked between us both, then turned to her. "Tanya is there something you'd like to say about the way Edward spent his week? Not a judgement, but how you felt about it?"
"He wasn't working anything but his dick over his new assistant."
"Uh, Excuse me? You're the one who stays out until three in the god damn morning!"
"Well you two, this isn't--"
"What the hell have you been up to? And I don't for one fucking second think you've been at work the entire time!"
"For my JOB Edward, not because I'm banging my assistant in my 'office'" She did those stupid fucking air quote things around the word office, "And what else would I have been doing? Edward, I have a job that soaks up most of my time. I'm sorry that I have to travel sometimes but again, it's not like I'm fucking my clients!"
"No, you're just banging someone else, right? And for the last fucking time, I'm not banging her." At least, not anymore.
Dr. Carlisle cleared his throat. "Well, the point isn't who's banging-- I mean sleeping with whom--"
"Excuse me? Just because I work late does NOT mean I'm sleeping with someone else. However, not coming home at ALL after our fight last week proved that you and your little SLUT are using your dark room for more than developing pictures!"
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "You, darling, told me to leave last week. Friday, I didn't want to see you so I stayed at the hotel. Yes, I was at the studio on saturday but that was supposed to be when you fucking LEFT! Oh, and let's talk about what you were wearing when I got home sunday, hm? Who was that for? Oh, and if I was fucking my assistant, how come I didn't stay with her until Thursday? Why the fuck would I have come home?" I didn't want to; if I had had it my way, I would have been with Bella right now. But it didn't matter. This was my reality.
"I was wearing it for you baby! As a make up gift, I TOLD you! But you didn't even appreciate it! Further proof you're fucking the little tramp -- when was the last time we fucked? Hm? When?! A long god damn time ago. Probably cuz you're too tired from ramming her with your dick!"
Even though I had been boinking Bella, that had nothing to do with why I wouldn't sleep with her. "Tanya, you fucking belittle me every chance you get. You tell me I'm not man enough for you, so why would I even bother? It's been seven fucking years of trying to fix this, and you just keep pushing me farther and farther. What about you? Shouldn't you be willing to change too?"
"Good point, Edward." Dr. Carlisle said, "Now, Tanya, how does it make you feel to hear that Edward feels he's doing all of the work in your relationship?"
"It makes me feel like he doesn't see me trying. Like I'm just stringing him along for no god damn reason." (looks at him sadly) "Like he doesn't get that I love him."
I sighed, rubbing my forehead with my fingers. "Because I don't see it, Tanya. You... you avoid me when you're at work; you won't even get lunch with me when I ask. You don't ever come to the galleries when I display work, you hardly ever make it to dinner at my mom's or Jasper's." I sucked in a deep breath and looked down at the floor. "you make me feel like a joke." Bella didn't. Bella never once made me feel like I wan't worth her time.
"I work Edward; I work hard. Most of the time during lunch, I'm in meetings! And when I'm not it's rare and usually because a meeting got cancelled. If we worked closer then we could probably meet for lunch more often. but it's hard to schedule when I spend most of the time going over contracts. And you mother hates me, so does Jasper's wife. I don't like being thrown in situations where I know I'll be uncomfortable; your family dinners tend to be one of those places."
"But couldn't you try? For me?" I had to make this work now... it was important that I could make this work. Then letting Bella go wouldn't have been in vain.
"That doesn't sound unreasonable." Dr Carlisle said, "Tanya?"
"I can compromise with lunch, but your family dinners... Edward, please don't put me through those. Alice is a horrible woman, especially when she's pregnant which is what she always seems to be."
I sighed, and shook my head. "But... they're my family. You can't ask me to give them up."
"I'm not. I would never. Just please don't force me to attend your monthly family dinners, that's all I ask."
I didn't know what to say to that. Would it be forever? Would I be going to them, alone, when I was sixty while she stayed at home?
"Tanya, as soon as you and Edward tie the knot, his family will be your family. I think it would be advisable to at least try and get along with them."
"Yeah, but we have time for all that. Just right now... at least until Alice stops being a hormonal baby making machine, can't I be given a repreive from seeing them?"
"Until when? Menopause?" I shot, suddenly angry that she was taking jabs at my unborn niece or nephew. "Are you going to stop my mother from seeing my children? Or from having Max over? How far would you take this?"
"All valid questions. Let's try to work them out constructively." I rolled my eyes. I was going to punch the doctor in the face.
"Just until she stops popping them out. I have no problem with Max, just his MOTHER!"
"Look, I--"
"Uh, sorry kids. That's all I have. Let's try this for next week: Tanya, I want you to make a list of all the things that make you unhappy in your relationship with Edward's family. It seems we have something else to work on."
I rolled my eyes and stood, letting Tanya head out before me. My heart skipped a beat when I realized I'd be seeing Bella. She'd be in the waiting room, and I would start living for this moment. But as we walked out into the fluorescent light, she wasn't there. There wasn't anyone in the waiting room. That was when it hit me.
I'd lost my Bella.
BPOV
Evidently, Chanel lovedme. They had booked me a room at the Peninsula right in the heart of New York City. Wednesday passed in a blur. The driver who picked me up from the airport, said he would be dropping me off directly at the office and would personally see that my bags were brought to my room. Fantastic, no time to freshen up before stepping foot into the US HQ of one of the biggest fashion names in the world, after an over night flight. Fucking peachy. So I touched up what little I could with makeup, a brush, mouthwash and body mist. None of that seemed to help or hinder me once I actually got there. Everyone seemed anxious to meet with me, tell me their ideas... hear mine. It was mind blowing. Apparently I had actually made them believe I was a competent marketing manager. I was in various meetings until nearly 6, when the VP of product development verbally patted my back for a first day well done and told me to enjoy the evening. Enjoy it, I would... in bed.
When I got to the hotel and finally into my room, I barely had time to be in awe of the space, before I flopped down on the bed and let out a breath of air. I was proud of myself, proud that I'd gotten this far on my own, but as I swiped my hand over the empty side of the bed I realized what was missing: Edward. The familiar ache that had hit me like bolts of of lightening since Sunday evening struck again and I was gasping for air and fighting back silent sobs as it dawned on me once again that I could not have who I really wanted, who my heart really wanted. For always. And for the fourth night in a row, I fell asleep with a tightened chest and curled up in a ball, missing the feel of Edward around me.
I woke up early on Thursday morning feeling like crap. I couldn't sleep without Edward, it was kind of pathetic. I went about my morning, making phone calls to Em, James, my dad and a voicemail for Mike, letting them all know I'd arrived safely and that I would be ridiculously swamped for the next few days, but I'd try to call them soon. When I arrived back at the office, it was another jam packed day full of concept meetings, contract negotiating, scheduling photographers, speaking with copywriters, and organizing a launch party a few months out. At around 6:30 the same R&D executive came up to me and told me to leave for the day. I politely declined and stayed with a few others on the team until nearly 9, drafting tag lines, getting rough numbers for the items, and calling manufacturers in Asia and Europe.
By the time I arrived back at the hotel, I was amped rather than exhausted and decided to change & go for a walk around Manhattan. After almost 2 hours of roaming around, I was back in my hotel room ordering room service. I took a quick shower, and was catching up on the news, when I heard my phone buzz. I flipped it open staring at the TV.
"Bella Swan." I answered reflexively.
"Bella?" My heart stopped and I searched frantically with my eyes for the remote, fumbling with it before flipping the TV off. Edward.
"Bella?" He repeated. I cleared my throat.
"Edward," I breathed into the phone. Just saying his name made my heart ache five times less.
"Oh, Baby, thank God. Are you okay?"
"Um, yeah... I'm fine?" I asked, completely confused. "Why, is everything OK there?"
"No." He said, quickly stumbling over the rest of his words. "I mean, yes... I guess. I was just worried about you. I didn't... I didn't see you at the doctor, so I just... yeah."
"Oh. Um, well we didn't go today - obviously. I... I'm in New York."
"What, why?"
I smiled into the phone. "The Chanel account, this huge project I've been working on... they wanted me out here to wrap some of it up." I took a breath before scooting back, leaning up against the headboard and folding my arm over my stomach. "So you were worried about me?"
"Shit, Baby, that's awesome." He laughed a little and sighed, his voice dropping as he continued. "Of course I was worried. I haven't heard from you in a while. I just... I needed to make sure you were okay."
My eyes closed at the sound of his voice. This, him... was all I needed. I didn't need Chanel, or New York, or big accounts, I just needed... him. I sighed, "Edward I thought someone said it wasn't okay to worry about each other. That it would just make it harder." I tried to get through my sentence steadily, but my voice cracked a little at the end.
"But Bella... it's over. What's there to make harder?" There was a moment of dead air before I heard him let out a breath. "Oh. right. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have... I... I'm sorry I bothered you, Bella. Congratulations. I'm so happy for you."
My body shivered at the thought of this call ending, I couldn't. He'd started this again, just by dialing my number. "Edward..." my voice dropped to barely above a whisper as I felt the tears stinging my eyes, "I miss you. Do you miss me?" God I sounded pathetic, even to my own ears.
"Every damn second, Baby." He answered, exhaling slowly.
"It's dumb..." I started, laughing sadly as my hand moved to my forehead. I was losing it and about to confess shit that would make him run for the hills. "...but I sleep for shit without you now. And we only slept together a handful of times."
"That's not dumb. I can't even go to my studio anymore. I went to work for the first time since sunday this afternoon."
"How was it? Did it smell? Oh god, was the food still out?" I covered my mouth, muffling a laugh as I bent my knees up towards my chest. This felt right. Us, like this... even thousands of miles away we fell back into step with each other without a stumble.
"It was... horrible. There were clothes everywhere, and the dishes were still in the sink, but the food was away. Seems we had one brain cell between us." He chuckled faintly.
"Right, well to my braincells' defense, they were too preoccupied by being hyper aware of you touching me, if I recall correctly." I replied, smiling into the phone.
There was a beat of silence before he cleared his throat. His voice dropped to a whisper as he breathed,"Bella, I can't do this. I thought I could, but I can't. I'm sorry. I... I think I should go--"
My heart began racing and I thought I was going to hyperventilate. I had to go through this again. "Edward, please... don't go. I won't bring it up, just... don't go. I'm sorry."
"Bella... fuck. I just... I miss you so much, and even now, even though I'm hearing your voice... it hurts, baby. It just fucking hurts." He admitted, his voice cracking at his last few words.
"Me too Edward. It took everything I had not to go back to your studio Sunday night and beg you to forgive me for being such an idiot. I can't... not anymore... I can't be without you." I took a deep breath, shoving my head against the fluffy pillow. "There's not one part of me, not one inch of my body that is okay with us not being together. You make it... me Edward, you make me... come alive. Only you."
His breath was erratic and ragged as I waited with baited breath for any kind of response from him. "But what about them?"
"Edward, this is your decision. Nothing has changed for either of us, I assume. But I need you to know, that regardless of your decision no one else will ever make me laugh like you have, or feel as carefree or safe at night... or wet like you do. All of it, all of me... is yours."
EPOV
Wet.
She had me at 'i miss you' but then she had to go using words like wet.
"Baby, you want me?" I said, grabbing my keys off the counter, and locking up my studio.
"Always Edward." She said, breathlessly.
"I'm on my way." I ended the call and pulled the volvo out onto the road, before pulling out my phone again to make a slightly different call. She picked up on the first ring.
"Hey... uh, Edward?"
I laughed a little as Tanya hesitated. "You have another fiancée I should know about?"
"No!" She practically shouted, "No. What's up?"
"You remember that shoot with Natalie I had last week? Well, the company that was for wants me to shoot her again! Isn't that great!" Wow, who knew that seeing Bella would make me so giddy.
"Oh, yeah, Edward... that's great." Gee, Tanya, gimme a little less enthusiasm. "Why are you telling me this?"
Um, cause you're my fiancée and you're supposed to love me and shit? "I have to go to New York for a little while. I'm taking the red eye tonight."
I heard her push the phone away from her face and whisper, "He's leaving. We've got time." I groaned into the phone, then cleared my throat. "Oh, right... Edward. So yeah, you do that. Call me when you land." And then she clicked off.
Whatever. I had to get to my Bella.
$1,432, fourteen hours, and three jack and cokes later I was in New York, and so much closer to my Bella. It was like my body knew she was coming; like it knew exactly why I was here. I could literally feel myself trembling in anticipation. I was walking toward the line of cabs outside when I heard my name.
"Edward?"
I turned quickly and saw her. My Bella, about three yards away, in some jeans and my white tee shirt and her hair pulled back in a mess. She was perfect. "Bella." I whispered.
In a flash she was moving. She launched herself on me and I caught her, quickly wrapping her arms and legs around my body as her lips started in on my face, kissing any spot she could find. "How... did you... know... when I'd be here?" I asked, in between kisses.
She pulled away, panting slightly before leaning in and pushing her face into the crook of my neck. "I've been here since five. I didn't want to miss you."
I sighed and hugged her as close to me as she could possibly get. "I'm here. I'm here. Fuck, I missed you."
I felt her nod against my skin,"Biggest understatement of the decade." She lifted her face and smiled, then pushed her lips to mine. It really hit me in that moment just how much I missed her. I needed her so badly it scared me.
"Don't... let's not do that again, okay? I don't think I could do that again. I was miserable without you."
She put her forehead to mine, her cool breath washing over my face. "definitely. that was quite possibly our worst idea ever." I adjusted my grip on her, making her flush to my chest. "Are you okay to come with me back to the hotel? Unfortunately, I do have to go into the office for a bit today. I hope that's okay?" she asked worridly.
I leaned in and kissed her again. "Baby, it's fine. Don't worry. I'm here."
She nodded and I kissed her one more time before I put her down so that she could lead me over to the car.
"Dennis, this is Edward. My boyfriend. Edward this is Dennis, he works for Chanel."
I shook his hand then scooted into the car with Bella, then pulled her against me. "Boyfriend, huh? Moving a little quickly, aren't we Miss Swan?"
She put her chin on my shoulder, looking up at me with wide eyes."Well, yanno.. I kinda like calling you mine."She kissed me quickly, throwing one of her arms over my shoulder.
"I like it, too.' I whispered against her lips. Trust, it didn't escape my notice that we still had the same problem ahead of us, nor that we were still in this messy... thing with each other. But the one thing that had changed was the one thing that mattered: Bella Swan belonged to me.
And of course, I was hers.
BPOV
We stopped at the front desk and I politely asked for a second key. Fortunately, it seemed that since my name was attached to such a well known organization, nothing was an issue. The conceirge gave us an extra key immediately and said that a second bathrobe and set of towels would be brought up at our convenience. We stood in the elevator riding it up to the 15th floor, my arms wrapped tightly around him, breathing him in. I could believe he was here... that this time yesterday I was running around frantically trying to get ready and missing him so much I could barely breathe and now, he was... here.
"I can't believe you're here." I murmured into his chest.
His fingers brushed a few stray strands off my cheek as he whispered, "Would you like me to go?"
"Obviously, I'm clinging to you like a koala to a tree, because I want to see you try and escape." I replied kissing his chest through his tshirt.
"I won't , love. I promise. I'm not going anywhere."
My hand reached for his as the doors opened and we walked out towards the room, testing his keycard to make sure it worked. We walked down the short hallway to the main living area that was divided and split between a living room and bedroom. I walked up the two steps towards the bed and flopped down. I felt the bed shift and curled up towards Edward as his arms wrapped around me pulling me even closer. "God, I'm so glad you're here. I wouldn't want to have shared in this with anyone else."
"No one?" He asked inquisitively, turning his lips up into that smirk that made my panties wet. "Not even... uh... Jude Law?"
I shook my head looking up at him, and kissing his chin. "I would pick you over Jude any day of the week - just don't tell him I told you." I whispered as my lips hovered over his.
"I won't... I promise." He kissed my lips quickly and leaned his forehead against mine. "Don't leave any more okay?"
"Don't ever let me think that is the best solution." I sighed "I know we're going to have one hell of an issue eventually, but I can't do this without you now. You mean too much to me."
"I... I didn't realize that you thought that leaving would be a solution." He stated, his brows furrowing with confusion. "But I can't be without you, Bella. I just can't do it."
"Good." I sighed as I kissed him again. I pulled away hesitantly, sucking his bottom lip lightly before releasing it. "Ugh, I wish I didn't have to go in, but alas, I do. You okay here? Do you need anything? Can I get you anything before I leave?" I asked brushing a few strands of hair from his forehead.
He shook his head, kissing my cheek. "I'll be fine. We'll talk later." His lips moved, hovering over mine teasingly before closing the gap and placing them against mine firmly. "Come back to me."
I brushed my lips against his one last time, smiling against them. "Always Edward. I'll always come back to you." I sighed, pulling myself away from him and slowly undressing, padding off to the bathroom to get ready. By the time I had finished showering, Edward was fast asleep on the bed. I walked over to him, watching for a moment as I grabbed a pair of underwear and bra out from my suitcase. I slid them on and walked over to him, kissing his forehead. His face tilted upward and his eyes opened halfway, a tired smile on his lips. "Hey," he murmured. I smiled, whispering, "hey there." His hand reached up behind my neck and pulled me down to him, crashing his lips against mine. Fuck this felt good, this is what I had missed. "Baby... I gotta... go to work." I let out as I pried my lips from his. His eyes opened a bit more and raked over my body. "Okay, just one more kiss?" I smiled and nodded lowering my face but he pulled away. "No," he began as his hand moved to my hip pulling me closer. His lips brushed against the skin just below my belly button. "That, is for the baseball game." I let out a slow exhale as I felt the heat pool between my legs. "And this," he continued as his mouth hovered over my underwear and slid them to the side with his fingers. He then laid an open mouth kiss on my wet lips, "is so I can taste you all day while you're gone."
I kid you not, hottest fucking thing anyone's ever done to me.
I peered around him looking at the clock: 9:37. How upset would they be if I came in at 11? Probably furious. I took a deep breath trying to calm my racing heart. "You are amazing. How long are you here for?"
He shrugged, wrapping himself up in the blankets like a burrito.
I laughed a little and turned around to grab the rest of my clothes. His fingers hooked in my underwear and pulled me back as his lips grazed against the small of my back, nibbling lightly. "Fuck Edward..." I breathed..
"What?" He asked innocently, as I felt him lips curve into a smirk against my skin."What time are you coming back?"
"If I leave relatively soon, I'm hoping 7ish. But can I call you later to give a more exact time?"
He nodded against my lower back, nuzzling his nose against the spot where his lips had just been. "I'll talk to you later, Baby."
I grabbed my purse and made my way downstairs and over to the office. I walked in a little after 10 and tossed my purse onto my chair, leaning over to power on my laptop.
"You don't seem giddy." Danielle, one of the marketing coordinators observed, peering over her cube that shared a wall with my little workstation. I looked up at grinning like a crazy woman. She smirked and nodded. "Better, but I was still expecting more. Didn't you say your boyfriend flew out here this morning?" I nodded, moving my purse and taking my seat. "Yeah, a little after 7."
"... and was he originally supposed to come out here?" She pushed. I felt my smile widen as I shook my head. "No, we were talking last night and I said I missed him and he took the next flight out." I glanced up at her, and her face completely melted. "That is thesweetest thing ever!" She cooed. "Mary, Josefine! Come over here. Bella has herself a Prince Charming!"
So for the next hour and a half, I spewed a mixed bag of truths as to Edward and I's relationship - conveniently leaving out the fact that 1) we technically weren't a couple and 2) we were coupled with other people. There were a few sighs and the occasional "aww," but as a few more women started walking over, I clammed up and wrapped up the Edward and Bella story.
It was nearing noon and I had barely gotten through a quarter of my e-mails. Danielle and I were hard at work trying to pull data on the top companies that had put in offers to carry Chanel's new line of low budget clothing and we were scrambling to make the 5pm deadline so we could start our weekends.
I kept peering at the clock and noticed it seemed to be moving unusually fast; typically the days - especially Fridays - went on forever. But not today, it seemed like everytime I looked up thinking it had been 10 minutes it had really been 30, and before I knew it it was almost 6:30.
"Bella." Francois the Marketing Director greeted casually, his French accent so thick I almost didn't understand my own name. I looked up from my laptop. "How's everything going? I've barely seen you today."
I sighed and nodded. "Busy plugging the numbers that we extracted from the data pulled over the last few days into the reports so we know what things are looking like." He nodded, and smiled a tight lipped grin. "Good, though it sounds like the team will be pulling a late night?" My face fell and I nodded. "Yeah, we're still trying to imput the data into the fields we need to compare." I turned to look over at Danielle's desk. "Danielle, what do you think another hour or two to incorporate the info and get the reports ready?" She stood up looking at both of us and nodded, "at least that long."
"Dinner and Friday night group date on the company dime I guess." Francois said, trying to joke about the tiresome journey we had in store for the evening. Danielle and I both smiled before turning back to our computers to hustle through and get to the reporting. A few minutes before seven I knew I wouldn't be home anywhere near the time I told Edward I would be, so I reached for the phone on my desk and dialed the hotel asking for my room. On the third ring, Edward picked up sounding surprised. "Hello?"
"Hey baby, it's me."
I heard him chuckle lightly. "Oh, yeah I probably should have figured that. I was thinking, 'who the fuck knows I'm here?' " I laughed a little and wrapped the phone cord around my index finger leaning my head back. "So listen, I have some bad news."
"What's up, love?"
"I spent all day talking about you and your awesomeness and didn't get any work done, so now we have to stay late."
He laughed into the phone. "Talking about me, huh? Sorry, love. But that's okay. I'll... uh... well, I'll... hm. I'll think of something."
I bit my lip, letting out a breath. "W-would you, I dunno... want to come here? To my office?"
"YES TELL HIM TO COME AND BRING HOT AMAZING FRIENDS JUST LIKE HIM!" Danielle shouted loudly over the cube wall. Ugh, mortified table for one?
"Love? You there?"
I laughed a little and sighed. "Yeah, sorry that was Danielle." I glanced over towards the main doors that lead to the elevators. "So, um... did you want to come by here? I think we're ordering pizza so it'd be free food." I replied trying to persuade him to come over.
There was a beat of silence and I could hear the hesitation in his voice. "You're inviting me to your work place?"
Shit, was that not okay? "Um, yeah but I mean... it's completely fine if you don't want to, I mean we're in New York City and it's Friday night so obviouslythere's better things to do then come over here and hang out eating pizza and listening to a group of monkeys talk product launch." I spat out quickly, nervous that in asking him, I'd done something wrong.
"No, no, it's fine. I'm there if you want me." He said talking over my last few words. I felt a wave of relief wash over me as I murmured, "I'll always want you Edward, always."
"Where are you?"
I gave him the address and instructions on how to get to my office from the hotel, giddy with anticipation of being able to see him soon. "Baby, can you give us like an hour or so? We still have to wrap up some data analysis."
"You got it, love." He said, laughter filling the line.
"Perfect. Call me when you're downstairs so I can meet you by the elevators. I can't wait to see you." I sighed, looking back towards my laptop.
"Me either, Baby. I missed you." He replied exhaling loudly into the receiver.
"I miss you too." I admitted as we said our goodbyes and hung up. Even as I closed my phone I ached to hear his voice again, to reaffirm that I was his and he was mine. I huffed, shaking my head as I glanced back at the spreadsheet open on my computer and set back to work.
A little over an hour later, my phone buzzed on the fake-wood table of my desk and I smiled, flipping it open to a text from Edward. "I think I'm here. 8th floor?" I replied with a confirmation and tried to walk as casually as I could (without sprinting) over to the main doors and the elevator. I tapped my foot on the hard floor, waiting. After what felt like a year, the doors finally opened.
Edward.
He stepped out of the elevator, and my breath hitched in my throat. Even in jeans and a t-shirt he looked like walking sex. He smiled at me as he approached, wrapping his arms around my waist.
"God, baby I'm so sorry about having to stay this late. Thanks for meeting me here, though." I said before kissing his lips softly.
"it's okay. No worries, Love."
I grabbed his hand as we walked through the big black tinted doors with the infamous C's and down the hall towards a big conference room where 6 of us had been gathered.
"Hey, guys? Look who dropped by..." I announced, unable to hide the stupid smile that spread on my face.
"So this is --" Danielle asked and I nodded. Her face spread out into a huge smile and she walked over to him. "I'm Danielle. Do you happen to have a single brother who can wow me like you did to our Bels?"
He laughed, flashing her the Edward-tastic smile. I bit my lip trying to get the NC-17 mental images of the things I loved that he did with that mouth, out of my head as he spoke. "I'm afraid my brother's married. Sorry." She shrugged and I about died from blushing when she winked at me, "guess we can't all be as lucky as Bella then."
We walked further into the room and I introduced him to everyone. As we took our seats I laced my fingers with his under the table, eating my lukewarm pizza slice with my left hand. "So Bella tells us you're a fantastic photographer. Who do you freelance with right now? We're always looking for good candidates."
"Umm, pretty much who ever will hire me. I do a lot of work for local businesses-- mostly Seattle and Vancouver."
We ate for a few more minutes while making small talk, before I moved my hand from his and stood up. "Okay guys. It's late, it's Friday night and I know we all want to leave soon so let's wrap this up. We've narrowed down 5 retailers who are bidding to sell the new line of C 2 by Chanel. Can we narrow it down to 2 by tonight so we can all go home happy and do any and every kind of research we can on the 3 companies from now til Tuesday?" Everyone pow wowed and tossed around ideas. Occasionally it would veer off topic and someone would throw out Bloomingdales or Neiman Marcus which is where their cotoure line was already being sold, and I'd have to corrall them back into the world of mid-low budget. By the end we had narrowed it down to H&M or Macy's; unfortunately it was past 10. "Okay everyone, great job today. Enjoy your weekend or what's left of it and we'll see everyone at 10am Monday for the final round of meetings." Francois, the marketing director announced as we all stood up and stretched.
We all filtered out of the conference room and I walked over to the makeshift workstation that they had set up for me, feeling Edward's eyes on my back.
I fanned my arm over the plain table that housed my laptop and a few files. "Ta Da! Home away from home." I said, putting my workstation on display. Edward's arms wrapped around me from behind and his chin leaned against my shoulder. "I thought Iwas your home away from home." I shook my head, "no you're just home."
The truth in those words, almost knocked me over. Edward was home and everything home represented. Comfort, protection, freedom... love? I shook my head out if it's daze as I heard my name being called.
"Earth to Bella!" Josefine, one of the girls from the meeting, yelled out across the floor. I focused in front of me a ways where she was standing. "We're all going down the street for drinks. Do you and your boyfriend want to join?" I didn't even have to think about it. "I think we're good!" I yelled back over the cubicles. She smiled and nodded, waving as she threw her purse over her shoulder and turned around towards the exit. "If I haven't told you a hundred times already, I'm so glad you're here. I'm just sorry you had to be bored while we worked everything out tonight."
He pressed his lips against my neck softly. "Love, I'm here with you. We had a free dinner, I got to spend part of the evening with you and best of all?"
"Hm?"
He leaned in whispering into my ear, "You're mine."
EPOV
I felt her breath hitch as I spoke, and I knew instantly that I was just as much hers as she was mine. I didn't want anyone else to have this with her. She was my home, she was my perfect. She was mine.
"Baby, let me just get my stuff, and we'll head back, okay?" I nodded and let her go, moving back a little as she got her things together. It was so weird to be at work with her; to watch her at her job... accomplishing shit. I don't think you understand just how monumental this was to me. Tanya never even let me in the goddamn building, and I was sitting next to Bella while she talked shop with a bunch of her co-workers, and not once did she make a jab at me or my job. Fuck, that shit was sexy.
My eyes snapped back to where Bella was bent over her desk, and I just... had to have her. It had been too long. It had been four fucking days. Or rather, four fuckless days. I walked up behind her and grabbed her hips, pulling them forcefully into my hard on. She gasped a little and turned her head ever so slightly. "E-edward? What are you doing?"
I pushed the hair over her shoulder and began sucking on her neck. "I missed you, Bella." I murmured into her skin, "Don't you want me to show you how much I missed you?"
She pushed her hips back into my crotch and groaned, tossing her head back onto my shoulder. "Y-yes."
I slid one of my hands down her body and cupped her mound over her skirt and the other found its way to her breast. "I bet you're already wet for me, aren't you? I bet you're already thinking about my hard cock pumping in and out of you." Her hips started to move against my hand and I smirked. "You are, aren't you? Fuck, Bella. Tell me what you want."
Her breath was coming out in short pants against my skin, and she placed a hot kiss just under the corner of my jaw. "I want you to fuck me."
I kissed her forehead gently, because she was my Bella and right then only my Bella, then hiked her skirt up around her waist and pulling down her underwear. I actually fucking growled when I saw her pussy, already sopping wet for me. I cupped her heat again as I undid my pants and pulled my cock out through the slit of my boxers. "Edward... Edward... please..." She panted.
I took my hand away and traced my cock up and down the line of her slit, getting it nice and wet for her. The more and more I teased her, the wetter she got and that made my cock twitch. I was going to blow my load before I even got inside her. I carefully positioned myself at her entrance and kissed the back of her neck as I thrust into her. I couldn't suppress the groan if I tired, and my face found itself buried in her hair. I gave her a second to adjust before I began thrusting into her wildly, trying desperately to feel close to her again; trying desperately to make her mine again. My hand glided up her side, under her shirt and bra to work at her nipple. I could feel her body responding eagerly to mine, and I knew it wouldn't be long. Good, cause I wasn't going to fucking last. My mouth found it's way back to the juncture of her neck and shoulder and I began to suck on her skin again. I felt her start to flutter around me, and I wanted to see her cum; I needed it.
"Baby... Baby... it's been too fucking long... baby...fuck... I need... I need you to cum all over my cock, Bella. Bella... please...I--"
I never got out the rest of my sentence because she picked that precise moment to clamp down on my cock, toss her head back and cum. Hard. I groaned and shut my eyes, realizing in that moment that I wasn't wearing a glove. Holy shit, how could I have been so dumb? I kept breathing (heavily) through my nose, praying to everything that I wouldn't cum as she had probably the biggest orgasm in our time together. Fuck. "ShitEdwardShitEdwardShitEdwardShit..." She kept going like that for a few more minutes until finally, finally, she calmed down But I kept completely still, terrified that with one movement, I would completely ruin everything. I was panting against her back when she turned her head slightly. "You... you didn't cum." She breathed.
"No... I couldn't... I don't have a rubber."
"Edward," She said, turning to me quickly. "You have to cum." She ground her hips into me and I moaned, squeezing her tit and her hip.
"Bella... Bella... please, Baby we can't--"
"Yes, we can. Give it to me, Edward. I need your cum... please... give it to me..." I groaned as she began to flex her pussy around my cock and roll her hips at the same time. I couldn't deny her anything, especially when she was doing shit like that. I pushed myself into her and moaned loudly as I came inside her, letting out what felt like four million years of cum inside her. By the time I finally finished I leaned back against her, my cheek pressing into her spine and my hands running up and down her sides. I kissed the fabric of her shirt and traced my nose over her vertebrae, "Baby... Baby... I'm sorry. So fucking sorry."
Gently, I felt her twist so that I slipped out of her and she turned, pulling me into her arms. "I wanted it, Edward... I asked for it. I knew what I was doing. It's okay. I'm okay. You're here... Baby, I'm better than okay."
I sighed, and pushed my face into her shoulder. If something happened to her... If she... fuck. I felt her arms come and wrap around my neck, and she kissed my jaw. "hey, it's okay. i'm so happy you're here, Edward." I nodded into her skin. Her hands traced their way up my neck and into my hair as she said, "And I'm yours."
I smiled into her skin, and kissed her shoulder again. It's funny how three little words can put things back in perspective.
Bella was mine. That's all that mattered.