A/N... WOW... your response to this was huge! I didn't think it was that big of deal, but apparently you guys think differently. Oh...and I lied...there will 3 chapters to this story, with quick updates...uhhh, like now. With maybe possible outtakes in the future, but we'll see.
Yeah...Edward's a little cowardly...yeah, Bella never wanted to ruin a good thing, but sometimes, you just can't fight what your heart wants. Let's see who Bella is meeting. And we'll see a few more flashbacks.
And give Bella a break on this chapter. She's lived her whole life watching Edward flirt and date and breakup with women just because she thought he didn't want commitment. And he let her believe that...so let's see how this goes...
I Shall Believe Pt. 2
~oOo~
BELLA
December 31, 2010...
I wrapped my hands around my coffee cup, settling at a table on the sidewalk of downtown Seattle. As I waited, I replayed my dreams from last night.
Everything Edward had said for the past seven months flew through my head. I knew Edward. I knew when he was full of shit, and when he was sincere. There wasn't an unkind bone in his body – not towards me, anyway.
I gasped quietly. He'd meant it all!
He'd meant every word, every compliment, every kiss. He just never knew how to start a relationship, because ours was so deeply committed already. He was no more a chicken shit than I was, because neither of us wanted to screw up the best friendship we'd ever had, but our hearts – or his, really – had needed...more. He did the only thing he knew to do in order to get...more.
For the last few months, he had tried to give me hints, tried to say things he'd probably always wanted to say. And I wanted to know why he'd been reluctant for so long.
The person I'd been waiting for slid slowly into the seat across from me, taking the coffee I gently pushed towards her.
"What did my brother do now?" Alice sighed, sipping the black coffee I'd gotten for her.
I snorted, shaking my head, but looked her straight in the eye and asked, "Why did Edward break up with Lauren Mallory our senior year?"
Her mouth fell open, and she looked everywhere but my face. "Bells, how would I know..."
"Because he's your fucking twin, Alice!" I practically growled at her. "Answer the question, please. It's important."
She winced, but her eyes filled with tears.
I suddenly felt bad, but she was the only one that could shed some light on my situation.
"You, Bells. He broke it off because of you. She hated how close we all were – you and Edward, especially. She gave him an ultimatum. You, or her. He chose you."
"And that's not the first time, is it?"
"No, Bells." She grimaced, trying to hide it when she sipped her coffee, but she failed. I knew she knew everything. "It's my fault, Bells. I'm sorry. You didn't know...I never told you."
"Told me what?"
"Told you that just before we moved to Forks, I didn't have many friends. None, actually – just my brother. So when I met you...I pleaded with Edward to let me just...have you. And he did it for me. He liked you instantly, but knew you were important to me."
"And when we all became friends?" I asked, shaking my head.
"I saw it. I saw how you felt, but held back...how he couldn't not be away... God, Bells. I'm sorry."
I sighed, watching people on the street making their way to different destinations. They were all bundled up against the cold and the light mist of the winter morning.
"We've been sleeping together for the last seven months, Ali," I stated without any inflection in my voice.
"What? Really?" she squealed, a smile spreading over her face.
"Friends with benefits," I sighed, tears welling up. "Until something better comes along..."
"He's such a fucking coward," she muttered to herself.
So I told her everything...well, almost everything. She was his sister, so I was pretty sure that she didn't want details.
When I was done, she studied me thoroughly.
"That's why you looked so devastated the night of the Christmas party..."
"Yeah," I huffed, wiping my tears away with the back of my hand.
"You know, he's looked awful this week. He said you haven't spoken to him, but I didn't know why."
"I haven't...until last night."
"And?" she asked, her eyes filled with hope.
I snorted, shaking my head. "I don't know, Ali." I was quiet for a moment, fighting my tears again. "I know that we went into this...shit as adults. I know that we were both responsible, but I lost myself in it all. He made me feel complete and beautiful and...fuck, loved, even. And I felt so fucking dirty at the same time, because he refused to tell anyone or say anything. It was this huge secret, and I felt like he was..."
"Ashamed."
"Yeah," I sobbed, looking up at her. "And the whole time, I felt that...there was the whole until we find someone we want more with thing..." I sniffled, shaking my head. "I was just...fucking waiting for the other shoe to drop."
"What are you gonna do, Bells? Because he's...really miserable without you..."
My phone went off with amazing timing.
E: Coffee Bean, I know you need time, but please come to my parents' tonight.
I set my phone down on the table with a sigh, and Alice yanked it up to read the message.
"Are you coming?"
"If I did...it would only be for your parents, Ali."
She nodded, handing me back my phone. "I have to go, Bells. Jazz was worried when I just left this morning. We were going to spend the day..."
"Yeah, sure...go. I'll...let you know about the party later."
"Where are you going?"
"I have some work to do at my office. And since we're closed today, it'll be easier to get it done while no one is there to bug me."
She chuckled, nodded, and stood up. "You're avoiding the apartment."
"I am," I sighed. "I can't...think when he's there. He makes me lose my rational thought..."
"Love isn't rational," she giggled, hugging me tightly. "That was your problem with James and Jake. They were crazy for you, but you weren't. You never got it..."
I nodded, kissed her temple, and then made my way to my office. I had some avoiding and thinking to do.
~oOo~
EDWARD
December 31, 2010
"Damn it, Frankie. Where'd she go?" I whined, sitting at the kitchen counter as the little guy head butted my chin.
"Hmm?" he purred, his bright blue eyes looking at me like he knew everything and he wasn't spilling secrets.
I'd awoken that morning, hoping to God that I could continue my talk with Bella, but she was gone again. My heart sank when I realized that she may avoid me forever.
As Frankie fell onto his side and reached for my face with small brown paws, I remembered what Bella's reaction had been when she wanted the tiny blue-eyed cat. I hadn't really wanted to deal with a pet in the apartment, but her look of disappointment had shattered that resolve.
I wanted her happy, even before our stupid arrangement, so I'd called the pet store and paid for the damn cat over the phone with a credit card, picking him up later that next day. I think Bean's reaction was the best day of my life.
~o~
March 2010...
I heard her key in the front door, so I scooped up the little guy, who, in just a few short hours while waiting for Bella, had stolen my heart. He was cuddly and sweet, but playful and silly.
She didn't even look up when she walked in the door, setting her keys and phone down on the counter.
"You're home early," she stated, setting a few bags from the market down by her keys. "I brought strawberry ice cream tonight. How was your day, dear?" she asked, smirking, finally looking up, her mouth falling open.
"I was busy," I teased, chuckling when she rushed to me, taking the kitten from my arms.
"I see that," she whispered, nuzzling the little guy's cheek. "I thought you said no way..."
"I can change my mind, Coffee Bean."
"Don't call me that," she stated automatically. But the next thing I knew, her lips were on mine. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," she breathed against my mouth.
My heart had exploded, my breath catching in my throat. If Bean had been self conscious about it, she didn't show it, but my whole body had lit on fire.
It was at that very moment that I knew I wouldn't last much longer fighting my feelings for her. I licked my lips, trying to prolong the tiniest taste of her, but it was gone all too soon.
In the blink of an eye, she was on the phone with that idiot, Jake.
"Jake, I have to cancel our plans tonight," she stated into the phone, not even bothering to sound apologetic or to put the kitten down. My ego swelled ten times its size with her next statement. "No, I can't. You'll never guess what Edward brought me!"
She placed a thousand kisses on the top of the cat's head, and I chuckled at the pure bliss rolling off of the little guy as his eyes closed and he purred loudly. But the better sound was Jake's whining and pleading on the phone. I couldn't tell what he was saying, but I could well imagine.
"Anyway," she sighed with a sweet smile after telling the idiot what I'd done, "I want to get him settled here, so I'll just talk to you later, 'kay?"
She didn't even wait for Jake's response, just ended the call and tossed her phone on the counter. I was so amused, but still reeling from her kiss that I could barely contain myself.
My favorite brown eyes were gleaming when she looked up at me. "What should we name him?"
~o~
December 31, 2010...
"Huh," I huffed, tickling Frankie's belly and seeing things a little differently.
With that one phone call to Jake, I saw Bella's and my similarities. She practically smashed our friendship into Jake's face, and I'd never realized it. It was like she was forcing him away, using me as her shield. And I'd done the same thing with Victoria and Irina.
Irina had been worse than Victoria, and the most recent relationship before Bella and I had started having sex. Bella never knew she was actually in the apartment when it all fell apart.
~o~
April 2010...
"How was your day, dear?" Bella chuckled when she walked in the door from work.
It was the silliest of questions, because when I first moved in with her, we had instantly been comfortable...domestic. So I had started greeting her in the evenings like that. We'd laughed, and it had become a habit.
When she looked up and saw Irina and me on the sofa watching TV, my Bean had blushed, but laughed. "Sorry, guys. Hey, Irina. How are you?"
"Fine, Bella," Irina sighed, rolling her eyes.
She didn't think I'd seen her, but I had. I saw jealousy rolling off of her in waves.
Irina was a beautiful woman, but in that one second, I saw the differences. Bella was warm, sweet, funny, caring. Irina was shallow and tried to turn my attention back to her, but failed.
"Coffee Bean," I said, extricating myself from Irina's grasp. "I hope you don't mind; we ate the last of the lasagna."
"No, no...that's great. I'm glad it didn't go to waste." Bella smiled, but I saw in her eyes something else. "And don't call me that," she sighed with a wry smirk.
"What's up, Bean?"
"A long day...a fight with Jake...no different than any other day. Where's Frankie?"
"In your bathroom sink," I chuckled, and from the corner of my eye, I saw Irina frown.
"Okay," Bella snorted, shaking her head. "I'll leave you guys to it... I'm going to take a shower and go to bed..."
"Bean, wait," I said, tugging her arm. "Are you okay?" I asked in a whisper, and the tsk behind me did not go unnoticed by me or Bella.
"I'm fine... You two have a good night. Pretend I'm not here," she said, smiling softly.
"'Kay," I said, a frown on my face when she shut her bedroom door.
"What's with you two?" Irina growled from the sofa, her arms folded across her chest.
"We're friends, roommates," I answered automatically, but I could feel the same old shit heading my way, and the worst part was, I wasn't even upset about it. I'd come to expect it.
"Yeah, but...dear?" she snarled. "Are you sleeping with her?"
"Uh, no," I sighed, rolling my eyes. But God, how I wished that wasn't the truth, because ever since her kiss in thanks for Frankie, I'd pined for more.
"She tells you not to call her that ridiculous name, yet you do it anyway," she snapped, tears filling her eyes.
"It's a joke, Irina. I call her that. She tells me not to. We've been doing it since high school." I was already resolved for the next question.
"I think there's more to it. Why don't you move out?"
"No."
"What do you mean, no?"
"I fucking mean, no." I frowned, waiting for the eventual ultimatum that all women hit me with.
"Move in with me, Edward," Irina purred, pulling me to her and trying to kiss me.
"We've only been dating for weeks, Irina. I think it's too soon." God, I sounded like an asshole...or a girl; I couldn't decide which.
"Her, or me, Edward. Pick," she huffed, shoving me away.
"Irina, she's my best..."
"No, she isn't just your best friend. Her, or me," she said again, but the tears running down her face were proof that she already knew my answer.
"Don't ask that of me, Irina. It's not fair."
"Pick."
I looked over at the woman that I'd been seeing for the past few weeks. She was pretty and fun, but she wasn't ever going to be as comfortable a fit as my Coffee Bean.
"Her." I shrugged nonchalantly. It would always be her.
"Fine," she snapped, getting up from the sofa. "For the record, Edward, you're losing out."
"It didn't have to be that way," I groaned, shaking my head and running a hand through my hair. "And just so you know, Irina... no man really, truly likes to get flowers. Well, unless he's dead."
"Go to hell," she growled, walking out the door.
I snorted, rolled my eyes, and fell back down on the sofa. I picked up the phone, not even missing the girl five seconds after she'd left. "Hey, Em...what are we doing tonight?" I chuckled into the phone.
~o~
December 31, 2010...
I sighed, shaking my head. I texted Bella, hoping to God and all that was holy that she showed up at my parents' tonight. And then I called Emmett.
"Hey, dude," he said, and I could tell he was in his car.
"Em, can you help me at my parents' today to set up for the party?"
"Yeah, sure. I can meet you there, okay?"
"That's great. I'll be heading there in an hour or so. Mom wants to fix us lunch."
"Sweet, Mom's home cookin'."
I chuckled, but Emmett had a huge soft spot for my mother. "She's making chili just for you."
"Excellent," he praised into the phone. "How's Bean? Have you talked to her yet?"
"Yeah, but she left the house again before I woke up this morning."
"You'd better fix it, Ed. This is the shit I warned you about ages ago..."
"I love her, Em," I admitted softly, and I realized that it was the first time I'd said it to anyone.
"She doesn't... Wait, what?"
"I love her. She's...just more, Emmett. And I think I've fucked it all up." I fell onto the sofa, my hand fisting my hair. "God, I just want her to know, man. And I'm not sure she's coming tonight. She won't really talk to me or answer my texts or anything..."
Emmett was quiet for a moment. "I'm picking you up in ten minutes. You're riding with me to the house."
"'Kay." I sighed, recognizing my friend's tone as one not to be argued with. "Emmett, you're not gonna punch me again, are you?"
"No, dude," he chuckled softly. "But I think we need to talk. I just left Bells."
~oOo~
BELLA
December 31, 2010...
"Bean, why are you at work on a holiday?" Emmett teased as I let him in my office.
"I had shit I needed to get done, Em." I sat down at my desk, looking up at the big teddy bear of a friend. "Why did you punch Edward?"
"He fucking deserved that shit, Bean!" Emmett growled, starting to pace in my office. "What were you guys thinking? Seriously. I thought being friends was everything to you two."
"I love him, Emmett," I pouted, feeling like an admonished child. "I never thought...I didn't know... Fuck, Em..." I sighed, crying for like the millionth time today. "I've loved him since high school."
"Oh, Bells," he sighed, kneeling by my chair. "Don't cry. I didn't mean to yell. But you guys are my closest friends. I didn't want anything to happen to that."
I nodded, sniffled, and laid my head on his huge shoulder. "What do I do, Em?"
He groaned, placing a kiss to the top of my head and pulling me off of his shoulder. "You'll listen to a story."
He stood up and went back to his pacing. "Oh damn, this sucks. I knew something happened way back in the day with Lauren, but I just thought... well, shit, it was just an ugly break up...I thought he'd just do the same to you, Bean." He stopped, his usually sweet face filled with remorse. "Eddie asked me senior year if he should ask you to prom...and I told him no. I thought he was trying to rebound with someone he was...you know, comfortable with. I didn't want him to hurt you, and I..."
I sighed, shaking my head. "Lauren broke up with Edward because he wouldn't stop being my friend, Emmett. I asked Alice about it just this morning. She gave him some ultimatum, and he told her to go to hell..."
"Really?"
"Yeah," I groaned, putting my face in my hands.
Emmett was by my chair in an instant. "Come to the party tonight. Talk to him."
"We'll see."
~o~
September 2006...
"Hey, guys," Edward beamed, plopping down on the floor of Alice's bedroom next to me. "So how are we rockin' the birthday, Coffee Bean?"
"Don't call me that," I growled, flipping through a magazine. "Aren't you going out with Lauren?"
"Hell, no! We're over. That's old news, Bella," he chuckled, not looking like it was bugging him one bit. "Where ya been?"
"Call Emmett," Alice said, filing her nails. "Let's order pizza for Bells' birthday and go get some movies."
We heard Esme call Alice from downstairs, and with a sigh and typical teenage eye roll, she left the room.
"You really aren't with Lauren anymore?" I asked, tossing the magazine up on the bed and looking over at him.
"Nope, she was...getting on my nerves," he chuckled, nudging my shoulder with his own. "Don't you want to party with me, Coffee Bean?"
"Don't call me that, Eddie," I growled, but laughed anyway, because it was what we did. "What did she do?"
"She started talking about going to college together," he snorted, rolling his eyes. "I haven't even started applications, yet. Have you?"
"I've sent for them," I said with a nod.
"Yeah? Where?"
"Um, UW and Oregon...and a few my Dad wanted..."
"My Dad wants Harvard," Edward snorted. "That application has been sitting on my desk forever."
"You've got the grades." I smiled, picking at his jeans. There was a small tear at the knee that he was allowing to get bigger and bigger. Esme hated that pair of his jeans. He had to fight for them every laundry day.
"I do, thanks to you. What would I do without you in English?"
"And Biology..."
"Right, that, too!" His smile was heartbreakingly beautiful, and I realized that I would be lost without him if he went to the other side of the country to college.
"Alice is applying with me," I told him, pointing to the stack on her desk.
"Yeah?" His eyebrows shot up, but he didn't leave the floor next to me.
"Yeah," I sighed, nodding and looking up when Alice came back in the room.
"Mom said that pizza was fine, that it was up to Bella...'cause it's her birthday. She told me to ask you if you'd go pick it up...that and the movies, Edward." Alice plopped back down on the edge of the bed next to me and began playing with my hair.
"Yeah, sure, and I'll pick up Em while I'm out," he sighed, standing up. "Coffee Bean, do we get cake for your birthday?"
"Don't call me that. And no, pick up ice cream for us, Edward. Please?"
"Ice cream, huh? What flavor? 'Cause Ali can't eat it..."
"Whatever you want. We'll share it," I shrugged, because there wasn't a flavor that I didn't like. "Ali, would you rather have cake?"
"Hell no, I'm on a diet..."
"Right," Edward and I snorted, because Alice was a tiny thing to begin with.
"Bad habits begin now. Remember that when you guys eat the whole container," she said haughtily.
"We will," we said, smirking at each other.
We watched a ton of movies when he and Emmett got back from the stores. And that was the first night Edward and I ever shared an entire tub of ice cream – Rocky Road – with one spoon.
~o~
December 31, 2010...
As I sat in the driveway of the Cullen home, which was more modest than one would expect for such a well-off family, I couldn't take it anymore. I needed to see Edward. A whole week without him, and only seeing him last night wasn't enough.
Rose opened the door when I got there, her face severe and solemn. "He's not here, Bells."
"He's not coming?" I asked, wincing that I may have avoided him too long.
"Well, no, that's not what I meant. He and Emmett went to pick up a few fireworks for midnight," she told me as she let me inside.
The party was in full swing, and I could see many faces I recognized from Cullen-Denali, as well as just from knowing the Cullens for so many years.
I was able to melt into the background; Esme and Carlisle were way too busy entertaining their guests to notice me. Alice and Jasper were nowhere to be seen, so I escaped upstairs to the room that I'd hung out in more times than I could count.
I opened the door to Edward's bedroom, smiling at the smell of it. He must have showered and dressed here, because it smelled like his cologne and his soap.
It was such a guy room, with blues and tans and dark furniture. There were a ton of old CDs that he didn't listen to anymore, movie posters on the wall, and a few ribbons he'd won on the track team his senior year. There were a bunch of pictures on his cork board – some of Emmett, and some of me and Alice.
But there were also subtle hints on that cork board – the tickets from the first movie we'd all gone to see, stubs from concerts, the Starbucks thing that they put on your cup when it was too hot – I'd thrown that at him the first time he ever called me Coffee Bean. There was even a label from a soda I'd peeled at lunch the day we'd first met. I snorted, not even remembering him picking it up, but I guess he had.
"Coffee Bean," I heard behind me in whispered shock, but I didn't turn around.
"Don't call me that," I sighed, still looking at his mementos.
"I can stop, if you want. If you'd just talk to me," he muttered, his voice just a little closer behind me.
"Don't you dare!" I gasped, spinning in front of him.
He snickered, but shoved his hands into his front pockets. "Whatever you want, Bean. Why aren't you downstairs?"
"I'm not in the partying mood," I said with a shrug.
"Me, either," he sighed, sitting on the edge of his bed as I looked around his room.
I was quiet as I looked at his things, coming across his desk. It was messy as ever, with old letters and school things. The Harvard acceptance letter was under the glass, along with the one from UW.
"You really went to UW to be with me?"
"Yeah," he said, looking at his feet and not my face. "And I moved in with you just to be closer. The shit I told you about living on campus was bullshit. And I wanted to take you to prom senior year...and Lauren and Victoria and Irina all left me because I couldn't let you go..."
It was like he was purging himself of everything he'd ever hidden from me.
"And how many women did you go home with when we went out?"
"None," he sighed, looking up at me. "Not one."
"But you flirted with them, played with them..."
"I needed to do something," he growled, running a hand through his hair. "I would go through these phases...where I needed to feel normal. I didn't want to screw our friendship up, but no girl ever..."
"Understood," I finished for him.
"Right," he sighed. "I don't regret a second of the last few months, Bella. I don't. I'm just really sorry for making you feel..."
My heart clenched at the sound of my real name. "Did you mean what you said to me?"
"Every word, I swear," he vowed, standing up and cupping my face. "The only lie that I told you was when I said I didn't want to tell anyone. Jesus, Bean, I want to tell the world."
"Then tell them," I said, tears filling my eyes, but I crossed my arms over my chest. "Go downstairs and tell them."
He chuckled nervously, studying my face, but we both turned towards the door when there was a knock.
"Guys, Carlisle and Esme want you downstairs," Rose called. "It's almost midnight."
"'Kay," we said together.
"Come on," Edward said, taking my hand and dragging me out the door. "I'll do better than tell them..."
The countdown was well past sixty seconds when he rushed us into the middle of the living room. I fought him with a laugh as he stood up on the ottoman in front of everyone, but he reached down and picked me up, setting me next to him.
With a huge smile on his face, Emmett handed Edward and me two flutes of champagne.
"A toast, Coffee Bean," Edward said loudly, and I noticed everyone was silently staring at us.
"Don't call me that," I whispered, getting a few chuckles from the people that knew us. I could barely register Rose, Alice, and Jasper behind him.
"To a new year...a new start...and to the only girl I've ever loved," he said, his head tilting. His eyes were liquid green as he held the flute up to mine.
"Edward," I breathed, looking around us and then back to him.
"Tell him, Bells," Emmett whispered, nudging my leg.
"I love you, too," I sobbed, just as the countdown hit midnight, and I wasn't sure if the cheers around us were for the knee-buckling kiss he was laying on me, or the fact that it was a new year.
Suddenly, it didn't matter that we were in front of his and his father's colleagues or Tanya or his parents or Alice or Emmett or even Gina or Gianna or some shit, because Edward Cullen had just told them all he loved me.
"Happy New Year!" The crowd around us cheered, and I jumped, breaking from Edward's lips.
"Happy New Year, Bella," he whispered, his forehead against mine. "I think they all know now, huh, Bean?"
I laughed and sniffled back my tears at the same time, burying my face into his neck as he stepped us down from the ottoman, his arms tight around me. He didn't seem like he was going to be letting go any time soon.
"Come on, guys," Alice chirped, grabbing our hands. "Fireworks..."
~oOo~
EDWARD
Shit, fuck, damn it! I groaned, but couldn't keep the smile from my face as my Coffee Bean was ripped from me. I watched with amusement as my mother and my sister shuffled Bella off to most likely squeal – Bean wasn't a squealer, but the female members of my family were, for sure.
But God, it was the new year, and I wanted to be home with her – in our apartment, alone.
"You love her," I heard next to me, and I chuckled at my father.
"Yeah," I sighed, again smiling like an idiot.
"You love Bella," he snickered again.
"Yeah, Dad," I laughed.
"It's about damn time," he sighed, slapping my back with a pride-filled look on his face. "You know they're going to be a minute. You can't run away with her yet."
I nodded, smirking at him.
"Good. Come help me with the fireworks, and I'll negotiate for you and Bella to escape," he said, grinning.
As I walked with him into the backyard, I remembered the last time I'd seen fireworks.
~o~
July 2010...
"Coffee Bean, I'm home," I called out into the apartment, tossing my keys and phone onto the kitchen counter.
"Don't call me that, and I'm right here," she greeted from the sofa, and I smiled at her and Frankie snuggled on the couch, the TV on to some old black and white movie.
"Hey, you two," I said, smiling and kneeling beside them. Frankie stretched and reached for my face. "Is there room for me?"
"Yeah, silly, come on," she chuckled, shifting so that I could crawl in behind them.
We'd been sleeping together for two months, but I loved the domestic feel of the whole thing. Coming home to Bella like this made me regret the whole "friends with benefits" shit. I wanted it for real...no bullshit...I just didn't know how to get it there.
I nestled into the couch, pulling her back to my chest, but apparently the whole shifting of Frankie's world caused him to remember that he was hungry, so he left us both to go investigate his food bowl.
"Whatcha watchin', Bean?" I asked, placing kisses to the back of her head.
"I'm not sure," she snickered. "I just turned on the TV. How was your day, dear?"
I chuckled, kissing her head again. "Boring. Yours?"
"Interesting," she sighed, turning over and facing me. "Um...there's this company Fourth of July party at the park... and would you mind going with me?"
"That's tomorrow night," I pointed out. "You just found out today?"
"No?" She winced and started to turn back over, but I stopped her.
"Did you think I wouldn't go?" I asked, tilting her head up. "We've always filled in when neither of us had dates," I reminded her, frowning when she fiddled with my tie instead of looking at me.
The truth of that was...there were times when I'd rather Bella have been my date than anyone else. I would specifically make sure I was dateless for certain corporate functions, inviting her to attend.
"I know," she sighed, but smiled up at me, tugging my tie off. It landed on the coffee table behind her. "Will you please go? Everyone in my office has dates, and I don't want..."
I chuckled, silencing her with a kiss. "Of course, Coffee Bean," I said, running my hand down her side to her bottom. I pulled her closer. "Will there be hotdogs?"
"Yeah," she giggled, wriggling closer as I hitched her leg over my hip. "And don't call me that."
"And fireworks?"
"I think so," she sighed, her neck tilting as I began to lave my tongue up her neck to her ear. She made the most amazing sound as I sucked the spot right behind her earlobe.
"What about sparklers? I really like sparklers, Bella," I growled low in her ear, flipping her onto her back, so that I was settled between her legs.
Her laugh was contagious, causing me to chuckle. "Yeah, I'll go, Bean... sounds like fun."
~oOo~
"Shit, Edward. My boss is right over there," she groaned as my hands groped her under the blankets covering us.
The Fourth of July party had ended up being a picnic, and the fireworks were about to start. The slight rain had left a little chill to the air, and I had wrapped the two of us up in a blanket, Bella's back to my chest as she sat between my legs.
"Yeah, but it's dark. And I'm pretty sure we're not the only ones," I chuckled, trying not to just ravish her under the stars and tree canopies.
My hands skimmed up her legs to her apex. She was wearing shorts that should have been deemed illegal, but now they were damned convenient as my fingers slipped into the side of them. I groaned that she was wet for me already. As my finger circled her clit, she gasped loudly.
"Shh, Coffee Bean. You don't want me to stop, do you?" I asked her, hoping to God she didn't, because she was just gorgeous when she came.
She shook her head profusely, her hips rolling with the rhythm I was setting perfectly hidden under the blanket.
"Then stay quiet, okay?"
Her head fell back to my shoulder, as her panting became labored and raspy. Her sweet brown eyes glazed when I slipped two fingers deep within her, my thumb pressing her where she needed the most, where she was swollen and aching.
"Fuck," she breathed, her whole body shaking as I curled my fingers just right and cupped her breast over the t-shirt she was wearing. Her hands gripped my thighs, which made my own hips grind against her from behind.
We both moaned, and then my Bean shattered silently, her body shivering from head to toe.
"God, Bella...you're just fucking beautiful when you do that," I growled, unable to not taste her on my fingers.
She watched me with dark, lust filled eyes, pulling my mouth to hers when I licked her flavor from my lips.
~o~
January 1, 2011...
"Hey," I cried out when I was tugged into the shadows of my parents' backyard as my Dad's fireworks lit up the night sky. I found myself pressed against the brick wall of the house, Bella leaning into me on her tiptoes.
"Hey, yourself," she giggled, pressing her lips to mine way too quickly. "I want to go home, Edward."
"You're the driver, Bella," I chuckled, skimming my hands down her back to her sweet ass. I cupped her and picked her up quickly, spinning to press her into the wall.
She squeaked, squeezing her eyes closed.
"I rode with Emmett."
"Well, shit...get us out of here," she giggled, her head falling back with a true laugh as I used the side yard's shadows to avoid seeing anyone on the way to her car.
As we made it to her car, she held up a bag. "Guess what," she sang, wearing the sweetest and sexiest of smiles.
"What, Coffee Bean?"
"Don't call me that," she laughed, but took out the tub of ice cream. "Your mom had coffee flavored ice cream...don't tell her I stole it."
"God, I love you..." I snorted into a laugh, my head hitting her shoulders. Now that I'd told her, I wanted her to hear it every second of the day.
"I love you, too, Edward," she sighed, nuzzling my hair. "Will you drive?"
~oOo~
BELLA
January 1, 2011...
I was fucking over the top giddy, to the point of annoyance, I think. By the time Edward let us into our apartment, I wanted to lick the entire tub of ice cream off of him.
I'd gone a week without his touch, his sweet words, his amazing kisses, and now that we were...
"What are we?" I blurted out, grabbing the spoon from him, but laughing when he tackled me to the sofa.
"You, Coffee Bean, are everything. Does the word girlfriend even cover that?" he asked into my neck as he set the ice cream on the coffee table.
"Yeah," I said, and I knew it came out a little dreamier sounding than I probably wanted it to, but he was just so... Gah!
He chuckled, pulling back to look at me. "I mean it, Bella."
"Sit up," I whispered, pushing at his chest. I grabbed the ice cream and the spoon, crawling up into his lap and straddling his thighs. "Here," I said, feeding him the first bite like I always did. "When did you know?" I asked, kissing him just to taste the ice cream on him.
He smiled, humming against my lips. "Bean..." he groaned, licking his lips.
"Please?" I begged, taking my own bite, before offering him another.
"I thought you were so pretty the very first day, Bean," he admitted. "But..."
"Alice needed a friend," I ended with a nod and another bite of coffee ice cream.
"Yeah...she told you?"
"She did," I sighed, feeding him again. "But when did you know?"
He took the spoon from me, dipping in for a bite. He offered it to me sweetly. "When Lauren broke up with me when I defended you...I wasn't going to stop being friends with you because some 'chick' told me to. And the next day was your birthday. We talked about going to college. I knew I couldn't even think about Harvard, Bean. It would've been too damn far."
"Do you regret it?" I asked through a mouthful of ice cream. "I mean...it was Harvard, Edward."
"No," he laughed at me. "UW was a blast. When did you know?"
I frowned, taking the spoon from him, but leaned in to kiss him so very softly. "I think the first day we met."
Edward huffed, his brow furrowing.
"But God, I loved our friendship. I didn't think you could ever...you know...so I just shoved it away." I took another spoonful and shoved it into his mouth with a laugh. "Wait, I'm not done," I giggled. "But the second you moved in here... I was done for."
"Oh, Bella," he groaned, cupping my face. "And you listened...you heard...everything? When I had dates..."
"I heard you break up with Irina," I sighed, looking at the ice cream instead of him. "The rest of the times...well, let's just thank God for headphones, okay?"
"You heard Irina?"
"Yeah, I hadn't quite gotten into the shower before her shrill voice met my ears." I shrugged, taking a deep breath. "I thought you were just getting rid of her. I didn't think you meant it."
"I'm sorry," he whispered, taking the bite I was offering him. "What about Jake?"
"He really did leave me, Edward."
"Why?"
"Because he knew that I didn't want him anymore."
"How did he know, Bean?"
"I told him so. You had broken up with Irina, and it was a brilliant reason...so I let him give me the same ultimatum." I shrugged, looking away from his warm, sweet, but very heated gaze. "He'd asked me to move in with him. He thought if he got me away from you, that we'd get...better."
Edward took the spoon and now empty ice cream tub from me and set it on the coffee table. He cupped my face, pulling me in for a kiss.
I couldn't help the sob that escaped me, because it was emotional and meant so much. We were really...together. I held him so close that, for a moment, I was worried that I'd hurt him. He gripped my hair just as fiercely, turning my head to deepen the kiss, and I sat forward on my knees just to be able to loom over him.
"Edward," I hiccuped, pulling away for a quick breath.
"What, Bean?"
"Make love to me, Edward. It's just..."
He held my face so sweetly, studying my face, my eyes, my lips. "I need...I want to do something, Bella... There's something that needs to change this time, okay?"
I nodded, leaning into his hand as he brushed away my tears.
"Do you trust me, Coffee Bean?"
I smiled, nodding slowly. "Yeah..."
"Good," he chuckled softly, planting soft kisses all over my face and hands. "Come with me."
A/N...Yeah, another little cliffy... but like I said, there will be 3 chapters, and the last chapter has such a lemony zest to it, that it should be illegal, but... it's not. LOL
So the everyone knows now...and they've escaped back to their house...
Thanks to JenRar for beta'ing this on the fly...
And now, I'm gonna post this pretty quickly, because, like I said, I just needed to get this out of my head and then get back to AP...
So review for me, and let me hear what you think... And have a happy new year... Later...