The Learning Curve: Chapter 103

Bella Swan's Bedroom

The tap on my window was the last thing I'd expected to hear this Saturday night.

I lifted the storm window and glared at Edward, who was perched once more on the tree branch outside my window. "Are you crazy?" I hissed. "Do you not remember the tree breaking the last time you did this? You almost died."

Edward rolled his eyes. "I got a bruise. And this time, I'll go out the front door instead of back down the tree, okay?"

I sighed and backed away from the window so he could climb in. "If Charlie catches you, we are so dead. And it's going to ruin your whole Dartmouth plan."

"Then I won't get caught," Edward said simply. Once he was in the window, he simply stood there, and I stared at him. Something about him seemed tense, wound up. It was probably just the adrenaline that came from sneaking into a girl's bedroom at night, but he just seemed…off.

"So what are you doing here?" I whispered.

He shrugged. "I just wanted to spend some real time with you," he said, drawing me into his body. I couldn't resist his warmth or the solid support of his chest. Who was I kidding? I couldn't resist anything about him.

"I guess that's not so crazy," I murmured, pressing my face into his shoulder. I breathed in the spicy scent of him mixed with the heavy night air and thought again about what he'd said earlier that day, about the possibility that we might have to be separated for another year. The thought of how little we might see each other if that were the case made my stomach hurt. Maybe it was ridiculous, but I couldn't bear the thought of living in a dorm without him.

With a finger under my chin, Edward lifted my face to his and kissed me with supple lips. The usual butterflies pooled low in my belly, and I wrapped my arms around him, sinking into the kiss and into the love that had sneaked up on me so easily.

He wound his fingers in my hair and led me backward without ever breaking our kiss. Somehow, he kept me from stumbling when we reached the bed, and instead, he lowered me gracefully to the edge of the mattress. I pouted when he knelt before me instead of joining me.

"There is one thing I wanted to ask you," Edward said, looking up at me with bright eyes.

"Okay," I said a little impatiently. I was more than ready to continue with the kissing.

"Will you go with me to visit Dartmouth in two weeks? My mom thinks I should experience it for myself before I make my final decision, and of course, so should you. And before you start making the practical considerations, we already bought your ticket and it's non-refundable, so you're going."

I laughed, a little bit in relief. That had been completely unexpected. "I guess I'm going, then. Is your mom going with us?"

Edward nodded. "I could have probably gotten an unaccompanied trip approved by my parents, but I figured Charlie would never go for it if we were unchaperoned."

"Probably not," I agreed. I tugged on his hand. "I believe we were in the middle of something."

"Right," he grinned, but he didn't get up. "I've been thinking about how we started – about our lessons. And it seems to me that although I've taught you everything I know, we should carry on our studies together. A team project, if you will."

I shook with suppressed laughter. "Do you think we could get extra credit in bio for this project?"

He shrugged. "It's all in the name of science, right?"

"Science," I agreed, and I pulled on the front of his T-shirt. "Now get up here so we can conduct our first experiment."

"Only if I get to be the dependent variable," Edward said with a wink as he followed me onto the bed.

I kissed him to shut him up.

A/N: So sorry you had to wait on this chapter! FFN was being very bad indeed. Should have something for you in less than 24 hours if all goes well at work tomorrow.

This story is up for another award! It's been nominated for Best Romance Story at the Red Rose Awards. For more info: redroseawards (dot) wordpress (dot) com / 2012 / 02 / 05 / red-rose-awards-february-edition/