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beta? no!

storyline - Countdown

prompt words - fireplace, delivery man, flower

It's been a long day at the office.

I don't usually have to bring my work home with me, but tonight I do and it's kind of pissing me off. I've gotten used to spending my evenings with Edward, who often has to bring work home yet still manages to have a little time for me.

I call him on the way home, explaining that tonight is going to be a late one for me, and not for the reasons we'd like. He chuckles, saying he understands. There will always be another night, another dinner.

"Call me when you take a break," he says. I can tell by the subtle hush of background noise that he's also on the road. "I'll be up late, too."

The snow has finally stopped falling, but it still covers almost everything. I turn on the heat when I get home, opting to also use the fireplace for adding warmth and coziness. After showering and changing in to sweatpants and a t-shirt, I settle down in the living room with my laptop and get to work.

I'm able to work for awhile without distraction or interruption. In fact, I'm so absorbed in my work that it's not until my stomach growls that I realize it is nearly nine and I still haven't eaten. There are a couple of places around that still deliver at this time –one of the many perks of living on the outskirts of a city –and I call the first one that comes to mind.

With my phone still in hand, I plop down on the couch to wait for the delivery man. It rings, and I smile when I recognize the number, as well as the picture I've put to identify the caller.

"Hey," I say, missing him more than ever. Ridiculous; I was fine without him for years.

And yet, having him now, nothing else will do.

"Missing me?" I ask, pulling a blanket up around my legs.

"Maybe. How's it been going?"

"It's going well, actually. I've been working steadily for about three hours…in fact, it's funny you called because I just stopped to call the pizza place."

"Yeah, I know how that goes. I just had a sandwich, myself."

"You're busy too, huh?"

"Always." He sighed quietly. "I haven't been on vacation in years."

My heart flutters. "We should go on vacation."

"And when would we have time to do that?"

"I don't know." I sigh, gazing into the flames across the room. "We should find time. Make time. Even if it's just a weekend."

"Just a weekend, huh? In that case I feel like I have a vacation every weekend in bed with you."

Shaking my head at his charm, I laugh quietly. "If you say so."

The doorbell rings, far more quickly than I expected. "Listen, the pizza's here; gotta go. Talk to you in the morning?"

"Of course. Night, Bella."

"Night, Edward."

The office is quiet the next day; Attorneys Clearwater and Cope have been in court since nine, and will probably be there for the bulk of the day. They're good men to work for; demanding and efficient, but not unkind. Still, it's nice having the office to myself for the day, with just Angela and Lauren, the other paralegal and receptionist, to chat with.

Around three my late night starts to catch up with me. Yawning, I stand up and stretch, contemplating going out and grabbing a cup of coffee. I brought food from home, and worked through lunch because I didn't feel like leaving, but now I'm yearning to be outside.

"I think I'm going to run down the street and get a latte… either of you want anything?" I ask, tapping my fingers along Lauren's desk.

She puts her nail file away and yawns dramatically. "Definitely. I feel like I'm about to pass out right here if I don't get some caffeine in my system."

"There is a coffee maker you know," Angela pipes up.

"Oh, like you ever drink that sludge," snaps Lauren. Her eyes twinkle playfully as she hands me a twenty. "Here, get her one too."

I call Edward as I hit the main lobby, greedy to hear his voice.

"Bella?"

"Hi… you busy?"

"Kind of… "

"Oh, okay. I won't keep you; I just left to get coffee for me and the girls, so I figured I'd call."

"From Bagel Street?"

He knows me well. I grin, looking both ways before crossing the street. "Yep. I'll call you later though, okay?"

"Sure."

I have the urge to tell him I love him, like we're an established couple, but I don't. I don't want to say it casually and over the phone for the first time, even though there's no doubt in my mind that I do, in fact, love him.

I'm in line at the café when my phone rings again.

"Hello?"

"Order me a coffee too, okay?"

Confused, I whirl around, only to be met by Edward's mischievous grin.

I close my phone and smack his chest with it. "You said you were busy!"

"Yeah, busy going to pick up lunch." He leans down and kisses me gently, resting his hand on my hip.

"I missed you," I admit, blushing even though it's true and I want him to know.

"Trust me, I feel the same way," he says. "Do you have a minute? Can you sit with me, or do you have to run back?"

"I skipped lunch; I can take a minute."

We order, a trio of coffees for me and a loaded bagel and coffee for him.

He nods toward the table in the corner, and I follow him over, silly-giddy that I have this unexpected time with him.

"This isn't even your part of town," I accuse, sitting across from him.

"Yes it is," he argues, smiling as he tears in to his food.

"Not really." I take a sip and gaze at him shamelessly. He is so, so handsome.

He reaches in to his pocket and pulls out a tiny velvet pouch. Without speaking, he rests it on the table, close to me.

Inside is a small, delicate gold ring. It's handmade, and the workmanship is beautiful, the front having been twisted in to a tiny flower.

"Wow," I breathe, looking up at him. "Thank you…"

"You like it?"

I don't really wear much jewelry, but this is just my style, somehow. "I love it." It fits right on my pinkie, perfect. "Where did you get it?"

"A small shop that just opened near the office. She's got all sorts of things like that in there. This one felt like you."

I nod, smiling. "It does feel like me."

We can't spend long, but it is time well spent. I will never be satisfied when it comes to Edward; I will always want more: his time, his body, him.

I have to go in the opposite direction than he does when we leave. He tilts my chin up to kiss me, and before our lips meet, I say it.

"I love you." It's hardly more than a whisper.

Now that it's out there, I'm a little nervous, but not enough to want to take it back.

He smiles slowly and kisses me, walking me backward until we are in the empty courtyard attached to the café.

"And I love you."