It's us again, back with an update. Please give the song for this chapter a listen. It's by Blue Foundation, called "Bonfires" youtu*be/O9kFnpBzeiQ and here is the pictease: i47*tinypic*com/ng6qa8*jpg
We posted an outtake from Edward's POV and hope you all enjoyed it. Go back a chapter and read it, if you haven't had a chance yet!
Big thanks to our fabulous betas: karenec, LJ Summers, AshesAshes and jakeward. This story wouldn't be the same without you.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Chapter Sixteen: Hope
After I left Edward's loft I took a cab back to my place. I was still trying to process what had happened with Edward that night. I shouldn't have been surprised to see him at Leah's bar, but I was. The toe-curling sex at his loft after had been a surprise, too. Edward had certainly been passionate before, but never that aggressive. Although it had taken me by surprise, it had been incredibly satisfying. None of it had even come close to surprising me as much as his offer.
I had done my best to stay away from Edward, assuming it was a relationship he was after. But if he was willing to date-or whatever it was we'd be doing-without pushing me for more, that was the best of both worlds. When the cab reached my building I snapped out of my reverie, paid the driver, and waved to Jacob in a daze without really seeing him. Once I was in my apartment, I stripped and settled into a hot bath, instantly closing my eyes once I relaxed back into the water.
Although Edward's possessiveness made me uncomfortable at times, he hadn't been entirely wrong. The random guys hadn't satisfied me, and although I'd been lucky so far, there was always a chance it wasn't always going to be a nice, respectful guy I brought home.
I could trust Edward. He wasn't pressuring me or demanding anything. Although several of our dates had ended badly, I could hardly blame him for that. He had been patient with me and I was the one at fault. When I hadn't been running in panic from him, we'd had fun together. He made me smile and laugh, things that had been lacking in my life lately.
The heat of the water soaked away the ache in my muscles and calmed my mind. I texted him once I was out of the bath to let him know I had made my decision.
Yes, I'll give it a try.
You won't regret it.
My heart beat faster at his words. I trusted him, and I was looking forward to seeing him more, but I was still slightly apprehensive about what was to come. I knew things had to change, I felt like I was stumbling through my days, barely holding myself together. Edward brought me balance, and made me hopeful that I would finally be able to get back on track. With things resolved, I crawled into bed, falling asleep almost immediately.
I slept deeply that night and woke up Sunday morning feeling refreshed and eager to run. Not as therapy, but for the sheer joy of feeling my muscles stretch and burn, to watch the sidewalk disappear beneath my feet and the miles pass by. After my run, I showered and dressed for the day, and threw myself into working on a case. I was working with a tricky legal situation and was eager to get my hands on it. When had I last been this eager to work? It only took a moment to realize, it had been before Riley had left.
Though it was work, it was something we had in common and both were passionate about. It wasn't unusual for us to get in a heated debate over a particularly controversial case either of us were working on, or a new piece of legislation that was on the table. Riley had such a strong political background and was always up on current events. It made for stimulating conversations. We often spent the weekends working on cases together, ordering takeout, and then collapsing in bed, exhausted but thrilled about our progress. It was something we shared that made us closer. I really loved my job and Riley had been a big part of making it that way.
I spent the day working and slept well that night. I dreamed about Riley and weekends we had shared in the past. But I dreamed about Edward, too. What moments we would share and how they would affect the next chapter of my life.
~LTOYL~
Edward had left the ball in my court and, although I thought about him often those first few days, I was still unsure about how things were going to work between us. I was too chicken to call him, so instead I texted him on Tuesday.
Want to do lunch one day this week?
Sure. Can't do Thursday, every other day free so far. You?
Wednesday works for me
Where do you want to go?
Surprise me. 12:30, okay?
Hmm, okay. And yes.
The beginning of my week was productive and I found myself looking forward to lunch with Edward. Wednesday morning I got another text.
Pick you up at 12:30.
Meet you in the lobby.
It was a simple message, but it still made me feel good. When I set aside my work at twenty after twelve and touched up my makeup, I couldn't help but notice I looked happier and more relaxed than I had in a very long time. My stomach fluttered with anticipation as I walked across the lobby to meet him where he was waiting by the doors.
His face lit up in a grin as he pulled me into a quick hug. I wasn't comfortable being too affectionate at work, but he seemed to understand. Instead of kissing me the way I suspected he wanted to, he brushed his lips across my cheek before stepping back.
I looked up at him, noticing the crisp white shirt he wore and the soft taupe suit. He didn't wear a tie and I wanted to press my lips to the thin sliver of skin that showed where his top button was unbuttoned.
"You ready to go?" he asked.
"Yes." Edward took my hand to lead me from the building to his car.
We made our way through the city, neither of us speaking any further and I was worried that things were going to be awkward between us now. I decided to make the first move and broke the silence.
"How was the rest of your weekend?" I asked finally.
"Good. I went to dinner at my parents' house on Sunday and spent the evening reading."
"That sounds nice. What type of books do you like?"
"It was," he agreed. "I'm fairly open-minded. I read a bit of everything. However, currently I'm reading a book called, Mistress of Modernism: The Life of Peggy Guggenheim by Mary Dearborn. What about you?"
"What do I like to read? Oh, it's been ages since I've read anything other than legal briefs. But when I have time, I really like biographies or historical fiction. The occasional mystery novel, if I'm in the mood for something light and distracting."
"I'll have to loan you my book about Peggy Guggenheim after I finish reading it, I think you'd really enjoy it."
"That would be great. I can't promise I'd finish it any time soon though," I apologized.
"Oh that's fine; I am not in any rush. What did you do this weekend?"
"I went for a really great run on Sunday morning then spent the rest of the day working on a case."
"You really are a workaholic, aren't you?" he asked, smiling at me.
I chuckled. "Actually, I enjoyed working on Sunday, I was in a good mood, and it was an interesting case. I am a workaholic, but I do actually love what I do."
"That makes sense." He gave me a crooked smirk. "I have a confession to make; the book I was reading was research for work."
"You're every bit as much of a workaholic as I am," I teased. "It's just easier to hide since people think art is more fun than law."
"True," he admitted, giving me another lopsided grin that made my heart pound.
"So, where are you taking me?" I asked.
"Well, what I would really like is to take you back to my place..." He raised an eyebrow at me suggestively and my thighs clamped together at the memory of Edward bending me over the railing of his loft.
"God, I want him," I thought, dazed by the rush of arousal.
"Unfortunately, I have a feeling I'd never make it back to work if we did that," he added. "So I decided to take you to The Greens for lunch."
"I've never been there."
"It's at Fort Mason, right on the waterfront. They have great views of the bridge and were one of the first places in the bay area to serve vegetarian cuisine."
"Sounds great," I said, honestly. After we parked and got out of the car, Edward held his hand out to me. I hesitated for a moment.
"Is it too intimate, too much?" I wondered. I shook my head, annoyed at myself for making such a big deal about something so simple. Edward had offered to give me what I wanted. I was in control of this, and if I wanted to hold his hand, I could. It didn't have to mean anything. When I slipped my hand into his, his fingers lightly squeezed mine.
Once we were inside the restaurant, he ushered me forward, his hand lingering on my lower back. I allowed myself relax against it.
"Reservations for two, Cullen, please," Edward said to the hostess.
"Right this way," she said after checking her book. She led us to a small table with a fantastic view of the water and Edward pulled out my chair. I took a seat and glanced around, liking the place immediately.
One side of the dining area was glass windows and the walls were a warm cream color with honeyed wood accents. The large beams overhead were interspersed with pendant lights creating a warm ambiance and artwork covered the walls. I nodded appreciatively at Edward across the table, pleased that he had brought me somewhere relaxed and comfortable instead somewhere pretentious.
"I love watching you," he said. I gave him a quizzical look. "The way you take everything in, and don't rush it, you're very observant. It's the same way you look at art."
"You're very good at reading me," I admitted, thinking of the way he seemed to understand my history with other men, even that first night we met. "Not just now, but in general."
He sighed and fiddled with the menu, frowning down at it. I had never seen Edward look so uncomfortable before. "I have a confession to make," he said.
"All right." I was a bit nervous.
"I had some inside information the night we met."
I quirked an eyebrow at his words, not sure what he was talking about. "What do you mean?"
"I was talking to Sam when I first saw you walk into the bar."
"Sam?" I shook my head in bewilderment; I had no idea who he was talking about.
"Yeah, the gorgeous blonde who works there. Leah's girlfriend."
"That's Leah's girlfriend? Wow, I never put two and two together. I've never seen them act like they're together."
Edward shrugged. "Leah likes to keep her personal and professional lives separate. She hired Sam and when she fell for her, she really struggled to let herself cross that line. But they are really good together. I like to embarrass her by reminding her of the time I caught the two of them all over each other in her office."
I chuckled but then sobered quickly. "You're really going to have to explain what you mean. What did Sam say about me?"
"I will. We should probably order first though," he said apprehensively.
"All right." I studied his face for a moment before glancing down at the menu. He had me slightly worried. Sam and I had never spoken or even shared any sort of conversation, so I was completely blind as to what she could have said to him. "Would you like to split an appetizer?"
"Sure. What did you have in mind?"
"The grilled peaches with fromage blanc, honey, and watercress."
"Sounds great."
We made small talk until the waiter arrived with water and we placed our orders, a grilled eggplant sandwich for Edward and heirloom tomato pizza for me. Once we ordered, Edward exhaled and sat back in his chair. I felt my stomach fill with butterflies waiting for his words.
"All right, let me start at the beginning. When you walked in Leah's bar, I was sitting toward the back, talking with Sam. I'll be honest, I was completely stunned by you and Sam saw how interested I was. She warned me off."
I frowned and Edward sighed. "I know. But she was just trying to look out for me. She knows I usually avoid one-night stands. She'd seen you in there enough to know you weren't there to pick up guys and that you came in occasionally to drink. But she also said she'd been talking to a bartender from Ruby Skye a while back. He said he recognized you. Called you a femme fatale. Said you took guys from the club home and broke their hearts."
I inhaled sharply, embarrassed to hear that someone had been gossiping about me. I winced, knowing how bad it could be for the firm if information like that got out. My reputation, and that of the firm were so important to me; I couldn't believe I'd been so reckless. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I'd done something to jeopardize the good standing of Swan and Volturi in the community.
"I don't know about breaking their hearts," I said, looking away.
"I guess the guy thought you were hot, but didn't approach you because he knew you weren't looking for anything but a one-night stand. Sam told me because she wanted to make sure I knew what I was getting in to."
"I guess that does explain some things. You seemed to have a very good read on me."
"Are you upset that I didn't tell you before?"
I thought about it for a moment before answering. "No," I said slowly. "A little miffed at her I guess, although, I can understand that she was just looking out for you." I couldn't disguise the self-loathing in my voice when I said, "And I'm kind of horrified by my reputation."
"I'm not judging you, Bella. We've all done things that weren't necessarily the best thing for us."
"Thank you," I said softly.
Edward held out his hand on top of the table and I placed my hand in his much larger one. He looked me in the eye, his face serious and thoughtful. "Just promise me one thing, Bella."
"What's that?"
"Be honest with me. I mean it when I say I don't want to put any pressure on you. This can be whatever you want it to be. But if I do something that you don't like, tell me. Don't run." I could see the flicker of worry in his eyes and I squeezed his hand to reassure him.
"I will," I promised.
He nodded, relaxing back in his chair. We moved on to other topics and by the time our entrees arrived we were laughing and joking with each other. The time flew by and when Edward paid and we stood up to leave, I realized I had no idea how long I had been gone from the office. I glanced at my phone and winced, feeling a little guilty.
"I don't think I've ever taken that long of a lunch before, except if I was meeting with a client."
He glanced at the time on a pocket watch and I grinned at the old-fashioned touch. It suited him. "Me either. Oh well, I set my own schedule, I can stay a little later tonight if I have to. Shelly is going to have my head though."
"Shelly?" I asked. Edward held the door of the restaurant open for me and we walked back to his SUV.
"Shelly Cope. She's the assistant for all four of the curators at the museum. I'm pretty sure it would stop running without her. She's amazing."
I felt the vaguest flicker of irritation at the way he was raving about her. "Oh?"
He shook his head, amused. "Are you jealous? Picturing some hot young thing transferring my calls..."
"Of course not," I huffed. He held the door open for me while I climbed in. Edward went around to his side, got in and as we headed out of the parking lot, he spoke.
"Well, rest assured, as much as I love the woman, my tastes don't run to women old enough to be my grandmother. She's been there forever."
"I am jealous that you have a good assistant. I want to strangle mine. Well, she's not really mine, thank goodness. She's just on loan until Gianna comes back. I can't stand the temp I have."
He pulled up in front of my building and put the SUV in park. "Gianna, that's very exotic sounding," he commented.
"Quite. She was born in Italy, although she's lived here most of her life. I actually do have a hot young thing transferring my calls."
"So what's so bad about your current assistant?"
"I'm pretty sure she's hoping to snag herself a wealthy lawyer. And I've met carpet samples with more intellectual depth."
"Ouch." He winced. "That is bad."
I glanced at the clock on the dashboard. "Sorry, I have to run; I have a meeting with a client in twenty minutes."
"That's okay." He gently captured the back of my neck with his hand, pulling me in for a quick kiss, his tongue stroking against mine briefly before retreating. "Have a good day."
"You, too," I said breathlessly. "Thanks for lunch."
"Anytime. Hey, before you go, have you been to the new California Academy of Sciences building?" he asked.
"No, I haven't had a chance."
"Would you like to go with me this weekend? I'd really like to go to a show at the planetarium."
"Yeah, I'd like that."
He came around to open my door, helped me out, and gave me another brief kiss before he stepped away.
"Have a good day, Edward."
"Thanks, you, too."
I touched up my lipstick and then rested my head back against the wall of the elevator as it whisked me up to my floor. I thought of how easy and enjoyable lunch with Edward had been. I was so used to slogging through my day without anything to look forward to or break the monotony.
When I got home, I changed into comfortable clothes and made spaghetti. After eating, I wondered into my home office with a glass of wine. I stared at my bookshelf remembering the conversation earlier with Edward and suddenly got the urge to read something that wasn't a law book. I reached out blindly to pick one, opening the front cover to see a scrawled message from Amanda.
Happy Birthday, Izzy, I hope you like this; it's one of my favorites!
-Mander
Mander was the nickname I'd had for her when we were younger and she had called me Izzy. For the most part we'd dropped the nicknames as we'd gotten older, but we still teased each other with them occasionally. I curled up in the armchair in my office and stroked the cover of the book. I missed Amanda. We'd drifted apart when I was in law school, both of us overwhelmed by our busy lives. But I saw her during the holidays and we spoke occasionally on the phone. Several years after she had finished her degree, she had moved back from New York to San Francisco to be with her family more. Riley and I had just finished at Georgetown and were starting at Swan and Volturi. We grew close again in those few years and it wasn't until Riley left that things fell apart. Amanda was angry with me for letting him leave, somehow blaming me for his move back to D.C. Truthfully, I suspected she was taking her anger at Riley out on me. The worst part was that after he left, I needed her more than ever.
I cared about Vanessa, but we were never close in the way Amanda and I had been. I had always assumed that Amanda would be my sister-in-law. Losing her and Riley's parents had been a huge blow. Riley's parents hadn't held a grudge against me, in fact they were adamantly his move was the best decision, too, but they had told me I was welcome to visit them at any time. I couldn't quite bring myself to do it. I missed them, but at first, it was too painful to relive all of the memories of Riley and me together, and the closeness we'd had. By the time I thought I could stomach it again, I felt awkward and uncomfortable contacting them out of the blue.
I flipped to the first page and began reading, immersing myself in the book. It was fascinating, and by the time I looked up at the clock, it was nearly midnight. I groaned, knowing I'd be tired in the morning when I got up for my run. But it had been nice to get away from work for a few hours, to think about something other than work, Riley, or my routine.
~LTOYL~
Edward and I spoke several times over the next few days. I found myself eagerly checking my phone for messages from him. They were usually inconsequential, a quick note to say "hi" or ask how my day was going. They never failed to lift my spirits. I tried to reciprocate, taking the initiative to contact him every so often. We made plans for Saturday and,although I tried to keep my focus on my clients the rest of the week, I often found myself thinking about our upcoming trip to the planetarium.
I arrived fifteen minutes earlier at the California Academy of Sciences. Edward got there just a few minutes after me. I was glad I wasn't the only eager one. He was in a boisterous mood, sweeping me up into his arms to kiss me soundly. I giggled, my own mood buoyed by his exuberance. I let my lips linger against his for a moment and then pulled back, beaming at him as I slipped my hand into his. The smile he gave me in return was dazzling. He paid our admission and led me to the wing where the planetarium was located. He gently ushered me into the row ahead of him before he took a seat next to me. When his arms slipped around my shoulder, I fished in my purse, needing to put some distance between Edward and me, a little overwhelmed by the intimacy of the moment. I pulled out my phone to turn my ringer off and noticed Edward do the same. Once the theater was filled and the lights dimmed, we both relaxed back in our seats.
I watched the presentation in fascination and could hardly take my eyes off the screen. It wasn't really what I was expecting to see when Edward had asked me to go to the planetarium but it was very interesting. The presentation focused on how we all began, how life could be traced back to the matter that once was our entire solar system. It was amazing to try to wrap my brain around.
In the darkened room, I felt my breath catch in my throat when Edward's leg pressed against mine. I glanced over at him, watching the dim light play over his face, illuminating the angles and planes. When he turned his head to face me, I looked away, unsettled by the intensity of his gaze. His hand came to rest on my thigh and I jumped, startled by the unexpected touch. I had been so captivated by the show I felt as if I was still in a daze, but I didn't push it away. I glanced down, noticing just how much of my thigh his hand covered. His hand was warm even through the fabric and I felt it seep into my skin, relaxing me. His thumb began to rub soft little circles on my outer thigh until I let myself relax into his touch.
I turned my focus back to the screen though my body was still keenly aware of Edward's hand. My mind began to wander; I found it focusing less on the presentation and more on what his hand was doing. At the end of the show, I was disappointed when his hand left my thigh and I quickly threaded my fingers through his after we stood up. We hadn't made any concrete plans for the rest of the day and I didn't really want to go back to my lonely apartment.
"If you don't have anywhere you have to be, would you like to go to the de Young museum with me?" I asked. Edward's smirk was all the answer I needed and I laughed in delight.
"You do realize asking me if I want to go to an art museum is like asking a drug addict if they want another hit, right?" he joked as he set off down the sidewalk to walk the short distance to the museum.
"Am I going to have to stage an intervention?" I asked.
"Only if I turn down time with you to go to a museum." His grin was wry. "You have no idea what the thought of you and the museum at the same time does to me though."
"Ahh, well I can guess. Please try to keep your hands to yourself when we're there, I really can't get arrested for public indecency," I teased him.
"Yes, well, neither can I. Although it is far more tempting than I'd like to admit." His thumb stroked across the center of my palm, making me shiver.
"Maybe after the museum we can go back to your place," I offered. When Edward's eyes met mine, his heated, hungry gaze made me bite the inside of my cheek, trying not to picture him nestled between my thighs.
The tension between us settled to a low simmer as we spent the afternoon enjoying the museum. He was in his element, telling me details about both the pieces of art, and the artists who had created them. It was like having a personal tour guide. I found his passion for art incredibly appealing; the eloquence and fondness with which he spoke of each piece made me want to kiss him. I did once, after we'd finished studying the American Paintings Collection. It was only once we were interrupted by a very embarrassed pair of older women that I reluctantly let him go, breathing hard and shocked at just how turned on I was.
Edward's eyes met mine as I looked up at him. The look on his face was a curious mixture of amusement and desire as he brushed his thumb across my cheek.
"I think we got a little carried away there," he said.
"I think we did, too. There's just something about your passion I find fascinating," I admitted.
"Remind me to save the art lectures for when we're back at my place."
"That might be best," I said ruefully.
I stepped back from where I was pressed tight against him but I didn't let go of his hand. "What time is it?"
Edward pulled his pocket watch out to check the time. "Seven-fifteen."
"Wow, it's later than I realized," I said, and he nodded in agreement. "I like the watch, by the way."
"Thank you; it was my great grandfather's." He held it out to me so I could inspect it carefully. It was a soft, burnished gold with an elegant scroll pattern on the outside cover. The inside cover held a sepia photo of a young couple, it looked like a formal portrait from their wedding. I noticed at once how much Edward looked like the man in the photograph and commented on it.
He nodded. "I was named after him as well. That is Edward and Elizabeth Masen on their wedding day."
"It's beautiful," I said.
Edward pressed a kiss to my forehead and looked down at me. "I'm glad you came today."
"I had a great time."
"How about dinner? If I haven't monopolized too much of your time."
"Dinner sounds good."
"Any thoughts?"
I shrugged. "Something casual is fine with me."
"Chinese?"
"Yeah, that sounds great. Do you have anywhere in mind?"
"I know a great little place in Chinatown."
We headed to our cars, and I followed Edward into Chinatown to pick up dinner then back to his place. We ate on his couch, talking about the past week. I found myself smiling while I watched him surreptitiously. He was so easy, open, relaxed, and comfortable with me. I realized that he had been holding himself at a bit of a distance in the past, but this Edward was unrestrained. He touched me when he wanted to, kissed me when he felt like it. By the time we had polished off the cashew chicken and cracked open our fortune cookies; I was more than ready for him to drag me upstairs to his bed.
It was playful, nothing like the previous times. When I came hard, my thighs shook and my fingers clutched his shoulders. Edward wasn't the love of my life, but he was good for me. He made me feel happy again.
We lay in his bed for a while, talking quietly while he idly ran a finger across the skin of my upper arm. After a while, I sighed, kissed him briefly, and sat up.
"I think I'm going to head home now."
He nodded and we both stood up, searching for the clothes we had so hastily thrown off earlier. I wasn't ready to stay the night, and when I apologized for it, Edward shushed me.
"It's okay. You don't have to stay. Thank you for being honest with me."
I nodded, relieved that there was no hurt on his face, only open, relaxed acceptance. He was standing just a few feet from me, dressed in a pair of pants with his shirt still unbuttoned. Impulsively I crawled across the foot of the bed to him, wearing only a pair of underwear and a bra. I reached up for him, winding my arms around his neck. I kissed him slowly and softly, before pulling back. "Thank you."
"For what?" He tangled his fingers in my hair, his arm flexing around me. I ran a hand across the smooth planes of his chest and his other arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me to him.
"For suggesting this."
"The trip to the planetarium and dinner or giving something between us a shot?"
"Giving something between us a shot. It's good. I feel good."
"I'm glad," he said softly. "Seeing you smile, like you have today, it makes me feel good."
I kissed him before reluctantly pulling myself from his arms. "I should go."
A small part of me wanted to stay. Today had been wonderful, and I was in no hurry to return to my empty apartment. But I wasn't quite comfortable with staying either. I knew if I changed my mind Edward would happily let me sleep in his bed, but I wasn't really ready for that yet.
Maybe it didn't mean anything to Edward, but it did for me.
After I finished dressing, he walked me out to my car giving me a quick kiss goodbye. I rolled down the window before I pulled away.
"I'll call you this week, okay?" I promised.
He gave me a quick kiss and said, "I'd love to see you, but if it's too much, that's okay. No pressure, Bella." His eyes were serious and thoughtful, and I nodded gratefully.
"Night, Edward," I said softly.
"Night, Bella."
~LTOYL~
Although I wanted to, I wasn't actually able to call Edward until late that next week. I was busy with cases and he was silent as well, trying to give me some space, I assumed. Finally, Thursday night I had a few moments to myself, so dialed his number.
"Hey, Bella," he answered, sounding exhausted.
"Hey, are you all right?"
"Wiped out." He yawned. "I'm in New York, working with some people on a possible collection for next year."
"Oh," I said, surprised. He had mentioned getting together this week. "I didn't realize you were going out of town."
"I didn't either until yesterday. It came up unexpectedly and I'm completely wiped out. Thankfully, I will only be here for two more days."
"Long hours?" I asked, a little disappointed that I wouldn't be able to see him for a few more days.
"Yes. It's been brutal. Plus, I caught the red eye out last night and I can't seem to catch up on my sleep." He yawned again.
"Do you want me to let you go?"
"No, I'd rather talk to you for a while. How is your week going?"
I smiled realizing just how much that simple, thoughtful question affected me. "Really well. Busy with a case, which is why I haven't called you until tonight."
"It's all right, Bella."
"Thanks," I said softly. "Hey, while I'm thinking about it, how do you feel about going to a black tie charity ball with me?"
"When is it?"
"The Saturday after next."
"Sure. I'll have to double-check my calendar, but I should be free."
We spoke for a while longer, but I could tell he was fighting to stay awake. His voice was soft and sleepy. When he whispered, "wish you were here with me," I felt my heart beat a little faster in my chest, picturing him rumpled and dozing, warm under the covers. Suddenly, I wanted to be there, curled up beside him. I hated how torn I was over the issue. Maybe someday I'd be willing to fall asleep beside him, to spend the night at his place. I had never intended to fall asleep in Edward's arms the first two nights. The memory of it made me feel guilty. Besides, although they were less frequent, I still was having nightmares about losing Riley. I could only imagine how Edward would feel if he woke up to me screaming Riley's name.
When nearly every sentence he spoke was interrupted by a yawn, I said goodnight. He murmured it back, already half-asleep. I hung up the phone, a little overwhelmed by how comfortable I was getting with Edward. He made me feel good, but it bothered me, too. I didn't want to rely so much on Edward. The other shoe had to drop at some point. It couldn't really be this easy to be with him, could it?
Notes:
So things are good, right? Bella is making progress and perhaps seeing what a wonderful guy Edward really is.
If you haven't already put the story or us on alerts/favorites, do so! There will be a few EPOV outtakes along the way as things come up, that won't necessarily be posted in any order. We will make sure to tell you where they fit in along the timeline though. Currently Riley is screaming. Would anyone be interested in hearing from him?
We mention the California Academy of Sciences, specifically the Morrison Planetarium. I'm a bit of a nut for places like this, so I encourage you to go check it out if you get the chance. The entire academy is a lot of fun. ~K
Let us know what you think and we will see you next Thursday with the next chapter. Have a happy Thanksgiving and go see Breaking Dawn Pt. 2 if you haven't already. It will make you fall in love with the saga all over again.
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