One chapter will talk about the past, one about the present until we reach the point where we began with the present. Confusing much? It keeps things interesting. ;)

Same disclaimer applies-Twilight belongs to S.M., but the idea of this story is mine.

Many thanks to my awesome betas and friends - TeamAllTwilight and m0t0b33. And to my newest help: Momma Laura.


July 2011

People usually go out and have fun on Independence Day.

I was happy to be done with high school and leave Dad and Philly behind. Being an ex-police officer, he always attended the parade…and I got dragged against my will.

Mom's not really interested, so she usually just goes out and enjoying the parade, but she never dragged me along.

So this being a free day, I plant myself in front of the TV, wearing a t-shirt with a flag design that covers everything important, paired with a pair of panties that have an eagle on them.

Yeah, Dad will be proud of me.

I'm feeling the celebration.

I groan loudly when I hear my phone ringing from the bedroom where I left it this morning. Trudging my tired legs in there, I realize it's Edward's ringtone.

"Hey, boss," I answer, stifling a giggle.

"Isabella," he murmurs, his sweet voice engulfing me with warmth.

"Yeah." I sit on the edge of the bed, wondering why he's calling.

"Busy?"

"Nope."

"Look out the window."

"You're not here!" I exclaim in disbelief as I run to the window.

There he is, perched on his car's hood, smoking, and waving to me.

"Fancy a ride to my house?"

"Pompous, aren't we?" I joke.

"Won't you?" He pouts up at me.

"Give me five minutes. I have just this thing on me." I tug at the material on my shoulder.

"Clothing is optional." He grins.

"I don't want to give any neighbors a heart attack. Stay put, I'll be there in five."

We hang up, and I quickly pull on a pair of short jeans, tie the t-shirt to my side, switch off the TV, grab my phone and keys and leave in a hurry.

"Two point five minutes. Wow." Edward nods, taking my hand and bringing me closer, kissing me softly.

"I can be quick." I beam at him, kissing him back.

All the way on the drive to his house, he holds my hand, turning to smile at me every now and then.

After his birthday, we got even closer than before. The weird feelings are there—my stomach tightening when he smiles, my chest squeezing when he simply takes my hand, my head spinning when I'm in his arms.

When we arrive, I'm surprised to see a blanket on the grass to the side of his house. Edward smiles bashfully.

"Make yourself at home. I'll be right back."

I lounge on the soft blanket, closing my eyes only to feel a heavy breath on my face a moment later.

"Hey, buddy." I stroke the dog's head. "Good boy." I take his head between my hands and kiss the spot between his eyes. He growls playfully, opens his mouth and laps at my face.

"I still can't believe he likes you," Edward comments, joining me on the blanket. He has a cooler with beer and a few Lays bags.

"We're celebrating Independence Day?" I laugh. "With beer and chips?"

"Don't you like beer?"

"Oh, I do!" I nod. "What kind do you have? I'm picky."

"Corona for you—I know chi… girls like it. Heineken for me."

I nudge him with my leg. "Meh. I might steal some of yours."

"You know it's not nice to copy someone else?" he teases me.

"What?" I ask, confused, opening myself a beer bottle.

"Well, you Miss Swan are copying me. You smoke Marlboro, you drink Heineken, you have the same phone as me, only yours has a different skin. Also, you have the same habits as me—I saw it." He nods.

"What are you talking about?" I bump my bottle to his, smiling then take a swing.

Mhmm.

Cold beer. Nothing compares to this.

"Don't laugh, but I realized we have this in common so I remembered it," he says defensively.

"Still, I don't understand. Many people like the same things."

"You always put toothpaste on the brush then wet it before brushing your teeth. You always clean after yourself…whether it's your makeup in the bathroom or cooking in the kitchen. I do the same."

"So does half of the clean population of this planet," I mutter, trying not to laugh. "Anywaaaay," I drag the word out. "Anything special planned for today?"

"I thought you'd like to see the firework show. I have a great view from here."

"That will not be for at least eleven hours, considering it's a little after ten now."

He doesn't answer, and I turn to see him peeling at the label. I watch his Adam's apple bobbing nervously.

"Bella, I want to tell you about…my past."

Bella.

I nearly choke on my saliva.

He's never called me Bella before.

I've always been Isabella, and as much as I hate my full name, Edward made it sound nice.

"Okay," I whisper, covering his hand with mine. "There's no rush."

"After my first lost assignment at the company, I drove to the beach house. I told everyone that I wanted to be alone. I was on the porch with my dear friend, Jack, when someone approached me. At first, I thought it was family, then I realized I didn't know the girl." He swallows hard, flipping his hand so he's holding mine.

"She pulled the bottle from my hand and told me drinking kills brain cells, and I look like a smart man. You know how I get when I'm upset and I drink—a disaster. Well, she managed to calm me with her presence. She told me that she's been watching me for the past two days, drinking and smoking. We kept meeting every day for a week. She came to me. Until a day she didn't…so I sought her out."

"And found her with someone else?" I ask fearfully.

"No." He chuckles a little. "Heidi was working at a souvenir kind of shop…that had the option of snapping pictures of tourists. God, I could have realized it back then, but she was so interesting, and it happened in a bad moment of my life. Anyway, when it was time to return home, I asked if she'd like to find a job in New York. People were likely to pay better in the big city." Edward sighs and leans into me, resting his head on my shoulder.

"I brought her here, in my house. Within the first day, she had a job at a small souvenir shop downtown…or so she claimed. I never thought anything of it. We didn't like to talk about work when we met back here after a long day. As time passed, I started falling for her, even told her a few times. I never pushed her into returning the words." He shrugs. "It's something that you just say, you know?" he murmurs, playing with my fingers.

My heart is breaking at his voice, at his story.

How could anyone hurt him?

"At some point after a few months, she asked if she could have the room next to mine for her real love—photography. I loved her photos and agreed…to transform that room into a darkroom."

"I don't think I want to know what she was doing in there," I mumble into his hair, stroking his cheek.

"Developing photos."

"Oh." I feel silly for jumping on conclusions.

"Of her and her clients," he spits, straightening himself. "She used to work in a day club where she stood behind a window…you know the kind?" he mutters, glancing at me.

Holy shit.

"It wasn't for Heidi, because she was obsessed by seeing herself in different positions near other people, not only men. Vain, narcissistic, crazy, obsessed. All you want to call her."

I'm trying to grasp what he's telling me.

"As I mentioned, I truly loved her, and at some point she started returning the words…of course they meant shit for her. So I took the next rational step. I proposed. She said yes, and we were happy. Until a day when she told me she had to go to a seminar…in Paris.

I was making plans to escape work and go with her. A week away from work would be great, I thought. But Heidi… Uh, in the morning of the day she had to go, I woke up around seven to an empty bed. After a tour of the house…it looked like she's never even lived with me. Panicked and crushed, I went into her private room—the dark room. I nearly died on spot. All those pictures…the ones in them were mostly naked as she was in every single picture. Fuck, there were even pictures of us."

Slowly, I reach to hug him, and he allows me, sagging in my arms.

"There was a note attached to the fridge with a magnet. It said some bullshit that I don't remember. I didn't hear of her in ages. Mom heard from the people at the beach house that Heidi was really in Europe. I don't care. Frankly, she can be anywhere. But if I ever see her, I'd like to know why she was such a coward and never told me about her secrets…or even break up with me face-to-face."

"I can't believe it," I finally talk. "How could she hurt you like this?"

"She's the reason I am done with relationships."

I stroke his hair, feeling my heart aching for me.

"But you're teaching me again. Our relationship is so much different."

Yeah, cuz we're only fucking. Or so we're supposed to.

Though, I don't say it loudly. He'll probably hate me.

"Is that room still there?" I wonder.

Edward laughs through his nose, raising his bottle to his lips. "The room is there, Isabella, but it's empty, and it holds horrible memories."

"Can we make it hold nice memories?" I whisper, tilting his head to me.

"What do you mean?"

"Repaint it, turn it into a room that will hold nice memories…like a small couch and a bookcase. That side of the entertainment room doesn't quite fit with all the technology. Books need a special room where you savor them in silence."

"That's a smart idea. I'll show you later, okay?"

I nod, pecking his lips. Edward pushes me on my back, returning my kiss. His long fingers brush a few pieces of hair away from my eyes.

"Where were you when I needed you?"

A shiver runs up and down my spine. "Waiting for you," I joke lightly.

Smiling, Edward descends for another toe-curling kiss.

I've never been happier he lives away from other people—sure, he has neighbors but not for at least a mile, and his garden walls are high enough.

We end up naked and exploring each other right there, outside. I can't say I don't like this slow dance, it's intense as heck, but it holds so much meaning.

Currently, I'm lying on my stomach, and Edward is taking me from behind. His whole frame is pressed against mine—only his hips are thrusting into me. His large hands are on my boobs, his breath coming in pants against my ear.

It's too much.

When he brings me to a binding orgasm, his hands move to mine, our fingers intertwined, our legs tangled…we're too close, and the things he's mumbling in my ear? God. I explode, taking him with me.


Great news, guys! I finished writing all the chapter of this story...so I'll update more often.

Other good news, I signed up to donate a story for Fandom for Animals. Link is in my facebook group (link on my profile)