A/N First of all, thank you guys for answering my question! I loved reading your opinions on that subject. One of the answers that put a smile on my face is: "Why be too picky? I'm just happy if dude has a job that he's held for more than a month." Lol… True… so true…

I also want to thank Twilightery who has left me the most amazing review ever. I just wanted to let her know that it was very much appreciated :)

Enjoy!

Chapter 14

Isabella Pov

~ January 21st, 2012 ~

~~ 0 ~~

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"Come on, Isabella," Edward urged, his breathing slightly labored. "One more."

He had just stepped off the treadmill and was now standing next to one of the leg extension machines where I was currently doing exercises.

"I can't," I panted, letting my head fall back. "It feels like my muscles are on fire."

Lifting my left arm, I wiped some of the sweat from my forehead. I looked up and saw that Edward was towering over me with his arms crossed over his chest. Aside from a few beads of sweat rolling down his temples, he seemed in pretty much the same shape as when we had arrived at the gym. I, on the other hand, was absolutely exhausted.

"You did well," he said, his green eyes focused on my stomach. I was wearing my usual gym attire, consisting of a dark purple workout top that reached just below my breasts and a pair of black stretch pants that were pretty low cut. Every inch of skin in between the two pieces of material was as visible as the day I was born. Even though I had been kind of embarrassed in the beginning; after seeing other women wearing similar clothes, I began feeling more comfortable.

"Your abdomen is already starting to show subtle signs of a six pack," he said approvingly, running his index finger over the faint reddish creases resulting from the past two hours' activities. His touch sent a jolt of electricity through my body, and I startled in response. Edward arched an eyebrow questioningly, and I felt my face getting even hotter than it already was.

"That's because you're a tyrant, making me come with you to the gym four times a week," I replied playfully, averting my gaze from his. "What happened to two or three times?"

He chuckled lowly. "I don't know why you're complaining. You love it. Admit it."

"I love it because you're the one giving me indications and ordering me around, not that guy over there." I nodded my head in the bald guy's direction. He was frowning deeply and by the rapid movements of his lips, he seemed to be scolding his trainee.

"John is a great personal trainer," Edward said in his defense. "I worked with him for five years."

I waved him off weakly, not in the mood to get into a debate over how good of a trainer John was. Been there done that.

"Are we done for the day?" I asked, eager to leave.

"Yes. We're done," he answered, wiping his forehead with the hem of his t-shirt. "Let's go change."

Once in the women's locker room, I headed over to the shower stalls. I took off my damp clothes and stepped under the spray of water, sighing contently as the warmth soothed my sore muscles.

It had been almost a month since this same ritual repeated itself four or even five times a week. For some reason, Edward was bent on getting me into better shape. Since it was now much too cold outside, we had decided to replace running in the park with running on the treadmill. As promised, Edward had gotten me a membership to the same gym he had been frequenting for over seven years.

During week days we would come to the gym after we both got off work, while on the weekends we came in the morning. As today was Saturday, he had woken me up at eight a.m. After a bit of protesting on my part, I had managed to get ready by eight thirty when he came to pick me up. Although I certainly wasn't a morning person, and I hated when he didn't even let me sleep in on the weekends, I did enjoy working out with him. Not only was watching him use the different exercise machines a real treat -especially when he took off his t-shirt- but I was starting to feel so much better in my own body. Not to mention the changes that were just starting to occur. My butt was getting firmer, my legs were stronger, my stomach was flatter, and my own personal favorite; my breasts were actually starting to feel more toned.

Squirting pomegranate-scented shower gel into my hand, I rubbed it between my palms before spreading it all over my arms and torso. I took my time, but I also tried to keep in mind that Edward was quicker than me when it came to showering and he didn't like to wait. When I was done, I dried myself off and put on the clean pair of jeans and sweater I had arrived in. I zipped up my flat, mid-calf boots, grabbed my coat and sports bag, and made my way to the reception area.

As expected, Edward was already there, sitting in an armchair and bouncing his right leg impatiently. He got up as soon as his eyes landed on me, and I followed after him as he headed towards the elevator. We stepped inside, and Edward took the bag from me, transferring it to his other hand next to his own.

"Where to?" he inquired, draping his arm over my shoulders nonchalantly.

"I'm hungry," I said, pushing the button for parking level.

"Borriello's?" he suggested, referring to the Italian restaurant we had came upon one day while taking a short walk. It was small and intimate, but their food was absolutely amazing.

I smiled up at him, delighted. "Yes. Pasta sounds heavenly right now."

He smiled back, leaning down to kiss me softly. "Pasta it is, then."

The doors to the elevator opened a few seconds later, and we walked over to his BMW that was parked fifty feet away. We climbed inside, and I put on my seat belt as Edward tossed the bags into the backseat then pulled out of the building.

I was fiddling with the radio, trying to find a decent song to listen to, when his cell phone started ringing. He brought it out of his pocket and read the display quickly, frowning as he did so.

"Yes?" he answered, glancing in his side mirror and signaling a left turn. "No, I already ordered it… Yes, pink camelias and white roses… Mmhmm... Mmhmm… No problem… Let me know if there's anything you need help with... Bye."

"Irina?" I questioned as he placed his phone in my lap absentmindedly. His hand rested on my knee where he began rubbing circles with his thumb.

"Yes," he replied simply, staring out the windshield and seeming a bit pensive.

I had noticed that in the past few days there had been moments when he looked preoccupied, and I suspected it had to do with the fact that the 25th of January was getting closer and closer. Irina was calling more often to ask him questions regarding the memorial, and by the end of each call he sort of zoned out. Surprisingly, he didn't look sad or melancholic but rather meditative.

But what really made me wonder what was going on in his head was that sometimes I caught him staring at me in such a way that made me believe he was planning something. I hadn't even the vaguest idea what it was, and yet, I had enough reasons to think it had to do with the fast approaching day of the memorial. I only hoped that some crazy thought like dragging me along wasn't what made him so contemplative.

Edward's phone rang for the second time that morning, jolting me out of my reverie. I handed it over to him just as the car came to a stop in front of a red light.

"Yeah, Dad?" he greeted apprehensively, pausing to listen to what his father was saying. "I left it on your desk yesterday… Yes, the property was evaluated at over one million dollars… I have no idea… Give Anderson a call; he has to know."

He was silent again. Suddenly, his expression went from tranquility to annoyance in a matter of seconds.

"Dad… I'm sorry, but I won't be coming to dinner. Not while Emmett is there. Look… I'm sorry. I know that you're in the middle of this and that…" he stopped abruptly as if he had been cut off. Letting out a sigh, he continued, "They need to stop interfering into my life. When I consider the time to be opportune, I'm going to introduce her to the rest of the family."

As he listened to Mr. Cullen's long reply, Edward's head turned in my direction. Ever so slowly, a tentative smile stretched the corners of his lips as he held my gaze.

"I'm sure you'll like her, Dad," he finally said, his voice taking a softer tonality. "Alright. Talk to you later."

I had to admit, I was feeling kind of guilty for the discord I was provoking between brothers. No matter how much of a jerk Emmett seemed to be, he was still Edward's blood, and I had no desire to draw them apart.

Ever since Christmas when the Cullen family had found out about my existence, there had been a lot of tension surrounding Edward's relationship with me. On Christmas day, Edward had joined them for lunch as promised, and a huge scandal had broken out. Esme had demanded to know who I was, and when Edward had told her I was a mere student struggling to make something out of her life, she had a fit. As expected, Emmett had been partial to his mother, refusing to believe Edward had gotten involved with a woman who was twelve years his junior. The rest of them, including Mr. Cullen, preferred to stay out of it, so the entire fight had been between Edward, his mother and his older brother.

Wanting to leave the apartment to Angela's disposal a few more hours, I was still at Edward's place when he had come back. I could still vividly remember the exact moment he had burst through the front door like a tornado, muttering curses under his breath. He had been in such a rage that his appearance had scared me. His eyes, usually such a bright color, were almost black; his mouth was twisted downwards; his forehead was wrinkled into the ugliest of frowns; his nostrils were flared and his hands were balled into tight fists at his sides.

It wasn't that I hadn't seen angry men before; but when Edward got like that, his fury was so intense that it transformed him completely. With him being so choleric, I was reluctant to think about what would happen if we ever got into a fight. As calm and collected I was on a daily basis, I did have my moments when I became so infuriated nothing and no one could stop me from taking it out on whomever had the misfortune to rile me up.

After managing to calm him down, he had told me everything that had transpired at his parents' house. Since that afternoon, he began avoiding taking his mother's calls. Surprisingly, she hadn't showed up at his door unannounced again, but she never stopped pestering him with phone calls and text messages. Emmett had started to give him the cold shoulder, so the atmosphere at work was not only uncomfortable but more stressful than ever. Everything about his life was now so strained, I actually felt bad for him.

Sighing, I glanced at Edward's profile. He was watching the traffic ahead attentively. His brow was slightly furrowed while the bags under his eyes were more accentuated than I'd ever seen them.

Reaching over to him, I started toying with the short hair at the nape of his neck. In return, he put his hand back on my knee, giving it a light squeeze.

I smiled and leaned in to kiss his cheek.

~~ 0 ~~

"I look fat in these jeans," Angela stated. She had her arms akimbo and was looking down at herself quite displeased.

"Yeah, and?" I replied, trying to keep a straight face.

She gasped, outraged. "You tactless cow!"

"I was kidding!" I laughed, putting my hands up defensively. "You look fine."

She glared at me, turning her attention to her boyfriend. "Ben?"

"Huh?" he said, making an effort to tear his gaze away from the soccer game he was watching.

"Do these jeans make me look fat?"

He stared at her blankly for a second before answering. "No. Of course they don't. They make your ass nice and round."

"So they make my ass look big, is that what you're saying?" she snapped, taking a step towards him menacingly.

"God, no!" he yelled, his eyes widening. "You look…" he trailed off, and I prayed that he had the right answer, "…as beautiful as ever."

"Awww." I couldn't help myself.

A smug smirk made its way to Angela's face. "See?" she said, looking at me triumphantly. "He's well trained."

"Hey," Ben protested, but she waved him off dismissively.

"I'm joking, baby," she said, blowing him a kiss. "Go back to your game."

He shook his head, leaning back into the couch. After so many years of having to put up with her, the poor guy was used to her craziness.

"What are your plans for tonight?" Angela asked, leaning down over the coffee table to shove her phone and keys into her bag.

I shrugged, bringing the cup of tea to my lips and taking a sip. "I don't have any. Edward is probably going to come over."

"You guys can come with us if you want," she suggested.

"I don't think Edward's in the mood for clubbing. Not at this time of the year."

"Okay." She nodded understandingly. I had told her all about Tanya, so I didn't need to elaborate my answer. "Well… have fun playing scrabble or doing whatever it is that you two usually do when you're alone."

"Thanks," I said, rolling my eyes at her.

Angela and Ben were gone within fifteen minutes, and I was left alone. Later that night, I was just fixing myself a second cup of tea when the doorbell rang.

"Come on in!" I yelled, loud enough to be heard from the hallway. "It's open!"

I heard the door open, followed by the sound of discarded footwear. Shortly after, Edward appeared in the kitchen's doorway holding a plastic bag.

"Evening," he greeted with a smile.

"Good evening. What's that?" I pointed towards the bag with my teaspoon.

"It's chocolate cake," he said, placing it on the countertop and leaning in for a kiss. "Susan made it especially for you."

"That was sweet of her."

"She likes you."

"I like her too," I confessed, taking out the square box and opening it. "Her food is amazing. Last week while you were in the shower, she even gave me her Fettuccini Alfredo recipe, which is about a hundred times better than mine."

"Well…" he whispered in my ear, "I think your lasagna is the best I ever had."

I blushed at the compliment. "You always say that."

"It's the truth. I don't know where you learned to cook like you do, but when it comes to food, you have true skills, Isabella."

A sigh escaped me as a deep, old-time longing took over me. I cut a piece of cake and placed it on a plate before turning to Edward. "It was my mom's recipe," I uttered, almost shyly. "Grandma passed it to her when she married Dad."

Edward tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, his warm fingers running down my jaw and settling at the base of my neck. "I never asked you…" he murmured softly, "…are your grandparents still alive?"

"Only grandpa Swan. He lives in Olympia, not that far away from Forks."

Thinking about grandpa Swan brought back bitter-sweet memories, and with them a touch of melancholia grazed my soul. His wife, grandma Swan, had been the best grandmother anyone could have asked for, and I missed her dearly.

"When was the last time you saw him?" Edward questioned, and I inched closer to him bringing my arms around his waist and resting my head on his chest. He felt good, and I breathed in his cologne, letting my eyelids fall closed for a split second.

"Years ago at my parents' funeral. We're not that close. He's always had more of a cold attitude towards me."

Edward nodded, but didn't say anything else. He rubbed my back comfortingly, and I placed a few kisses on his Adam's apple, causing him to hum in appreciation.

Eventually, I pulled away and held the small plate in front of him. "Cake?"

He took it from me with a smile, repaying me with a gentle peck on the lips. "Yes, please."

~~ 0 ~~

"This man is a saint," I voiced my thoughts, placing the book on my chest and glancing at Edward.

He peered at me over his thick-rimmed glasses that gave him such a business-like allure. "Either that, or he truly was an idiot."

We were lying on the couch, on opposite sides, with my bent legs resting between his. I was re-reading Dostoyevsky's The Idiot while he was skimming through one of my Indian philosophy books with a moderate amount of interest.

"Just because he is kind and generous, doesn't mean he's an idiot," I justified, sitting up.

Edward tossed his book on the coffee table. Keeping his glasses on, he took hold of my right foot and brought it to his lap, starting to massage it.

"Well, his goodness did seem to precipitate disaster," he said with a smirk, cleverly sensing a debate.

I scowled, liking what he was doing to my foot, but still too immersed in my recent lecture to completely enjoy it. "Kind-hearted people always end up badly."

"That's because goodness isn't enough of a quality to succeed in life. It never was and it will never be. Sometimes you have to be bad… to play dirty… to be sneaky."

I stared at him curiously. "Did you ever have to 'play dirty' in order to reach your goals?" I asked, making air quotes with my fingers.

"Many times," he answered sincerely, a contemplative look overtaking his expression. "Being a lawyer isn't exactly the most ethical of professions. Even though I have to confess I was a bit privileged, life isn't just and it doesn't offer equal chances to all of us. Sometimes it is possible that you'll have to work harder than others to see your desires come to fruition. Other times you'll have to go as far as step over the proverbial dead bodies. That's just how the world we live in works." He paused, shifting his eyes so that they were boring into mine intently. "But take this piece of advice from me if you will. Never back down when you really want something, and most importantly; never show weakness in front of your enemies. Because if you do… " he paused again briefly to emphasize the importance of his words, "…they will tear you apart."

"Okay…"

"What?"

I shrugged, placing my other foot into his lap. He took the hint, redirecting his skilled hands to it. "You really do have that typical attorney mentality."

"I wouldn't be successful in what I do if I didn't. I told you before… when it comes to work, we lawyers are like sharks; cold blood and all."

"But you're so different in your personal life," I mused, watching his thumbs move against the back of my toes. "You're so warm and attentive and selfless."

"I manage to detach myself pretty well. Work is just that; work. While when it comes to love, I am a man with needs, desires, feelings, weaknesses, fears…" he said, looking up at me and smiling coyly.

The next question fell from my lips almost involuntarily. "What is your biggest fear relationship wise?"

He looked thoughtful before giving me an answer. "Failing to make the woman I love happy."

I nodded, secretively feeling my affection for him growing even more. If I had any doubt that Edward was a wonderful man before, his response had certainly eliminated it. He definitely had his many flaws, but he also had amazing qualities that were pretty hard to find in the modern, contemporary man. He was just so… perfect in his own imperfection.

"Weakness?" I went on, intuiting the opportunity to discover that part of him that he didn't show very often.

He sighed, his hands abandoning my toes and moving up to my ankles. "I get too involved. I put too much of myself out there."

"And that's bad why?" I said in a strained voice, biting on my lip and suppressing an embarrassing moan. His ministrations alleviated my sore muscles, and I let myself slide a little closer to him and his magic hands.

Edward noticed my movement, quickly deciphering its purpose. He inched up towards my calves, applying more pressure, and this time I let out a loud groan.

"It is bad if she doesn't get as involved as I do. It never happened, but it could…"

"Don't stop," I breathed, closing my eyes and relaxing against the couch's stiff arm.

He chuckled, amused by my reaction. He continued what he was doing, from time to time leaning down to place a scruffy kiss against my skin.

Many minutes later, I found the strength to open my eyes again. I was starting to get sleepy, and I ran my palms over my face, trying to chase the somnolence away. "How about needs and desires?"

At this Edward looked up at me with an intensity that took my breath away. "You already know my biggest desire," he said lowly, his gaze falling on my stomach suggestively.

Yeah, he wanted a child and he'd been was pretty damn clear about that. If this thing between us was going in the direction I hoped it was going, I knew that sooner or later we were going to have a serious conversation. I wanted children as well, but not until I was done with school. My career was my first priority at the moment. However, I found it endearing that Edward was so determined to be a father. It only showed just how big his heart really was.

Pulling my legs out of his hands, I turned my body so that I was lying on top of him. He grinned up at me lazily, rubbing the small of my back as my arms went around his neck. I kissed him deeply; a testament to my silent agreement to make his dream come true if we ever got that far in our relationship.

"As for needs," he murmured, caressing my ass, "I think they're pretty much the same for every man. We need sex, affection, understanding, and from time to time some space. Right now you're squishing my balls, so a little space would be nice."

It took a moment for his comment to register with me. Glancing between us, I saw that my thigh was resting right on top of his manly parts. I didn't look very comfortable for him.

"Sorry," I apologized, rushing to scramble off of him.

He frowned, immobilizing me. Lifting my hips up, he changed his position a little to the right then pulled me back to his chest. "There. Now I think it's time for you to answer the same questions."

"Okay," I said, placing my chin on top of my folded arms as I gazed up at him. His palms went back to my ass, distracting me for a split second. "Uh… I'm afraid of being cheated on."

"Did it ever happen to you?"

"Yeah," I admitted with a shrug. "In high school. He was my first boyfriend, my first kiss, my first time, my first everything. It just hurt a lot, you know?"

He nodded, patiently waiting for the rest.

"My biggest weakness… I don't really know if I have one. I can be pretty sensitive and I cry easily."

"Okay. That counts. You're vulnerable."

"Yeah. As for desires; I wish to get married one day. I dream of a nice house with a large garden where I can grow flowers, a golden retriever and a couple of kids to run around. Nothing out of the ordinary."

"A garden sounds nice," he said, and I could detect a hint of longing in his voice.

"Mmhmm," I murmured my approval.

"Needs?" he asked.

My reply was so spontaneous, it sounded like I had practiced it all my life. "I need someone to take care of me, to put up with my nagging and criticizing and not to pester me when I don't feel like having sex."

Edward's eyebrows rose up in surprise. "Speaking from experience again?"

"Unfortunately, yes," I said, Jacob's memory tainting the conversation. "Women are not machines. For varied reasons, there are times when we just don't feel like doing it."

"I'll try to keep that in mind," he said playfully, kissing my frown away.

We were quiet for some time, simply enjoying being in each other's arms. He explored my curves with gentle strokes while I toyed with the little reddish hairs peeking from underneath the plain, low-cut t-shirt he had on. I could feel the outline of his erection pressing against my lower abdomen, but since he was ignoring it, I tried to do the same.

"Why do men cheat?" I suddenly blurted out in an attempt to distract myself from his hard on, staring at him expectantly.

"I have no idea," he retorted huskily, his eyelids heavy. "Why do women cheat?"

I swallowed thickly, my tongue darting out to leave a wet trail across my bottom lip. Seeing him so aroused had the same uncomfortable effect on me. It took all of my willpower not to start grinding against him desperately.

"Men cheat more often than women do," I rationalized.

His gaze flickered from my mouth to my eyes and back to my mouth hungrily. "It's possible."

"It's a fact."

"Mmhmm," he hummed absently, still very much focused on my lips. "Why did your boyfriend cheat on you? What was the reason behind his escapade?"

"He was a stupid asshole?" I said, moving my hips just a few inches higher.

His teeth clenched visibly as he let out a low grunt. "There's your answer."

I moved back down, feeling the hardness hidden by the rough denim of his jeans rub me in just the right place. "He said I was boring in bed."

This time he moaned, his hands gripping my hips so hard it was almost painful. "He was just an immature kid," he said, his eyes getting wild with lust.

"His name was Mike." I repeated the same action, making sure to apply more pressure against his penis. "He was my first, and I was just so inexperienced. I only wanted missionary, and he hated it."

I rubbed against him a few more times, and all of a sudden he lifted my body off of his. "God, Isabella," he gritted, his hands trembling as they supported my weight.

He looked like he was in pain, and I immediately started feeling horrible for my stupid impulse that had only intensified his agony. I really had no idea what the hell had gotten into me.

"I'm sorry," I said remorseful, kneeling between his thighs.

He shook his head, but seemed unable to speak as he dug the heels of his still trembling hands into his eye sockets. I was so mortified, I started getting up, preparing to go lock myself into the bathroom and never come out.

Abruptly, Edward grabbed my wrist, bringing it to his mouth. He kissed it a couple of times, gently pulling me towards him. "I'm okay," he said, a devilish smirk making its way to his face. "Although, I have to confess I'm not too fond of missionary myself."

I let out a nervous laugh, my cheeks coloring brightly. "No?"

"No. It's okay for making love, although I like being creative and spontaneous when it comes to positions," he murmured, causing my entire face to flame up. I wasn't embarrassed only because of his bluntness, but also because of my stupid behavior. "Why are you blushing? I'm just being honest. Am I too crass for your liking?"

"No, but I can't help it."

He chuckled. "You'll have to get used to it. I can be pretty shameless in that department."

~~ 0 ~~

Monday morning, just as I was preparing to leave for class, my cell phone started ringing from somewhere at the bottom of my messenger bag. I paused with my hand on the scarf I was wrapping around my neck and looked at my reflection in the bathroom's mirror with an irritated frown. Abandoning the scarf on the vanity, I headed over to the hallway where I had left the bag. I opened it and dug inside, letting out a few obscenities when it took me longer than a few seconds to find the damn gadget.

"Yeah?" I said, not even bothering to read the display.

"Are you still home?" Angela's hurried voice greeted me.

"Yeah. Why?"

"Can I ask for a favor?"

I sighed, pressing two fingers against the crease that had formed between my eyebrows. "What is it that you want?"

"I was in such a rush today and I forgot to pack lunch. I really don't want to eat the food they have here," she rushed to explain. "Can you please, please detour on your way to school and bring me something?"

I groaned in response. "You're killing me."

"I know," she said, sounding apologetic. "Pretty please?"

"Fine," I relented, knowing how much she hated eating hospital food. "What do you want me to bring you?"

"Just some pasta leftovers or whatever it is that we have in the fridge."

"Okay. I'll be there in about half an hour."

"Thanks. Call me when you get here."

"I will." With that I hung up, turning around and going straight to the fridge.

I packed Angela's lunch hurriedly, applied some lipstick, managed to put on my scarf, and ten minutes later I was stepping outside into the freezing January air. My four inch heels hit against the asphalt noisily as I made my way towards the subway station with large, deliberate steps. Once on the train, I sat down next to an elderly man reading a newspaper, and pulled out one of my school books, busying myself with it until I reached my destination.

The Northwestern Memorial Hospital was just as tall as I remembered. Following the red sign saying "Emergency Department", I walked towards the entrance, a wave of warmth enveloping me as soon as I made it inside. I texted Angela that I was there, and she replied with a flat 'k'. Throwing a fugitive glance to my right where people were waiting to be attended to, I began unbuttoning my coat as I headed over to the reception area. A cute blonde I recognized from my previous visits was behind the reception desk, jotting something down in an agenda.

"Hey," I said, resting my elbow on top of the desk.

She looked up blankly. After a few seconds during which I could see the wheels turning in her head as she tried to place me, she smiled brightly. "Bella, right?"

A man, who up until that moment had been hunched over a chart, looking deep in thought, glanced in my direction at the mention of my name. He had light brown, short hair, dark eyes, harmonious facial features and pale skin. As he was wearing a white coat over green scrubs, I logically deduced he was a doctor.

"Yeah," I said to the girl; Heidi if I wasn't mistaken. "I'm here to see Angela. She should be here any minute."

"What do you have there?" she inquired as I placed the plastic bag I was holding in front of her.

"Lunch," I said, tapping my nails on the polished wood and checking the time. I had another twenty-five minutes until class began and I didn't want to be late.

"How's your wrist?" Heidi asked amusedly, referring to an accident that had happened about a year prior. I had slipped on some stairs while rushing to catch a cab, and instead of getting to work, I had ended up in the ER.

"Better." I chuckled, flexing my wrist to prove my point. "I avoid stairs as much as I can ever since."

"Stairs can be a bitch," the man observed, now facing me. He gave me the once over, his eyes lingering on my boots. "Especially when you're in high heels."

"I wasn't wearing heels," I said, raising an eyebrow at him challengingly.

"Well…" he trailed off, smiling. I noticed that he was really cute when he did, and I couldn't help but smile back.

Angela showed up then wearing her usual scrubs. "Sorry to keep you waiting," she panted, looking like she had been running to get there faster. "What did you bring me?"

I pushed the bag towards her. "Pasta and a piece of cake."

"I love cake," the guy said, his gaze alternating between the bag and me.

Angela looked at him and rolled her eyes. "Bella, this is Dr. Hall. He's an obnoxious prick."

"Thanks for the extremely fitted introduction, Angela." He laughed with gusto, extending a hand to me. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Bella."

"You too," I said, shaking his hand which was really warm in comparison with my cold one.

His smile got wider as he stared at me intensely. I blushed and attempted to retract my hand, but he didn't let go, bringing it to his mouth and kissing the back of it.

"I wasn't joking when I said I love cake. You can't just tempt me and not let me at least have a taste," he said playfully, but I had this strange feeling that he wasn't talking about dessert.

"Um…" I stammered, pulling away and looking at Angela for help.

"Just get the damn cake out," she said in a clipped tone, but not seeming to find anything unusual in her coworker's behavior. "I told you he's an obnoxious prick. The man has no shame whatsoever. He'll pester me until I give him freaking cake."

"Okay…" I took the lid off the plastic recipient and gave it to him along with a fork. "Dig in."

He grinned, cutting a piece and bringing it to his lips. "Wow," he moaned appreciatively as he swallowed. "Just… wow. Did you make this?"

I chuckled at his enthusiasm. "No."

He cut another piece, inhaling it greedily. "Man, this is really good."

Angela sighed and Heidi laughed, snatching the fork from him and tasting a bit to see what all the fuss was about.

"Just have the whole piece," Angela said.

Dr. Hall retrieved the fork from Heidi, hovering with it above the delicious sweetness and preparing to attack again. "You mean it?"

Angela gave her consent, and he began shoveling the dessert, from time to time making delighted noises.

"Wow." I stared in awe. "I've never seen anyone enjoy cake so much."

"What can I say…" he replied, his mouth full. "…we all have our weaknesses."

Heidi went back to work, attending to patients, while Dr. Hall finished eating and I exchanged a few more words with Angela.

"Thanks," he said when he was done, returning the empty recipient. "It was delicious."

"You're welcome."

"So, Bella, how come I never heard anything about you?" He licked his lips, examining me attentively. "I must say, brunettes are another special fondness of mine. You know that, Angela."

"She has a boyfriend," Angela stated, again looking unfazed by the fact that he was so blatantly hitting on me.

"So?" He grinned at me. "You have lovely features."

"Okay, you're cute and all, but I have to go," I said, taking a step back. "I have to get to school."

"Come by again," he invited with a shameless leer. "Maybe you should let me give that wrist a look. You know… as a thank you for feeding my addiction."

I laughed. The man was incorrigible.

"Bye!" I called over my shoulder as I departed.

"Don't forget to bring cake!" he yelled after me.

Jeez, that was weird, I thought, still pretty entertained, as I made my way back to the subway station. In other circumstances, I think I would have been attracted to the guy, and who knows, maybe I would've even flirted back. But, ever since Edward had entered my life, he was the only man I had eyes for.

Too bad for Dr. Hall, I guess.

~~ 0 ~~

Wednesday was a gloomy day, both in regards to the weather and to my mood.

Edward was extremely busy, alternating between his office and running errands, so we didn't get to talk on the phone for more than a couple of minutes. He was stressed and agitated, his emotional state transferring over to me whether he realized it or not. I was edgy and kept checking the time every half an hour or so, wishing that I could just close my eyes and wake up the next morning. Tanya's memorial was tonight, and I was afraid that something bad might happen. It was a stupid fear, but I just couldn't get out of my head the horrendous scenario where Esme or even Emmett made a scene in front of everyone, accusing Edward of dating a gold-digger.

Although Edward hadn't said anything to me, I was willing to bet that was the way they all perceived me. To them, I was some poor student, slash whore, taking advantage of an older man's vulnerability so I could get my hands on his money. I didn't think that either Alice or Jasper had defended me in front of the family, because that meant they had to admit they had met me. So, Edward and I were pretty much on our own in this. But what bothered me the most was the fact that every time he met with his family, Edward had to face them alone. It pained me that he had to bear their judging and harsh words without anyone to back him up, and I wished that I could be there for him. According to him, it wasn't the right time for that yet. "Besides…" he'd said bravely, "… I can stand up to them on my own. At least for now."

I went to school and then to work, but no matter how hard I tried to distract myself, my mind kept wandering to Edward and the events that were going to take place in a few hours. My fingers were itching to call him or send him a text message, and once or twice I almost did it, deciding to cancel at the last second. By the time I got home, I was going insane with worry. Angela was working the night shift, so I didn't have anyone to talk to. I ate some dinner, showered, painted my nails and even attempted to watch a movie. The clock indicated a few minutes to eleven, and still no news from Edward.

It was eleven-fifteen when the doorbell finally rang. Jumping out of the bed in my ratty PJs, I rushed over to the door. Edward was standing on the other side, dressed in a black suit, paired with a black button-down and shiny, patent dress shoes. His usually neat hair was standing up as if he had been running his hands through it, and he had his glasses on, probably to conceal his tired eyes.

"Hey," I breathed, throwing myself into his arms and inhaling his cologne deeply. "How was it?"

He kissed my temple, and I stepped to the side so he could come in. Removing his coat, suit jacket and shoes, he answered with a sigh, "Everything went well, aside from my mother trying to get information out of me as soon as she had me alone, and my brother giving me the cold shoulder. Jess says hi."

I smiled, following him as he headed straight for my room and plopped down onto his back, his left leg dangling over the edge of the bed.

"I miss her," I said, sitting next to him and removing his glasses. Just as I had suspected, he looked absolutely fatigued, the accentuated bags under his eyes still there.

"She misses you, too," he said tiredly.

"How were Tanya's parents doing?"

"They were okay. As resigned as any parent can be about one of their children's death."

I nodded, and Edward moved towards the middle of the bed, patting the mattress for me to lie with him. I did, and he turned onto his side so that we were facing each other.

"Let's make a trip," he blurted out without any warning.

I gaped at him, blinking rapidly. "What did you just say?"

"Let's make a trip," he repeated ardently, his voice pleading as he placed his hand on my hipbone. "Just the two of us."

"When?" I asked dumbfounded.

"How about one month from now? I need a break."

I blinked again, realizing that he was dead serious. "Where would we be going?"

"Wherever you prefer. France, Austria, Egypt, China…"

"Wait, wait," I cut him off. "You mean outside of US?"

"Yes," he stated, staring at me expectantly.

"You really mean it?"

His brow furrowed. "Of course I mean it. Pick a country and we'll go."

I took a deep breath, held it, then exhaled loudly. "Edward…"

"Please?" he begged, looking forlorn, and my heart ached for him. "I desperately need a vacation."

"I can't afford…" I started saying, and it was his turn to cut me off.

"Isabella," he snapped, not bothering to hide his annoyance. "Is this going to come down to money again?"

"I can't let you pay for this, Edward," I argued weakly.

"Yes, you can. Please. Do it for me."

Biting on my lip, I rolled onto my back, staring at the white ceiling. I needed to consider his invitation for a moment. Yeah, he was practically offering to give me the trip of my dreams. And yeah, I cared about him a lot, he was great company, and I could bet we were going to have fun.

But still…

For some reason it just felt off to let him spend such an important sum on me.

When I glanced back at him, he was watching me intently. His expression oozed so much hope, that I actually felt like a horrible person for thinking about refusing him. For everything he'd been through, he deserved a vacation.

"Okay," I murmured.

His face lit up like he was a kid in a candy shop for the first time. Cupping my cheek, he planted a wet kiss on my mouth. "So, where to?" he breathed excitedly.

I didn't even need to think about it, because I already knew the destination. "Czech Republic. Prague."

A/N No lemon yet, but we're going to Prague. Yaaay!

Don't forget to check for teasers on FB or Twilighted!

Thanks for reading!

~ Andreea ~