Chapter Twenty-Three
"Stop it!" Bella giggled, fighting hard to breathe as Edward hovered over her, his hands stilling on her rib cage as he ceased his tickle assault.
Both grinned madly at each other before Edward straightened himself up and moved to the opposite end of the couch. His own breath came in sharp pants.
Bella blew the hair from her face then sat up too, adjusting her top before pulling her laptop across the table toward her.
Edward groaned.
"Bella, don't torture yourself with that," he said, running his fingers through his hair.
They'd spent almost every day together since their failed dinner out. If they weren't filming together then they were hanging out in Edward's hotel room together. They had just stumbled across photographs from the restaurant while they were taking a break from filming in Bella's trailer.
Edward had seen how visibly upset she was at the article which went with the pictures. Not to mention the precarious pictures themselves.
And that is how they found themselves wrestling and tickling each other on the couch.
"I just want to read it again," Bella insisted as she scrolled down the page, bypassing the pictures of her passed out in Edward's arms, her dress revealing more of her than she'd ever intended.
"It seems Isabella Swan is sliding down the same perilous slope that even the most seasoned of actors find themselves on. Swan found herself thrown into stardom after an open audition where she was said to 'stun' and 'mesmerize' casting directors.
"On a night out with on screen husband, heart throb, Edward Cullen, Swan found herself a little worse for wear after too many drinks and was seen exiting The Olive Garden in the arms of Cullen, her rumored, real life, lover.
"Eye witnesses at the restaurant said that Swan was drinking heavily and Cullen could repeatedly be heard telling her to 'pace herself', 'slow down' and to 'stop embarrassing' him. It is then said that the couple began to row until Swan passed out drunk on the floor, only to be carried, unconscious, from the restaurant by Cullen.
Images captured that night show just how tipsy the two were. Cullen stumbled his way to his car while Swan flashed her chest for all to see," Bella finished reading the article aloud to Edward and turned her glistening eyes toward him.
"Hey," Edward whispered, scooting closer and pressing his palm to Bella's cheek. "You and I know that it's all lies. That's all that matters."
She nodded slowly and smiled weakly up at him. He'd been such a strength to her over the past few days. Not once did he press her to explain what had happened at the restaurant, he knew that it was something she couldn't talk about freely and he left it for her to tell him in her own time.
A glint passed through her eyes as she grinned slyly before slapping Edward's chest. He faked hurt and looked up at her with shock.
"What was that for?" he asked.
"That… Edward Cullen… was for letting me get photographed with my boobs hanging out!" Bella replied trying hard not to laugh with embarrassment as her cheeks flamed.
"I said I was sorry," Edward countered, his eyes flicking to Bella's chest and back up. "I was more concerned with getting you to the car. The thought that your girls were on full display didn't even register in my mind."
Bella laughed at his wording and flipped the lid of the laptop closed, not wanting to see the damning pictures anymore.
"God, my parents are going to kill me," she said before her face fell.